After Becoming the Abused Heroine in a Campus Story - Chapter 31: Obtaining the Video

Chapter 31: Obtaining the Video

“Come on, let’s go eat first. I’ll have someone send you back later,” Zhong Yumeng said to Zhou Yining, inviting her to go downstairs for dinner.

Her parents were busy managing company matters, so Zhong Yumeng usually ate alone. Having a friend to keep her company made her quite happy.

“Eat more. You taught me lessons all afternoon. I had someone make pear soup. Take a bottle with you later, or your throat might hurt tomorrow,” Zhong Yumeng said.

Zhou Yining didn’t refuse. She hadn’t expected Zhong Yumeng to be so thoughtful. “Alright, thanks then,” she replied.

“Thanks for what? You said so much to explain the problems to me. Hurry up and eat,” Zhong Yumeng urged.

“Okay,” Zhou Yining said, picking up the food in front of her and starting to eat.

Since they were from a wealthy family, the chef’s dishes tasted great, no worse than those made by the auntie at Jiang Xianzhi’s house. Zhou Yining ate happily, especially since Lin Shaohui’s matter had been settled, which put her even more at ease.

After Zhou Yining finished dinner and rested for a bit, Zhong Yumeng arranged for a driver to send her home. Before leaving, Zhong Yumeng gave her a thermos of pear soup.

Zhou Yining glanced at the car. Zhong Yumeng’s driver drove a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, a car priced at over two million yuan.

Since Zhong Yumeng’s family was wealthy, it was normal for the driver to drive a car of that price. Zhou Yining sat in the back seat, and soon the driver took her home according to the address.

When Zhou Yining got home, it was almost 8 p.m. As she got out of the G-Class, she ran into Zhou Jiaming, who had just returned from a classmate’s house.

Zhou Yining didn’t notice Zhou Jiaming. She carried the thermos and walked toward the neighborhood. Zhou Jiaming, however, stared at the car like a thief.

He found the car rare and good-looking, thinking it must be expensive. Zhou Jiaming took a photo with his phone, smirking as he looked at Zhou Yining, who had already walked away.

Zhou Jiaming searched the car’s logo and model, discovering it was worth over two million yuan. His mouth dropped open, and he eagerly ran toward the neighborhood.

Zhou Yining had just entered the house when Zhou Jiaming returned, panting.

“Mother, Mother, I know where Zhou Yining went,” Zhou Jiaming blurted out as soon as he entered.

Zhou Yining had just placed the thermos on her desk. She stood up and walked to the living room. “Are you sick, Zhou Jiaming? Fine, tell me where I went then,” she said.

As she spoke, Zhou Yining crossed her arms and stared directly at Zhou Jiaming.

“Mother, look at her. She dares to threaten me openly now,” Zhou Jiaming complained.

Zhao Xiuna glanced at Zhou Yining and patted her precious son’s back. “Yining, your little brother is just worried about you. It’s been two weeks, and you’re not home on Sundays. Mother and Father are very worried about you,” she said.

Zhou Yining smirked mockingly. “Are you worried about me, or are you afraid there’s no one to help with chores at home?” she retorted.

“Yining, how can you talk like that? Is that what I meant?” Zhao Xiuna asked.

“Exactly. Who talks to Mother like that?” Zhou Jiaming echoed.

Then, he gave a sleazy smile. “Mother, when I came back from my classmate’s house, I saw Zhou Yining getting out of a luxury car. Maybe she hooked up with some big boss?” he said.

“Zhou Jiaming, you’re disgusting yourself, so you think disgusting things. A sewer bug like you won’t achieve anything big in the future. Just mooch and wait to die,” Zhou Yining snapped.

Zhou Yining felt disgusted. How did this family’s brains work? When she got a haircut, Zhao Xiuna said she was dating at school. Now, she just tutored a classmate, and Zhou Jiaming claimed she was chasing rich men.

“You dare talk about me? How old are you, already chasing rich men? Don’t end up with a kid before graduating high school,” Zhou Jiaming said, hiding behind Zhao Xiuna when he saw Zhou Yining’s expression darken.

