High-Altitude Worker, Unfortunately a Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Role - Chapter 37

Even after discovering this logical flaw, Zhao Ke didn’t act rashly.

She couldn’t prove the knife came from Qiao Shuxue.

As the victim, Zhao Ke had no way to access Qiao Shuxue’s shopping records or other evidence.

From Qiao Qinglu’s arrest to the conclusion of the hearing, the entire process had unfolded too quickly. Zhao Ke couldn’t determine how much the powerful Qiao and Gu families had manipulated events behind the scenes.

Qiao Shuxue’s nostrils flared as she desperately sucked in oxygen.

No, I can’t show weakness.

Zhao Ke must be bluffing. She has no real evidence.

She used a WeChat personal shopper, and all the chat logs have been deleted. There’s no way the knife can be traced back to her.

Impossible.

Qiao Shuxue forced a smile, though it came out twisted and unnatural. “Keke, you must be mistaken. I don’t know much about personal shoppers.”

“Is that so? Then I must have been mistaken,” Zhao Ke replied casually, ending the conversation.

She hadn’t expected Qiao Shuxue to confess anything; she simply wanted to deflate her arrogance.

Qiao Shuxue clenched her teeth, suppressing the urge to lunge at Zhao Ke and tear her apart on the spot.

She looped her arm through Gu Jason’s and walked toward the nearby nanny van.

Zhao Ke watched her retreating figure, rotating her ankle in place.

These high heels are exhausting! And I had to stand here with Qiao Shuxue for ages.

As Qiao Shuxue moved, the dozen or so bodyguards who had been pretending to be invisible suddenly shifted into action.

Perhaps to maintain formation, one of them, eyes fixed straight ahead, bumped Zhao Ke’s shoulder.

Damn it!

Watch where you’re going! Zhao Ke inwardly roared.

But in the next instant, Zhao Ke realized she was wearing high heels and couldn’t maintain her balance.

She closed her eyes, bracing for a fall, but instead, she landed in a surprisingly secure embrace.

Opening her eyes, she saw—whoa!—it was her client, Yan Huaixu.

Zhao Ke gripped Yan Huaixu’s arm to steady herself, greeting him with a cheerful smile, “Boss, what a coincidence! Thank you.”

Qiao Shuxue settled into the car and instructed the driver to leave. Glancing casually out the rear window, Yan Huaixu’s tall, elegant, and distinguished figure caught her eye.

Qiao Shuxue abruptly straightened up and pressed her face against the privacy glass, peering back.

In her peripheral vision, she saw two figures standing together, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, chatting and laughing.

Why?

Jealousy erupted in Qiao Shuxue’s heart like a volcano, the pain dragging down from her chest and tightening around her throat.

Why should someone like Zhao Ke even be worthy of standing before Yan Huaixu and speaking to him?

The man Qiao Shuxue couldn’t have—Zhao Ke shouldn’t even have the chance to kneel before him.

Qiao Shuxue’s face, pressed against the glass, twisted and contorted, becoming so hideous that even the Beauty System couldn’t conceal it for a moment.

“Shu Xue, what are you looking at?”

Behind her, Gu Jason, seated at the other end of the car, asked with a puzzled expression.

Startled, Qiao Shuxue snapped back to her senses. She took a deep breath, instantly restoring her original delicate features.

Turning to Gu Jason, her eyes filled with tenderness and affection, she replied, “Nothing, darling. I was just looking at you.”

At the event entrance, Zhao Ke gazed at Yan Huaixu with a curious expression. “You said you’re attending the event without even an assistant?”

Zhao Ke couldn’t understand it. Isn’t this guy the Film Emperor? Why does he act so aloof and otherworldly?

Yan Huaixu smiled wryly, the tips of his ears flushing slightly. His voice was warm and gentle, with a hint of alluring tenderness. “So, would you mind giving me a ride?”

Zhao Ke scratched her head, still puzzled, but that didn’t stop her from agreeing.

