Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Chapter 18 I Don’t Recognize Chapter 18 -18 I Don’t Recognize Gong Chen didn’t speak, glancing behind Lin Zhiyi, his expression becoming especially indifferent, like the glaciers under severe cold, warning strangers to keep out.

Lin Zhiyi sneered in her heart, true to Gong Chen’s form.

At that moment, a sharp and authoritative voice rang out from behind her.

“Lin Zhiyi, what are you still standing there for? Everyone is waiting for you.”

It was Old Mr. Gong.

Lin Zhiyi turned around and found that standing behind Old Mr. Gong were Liu He and Gong Shiyan.

Usually, these two had no right to stand in such a central position, yet the only time this happened was under such circumstances.

Clearly, Old Mr. Gong was worried Lin Zhiyi would back out and not go on stage.

“Zhiyi...”

Gong Shiyan’s face was serious, wanting to come up and protect Lin Zhiyi.

Lin Zhiyi immediately shook her head at him, “Uncle, just stay with my mom.”

Under Old Mr. Gong’s warning gaze, Lin Zhiyi went on stage.

In the audience, Zhao Cheng, wrapped in bandages, appeared, his expression smug.

A group of journalists was restless, and before Lin Zhiyi even began to speak, some were eager to accuse her.

“Miss Lin, it’s said that Miss Song also represents the school in the jewelry design competition. Are you jealous of Miss Song, which is why you went so far as to physically attack her?”

The camera appropriately switched to Song Wanqiu.

She dabbed the corner of her eye, biting her lip in a show of grievance.

Lin Zhiyi stared at the questioning journalist, then said, “I’ll answer you in a moment.”

The journalist obviously wasn’t buying it, pressing aggressively, “Are you scared? According to people from your school, your competition slot was also obtained by maliciously slandering Miss Song online, but the school did not want to bury Miss Song’s talent and specially fought to get her another slot. So, you encouraged someone to hurt Miss Song.”

Their argument seemed well-prepared, thoroughly researched.

Lin Zhiyi looked at him and countered, “Who revealed that? They can confront me.”

The journalist choked, struggling to find a reply, “We can’t reveal that.”

“So, you have no evidence, can I sue you for slander?”

“...”

The journalist, embarrassed and losing face, glowered at Lin Zhiyi as if to say she wouldn’t be smug for much longer.

Just then, a heavy cough sounded.

Old Mr. Gong’s gaze swept over the murmuring crowd, commanding authoritatively, “Speak now.”

The camera focused again on Lin Zhiyi.

Lin Zhiyi calmly opened her speech, fixing her eyes on the words.

The first sentence was, “I confess.”

“I...” She lifted her eyes to the audience, slowly saying, “I do not confess.”

“Lin Zhiyi!” Old Mr. Gong suppressed his anger, his gaze fiercely stabbing at Lin Zhiyi.

Gong Chen stood up, his face darkening, utterly cold, his eyes grim, his voice tinged with mockery.

“Lin Zhiyi, this is meaningless.”

“Is it?”

Lin Zhiyi lifted the speech and, looking at Gong Chen, tore it into shreds and threw them into the air.

The pieces formed a barrier between her and Gong Chen, as if they could never be crossed.

She turned her face, looking at the journalist who had questioned her earlier.

“Journalist Chen, do you enjoy consuming the bread soaked in human blood?”

“You... what do you mean?” Journalist Chen was shocked, his expression turning uneasy.

“Isn’t everything on the internet posted by you? What’s with the act now?”

“You spout malicious lies, what proof do you have? I think Miss Lin doesn’t really want to sincerely apologize!” Journalist Chen shouted loudly.

“Who says there’s no evidence?”

Accompanying the voice, a striking female officer walked in.

The policewoman came with her team.

The police officer walked up to Lin Zhiyi and glanced at her colleague.

At the same time, she clicked twice on the nearby control console, and some chat records appeared on the screen.

“This is the conversation exposed online from Lin Zhiyi’s account. We’ve investigated the IP address of the other party, which is registered under Journalist Zhao’s name. This means Journalist Zhao is the person who first slandered Miss Song online.”

Journalist Zhao stiffened, his face turning pale.