Zhao Xiuna’s face looked grim too. She stared at Zhou Yining. “Tell me honestly, is what your little brother said true?” she demanded.

“I don’t have a little brother. A sleazy gossip like him doesn’t deserve to be my brother,” Zhou Yining said. She wanted to rest in the dining room, but Zhao Xiuna grabbed her wrist.

“Yining, you can’t be foolish. You’re not even 18 yet. You can’t do things like this. How will your father and I face people if you do?” Zhao Xiuna said, her eyes reddening with urgency.

Zhou Yining broke free from Zhao Xiuna’s grip. “In the end, it’s about your reputation, not me. I’ll explain once, so listen clearly. That was my classmate’s car. We studied all afternoon. I ate at her house, and since it was dark, she had her family’s car send me back. It’s that simple. If you insist on thinking the worst, I can’t help it,” she said.

“The classmate was a male classmate,” Zhou Jiaming muttered behind Zhao Xiuna, smirking.

Zhou Yining shot him a cold glance, then met Zhao Xiuna’s gaze.

Zhao Xiuna was crying now. She wiped her tears and tried to grab Zhou Yining again, but Zhou Yining stepped back to avoid her.

“If you have something to say, just say it. No need to pull me,” Zhou Yining said, her gaze coldly fixed on Zhao Xiuna.

Zhao Xiuna’s questions seemed to choke in her throat. In the past, her daughter would never be so cold when she cried.

“Yining, how did you become like this? Mother is really worried about you…” Zhao Xiuna said.

“I already explained. My classmate’s family sent me back. If you don’t believe me, I can’t help it. I can’t wake someone pretending to sleep,” Zhou Yining said, then went straight to the dining room.

Zhao Xiuna hadn’t expected her daughter to just leave. She wanted to ask more, but recalling Zhou Yining’s icy stare, she hesitated to follow.

She looked at Zhou Jiaming. “Jiaming, did you see anyone else get out of that car?” she asked.

Zhou Jiaming wagged two fingers. “No, just her. But I checked. That car was a G-Class, worth over two million. With Zhou Yining’s looks, could she know such a rich classmate? I don’t believe it,” he said dryly.

“What if she did? Your sister said it was a classmate. Let’s leave it at that. Don’t talk nonsense anymore, or you’ll push your sister away. When your father and I are gone, who’ll support you?” Zhao Xiuna said, wiping her tears.

“I don’t need her support. Her grades are so bad. If she can’t find a job later, she better not ask me for money. I don’t have a poor sister like her,” Zhou Jiaming said defiantly.

Their voices were loud, and Zhou Yining could hear them in the dining room. The main reason was the house was small, just over sixty square meters, so any loud talking was audible.

Zhou Yining sneered. “That’s great. I don’t have a retarded little brother like you either. If you starve to death in front of me, it won’t have anything to do with me,” she said.

“Enough, both of you, stop it. Yining, how can you curse your little brother like that?” Zhao Xiuna cried again.

“I didn’t want to, but his mouth was spewing crap tonight. I hate people who gossip,” Zhou Yining said bluntly.

She had realized in recent days that in this family, if she didn’t fight back, she’d be manipulated to death. She wasn’t the original person and had no emotional ties to these people, so she didn’t need to save their face.

Zhou Jiaming was furious, and Zhao Xiuna had no choice but to spend a while calming him down in the living room.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yining had already grabbed her clothes to shower. She was a bit tired after teaching all day.

After her shower, Zhou Yining returned to the dining room, sat by her bed, and reached for the thermos. She drank a few sips of pear soup, feeling much more comfortable.

Zhou Yining checked her phone and saw a message from Jiang Xianzhi on WeChat.

Jiang Xianzhi: [Are you home? Were you busy this afternoon?]

The message was sent around 6 p.m. Zhou Yining had been eating and hadn’t checked her phone. After returning, she rushed to shower. It was now past 9 p.m., so she quickly typed a reply.

Zhou Yining: [Been back for a bit, just showered. What about you, what are you doing?]

