Chapter 2 — The Mistress of Moon-Gazing Pavilion

I silently activated the screen recording feature, capturing every ounce of forged evidence and the damning voice messages flooding the group chat. Finally, the collection of proof was complete. Footsteps echoed from the hallway outside. I returned to the home screen and opened a social media profile; the latest post was a live stream hosted by Huo Yunting. The location tag pointed directly to the Royal Dynasty Karaoke Lounge, the most opulent and expensive venue in the city. As I tapped into the feed, the screen filled with tables crowded with bottles of Ace of Spades champagne. Forty-five classmates were packed into the room, raising their glasses in a toast, jubilant over successfully tricking me into saddling their one-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-yuan debt. Bai Weiwei sat pressed against Huo Yunting, thrusting a diamond bracelet toward the camera lens.

This is a graduation gift Yunting just bought for me; I heard it cost tens of thousands, she chirped, preening. Thank you, Yunting. Once we start university, we must stay together forever.

Huo Yunting pulled her into an embrace, gazing smugly into the camera. What is a mere bracelet worth mentioning? The money I saved everyone on the tab tonight is enough for you all to sing until dawn. There are people who think they can take advantage of me, but I will make sure she rots in prison for this.

Several male students crowded into the frame, immediately launching into a smear campaign against me during the live broadcast. You guys have no idea, one sneered. Underneath those ragged clothes of hers, Wu Jianyue is covered in marks left by the old men who keep her. Another chimed in, She even stole from the class fund back in school. We saw it with our own eyes; we just never exposed her until now. Look at her, she looks like a pauper, and she is base to the bone. That kind of trash is only fit to wash our dishes.

The comment section overflowed with vitriolic abuse. Huo Yunting snatched the phone, stared directly into the camera, and shouted, We will send someone back to the Lanyue Pavilion later to see what kind of pathetic, miserable state she is in. If she truly cannot pay, I will have the manager sell her to the underground club next door to entertain guests. That place is always desperate for poor wretches who need money; I guarantee they will teach her how to behave in one night.

He spoke of inciting crimes and degrading women as if they were trophies to be flaunted. I stared at the screen, recording every second. The door to my room swung open. The hall manager stumbled in, his face ghostly pale and his forehead glistening with cold sweat. In his hand, he clutched a black flash drive. As he walked toward me, his legs trembled violently, and he dared not meet my gaze. Engraved on the casing of the drive was a family crest that belonged only to the owner of this establishment—me. This device could only be accessed through iris authentication. He finally realized he had crossed a person he should never have touched. Shortly after, several police officers entered from the corridor. Leading them was a middle-aged man with two stars on his shoulder boards. He was the squad leader—the very uncle Huo Yunting was always boasting about. He strode to the table, glanced at the empty plates, picked up the bill for one hundred and fifty thousand yuan, then turned his gaze toward me.

Are you the one who reported that there are individuals here suspected of organized fraud and evasion of payment? The amount on this invoice is indeed significant. Please provide a detailed account of the incident and show your identification.

His tone was strictly procedural. I stopped the screen recording, stood up, and handed him both my phone and the flash drive. Everything is here: surveillance footage of their entire stay, their attempt to flee, and the group chat logs showing them manufacturing evidence. Furthermore, the itemized list of tens of thousands of yuan in additional liquor is definitive proof that the suspects intentionally set a trap.

The squad leader took the phone and the drive. When he caught sight of the crest on the device, he froze, his expression shifting instantly. Having served as a criminal investigator for so long, he recognized the emblem immediately. He looked up at me, his eyes widening. He pulled out his official equipment, inserted the flash drive to review the surveillance, and then opened the recorded live stream on my phone. In the video, Huo Yunting was arrogantly calling the officer’s name and threatening to sell me into forced service. The squad leader stared at the screen, his jaw muscles clenching in fury. He handed the equipment to his deputy and issued a series of low, sharp orders. Just then, my other phone vibrated. The caller ID showed it was my homeroom teacher. I picked up, and the voice on the other end erupted in a scream.

Wu Jianyue, have you lost your mind? You actually dared to call the police and blow this out of proportion? Do you have any idea how many calls the Municipal Public Security Bureau has made to the academic office? The principal is as pale as a sheet! You haven’t just ruined the class’s reputation; you’ve destroyed the school’s standing as a model collective for years. Don’t bother showing up for the graduation ceremony tomorrow. The school will be reconsidering whether or not to issue your diploma.

He did not care about the truth; he only cared about prestige. The voice on the other end continued its tirade. I do not care what you have to do. Get to the police station right now and withdraw your report.