C26 There Was No Victim

Lu Wangshu wasn't entirely convinced by Wangshuu's response, so he prodded with a hint of sarcasm, "Is that so? Then why not chat during the day? Why wait until the night, when everything is so still?"

"Because, because..." Wangshuu bit her red lips, a flicker of hesitation crossing her lovely face.

Seeing Wangshuu's distressed look, as if she was on the verge of saying more but couldn't, Lu Wangshu swiftly shifted the conversation. "Do you know Du Le?"

Wangshuu was taken aback by the abrupt change in topic, but she quickly nodded and replied, "Yes, I do. She's the one who recently committed suicide by jumping from a building. Everyone at school knows her."

Lu Wangshu nodded, his reaction to her answer showing no sign of surprise. He pressed on, "How well did you know her?"

After a brief pause, Wangshuu answered, "Well, we weren't close. She was in the class next to mine, so we'd occasionally see each other in the hallway. Du Le was a rather reserved girl."

"You're mistaken," Lu Wangshu countered, shaking his head. "Du Le was once a very lively, optimistic, and positive girl. But do you know when she began to change and become reserved?"

Wangshuu shook her head, puzzled. She had already mentioned that she wasn't close to Du Le, so why was Lu Wangshu continuing to inquire?

Lu Wangshu didn't leave her in suspense for long, revealing, "Because she, like you, was called in by the head of discipline to talk about academic matters in the evening."

Wangshuu was taken aback; it had never occurred to her that Du Le had endured the same ordeal...

When Wangshuu had overheard her classmates talking about Du Le's suicide, they all chalked it up to Du Le having poor mental resilience, succumbing to the pressures of study and life's disappointments. Wangshuu had never really interacted with Du Le, so she hadn't given it much thought, even agreeing with the general sentiment.

But what Wangshuu hadn't anticipated was that there was another, hidden reason behind Du Le's death, one that was beyond anyone's wildest guesses.

"Du Le was raped by the head of discipline multiple times, which completely robbed her of the will to live. That's what ultimately led her to take her own life by jumping from the building."

"What about you, Wangshuu? Will you become the next Du Le?" Lu Wangshu fixed his gaze on her with a deliberate cadence, drawing Wangshuu into his rhythm of interrogation, leaving her no room to catch her breath.

Wangshuu shook her head, her neck stiff, and replied, "How could that be, Mr. Lu? Please don't make such baseless claims."

"Wangshuu, who knows what the future holds? It's so hot out, yet you never remove your scarf. Doesn't that seem odd to you?"

Lu Wangshu was voicing the very concern that had been preoccupying Wangshuu.

Without the scarf, the bruise on her neck would be exposed for all to see. What then would people think of her?

"Are you going to keep suffering in silence until you graduate, allowing that monstrous man to continue harassing you?" Lu Wangshu's voice echoed in Wangshuu's ears, resonating with her inner turmoil as if casting a spell.

"I, I, I..." Wangshuu stammered, her face etched with anxiety. Her thoughts were in disarray, leaving her unable to respond.

"You're still so young and beautiful. Are you really resigned to prolonging this nightmare? If this continues, might you not end up depressed like Du Le, perhaps even taking your own life?"

Lu Wangshu's expression turned icy as he added, "If it ever comes to that, it'll be too late. Only two outcomes await you: either you kill the director in a fit of rage and face the full force of the law—ruining your life even if you avoid the death penalty—or you follow in Du Le's footsteps, ending only your own life and sparing others. But that would leave your parents heartbroken."

Wangshuu's hands were clasped tightly, her fingertips turning pale. She was acutely aware of the truth in Lu Wangshu's words.

Then, Lu Wangshu crouched before her, striving to meet her gaze at eye level, and said, "Wangshuu, I know you're reluctant to speak out for two reasons. Either you fear the judgmental stares from your peers, worried you won't be able to hold your head high at school, or you're concerned that the police won't be able to prosecute the director, and you'll end up being dragged down with him."

"But Wangshuu, consider the two outcomes I mentioned earlier and weigh them against the possibilities we discussed before. You should have a sense of which is more significant," Lu Wangshu said with a sigh, his tone conveying a sense of regret and sympathy for Wangshuu.

Wangshuu remained silent for a long while, until finally, a tear rolled down her cheek, making her appear especially forlorn.