Jiang Xianzhi had been waiting for Zhou Yining’s reply all evening. She wasn’t sure what she did, but her attention was on her phone, waiting for Zhou Yining’s message.

Seeing the reply, Jiang Xianzhi’s eyes lit up.

Jiang Xianzhi: [Playing on my phone. Were you busy?]

Zhou Yining: [A bit, had a lot going on, but I’m free now.]

Jiang Xianzhi: [Hmm, rest early then.]

Zhou Yining: [Okay, if I have time tomorrow, I’ll come find you.]

Jiang Xianzhi: [Waiting for you. (Cute cat jpg)]

After chatting with Jiang Xianzhi for a bit, Zhou Yining sipped pear soup and played on her phone. She only had six hundred yuan, so her plan to write short stories for money needed to move forward. She could eat lunch at home and leave, squeezing out over an hour to write.

Zhou Yining rested a bit and went to bed early. High school students needed sleep the most.

The next morning, Zhou Yining was busy during class breaks, mostly explaining problems to others. Of course, her desk was piled with snacks like a small mountain.

At noon, she ate a simple lunch and left home. Zhou Yining went to an internet café, wrote about three thousand words, and hurried to school.

During the break after the first afternoon class, Zhou Yining received a message from Zhong Yumeng.

Zhong Yumeng: [I got that video. Let’s talk details over dinner.]

Zhou Yining: [Okay, see you then.]

Zhou Yining remembered she promised to visit Jiang Xianzhi. Since she had to meet Zhong Yumeng for dinner, she decided to go to Class 1 after the first class.

“Classmate, please call Jiang Xianzhi for me,” Zhou Yining said, stopping a student coming out of Class 1.

The student shouted inside, “Jiang Xianzhi, someone’s looking for you.”

Jiang Xianzhi was working on problems, not wanting to disappoint Zhou Yining, so she had been studying math diligently lately.

Seeing Zhou Yining smiling at her from the doorway, Jiang Xianzhi’s eyes curved. She put down her pen and ran out.

Zhang Ye, chatting with other boys in class, was confused. Lately, he felt Jiang Xianzhi was off. Before, she always found ways to talk to him, but the past two weeks were different. She rarely sought his attention, which made Zhang Ye uncomfortable.

Jiang Xianzhi had already left the classroom. She grabbed Zhou Yining’s hand and went to the hallway. “Why did you come now?” she asked.

“Wanted to see you. I had a moment, so I came. What were you doing?” Zhou Yining asked softly.

“Doing problems. You gave me a lot of homework, and I’m working hard on it,” Jiang Xianzhi said, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Zhou Yining.

Zhou Yining’s lips curved into a smile. “Good girl, but remember to rest. Don’t overdo it,” she said.

“Hmm, are you tired? You look drained,” Jiang Xianzhi said.

“I’m okay. Been busy lately, no time for a nap,” Zhou Yining said, smiling at her. “But seeing you makes me feel less tired.”

Jiang Xianzhi’s ears reddened slightly at those words. She gently pinched Zhou Yining’s palm with the hand holding hers.

Zhou Yining laughed at her teasing. “I’m fine. It’ll get better after this year,” she said.

“Hmm, have you decided which university you want to go to?” Jiang Xianzhi asked.

Zhou Yining thought for a moment. “Probably the best university in Beijing,” she said.

Jiang Xianzhi’s eyes dimmed slightly. “Then I definitely can’t go to the same university as you. Even if I try hard, my grades won’t get me into Beijing University,” she said.

Zhou Yining pulled Jiang Xianzhi closer. “You can choose other universities in Beijing. There are plenty of options. Or we can discuss it later. Honestly, it doesn’t matter much which university I go to,” she said softly.

“Hmm, I’ll work hard,” Jiang Xianzhi said. She wanted to attend the same university as Zhou Yining, or at least be in the same city, so they could meet often.

“Good. Class is starting soon, and I need to head back,” Zhou Yining said, checking the time.

Jiang Xianzhi still held Zhou Yining’s hand, reluctant to let go. She felt they had barely spoken.

