Du Yanlin got along with Xue Jingjing because she thought Jingjing was simple-minded, always rushing to the front lines, acting both as a shield and highlighting Yanlin’s own intelligence and grace. Such a foil was, of course, worth befriending.
However, Yanlin had never expected that this woman, whom she looked down upon and considered a simpleton, would one day rise above her and lord it over her. And to make matters worse, it was Zhu Jianliang who had introduced her to this position.
Feeling like she had shot herself in the foot, whenever Yanlin saw Jingjing’s smug face pretending to be giving her helpful advice, Yanlin wanted nothing more than to rush forward and tear Jingjing’s mouth.
Seeing the resentful expression on Yanlin’s face, Jingjing, for some reason, felt a surge of pleasure.
Jingjing had known Yanlin since high school; they had been classmates for three years and had both been admitted to S University. Their relationship ran deep.
But what Jingjing couldn’t stand the most was Yanlin’s habit of acting superior in front of her, especially after Yanlin started dating Zhu Jianliang, which made her unbearable.
Since Jianliang was willing to spend money on Yanlin, she always bragged about the gifts he bought her in the dormitory. Even when advising Jingjing to get a boyfriend, her words dripped with pride; she implied that her own boyfriend was perfect, hinting that Jingjing would be hard-pressed to find someone better.
Upon hearing this, Jingjing felt an indescribable mix of emotions: jealousy, defiance, and dissatisfaction.
She thought that besides being prettier, Yanlin was not her better in any way. Why should Yanlin get such a great boyfriend when she couldn’t?
So, when Huo Biao let slip that his family was involved in various businesses, Jingjing started plotting. Biao took a liking to Jingjing, and she wanted a man who could give her some prestige. It was a match made in heaven, and they quickly hooked up.
Looking at Yanlin, with a gleam in her eye and a smug look on her face, Jingjing thought to herself:
So what if you have a rich boyfriend who’s the president of the student union? He’s still just a greenhorn who has never faced society. In front of my boyfriend, wouldn’t he be nodding and bowing obediently? Didn’t you say he was considerate, generous, humble, and polite? So why is it that when you’re in trouble, he doesn’t dare to let even a peep out?
Seeing Jingjing’s expression, Yanlin knew exactly what she was thinking, but she feared Biao’s power and daring not confront him directly. Recalling the two choices Biao had given her earlier, she clenched her teeth in private, "Isn’t there another option?"
Biao looked down at Jianliang and Yanlin with a sneer:
"The other way, of course, is for you to call the police. But unless you bring the police to arrest me, you’ll do exactly as I say. Since today’s incident started because of you, it’s only right that you face the consequences. If you try to play smart and deceive me, I’m not afraid to tell you, I have plenty of ways to torture people. I’m sure I can make it an unforgettable experience for you!"
Hearing this, Yanlin felt a surge of despair. If she dared to call the police, would she still be here wasting her time with Biao?
After today’s incident, Yanlin clearly understood that Biao was in cahoots with Liu Ming and Hu Changlin, which meant he had already colluded with the police. Besides, she had offended the secretary’s niece. How could she ever consider doing something as foolish as calling the police, which was akin to courting death?
Du Yanlin knew that with Huo Biao’s influence, it would be very easy for him to control her, so now was not the time for a hero to suffer a loss before their eyes. It was better to agree first. However, she was no fool. She could tell that though Huo Biao was ruthless, he wasn’t particularly meticulous in his thinking. She would agree for the time being and find a solution later.
Seeing Xue Jingjing’s smug look, Du Yanlin sneered inwardly. It was just a man, and she, Du Yanlin, with just a little maneuvering, could snatch him back.
Xue Jingjing flaunted her man, unaware that a woman’s jealousy can be terrifying. It wouldn’t be long before she ended up in tragedy.
After this incident, the relationship between Du Yanlin and Zhu Jianliang as boyfriend and girlfriend naturally came to an end. On the surface, Du Yanlin and Xue Jingjing still called each other sisters, but the undercurrents were already raging. They had not yet reached the point of an open rupture and were maintaining a superficial calm, but their underlying thoughts were already clear as day.
The article Du Yanlin had written about a female student with the surname Huo from the College of Biology being caught for assaulting a police officer was finished and saved on her computer, but she did not dare to post it on the university forum.
Although she hated Huo Sining, after learning of Huo Sining’s identity, she didn’t dare to openly slander her.
The incident had just happened, and taking such action was too obvious. Huo Sining wasn’t stupid—she could easily find out it was her doing with a little investigation.
Since they weren’t pursuing the matter further, Du Yanlin didn’t dare to actively seek trouble. Given Huo Sining’s status, openly confronting her would undoubtedly lead to disadvantage, so she could only delete the article and lay low, waiting for another opportunity.
Du Yanlin’s gaze fell on a sticky post in the school forum, flickering with several large characters—Recruitment for the Welcoming Party Host—and her eyes slightly twinkled.
It was a tradition at S University to hold a freshman welcome party at the end of the first term for new students, typically around New Year’s Day. Hence, the welcome party also served to greet both the incoming students and the new year.
The welcome party was open to all first-year students across the university. Virtually every college and department would submit several performances, which would then go through preliminary and second-round selections for the final rehearsal.
Of course, this wasn’t what Du Yanlin was focused on—her target was the position of the welcome party host.
The hosts for the welcome party were usually selected from the speech and debate club, although they also held open recruitment for other students, which required several rounds of interviews to finalize.
With four places available—two male and two female—Du Yanlin, although not a member of the speech and debate club, considered herself a celebrity within the student council. Even after breaking up with Zhu Jianliang, her fame in the student council hadn’t waned.
Confident in her Mandarin and her beauty, she was determined to win the competition for the position of party host.
For Huo Sining, the welcome party seemed to bear little relevance to her. With the first term of her freshman year coming to an end, she was busy cramming for finals while not forgetting her promise to accompany Bai Yishan to Hetian.
So she busied herself with researching Hetian and paid no attention to the welcome party, not expecting that the war would soon reach her doorstep.