Chapter Twenty-Seven: Subtlety

Zhang Wenhao finally realized just how naive he had been, how he had oversimplified everything. He had thought that, as he was acting in self-defense, no matter how things unfolded, reason was on his side. Yet he never imagined that Chen Ru possessed such power to distort black and white, to turn the truth upside down. If things continued this way, he feared he would soon be facing prison.

The thought weighed heavily on Zhang Wenhao's heart. It wasn’t prison itself that frightened him, but the thought of his parents outside the detention center. When they learned the news, they would be beside themselves with worry, powerless to do anything. This sense of helplessness would only deepen their pain. If he truly was sentenced and imprisoned, the sorrow he would bring to his parents would last for years—perhaps even a lifetime.

In a daze, Zhang Wenhao lay on the musty upper bunk all day, neither eating nor drinking, his mind swirling with thoughts of his parents.

His family, too, was on the verge of collapse. His eldest brother, Zhang Xingyao, had made countless calls and sought help from numerous people, but none could truly assist. Some tried to reach out to Chen Ru to plead for leniency, only to be harshly rebuffed and even blamed for causing trouble. This left Zhang Xingping’s heart sinking into despair.

Meanwhile, Li Nan was exhausting every possible avenue to help Zhang Wenhao, but his limited influence left him at a loss for a solution. Suddenly, inspiration struck: Su Ruoran. This entire ordeal had begun because of her—Chen Chong targeted Zhang Wenhao out of jealousy over Su Ruoran. Perhaps if Li Nan sought out Su Ruoran and explained everything, she might be able to intercede with Chen Chong on Zhang Wenhao’s behalf.

Clinging to even the faintest hope, Li Nan rushed out of class immediately after evening study hall, making his way to Class Three’s door. Luckily, Su Ruoran hadn’t left yet.

Su Ruoran, too, had been deeply worried for Zhang Wenhao. She’d only heard he’d been taken by the police for hitting Chen Chong, but knew nothing of the details. Her anxiety was palpable, but she had no idea where to begin. When Li Nan approached, asking to speak with her, her keen intuition told her at once that Li Nan had come for Zhang Wenhao’s sake.

Li Nan called Su Ruoran aside and behind the teaching building recounted everything from start to finish. He even played the audio recording for her. The truth left Su Ruoran stunned for a long time.

She had no idea that the conflict between Zhang Wenhao and Chen Chong was because of her; because she had persuaded Zhang Wenhao to return to Class Three, and because she had given him English materials, Chen Chong, out of jealousy, had set his sights on Zhang Wenhao. On hearing that Zhang Wenhao had already suffered at the hands of Chen Chong’s hired thugs once before, Su Ruoran’s emotions were impossible to articulate—a mix of pain, guilt, and self-reproach, but also an inexplicable sense of being moved.

“Su Ruoran, I beg you, for the sake of two years’ friendship, please help Wenhao. Go to Chen Chong and plead for him. Maybe there’s still a chance. Right now, Chen Chong’s family wants to destroy Wenhao; the school is preparing to expel him, and he’s been sent to the detention center awaiting trial. Once the verdict is handed down, he’ll be in prison for at least three to five years. That’ll ruin his entire life!”

Li Nan’s voice trembled with emotion, almost pleading. To a high school student, seeing his good friend in such dire straits was like the sky falling. If even he could not accept it, how much more unbearable must it be for Zhang Wenhao and his family?

Biting her lower lip in silence, Su Ruoran finally looked up and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll do everything in my power to help him.”

“That’s good, that’s good,” Li Nan finally breathed a sigh of relief. In his eyes, Su Ruoran’s willingness to help was already a turning point.

Alone, Su Ruoran left the school, turning right and walking four or five hundred meters. A black Rolls-Royce Phantom waited by the roadside—a car that picked her up every day, though she never wanted anyone at school to know. Not only did she insist the car never approach the school, but she also had the driver remove all identifying emblems, even swapping out the RR-branded wheel caps for ordinary ones. To anyone else, the car was unremarkable and its true identity as a Rolls-Royce hidden.

“Miss,” the middle-aged driver in white gloves stepped out to open the rear door for her. Absent-mindedly, Su Ruoran got in. As they drove, she suddenly asked, “Uncle Luo, do you know when my father will return to the country?”

“I’m not sure,” the driver replied respectfully. “Sir is abroad on important business. Only the old master has a direct line to him.”

Su Ruoran muttered in frustration, “He’s really irresponsible. Even if his daughter needs him, she has no idea how to reach him!”

“Is it important? If so, madam is in the capital. You could contact her,” the driver suggested.

Su Ruoran sighed, murmuring, “You know what my mother is like. She has to get to the bottom of everything—doesn’t respect anyone’s privacy.” With a helpless shrug, she added, “Seems I have no other choice.”

That night, at eleven o’clock in a private villa in the capital, an elegant and beautiful woman sat lost in thought on the sofa. Across from her sat a young woman of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, her short hair just brushing her shoulders, her features exuding a trace of heroism. Everything about her, from her bearing to her posture, hinted at a military background.

After a long silence, the elegant woman finally spoke. “Qingwu, what do you make of what Ruoran said?”

The woman named Qingwu smiled slightly. “Madam, I don’t think it’s anything serious. In my opinion, Ruoran just feels guilty. After all, the boy Zhang Wenhao is in trouble because of her. And as you know, Ruoran is a kind-hearted girl.”

The elegant woman shook her head. “I know Ruoran all too well. If Zhang Wenhao really is in trouble because of her, of course she’d feel guilty. But she would never decide to call me for help so quickly. That child never wants me involved in anything, says I interfere too much. Yet this time, as soon as she heard the news, she made up her mind to call me. There’s something odd about this.”

Qingwu pursed her lips with a smile. “You don’t think Ruoran’s fallen for Zhang Wenhao, do you? I find it unlikely. Ruoran’s standards are high—ordinary boys don’t interest her.”

“Still, I think it’s fishy,” the elegant woman replied with a self-deprecating shake of her head. “That girl’s always been closer to her father and rarely tells me anything. I must admit, I haven’t been a very successful mother.”

Qingwu asked, “So what do you plan to do? Should I call the provincial leadership in Nanyang?”

“No need.” The woman gestured for her to stop. “It’s just a minor district chief—he can’t do anything too outrageous. Let the boy stay in the detention center a few more days. Tomorrow, make a quiet trip to River City. I have two tasks for you.”

Qingwu immediately stood up. “Madam, please instruct me.”

“First, make arrangements so that nothing happens to the boy in detention. Otherwise, I’ll have no way to answer to Ruoran. His safety is the top priority.

“Second, look into the boy’s background. Find out about his character, his style, and how he treats Ruoran. Report any findings to me immediately.”

“Yes.” Qingwu nodded. “I’ll prepare tonight and leave for River City first thing in the morning.”

The elegant woman nodded and added, “Oh, and make sure Ruoran doesn’t find out you’re going.”

“Yes, madam.”

---

Alas, after a day and a half pleading for votes, the ranking has dropped from sixteenth to seventeenth. Truly, it’s a bitter disappointment.