Chapter 93: Paranoia

Lu Yunzhou intended to take her back tomorrow.

So that afternoon, he sent Shen Zhaoxi back to the officers’ dormitory.

He still had to go to the training grounds.

There were still matters to deal with.

He instructed Lu Fifteen to keep an eye on Shen Zhaoxi.

But with Xiao Xiao there, Lu Fifteen could not remain there the whole time, so he went off to attend to his own business first.

As for the Jingnan Military Base, two military vehicles also arrived, and several men in inspection uniforms stepped out.

They walked into the base.

The young women stared in amazement.

“My goodness, what is going on?”

“So handsome.”

They had never seen men in such uniforms before.

Were they people from the military district above?

Thus, during the less-than-ten-day period of freshman training at Jing University, these female students saw several military vehicles coming and going, broadening their horizons.

At other times, they would never have had such an opportunity.

It was three o’clock in the afternoon.

The sunlight was still fierce.

Soldiers on the training grounds were drenched in sweat.

And the men who had gotten out of the military vehicles all wore stern, cold expressions.

“Hello, may I ask whether Reporter Mu is here?”

“Yes.”

The leader at the military base was startled.

Seeing their uniforms, he hurriedly told them where Mu Ting’s dormitory was.

From beginning to end, the soldiers wore grave expressions.

In their eyes, there was no room for the slightest jest.

But at that moment, Mu Ting had found Shen Zhaoxi because of Lu Yunzhou.

Shen Zhaoxi had gone to the earlier bathhouse, wanting to take a look for herself.

There had previously been a gas leak.

The military base was investigating it.

So, having nothing else to do, she had come out for a walk.

Instead, she ran into Mu Ting, who looked anything but pleasant, as though she still refused to give up.

She could not get a favorable expression from Lu Yunzhou, so she had come looking for Shen Zhaoxi.

“It’s you.”

Her voice was cool, her face almost without expression.

The moment Shen Zhaoxi saw her appear, she understood.

A faint chill flickered in those peach-blossom eyes as the corners of her lips lifted slightly.

Without a sound, the girl raised her gaze and gave Mu Ting a cool glance as she approached from ahead.

“It is me!”

Mu Ting’s gaze was full of contempt.

From the very beginning to now, she had maintained an arrogant attitude.

It was as though, deep in her heart, she looked down on Shen Zhaoxi.

She did not believe Lu Yunzhou would fall for a girl like this, one who did not seem to possess much courage or ability.

What was so special about a female student from Jing University that Lu Yunzhou would treat her like this?

To the point of turning coldly on Mu Ting for her sake.

Even going so far as to threaten and warn her.

The man who had once supported her without condition now treated her with indifference.

Yet he was so good to this girl.

Mu Ting could not accept it.

Perhaps the hatred that had accumulated over the years had long since turned into obsession in her heart.

So Mu Ting’s feelings toward Lu Yunzhou had become twisted.

She could not accept his kindness toward other girls.

Nor could she bear to see him doing well.

Outside the bathhouse, the afternoon sun filtered through the corridor and fell across the girl’s face.

She wore a pear-blossom-colored dress, her long hair loose around her shoulders. Her complexion was pale, and because her face held no expression, from Mu Ting’s angle she looked almost docile.

Yet it was precisely this pitiful-looking girl who, in truth, was rotten to the core.

Only Lu Yunzhou would be deceived by her.

Mu Ting studied her with a measuring look.

“So you are the girl called Shen Zhaoxi?”

That name, Shen Zhaoxi, she had learned from the mouths of those female students at Jing University.

In truth, the post she had published had also been exaggerated with embellishments.

But the insinuations about Shen Zhaoxi’s involvement with men, and the like, had not come from Mu Ting.

Rather, over the past few days, she had heard gossip among the freshmen training at Jing University, gossip concerning this girl.

Only then had she seized upon it, found the photograph she had taken, and posted it together on the Jing University student forum.

She simply wanted people to know a little about this girl and see what sort of person she truly was.

So in Mu Ting’s eyes, Shen Zhaoxi was a girl with a chaotic private life and absolutely no propriety.

Especially in the cafeteria, where she had happened to see it with her own eyes.

Shen Zhaoxi was eating with Lu Yunzhou.

So Mu Ting had already decided, before anything else, that Shen Zhaoxi was the sort of person who entangled herself with men and had poor character.

“Do you need something?”

