Chapter 40: Framed

In the office, Li Li cast a scornful glance at Yuan Yu as she spoke to a middle-aged man in his forties, bald-headed and wearing silver-framed glasses.

“Counselor Li, I urge you to investigate thoroughly. My watch is a high-end brand, valued at over 300,000. It was a gift from my father just yesterday morning. I didn’t even get the chance to unbox it before it disappeared.”

“Rest assured, Li Li, the school will provide a fair resolution,” Counselor Li Chenggong responded with a friendly demeanor.

“I’m glad to hear that. I have faith the school will handle this matter impartially, isn’t that right, Yuan Yu?” Li Li turned her gaze towards Yuan Yu, her pale face sporting a smug and cold smirk.

Ignoring Li Li, Yuan Yu turned to Li Chenggong, her face serious, “Counselor Li, I really didn’t take her watch.”

“Yuan Yu, we won’t unjustly accuse an innocent person, nor will we let a guilty one off the hook,” Counselor Li said with a smile, but his tone shifted slightly. “However, weren’t you and Huang Caixing the last ones to leave the classroom yesterday evening?”

“Yes,” Yuan Yu admitted, gritting her teeth.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Counselor Li continued, “In that case, you and Huang Caixing are both under suspicion. Huang Caixing is absent today, so I can’t question her. However, the watch box and certificate were found in your bag. Given that Li Li’s watch disappeared in the classroom last night, this makes you the prime suspect.”

Counselor Li’s words left Yuan Yu paler than before. She couldn’t understand how the watch box and certificate had ended up in her bag.

She recalled the morning’s events. At around ten, Li Li suddenly yelled out in class that her watch was missing.

Given her strained relationship with Li Li, Yuan Yu had initially chosen to ignore the commotion. However, Li Li raised such a fuss over her missing watch—loudly accusing someone of theft—that the teacher was forced to intervene. Bowing to Li Li’s demands, the teacher initiated a search of all the students’ belongings.

The other students were reluctant, but due to the teacher’s insistence, they allowed Li Li to search their belongings, albeit begrudgingly.

Yuan Yu complied as well, opening her bag for Li Li to check. But what she hadn’t anticipated was the presence of a gift box inside—one that held a certificate for a watch.

In an instant, every pair of eyes in the classroom locked onto her. With such damning evidence in front of her, Yuan Yu was left speechless.

“Counselor Li,” she protested, “I haven’t touched her things at all. I have no idea how that box ended up in my bag.”

“Haha, you have no idea?” Li Li laughed loudly. “Does anyone believe her, Counselor Li? Is it possible that my watch somehow managed to walk into her bag? I won’t fuss about this for the sake of our classmates, but that watch has to be returned. It’s a designer watch worth 300,000. If not, I won’t hesitate to involve the police.”

Li Li felt a flash of satisfaction looking at the ashen-faced Yuan Yu. She knew Yuan Yu wouldn’t be able to produce the watch.

At this point, Li Chenggong chimed in, “Yuan Yu, I recommend you return the watch. If we call the police over such a valuable item, it would constitute a serious crime. By law, it could result in a sentence of no less than five years and up to ten years.”

“I didn’t take the watch,” Yuan Yu replied.

Yuan Yu’s already pale face became even paler.

She was a mere seventeen-year-old senior high school student. Although she was a bit tougher than her peers due to her family circumstances, she was overwhelmed by the astronomical amount involved and couldn’t help but break down in tears.

A flash of empathy crossed Li Chenggong’s eyes. However, remembering the promise made by Song Tianxing the previous day, he quickly suppressed his feelings.

Just then, Yuan Yu remembered the classroom’s surveillance system. “Counselor Li,” she said hopefully, “Isn’t there a camera in the classroom? If we check the footage, we’ll see who took Li Li’s watch.”

Yuan Yu thought it was merely a misunderstanding. She was unaware that she was ensnared in a trap.

Her assumption was not without reason. Although she was aware of Li Li’s disdain for her, such a large sum of money involved would cause trouble for Li Li if it turned out to be a false accusation, possibly leading to jail time.

Moreover, Counselor Li was the guidance counselor at Guanglai High School. Under normal circumstances, he had no reason to involve himself in minor student disputes.

However, Yuan Yu’s heart sank as Li Chenggong shook his head. “Unfortunately the surveillance in Class 3-1 broke down yesterday. As such, we can’t access any footage.”

“All of you…”

At this point, even Yuan Yu could sense that something wasn’t right. There was just no such thing as a coincidence.

The gift box that had abruptly appeared in her bag, the sudden demand to inspect her possessions under the watchful eyes of everyone, and the surveillance system conveniently malfunctioning.

At that moment, the office door swung open, and Song Tianxing walked in, his face marked by a sly smile.

“Counselor Li, good day.”

“Young Master Song.”

“Young Master Song has arrived.”

Both Li Chenggong and Li Li greeted him with a hint of subservient politeness.

Song Tianxing acknowledged them with a nod, then turned his gaze towards Yuan Yu, her face still stained with tears. “Well, if it isn’t Yuan Yu. If you needed money, you could have come to me. Why resort to such actions?”

“Is it you? Did you orchestrate all of this?” Yuan Yu looked at the expressions of Li Chenggong and Li Li. Noticing the smugness on Song Tianxing’s face, she finally grasped the truth. This was all a trap set up by Song Tianxing.

“Ha! Indeed, it’s me. I orchestrated everything.”

Only Li Li and Li Chenggong were present in the office, both loyal to him. Song Tianxing, unable to contain his self-satisfaction, let out a boisterous laugh.

“Why?”

Realizing she was being framed, Yuan Yu oddly found herself calm. She looked at Song Tianxing.

Yuan Yu knew Song Tianxing had long been pursuing her. She had consistently ignored him, but she didn’t believe this warranted him setting a trap just over such a trivial matter.

“Why?” Song Tianxing’s face twisted into a cruel smile as he gritted his teeth. “I’ve been chasing after you for so long, yet you’ve paid me no heed. I thought you were truly pure and innocent. But it seems you’ve been keeping a secret lover, playing me for a fool all this while. Did you really think I could be so easily deceived?”

At this point, Song Tianxing cast a covetous glance at Yuan Yu. “Let me tell you, ever since my childhood, there’s been nothing I wanted that I couldn’t get. If you reject my advances, then naturally, I’ll have to teach you a lesson. Don’t think having a secret lover will allow you to slip through my fingers.”