Qiu Yizhen and her two followers unleashed a torrent of ridicule aimed squarely at Jian Yiling. Their taunts resonated uncomfortably among the other students present in Class 8 of the first year, who were well aware of Qiu Yizhen's notorious reputation. Leveraging her father's position as the chairman of Shenghua High School's board, Qiu Yizhen was as arrogant as they come, dismissing rules with impunity and deleting surveillance footage whenever it suited her.
However, none of the students dared to speak up. Fear of Qiu Yizhen was a powerful deterrent. Additionally, they viewed both Qiu Yizhen and Jian Yiling as equally contemptible; neither held a favorable reputation. To them, watching this spat was akin to observing two mangy dogs fighting—entertaining but not worth the risk of getting involved.
Seeing Jian Yiling remain silent only intensified Qiu Yizhen's sense of superiority. She continued to mock, "Oh right, the surveillance footage from today is still available! You could always go tell the head of the administration that I came to bother you! I stood less than ten centimeters from you, bragging like a peacock! Let him check the footage for verification! Of course, the surveillance doesn't record sound!"
With that, Qiu Yizhen and her followers erupted into laughter. The school's cameras only captured the image of Qiu Yizhen speaking animatedly in front of Jian Yiling. In such a scenario, she could easily spin the narrative to suggest she was merely engaging in casual conversation. With no physical confrontation occurring, Jian Yiling was left powerless to retaliate—essentially gagged by circumstance.
Yet, Jian Yiling's expression remained composed and unyielding, lacking the distress Qiu Yizhen had eagerly anticipated. "You can't abuse your power just because your father is a board member," she stated calmly, articulating a truth that everyone in the room understood.
"What's the matter? Jealous? So what if I'm using my dad's influence? If you're unhappy about it, deal with it!" Qiu Yizhen retorted, her face radiating triumph, her eyes sparkling with mockery. "Let me tell you this: not only can I delete surveillance videos, but I can also kick you out of Shenghua High School like the little pest you are!"
"Exactly!" one of her sycophantic followers chimed in, clearly enjoying the show. "Jian Yiling, take a good look in the mirror and realize your situation. You're nothing but a rat! You should hurry back home; Shenghua High doesn't need someone like you—someone who even harms their own brother!"
Qiu Yizhen was determined to ensure that Jian Yiling would never return to school. As a fan of Jian Yunao, she felt powerless to influence events in other ways, but she could at least keep Jian Yiling away until Yunao returned to campus.
Through it all, Jian Yiling maintained her calm demeanor, her expression untroubled and her gaze detached. Nearby, Hu Jiao Jiao could hardly bear the tension. She wondered how Jian Yiling could remain so composed in the face of such blatant bullying.
Realizing the morning reading session was about to start, Qiu Yizhen delivered her final warning. "Get out of Shenghua High, or be prepared for a life without a moment's peace! I'm only giving you a warning for now, but once my patience wears thin, you'd better brace yourself for the consequences!"
In the school environment, Qiu Yizhen's options for intimidating Jian Yiling were limited. While she had numerous tricks up her sleeve for bullying other students, Jian Yiling was a different case, given her background. Creating any trouble for Jian Yiling could attract the attention of her parents, a move that could easily backfire on Qiu Yizhen—her father might not withstand the repercussions.
Still, if Jian Yiling continued to be a thorn in her side, Qiu Yizhen wouldn't hesitate to explore more aggressive tactics. While she couldn't act out within the school, she had connections to some unsavory characters outside. Those individuals were far more ruthless than she was and would have no qualms about dealing with a young girl like Jian Yiling.
As Jian Yiling turned away from the confrontation, her mind was already racing with plans. Qiu Yizhen may have been a formidable opponent, but she wasn't going to let fear dictate her actions. Instead, she resolved to face whatever challenges lay ahead with her head held high.