"Dear passenger, your train G023 is about to arrive at its final destination, Kyushu..."

The announcements kept repeating in the carriage. Meng Jiuyi looked out the window at the scenery that stretched into nothingness. The morning sun slowly rose and slanted down onto her shoulder, half of her face was in shadow.

She returned to Zhu Lijian's hometown these past two days. The small county town was shrouded in gloom, and the news of the matricide had scared away many people.

His mother's relatives treated him like trash, so Meng Jiuyi couldn't get any useful information. He had to ask several elderly people before he could get a rough picture of his past.

— Zhu Lijian's mother had a child out of wedlock. After completing her university studies, she returned to the county town with a three-year-old child and remained tight-lipped about who the father was. One can imagine how much gossip she would have encountered in those days.

She broke with her family and raised Zhu Lijian alone, placing high hopes on him.

Zhu Lijian said that his father was no ordinary person, which was probably due to his mother's influence.

"Mom once traveled to the United States with your dad on a private jet. He was having a video conference, and all the flight attendants on the plane were there to serve me. After we got off the plane, there were a huge crowd of reception staff. He put his coat on me and took my hand as we walked. Those were some of the happiest days of my life..."

The local elders, who overheard this, all laughed at her for being foolish.

But if it's true, his father must be extremely wealthy and powerful.

But this father probably never appeared in Zhu Lijian's life, otherwise he wouldn't be living such a destitute life.

Who is instigating this cynical man who keeps running into trouble in society?

If what Zhu Lijian said is true, the kidnapping and arson were all due to being tricked.

So the real culprit who kidnapped her and killed Sui Sui is still at large?

Meng Jiuyi suddenly shivered, his whole body turning ice-cold and his face pale.

My phone vibrated at that moment. The caller ID showed Mrs. Gu, the person who had added me on her own initiative at the hospital last time.

She held the phone to her ear and walked out of the carriage with her backpack.

"Aunt Gu?"

"Jiuyi, will you be going to the Tan family this weekend? Zhenzhen keeps saying she wants to see Sister Jiuyi. She misses you more than I, her mother, do."

Meng Jiuyi smiled faintly and hummed in agreement.

"I will go, my dad told me."

"That's good. Actually, I called you for something else."

Mrs. Gu said that she has a niece who just transferred back from England. She is too naughty and no one can control her, so she plans to send her to a boarding high school to temper her temperament.

"Last time I overheard Mrs. Meng chatting, she mentioned that you studied at Reed International School, which is considered a top-tier school. But I'm worried that cliques can be very serious in boarding schools like that. I'd like to ask you what the environment was like there."

As people came and went at the station, Meng Jiuyi's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

She heard herself say to Mrs. Gu.

"Aunt Gu, how about I go with you this afternoon? It might be clearer if we experience it in person."

It is usually those in high positions who give orders to those who have nothing.

Compared to the poverty and setbacks of Zhu Lijian's early life, he was most likely to meet the person who ignited his desires at Red International.

--

In the afternoon, the Bentley arrived at the entrance of Ruide International School, where a ten-mile-long red carpet stretched out, and the entire school leadership team was outside to greet it.

The Gu family's wealth is not to be underestimated; even a tiny bit of money that slips through their fingers is enough to support their school for several years.

The principal naturally wanted to keep this coveted talent.

As soon as Mrs. Gu got out of the car, the principal stretched out his hands and welcomed them with a beaming smile.

Mrs. Gu introduced Meng Jiuyi to them.

"This is my niece."

The principal nodded repeatedly, and Meng Jiuyi, along with others, received respect and attention.

The principal and a group of leaders first took them on a tour of the school, from the gymnasium and fitness center to the theater and swimming pool, and now to the golf course that is being planned, all kinds of facilities are available.

It's completely different now!

Meng Jiuyi looked around—the renovated and expanded teaching building, the newly built church, and the school leaders behind him who were completely unfamiliar to him.

The leadership team of private schools changes every four to six years.

The school has now been completely transformed, renamed, and bears no trace of what it was six years ago.

It was as if her two years of experience were a nightmare from which there was no light.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the mahogany tree, falling like scattered gold dust onto Meng Jiuyi's shoulders and face.

She genuinely wanted to make friends when she came here. The curly-haired girl, surrounded by a group of female classmates, was exceptionally beautiful and walked up to her in a friendly manner.

"My name is Gao Xian Yue, what's your name?"

What a great start! But what wrong step did she take that made her the target of public criticism?

Mrs. Gu asked, "How are the students getting along? Are there any cliques or individuals being isolated?"

"Don't worry, Mrs. Gu."

The principal immediately assured, "This kind of situation is absolutely forbidden at Red International!"

After the tour, Mrs. Gu was quite satisfied but did not give a definite answer. When leaving, Meng Jiuyi did not get in the car, citing an invitation from a friend.

She went back to the school and knocked on the principal's office door.

"Please come in!"

Meng Jiuyi pushed open the door, and Principal Zhou smiled and said, "Miss Gu, is there anything else?"

Mrs. Gu introduced Meng Jiuyi as her niece, so these people assumed that she also had the surname Gu.

Meng Jiuyi let him misunderstand and smiled, saying, "I have other things I'd like to consult the principal about."

Principal Zhou asked her to sit down and then instructed his secretary to make tea.

Meng Jiuyi gently pinched the handle of the teacup, her tone quite surprised.

"Six years ago, a sensational news story broke in Kyushu: a teacher dismembered his mother and then kidnapped his student while on the run. He was only recently brought to justice after many years."

"The school's name seems to be deliberately hidden on social media. I only just found out that the teacher actually works at Reed High School and his name is Zhu Lijian."

Principal Zhou almost lost his smile and quickly waved his secretary away.

"Miss Gu, you can't believe what you hear. We at Reed International have never had such a person—"

"Whether they have checked the records or not, we'll know. If there are no records, we can trace back to the previous students and teachers. Someone will always remember. Changing the school name and expanding and renovating is indeed a good method, but the traces can never be erased."

Meng Jiuyi's eyelashes curved. "Aunt Gu came here to investigate because of my recommendation. She didn't know about these things. I believe many students' parents also don't know that Reid had an accident. Otherwise, who would dare to put a time bomb in front of their child?"

"Principal, don't you think so?"

Principal Zhou was already flustered by her questions.

To get more information out of someone, you have to use psychological tactics; I learned that from Tan Yuchen.

After Meng Jiuyi finished speaking, he picked up his bag and prepared to leave.

"Wait, Miss Gu!"

Principal Zhou took off his glasses. "I can explain the situation back then to you, but I would also appreciate it if you could keep it a secret."

Meng Jiuyi: "Of course."

“There was indeed a teacher named Zhu Lijian who worked here back then, but he was not transferred or admitted through examination, so he is not considered one of Reed’s teachers.”

Meng Jiuyi looked at him, puzzled.

"What's the meaning?"

Principal Zhou called the academic affairs director and asked him to send over the list of teachers who joined the company six years ago. The list showed that eleven teachers joined Ruide that year, but Zhu Lijian was not among them.

Meng Jiuyi was shocked. "Then how did he get in?"

Principal Zhou said carefully, "This was a dereliction of duty by the previous principal. Back then, Gaoye Group donated 30 million yuan for the school's expansion. Chairman Gao said his beloved daughter was already used to the tutor's teaching style, and her only condition was that Zhu Lijian be hired. But I can guarantee that such a thing will never happen again..."

Meng Jiuyi didn't listen to what was said after that. It was as if a thunderbolt had struck his heart, and he was more than just pale.

Gaoye Group? Is it Gao Xian Yue?