Chapter 33

Faced with Li Rongyu's aggressive attitude, Principal Zhang, who already loathed student misconduct, immediately made the fairest and most positive decision for the school. This punishment meant that Shen Zongming wouldn't receive a very good score in the upcoming Centennial School Anniversary competition. Likewise, he wouldn't be able to successfully obtain admission offers from those world-renowned schools that placed excessive importance on students' school records and social responsibility—unless Diwan High School revoked Shen Zongming's major demerit before he submitted his applications.

It could be said that Diwan High School's decision would directly affect the rest of Shen Zongming's life.

With no way to reverse the situation, Zhou Linyin and Sun Minqiu could only seize on Li Rongxiu's glaring kick in the video footage, turning what should have been "self-defense" into "excessive self-defense." At least after their disastrous frontal clash, they managed to smear a little dirt on the Li family as consolation.

As for Shen Yujun's kick in the footage... first, Shen Yujun was a member of the Shen family. As the saying went, one brush couldn't write two different "Shen" characters. Second, the Shen family's history of allowing the Wang family to drive Shen Lixue to death for profit, along with Shen Yingbo's embezzlement of the shares that had originally belonged to Shen Lixue, was still fresh in the eyes of Wancheng's wealthy families. So no matter how much the rest of the Shen family regarded Shen Yujun as a thorn in their side, no matter how hateful the Shen women found his siding with outsiders, it couldn't change the fact that the Shen family owed his mother and therefore couldn't "hold it against" a child.

So Zhou Linyin and Sun Minqiu could only curse Shen Yujun in private as "a jinx just like his shameless mother," while pinching their noses and pretending they hadn't seen what he did. The Shen family had always upheld this style of swallowing broken teeth along with their own blood.

On top of that, the Li family's mother and son openly and covertly spoke up for Shen Yujun. In the end, the school only gave him a written warning—in Li Rongxiu's mind, perhaps the warning was meant to remind Shen Yujun not to get carried away next time and kick someone too far away!

Of course, if Zhou Linyin and Sun Minqiu had known where Li Rongyu's evidence for "threatening" the school during the meeting had come from, they might have forced the school to expel Shen Yujun even if it meant making the Shen family a laughingstock among Wancheng's elite once again.

Seeing the two Shen women with faces turned livid, Li Rongxiu, worried about Shen Yujun's situation, failed to notice the silence of his mother, Zhuang Meiru, and his eldest brother, Li Rongyu. He once again invited Shen Yujun to go home with him.

"No need." Sensing the Li mother and son's rejection of him, Shen Yujun firmly refused the invitation again. Seeing Li Rongxiu unconsciously frown in disapproval, Shen Yujun hesitated for a moment before saying with great difficulty, "I'll go find Li Jiuying later. As long as the Shen family sees me with Li Jiuying, they definitely won't dare pursue this matter."

After saying that, Shen Yujun suddenly felt relieved. It was as if a huge stone had been lifted from his heart.

This was the first time he had revealed his connections to a "stranger" who knew nothing of his past and had almost no deep entanglement of interests with him.

This was the first time Shen Yujun had felt the urge to stop hiding in the shadows and watching everyone, to stop manipulating everything from behind the scenes, and instead step into the spotlight to face the storm head-on.

Because when facing someone as proud and pure as Li Rongxiu, Shen Yujun suddenly felt ashamed of himself. He felt like a filthy rat hiding in a gutter. Someone who constantly hid and dodged had no right to stand beside Li Rongxiu. No right to be Li Rongxiu's friend.

There were many realities that had created this situation. It had to do with Li Rongxiu's identity and status, with the affection Li Rongxiu received in the Li family, and with Li Rongxiu's own personality and temperament.

Yet the last point was what Shen Yujun was least willing to admit.

Because deep down, Shen Yujun already knew clearly that no matter how many resources he held, no matter how many secrets he possessed, no matter how much profit those secrets could bring him, no matter how ruthless and decisive the real him beneath his disguise was—enough to make others fear him—this disguise was like a thick glass casing that completely separated him and Li Rongxiu into two different worlds.

One was the sky, the other the earth. One was cloud, the other mud.

So Shen Yujun rejected his old habit of hiding beneath the Li family's wings, continuing to disguise himself and scheme. Impulsively yet resolutely, he chose another uncertain future.

The reason that drove all this had nothing to do with profit. It was merely an impulse that had arisen in a young man's heart in an instant.

Li Rongxiu looked at Shen Yujun, who seemed to have made some decision and had suddenly become a little sharper. He shrugged indifferently and stopped insisting on his invitation. Since he had learned Li Jiuying's identity from Shen Yujun, and believed himself familiar with the Shen family's nature, Li Rongxiu no longer worried about Shen Yujun's circumstances or safety.

Of course, he had no idea that the tiny flutter of a butterfly's wings was about to change an enormous future.

Meanwhile, another factor behind this storm—The Li family's younger uncle—sat expressionlessly in the Li family study, having an hour-long international phone call with his direct boss. At the end of the call, Li Bingru said calmly, "Don't worry, Boss. I'll definitely find the Judy you mentioned."

Before leaving school, Li Rongxiu accompanied his family to the infirmary to visit Shen Zongming, who had just regained consciousness. Seeing the "culprit" lying pale-faced on the hospital bed, with a bruise on his cheekbone from hitting the ground that made him look even more miserable, Li Rongxiu kindly swallowed the gloating remarks he had prepared and offered him a few words of comfort instead.

Who knew whether Li Rongxiu had been born with a natural "taunt" skill or whether there was some other reason? Not only did his consolation fail to have a positive effect, it instead made Shen Zongming even angrier. Li Rongxiu could only shrug helplessly, then saunter away beneath Zhou Linyin and Sun Minqiu's almost murderous stares.