In a panic, he pointed at the screen, “Even if it is, what about it? Doesn’t this just prove that Lin Zhiyi gave me false information to slander Miss Song?”

The crowd nodded in agreement.

Lin Zhiyi however, looked calmly at Song Wanqiu and asked, “Miss Song, you know best who the person behind the exposure is, don’t you? Aren’t you going to say something?”

Song Wanqiu panicked for a moment, then immediately said, “What does it have to do with me? It wasn’t me!”

Lin Zhiyi stared at her, “Miss Song, did I say it had anything to do with you? I merely mentioned that we had clarified everything in the director’s office that day, so why didn’t you clarify things when the journalists and fans misunderstood me?”

“I, I...”

Song Wanqiu couldn’t respond and simply resorted to crying to cover it up.

Lin Zhiyi said kindly, “Miss Song, don’t cry. You make it seem like I’m bullying you. Just help me explain it to everyone, and it’ll be fine.”

Asking Song Wanqiu for help at this moment was almost tantamount to torturing her slowly.

Song Wanqiu was clearly unwilling, and she looked pitifully at Gong Chen.

Lin Zhiyi also looked masochistically at Gong Chen.

Uncle, it’s your turn to choose.

As expected, Gong Chen stepped in to shield Song Wanqiu.

“It has nothing to do with her.”

Song Wanqiu hid behind Gong Chen, wiping away tears, sparingly glancing at Lin Zhiyi.

Look at that, Lin Zhiyi, what does it matter if you’ve been intimate? He will always choose me!

Lin Zhiyi had known this outcome long ago.

She watched the couple in front of her with a calm heart, yet her heart unavoidably constricted, spreading pain to her limbs.

She clenched her fist, her face showing no emotion.

Gong Chen watched the impassive Lin Zhiyi with barely perceptible turbulence in his eyes.

He felt oddly irritated.

As if he had lost control of something.

As Song Wanqiu sensed something, she clung to his arm, meaningfully saying, “Third Young Master, Zhiyi may say her account was hacked, but no one was found until now. It’s not too surprising.”

The police officer directly said, “Miss Song, rest assured, we’ve caught the person. Bring her up!”

In Song Wanqiu’s shocked gaze, Shen Yan was brought forward.

Reborn to Outshine My Ex and His White Moonlight Chapter 17 Thank You Uncle Rebirth of a Village Girl The police officer pointed at Shen Yan and sternly said, “Shen Yan, think carefully before you speak.”

Lin Zhiyi watched this scene and gently curved her lips.

Shen Yan, are you loyally defending your master or dog biting dog with Song Wanqiu?

Out of the corner of her eye, Lin Zhiyi noticed Gong Chen looking at her.

He still emanated a dangerous aura, his expression flat, even unsurprised by Shen Yan’s appearance.

Lin Zhiyi pursed her lips, still unable to decipher Gong Chen’s thoughts, and quickly avoided his gaze.

The next second, Shen Yan tentatively looked up, her face full of tears, “Miss Song, I’m sorry, it was my jealousy towards you that made me spout nonsense to the netizens. I had no idea things would blow up like this, I’m sorry, I’ll bow and apologize to you.”

Shen Yan knelt, raising her delicate and inferior face towards Gong Chen and Song Wanqiu, apologizing to Miss Song, but her eyes were fixed on Gong Chen.

Her reddened eyes and pale face were truly pitiable.

With Shen Yan kneeling, if Song Wanqiu acted aggressively, it would not fit her kind and generous character.

She could only grit her teeth and help Shen Yan up, “Forget it, we’re all classmates. I don’t want to hold a grudge.”

Lin Zhiyi spoke again, “Journalist Chen, since there’s no evidence of me slandering Miss Song, your argument doesn’t stand.”

Journalist Chen’s forehead vein throbbed, realizing the situation was turning against him, he decided to go all out.

“Even if there’s no slander, but you inciting netizens to harm Miss Song is still true, right?”

“True or not, aren’t Journalist Chen and Miss Song clearer about that than me?”

Chapter 1123 - 286: Retribution, Recognizing Each Other_3 Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress Chapter 828 - 825: Prosperous Mountains and Rivers