Chapter 266: Questioning Me? You’re Not Worthy

Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Questioning Me? You’re Not Worthy

Chang Mu couldn’t believe she had just managed to send Lai Liang away.

With that damaging video of him exposed, Lai Liang’s career and life were likely ruined.

A person backed into a corner has no sense of reason.

And Lai Liang was exactly that.

So he had blackmailed her outright, demanding a huge sum of money and for her to send him abroad. If she refused, he threatened to leak her voice recordings. If he was going down, he’d take everyone down with him.

As willful as Chang Mu was, she didn’t dare test the patience of a man who was clearly on the verge of snapping.

She could only agree on the surface to placate him, while secretly plotting how to cut all ties.

Chang Mu immediately called her assistant and told her to draft a statement clarifying her position on the Lai Liang video incident.

Her poor assistant didn’t just have to do menial tasks, but also had to act as her publicist, copywriter, photographer, and a dozen other roles.

After harshly demanding her assistant come up with a plan within 30 minutes, Chang Mu hung up.

Her mood didn’t lighten much. Instead, her gaze snapped toward the people trickling out of the cafeteria.

The children were the first to run out. After the cooking class, they had eaten their fill and couldn’t be more satisfied.

But it was clear that the one who had left the deepest impression on them was Nan Zhi.

So, as the children passed by, Chang Mu overheard them chattering about "Teacher Nan," "imperial banquets," and "Hua Country traditions"...

’Nan Zhi really stole all the limelight!’ Chang Mu thought resentfully.

Then, she spotted Nan Zhi emerging from the crowd, a small group gathered around her.

Gritting her teeth, Chang Mu walked over and forced a smile.

"Teacher Nan, I’d like to talk to you."

Nan Zhi glanced at her, unsurprised.

Qi Pei’er had already given Nan Zhi the gist of it. She knew Lai Liang’s video was causing a huge stir online, so it was no surprise that Chang Mu was seeking her out over this matter.

"Alright," Nan Zhi said.

Having agreed, she walked with Chang Mu to the edge of the athletic field.

Nan Zhi studied Chang Mu, who was walking two steps ahead of her. A sharp glint was hidden in the depths of her dark eyes, as if she wanted to peel back Chang Mu’s skin and see right through her.

Chang Mu was oblivious to this. Being an impatient person, she only took a few steps before she couldn’t stop herself from turning around to demand:

"It was you, wasn’t it? I know, it must have been you!"

Chang Mu said through gritted teeth, her eyes fixed viciously on Nan Zhi. She adopted a high and mighty posture, as if to say, ’I’ve already seen through your act, don’t even think about fooling me.’ The sight almost made Nan Zhi laugh.

Nan Zhi couldn’t be bothered to argue with a fool, so she simply ignored Chang Mu’s words and casually smoothed the wide, flowing sleeves of her robe.

Nan Zhi nonchalantly ran her fingers over the embroidery on her cuff and let out a soft, sarcastic laugh.

"I’m curious, Miss Chang. What is the real reason for your intense hostility toward me? Could it be... we’ve met before?"

Before she even finished speaking, Nan Zhi’s gaze, sharp as a sword, pierced straight into Chang Mu’s eyes.

Chang Mu, who had been completely focused on refuting Nan Zhi, never expected her to go off-script. She was thrown into disarray, her flustered expression revealing a hint of guilt.

"Who—who’s ever met you! Y-you, don’t talk nonsense!"

Nan Zhi had only been guessing.

But Chang Mu’s reaction made Nan Zhi’s heart sink.

She had an excellent memory and was certain she had never met Chang Mu before.

’Then where is this guilt coming from?’

Nan Zhi grew even more suspicious.

Her gaze was no longer just sharp as a knife, but as cold and piercing as frost, making Chang Mu extremely uncomfortable.

Chang Mu secretly pinched herself as a reminder and snapped impatiently:

"I didn’t come here to talk about this!"

Nan Zhi gave Chang Mu a long, searching look.

Then, with a soft "pfft," she let out a scornful laugh.

She adjusted her sleeves. Her posture wasn’t overtly arrogant, but the look she gave Chang Mu was like one gazing down at mud from the heavens—the look a god gives a mere ant.

"Questioning me? Are you even worthy?"

Her light, airy words were packed with lethality and insult.

Chang Mu froze for a second before her face flushed crimson. She pointed a finger at Nan Zhi and began to yell.

"I knew you were a vicious person! Nothing like the act you put on! You’ve fooled everyone! How could you..."

"Mommy!"

A sharp, childish voice cried out from the side.

Nan Yi shot over like a little whirlwind, unhesitatingly squeezing between Nan Zhi and Chang Mu.

More accurately, Nan Yi stood protectively in front of Nan Zhi, glaring at Chang Mu with the fierce vigilance of a little wolf cub.

Nan Yi shouted, "Shut up! You’re not allowed to yell at my mommy!"

Almost mad with anger, Chang Mu blurted out, "You little ungrateful—"

ZAP.

It was as if a jolt of electricity shot through her brain, snapping Chang Mu back to her senses.

Just then, Qi Pei’er, Fu Chao, and the others heard the commotion and rushed over, leaving Chang Mu with no room to make a scene.

Under the gazes of so many pairs of eyes, Chang Mu gritted her teeth in anger but didn’t dare act out any further. She was just about to slink away in defeat.

Nan Zhi stopped her.

Chang Mu turned back to see Nan Zhi looking at her with a mocking smile.

"Miss Chang, I’ve already heard about Lai Liang. You came storming over here to say all that just to question me, right? Does that mean you’re on Lai Liang’s side? You think he’s innocent?"

"I—I’m not!"

Chang Mu stammered.

Nan Zhi’s smile deepened.

"Then what?"

Qi Pei’er, who was standing nearby, knew the whole story perfectly well, but she pretended not to. Playing along at the perfect moment, she said in a sarcastic tone:

"Miss Chang, I understand you’re upset, but that’s no reason to just pick a fight with Zhizhi, is it?"

Chang Mu didn’t dare tell the truth, so she could only explain resentfully:

"...I was just on edge, I didn’t mean it. Th-this is all a misunderstanding!"

"Oh? If it’s a misunderstanding, then shouldn’t you apologize to our Zhizhi?"

Qi Pei’er crossed her arms, enjoying the show. She knew perfectly well that for a snooty heiress like Chang Mu, apologizing was worse than death.

Sure enough, Chang Mu was so furious she looked ready to grind her molars to dust.

But it wasn’t just Qi Pei’er here; Fu Chao and Xie Yu were also watching.

Even the two kids, Nan Yi and Qi Zhang, were standing nearby, glaring at Chang Mu with hostility.

And now Teacher Zhang, Teacher Xiao Lin, and Old Wu Teacher were walking over...

Even some of the show’s crew members...

Before even more people gathered, Chang Mu swallowed her anger and mumbled an apology in a voice barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz.

Qi Pei’er deliberately raised an eyebrow.

"What was that? Miss Chang, did you say something?"

Chang Mu shot a venomous glare at Qi Pei’er, but she had no choice but to repeat, word by word:

"I. Said. I. Am. Sorry!"

Nan Zhi smiled and gave a magnanimous nod.

"There, I heard you that time."

Qi Pei’er played along.

"I heard it too. So, Zhizhi, do you accept her apology?"

"Can I choose not to?"

"Of course you can!"

"Then I won’t."