Sophia rushed over and hugged her aunt's leg: "Aunt, save me. I don't want to go to jail!"
"I really was just joking. It was just for fun."
Aunt Li sneered: "I'm afraid your aunt is in trouble herself."
Both Sophia and her aunt stared at her with wide eyes.
Aunt Li said seriously: "Chen Sheng, in the Yuanping earthquake four years ago, did you use the disaster relief funds allocated by the central government on the common people? I heard that the common people had to pay for the reconstruction of their houses after the disaster themselves.
"Did you swallow all the money allocated by the central government into your own pocket?!"
As soon as this matter was mentioned, Chen Sheng's already pale face turned even greener.
"The central government has long noticed something was wrong. They were going to deal with this matter this time.没想到你竟如此坐不住,连烈士后代都敢苛待!"
Soon, a group of police officers rushed in and took everyone present to the police station.
All the students who participated in the cyber - violence had to make statements. Almost the whole class went to the police station.
When they went, they surrounded me, looking extremely panicked, and all begged me to spare them.
"Emily, please. I know I was wrong. Please forgive us."
"I was deceived by Sophia. It was all her instigation."
"I'll do anything for you. Just don't let me go to jail, okay?"
I shook off their hands forcefully: "Get out of here! Let the law judge the dirty things you've done. It's no use begging me!"
The online rumors were also dispelled by an official document.
The police issued an official notice themselves, explaining the whole process of what happened and the harm I had suffered.
It especially emphasized that I was the descendant of a hero and that my enrollment in school was specially approved by the province, not because my mother slept with someone as the online rumors said.
They also sued several of the most active marketing accounts.
The rumors about my mother and me were finally cleared.
As soon as this notice was issued, the whole network was shocked. Netizens called it an epic reversal.
The online public opinion completely reversed. The topic dominated the hot searches and remained at the top.
Those who had originally insulted me and my mother all fell silent and apologized to me one after another.
The whole network was flooded with the hashtag "We all owe Emily an apology".
Gradually, all kinds of insiders emerged, saying that I was wronged and that I was framed by local evil forces.
Some people also found my mother's and my contact information and said they wanted to compensate and support us.
Looking at these apologies, I felt nothing in my heart. Instead, I found it very ironic.
The harm they caused at the beginning couldn't be erased by a few simple "sorry"s.
They just typed a few words on the keyboard online, and those were vicious remarks.
But I had to risk everything to fight back and save my mother.
The school transferred me to a new class. The students in the class were very friendly to me.
After hearing about my story, they always tried their best to take care of me.
Sophia's aunt was suspected of embezzling disaster relief funds, and it was found that the amount of embezzlement was extremely large. She not only had to be placed under investigation but may also face the death penalty.
Sophia was the mastermind. She made and posted rumor posts, beat me up, and was also suspected of libel and spreading pornographic materials. She had to go to jail for several years.
All those who had bullied me had to face criminal punishment. Even if they didn't have to go to jail, they would have a criminal record.
The school leadership was also replaced.
The first thing the new principal did after taking office was to issue an official notice from the school, clarifying the facts, introducing my family situation in detail, severely condemning the act of spreading rumors, and announcing that the students involved would be expelled from school.
My mother had a stress reaction after this incident. Fortunately, the community workers always took care of her.
With the care of the community, she gradually got out of the shadow, but there was always a touch of vicissitude in her smile.
And I became even more silent than before and devoted myself whole - heartedly to my studies.
I understood that only by becoming strong myself could I protect the people I wanted to protect and live up to my father's glory.
The sun shone warmly on the desk.
I couldn't help but smile faintly, my eyes full of calmness and determination.
What happened to those who had hurt me no longer mattered to me. If I kept dwelling on it, I would only hurt myself. I had to move forward.
My future was in a broader world.