The next morning, Ji Yunxi strolled into the elite academy like nothing had happened the night before. The sunlight poured down on the pristine campus, students whispering as she passed.
"She embarrassed Lin Xi at the banquet.""I heard Mo Liancheng defended her.""Could she actually be the real heiress?"
The rumors spread like wildfire. Ji Yunxi adjusted her uniform and smirked inwardly. Attention was a double-edged sword, but she wasn't the type to shy away from blades.
[System Notification: New Side Task Assigned.]Ji Yunxi's eyes flickered.
[Task: Maintain dignity under public attack. Reward: 50 points. Penalty: -30 points if humiliated.]
Her lips curved. "So they're coming already, huh?"
At lunch, the trap was sprung.
Ji Yunxi carried her tray into the cafeteria when a shrill voice cut through the chatter. "Ji Yunxi! Stop pretending you're something you're not!"
Lin Xi stood atop a table, eyes burning with humiliation and vengeance. A group of girls surrounded her, rallying behind her like an army of sycophants.
"She's a fake!" Lin Xi spat, pointing a manicured finger. "She stole my place at the banquet last night and used underhanded tricks to make me look bad. You all saw it!"
The cafeteria erupted in whispers. Phones came out, recording.
Ji Yunxi set her tray down calmly, unbothered by the spotlight. "Are you sure you want to do this here, Lin Xi?"
Lin Xi sneered. "Why not? Afraid the truth will come out?"
Ji Yunxi's smile was ice. She reached into her bag, pulling out her phone. "Good. Then we should let everyone see what really happened."
Click. With a few taps, the large cafeteria screen flickered to life. The surveillance footage from last night's banquet played—Ji Yunxi standing coolly as the waiter confessed the wine had been tampered with, while Lin Xi's face twisted in outrage.
Gasps filled the room.
"You mean… Lin Xi was the one plotting?""Shameless!""So she tried to frame Ji Yunxi but got caught instead?"
Lin Xi's face drained of color. She hadn't expected Ji Yunxi to have proof.
Ji Yunxi tilted her head, her voice sharp enough to cut. "Lin Xi, you should thank me. If I hadn't stopped that drink, you'd be the one crawling on the floor begging for mercy."
Laughter rippled across the cafeteria. Lin Xi trembled, on the verge of collapse.
[System Alert: Task Completed. +50 points.]
Ji Yunxi's smile deepened as the pleasant ding echoed in her mind.
But before Lin Xi could lash out again, the cafeteria doors opened.
Mo Liancheng entered, his presence instantly silencing the crowd. His gaze swept the room, landing on Ji Yunxi like she was the only person alive.
"Skipping lunch to argue?" His tone was soft but carried weight. He crossed the room in a few strides and took her wrist, his touch possessive. "If you're hungry, I'll feed you. No need to waste time on trash."
Gasps echoed. Students exchanged wide-eyed looks—Mo Liancheng had just called Lin Xi… trash.
Ji Yunxi glanced at him, half exasperated, half amused. Protective wolf, through and through.
Behind them, Lin Xi's rage reached a breaking point. Her fingernails dug into her palms until they bled.
"I won't let this end here," she whispered through clenched teeth.