A Cold and Aloof Top Student Is Relied Upon - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: False Accusation

◎Borrowing Authority◎

The rain was pouring down. Wind-swept, slanting rain immediately soaked her face the moment she stepped out the door. Her raincoat was drenched, and she was holding a large black umbrella. Her hair, which had slipped out from under her raincoat hood, was in disarray, with strands clinging to her neck.

She couldn’t find a taxi, so Gu Zhu went on foot. Her rain boots splashed water with every hurried step, sending up a spray of droplets.

“Your mom stole something and refuses to admit it. Now our family is getting ready to call the police. But your mom keeps begging us not to, saying that her daughter is in school and can’t have a stain on her record. So, what should we do, Gu Zhu?”

“Do you like this show?”

Gu Zhu wiped the rain from her face that was obscuring her vision. She knew Gu Baozhi would never do such a thing. From the time Gu Baozhi was made to stay the night until she was now accused of theft, it was all part of Lin Ye’s plan to get back at her.

Gu Baozhi was not educated and knew nothing about law or policy. The moment she heard “calling the police,” she panicked, terrified that it would implicate her daughter. Just thinking about her mother’s fearful and pleading expression toward Lin Ye made Gu Zhu’s heart ache, a suffocating pressure that made it hard for her to breathe.

After about twenty minutes of running and walking, she finally arrived at the wealthy residential area of the county. The single-family houses stood one after another. A single lane had about five or six houses, and there were seven or eight houses across. She turned into the lane and ran toward the small Western-style house that, unlike the others, was decorated with pink tiles.

A large iron gate blocked her path. She pressed the doorbell, gasping for breath, and waited for the door to open.

It took a long time for someone to come to the door. Standing behind the iron bars, a person held up an umbrella with a lazy smile, a slight curve on her lips as if she was enjoying Gu Zhu’s disheveled state.

“How pitiful, the top student.” After a long time, Lin Ye pushed one of the gates open to let her in. “Auntie Gu really didn’t want you to come, but I thought, as the auntie’s most beloved daughter, how could you stand by and do nothing? So I was kind enough to tell you to come. Shouldn’t you thank me first?”

Gu Zhu didn’t hesitate to follow her in. She took off her rain jacket and left it, along with her umbrella, in the corridor outside the door. There weren’t as many people in the living room as she had imagined. The Lin family adults were not there, only two housekeepers and a little boy, who was probably the Lin Ye’s brother that Bai Tan had mentioned.

Gu Baozhi was standing in the center of the living room, her face completely pale. Her clasped hands were still trembling, clearly terrified.

“Auntie Li, take my brother upstairs first. Don’t come down unless you’re told to.” Lin Ye gave the order, and after the person went upstairs, she crossed her arms over her chest, sitting in a chair with a sprawling posture. She pointed to a jade bracelet on the coffee table. “See? This was a birthday gift from my aunt to my grandma last night. This morning, when we were tidying up, we suddenly realized it was missing. We eventually found it in Auntie Gu’s bag. Auntie Li saw me take it out with her own eyes. The witness and the evidence are all here, so don’t say I’m framing you.”

After she finished speaking, she looked at Gu Zhu, her eyes filled with open malice. “Top student, this bracelet is worth thirty thousand. You’re so smart; you should know how many years Auntie Gu will be sentenced to if I call the police, right?”

“And once she has a criminal record, you’ll be affected, too. If you want to do anything big in the future, you won’t pass the political background check. So, what do you think? Have you considered the consequences?”

“Ye-ye, I really didn’t steal it. Please believe me. I really didn’t steal this bracelet. I don’t know why it was in my bag!” Gu Baozhi was agitated, and she grabbed Gu Zhu’s hand. “Zhu-zi, your mom really didn’t do it. Your mom isn’t that kind of person. I would never do something like this. You have to believe me!”

