C30 The Truth Was Completely Made Clear!

The truth couldn't have been clearer.

"Trash like him should've been thrown out of school long ago," Ouyang Yu declared smugly. He gazed at Ye Yu, his eyes brimming with the thrill of vengeance.

Ye Yu! Big deal if you can throw a punch—you're still the one who got booted from Xiang Yu Middle School!

Ouyang Yu was reveling in the moment, arms crossed, eyes dripping with scorn as he watched Ye Yu. He eagerly anticipated a breakdown, expecting tears and pleas for mercy.

But Ye Yu didn't flinch under Ouyang Yu's scorn, Zhu Liang's derision, or the other students' disdainful stares. He remained composed, casually lifting his wrist to adjust his glasses, betraying no sign of panic.

As he did, a single, glistening droplet fell onto Zhu Liang, unnoticed by all but Ye Yu.

Ye Yu watched the droplet absorb into Zhu Liang's body, a slight smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"If I had actually cheated, I wouldn't need your cue to leave—I'd walk out the school gates myself. But what if I'm innocent?"

Ouyang Yu, trying to maintain his composure, scoffed at Ye Yu's denial. "Ha! If you didn't cheat, I'll eat this whole stack of exam papers!"

With a light laugh, Ye Yu eyed the towering stack of papers on the desk. "Bon appétit," he quipped.

Ouyang Yu, pointing at Ye Yu, turned pale and was at a loss for words.

Ye Yu, ignoring the fuming Ouyang Yu, turned to Zhu Liang and asked plainly, "Did I cheat on the exam?"

Zhu Liang's response came with a cold smile and a glint of excitement in his eyes. "You most certainly did not cheat!"

The students around them fell silent, then murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"Did Director Zhu just say Ye Yu didn't cheat?"

"Yeah. Did he misspeak? What's really happening here?"

Ouyang Yu staggered, then quickly stepped forward, grasping Zhu Liang's arm and hissing, "Uncle! Do you even realize what you're saying?"

It was then that Zhu Liang grasped the gravity of his words. His face turned to panic as he stammered, "You... you truly didn't cheat!"

Fear flashed in Zhu Liang's eyes. What's happening? That's not what I meant to say! Why did the truth slip out?

"Ye Yu didn't cheat!"

"He's innocent!"

Zhu Liang repeated himself, but his words remained consistent. As he caught the puzzled looks of the students and Ye Yu's clear, unfathomable gaze, a sense of dread crept over him.

"This..." Zhu Liang, red-faced and anxious, fell silent.

In that earlier moment, Ye Yu had discreetly doused Zhu Liang with the mantra solution.

Ye Yu had suspected that the whole affair was a setup by Ouyang Yu and Zhu Liang. Now, with Zhu Liang under the influence of the mantra solution, it was time for the truth to come out.

Surveying the doubtful students, Ye Yu's presence commanded attention, compelling them to avert their eyes.

"Tell me! What really happened?" Ye Yu demanded, his aura intensifying as he pressed Zhu Liang for answers.

Zhu Liang tried to resist, but the mantra solution's effect was undeniable, compelling him to confess, "You didn't cheat. Your exam paper was switched by someone else!"

"Who's there?" Ye Yu demanded, allowing no time for Zhu Liang and Ouyang Yu to respond.

"It was me!"

Zhu Liang's admission sent a shockwave through the classmates, who then were consumed with guilt. They had scorned Ye Yu, only to realize it was all a big misunderstanding.

A glint of ice flashed in Ye Yu's eyes as he fixed his gaze on Zhu Liang. "Explain yourself. Why did you do it?"

"Don't..." Ouyang Yu reached out, attempting to silence Zhu Liang, to prevent him from revealing more, but it was too late.

"It was because of my nephew. Ouyang Yu wanted to set you up, to get his revenge! He aimed to have you kicked out of Xiang Yu Middle School, so he could be with Han Xue. That's why I went along with it!"

"I'm done for." Ouyang Yu collapsed into his seat, his complexion ghostly pale, utterly defeated.

Zhu Liang was drenched in sweat, hands clamped over his mouth, his face beet-red, eyes wide with terror.

"Heh, now that we've cleared the air, would you mind telling me where my actual test paper is?" Ye Yu asked, his tone cool, eyes locked on the frightened Zhu Liang.

"In my office... in the drawer." Zhu Liang's voice was muffled behind his hands, but the words came out involuntarily in response to Ye Yu's question.

A minute later, Zhu Liang shuddered, realizing he had regained control of himself. He dropped his hands and drew in deep, ragged breaths.

"You're a devil!" he whispered hoarsely, then spun on his heel and fled from the classroom.