81: Chapter 81 Using Shen Muli to create a nest

Cao Kun's plan was very clear.

Utilize Li Chang's lust for Shen Muli to set a trap.

Have Shen Muli take the initiative to contact Li Chang, feign submission, and lure him to a hotel room.

Under the premise of ensuring Shen Muli's absolute safety, she would deliberately lead the conversation to get Li Chang to personally admit to his crimes and record evidence of his attempted misconduct.

When the time came, with both witness and physical evidence present, combined with the internal support of Wang Dynasty Hui and others at the school and the pressure of public opinion, it would be enough to crush Li Chang instantly, before his back-end network could even react.

The key to this plan, and also its greatest risk, lay with Shen Muli.

She needed to directly face the person who had brought her immense fear and humiliation and deal with him; this required great courage and psychological fortitude.

When he returned to the rental house, Shen Muli was tidying up the room, preparing to pick up her daughter Xiaoxiao from the daycare center.

Seeing Cao Kun return, a gentle smile appeared on her face: "You're back? Are you hungry? I cooked some porridge."

"Sister Li, don't worry about that for a moment. I have something to discuss with you." Cao Kun pulled her down to sit, his expression serious.

"What is it? Why are you being so serious?"

"Regarding how to deal with Li Chang and ensure your daughter can go to school smoothly, I have a plan now, but... this plan requires your personal participation and might involve some risk."

The smile on Shen Muli's face vanished, and her eyes became tense.

"Wha... what plan? As long as we can take down that scumbag and let Xiaoxiao go to school, I... I'm not afraid."

Cao Kun held her slightly cold hand and laid out the entire plan.

Including how to lure him and how to lead the conversation.

"I will place a listening device on you and will be hidden nearby the entire time to monitor and protect you. If anything goes wrong, I'll step in immediately to save you."

"I won't let you come to any real harm, I promise."

Cao Kun's gaze was steady and full of strength.

"You just need to follow the script we practice, lead him into the trap, and get him to say those shameful things himself. Once we have the evidence, we win."

After listening, Shen Muli's face turned pale, then red, then pale again.

Asking her to face Li Chang again and even feign compliance required overcoming a massive psychological hurdle.

Moreover, the plan sounded very dangerous. What if Cao Kun didn't make it in time...

But she remembered Li Chang's disgusting face, his arrogant threats, her daughter Xiaoxiao's big eyes longing to go to school, and the fear and humiliation she had endured these past days...

A courage mixed with anger and maternal strength slowly rose from the depths of her heart.

She gripped Cao Kun's hand back. Although her fingertips were still trembling slightly, her gaze gradually became firm: "Okay! I'll do it! I believe in you, Cao Kun."

"As long as I can bring down that scumbag so Xiaoxiao and other children won't be bullied by him anymore, I'm willing to try!"

For the next half day, the two did not leave the house.

Cao Kun carefully explained the script to Shen Muli, simulating various possible scenarios.

"Sister Li, when you call, your tone should be weak, with a bit of helplessness and resignation. Just say you've thought it through and are willing to have a meal with him and talk properly for your daughter's sake."

"After meeting, don't rush to ask for evidence. Go along with him first, praise him, let him lower his guard and create the illusion that he has completely manipulated you."

"During the meal, you can ask as if casually, 'Principal Li, you're so capable, you must have the final say at school, right? Have you seen many people like me?' Guide him to boast about his 'achievements'."

"Most importantly, you must protect your own safety."

"If he tries to force himself on you or if you feel any danger, give me the signal immediately, or say you need to go to the restroom, and I'll rush in right away!"

"Our ultimate goal is to get him to personally admit to blackmailing you and other filthy things he's done before. Even if it's just one or two things, as long as he says it himself and it's recorded, that's enough!"

The two practiced over and over. Cao Kun played Li Chang, asking various tricky and explicit questions. Shen Muli went from stuttering and blushing at first to gradually being able to respond calmly.

She could even flexibly adjust her words and guide the topic based on the other person's reaction.

Watching the growing determination in Shen Muli's eyes and her increasingly skilled acting, Cao Kun felt both relieved and pained for her.

He knew that behind this seemingly calm response, she was forcibly suppressing immense fear and disgust.

In the evening, after picking up Xiaoxiao from daycare and coaxing her to sleep, Shen Muli took a deep breath, picked up her phone, and dialed Li Chang's number.

The phone rang seven or eight times before being picked up. Li Chang's affected, impatient voice came through: "Hello, who is this?"

"Principal... Principal Li, it's me, Shen Muli." Shen Muli's voice was deliberately soft and light, with a trace of unnoticeable trembling.

There was silence on the other end for two seconds, followed by Li Chang's clearly adjusted, mock-gentle voice that couldn't hide his pleasant surprise: "Oh, it's Little Shen! What, have you thought it through?"

"Principal Li... I... I've thought a lot these past two days." Shen Muli spoke according to the rehearsal, her tone full of helplessness and resignation.

"For Xiaoxiao's sake... I... I accept it. When... when are you free? I... I'd like to treat you to a meal, apologize to you in person, and... talk properly about Xiaoxiao's schooling."

"Haha, that's more like it!" Li Chang's laughter was smug and carried a hint of lewdness. "Little Shen, wouldn't it have been better to be this sensible earlier? Why make things difficult for yourself and the child? A meal? Sure! How about tomorrow night? I know a private kitchen on the west side of town; the environment is good and very quiet."

"Tomorrow... tomorrow works. Everything will be as Principal Li arranges," Shen Muli said submissively.

"Good! Then tomorrow night at seven, should I... come to where you live to pick you up? Or will you come yourself?" Li Chang asked tentatively.

"I... I'll go there myself. Just send me the address. Thank you for the trouble, Principal Li." Shen Muli didn't want him to know her specific address.

"Fine! I'll send it to you in a bit. See you tomorrow night, Little Shen. Prepare yourself well." Li Chang hung up with a suggestive tone.

Putting down the phone, Shen Muli leaned against the chair as if exhausted, her palms covered in cold sweat.

Cao Kun walked over and gently hugged her: "Sister Li, you did great. The hardest first step has been taken. Tomorrow, I will be by your side the whole time."

...

The next day, 6:30 PM.

Cao Kun drove and carried the carefully dressed Shen Muli, arriving early near the low-profile private kitchen on the west side of town that Li Chang had mentioned.

Shen Muli was wearing a cream-white knit dress today. It was knee-length and conservative in style, but the form-fitting cut still outlined her moving curves.

She wore light makeup and had her long hair down, looking gentle and pitiful, perfectly fitting the image of a "forced to submit" vulnerable mother.

Cao Kun found an inconspicuous parking spot across the street, from which he could clearly see the restaurant entrance.

He pinned a miniature button camera onto an inconspicuous fold on the inside of Shen Muli's dress. The lens angle was adjusted to capture the view directly in front.

He checked the audio again; the sound reception was clear.

Only then did he feel at ease.

"Remember, safety first. If anything feels wrong, go to the restroom immediately or give me any hint, and I'll come in right away," Cao Kun gave his final instructions.

"Mhm, I know."

Shen Muli nodded, took a deep breath, pushed open the car door, and walked toward the restaurant.

...