Ding Lan clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh, but she seemed not to feel any pain.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions within her, and raised her head, her face displaying a pitiful expression—
"Director Chu, I know I was wrong, and I'll never do it again. But... but if I get disciplined by the school, it will definitely affect my future job placement. You know my family situation... I really have no way out..."
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face again, a mixture of pain and helplessness on her face.
Director Chu felt a pang of pity looking at the female student in front of him.
Although Ding Lan made a mistake this time, her performance at school was quite good before, and her academic performance was also quite good. He did know that Ding Lan's family situation was particularly bad.
If this incident is recorded in her file, it will indeed have a significant impact on her future life.
"Ding Lan, the school will take appropriate action based on your attitude in admitting your mistake and the specific circumstances," Director Chu said, his tone softening.
He instructed: "Go back and reflect on your actions, write a profound self-criticism, and try to get leniency from the school."
Ding Lan lowered her head, but her eyes darted around as she secretly plotted something.
“Director Chu, I…I have another question I’d like to ask you.” Ding Lan suddenly looked up.
She asked timidly, "What if... I mean, what if I was threatened by someone, and the person threatening me was that scoundrel who repeatedly disregarded school rules, used his status and influence to exclude dissidents, and even frame others?"
Director Chu was taken aback. He hadn't expected Ding Lan to ask such a question. There was something more to her words.
Ding Lan paused, then asked with an innocent and sincere expression, "If I can find evidence to catch this bad guy, can my punishment be revoked?"
Director Chu frowned slightly: "Ding Lan, I hope you understand that this is not a bargaining game. School discipline is strict, and no one can violate it! But if you can provide truly compelling evidence, the school will definitely consider your situation!"
Ding Lan's eyes darted around; Director Chu's words were exactly what she wanted to hear.
She was initially worried that the school wouldn't let her off easily, but unexpectedly, this became a chance to turn her life around!
"I know, I know," Ding Lan nodded repeatedly, but her tone carried a barely perceptible hint of ruthlessness. "I just wanted to say, if I could atone for my crime by doing good deeds..."
Director Chu looked at her, adjusted his glasses, and said earnestly—
"Ding Lan, the school is not an unreasonable place. If you truly possess conclusive evidence proving that someone maliciously framed you, the school will certainly handle the matter impartially."
"However, without evidence, I hope you will stop making baseless accusations against others. This will only result in a more severe punishment. What was originally just a major demerit will turn into expulsion, which is not worth it."
"Director Chu, of course I know the gravity of the matter. Don't worry, I will definitely find the evidence!" A strange smile suddenly appeared on Ding Lan's face—
"I will definitely atone for my crimes by doing good deeds!"
Watching Ding Lan's departing figure, Director Chu frowned, feeling that things were not so simple.
This Ding Lan may look gentle and weak, but she's actually quite cunning. Who knows what kind of trouble she'll cause this time?
Meanwhile, Ding Lan walked out of the office, took a deep breath, and the grievance on her face instantly disappeared, replaced by a sinister sneer.
"You want to play, huh? Then let's have some fun!"
Hmph, Zhang Hongmei, no, Lu Jingui, do you think you've won just because you're the president of the department's student union?
Ding Lan's eyes darted around, and she already had an idea in mind.
...
Three days later, Zhang Hongmei returned to her dormitory humming a song, carrying a bag of apples in her hand.
"Hey, Hongmei, you're back! How was your part-time job this time?" A roommate came up to her with a big smile, her eyes fixed on the apple in her hand.
"It was just organizing the data, so easy! I finished it a long time ago!" Zhang Hongmei smiled and raised her chin.
"Here, have some apples. Chairman Lu said girls should eat more fruit, it's good for their skin!"
"Hongmei, you're so popular in the student union! Chairman Lu always looks out for these great part-time opportunities to earn living expenses!" her roommate flattered enviously.
"Not at all." Zhang Hongmei raised her chin smugly to herself, but her face remained humble.
The two were chatting animatedly when suddenly, Zhang Hongmei caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye.
Her smile froze instantly, and she asked warily, "Ding Lan? What are you doing sitting on my bed?"
At this time, only the three of them were in the dormitory; everyone else had gone out to get food or do laundry.
Ding Lan lowered her head and timidly got off Zhang Hongmei's bed, still clutching a crumpled paper package in her hand, which looked like it contained some kind of pastry.
"Senior Sister Hongmei, I...I've been waiting for you for a long time." Ding Lan's voice was barely audible, and her pitiful appearance resembled that of a lost fawn.
"Waiting for you? Why would you wait for me?" Zhang Hongmei's heart skipped a beat, and she had a vague sense of unease.
"I...I've run into some trouble this time...I helped you with something, but the school wants to punish me!" Ding Lan sniffed, her eyes instantly turning red.
"Hey, Hongmei, what happened? This junior sister said she came to you for help, so I told her to wait for you here." Her roommate, not understanding what was going on, asked while eating an apple.
Zhang Hongmei glared at her fiercely, grabbed Ding Lan, and dragged her out of the dormitory, saying in an unfriendly tone, "Whatever you have to say, go outside and talk. Don't cry and whine in my dormitory!"
There were hardly any people in the corridor. Zhang Hongmei lowered her voice and said coldly, "Ding Lan, I'll say it one last time. Chu Hongyu has reported your posting of the big-character posters to the school. I can't help you now. You'd better leave!"
As Ding Lan spoke, tears streamed down her face. She grabbed Zhang Hongmei's arm and pleaded—
"I know you must have a way, please... please ask Chairman Lu for me! Here, take this bag of pastries!"
"I'll say it one last time, this has nothing to do with me, let alone Chairman Lu. Do you have any evidence? Don't just spout nonsense!" Zhang Hongmei forcefully shook off her hand and impatiently stuffed the bag of seemingly crumpled pastries back into her hands.
What disgusting thing is this? A poor wretch trying to bribe her?
Zhang Hongmei, her face cold, pushed up her glasses: "If you keep spouting nonsense and dragging me and the Chairman into this, you might only get a disciplinary action, but if you get expelled, don't blame us!"
Zhang Hongmei coldly uttered these words, turned around and went back to her dormitory, leaving Ding Lan alone in the empty corridor.
Back in the dorm, Zhang Hongmei angrily threw her backpack on the table and warned her roommate, who was eating an apple with a gossipy look on her face—
"From now on, no outsiders are allowed to enter the dormitory without my permission! Especially Ding Lan, she is absolutely forbidden from entering the dormitory!"
Zhang Hongmei's sudden outburst of anger startled her roommate, who instinctively nodded and said, "I understand..."
Zhang Hongmei took a deep breath, trying to suppress the unease and anger in her heart. She walked to her seat and looked around, but found nothing wrong.
She kept replaying Ding Lan's exaggeratedly crying face in her mind, and a strange unease suddenly rose in her heart.
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