If you can't tell me your "upstream supplier," then you're the root of the problem!

Based on this, there's no need to worry about anyone not revealing their "upstream" identity.

It's impossible for the school to punish everyone who spreads rumors, but punishing the source serves as a warning to all students.

Then, the objective has been achieved.

Qiao Xinruo was a smart person. After listening to Zhong Yutong's words, she looked at the girls again.

"It's easy to get out of this office. Tell me, who told you this?" Qiao Xinruo didn't mince words or waste any time.

The girls looked at each other, their eyes filled with unease.

Gossip is usually passed between girlfriends. If we reveal someone's name now, wouldn't that be considered "tattling"?

But if they don't speak up, they'll have to take the blame.

One of the girls gritted her teeth and stepped forward.

"Teacher, I'll tell you!"

"I...I heard it from Lu Yao in Class 3."

Qiao Xinruo nodded. That's easy.

She glanced at Zhang Zhijun and the other two who were standing guard to the side, her chin pointing towards the door, and said, "Go and find Lu Yao from Class 3."

"Okay, Teacher Qiao!"

Zhang Zhijun had always regarded Qiao Xinruo as a goddess, and he also thought Su Yueya was particularly amazing, the most outstanding student in their self-study class. Now that he could serve these two beauties, he ran as fast as he could.

"Teacher Qiao, let's go together!" Chen Anyu and Kong Yaqiu were also excited and wanted to go with them to find the person.

We'll see who's so malicious as to spread such a vicious rumor.

But Qiao Xinruo stopped her.

"You two don't need to rush. We'll have to find the source several times. You'll have a lot of running around for now," Qiao Xinruo said.

Chen Anyu and Kong Yaqiu immediately understood.

When Lu Yao was called over, she was completely dazed. Fortunately, Zhang Zhijun had already given her a heads-up on the way, so she wasn't scared to tears like the other girls earlier.

"I..." Lu Yao's fingers almost tore the hem of her clothes, her face flushed red.

"Fine, you won't say, huh? Then you're the source. You'll have to bear the consequences of spreading rumors for the real source," Zhong Yutong said casually.

"It wasn't me!" Lu Yao immediately denied.

At this point, she knew that arguing was pointless, and she could only blame herself for being so talkative and getting involved.

"Yes, I heard it from Wang Zhimei."

Chen Anyu was very quick to respond and immediately raised her hand, "Teacher, I'll go find Wang Zhimei!"

They ran around like this for several rounds, until Zhong Yutong's office was almost overflowing with people. They chased after them, ring by ring, until finally, the names that came out were Du Lanxin and Ma Xiaoxiao.

"What?!" The three onlookers were stunned!

Du Lanxin?

Ma Xiaoxiao?

These two names are very familiar to them.

In just half a semester, the two of them have already picked a fight with Su Yueya for the third time. Could it be that Su Yueya demolished their family's ancestral graves? Otherwise, why would they target her like this?

When Zhong Yutong heard these two names, she was also very confused.

She was even certain that the source was likely to stop here, and shook her head helplessly.

"Alright, you can all go now. After this lesson, I hope you understand that you come to school to learn knowledge, not to spread rumors, especially rumors that damage other people's reputations, understand?"

"Okay, thank you, counselor!" Hearing that Zhong Yutong was willing to let them go, the group of students quickly slipped away.

One or two people had a change of heart and knew to apologize to Su Yueya before leaving, before running away shamelessly.

Finally, when Du Lanxin and Ma Xiaoxiao were called to the office, the scene was exactly the same as the confrontation during the cheating scandal not long ago.

"Ma Xiaoxiao, you've done quite a few good deeds, haven't you?"

Zhong Yutong then looked at Du Lanxin and said in a serious tone, "You weren't involved in the cheating incident, so I thought you had reformed, but I didn't expect you to still be so stubborn!"

"You two, tell me, why did you spread rumors about classmate Su Yueya?" Zhong Yutong questioned.

Qiao Xinruo sat in the back, arms crossed, watching the two of them.

She remembered that the cheating scandal her sister had just told her about was orchestrated by this girl named Ma Xiaoxiao!

This repeat offender, who refuses to mend his ways, should probably not remain in school!

"Teacher, we didn't spread any rumors." Ma Xiaoxiao was now going all out, even showing a bit of a "what's the use" attitude.

As for the cheating incident, Ma Xiaoxiao knew very well that she wouldn't get away with it that afternoon.

As the saying goes, the more debt you have, the less you have to worry.

Anyway, she's going to get punished anyway, so it doesn't matter if she's found out about spreading rumors, since she can't possibly be "friends" with Su Yueya.

Moreover, why accuse her of spreading rumors? She saw it with her own eyes!

“You didn’t say that Su Yueya was having affairs with men? Fine,” Zhong Yutong nodded, giving them a chance. “Tell me who you heard this from, and I’ll confront them. Then you can leave.”

"this……"

Du Lanxin picked at her fingers. What kind of supplier was she looking for?

Back then, this rumor originated from a time when she and Ma Xiaoxiao happened to see a man escorting Su Yueya to school. They even deliberately spread it, saying a lot of things that made people think the wrong thing.

"Here it comes out? Who is it? Give me a name."

Du Lanxin was intimidated by Zhong Yutong's imposing manner and was about to confess when Ma Xiaoxiao beat him to it.

“Teacher Zhong, we did not spread rumors. We did see a man driving a car to take Su Yueya to school. And that man was not her husband. We have met her husband and know what he looks like.”

"So we didn't spread anything randomly, but said what we saw."

"Since Su Yueya can have a man who isn't her husband drive her to school in his car, and we just happened to see it and casually mentioned it to our friends and classmates, is that wrong?"

“Heh…” Qiao Xinruo laughed.

They really know how to twist the facts.

This guy is treating everyone else like fools!

Whether you simply mention something as it is, or spread information with a guiding intent, is not up to you, but depends on the consequences you cause!

"A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. Who cares what your true thoughts are? I only care about the results. Now there are rumors that Su Yueya is having affairs, and the source of the rumors has been found to be you. You have to take the blame!"

Before Zhong Yutong could even say a word, Qiao Xinruo stepped forward and spoke to Ma Xiaoxiao.

Ma Xiaoxiao is like a dead pig that isn't afraid of boiling water.

Now she dares to talk back to anyone who tries to lecture her.

"Teacher Qiao, I'm just describing what I saw. As for how others interpret or speculate, that's none of my business, nor can I control it."

"Besides, Su Yueya having a man who isn't her husband deliver her things—isn't that considered having an affair? I don't think the classmates are wrong!"

"Should I say you have long hair but short brains or what?" Qiao Xinruo didn't want to lower her status.