By the time Li Rongxiu arrived at the Evening City Grand Hotel that night, all his companions, including Li Jiuying, already knew what had happened in front of the dormitory building that afternoon. Everyone offered sympathetic condolences for Li Rongxiu's ordeal. Li Rongxiu accepted them happily. Beside him, Li Jiuying said with a smile, "But don't worry. As a member of the royal family, I'll also be attending Diwan High School's Centennial School Anniversary. When the time comes, I'll cast my vote for you—I hope that can make up for the points you lost because of the written warning."

Li Rongxiu: "..."

If Li Jiuying hadn't deliberately brought it up, he really would have forgotten about it.

After thanking Li Jiuying again, Li Rongxiu casually asked, "Where's Shen Yujun? At school, he told me he'd come find you today. Hasn't he arrived yet?"

Li Jiuying smiled faintly and said, "He still has some matters to deal with, but he'll probably come back tonight when it's time to sleep."

Li Rongxiu nodded and didn't pursue the matter. Instead, Zhao Qijun, sitting nearby, interjected with interest, "So Brother Jiuying is also a guest invited by Diwan High School for the school anniversary. Looks like you'll be staying in Wancheng for a while this time."

Li Jiuying nodded with a smile. Zhao Qijun didn't continue making small talk with him. Instead, he turned to Li Rongxiu and suddenly said, "The production crew had someone check the dates. They said this Wednesday, next Saturday, and the last day of this month are all auspicious days, very suitable for holding the launch press conference. So Director Zhang asked me to ask you, Young Master Xiu, which date you prefer. Once you decide, we'll set it."

Li Rongxiu waved a hand dismissively and said, "You decide. Just don't delay filming or post-production. Anyway, I have to see the completed film at the ceremony on the day of the school anniversary."

Zhao Qijun nodded and got up to make a call. Yet from the corner of his eye, he quietly stole another glance at Li Jiuying.

Li Jiuying glanced back at Zhao Qijun. He found the little move amusing, but he asked with interest, "I've also heard that Diwan High School is making a school anniversary film. Looks like you youngsters are pretty good at stirring things up."

Although everyone present was a playboy heir, aside from Li Rongxiu, the young master who had been spoiled by his family to the point that he saw everything in a straightforward, single-minded way, the others had all grown up in the complicated environment of wealthy families. Whatever their scheming abilities might be, they at least had basic social awareness.

Seeing that Li Jiuying was interested in the film, Allen Yaksa and the others immediately chatted a bit more about it. It wasn't until Zhao Qijun returned with his phone in hand that he smiled at everyone and said, "I just spoke with Director Zhang. We've decided to set the launch press conference for next Saturday. Does anyone have any objections?"

Naturally, no one did. Then Zhao Qijun turned and kept blinking at Li Rongxiu, hoping he would try inviting Li Jiuying to their press conference. Though Li Rongxiu didn't think much of Zhao Qijun's little scheme, he still invited Li Jiuying with an indifferent attitude, deliberately adding, "If you don't have anything else going on that day and would like to come join the fun."

Zhao Qijun's idea was simple. Since Li Jiuying was already prepared to support Li Rongxiu's team at the school anniversary ceremony, they might as well make the matter bigger. Let everyone see that Li Rongxiu had won the support of the Empire's Ninth Prince in such a short time. This would not only highlight Li Rongxiu's networking ability, but also influence the other invited guests at Diwan's school anniversary who were relatively neutral or inclined toward the capital. It was the best of both worlds, so why not?

After all, Diwan had always valued students' ability to expand their connections in its evaluation standards. If Li Jiuying, the Empire's Ninth Prince, truly made his first formal public appearance after arriving in Wancheng at the launch press conference for Above the Elite, the impact and sensation it would create in Wancheng would be anything but ordinary.

Zhao Qijun's calculations were sound, and his approach was very straightforward. In Li Jiuying's experienced eyes, Zhao Qijun's nakedly utilitarian mindset and fiercely loyal instinct to protect his master weren't tiresome at all. Instead, they felt refreshingly direct. Of course, that was also because Li Jiuying had already intended to help Li Rongxiu. After only a brief consideration, he gladly accepted Li Rongxiu's invitation.

After receiving Li Jiuying's affirmative answer, Zhao Qijun once again sprang from his seat and rushed outside to make several calls. This time, he not only reminded the production crew for Above the Elite once more, but also cautiously called the public relations company, demanding that they strictly control the scale and style of the launch press conference and ensure that its caliber matched the identities and statuses of all the guests.

Li Rongxiu didn't ask about any of Zhao Qijun's actions. Put positively, this meant he trusted those he employed and didn't employ those he doubted. This was an essential quality for a good boss with personal charisma, one capable of inspiring his subordinates' abilities.

After the topic of inviting guests came to an end, Li Jiuying suddenly asked, "Have you considered how the box office profits after the film is released should be distributed... or rather, used, in order to maximize the benefits?"

The young heirs looked at one another in dismay. Li Rongxiu said, "We haven't thought that far ahead. At this stage, just handling the filming is enough to leave us overwhelmed. How could we have the energy to worry about something that's at least half a year away?"

Li Jiuying smiled faintly, toying with the wineglass in his hand as he said meaningfully, "But in my impression, Top Student, who represent the highest standard of education at Diwan High School, should be intelligent people with foresight, capable of planning ahead. Not mediocre people who take things one step at a time. I believe my view also represents that of most invited guests. If you want to stand out from a group of outstanding people, then you must make sure every part of your plan strives for perfection—especially the most important ending."