Chapter 145: Chapter 145

Shen You’an finished eating and sent Gao Yuyue away, then took a stroll in the small garden by Swan Lake.

A cold female voice sounded from behind.

Shen You’an turned around, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Qin, is there something you need?"

Qin Xiangge stared at the face that was mere inches away from her, clenching her fist lightly at her side.

A single change in appearance—how could it result in such a drastic transformation?

Remembering why she was here, Qin Xiangge said coldly, "I already know about Yinyin’s matter."

Qin Xiangge took a deep breath. "Yinyin has already realized her mistake. I think you should give her a chance to turn over a new leaf. Shen, sometimes doing things to the extreme and leaving no way out for yourself is very dangerous."

"In what capacity and with what authority are you saying this to me?" Shen You’an asked with a smile.

"Yinyin is my good friend."

"Oh, since she’s your good friend, why don’t you apologize to me on her behalf?"

"You... Shen You’an, don’t push too far."

Qin Xiangge responded coldly, her brows furrowing.

"Tsk, not sincere enough. Then forget it. Just wait for the school’s punishment."

Shen You’an couldn’t be bothered to quarrel with her and turned to leave.

In the grass, a figure slowly got up and turned to look over.

"Xiangge, what’s wrong?"

Qin Xiangge was startled and said, "Ayao, why are you here?"

"Just slacking off, that’s all."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the figure on the bridge growing more distant, his eyes narrowing slightly as his tone grew icy. "Did she dare to bully you?"

Qin Xiangge bit her lip. "Forget it, Ayao, she’s a talent that Lanya Group is focusing on cultivating. I..."

Jiang Shengyao scoffed, his rebelliousness on full display. "No wonder Lanya Group keeps declining. What kind of judgment is that?"

Bending his long legs, he rose from the bench, crossed the grass in a few strides, and came to Qin Xiangge’s side.

"Speak now, while I have a bit of time, or not at all later."

With that, he turned to leave.

Qin Xiangge hurriedly grabbed the sleeve of his school uniform. "Ayao... You’re the only one who can help me now."

Shen Huailu finished his lunch and was relaxing, sipping tea with his legs crossed.

Suddenly, the office door was kicked open, startling Shen Huailu so much that he almost spilled the tea he was holding.

Shen Huailu raised his head in fury, ready to reprimand the intruder, but when he saw the boy swaggering in, his anger immediately dissipated without a trace.

"Well, isn’t this Mr. Jiang? What kind of wind blew you in here today?"

Shen Huailu instantly put on a sycophantic smile and eagerly stepped forward to greet him.

Jiang Shengyao pulled over a swivel chair, sat down, and propped his long legs on Shen Huailu’s desk, exuding the air of someone in charge.

Shen Huailu took a deep breath. Out of all the students in the school, there wasn’t a single one he wouldn’t dare to discipline—except this young master in front of him, who was truly untouchable.

"Patience is a virtue," he thought.

But this troublemaker’s visits were never without reason; he had to be up to something.

"Director Shen, has Lii Yinyin’s punishment been decided?"

Shen Huailu froze for a moment. So this was about Lii Yinyin’s matter.

"The school is still discussing it. May I ask, Mr. Jiang...?"

"It’s nothing serious. Why make such a big deal out of it? If you ask me, Shen You’an is just merciless and belligerent. It’s disgraceful, given how tirelessly Lanya Group’s teachers have educated her over the years."

Shen Huailu was stunned. "Mr. Jiang, where did you hear this from?"

"Doesn’t matter where I heard it. The Lanya High School handbook includes principles about fostering unity and friendship, doesn’t it? Lii has already fully recognized her own mistakes and is willing to apologize to Shen You’an, yet Shen You’an refuses to let it go and insists on severely punishing her. Isn’t that against the school’s principles?"

Shen Huailu firmly shook his head. "Mr. Jiang, that’s not right. Without rules, there can’t be proper conduct. The school needs to manage hundreds of students, and stringent discipline is for their own good."

Jiang Shengyao sneered. "So, you’re determined to shield Shen You’an?"

Shen Huailu looked deeply at Jiang Shengyao. "Mr. Jiang, Shen has done nothing wrong from beginning to end. The decision to punish Lii Yinyin was unanimously agreed upon by the school’s upper management. I ask that you respect that."

"Nothing wrong? Flies don’t swarm eggs without cracks. Out of all the students in the school, why did Lii Yinyin target Shen You’an specifically? Is her uncle really as innocent as you claim? Would you dare investigate further? If her uncle truly committed something illegal, it wouldn’t just disgrace her; it would tarnish Lanya Group’s reputation entirely."

Shen Huailu was infuriated by the absurdity of the claim and felt a headache coming on. "Jiang, where did you hear such distorted rumors?"

"Just answer me. Is Shen You’an’s uncle clean or not? If he did violate the law, then Lii Yinyin’s actions couldn’t be considered slander. In fact, she should be praised for her bravery. And at that point, the one who should be expelled from Lanya High School is Shen You’an."