"You are right. I am Warlord," 'Guiying' then feigned ignorance. "But how do you know this?"
Then 'she' widened her eyes. "Is it possible that you..are also a Reading Point's member!?"
Jun tilted his head. "You sound so shocked."
"Of course I am! Naturally, I knew Ai as MissImperfectlyFine. But I never knew that Liu Jun was. also in Reading Point."
"Really?" The temperature dropped, and his aura oozed danger. "Did you really not know me? You invited Shui to the fest as Warlord precisely because you knew that she and I were friends."
'She' maintained her composure, though she dug her nails in her palm under the table.
"Why would I do that? I only called Han Shui to the fest as a friend. It was surprising to know from her that she and MrPerfect knew - " she suddenly gasped as if a realization struck her. "Wait a minute. I am so dumb. You are talking about Han Shui with such familiarity. Are you...MrPerfect by any chance?"
If she is acting, she is doing so damn well, Jun thought.
'Guiying' covered her mouth. "Wow. Seems like I can take that silence as yes. I never thought MrPerfect would be so close to me. It was shocking to learn from Han Shui that MrPerfect and HS were friends. So, I was excited to meet you too. You remember I insisted on meeting you at the book signing event so many times. Alas, you never showed your face to me."
'She' shook her head. "I still cannot believe this streak of coincidence. To think that you were right in front of me this whole time."
"Enough!"
Startled, 'she' looked back at him in shock. "What's wrong?"
Jun was unable to bear her lies anymore. He refused to believe her shock and acting. Gritting his teeth, he said, "I wonder why you became a writer? You would have shone well as an actress."
"Excuse me?"
Jun smiled with a sense of evil lurking in it. "You didn't invite Shui just out of goodwill as two friends. Like I said before, you knew about our relationship. That's why you called her and that's why Shui and I got conveniently stuck in the elevator that day."
'Guiying' felt her heart stop.
So this is what this is all about. Damn, he was still investigating Shanghai's incident?
"That's why your dear brother was the one to throw mud at me and humiliate me in front of everyone. You not only invited Shui but also urged Cai Lingyun to come to the fest. How about I spill it out for you from the beginning?"
'She' said nothing.
"You called Shui to the fest. You told Cai Lingyun to come too. Then Shui and I met in the elevator, and you bribed someone from the staff to make the elevator stop. When we came out, your brother played the video to give an illusion as if there was still something going on between Shui and me. As to how he got the video..."
He took out his phone and played a recording. A man's panicked voice echoed in the air.
First, 'Guiying' heard Jun's dark voice.
"Who made all the so-called arrangements to trap Shui and me?"
"I-I don't know- ahhhh!!"
'She' heard some violent sounds of beatings and punching.
"Cai Guiying! I-It was Cai Guiying who gave me money...That writer..." the man cried. "To stop the elevator...and play the video. It was her..."
Jun stopped the recording. It was actually Jin who had interrogated the man but his voice sounded so similar to Jun that 'she' couldn't make out the difference.
A long silence stretched in the air.
Ai observed 'Guiying's' expression, and her silence only made her heart sink further. "Guiying, what the man said...is it really true? Please tell me. Did you really plot against Jun and Shui?"
'Guiying' weighed her options in her mind. She could confess to everything, but she would make Jun her enemy. Naturally, Ai would end her friendship with her too. On top of that, she would have to reveal everything about her revenge from MrPerfect aka Jun, which she didn't want to.
At this point, it would be too soon if they stood against her. Jun clearly looked like he would make her life hell the moment she confessed, and 'she' would never be able to take her revenge.
But her eyes shone with fury. Jun was accusing her of plotting against him but...
Shouldn't YOU know better than anybody why I am doing this?
There was also another question bugging her mind, but 'she' kept it aside for now. Right now, it was crucial to get out of this pinch.
A faint smile curled her lips as 'she' faced them. 'She' looked at Ai, her gaze filled with guilt and helplessness. "I am sorry, Ai."
Ai stiffened. Her apology could only mean one thing. She trembled and clenched her fist. "Why Guiying? Why would you do this?"
"To protect my brother."
Jun and Ai stared at her, slightly bewildered.
"To protect Bro Lingyun?"
"Yes," 'she' whispered. "It's true that I invited Han Shui, but it's not true that I knew Liu Jun's identity as MrPerfect. How would I come to know about it anyway? It's also true that I invited Bro to the fest, but that was only because I wanted to see him support me."
'She' smiled as tears shone in her eyes. "Because I didn't have you,m beside me, Ai. For a few months, I noticed us getting distant. You didn't want to talk to me like before. Then you left Dream High. You started dating Liu Jun, and you seemed to have found your own world. Somehow, I wasn't a part of it anymore. I don't know why. So, I called Han Shui and Bro to support me only because... I felt a little lonely."
Ai froze.
'Guiying' sadly shook her head. "But never did I think that calling Bro would prove to be such a big mistake."
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