Gu Zhu held her hand back and patted her on the back with her other hand. “I know. I believe you. Don’t be scared, Mom.” After Gu Baozhi calmed down a little, she looked at Lin Ye, who had an expression of someone watching a good show. “You don’t need to call the police. We’ll call the police ourselves. You say my mom stole the item, and the witness and evidence are all based on your word. We’ll let the police investigate whether it’s true or false. We didn’t do it, and we won’t accept any slander.”

Lin Ye’s smile slowly vanished. She had expected that Gu Zhu wouldn’t fall for it easily, so she wasn’t surprised by her response. But she still hated the arrogant look on her face. “Even if the police come, it won’t change the outcome. Your auntie’s fingerprints are on it. While I still have some patience, don’t force me to turn truly ruthless.”

“Gu Zhu, do you remember our bet last time? As long as you fulfill your part of the deal, I can let this go. How about it? Do you accept?”

Lin Ye’s target was her, as expected. Gu Zhu stared at the bracelet and suddenly asked, “Mom, did you take this gift last night? Around what time? Did you touch it again after that?”

“No, the guests arrived at 8:30. I organized the gifts and put them in the old lady’s room, and I haven’t touched them since.”

“Fingerprint analysis can determine the time, and using high-resolution mass spectrometry combined with Kendrick mass defect analysis, they can determine the people who left their fingerprints before and after. Do you want to try to see how many people’s fingerprints are actually on this bracelet?” Gu Zhu’s tone was calm. She took out her phone, typed in “110,” and put her finger on the call button, looking directly at Lin Ye. “How many fingerprints do you guess are on it after my mom’s?”

Lin Ye’s face changed drastically. Of course, she knew whose fingerprints were on it. After the banquet last night, in order to set up this scene today, she had deliberately gone to her grandma to unwrap the gift. She had touched the bracelet, and her grandma had naturally touched it, too.

In order to get Gu Baozhi’s fingerprints, she had specifically made her collect the gifts. Even if the police investigated, it was perfectly normal for the victims to have their fingerprints on the item. And Gu Baozhi, as the only one who left a fingerprint besides them, and with Auntie Li as a witness, it was undeniable evidence.

But if her and her grandma’s fingerprints were found to be on it after Gu Baozhi’s, then everything before could be completely overturned, and Gu Baozhi would be cleared of all suspicion.

Lin Ye knew Gu Zhu was excellent at chemistry and had extensive knowledge. The girl who was confronting her had a calm expression, as if she was certain she wouldn’t lose. A sense of unease suddenly crept into Lin Ye’s heart. If it really went to the police and her father found out she had framed someone, she would be the one who suffered in the end.

In this patriarchal family, she clearly knew her own worth. If she affected her family’s reputation, she would not only be taught a lesson, but she probably wouldn’t even be able to play basketball again.

In that moment, she was the one who was afraid to gamble.

Someone arrived outside without them knowing. The sound of a car turning off and parking in the garage made Lin Ye’s face change. Before she could end the scene, someone walked inside.

“Well, this is lively. My little cousin has guests?” Bai Tan walked in with a large stride. As she passed Gu Zhu, she gave her a wink, then sat down on the main couch. Following her was Luo Ning, holding a file bag filled with a thick stack of documents.

They acted as if they were in their own territory. Even the Lin couple, who came in a few steps behind them, could only sit at the side.

When Gu Baozhi saw Luo Ning, her expression tensed, and she once again gripped Gu Zhu’s hand, trying to hide her behind her. Gu Zhu didn’t resist and, as she wished, stayed behind her.

“What’s going on, Ye-ye? Auntie Gu, could you get two cups of tea for me?”

Hearing the hostess’s request, Gu Baozhi subconsciously wanted to pull Gu Zhu into the kitchen with her, but the person behind her remained still. She couldn’t pull her, so she also stopped in place.

“What’s going on?” The hostess, sensing the strange atmosphere, asked with a smile. “Auntie Gu, is that your daughter? What, is she mad at you?”

