Chapter 7

Lin Hao stood by the microphone and said, "I'm listening to the broadcast. Teacher Cen, I want to know what happened?"

Cen Wei quickly recounted the entire story and waited quietly for Lin Hao to make a decision.

"It turns out it's like this! I'll notify the student council members to have a meeting right away! I can't guarantee what the final decision will be, but I'll do my best!" Lin Hao said firmly.

"I understand! Before Wang Ming was taken away, he only asked me to contact you!" Cen Wei added.

This feeling of being trusted deeply moved Lin Hao. "I got it!"

After hanging up the phone, a wild smile flashed in Lin Hao's eyes. As netizens said, he was someone who always sought chaos. With such a good opportunity, if he didn't do something, he wouldn't be Lin Hao. Suppressing his excitement, he said to his roommates, "This is the contact list. Help me call them to notify the meeting, please!"

Without a word, the roommates took the contact list and found places to make calls.

At this critical moment, the reputation, connections, and prestige Wang Ming had accumulated over four years played a crucial role. Most people believed he was innocent after hearing the broadcast first.

With the student council chairman Wang Ming being taken away and the secretary-general Yang Yang being a suspect, the vice-chairman Lin Hao became the key figure. His influence determined which side the student council members would stand on, which in turn affected the decisions of the majority of students. This was also why Wang Ming asked Cen Wei to contact Lin Hao.

The meeting room was packed. Shi Xiaozhi's pleasant voice echoed from the radio. Lin Hao stood up and said, "The details of the incident are as described in the broadcast. We have two choices: one is to report our opinions to the Youth League Committee and school leadership and wait for the results, but no one can guarantee what will happen! The other choice depends on whether everyone has the courage!"

"Lin Hao, speak up! Who are we? We are students of Linji University, with a 75-year history. We stood up against feudal forces, we didn't retreat against warlords, and we offered our blood against the Japanese. Now in the 21st century, are we going to be afraid to stand up for justice against the government and our own party?" The publicity minister Wei Wei stood up, her expression excited.

"Alright, my suggestion is to organize a protest march! It's 9:10 PM now. We will gather at the playground at 7:00 AM tomorrow and set off at 8:00 AM! Not just our college, but students from other colleges and other schools should be notified. The more people come, the greater the chance of clearing Wang Ming's name!" Lin Hao laid out his plan.

The room buzzed with discussion. A protest march was no small matter. This was the first choice for students to express their opinions! Some were hesitant, some were excited, and some were silent. The meeting was in chaos, and opinions were not unified.

But with Lin Hao and Wei Wei working together, no one could voice opposition.

At this moment, Shi Xiaozhi's voice came over the radio, "Students, is your sense of justice still there? Is your passion still there? Is your conscience still there? We absolutely cannot tolerate injustice! We cannot let good people be wronged! We cannot let our school emblem lose its luster! We cannot let Linji University, with its 75-year history, lose its pride! Now is the time to stand up. Are you ready?"

Lin Hao's face flushed as he stood up, waving his fist. "Did you hear that? Everyone is taking action, doing their best to help Wang Ming. Do we, as leaders, lack the courage to take responsibility? Are you still students? Are you still student council members? Do you still have any passion? How will you face Wang Ming in the future? He is a good friend who treats us all like younger siblings!"

"Protest! Protest!" Wei Wei was the first to stand up, waving her fist.

Gradually, a second and a third person stood up. Finally, all the student council members in the meeting room were waving their fists, shouting, "Protest! Protest!"

The most passionate side of the young people was ignited by Lin Hao.

Seeing everyone's reaction, Lin Hao breathed a sigh of relief. On his own, he couldn't have much effect, but now with these people joining, he could act freely. Boss, you won't expect such a surprise from me. I wonder how you will thank me?

Next, Lin Hao began to assign tasks: contacting students, making slogans, and registering with the police station. Everyone was busy, but each person felt a burning fire in their chest, full of energy.

After parting ways with Cen Wei, Guan Ying ran anxiously to the dormitory. Cen Wei was responsible for contacting the radio station to spread the truth and find witnesses, while Guan Ying's task was to make Tian Nina tell the truth. This would be a difficult negotiation.

Guan Ying didn't know what role Tian Nina played in this matter. She didn't understand why her best friend betrayed her. She was unsure if her suspicions were correct, filled with anxiety and unease.

Pushing open the dormitory door, Guan Ying rushed to Tian Nina's bed and pulled back the covers. Tian Nina's surprised expression met her eyes. Seeing Guan Ying's angry gaze, Tian Nina lowered her head in guilt.

