84: Chapter 84 I will never forgive you again.
"My mistake was being blind, mistaking a fish eye for a pearl and treating a freeloader like you as a treasure. My mistake was being kind-hearted back then, providing subsidies to ungrateful wolves like you, only for you to turn around and help outsiders bully me. My mistake was not seeing through your true colors sooner, allowing the money my parents earned to be spent on scumbags like you!"
Song Zhiwei's words were like a clap of thunder, sending the surrounding students into a frenzy. Even the sound of the wind blowing through the camphor leaves couldn't drown out the chatter.
Pei Yunxiao's face instantly turned from white to a deep liver-purple. He pointed a finger at her, his voice trembling: "Song Zhiwei... are you crazy! Do you even know what you're saying!"
He was like the emperor whose new clothes had been exposed, feeling completely exposed and uncomfortable.
In the past, Song Zhiwei had been completely submissive to him. Forget contradicting him in public, she hadn't even dared to speak loudly. Now, she actually dared to throw words like 'freeloader' and 'liar' in his face. How was he supposed to save face?
After a few seconds of panic, Pei Yunxiao resumed his "Young Master Pei" posture, his tone carrying a childish threat: "Song Zhiwei, if you keep talking nonsense, believe it or not, I'll never talk to you again!"
As soon as those words came out, Zhang Fan rolled his eyes internally: "Holy crap? What kind of elementary school argument is this? 'Never talk to you again'? This level of arrogance is more ridiculous than an NPC in a game. It turns out short drama scripts really do pull material from real life!"
The surrounding students were also in an uproar, the buzzing of their discussions splitting into two factions—
"What's going on? Does Song Zhiwei mean Young Master Pei is a fake second-generation rich kid?"
"Dammit, you believe her? Aren't her parents just the Pei family's driver and nanny? She must have been dumped by Young Master Pei and is making up rumors for revenge!"
"Exactly! That maybach of Young Master Pei's, and the watch on his wrist—any one of those is enough to buy several houses. How could he be a fake?"
"And the full subsidies for those impoverished students in our class—didn't Young Master Pei help apply for those? Could someone without money or power get that done?"
These words were like a shot of adrenaline for Pei Yunxiao. He straightened his back, his eyes starting to wander again as he waited for Song Zhiwei to back down.
In the past, whenever they had a conflict, as long as someone spoke up for him, Song Zhiwei would always be the first to lower her head.
But this time, Song Zhiwei took a step forward, her gaze as cold as ice: "Pei Yunxiao, do you want me to reveal the whole truth? For example, whose name is on the registration for that maybach? Or who gave you that watch on your wrist for your birthday last year? Or... who exactly was it that had their family talk to the school about those subsidies for the impoverished students?"
With every sentence, Pei Yunxiao's face grew a shade paler. By the end, he even started to back away, his tone softening: "Zhiwei, I know... I know I wronged you by blaming you for breaking the vase. How about this, I'll apologize to you, and I'll drive you to and from school every day for the next few days, okay?"
"Holy crap! There's a plot twist?" someone in the crowd exclaimed. "So Young Master Pei broke the vase himself and framed Song Zhiwei?"
"No way... Young Master Pei seems so generous, why would he do something like that?"
"Earlier they said Song Zhiwei was avoiding responsibility, but it turns out he was the one behind it!"
The tide of discussion began to turn. Pei Yunxiao couldn't save face. Just as he was about to defend himself, Li Na suddenly jumped out, pointing at Song Zhiwei and shouting: "What do you know! Song Zhiwei eats and drinks on Young Master Pei's dime and lives in the Pei family's house. What's wrong with taking a little responsibility for him? It's such a small thing, is it really worth holding a grudge over?"
Wang Ting quickly chimed in: "Exactly! Young Master Pei is usually so good to Song Zhiwei. Last time she had a cold, he even bought her medicine himself! You guys aren't in our class, so you don't know how much he cares about her!"
Song Zhiwei looked at these two roommates who had received countless favors from her and suddenly laughed. Her laughter was full of mockery: "Eat his? Drink his? My Song family isn't so poor that I have to rely on a man to survive. And as for the 'kindness' you mentioned—is it when he had you lock me in the bathroom? Or when he watched Ruan Shu tear up my design drafts without saying a single word to stop her?"
Li Na and Wang Ting were left speechless by the questions. They could only stiffen their necks and shout: "Song Zhiwei, don't be so unreasonable! Young Master Pei has already apologized, what more do you want?"
"If people with no logic argue their point, why should I, who am in the right, let it go?" Song Zhiwei's gaze was firm. "I used to think that if I just endured it, it would pass. But the result? You all took an inch and wanted a mile, mistaking my restraint for weakness. Now I've realized—no more internal conflict! I deserve a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple! Why should I wrong myself just to make you happy?"
Pei Yunxiao was left powerless by her rebukes. Anxious and angry, he suddenly pointed at Zhang Fan as if grasping at a straw: "Zhiwei, you weren't like this before! You used to be so understanding. Did this man force you to say this? Did he teach you to go against me, right!?"
"Understanding?" Song Zhiwei acted as if she had heard a huge joke. "What is that? Am I supposed to bottle up my grievances and endure bullying just to make you feel 'comfortable'? Let me say it again, I reflect on myself three times a day—Have I been too polite to you? Have I given you too much face? Is it time for me to get physical? Don't treat my past self as a pushover. The current me doesn't buy your act!"
Pei Yunxiao's face turned ashen at her words, but his eyes suddenly reddened. He blinked hard, as if trying to squeeze out a few tears. His tone softened, carrying a hint of grievance: "Zhiwei, fine... since you say that, I will never forgive you again."
That look was the perfect image of a "green tea" being hurt by a loved one. It gave Zhang Fan goosebumps, and he couldn't help but complain in his heart: "Little brother, put away your tricks! This acting is faker than the beggars selling misery downstairs from my place. I'm about to throw up!"
The surrounding students also saw through it. Some couldn't help but laugh out loud, while others whispered: "Holy crap! Is Pei Yunxiao acting like a green tea? That expression on a grown man is just disgusting..."
"Earlier he said Song Zhiwei framed him, and now he's squeezing out tears. I'm baffled by this performance."
"I'm starting to think... what Song Zhiwei said is true. Young Master Pei's reaction is way too guilty."
Hearing these discussions, Pei Yunxiao didn't manage to squeeze out any tears, but his face turned even redder.
He glared fiercely at Song Zhiwei, then looked at Zhang Fan's "looking at an idiot" expression, and finally couldn't take it anymore.
He turned and ran toward the school gate, still shouting: "Song Zhiwei, you just wait! I won't forgive you!"
Seeing Pei Yunxiao run off, Li Na and Wang Ting quickly followed. Before leaving, they didn't forget to glare at Song Zhiwei, but they didn't dare say another word.
The crowd gradually dispersed. A few boys who had spoken up for Pei Yunxiao earlier smiled awkwardly as they passed Song Zhiwei, their pace quickening.