Hearing Mu Ting address her by full name, Shen Zhaoxi lifted her eyes, her gaze turning somewhat cold.

“Girl, I advise you to do what someone your age should be doing.”

“Do not think that because you latched onto Lu Yunzhou, you can get special treatment at Jing University.”

Ever since Mu Ting learned that Lu Yunzhou was the commander of the military district, the bitterness in her heart had only grown.

Heh.

Shen Zhaoxi arched a brow.

As though she found it amusing.

A trace of cool laughter spilled from the depths of her eyes.

This made Mu Ting very unhappy.

“What are you laughing at?”

“I’m laughing at you,” Shen Zhaoxi said unhurriedly, her voice tinged with mockery, “for wasting so much of his money and learning nothing.”

Like an idiot.

Mu Ting sneered. “So that’s it. You’re after his money, his status, and his position?”

Shen Zhaoxi: ?

Did she need to do anything at all for Lu Yunzhou’s money or his status?

If she could, she would gladly give this engagement to Mu Ting.

But someone like Mu Ting...

Tsk.

A real-life farmer and the snake.

“Do you know what my relationship with him is?”

Seeing that Shen Zhaoxi did not speak, only regarding her with cold eyes and a faint smile, Mu Ting went on.

“All my university tuition and living expenses were paid by him.”

The implication was obvious.

It was meant to make Shen Zhaoxi misunderstand.

But Shen Zhaoxi had heard their conversation, so she already had a rough understanding of the situation.

There was no possibility that, after hearing these words, she would suspect Lu Yunzhou of anything with Mu Ting.

On the contrary, after saying this, Mu Ting looked quite pleased with herself.

“So what?”

Shen Zhaoxi looked at her, a low, cool laugh in her voice.

That lifted gaze of hers looked as though she were staring at some obsessive maniac.

A lunatic.

“He helped you so much, and you?” Shen Zhaoxi smiled lightly.

Every word carried sarcasm.

“What?”

“Did he tell you even that?”

Hearing this, Mu Ting’s eyes darkened. She had truly not expected that Lu Yunzhou would even tell her this.

But how could Mu Ting admit any of it?

Her brows and eyes cooled as she stared at Shen Zhaoxi. “What do you know?”

“It’s what he owes me!”

Even knowing the truth, Mu Ting still would not back down.

It was as though she still lived in the past.

Refusing to step out of it.

“Indeed.”

“It is what he owes you.”

At this point, Shen Zhaoxi actually smiled.

“He deserves to be hated by you. He deserves to spend that much money on you.”

“And who do you think you are?”

Suddenly, Shen Zhaoxi seemed to think of herself as well, since she too was the commander of the First Military District.

If someone under her had an accident, she would also help without hesitation.

Even, like Lu Yunzhou, she would do good without leaving her name.

But none of that was a reason for others to misunderstand.

Shen Zhaoxi’s temper rose all at once.

She looked at Mu Ting and smiled.

“To put it another way, being saddled with a madwoman like you is truly unfortunate for him.”

“What did you say?”

“Say that again!”

Mu Ting could not endure it.

This Shen Zhaoxi dared to speak so arrogantly in front of her.

Yet Shen Zhaoxi was still smiling.

“Also, as a member of the Publicity Department of the Tenth Military District, you failed to set a proper example and add brilliance to life in the military district. Instead, driven by jealousy, you spread rumors and branded an innocent person with a label of moral misconduct. That is your dereliction of duty.”

“And openly taking photographs and daring to publish confidential information about senior military officials is your gross negligence.”

“Any one of those alone would be enough to send you to jail for a while.”

Mu Ting’s pupils shook.

What was she saying?

Openly taking photographs? Publishing confidential information about senior military officials?

But in the next moment, a burst of footsteps sounded, orderly and forceful.

Mu Ting turned to look.

She saw several men in the uniforms of the Inspection Office approaching.

Her heart tightened.

Yueyue’s little ramble: if I push them a bit and add another chapter, maybe they still won’t make it.

Mm, time for sleep.

Then the next day I woke up and checked, and there was silence—only silence.

After that came a deafening sound.

I was pounding my chest in frustration.

You people are too fierce.

And then I got stuck motionless in front of the computer.

Today is no different.

The comment count is 1,120 right now. If it can break 1,500 in the next two days, I’ll do another explosive update!

I will work hard to keep my promise to you.

And thank you, my darlings, for all your efforts.