Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Gratifying Revenge
Shen Ling watched Gu Jiaojiao’s retreating figure, then glared at his cronies. "You’re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?"
With that, he even copied Gu Jiaojiao’s swagger—a gait that acknowledged no one—and walked off without a backward glance.
Only after Shen Ling and his group were a good distance away did the remaining crowd dare to break into a buzz of discussion.
"You guys must have gotten here late, you probably didn’t see it—that student who looks like an immortal was a total badass."
"Yeah, I saw it too! She was so badass."
"Heh heh, to be honest, I’m more impressed with those two freshmen. They were flanking the immortal on her left and right, like her personal guardians."
"Then again, it makes sense. If I had the chance, I’d be scrambling to keep up with her too."
"Haha, I’d probably call a cab just to follow her. That shrew from the Jiang Family is nothing compared to her—it’s like comparing heaven and earth!"
Chatting excitedly, the group hurried toward the cafeteria. None of them had eaten yet.
Xu Bo and his followers had seen the entire exchange clearly. He deeply admired Grandma’s temperament—the way she swiftly and satisfyingly settled scores.
He remained silent, so his followers didn’t dare to speak either, though they were bursting with things to say.
Jiang Ruyan led a group to the dean’s office to report Gu Jiaojiao, but the professor first took her to the school infirmary for treatment.
The massive entourage then marched toward the school infirmary. When the old doctor on duty saw the huge crowd, he was so startled that all his drowsiness vanished.
Thinking some major incident had occurred, he even trotted to the infirmary entrance to meet them. He scanned the group with his beady little eyes but saw no one bleeding.
"Doctor, please take a look at this student. Her finger is broken," the professor said with concern.
"Young lady, why are you lying? Your finger is perfectly fine. How can you claim it’s broken?"
Jiang Ruyan’s bloodshot eyes went wide as she stared at her finger in disbelief. Only then did she realize it no longer hurt.
She was stunned. She forgot to cry, forgot to act pitiful, and just sat there, dumbfounded, across from the doctor.
’What are you glaring at? I caught you in a lie, and you have the nerve to glare at an old man like me?’ The old doctor despised people who feigned illness more than anything else in his life.
Scolded by the old doctor, Jiang Ruyan trembled all over. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes and began to fall, one by one.
The old doctor was not one to go easy on a pretty face. He saw that not only was Jiang Ruyan refusing to admit her mistake, she was now starting to cry.
He instantly flew into a rage. "Young lady, you think you’re justified in lying? Go on, cry. I dare you!"
In his eyes, anyone who feigned illness was corrupt to the core—a truly unforgivable sinner.
"And you, as a professor, are indulging her nonsense. Causing such a commotion is a complete waste of resources."
The professor explained sheepishly, "I’m sorry, Doctor. It’s just that all the students were insisting this young lady’s finger had been broken by another student."
"The student who was lying, what’s your name?" the old doctor asked sternly.
"Her name is Jiang Ruyan. She’s a fourth-year clinical medicine major," one of her admirers piped up cautiously. "Is her finger really not broken?"
"And what makes you think her finger is broken? Are you questioning my medical expertise?"
"No, no, Doctor! We all heard a loud CRACK from her finger."
"Did you actually earn your way into this university? Who told you that a cracking sound means a break?"
The old doctor roared, his anger boiling over. He grabbed his left index finger with his right hand and gave it a light twist. CRACK.
"See? Is my index finger broken? If you still don’t believe me, you can go ahead and try it yourselves."
One hot-tempered male student actually did it, cracking his own knuckle. He turned on her. "Jiang Ruyan, what the hell? You faked it just to trick us?"
In the end, of course, no professor went to trouble Gu Jiaojiao. Instead, Jiang Ruyan received a harsh lecture.
Jiang Ruyan was required to make a public apology over the school’s broadcast system, and everyone could hear her whimpering voice.
The students who had been there were utterly baffled. In the cafeteria, they gathered in small groups, buzzing with discussion.
"Oh my god! Does that immortal-like student have that strong of a backing?"
"Why do you say that? Do you know some inside scoop?"
"Let me tell you, I was right there..." The student was speaking so excitedly that spit flew onto the person across from him.
The other student didn’t seem to mind at all, simply wiping it away with a hand and continuing to listen with relish.
"What? You’re saying you heard the CRACK with your own ears?"
"I can vouch for him. It wasn’t just him, I heard the cracking sound too."
"No way. Her finger was broken and she still had to make a public apology? Isn’t that unfair?"
"Tch! What do you guys know? Don’t talk nonsense if you don’t know the facts. I was at the infirmary and heard the doctor say that Jiang was lying. Her finger wasn’t broken at all."
"For real?" a student who hadn’t been to the infirmary asked eagerly.
"One hundred percent."
"She was lying? Well, then she definitely deserved to apologize."
"I can’t believe Jiang had the guts to lie to a professor!"
"Tch, and with such a pretty face, too. To think she dared to play with our emotions like that."
Sitting across from Gu Jiaojiao, Han Jingyi and Xiao Rui could barely stop themselves from clapping and roaring with laughter. They had been so worried about their elder.
’She broke one upperclassman’s finger in public and forced another to eat salt. Now that the one with the "broken" finger has apologized, the one who ate salt probably won’t dare go to the professors, right?’
And just as Han Jingyi and Xiao Rui guessed, Xi Siya lost her nerve to go to the professors.
She had stormed toward the dean’s office with a few of her best friends, but just as she reached the door and was about to knock, she heard Jiang Ruyan’s apology over the broadcast.
It scared her so badly that she turned and fled. Her fair-weather friends, who were right behind her, turned and ran even faster.
From that day on, no one at school dared to mess with Gu Jiaojiao, but no one wanted to be her friend, either.
Xu Bo wanted to get to know her but never had the chance. He could only watch with envy as Han Jingyi and Xiao Rui constantly flanked her.
Whenever Shen Ling had free time, he would look for opportunities to "accidentally" run into Gu Jiaojiao. But that is a story for another time.
As classes were ending for the day, Grandpa Gu found Gu Jiaojiao. "Jiaojiao, are you coming to our place for dinner tonight?"
Gu Jiaojiao readily agreed. "Of course, Grandpa. You and Dad can go on ahead. I’ll head over after I finish giving Mu Ziquan his acupuncture treatment at the compound."
"Is Shuo Ci going to the compound with you?"
"No, he’s driving there himself later. I’ll swing by the house on my way and leave him a note."
"Jiaojiao, be careful on your way. I wonder, has your eldest brother left yet?"
"Where is Eldest Brother Gu going?" Gu Jiaojiao asked, though she already knew the answer.
’If it weren’t for her approval, his appointment letter wouldn’t have been delivered to the Gu Family so quickly!’
’Some people just won’t give up until they’ve hit a wall. She couldn’t change Eldest Brother Gu’s mind, so it was a good thing she’d never held out much hope for him.’
’Otherwise, he would have angered her enough to make her spit blood.’
"Your eldest brother grew up in Qing City and has a deep attachment to the place," Grandpa Gu said tactfully. "That’s why he insisted on being transferred there for work."
He was afraid of hurting his granddaughter’s feelings. ’Even I’m bitterly disappointed by my eldest grandson’s actions!’