“Of course. You’re my boss, after all. I should definitely drive you.”

Zhao Ke proactively opened the car door, gesturing for Yan Huaixu to get in.

Inside the car, Wang Ran and Li Minjing, huddled in the back seat, instantly froze like wooden statues.

Are we both face-blind? they wondered. How could this person look so much like Yan Huaixu?

Liu Tiande, sitting in the front passenger seat, casually glanced in the rearview mirror. Yan Huaixu’s breathtakingly handsome face was reflected back at him. Noticing Liu Tiande’s stunned gaze, Yan Huaixu raised his elegant eyebrows and nodded with a slight smile through the mirror.

Liu Tiande: ?????

Zhao Ke settled into her seat and closed the door. “Driver, please make a detour to Imperial City Garden.”

She turned to Yan Huaixu to confirm, “Imperial City Garden, right?”

“Mm,” Yan Huaixu replied, his eyes pure and sincere, shining brightly even in the dimly lit car.

Unfortunately, Zhao Ke had no intention of appreciating his sincerity.

As soon as she got in, she started playing with her phone, acting as if she were merely giving a friend a ride.

Yan Huaixu’s gaze fell on Zhao Ke’s tapping fingertips. His voice was gentle, yet tinged with a hint of hurt. “You never replied to the photos of the kittens I sent you.”

“And you still haven’t accepted the money I transferred you multiple times.”

In the back seat, Wang Ran and Li Minjing had already huddled together, their cheekbones lifting before they quickly clamped their hands over their mouths.

Liu Tiande’s eyes darted back and forth between the two in the rearview mirror, his curiosity palpable.

Zhao Ke slowly looked up from her phone screen. “Oh, sorry, I forgot to reply.”

When her gaze met Yan Huaixu’s bright eyes, she felt a sudden pang of guilt, her tone softening.

“Actually, I did see them. They’re really cute.”

Yan Huaixu waited for her words to trail off before slowly lifting a smile. “Really? I thought you might have found it annoying.”

Zhao Ke’s face paled in alarm. “How could I, Boss? You’re my client! I’d never find it annoying.”

Damn it, what photos are we even talking about? I don’t remember any of this!

Yan Huaixu’s smile deepened, his eyes glinting as he dropped another bombshell. “Earlier, inside the awards ceremony, I greeted you, but you didn’t seem to notice me.”

Zhao Ke broke into a cold sweat. “Haha, really? I must have been in a hurry to use the restroom.”

Yan Huaixu’s smile remained fixed. “This was after you came out of the restroom.”

Zhao Ke: Just kill me now.

Watching Zhao Ke lean further and further away, practically pressed against the door, Yan Huaixu finally decided to let her off the hook.

“No worries. Next time I greet you, I’ll make sure to walk right up to you.”

Seeing an opening, Zhao Ke quickly seized it. “Thank you! Ah, no, I mean… you’re welcome!”

“No, no,” Zhao Ke waved her hands frantically. “I mean, I’ll definitely remember to greet you first next time, Boss.”

“Alright, no worries,” Yan Huaixu replied, maintaining his approachable demeanor.

Finally reaching her destination, Zhao Ke watched Yan Huaixu’s retreating figure before collapsing into her seat.

I’m done for, she thought. Confronting Qiao Shuxue was a breeze, but driving the boss around left me drenched in sweat.

This was undoubtedly the biggest Waterloo of Master Zhao’s career.

September in golden autumn.

Streets were carpeted with shimmering fallen leaves, the air crisp and invigorating.

Yet at the gates of A City First High School, an aura of gloom hung heavy.

School’s starting again. Ugh.

Every classroom felt lifeless, except for Second-Year Class 5, where a simmering excitement lurked beneath the surface.

Their homeroom teacher, Liu Hong, entered with her signature dignified yet secretly gleeful smile. The class erupted into chaos, with applause and boisterous cheers.

“Alright, alright, settle down now,” Liu Hong chuckled, gesturing for silence.

