Chapter 270 Confinement
"I, I..." Yu Wanru was stumped by the question, her fingers unconsciously twisting her sash.
And when Xiao Yun questioned her again, she opened her mouth, but it was as if her throat was blocked.
Should she tell everyone that she could hear Shen Qingwu's inner voice?
Not to mention whether others would believe such an absurd thing, but it would also make Xiao Yun hate Junior Brother Shen.
That wouldn't do. He was so gentle and pure. If he were targeted by someone as filthy as Xiao Yun, he would surely be in danger.
Thinking of this, a hint of decisiveness flashed in her eyes.
"Since that's the case, let's just consider this my loss for now..."
"Wait a moment." Shen Qingwu suddenly stepped forward, looking at Xiao Yun, his voice as soft as a willow branch brushing the water's surface, "Senior Brother Xiao, it's never too late to mend one's ways after recognizing a mistake."
His eyes were slightly red, as if he might burst into tears at any moment. "This was clearly your own doing. Why must you turn around and bite Senior Sister Yu? How Senior Sister Yu usually treats us is plain for all to see..."
Once he said this, the other disciples who had come also began to speak up for Yu Wanru.
"That's right, Senior Sister Yu has always been very good to us."
"Senior Sister Yu would never do something like frame someone."
"So it was you—" Xiao Yun's pupils suddenly contracted.
"I, I was just telling the truth!" Shen Qingwu retreated in a panic, but in the blind spot of everyone's vision, he gave Xiao Yun a fleeting, cold smirk. "On the rest day, I personally saw you leave Senior Sister's courtyard..."
"Absurd!" Xiao Yun was so angry he laughed. "I have no grudge or enmity with you. We haven't even met before this. Why would you frame me?"
"So, precisely because we've never met, why would I need to frame you, Senior Brother? I clearly just hope that you, Senior Brother, can recognize your mistake and correct it."
...
Inside the Enforcement Hall.
Watching Xiao Yun and Shen Qingwu locked in a stalemate, Senior Brother Zhou couldn't help but frown.
And just at this tense moment, a voice, as if angry at his failure, suddenly sounded in Yu Wanru's mind again:
[Sigh, Senior Brother Xiao insists on being stubborn... I actually discovered his hobby long ago... the very bottom layer of that wardrobe...]
This inner voice was like a bolt of lightning across Yu Wanru's mind.
Her eyes lit up, and she immediately said: "Any filthy person will inevitably leave traces. Xiao Yun, do you dare let us take a look in your wardrobe?"
Hearing this, Xiao Yun was first stunned, then laughed in anger: "Why would I not dare? I, Xiao Yun, act with integrity and would never do such a despicable thing!"
Senior Brother Zhou said in a deep voice: "Very well, in that case, let's go and find out. If it is as Junior Sister Yu says, this matter must be severely punished; if it is a false accusation..."
He gave Yu Wanru a meaningful look, "then we must also clear Junior Brother Xiao's name."
The group walked through the bluestone-paved corridor.
Shen Qingwu walked at the very back, his head lowered, but a faint smile played on his lips.
Xiao Yun walked at the front, his back as straight as a pine, but his clenched fists betrayed his inner turmoil.
The door to Class Bing-6 was pushed open.
Xiao Yun's bed was neat and clean, the quilt folded into a perfect square, a stark contrast to the messy beds beside it.
"It's that wardrobe." Yu Wanru pointed to the sandalwood wardrobe against the wall.
Senior Brother Zhou stepped forward, his hand resting on the cabinet door. He glanced back at Xiao Yun: "Junior Brother Xiao, one final confirmation. Are you sure you want to open it?"
Xiao Yun sneered: "Open it. I'd like to see what kind of trick you can pull off."
"Creeak—"
The cabinet door slowly opened. The first things to meet the eye were several neatly folded disciple robes, with a few cultivation notes placed underneath.
Senior Brother Zhou carefully searched through them, his brow gradually relaxing: "It seems there's nothing..."
Just then, Shen Qingwu suddenly exclaimed: "Wait, there's another compartment below..."
Everyone followed his gaze. Indeed, in the innermost part of the wardrobe, there was an inconspicuous compartment. So, Senior Brother Zhou reached out and pulled it—
"Whoosh!"
Dozens of undergarments of various colors poured out like a waterfall.
There were belly bands embroidered with twin lotuses, underpants adorned with pearl buttons, and on the light-yellow silk small garment at the very top, there were suspicious stains.
An uproar filled the room!
Yu Wanru's face was deathly pale. She staggered back two steps, her fingers tightly clutching the doorframe.
Senior Brother Zhou gasped, looking at Xiao Yun in disbelief.
Xiao Yun stood as if struck by lightning, his entire body frozen in place.
His gaze moved from the undergarments covering the floor to Shen Qingwu's face. The latter was "shocked," covering his mouth, but a flash of triumphant satisfaction passed through his eyes.
"This... this is impossible!" Xiao Yun's voice was hoarse. "I have never..."
"The evidence is conclusive!" Yu Wanru interrupted sharply, her voice trembling. "What else do you have to say now?"
In the morning light, the scattered undergarments had a strange sheen, like mocking mouths, blocking all of Xiao Yun's defenses.
Senior Brother Zhou's expression was grim as he said: "Xiao Yun, come with me to the confinement room first."
Xiao Yun opened his mouth, but his throat was so dry that no sound came out.
He looked at the undergarments on the floor, his heart churning with absurdity and anger—if he weren't so certain that he had never done these things, he was afraid that even he himself would suspect whether the owner of this wardrobe was truly a filthy person.
"Heh..." he let out a low laugh, his voice raspy. "Since you could frame me for stealing Senior Sister Yu's undergarment, doing this would naturally be no problem."
The anger in Yu Wanru's eyes flared even hotter: "At a time like this, you still want to argue?"
Shen Qingwu sighed softly at the right moment, his tone full of regret: "Senior Brother Xiao, the evidence is conclusive. Do you not even have the courage to admit your mistake?"
Xiao Yun whipped his head around, his gaze stabbing toward Shen Qingwu like a knife. Shen Qingwu seemed startled and quickly hid behind Yu Wanru, revealing a timid appearance.
Seeing this, Yu Wanru became even more furious: "After all this, you still want to threaten your junior brother?"
Xiao Yun sneered, no longer defending himself, and just looked at Senior Brother Zhou: "May I ask, Senior Brother, what will be done with me next?"
Senior Brother Zhou pondered for a moment, then said: "Although I am on duty in the Enforcement Hall, within the outer sect, only Elder Li has the final authority to decide. I will report this matter truthfully. The specific judgment will be made by Elder Li."
Xiao Yun took a deep breath and straightened his back: "Good! I believe Elder Li will see with perfect clarity and will surely restore my innocence!"
Senior Brother Zhou gave him a deep look, said nothing more, and just raised his hand to signal: "Let's go."
Xiao Yun stepped forward to follow, his back still as straight as a pine, but the fist in his sleeve was clenched tightly.
Yu Wanru watched his back, her heart filled with both anger and disappointment.
And Shen Qingwu, standing behind her, had a deep gaze beneath his lowered eyelashes, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold, unnoticed smile.
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