I Became a Rich Heir in a Novel and Saved the Female Lead - Chapter 13:

Chapter 13: Li Jian’s Anger

Xu Lan’s expression darkened slightly as she looked up at Liu Hong. “Teacher Liu, these girls have only just graduated from high school. They’re all barely eighteen. Isn’t it inappropriate to condemn them in front of so many people without any evidence?”

Liu Hong felt her chest tighten with anger. She enunciated every word as she replied, “Section Chief Xu, I haven’t condemned anyone from beginning to end. I only want them to explain clearly what happened last night.”

“Then wait for the police to question them,” He Zhenbang interjected.

He stood in front of his daughter, his expression cold and stern. “If my daughter truly did something wrong, we, as her parents, won’t shirk responsibility. But if someone intends to use this fire to pin baseless charges on her, then the legal department of Hongtai Group will not take it lightly.”

The moment he finished speaking, the middle-aged man behind him stepped forward and handed over his business card. “Greetings, teachers and school administrators. I’m Chairman He’s legal counsel. At present, there is no direct evidence proving that Miss He participated in unlawful confinement or arson. I hope everyone will be mindful of their wording before the investigation reaches an official conclusion.”

Li Jian’s expression immediately darkened. “This isn’t the time to be talking about that, is it?”

“Then what would you like to talk about?” He Zhenbang looked at him, his tone calm and unhurried. “Should we simply allow rumors to spread throughout Linjiang until everyone believes my daughter is a murderer? Teacher, something has happened at the school. Your first priority should be cooperating with the investigation and controlling the situation, not stirring public opinion here.”

“Chairman He is right,” Zhou Mingyuan slowly said.

He beckoned to the security guards. “First, disperse the teachers and students gathering around the school. No one is to spread information related to this incident without authorization. The school will issue an official statement to prevent unnecessary panic and misunderstandings.”

Luo Wenxiang hurriedly nodded. “Yes, yes. We’ll handle it immediately.”

Zhang Xiaoyu stood behind the crowd, her face deathly pale.

She watched as He Man was protected in the middle by her parents and the principal, while Liu Hong’s voice was gradually suppressed. At that moment, the taut string inside Zhang Xiaoyu finally snapped.

She suddenly understood.

No matter how much she told the truth, no one would listen.

He Man had a father, a mother, a lawyer, and even the principal making excuses for her.

But what did Lin Wansu have?

Nothing.

These people did not even truly care whether Lin Wansu was alive or dead.

Before these powerful people standing high above everyone else, someone like Lin Wansu, a helpless girl at the bottom of society with no one to rely on, apparently did not even deserve to have her life or death confirmed.

To them, it would naturally be better if Lin Wansu was still alive. But even if she was dead, so what? If the relevant surveillance footage happened to become unavailable afterward, who could prove that Lin Wansu had been locked inside the warehouse?

“I…”

Zhang Xiaoyu’s lips trembled.

Liu Hong immediately turned toward her. “Zhang Xiaoyu, what exactly did you see last night?”

He Man abruptly turned her head, her gaze falling on Zhang Xiaoyu like a blade.

Xu Lan also followed her daughter’s gaze. Her expression remained calm, yet the oppressive authority she carried somehow made it difficult for Zhang Xiaoyu to breathe.

The words lodged in Zhang Xiaoyu’s throat.

She remembered the job her father had only recently struggled to find.

Then she remembered He Man’s threats from last night.

In the end, Zhang Xiaoyu merely lowered her head and whispered, “Last night… I was too scared.”

Liu Hong’s heart sank sharply. “What do you mean, you were too scared?”

“I might have been having a nightmare.” Tears rolled down Zhang Xiaoyu’s cheeks. “The message I sent you… I don’t really remember it anymore. Maybe I saw the school on fire and thought Lin Wansu was inside, so I started saying nonsense. Please don’t take it seriously.”

Liu Hong stared at her, her eyes filled with disappointment.

Li Li hurriedly added, “Exactly, Teacher Liu. Xiaoyu has always been timid. We never entered the school yesterday. We only saw the fire trucks coming and worried that something had happened at school, so we hurried over early this morning to take a look.”

He Man sniffled as well and said aggrievedly, “I don’t even know why Lin Wansu would have gone to the warehouse. If something really happened to her, I’d be very upset too, but what does that have to do with us?”

Liu Hong and Li Jian both felt deeply disheartened. As teachers and homeroom teachers of the two classes involved, no one wanted the truth to come out more than they did.

They knew these girls were lying.

Everyone present knew it.

But what could they possibly do?

So much time had already passed since the police were called, yet they still had not arrived. That alone was enough to explain many things.

Zhou Mingyuan spoke at just the right moment, “All right. Since the students can’t explain things clearly, stop pressuring them here. Chairman He, Section Chief Xu, take them somewhere to calm down first. However, don’t turn off their phones. If the police need anything later, they must cooperate with the investigation at any time.”

He Zhenbang nodded. “Of course.”

His answer was immediate and decisive, almost as though he were the person most eager to cooperate with the investigation.

Supported by Xu Lan, He Man prepared to leave.

Li Jian suddenly stepped in front of them. “You can’t leave.”

Zhou Mingyuan frowned. As the principal, he naturally knew Li Jian.

“Principal Zhou, we still don’t know whether Lin Wansu is alive or dead. These girls clearly came to the school last night. At the very least, they should remain here until the police arrive before any conclusions are made,” Li Jian said firmly.

Li Jian was usually gentle with both students and colleagues. But now, as he stared at the charred ruins and remembered Lin Wanning’s voice on the phone, a voice that had sounded on the verge of breaking down, it felt as though a raging fire were trapped inside his chest.

Zhou Mingyuan’s expression darkened as well. “Teacher Li, I understand your sense of responsibility, but you have no law-enforcement authority. Moreover, the police haven’t ordered us to restrict anyone’s personal freedom.”

“Then I’ll stand right here and wait.” Li Jian refused to move aside. “Until the police arrive, no one is leaving.”

He Zhenbang’s gaze turned cold.

The lawyer behind him was about to step forward when Zhou Mingyuan raised a hand. “Enough. Don’t argue.”

Zhou Mingyuan looked toward He Man and the others, his tone becoming mild. “Since Teacher Li is concerned, you can wait in the school’s lounge for a while. The school will arrange for teachers to accompany you. It won’t take long.”

On the surface, this sounded like a compromise.

However, everyone could see what it truly meant. They were merely moving the girls away from the playground, where countless eyes were watching, to a place where it would be much easier to ensure that everyone told the same story.

As long as the police gave them even a little leeway afterward, this entire incident would have nothing to do with He Man and the others.

He Man was initially somewhat dissatisfied, but after hearing Zhou Mingyuan’s arrangement, she still nodded and followed her parents toward the lounge on the first floor of the teaching building.

As she passed Zhang Xiaoyu, He Man’s fingers lightly brushed the back of her hand.

The movement was barely noticeable.

Yet Zhang Xiaoyu violently flinched, all color draining from her face.

Liu Hong saw everything. Anxiety and fury burned inside her, yet there was nothing she could do.

It was not as though she had never witnessed favoritism at school before.

In the past, however, such favoritism had usually been hidden beneath phrases like “a minor conflict between classmates.” At worst, someone would simply say, “Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

Many times in the past, even Liu Hong herself had thought there was nothing wrong with handling things that way. She had even done the same herself.

But today was different.

A human life might be buried beneath those ruins.

And yet they were already trying to find a way to absolve the people responsible.