"Why? Why did you betray me!" Guan Ying's cold words were devoid of emotion.

"Betray? What are you talking about!" Tian Nina defended herself.

"Are you still pretending?" Guan Ying was so angry that she trembled. "I almost got raped, and you tell me you didn't know?"

The other girls in the dormitory watched the two in shock.

Guan Ying and Tian Nina were the best of friends, never having argued before. What was happening? Everyone looked at the two girls with questions.

"Rape? That's impossible! Yang Yang said he had a surefire way to make you agree to his pursuit! Could his surefire way be this?" Tian Nina's voice grew smaller.

Guan Ying, with a cold face, said, "Confession? He confessed to me recently and was rejected. Do you think I would agree today? I just want to know why you did this."

Tian Nina, thinking of Guan Ying's near rape, said guiltily, "Yang Yang said he had a way to make you break up with Wang Ming."

Guan Ying's heart trembled, approaching the truth she had guessed. She hesitated and asked, "Do you like him?"

Tian Nina, hearing Guan Ying's surprised tone, felt her self-esteem hurt and said resentfully, "Do you think only you can like him? Can't I like him?"

"You like Wang Ming. So when Yang Yang told you he had a way to make us break up, you helped him set up a date with me?" Guan Ying asked, confirming her suspicions.

Tian Nina, with her head down, said, "I was just trying. If I didn't try, I had no chance. If you agreed to Yang Yang, I would have a chance to be with Wang Ming! I know it was wrong, but I didn't know Yang Yang would do this! I'll apologize to you, I'm sorry, is that enough?"

Guan Ying let out a sigh of resentment and said slowly, "I don't blame you for liking Wang Ming, but how could you betray me? Do you know I almost jumped from the teaching building just now!"

"What?" The other girls in the dormitory gasped, their expressions changing. If it was just a fight over a boyfriend, they wouldn't know how to choose, but if it was as Guan Ying said, Tian Nina had gone too far.

Tian Nina, with a panicked look, said, "What do you mean?"

"The date tonight was a plot. I was supposed to reject him in front of everyone, hurting his pride, and he wanted to take revenge. In the large classroom, besides Yang Yang, there was a strange man. That man tried to rape me. In a desperate situation, I climbed onto the window sill, ready to jump to preserve my innocence!" Guan Ying looked at Tian Nina coldly.

Tian Nina grew more and more afraid, her face turning pale. Even though she saw Guan Ying standing in front of her, she was still terrified. She never intended to harm Guan Ying's life.

"If Wang Ming hadn't arrived in time to save me, you would have received news of my death!" Guan Ying paused, observing Tian Nina's expression.

"What? Wang Ming went there! How did he know you were there!" Tian Nina exclaimed.

Guan Ying ignored Tian Nina's questions and continued, "After saving me, he beat up those two scoundrels. But soon after, things changed. Wang Ming was taken away by the police, the rescuer became the attacker, and those two scoundrels became the victims!"

Tian Nina's face turned pale, and she grabbed Guan Ying's shoulder. "What do you mean, Wang Ming was taken away? Is he in danger? Why didn't you save him? Why are you here to find me?"

"I don't know his current situation! I came to find you because everything started with a lie you told!" Guan Ying said coldly.

Tian Nina staggered back several steps, sitting on the bed, mumbling, "Not me, not me, I just wanted you to break up, I just wanted to be with Wang Ming! I didn't expect so much to happen!"

Seeing Tian Nina's reaction, Guan Ying knew her chance had come. She took a deep breath and said, "There's a way to save him, but it depends on whether you are willing to help!"

"What way?" Tian Nina stood up reflexively.

Guan Ying looked into Tian Nina's eyes and said, "Tell the police the truth!"

Tian Nina's face instantly turned deathly pale.

Saying it was easy, but doing it was hard. Once the truth was out, she would be seen as a traitor who betrayed her best friend, becoming an object of contempt and scorn. She might even be mistaken as an accomplice to Yang Yang. She would have no place in her class, dormitory, or college.

Tian Nina hesitated, covering her head with her hands and squatting on the ground, mumbling, "No, I can't!"

"If you don't speak up, Wang Ming will not be cleared of his name. He will be expelled, detained, prosecuted, and sentenced, ruining his life. And the person who ruins him is you, Tian Nina, who claims to like him!" Guan Ying's words were like a knife stabbing into Tian Nina's heart.

"No, not me!" Tian Nina shouted at Guan Ying. "It's you! If you had left him earlier, I wouldn't have had to do this!"

"As long as you tell the truth and save Wang Ming, I will agree to any request you have!" Guan Ying played her trump card, a plan she had thought of on the way.