Jiang Xianzhi pouted, unhappily. “Alright then,” she said.

Though she said that, she didn’t let go of Zhou Yining’s hand.

Zhou Yining patted Jiang Xianzhi’s lower back gently. “Come on, I really have to go, or I’ll be late for class,” she said.

“Hmm,” Jiang Xianzhi said, reluctantly letting go, her gaze still on Zhou Yining.

After returning to class, Zhou Yining rested at her desk. The afternoon had two math classes. She listened for a bit, then started writing outlines again.

She stopped only when it was time for dinner. That afternoon, she had drafted four outlines but had no time to write.

Tian Xue walked over. “Let’s go eat,” she said.

Zhou Yining looked up. “I have something to do, so I won’t eat with you. Let’s go together tomorrow,” she said.

“What are you doing?” Tian Xue asked.

Zhou Yining smiled at her. “It’s something important. Oh, I have too many snacks. I can’t finish them. I’ll share some with you,” she said.

Zhou Yining found a plastic bag and packed a bag of snacks she earned from tutoring, handing it to Tian Xue.

“Take this bag for now. I still have plenty,” Zhou Yining said.

Tian Xue took the bag and asked, “Want to walk home together after school?”

“Of course. I’m just busy today. Tomorrow, we’ll eat together,” Zhou Yining said, knowing Tian Xue was sensitive and reassuring her.

After Tian Xue left, Zhou Yining messaged Zhong Yumeng.

Zhou Yining: [I’m ready. Where should we meet?]

Zhong Yumeng: [The cafeteria. I’m starving. I’ll wait for you at the entrance.]

Zhou Yining paused. She knew Jiang Xianzhi had dinner delivered every evening. Did a rich girl like Zhong Yumeng eat at the cafeteria?

Zhou Yining: [Alright, I’m heading down now.]

Zhong Yumeng: [Hmm, see you soon.]

Thinking about the video, Zhou Yining hurried out of the classroom to the cafeteria.

As Zhou Yining reached the cafeteria entrance, she saw Zhong Yumeng already waiting.

“Been here long?” Zhou Yining asked.

“No, just got here. Let’s go get food, then talk,” Zhong Yumeng said, pulling Zhou Yining into the cafeteria to get dinner.

Shi Yuanyuan and Si Yaqing were nearby. Shi Yuanyuan nudged Si Yaqing. “Hey, isn’t that Zhou Yining? When did she get close to Zhong Yumeng?” she said.

“No idea. She’s got some skills, hanging out with Jiang Xianzhi and now Zhong Yumeng. How does she know all these well-off girls?” Si Yaqing said, snorting.

“Shouldn’t we tell Jiang Xianzhi?” Shi Yuanyuan said, winking at Si Yaqing.

Si Yaqing smiled knowingly. “Yeah, Jiang Xianzhi should know about this,” she said.

Zhou Yining was unaware of this. She had gotten a portion of wontons and a fried chicken leg and found a table to wait for Zhong Yumeng.

Zhong Yumeng got spicy hot pot and brought back two bottles of soda.

“You eat at the cafeteria too?” Zhou Yining asked.

Zhong Yumeng smiled. “Why not? I’m tired of home-cooked meals. I actually like junk food. I rarely get to eat it at home,” she said.

“That’s cool, down-to-earth,” Zhou Yining said, smiling back.

Zhong Yumeng pulled a USB drive from her pocket and slid it to Zhou Yining. “The video’s in there. Sorry, I watched it to confirm it was the right one,” she said.

Zhou Yining nodded calmly. “It’s fine. How did you get it?” she asked.

Zhong Yumeng ate a bite of spicy hot pot before speaking. “The two guys around Lin Shaohui aren’t good people. I had someone buy it from Han Fei. That day, Han Fei wore a wig to sneak into the girls’ changing room. He’s greedy. When he heard someone wanted the video, he sold it,” she said.

“That must’ve cost a lot. How much was it?” Zhou Yining asked, thinking she couldn’t let Zhong Yumeng pay and needed to repay her.

