Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Following that, the classroom exploded in an uproar:

  “Who cares about that 3,000 yuan? How can it be stolen? Class president, did you misplace it?”


  “Yes. Class president, you should look again.”


  The poorer students had financial assistance from the school and, hence, they need not be worried about their finances.

  The rest of them were all from wealthy families. The international school’s yearly tuition fee of 500,000 yuan was not something the average family could afford, so it was even more implausible for them to have stolen this money.

  However, as the class president and mathematics subject representative, Zhou Zhen had a frown and said solemnly, “I am sure that I left it in the desk drawer yesterday. I can’t be wrong about that.”


  Xue Yao suddenly said in a tone filled with implied meaning, “Actually, there are people who are short on money. Wasn’t someone’s bank card confiscated by her family?”


  Everyone promptly turned to look at Qin Shuang.

  Xue Xi paused, put down her handphone, and poked the girl.

  Qin Shuang turned her head around lethargically. Her head was still hanging low. “Xixi.”


  She had a complicated look on her face. “I dyed my hair back and didn’t go out to play the whole weekend. Yesterday, I even listened to you and did my homework. My parents actually praised me this morning.”


  She nudged her lips. “Actually, they always felt that I was too rebellious and didn’t like me. They have already given up on me and like only Qin Lu. I was already used to it and treated it as though I don’t have parents, but today……”


  Her voice became softer and softer, and her expression slowly became filled with disorientation.

  Xue Xi was unable to understand her complicated feelings, nor did she know how to reassure her. Just as she was concocting a speech to speak to her, Zhou Zhen walked over. “Qin Shuang, did you take the class fund?”


  Qin Shuang instantly jumped in anger upon hearing this. “You’re saying that I stole the money? What a joke! Zhou Zhen, this is called slandering!”


  The class president had a weak personality and scratched his head in fright. “I-I was only asking……”


  He turned around and moved to leave right after that.

  Annoyed, Qin Shuang reached into her desk drawer and pulled out the topmost book to place on the table. Right at this instant, a thick envelope fell onto the ground with a loud “Plop!”


  When Zhou Zhen instinctively looked down, he realized with a startle that it was a familiar-looking envelope.

  He bent down to pick it up. When he opened up the envelope, a huge and thick stack of fifty and hundred bills were revealed!

  He angrily huffed, “Qin Shuang, so you did steal it!”


  Qin Shuang was dumbstruck too. “Why is the class fund with me?”


  Xue Yao coldly harrumphed. “Shouldn’t we be the ones asking you? Why is the class fund with you? Qin Shuang, no matter how short on money you are, you shouldn’t be resorting to stealing, right?”


  “Qin Shuang, what does this mean? You must give us an explanation today!”


  Qin Shuang was flustered. “I didn’t steal it! Someone must have framed me. Doesn’t the classroom have surveillance cameras? Go get it! Check it!”


  Given such an incident, no one was in any mood to study. Moreover, as the first period was Old Liu’s mathematics class, he promptly decided to halt the lesson and check the surveillance cameras.

  The recording showed that around 6 PM last night, Qin Shuang entered after everyone had left. She then stole the money from the class president’s, then placed it in her desk drawer. Just as she was leaving, she even almost knocked into Xue Xi.

  Qin Shuang was totally dumbstruck to see this!

  Suddenly, Xue Yao said in a vindicative manner, “Xue Xi, you clearly saw her acting so suspiciously, but why didn’t you stand out to testify just now when we were speaking about it? Are you going to shield her just because you guys are good friends? You are just harming her like this!”


  Xue Xi was stunned when she saw the recording too. However, when she was accused thus, she turned to look at Xue Yao coldly and replied slowly, “Sometimes, the eye does not see the truth.”


  Although she had only a brief glimpse of that person yesterday, the said-person had given her a queer feeling.

  Xue Yao coldly harrumphed, though. “The surveillance cameras clearly recorded her. Xue Xi, are you still going to protect her now? Could you guys be in cahoots?”


  Xue Xi was just about to respond when Qin Shuang suddenly balled up her fists and softly mumbled with her body trembling, “I know…… I know who it is now……”


  She bolted out of the classroom immediately after saying this.

  Xue Xi followed closely behind her, afraid that she would do anything silly. However, the girl dashed into the Classroom Two next door and kicked the door open, with no care that Ms. Li was currently teaching. “Qin Lu, scram out!”


  Xue Xi followed her line of sight and saw a girl who had the exact same face as Qin Shuang’s. The only difference was that while Qin Shuang had long hair, this girl had short hair.

  Still, the moment she saw her, Xue Xi was already certain. “She is the thief!”
……

  Office.

  Qin Lu stood beside her civic tutor, Ms. Li. She lowered her head and wiped her tears while softly weeping.

  Ms. Li looked at Qin Shuang in disdain, then scoffed. “Old Liu, I don’t have any intention of chiding you, but the surveillance cameras clearly showed that it was Qin Shuang. Her results are usually so terrible and she never listens to others. With her bad record, stealing the class fund is normal. What does this have to do with our class’s Qin Lu?”


  Old Liu frowned, turning to look at Qin Shuang and Xue Xi.

  Qin Shuang stretched her neck out straight and stood with a lackadaisical posture. One of her legs was curved to the side while her eyes were filled with ferocity and rebelliousness. Meanwhile, Xue Xi quietly and obediently stood there as though she was an outsider.

  Old Liu asked, “Xue Xi, is the person you saw yesterday Qin Lu?”


  Xue Xi nodded. “Yes.”


  The tutor frowned. “Although Qin Shuang is disobedient, she has no need to do such a thing. There is indeed a need to investigate this.”


  Ms. Li sneered. “Qin Lu’s grades are excellent. She is in the top ten in the level. How can someone like her steal anything? This is clearly a situation of Qin Shuang and your class’s Xue Xi shifting the blame to Qin Lu!”


  Qin Shuang clenched her jaw but remained silent.

  Right at this moment—


  A series of hurried footsteps sounded outside, and soon, Qin Shuang’s parents rushed in. Ms. Li had already explained the situation to them during the call.

  After the couple entered, Mrs. Qin glared angrily at Qin Shuang then walked over.

  She gave the latter a tight slap on her face. “So much for me thinking that you have changed for the better. I didn’t expect you to go from bad to worse! You actually joined forces with your classmate to incriminate your elder sister!”


  Qin Shuang’s head was tilted from the slap. She balled up her fists. Although there was disbelief in her eyes, the stronger feeling they gave off was one of normalcy, as though she was used to it. “I knew it. Anything I say is useless. You guys will believe only her. She is good in her studies and is a good child, so she will never commit any mistakes! Since we were young, I have always been the only one who will ever make any mistakes! Even if I have a classmate to testify for me!”


  Mrs. Qin admonished, “Testify? You are clearly accusing and incriminating Qin Lu! This person standing with you is definitely also someone improper, and that is why she is taking part in your farce!”


  Old Liu frowned. “Parent, please do not speak such uncouth words. This is a school!”


  Mrs. Qin turned to the tutor. “Mr. Liu, you don’t have to speak on this further. I will bring her home first, then come back to complete the school withdrawal application later.”


  She then grabbed Qin Shuang’s arm and yanked her toward the door.

  No matter how Qin Shuang struggled, she was, after all, only a high school student, so how could she possibly be a match for her mother’s strength?

  Just as Qin Shuang was almost being yanked out of the office—


  A beautiful and fair-skinned hand pressed on the madam’s shoulders, making her stop in her tracks.

  Xue Xi coldly stared at her and slowly enunciated, “Let her go.”