Favorable Treatment During the Exam (10) - Karuizawa's Crisis

Just as Yi Chen was still trying to collect himself.

"Ring-ring~ Ring-ring~"

The phone in Yi Chen's pocket rang.

With a helpless sigh, Yi Chen took out his phone to check it.

It was Karuizawa calling.

Yi Chen answered.

Karuizawa said casually:

"Sato said you were looking for me. What is it?"

Yi Chen replied calmly:

"Where are you right now?"

Karuizawa said:

"Me? I'm on my way to the fifth floor."

"Kushida just invited me to meet some friends on the fifth floor of the cruise ship."

Yi Chen suddenly had a bad feeling. He hurriedly said:

"Um, Karuizawa, don't go yet. I'm coming too."

Karuizawa asked in confusion:

"Huh? She only invited me. What did you want to talk to me about?"

Yi Chen replied calmly:

"I... I wanted to talk about the exam."

Karuizawa sighed.

"Can we talk after I'm done here? I'm hanging up~ Talk to you later."

Hearing that, Yi Chen couldn't help muttering:

"Ah, respect other people's fate."

Yi Chen forgot about the exam for the moment, made a few quick preparations, and headed to the place Karuizawa had mentioned.

On the cruise ship's fifth floor, in a dimly lit storage room.

Manabe, Yamashita, Yabu Cai, and Rika stood together in a dark corner.

Yamashita Saki glared viciously at Rika.

"Rika, when she gets here, you have to teach her a lesson. She bumped into you, so she should've apologized properly."

Rika trembled as she spoke.

"Um, Yamashita, maybe we should just let it go. It wasn't a big deal."

Yamashita narrowed her eyes at Rika.

"Rika, how could we let it go? We're good friends!"

"How could we just watch you get bullied and do nothing?"

Yabu Nanami smiled maliciously.

"Exactly, Rika. How could we just stand by while you get bullied?"

Zhenguo Zhibao smiled at Rika and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Rika, if someone bullies us, we have to bully them back. Otherwise, they'll keep doing it."

Yamashita Saki chimed in:

"Exactly, Rika. Kind people get taken advantage of. Don't worry, we'll help you this time."

Rika didn't dare meet their eyes. Afraid, she said:

"It's okay. I don't think she did it on purpose. Maybe we should let it go."

Zhen Guo looked at Rika darkly.

"Rika, you're just too kind. We asked her, and she clearly remembered bumping into you."

"But she didn't come apologize. She obviously did it on purpose."

Yabu Cai agreed:

"Exactly, Rika. Don't say another word. We'll make sure she gives you an explanation."

"People like her need to be taught a lesson."

Meanwhile, Karuizawa followed Kushida's location on her phone and arrived at the storage room.

The storage room door was open.

There were countless shelves inside, and the room was very large.

It was packed with things: boxes of all sizes and an assortment of household supplies.

Seeing the faint light inside, Karuizawa continued farther in, looking for Kushida.

Growing anxious, Karuizawa called out:

"Kushida? Kushida, where are you?"

Karuizawa went farther in and reached the wall at the back of the room.

Puzzled, she said:

"Huh? That's strange. Where's Kushida?"

"Has she not arrived yet?"

Zhen Guo and the others emerged from the shadowy corner, looking smug.

Rika followed them, trembling.

Karuizawa turned and saw them. Her heart pounded, but she forced herself to stay calm.

Zhen Guo and the others looked at Karuizawa with malicious grins.

Nervously, Karuizawa asked:

"Why are you here? Where's Kushida?"

Zhen Guo folded her arms and replied darkly:

"We're the ones who told Kushida to bring you here."

Karuizawa spoke quietly:

"Is that so? I don't have anything to talk about with you. I have somewhere to be, so I'm leaving."

With that, Karuizawa tried to leave, but Zhen Guo and the others blocked her.

Panicking, Karuizawa tried to get away in another direction.

Zhen Guo and the others cornered Karuizawa against the wall, refusing to let her leave.

Karuizawa's eyes widened as she stared at them in alarm.

"What are you going to do?"

Zhen Guo approached Karuizawa with a cruel smile.

"What could we possibly do?"

"Where are you going? You said you have nothing to talk about with us?"

Zhen Guo shoved Rika, who was behind her, toward Karuizawa.

"Rika, was she the one who bumped into you?"

Rika didn't dare move. She kept her head down, staring at the floor.

Zhen Guo glared at Karuizawa.

"Karuizawa, this is the Rika you bumped into."

"Don't you like putting on an act?"

"You even got someone to help you. You're disgusting."

Karuizawa forced herself to stay calm and replied helplessly:

"What act? I just have to apologize, right? I'll do it now."

"I'm sor—"

Zhen Guo slapped Karuizawa across the face.

Karuizawa stared in shock, clutching the right side of her face where she'd just been hit.

Seeing it, Rika looked so nervous she barely dared to breathe.

Frightened, Karuizawa asked:

"Why did you hit me? Aren't you afraid the school will punish you?"

Zhen Guo laughed scornfully.

"Don't worry, Karuizawa. The cameras can't see in here, and we won't leave any marks."

Yamashita Saki stepped forward and stared viciously at Karuizawa.

"Karuizawa, you really have been bullied before, haven't you?"

At that, Karuizawa could no longer pretend to be calm. She stared at them in terror.

Yamashita smiled slyly.

"Hahaha, I knew it!"

Yabu Nanami also laughed darkly.

Zhen Guo slapped Karuizawa across the face again.

Rika flinched in fear.

Karuizawa clutched her left cheek and stammered, trembling:

"Um, I'm sorry. I really know I was wrong. Please forgive me."

Zhen Guo slapped her again.

"Hahaha!"

"Her face feels really satisfying to hit, hahaha!"

Yabu Nanami stepped forward and slapped her too.

"Hey, it really does! Hahaha!"

Yamashita slapped her as well.

Karuizawa's eyes filled with tears as she trembled.

"I'm sorry. I really didn't bump into her on purpose."

Zhen Guo and the others ignored her, all of them grinning cruelly.

One slap after another.

Zhen Guo looked at Rika.

"Hey, Rika, you should try it too."

Afraid, Rika said:

"Um, Zhen Guo, maybe we should stop. She apologized."

Zhen Guo patted Rika on the shoulder and spoke earnestly:

"Rika, do you know why we came here to confront her today?"

"It was to help you, and now you're saying to let it go?"

"Wouldn't that make our kindness a waste? Do you really want to waste our good intentions?"

Zhen Guo stared at Rika darkly.

Nervously, Rika said:

"N-no, that's not it. I..."

With a malicious grin, Zhen Guo lifted Rika's hand up to Karuizawa's face.

"Give it a try, Rika."

"Think about it. She bumped into you, but didn't apologize."

"Why should she get away with that?"

"Aren't you two the same kind of person?"

"Rika, don't you ever feel angry too?"

Rika looked nervously at Karuizawa.

But Karuizawa's eyes had already gone dim.

She kept repeating:

"I'm sorry. Please let me go."

Rika swallowed...

A phone at the entrance to the storage room was quietly recording everything.