“Don’t worry about that. It wasn’t much. Besides, you’re tutoring me in math for a year. Don’t even think about paying me back, or you’re not treating me as a friend,” Zhong Yumeng said, looking at Zhou Yining.

Zhou Yining nodded. “Alright, I won’t ask about the cost,” she said.

“That’s better. So, when are you planning to act?” Zhong Yumeng asked, sipping her soda.

“I’ll find a chance tomorrow. I’ll need your help to arrange things in advance,” Zhou Yining said.

“No problem. I already made some calls. Just let me know when you’re ready,” Zhong Yumeng said. She cared about Zhou Yining’s matter. Even if Zhou Yining weren’t tutoring her effectively, she would help any girl who asked for help with something like this.

“Hmm, thanks,” Zhou Yining said, grateful. This matter relied heavily on Zhong Yumeng’s help. Without money or connections, making Lin Shaohui pay would have been difficult.

“No need to thank me. Why so formal?” Zhong Yumeng said, digging into her spicy hot pot again.

“Alright, no formalities,” Zhou Yining said, smiling as she bit into her chicken leg.

Their table was near the center of the cafeteria. After Tian Xue put away her tray, she saw Zhou Yining eating with another girl.

Her expression darkened. She circled around discreetly and saw it was Zhong Yumeng, the school’s beauty, eating with Zhou Yining.

Tian Xue clenched her fists tightly. After a moment, she left through the side door.

After dinner, Zhou Yining and Zhong Yumeng left the cafeteria in good spirits. They chatted about studies and parted ways on the third floor.

Zhou Yining planned to stop by an internet café after school to back up the video to a cloud drive and send a copy to her phone.

Meanwhile, Shi Yuanyuan and Si Yaqing returned to class and went to find Jiang Xianzhi.

Jiang Xianzhi was working on problems at her desk, not eager to talk. “I need to do my work. You two chat without me. Don’t disturb me,” she said.

Shi Yuanyuan winked at Si Yaqing, who nodded.

“Zhizhi, haven’t you been close with Zhou Yining lately? We just saw her eating with Zhong Yumeng in the cafeteria, laughing and talking. I think Zhou Yining’s no good, hanging out with whoever’s rich,” Si Yaqing said, leaning toward Jiang Xianzhi.

“Exactly, exactly,” Shi Yuanyuan echoed.

Jiang Xianzhi frowned, instinctively saying, “Impossible.”

“Really, Zhizhi, you don’t even believe us?” Shi Yuanyuan chimed in.

Jiang Xianzhi pressed her lips tightly. She glanced at Zhong Yumeng, sitting diagonally behind her, working on exercises. Feeling Jiang Xianzhi’s gaze, Zhong Yumeng looked up and met her eyes.

Zhong Yumeng asked Jiang Xianzhi, “Something up?”

Jiang Xianzhi shook her head and turned away, avoiding Zhong Yumeng’s gaze.

Zhong Yumeng’s family group spanned various fields, ranking among the top three in Nanchuan City. Their families often invited each other to gatherings.

But Jiang Xianzhi disliked Zhong Yumeng. Since childhood, Zhong Yumeng was the “perfect” child—beautiful and smart, standing out among their rich second-generation peers. Later, when Jiang Xianzhi had a crush on Zhang Ye, she noticed Zhong Yumeng was close to him, which made her dislike Zhong Yumeng even more.

Jiang Xianzhi found it strange. She had finally moved on from Zhang Ye, so why was Zhong Yumeng now linked to Zhou Yining? Didn’t Zhong Yumeng usually eat with Zhang Ye?

Jiang Xianzhi slumped on her desk, ignoring Shi Yuanyuan and Si Yaqing.

Shi Yuanyuan and Si Yaqing exchanged a glance and tactfully left.

Jiang Xianzhi felt a sour pang in her heart. She took out her phone, wanting to message Zhou Yining to ask if it was true. But she worried asking too much would annoy Zhou Yining. Not asking, though, made her heart ache uncomfortably.