Chapter 33 Don't Lose Your Temper

Xiang Ruzhen: "What? How could this happen? You're so unlucky."

Lu Jinlan: "Who says otherwise? Maybe fate arranged for me to mess up today. Although I thought about being honest with him and we could part amicably, and I could make it up to him in other ways, he caught us in this situation, so all the words I had prepared are useless. Now Lin Cheng is about to come up, what's your plan?"

Xiang Ruzhen was at a loss. "I know nothing about men. If Wuxin were here, maybe she could come up with a solution. But she has diarrhea and went to the outhouse. What should we do? I saw Lin Cheng coming in aggressively. I hope he won't hit you?"

Lu Jinlan took a deep breath and straightened her chest. "I need to show some womanly grace. I won't fight back. I'll just let him hit me a few times, like a cat scratching me. It's nothing."

Xiang Ruzhen immediately gave a thumbs up and praised, "A good woman doesn't fight with a man, you're such a pure woman. If he weren't a man, I would have beaten him up for you. It's a pity he is a man, I'm afraid people will say we're bullying the old, weak and children. But if he really makes a move, I still have to say a few words of advice to him. The young master doesn't act like a man at all, he's too fierce, no wonder you didn't choose him."

As the two were discussing, Lin Cheng climbed up from the foot of the mountain, "Lu Jinlan!"

His anger was at its peak, the surging rage making his breathing rapid. His deep-set face, when angered, became exceptionally cold and stern, like an iceberg colliding with a volcano, radiating danger.

Lu Jinlan instinctively took a few steps back. "Don't be impulsive, let me explain."

Xiang Ruzhen also chimed in, "Let's talk this out calmly. Don't lose your temper, young master..."

Before he could finish speaking, Rin's actions surprised everyone.

He stormed forward, then without warning, embraced Lu Jinlan and kissed her.

Lu Jinlan's newly conceived explanation instantly fell apart, her mind went blank, and a thousand questions filled her heart.

Is my protagonist aura too strong? The consequence of being caught is that he actively throws himself into my arms?

Wait a minute, last time I couldn't resist kissing him when we were alone, and he avoided me for days afterward.

How dare he kiss me when there are other people around?

Lu Jinlan glanced at Xiang Ruzhen discreetly and saw that she was still standing to the side in the posture of mediating the fight, her expression frozen and her eyes wide with disbelief.

Lin Cheng seemed to have gone mad, ignoring the gazes of others, kissing her forcefully, awkwardly, and without any technique, until Lu Jinlan stroked his face and gently responded to him.

Rin Cheng slightly opened his eyes, his deep eyes gradually becoming moist.

He looked at the woman before him; she was so radiant and dazzling, fearless and often doing things that ordinary people wouldn't dare to do, her enigmatic charm comparable to a devil. Yet, in her eyes, there was a compassion and mercy that seemed almost divine.

God loves the world, so why do you make me suffer so much?

He stared at her intently, his voice trembling slightly, "Just for that reason, is that it?"

"Huh? What?" Lu Jinlan didn't understand.

"Just because I didn't respond to you that day, you decided to distance yourself from me, right? Just because I wasn't enthusiastic enough when you wanted to be close to me, you're going to stay away from me, right?"

Looking at his red, tearful eyes, Lu Jinlan asked softly, "Weren't you avoiding me?"

A self-deprecating smile appeared on Lin Cheng's face, and a tear rolled down his cheek. "Yes, at first I avoided you. Because I didn't know how to face you, I didn't know what your intentions were in getting close to me, I didn't know if you were taking advantage of me, I didn't know where you placed me. I know I'm too conservative, too reserved, too demure, but I'm a man, can't you allow me even the slightest struggle or wavering in my heart?"

Lin Cheng closed his eyes in anguish. "I know he's more romantic than me, and he's better at playing the victim. But I've never been a courtesan at Fengchun Pavilion. This is the first time I've liked someone, and I've traveled all this way to get here. What more do you want from me?"

Lu Jinlan gazed into his tearful eyes, filled with remorse, "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry? Is that all you want to say to me? I'm a man. Do you know how much courage it took for me to confess my feelings to you? I didn't care about my reputation, the opinions of the world, or even that you might despise or hate me because of it. Do you know that?"

She quickly replied, "I know."

Rin Cheng shook his head in anguish, "You don't know!"

Lu Jinlan said firmly, "Whether you believe it or not, I am the only woman in this world who can possibly understand you, the only one who can empathize with you, and only me."

Lin Cheng sneered, "Yes, only you understand me. You've got me figured out, so you humiliate me without any scruples. You asked me to buy you an expensive white jade hairpin to give to your lovers. Did you proudly tell them, 'Look, that fool, he's being played like a dog by me'?"

Lu Jinlan couldn't bear it and said, "You know I'm not that kind of person, so why did you say such things? And what lovers? That day I wanted to ask someone to give the white jade hairpin to Yu Mian as a birthday gift, and you came to me on your own initiative, catching me off guard. I only gave it to him, that's all."

"What about the other one? Didn't you buy two? Don't tell me that was what Yan Wuxin wanted to buy."

Lu Jinlan pursed her lips. "I bought both of them. I thought you would like them too, so I reserved one for you."

Rin Cheng scrutinized her repeatedly, as if assessing the veracity of her words.

