Chapter 744 — The Zhong Family Takes Off

Zou Ruoming was just about to open his mouth and curse, but when he looked up he caught sight of Wei Zhao and Tang Zhi beside Liu Xinlan, and the young miss and Shen Yushu over there as well, and at once his voice died in his throat with a strangled "gak." A narrow escape, he thought—thank heavens his mouth had been a beat too slow, or he would have landed himself in real trouble!

Of everyone here, there was not a single one apart from Liu Xinlan that he could afford to offend! Damn it all, his luck was truly rotten—he goes out to play a bit of basketball and comes back running into this many ruthless characters. On the surface, though, Zou Ruoming wore a face full of fawning smiles: "Well if it isn't Leader Wei Zhao and Sister-in-law Tang Zhi! Long time no see—looking for a photographer? I'm a professional! I've been to loads of private photo parties..."

"Private photos? What's that?" Tang Zhi blinked, not knowing what Zou Ruoming was talking about.

"Huh?" Zou Ruoming realized he had let his tongue slip and turned a little awkward. "Just... private, personal photography..."

"Oh—Sister Yaoyao, are private photos like those pictures of that female star from that matchmaking show a while back, the ones with no clothes on?" Shen Yushu asked. "Does he want to take naked pictures of us?"

"Uh, no, that's not what I meant..." Zou Ruoming nearly jumped out of his skin. Take naked pictures of the women around Wei Zhao? Was he courting death? "What I mean is, my photography skills are excellent!"

"Oh, then go ahead and shoot." Shen Yushu did not bother saying anything more to Zou Ruoming; she stepped over and took her place at Wei Zhao's side first, waving Gu Mengyao over. "Sister Yaoyao, you stand on Shield Brother's right?"

Gu Mengyao ignored Shen Yushu and simply stood beside her.

Tang Zhi remained at Wei Zhao's side, and Liu Xinlan stood beside her. Zou Ruoming took one group photo of the five of them, then slunk away with his tail between his legs—who knew whether Shen Yushu would settle accounts after the fact?

By the afternoon, most of the class had returned. The Gu Group's press conference had already concluded, and all the parents and students now knew the whole story: a black-hearted businessman who had failed to win the cafeteria contract had tried to ruin the school's reputation by poisoning the school cafeteria.

So the matter had little to do with the school itself. The police had already taken the suspect into custody, and the parents were reassured enough to send their children back to school.

Homeroom teacher Ms. Liu had come back this time bearing a mission. She was one of the few at the school who knew the inside story: Zhong Yongliang had been the one who carried out the poisoning, but he was also a victim.

It was because he had lost a kidney that his mind had become warped; mocked by his classmates, he had gone to extremes.

Put plainly, it was a lack of love, a lack of warmth and care—so Ms. Liu decided to organize the class to visit Zhong Yongliang together at the hospital.

In truth, aside from Shen Yushu and Wei Zhao, who rather enjoyed mocking Zhong Yongliang, the rest of the class had more or less benefited from his generosity at one time or another. Not long ago, in particular, Zhong Yongliang had treated everyone to an outing at the seaside—so who would mock him now?

Still, it was only natural that they looked at him a little oddly—after all, everyone was curious to know what difference there was between a person missing a kidney and an ordinary one.

So before this visit, Ms. Liu made a point of holding a brief class meeting for the whole class.

"Students, our classmate Zhong Yongliang has found a suitable donor kidney and has just undergone transplant surgery. He is back in the hospital now, and as members of this collective, we ought to go and visit him—after all, he is one of Senior Three Class Five!" Ms. Liu said. "This activity is voluntary. Those willing to go to the hospital, get ready and wait at the school gate—the school bus is already parked there. Those who don't want to go can stay in the classroom for self-study!"

The bus had come straight from the press conference site, so there was no waiting to be done—they could board directly and head for the hospital.

It was senior year, and the time they had left together was not much. So after hearing Ms. Liu's words, everyone stood up, ready to go and visit Zhong Yongliang.

"Let me stress one point: you must not discriminate against Zhong Yongliang. You must give him ample warmth and friendship! Let him feel the care of the collective!" Ms. Liu exhorted. "Who would want to suffer such a wretched fate? Zhong Yongliang is pitiful enough already, so we absolutely must not make him sad again!"

Everyone nodded, one after another. They thought of how they had looked at Zhong Yongliang with those strange eyes before—had it caused him any confusion or hurt, they wondered?

Gu Mengyao actually did not want to visit Zhong Yongliang. It would be better if Zhong Yongliang were dead—how could she possibly care about him?

But as the young miss of the Gu Group and the daughter of the school's chairman, she could not possibly not go. How would others see her then? Even if she did not care herself, she had to consider her father's reputation!

She could not let people say that Gu Pengzhan's daughter was cold and heartless—that when a classmate was in the hospital, she would not even go to visit!

So although Gu Mengyao was reluctant, she still rose to her feet with Xiao Shu and stepped out of the classroom.

Wei Zhao, of course, minded nothing. He took his cues entirely from Gu Mengyao: if the young lady went, he went; if she stayed, what reason did he have to go at all?

This was the second time the entire class had come to visit Zhong Yongliang. When Zhong Fabai received Teacher Liu's phone call, he was hardly surprised. He knew his plan had succeeded! His son had successfully won the sympathy of both the police and the school, transforming himself from the original suspect into the victim.

"Yongliang, you are maturing more and more with every passing day! You handled this matter well - I would call it a truly satisfactory conclusion!" Zhong Fabai hung up the phone and praised his son. "Your classmates are coming to visit you at the hospital. They are already on their way."

"That goes without saying. Without setbacks, how can a person ever grow? I was far too naive before! I was played for a fool by Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu!" Zhong Yongliang nodded slowly. "I won't be so foolish again."

"Mm. It is for the best that you can see things clearly now." Zhong Fabai patted his son on the shoulder. "You are giving up on Gu Mengyao as well, aren't you?"

"Whether I give up or not - it is far too early to say. But the day I soar to the top, Gu Mengyao will sooner or later become my plaything!" Zhong Yongliang let out a cold laugh. "Since she never liked me in the first place and treated me like a performing monkey, I will not let her off easily either!"

"Having a goal is a good thing, but do not act rashly." Zhong Fabai felt that having something to spur his son forward was perhaps not such a bad thing after all.

"Rest assured. Until I have real strength behind me, I won't do anything foolish," Zhong Yongliang said. "Oh, that reminds me - once my kidney recovers, I plan to go up the mountain and visit Zhang Naipo. See if there's anything I can do to help him. From now on, I'll be counting on him!" RO