After a moment, Ye Linchen raised his head: "I promise you."
She was all alone, without any ties, like a speck of dust floating in the air, fearless.
As the saying goes, those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have something to lose; she had nothing to worry about.
Su Yuqing has endured humiliation and hardship for so many years, collecting so much evidence. Now it's time for her to step forward and take over Su Yuqing's burden.
"That's great!" Su Yuqing grabbed Ye Linchen's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Thank you, Xiao Chen!"
Ye Linchen smiled faintly: "It's nothing, I'm just seeking justice for myself."
After breaking up with Su Yuqing, Ye Linchen called Gu Jingran and arranged to meet him at the school gate that evening to hand over the evidence.
***
Night falls and the city lights come on.
The nights in Jiangcheng also become lively.
People were coming and going at the school gate, bustling about.
Ye Linchen stood under the streetlight, clutching his backpack tightly, feeling somewhat uneasy.
She wore a white short-sleeved shirt and a light blue midi skirt today.
Her short hair had grown quite a bit and fell smoothly over her shoulders, making her features appear even more delicate.
These days, she's been living a comfortable life, has gained a little weight, and her skin is even whiter, radiating a faint glow under the streetlights.
On her pointed little face, her eyes sparkled and were full of intelligence.
Gu Jingran drove slowly towards them and saw Ye Linchen from afar, a smile involuntarily appearing on his face.
He stopped the car, rolled down the window, and called out to Ye Linchen, "Xiao Chen, get in the car."
Ye Linchen's face lit up with joy. He hurriedly ran over, opened the car door, and got in.
The carriage was filled with a refreshing pine scent, faint and almost imperceptible, which was Gu Jingran's unique fragrance.
"Did you bring the materials?" Gu Jingran asked.
Ye Linchen handed the brown paper bag to Gu Jingran: "It's all in here."
“This matter is of utmost importance. If the higher-ups want to know who the whistleblower is, just say it’s me.”
Gu Jingran took the paper bag but didn't open it. He looked up at her with a disapproving expression.
"Do you know what this means? Once the Zhang family finds out that you were the one who reported them, they will retaliate against you by any means necessary."
Ye Linchen met his gaze and nodded.
“I know. I’ve made up my mind. I can’t back down because I’m afraid of retaliation. Those victims need someone to speak up for them, and I need to get justice for myself.”
"But……"
Gu Jingran was about to say something when Ye Linchen interrupted him.
“I know you’re worried about me, but I’ve thought this through. This is something I have to do.”
Gu Jingran looked at Ye Linchen and remained silent for a moment.
“Since you’ve made your decision, I support you,” Gu Jingran said. “Don’t worry, no matter what happens, I will stand by your side, protect you, and won’t let you get hurt.”
Ye Linchen smiled.
"Thank you," Ye Linchen said softly.
Gu Jingran gently took Ye Linchen's hand.
His hands were warm and strong, making Ye Linchen feel at ease.
"Why are you being so polite with me?" Gu Jingran said with a smile. "Take these next few days to think about what to eat this weekend, so we can celebrate in advance."
Ye Linchen smiled broadly and nodded vigorously.
She believed that if they worked together, they would definitely succeed!
On the same day that Gu Jingran informed his mother of the new evidence and Ye Linchen's name, Zhang Tingting's mother, Xu Hongmei, also received the news.
After arriving in Jiangcheng, Xu Hongmei rented a room there and brought Zhang Tingting over.
They wouldn't let her go to school or leave the house, effectively confining Zhang Tingting to the home, for fear she would cause any more trouble.
Zhang Tingting had never been restricted like this before. She was restless and anxious at home, complaining all day long about whether she was eating well or not being used to living there.
She throws things and goes on hunger strikes at the slightest provocation.
Xu Hongmei ignored her and instead called Beijing every day to find out the latest news.
When Xu Hongmei found out that the whistleblower was Ye Linchen, she subconsciously asked a question in return.
"What did you say? The whistleblower's name is Ye Linchen, and he's submitted new materials. Okay, I understand. Keep an eye on things for me, and let me know immediately if there are any new developments."
"Ye Linchen..."
Xu Hongmei put down the phone and muttered to herself.
This name sounds familiar, like I've heard it somewhere before?
But she didn't know this person!
Zhang Tingting walked over, wearing pajamas and slippers.
"Mom, who were you talking to on the phone just now? What Ye Linchen? What did that country bumpkin do this time?"
Xu Hongmei suddenly raised her head, staring sharply at Zhang Tingting.
"What did you say? Which country bumpkin?"
"It's Ye Linchen! The one who was always going against me at school! I never thought she was the one who reported me. Humph, I'm going to find her right now and beat her so badly she won't dare to cause trouble again!"
Zhang Tingting would grit her teeth in anger and her face would contort with rage whenever Ye Linchen was mentioned.
"I'm going to change my clothes right now, Mom. You can't stop me from going out this time. That bitch needs to be taught a lesson; she's got a death wish!"
Xu Hongmei also remembered this incident, and her face instantly turned ashen.
"Smack!"
A loud slap landed hard on Zhang Tingting's face.
Xu Hongmei used all her strength in this palm strike, and Zhang Tingting was caught off guard. She was forced to take several steps back, her left foot stepping on her right slipper, and she lost her balance and fell to the ground with a thud.
Zhang Tingting was stunned by the slap. She sat up, covered her face, and tears welled up instantly.
She looked at Xu Hongmei in disbelief and asked, "Mom! You...you hit me?"
Hongmei trembled with rage, pointed at Zhang Tingting, and shouted angrily, "I should have hit you a long time ago!"
"What did I tell you?"
"Behave yourself in university and don't cause trouble!"
"This isn't our territory. There might be people inside who we can't afford to offend. If you had just listened to me, my family wouldn't be in this situation today!"
"You want to go out and teach her a lesson? Do you think your dad isn't falling down fast enough?"
"I'm telling you, starting today, you're staying home obediently and you're not going anywhere!"
"If you dare cause me any more trouble, I'll send you back to your grandma's house and make you a country bumpkin for the rest of your life!"
She had always doted on Zhang Tingting because she thought Zhang Tingting was young and immature, and that the trouble she caused was only minor and could be resolved by finding some connections and asking for favors.
Who would have thought that she would not know how to restrain herself and would cause such a big disaster, resulting in her father's accident.
She can't spoil her anymore.
Ignoring Zhang Tingting, who was lying on the ground crying in grievance, Xu Hongmei turned around, walked to the sofa, and sat down heavily.
A moment later, she picked up the phone again and dialed a number.
"Help me find out about someone. I need all her information, the more detailed the better! Her name is Ye Linchen!"
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