Chapter 991: A Thief

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Lin Miao had a plan. She was going to start fresh, leave her troubled past behind, and focus entirely on getting into university. That was her ticket to a new life.

She envisioned herself excelling in her studies, cultivating relationships with her classmates, and perhaps even subtly maneuvering social dynamics to her advantage. She would become someone remarkable among her peers, someone destined for success.

Lin Miao was nothing if not determined; she believed that as long as she played her cards right, there would always be a way forward.

But then came Gu Zi, and like an unexpected storm, she blew Lin Miao’s carefully laid plans to pieces.

Gu Zi’s arrival was something Lin Miao hadn’t foreseen, and the woman wasted no time in wielding the one weapon that could utterly devastate her: the truth. The word “prison” left Gu Zi’s lips with unnerving ease, and in that instant, Lin Miao’s world crumbled.

Two words were all it took. Just two. “Prison time.”

Gu Zi didn’t hesitate as she let the revelation slip in front of their classmates, exposing Lin Miao’s past as if it were nothing more than idle gossip.

Lin Miao felt as though she had been struck down in battle. Her legs wobbled beneath her, her face went pale, and her mind raced with panic.@@novelbin@@

Two girls stood nearby, their eyes widening in shock as the damning words sank in. The first ripple had already begun, and Lin Miao knew it wouldn’t take long for the scandal to spread like wildfire through both schools.

Guangwai and Renhe were only a stone’s throw apart, and it was their very proximity that Lin Miao had once counted on to cultivate connections. Ironically, it was also what would now amplify her disgrace.

Regret and bitterness churned in Lin Miao’s chest, but it was too late. Fate had dealt her another cruel hand.

Still, she clung to a sliver of hope. Forcing herself to steady her trembling voice, Lin Miao played the only card she had left—denial. “Sister Gu Zi,” she stammered, her tone feigning innocence. “I really didn’t say anything bad about you. You can’t do this to me. I didn’t.”

The two girls exchanged uneasy glances. The revelation about Lin Miao’s criminal past had prompted them to instinctively edge away from her, but her desperate protest cast doubt in their minds.

Was Gu Zi lying? After all, Guangwai was a prestigious school—surely, they wouldn’t admit someone with a criminal record?

Gathering her composure, one of the girls frowned and spoke up, “You’re making this up. If Lin Miao really went to prison, why would Guangwai even accept her?”

Their skepticism seemed to breathe new life into Lin Miao, who blinked away her tears and fixed her gaze on Gu Zi, pleading silently for mercy. She was adept at playing the victim, and it had worked countless times before. Surely, it would work on Gu Zi too.

But Gu Zi wasn’t the type to fall for such tactics. Her sharp eyes pierced through Lin Miao’s teary facade, seeing the glint of simmering hatred lurking beneath. Gu Zi didn’t miss a thing. That venomous glare, cloaked in pitiful desperation, was as plain to her as the midday sun.

No, Gu Zi wouldn’t let herself be fooled. Pitying a snake would only invite its fangs.

She dismissed Lin Miao’s watery gaze entirely and turned her attention to the two girls. “If you’re curious about why Guangwai accepted her, go ask her homeroom teacher. As for whether she’s been to prison, you don’t need to check police records. Just ask around at the military district compound. They’ll tell you how Lin Miao stole three thousand yuan meant as wedding money and ended up in prison on the day of the ceremony. Quite the story, isn’t it?”

Her words landed with the weight of a hammer.

The two girls faltered again, their earlier confidence unraveling. Gu Zi’s tone carried a conviction that was hard to dismiss. Why would she lie about something so easily verified? No one would fabricate a story this outrageous only to have it disproven moments later.

Slowly, their gazes turned back to Lin Miao, this time with suspicion—and distance.

“A thief?” one of them whispered, the word heavy with disdain.

But the other girl, still clinging to her indignation, snapped at Gu Zi. “You’re so cruel! Aren’t you and Lin Miao sisters? The Gu family raised you for over ten years, and this is how you repay them? Exposing her like this? You’re both disgusting. Neither of you deserves sympathy.”

Gu Zi raised an eyebrow, unbothered by the accusation. “You must think you’re some moral authority, huh? Newsflash: you don’t know half of what’s going on, yet here you are, throwing judgments around like confetti. Maybe all that schooling turned your brain to mush. Do us all a favor and go home—eat some pig brains or something. You might actually need the boost.”

With that, Gu Zi flicked her wrist dismissively and walked off, her strides unhurried and confident. She didn’t spare a second glance at the trio.

Lin Miao, however, was frozen in place, her face dark with fury and humiliation. She couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Gu Zi! This is revenge, isn’t it? You’re doing this to humiliate me, aren’t you?!” Lin Miao shouted after her.

Gu Zi stopped in her tracks and turned, her expression unreadable. Then, with a smile that cut sharper than any blade, she said, “You talk like if I hadn’t said it, you wouldn’t have been to prison. Funny how that works.”

As her parting words hung in the air, the bus arrived. Gu Zi stepped onto it without a trace of guilt, leaving Lin Miao rooted to the spot.

By the time Lin Miao snapped out of her daze, she realized the two Renhe girls were gone. Looking around frantically, she spotted them far down the road, glancing back at her with unmistakable scorn before disappearing into the gates of Renhe Middle School.