After the principal announced the news of Shi Yiqing’s swapping of the exam papers, many speculative comments about her emerged on the school forum.
Some believed her explanation, thinking she did it solely to cover for Shi Yaoguang.
Others saw through the surface and realized that the sisterly love between her and Shi Yaoguang was nothing but a fragile sham.
In such a case, how could she possibly ruin her future to sabotage the exam papers for Shi Yaoguang?
Besides, destroying the exam papers didn’t seem to benefit Shi Yaoguang at all.
But that wasn’t even the worst of it.
Some even vaguely guessed her real motive for stealing the exam papers.
The previous speculations were manageable.
But when it came to seeing through the real reason behind her swapping the exam papers, Shi Yiqing truly panicked.
Therefore, after An Siqi made her move, she also secretly added fuel to the fire.
Attempting to sacrifice Shi Yaoguang to the heavens, so as to suppress the unfavorable speculations about herself on the forum.
#The Engagement Reversal of the Real and Fake Brides! What’s with the Sisterly Trial Engagement Excuse? It’s Her Fig Leaf!#
This headline, I must say, was incredibly tacky.
But those who saw it couldn’t help but click on it.
Once they clicked, "My god, what kind of shocking news is this?"
Word spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred.
The news quickly became common knowledge.
In the wee hours, Shi Yaoguang received a call from the "melon-eating girl" Cheng Lingdang.
"Brother Shi, there’s big trouble!"
Shi Yaoguang was accustomed to practicing the Star Refining Body Technique at night, and midnight was the optimal time for her training.
Thus, she wasn’t grumpy when answering the phone.
If Cheng Lingdang was calling her in the middle of the night, it mustn’t be a trivial matter.
Cheng Lingdang furiously cursed the rumor-monger before explaining the whole story to Shi Yaoguang.
After school, someone posted on the school forum.
They had uploaded photos of Shi Yaoguang entering a hotel room with a man.
They had attached a date to the photos.
If there were no date, one might just comment that Shi Yaoguang was out playing the field.
At a stretch, one could say she was a frivolous heiress, after all, as long as it’s consensual, no one should be pointing fingers.
But the problem was, the released pictures had a date on them.
The exact date was the eve of the engagement between the Quan and Shi families.
In other words, Shi Yaoguang was supposed to get engaged to Quan Sicheng the next day, yet she spent the previous night fooling around with someone else.
Under these circumstances, no one could blame Quan Sicheng for switching his fiancée.
After all, Shi Yaoguang, his would-be wife, was the one who cheated first.
"Brother Shi, did you hear what I said?"
After relaying the news and getting no response, Cheng Lingdang couldn’t help but ask.
Shi Yaoguang’s voice was calm as if unaffected, "I heard you. I’ll take care of it. It’s late, you should rest."
Cheng Lingdang chuckled, "It’s not even three o’clock yet. I’m supposed to be cultivating, how could I go to sleep before dawn?"
The true cultivator Shi Yaoguang: "..."
After hanging up, Shi Yaoguang opened the forum to take a look.
The person who leaked the information was still anonymous.
But one could easily guess who it was with their toes.
The suspects were none other than those few.
Among them, Lin Ruixue was the most suspicious, since after all, she was the one who set this trap.
However, there are other possibilities as well.
She had previously sent someone from the Qian Family to demand an explanation from the Lin Family, so she must be stretched too thin right now.
Compared to Lin Ruixue, she actually felt that Shi Yiqing was the more suspicious one.
After the principal announced her collusion with An Siqi to break into the archive room and steal the test papers, everyone had their speculations about her.
Some people vaguely guessed the truth.
All she had to do at this moment was to release some news.
Then, everyone’s attention would be drawn to the incident concerning the real and fake daughters’ engagement banquet.
By then, the topic of Shi Yiqing would naturally fade, and her reputation could be preserved.
Who exactly released the news actually didn’t matter.
After all, these parties were adversaries and bound to confront each other sooner or later.
After realizing this, Shi Yaoguang set these thoughts aside and returned to her cultivation state.
During breakfast, the butler asked her with concern, "Madam, someone on the school forum is spreading rumors about your private life being in disorder. Do you need my help to handle this?"
Shi Yaoguang looked at him with some surprise, "Butler, you’re quite well-informed, to know about last night’s events already?"
The butler explained in a matter-of-fact manner, "It was Master Jiu who informed Young Master Sicheng."
"Yes," the butler nodded, "Master Jiu has always paid a lot of attention to you and always informs Young Master Sicheng right away if anything occurs."
Shi Yaoguang’s eyes narrowed slightly, "So, Sicheng knows everything that happens to me at school?"
The butler wasn’t sure if she was happy or upset by asking that.
He could only cautiously nod.
Shi Yaoguang deliberately drew out her tone with a sigh, "Knowing full well that I’ve been bullied, Sicheng remains indifferent. It’s really heartbreaking."
The butler felt a pang of conscience as he saw her tell such a blatant lie.
Where is Madam heartbroken?
Besides, every time Master Jiu passed on the message, Madam would solve the problem herself without needing Young Master Sicheng’s help, right?
In the butler’s view, Madam complaining about Young Master Sicheng was really unreasonable.
After all, she resolved matters herself, leaving Sicheng with no opportunity to use his strength.
Upon hearing her words, Quan Jinbei couldn’t help but chuckle, "I previously asked you if you needed help, and you said no. Now you’re complaining about me?"
"When a girl says no, she means yes. Don’t you understand such a simple principle, Sicheng?"
Quan Jinbei had an epiphany, "I see, I’ve been educated."
Seeing him with such a serious expression, Shi Yaoguang pursed her lips, "Usually at this time, you’d be dealing with work, wouldn’t you, Sicheng? Today you seem to be at leisure."
Quan Jinbei adjusted his glasses, which were hanging on a chain, his tone laced with a hint of melancholy, "After hearing Madam’s words, could it be that you wish to drive me like an ox?"
Shi Yaoguang blinked her eyes and felt somewhat guilty instinctively.
Rearing an ox was indeed her forte, but...
She didn’t even consider the idea of rearing Quan Jinbei as an ox, did she?
Upon closer thought, Shi Yaoguang wasn’t sure if she actually had that thought or not.
Quan Jinbei was just about to make a playful remark when he saw her guilty expression and his face darkened.
"Ahem, that... uh... "
Feeling guilty, Shi Yaoguang touched her nose and decided to offer him some compensation, "You look very spirited today, Sicheng. Here, I’ll give you another treasure."
Quan Jinbei didn’t show any delight at the news, but rather lowered his eyelids, looking somewhat forlorn, "You’re giving me a treasure, but is it because you want to enslave me more effectively?"
Shi Yaoguang scratched her head, trying to appear more convincing, "You’re misunderstanding me, Sicheng, that’s not it at all!"
"I’m going to be late for school if I don’t leave now."
With those words, she reached into her school uniform pocket, pulled out a sleek little porcelain bottle and stuffed it into his hand, then turned and ran without another word.