Chapter 49: Let

Shen Ci tried hard to pull her hand back but found it was of no use. She couldn't help but darken her gaze and bark, "Let go!"

"Li Xiao, calm down. Let go of her hand first." Seeing this, Gu Lianxing also stood up and spoke. There were so many people in the cafeteria; making a scene would only make them a laughingstock.

Li Xiao's eyes were bloodshot. He hadn't slept for an entire night and was currently feeling both decadent and irritable.

Yet, facing Shen Ci at this moment, looking at her porcelain-white, flawless face, the anger in Li Xiao's heart dissipated by more than half in an instant.

He released her hand and forced himself to calm down. "I'm sorry, Shen Ci. I... I was a bit impulsive."

He had returned to school to face these matters together with Shen Ci, not to interrogate her.

Remembering his original intention, Li Xiao hurriedly organized his words and said, "I know the Li family canceling the donation to the department has implicated you, but don't worry. I will definitely help you resolve this. I will never let what you said in front of everyone fall through."

"No need. I will fulfill the promises I made myself; I don't need your help." Shen Ci said coldly, turning to the side to leave.

Li Xiao hurriedly blocked her, asking in confusion, "It's come to this, and you're still refusing my help? Do you have any idea how much an astronomical telescope costs?"

"Of course she knows. Isn't she the top student of the astronomy department?" Lin Biqi sneered. "Brother Li Xiao, I think you should stop worrying about her. I, for one, want to see how she plans to clean up the mess after making such an overconfident boast."

"Can you shut up?" Li Xiao turned his head and roared at Lin Biqi.

Lin Biqi choked on her words. "I... can't I even speak the truth? She created this mess herself, and the whole school is waiting to see her make a fool of herself. Why should you be the one to clean it up?"

Before anyone else could react, Gu Lianxing looked at Lin Biqi with a hint of anger and scolded, "What kind of talk is that? When have you ever seen Shen Ci ask Li Xiao to clean up her mess? Isn't it Li Xiao who insists on clinging to her? Has Shen Ci ever made a single phone call to him or said the word 'beg'? Where is the evidence?"

Lin Biqi opened her mouth, momentarily unable to find a retort. Finally, she glared and said, "Just by the fact that she dared to say she would donate astronomical telescopes to the school! Isn't she saying that just to get Brother Li Xiao to step up and help her solve it? Does she even have the ability herself?"

She had already investigated: this Shen Ci was from Shengang, and her family background was very ordinary. While not exactly impoverished, it certainly had nothing to do with being wealthy.

If it weren't for the fact that Brother Li Xiao liked her, how would she dare to say she would donate things to the school?

In the end, wouldn't it still be Brother Li Xiao racking his brain and begging Uncle Li to donate?

Gu Lianxing found Lin Biqi's words laughable. She had seen Shen Ci's order page with her own eyes; she had tried to persuade her to donate just one, but Shen Ci insisted on donating four.

Now, in the eyes of others, they were looking down on Shen Ci's strength. They were truly blind and ignorant.

Whispers began to rise in the surroundings as well. Everyone held a skeptical attitude toward Shen Ci's words. Unlike Li Xiao, whose identity as a wealthy young master was known to all, Shen Ci had become famous in school for her beauty. Those who didn't understand her family situation didn't quite believe she had the ability to donate over a thousand yuan worth of items to the school at once, and in her own name at that.

Those huge donations—which one wasn't made under the name of a company or group? Even the Li family's donations were made under the banner of corporate charity for publicity; they never attributed the honor to Li Xiao alone.

Hearing the discussions of others, Lin Biqi couldn't help but raise her eyebrows triumphantly. Ignoring the fact that Brother Li Xiao might get angry at her, she wanted to seize the opportunity to step hard on Shen Ci and make her lose all face.

She sneered and said, "Shen Ci, you keep saying that you and Li Xiao have already broken up, so you shouldn't be exploiting his feelings. If you can't afford to donate, you can just say so. No one had any high hopes for this anyway; even the most basic configuration of four astronomical telescopes is not a small sum. If you admit now that you were just bragging, at most people will just laugh at you behind your back, and they won't blame you."

"Lin Biqi, shut your mouth!" Li Xiao roared, turning to lean in close to her, snarling, "Do you believe me if I say I'll throw you out if you say one more word?"

Lin Biqi held her head high and met Li Xiao's gaze without flinching. She loved Li Xiao dearly, but she was never a little rabbit that followed orders blindly.

"Auntie asked me to keep an eye on you; I won't let you do anything stupid," Lin Biqi said, not showing weakness.

Shen Ci was already tired of watching these two sing in harmony. She composed her expression, walked to their side, raised her hand to gently push Li Xiao away, and stood in front of Lin Biqi to look at her.

Lin Biqi's eyes darkened, and she immediately gave a provocative look back.

Seeing her aggressive and unyielding demeanor, Shen Ci couldn't help but curl her lips and scoff. "You keep saying I'm bragging and talking big, and that you don't think I can afford to donate. Shall we make a bet?"

"Bet on what?" Lin Biqi frowned, asking with some hesitation.

Shen Ci said casually, "If I fulfill my promise to the school, you will run three laps around the playground this evening when it's most crowded, shouting that you are an idiot. How about that?"

"Pfft..."

"Playing it so straightforwardly?"

"Why is it kind of cute when a beauty swears? I'm kind of loving Shen Ci's personality."

"Is that girl Li Xiao's sister? Calling him 'Brother Li Xiao' every other word, isn't she targeting Shen Ci a bit too much?"

"Although I don't really believe Shen Ci has the ability to fulfill the promise, I kind of want to see that girl do the punishment, what should I do?"

"Why don't we crowdfund to help Shen Ci? I kind of want to see it too."

The onlookers instantly became interested, and the discussions clearly reached the ears of the few.

Lin Biqi's face flushed red instantly. Shen Ci actually dared to humiliate her in public?

"Then what if you lose?" Lin Biqi gritted her teeth. "You are not allowed to use Brother Li Xiao's connections!"

"Of course. He and I have long had no relationship, and from now on, there will be no emotional or financial entanglement with him." Shen Ci said with a calm face. "If I lose, I can also run three laps around the field and accept the same punishment as you. Dropping out of school is fine too, whatever you like."

Upon hearing the words "drop out of school," Lin Biqi's eyes lit up. "Really? If you lose, you're willing to drop out and leave the University of Science and Technology?"

"Leaving the planet is fine too, anything is fine," Shen Ci said.

Shen Ci's casual and determined manner made Lin Biqi subconsciously feel wary. But then she thought, without Brother Li Xiao's help, how could Shen Ci possibly donate over a thousand yuan worth of items on her own? It was absolutely impossible!

Moreover, the punishment of her being willing to drop out was simply too tempting. Auntie had used various methods and still couldn't get the school to expel her. If she managed to do it, Auntie would definitely appreciate her even more. By then, her and Brother Li Xiao's affairs would receive the support of Uncle and Auntie.

Thinking this way, Lin Biqi's mind was filled with the benefits of winning the bet. She was so happy that she couldn't suppress the corners of her mouth. "Fine, I'll bet with you. If you can't donate the promised items within three days, you drop out and get out of the University of Science and Technology!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 50 =====