Lu Jinlan sighed, "I know that I have no integrity left in your heart. I have never dared to claim that I am a trustworthy person, and perhaps I am not a good woman either. I have let you down. I know that you want that kind of exclusive relationship, but I may not be able to do that. I'm sorry."

Lu Jinlan gently wiped away the tears on his face with her fingertips. "I'm sorry, Lin Cheng, I think I might not be right for you."

Lin Cheng abruptly brushed her hand away, his pained eyes filled with disbelief. "You want to get rid of me?"

"I...I..." Now it was Lu Jinlan's turn to be incredulous. Now that things had come to this point, was there any other possibility if they didn't cut ties completely?

She stammered twice, "I can't give you the feelings you want..."

Rin Cheng flew into a rage and roared, "I never said you had to belong to me alone!"

With tears in his eyes and a hoarse voice, he said, "I do want you to belong only to me, but I've never said that. I didn't ask you that, I didn't dare to ask you that, but what gives you the right to make decisions for me? Is this your excuse for pushing me away?"

Lu Jinlan was speechless for a moment. Lin Cheng looked at her face and gritted his teeth, saying, "Let me tell you, don't even think about getting rid of me. I will haunt you like a ghost, and you will never get rid of me in this lifetime."

"I hate you!" he said coldly before turning and leaving.

Lu Jinlan stood there, her heart filled with a turmoil of emotions, unable to calm down for a long time.

*

On his way down the mountain, Lin Cheng bumped into Yan Wuxin, who was arriving late. Remembering Lu Jinlan's previous instructions, Yan Wuxin pretended to be casual and said, "Hey, Young Master Lin, thank you for buying me the hairpin last time."

Rin Cheng glared at her fiercely, "Get out of here!"

Yan Wuxin watched his hurried departure down the mountain, a look of confusion on her face. "Did I give myself away?"

Upon seeing Xiang Ruzhen, Yan Wuxin immediately complained, "What's wrong with Lin Cheng? Has he gone mad?"

Xiang Ruzhen nodded. "Possibly. Since you're here, can you help me analyze this? I'm a little confused. He kissed Jinlan, which means he likes her, right?"

Yan Wuxin nodded. "That's right."

"But he said he hates her, so it can't be that he likes her. But if he hates her, why did he kiss her?"

"Huh?" Yan Wuxin was a little confused.

“He looks like he’s in pain. It’s Jinlan who’s making him feel this pain, right? But Jinlan wants to break up with him, and he won’t let her. He says he wants to haunt her like a ghost. Can you understand that?”

Yan Wuxin shook his head. "I've never experienced such a complicated situation before."

Xiang Ruzhen asked, puzzled, "Does he like her or hate her?"

After a long silence, Lu Jinlan walked over and said softly, "He loves me, but his love is painful."

The two patted her shoulder reassuringly, and Yan Wuxin said, "So what do we do now? Lin Cheng is so angry, what if he blurts out everything about us in a fit of rage?"

Lu Jinlan shook her head. "He's a reasonable person; he wouldn't do something like that. Let's get down to business first. We have all the evidence; when are we going to make our move?"

Xiang Ruzhen said, "I'll go and gather reliable people right away. We'll have a meeting in the auditorium in half an hour. We'll finalize the procedures tonight and make our move during lunch tomorrow. Let's plan carefully and strive for a successful strike."

Half an hour later, more than twenty student council members appeared in the auditorium.

To avoid suspicion, Lu Jinlan and Yan Wuxin, who were closest to Xiang Ruzhen, did not participate in student council work. However, their roommates Yan Yu, Sun Lewen, and Wu Qiongmeng all passed the assessment and joined the student council.

Yan Yu also became the vice president of the student council through the election.

These people all have one thing in common: they all participated in the auditorium runaway and the Long Bridge battle. They have the courage to defy authority and the integrity to uphold justice.

In addition, the people who came here tonight are also highly capable and meticulous.

Everyone in the student council was personally selected by Xiang Ruzhen, and everyone supported her.

With Lu Jinlan and Yan Wuxin, two regular unofficial staff members, a secret meeting would begin once the doors and windows were closed.

After Xiang Ruzhen finished explaining the cause and effect of the matter, she immediately steered the agenda to the main part.

"Tomorrow at noon, the last class is 'People's Livelihood Class,' and our group will be the last to hand in our assignment, which will be close to lunchtime. Our proposal is about the management of the cafeteria, and we will persuade the People's Livelihood teacher to teach the class in the cafeteria. We will also invite the dean to come over, and we will expose the unethical behavior of the cafeteria in public, revealing that the owner, Fu Fengxian, and the supervisor, Miao, are related and have engaged in private bribery. We will demand that the owner be replaced, the supervisor be investigated, and the quality of student meals be improved."

As Xiang Ruzhen spoke, she took out the evidence they had collected and the plans they had prepared in advance, saying, "Everyone, please read them and speak freely. If you have any questions or suggestions, please raise them as soon as possible."

Yan Yu stroked his chin and pondered for a while. “The evidence is very detailed, you could say it’s irrefutable. But in this world, not only is the evidence irrefutable, but so is the power. Miao Xuejian is under the Ministry of Revenue, and is a fourth-rank official. What appears to be students denouncing faculty members is actually equivalent to citizens suing officials. This is completely different from the petty squabbles among classmates. To succeed, we need to do at least one thing.”

Xiang Ruzhen hurriedly asked, "What?"