“As you all know, we’re welcoming six new students to our class. But let me be clear: classroom discipline remains paramount. Remember to conduct yourselves properly—you represent First High School and must act like First High School students.”

“Yes, Teacher,” the students murmured in scattered agreement.

“Alright,” Liu Hong said, casting a skeptical glance at the students. She waved toward the door. “New students, come in.”

Zhao Ke and the other guests, dressed in their newly issued school uniforms, filed into the classroom in single file.

Cameras had been set up in advance in every corner and in front of each desk, so Zhao Ke and the others carried nothing.

Gagaga, let’s see which little classmate falls asleep in class.

Teacher, I want to report that some students in the second-to-last row are messing around.

Hahahahaha, these people look so funny in school uniforms. What’s going on?

Aiyo, I see my little brother! Why does he look so ugly on camera?

Students of this age are brimming with enthusiasm for anything but studying.

As soon as Huang Sumu introduced himself, a wave of cheers erupted from the class, leaving him flustered and at a loss for words.

The homeroom teacher feigned anger and scolded them, “Keep it down, you lot! Don’t disturb the other classes.”

Zhao Ke stood beside the podium, feeling a knot of nervousness tighten in her stomach.

Her grades had never been stellar, and she’d later opted for vocational training and entered the workforce directly.

High school knowledge? Zhao Ke’s mind was a complete blank.

Her assigned seat was by the window in the third row, next to the aisle. She sat down and awkwardly touched the desk and chair, feeling out of place.

Zhao Ke’s deskmate was a round-faced girl named Liu Yurong.

Her eyes remained fixed on the blackboard, but she leaned toward Zhao Ke and whispered, “Did you bring a rope?”

Zhao Ke didn’t understand, but she answered honestly, “No, why?”

“What a pity,” Liu Yurong sighed. “I was hoping you could help me sneak out of school.”

Zhao Ke: What’s with these kids these days? So wild!

Didn’t they say First High School was the best school?

Hahaha, does this girl know we can hear her?

Hehe, Sister, you’re going to get in trouble when you get home!

Keke: Jumping right into the deep end, huh?

So even the top students at First High School are like this, huh?

In her previous life, Zhao Ke had never encountered high school-level knowledge. She stared intently at the textbook, secretly resolving to reclaim everything she had lost in this life.

No, wait—taking advantage of this opportunity with the Production Team, Zhao Ke could briefly experience the high school atmosphere. How wonderful!

It didn’t matter if she didn’t understand math, physics, or chemistry. Zhao Ke focused her attention on English.

After all, her original self had at least claimed to attend an art college abroad. Zhao Ke couldn’t let that facade crumble.

Perhaps this relaxed attitude was typical of top students at First High School. During the break, Liu Yurong even pulled out her phone and started scrolling through it under the desk.

Hey, classmate, I’m telling the teacher!

That posture looks so familiar!

The thrill of being a rebel—I miss it! Phones are the best in this kind of environment.

Liu Yurong nudged Zhao Ke’s arm and whispered, “Look at this.”

Zhao Ke immediately understood. While she wasn’t familiar with high school subjects, she was an expert at sneaking around. She propped up her textbook to block prying eyes and leaned closer to Liu Yurong, whispering, “What is it?”

Keke, you…

We promised to study seriously!

Liu Yurong showed Zhao Ke a trending news article:

Star Yue Media Chairman Pang Chao Under Investigation; After Days of Interrogation, Pang Chao Officially Cleared of Involvement in the Case.

This was terrible news.

Zhao Ke narrowed her eyes.

Who believes that? I certainly don’t.

“How could this happen?” Liu Yurong exclaimed indignantly.

Zhao Ke frowned. According to Sun Xincheng’s account that day, Pang Chao—or rather, Star Yue Media as a whole—was backed by the Gu Family.

But Star Yue Media had already collapsed. Why was Pang Chao still unscathed?

What exactly about Pang Chao had caught the Gu Family’s attention?