Guan Tao shrunk her neck. Although she had a clear conscience, she could not help but blush when so many people were surrounding her.
When the other girl who was with Yu Mengyao saw this, she sneered and said, “Where else could she have gotten this from? How would a poor girl be able to afford such an expensive silk handkerchief? She must have stolen it!”
“No… I didn’t steal it!” Guan Tao’s eyes turned red from anxiety, and she quickly shook her head to deny it.
But what could she do? There were only a few people from South City in the first year, and everyone recognized them. Guan Tao’s family’s situation was even more difficult than Jian Ai’s. At that moment, she could not share where such an expensive handkerchief came from. Everyone thought that she had stolen it.
“Oh, I couldn’t tell that she’s such a person. She usually looks quite honest.”
“She’s used to being poor, so her hands inevitably felt itchy after seeing such a good thing.”
“Ah, I didn’t have a good impression of these farmers from South City in the first place. Now, their hands and feet are not clean. They have tainted the reputation of our Erzhong as a noble school.”
The onlookers started talking at once. When Guan Tao heard this, she immediately cried aggrievedly and shook her head. “I didn’t steal it. It was…”
“What is it?” Yu Mengyao interrupted Guan Tao. She knew in her heart that it was Gao Yang’s handkerchief, but she deliberately didn’t say it because she wanted others to misunderstand and humiliate Guan Tao.
What right did this wild girl from South City have to use Gao Yang’s things? The more Yu Mengyao thought about it, the angrier she became. She immediately tightened her grip and scolded, “You thief, you didn’t admit that you stole something.”
“Ah…” Guan Tao cried out in pain. Her other hand instinctively went to grab Yu Mengyao’s hand. “I didn’t steal it. Let go!”
Guan Tao resisted in a fit of panic, and her nails accidentally scratched Yu Mengyao’s skin. Yu Mengyao sucked in a breath of cold air from the pain. “Hiss…”
Taking a closer look, Guan Tao’s nails had scratched a bloody mark on the back of her hand. Yu Mengyao’s eyes darkened.
Guan Tao was shocked as well. She didn’t mean it.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” Guan Tao apologized in a fit of panic, but the onlookers had already seen this scene.
“Oh my! She dared to attack someone when she had stolen something? This is truly an eye-opener.”
“How shameless is she? She grabbed Yu Mengyao’s hand until it became red. She was ruthless.”
“That’s right. She even pretended to be pitiful. It’s disgusting.”
…
Guan Tao cried as she apologized, but Yu Mengyao wouldn’t listen. She immediately felt a burning pain in the back of her hand. A vicious look flashed across her eyes as she shouted, “You dare to attack me after stealing something!”
As soon as she finished speaking, Yu Mengyao raised her right hand and waved it at Guan Tao’s face.
Everyone looked as if they were watching a good show. Yu Mengyao’s family was outstanding and her fierce character was famous in Erzhong. With this,Guan Tao would not fare well in her hands, let alone resist.
However, just as everyone was waiting for the slap, a slender and fair hand suddenly grabbed Yu Mengyao’s arm in mid-air.
Everyone’s breathing stopped. They focused their eyes and saw that Jian Ai had appeared at some point. She stood between Mengyao and Guan Tao with an indifferent expression. Her thin body shielded Guan Tao behind her, and her other hand was tightly holding onto Mengyao’s hand.
“Jian Ai?” Yu Mengyao naturally recognized Jian Ai. She was stunned and wanted to pull her arm out, but it was as if a pair of pliers had clamped on her arm that she couldn’t move.
Yu Mengyao panicked and scolded, “Slut, how dare you…”
Slap!
Jian Ai’s expression was indifferent. Before Mengyao could finish speaking, she turned around and gave Yu Mengyao a tight slap on the face.
Then, she said coldly, “Why wouldn’t I dare?”