“No…” Gu Baozhi awkwardly tried to explain. Under the hostess’s gaze, she couldn’t bring herself to say that Lin Ye had framed her for stealing. She had worked here for almost two years, and during this time, the Lin family had been kind to her, not making things difficult and often giving her extra red envelopes and gifts.

She was afraid that if she spoke up, people would call her ungrateful or an ingrate. She was also afraid they wouldn’t believe her and would make things more complicated. She didn’t understand the professional terms Gu Zhu was using, and she didn’t know if they were true. Based on her understanding, the Lin family was powerful and influential. In this small county, they had a certain authority, and when it came to Lin Ye, they could sometimes turn a lie into the truth.

Now that Lin Ye clearly didn’t want to make a scene, it would be best to let it go. Everyone would be better off.

Unfortunately, Gu Zhu was not willing. She no longer went along with Gu Baozhi and stepped forward again. “Auntie Lin, Uncle Lin, I came today to resign for my mother. I don’t think my mother is suited to work here anymore. Thank you for taking care of my mother during these past months.”

The inexplicable words made the Lin couple exchange glances. Hearing such things from a child was a bit embarrassing. The hostess waved her hand. “Let’s talk about this a little later. We’re a bit busy right now. Auntie Gu, why don’t you go home for today? We can discuss it later.”

But as soon as she finished speaking, someone interrupted. “Oh, isn’t this Gu Zhu from my class? What a coincidence, meeting you here.” Bai Tan pretended to be surprised, tapping her hand on the armrest of the sofa. She made a sound of consideration. “It’s fine, my business isn’t urgent. Let’s solve the current problem first. I heard my little cousin had some conflict with our classmate Gu Zhu at school. Now is a good time to clear the air. Students from the same school will see each other all the time; what’s the big deal?”

She was clearly on Gu Zhu’s side, but she was talking nonsense. Seeing her parents’ suspicious looks on her, Lin Ye clenched her fists and managed to force out a little smile. “It’s nothing, it’s all a misunderstanding. Dad, Mom, little cousin, you can go on with your business. Auntie Gu and I will solve this ourselves.”

“Lin Ye and I do have a conflict, but it’s one-sided on her part. I still don’t know how I offended her. Usually, matters between young people shouldn’t involve the adults, but today, Lin Ye has gone too far. She actually framed my mother for stealing.” Facing people older and of a higher status than herself, Gu Zhu was neither servile nor arrogant. “Uncle and Auntie, I’m sure you both know what kind of person my mother is. For your sake, we will not pursue this matter. But no one can guarantee that this won’t happen a second time, so I don’t dare let my mother continue to work here. Please understand.”

“Lin Ye, this is the last time,” she said, pulling Gu Baozhi with her to nod goodbye. As she was leaving, she turned her head and warned her solemnly.

“My little cousin’s personality shouldn’t go down the wrong path. It looks like Uncle and Auntie Lin have some family matters to deal with today, so I won’t disturb you any longer. As for the project for the new village, let’s discuss it next time.” Seeing Gu Zhu and Gu Baozhi leave, Bai Tan also stood up. The faint smile that had been on her face slowly disappeared. She had come today to back up Gu Zhu. Before she came, Gu Zhu had already told her everything. “I didn’t have a chance to say this earlier, but Gu Zhu is my good friend. Her business is my business. If I have offended you two, my apologies.”

She ignored the changing expressions on the faces of the Lin couple. Bai Tan walked over to Lin Ye and carefully observed her embarrassed expression. With Lin Ye’s angry face in front of her, she spread her hands and let out a soft laugh. “You like to use your power to bully people, don’t you? Well, I’ll be her power. Isn’t that fun, little cousin?”

“Goodbye, everyone.”

With her back to the people in the living room, she waved her hand and left. Luo Ning, who was following her, bowed and said her farewells before stepping out the door. “The young mistress has always been very protective of her own. We apologize for the disturbance today.”

And behind them, the Lin family, their faces a mix of shock and unease, stood in stunned silence.

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