After some time, Wangshuu lifted her gaze to meet Lu Wangshu's and said, "Mr. Lu, I'm ready to tell you everything."

Lu Wangshu nodded, his face breaking into a smile. "I'm glad to hear that. Wangshuu, please, just call me brother. I'm not fond of 'Mr. Lu'; it makes me feel like you're calling me an old man."

His comment succeeded in coaxing a smile from Wangshuu, lightening the previously tense atmosphere in the meeting room.

Wangshuu nodded, took a deep breath, and with a slight lift of her chin, she began to recount her story.

She had caught the attention of the teaching director after a welcome party for the new year.

Wangshuu and her fellow Arts and Culture Group members had performed a dance by a Korean girl band, wearing attire that was somewhat cooler but by no means revealing—a simple crop top paired with high-waisted jeans.

Following the performance, the teaching director had come over to commend her, patting her on the shoulder and praising her talent and potential. At the time, Wangshuu and the others were quite pleased to have received such compliments from a teacher.

That's why Wangshuu hadn't thought much of the teaching director's hand lingering on her shoulder for an extended period.

A few days later, the teaching director invited Wangshuu to his office to discuss an inter-school exchange event. Wangshuu was puzzled—she was just an average student; what could there be to discuss with her?

She later learned that the event had some connection to the arts, so without giving it much thought, she agreed to go.

Upon arriving at the Office of Politics and Education, Wangshuu found it empty except for the teaching director.

He saw her enter, waved her over, and gestured for her to come closer.

Wangshuu followed the dean's instructions and approached him, coming to a stop in front of him.

At that moment, the dean rested his hand on Wangshuu's shoulder and gave it a couple of squeezes, saying, "My, look at you. With such a great figure, it's a shame to only wear a school uniform every day."

Feeling the dean's gaze on her and his hand lingering on her shoulder, Wangshuu grew uneasy. She subtly shifted to the side and deftly changed the subject. "Teacher, I heard you wanted to see me about an exchange program between our school and others?"

The dean nodded, his smile taking on an odd quality. "That's right. You're aware of our school's status. We're affiliated with S University, which has an art department. Each year, the art department at S University selects a group of our most talented students for an exchange. It's essentially a way to identify promising talents early on."

As he spoke, the dean's hand didn't leave Wangshuu's shoulder; instead, it slid down, reaching for her hand and then moving toward her chest.

Wangshuu was no fool. Between the dean's words and his actions, it was clear he was insinuating something more.

Annoyed, Wangshuu withdrew her hand and said with a look of disgust, "Teacher, have you finished? If so, I need to get back to class."

Preparing to leave, Wangshuu was stopped by the dean's voice. "Hold on," he said, slowly stepping in front of her. "Such a young lady shouldn't be so hasty. I haven't finished speaking. Why the rush?"

Ignoring the dean, Wangshuu turned her head away. Unperturbed, he continued, "I know your grades aren't the best, are they? I heard from your homeroom teacher that you scored just over 300 on the last exam. Tsk, tsk, that's quite low."

Wangshuu bit her lip, silent. Her academic performance was indeed a source of distress for her.

Observing her reaction, the dean spoke deliberately, "I've heard you're interested in pursuing the arts? But remember, the competition is fierce. It's like a million people vying for a spot on a narrow bridge. Are you confident in your ability to stand out? Besides, while art programs may have lower academic requirements, they're not without standards."

He paused briefly before adding, "You've come at an opportune time. Being at our high school is your good fortune. S University tends to be a bit more forgiving with students from our institution. So, even if your academic performance isn't the best, and your artistic talents aren't exactly dazzling, you still stand a good chance of getting into S University's art department."

The director offered a peculiar smile as he said this, then added, "Moreover, if you're open to it, I can help you."

Wangshuu had an inkling of what he was implying, but she wasn't entirely certain, so she remained silent. Instead, she simply watched the director, anticipating his next words.

"Tonight, after the evening study session, I'll be waiting for you in the new experimental building that's still under construction at the school. Whether you choose to come is entirely your decision—I won't coerce you. But I urge you to think it over carefully. This is about your future; it's not something to take lightly." With that, the director fixed his gaze on the lovely Wangshuu, his eyes brimming with lascivious desire.