Just Wanting to Divorce My Love Rival - Chapter 10

Regarding the video, Mu Cheng had originally intended to swallow her grievance and offer no defense, fearing that provoking those thugs would invite even more trouble. However, after the phone call with her grandmother, her mind changed.

Her grandmother believed in her so much—even arguing with her parents for her sake. Since things had come to this, if she continued to shrink back, she would be failing that trust.

She had to prove it. She had to prove the video wasn’t real.

Mu Cheng’s hesitant gaze gradually became resolute.

But how to prove it? Mu Cheng’s brow furrowed as she fell into deep thought.

The best way was to get the unedited video. To restore the truth of the event, she had to find the raw footage.

Xiao Xiaoli sighed. “The original video is in Liu Sihui’s hands. To get it from her is basically impossible.”

Mu Cheng rubbed her chin. “I know that’s impossible. But Liu Sihui isn’t the only one with a video. If I can’t get it from her, getting a video from others will be much easier.”

“You mean… going after Liu Sihui’s lackeys?” Xiao Xiaoli shook her head quickly. “That definitely won’t work. Why would those lackeys help you steal a video? No hope, absolutely no hope.”

Mu Cheng tapped her on the head. “Are you stupid? The cafeteria has surveillance. We can just go to the school’s security room and pull the footage.”

Xiao Xiaoli had an epiphany. “You’re good! I didn’t realize you actually had a brain.”

Mu Cheng rolled her eyes. “What does this have to do with having a brain? Any normal person could think of this, okay? You think everyone is as dim-witted as you?”

No sooner said than done; the two rushed to the security room.

On the way, Xiao Xiaoli looked grave. “What if the camera happened to be broken? Or what if it was recording, but the file was destroyed? Or maybe someone took the video before us?”

Mu Cheng rolled her eyes again. “Li-zi, if I may be blunt, you should watch fewer detective dramas. You think we’re solving a case in a TV show? There aren’t that many accidents.”

“I’m just worried, okay?” Xiao Xiaoli giggled.

As it turned out, Xiao Xiaoli’s worries were for nothing. The cameras weren’t broken, the video hadn’t been taken, and it certainly wasn’t destroyed. Even the guy working in the security room was very easy to talk to. After hearing the story, he was indignant and generously let Mu Cheng copy the footage.

Everything went smoothly. When they returned, they were beaming like generals who had won a great battle.

As Zhong Yingzhi stepped out of the teaching building, she saw two people ahead—one with a mushroom cut and one with a bun—walking arm-in-arm, laughing and chatting about who-knows-what.

Zhong Yingzhi’s brow furrowed slightly, looking displeased.

Lin Zhuo walked over. “Your two roommates have quite the mindset. People online are cursing them like crazy, yet they’re laughing so happily as if nothing happened.”

Zhong Yingzhi stared coldly at Mu Cheng’s arm linked with Xiao Xiaoli’s and snorted. “Of course they’re happy. Fools usually love to laugh.”

Lin Zhuo, intending to tease, chimed in, “They really are fools. Especially the one with the bun, what was her name again? Right, Mu Cheng. Look at her laughing like that; she’s just a fo—”

Before the word “fool” could leave his mouth, he saw Zhong Yingzhi staring at him with a frigid expression.

Lin Zhuo cleared his throat and stopped talking.

Zhong Yingzhi’s expression softened slightly. “Why did you come to find me? Is something wrong?”

“Next Saturday is your birthday. Chairman Zhong hopes you can come back for a visit,” Lin Zhuo said. “Also, Chairman Zhong asked me to ask you: why do you never answer your phone?”

Zhong Yingzhi started walking. “Not answering means I don’t want to. Does that require an explanation?”

Lin Zhuo was left speechless.

But he was used to it. Zhong Yingzhi was always like this, treating everyone with the same cold indifference—her father, Chairman Zhong, being no exception.

He wondered who she inherited such a terrible personality from. Chairman Zhong was so kind and approachable; one would think the daughter would be the same through osmosis. Instead, they were polar opposites.

Lin Zhuo followed closely behind. “Aren’t you going to help your little roommate with that online situation?”

Zhong Yingzhi stopped. “What online situation?”

“You don’t know yet?” Lin Zhuo was surprised, then realized. She didn’t like the internet, didn’t even have a social media account, and didn’t follow this kind of news. It was normal for her not to know.

Lin Zhuo took out his phone, opened the video, and showed it to her.

After watching, Zhong Yingzhi’s expression remained unchanged. She didn’t say a word.

Lin Zhuo asked tentatively, “Do you need me to handle it? Delete the video or…”

Zhong Yingzhi interrupted him. “No need.”

Lin Zhuo was puzzled. “Really no need?”

Zhong Yingzhi’s expression was indifferent, as if she truly didn’t care. But Lin Zhuo had served her for over ten years; how could he not see her true thoughts?

If she really didn’t care, she wouldn’t have watched the video at all. But just now, she didn’t just watch it; she even scrolled through the comments. She clearly cared a lot.

But since she said it wasn’t needed, Lin Zhuo was happy to stay out of it and enjoy the ease.

After getting the surveillance footage, the two returned to the dorm and got busy immediately. They posted the video online, along with a several-hundred-word explanation clearly detailing what had actually happened.

After the video was successfully posted, Mu Cheng and Xiao Xiaoli high-fived, thinking victory was imminent.

However, things didn’t go as planned.

Reality wasn’t that simple. Hardly anyone noticed Mu Cheng’s video. It was like a pebble thrown into the ocean; it created a tiny ripple, then vanished.

Meanwhile, Liu Sihui’s maliciously edited video was still going strong, with people cursing Mu Cheng and Xiao Xiaoli fervently. Hardly anyone cared about Mu Cheng’s “truth” video. Occasionally, someone would stand up to explain, but they were quickly buried by new comments.

A notification dinged on the computer. It was a private message from Liu Sihui.

Liu Sihui: “Stop trying. Most people don’t care about the truth; they’re habitually blind and just love the feeling of being a ‘bringer of justice.’ I suggest you stay in line and delete that video of yours, or I’ll make you regret it.”

The video proving her innocence had a dismal number of views and comments. After all that effort, the “beautiful reversal” they expected was turning out to be a disappointment.

Xiao Xiaoli slumped in her chair, dejected. “Forget it, forget it. We tried our best. This is all we can do.”

Mu Cheng rubbed her brow, feeling a sense of powerlessness. Just as she was about to close the video tab, a notification light flashed with a red dot showing “1”. Then 1 became 2, 2 became 3… in just a few seconds, it hit “99+”.

Mu Cheng clicked it in confusion. It turned out someone had shared her video.

Mu Cheng’s pupils dilated as she stood up from her seat in shock. “Am I seeing things?”

“What is it?” Xiao Xiaoli walked over and glanced at the screen.

Xiao Xiaoli covered her mouth and let out a “Wow,” her reaction even more exaggerated than Mu Cheng’s. “My god! Chi Yi actually shared our video! Holy crap, what is going on?!”

Chi Yi was a top-tier actress who had been in the industry for ten years and won countless “Best Actress” awards. Anyone who watched TV or movies knew who she was.

The previously ignored self-vindication video was instantly pushed to the hot search list. The topic “Victims framed as aggressors” was followed by a “Viral” tag.

“Maliciously edited video, deliberately misleading people. Can the editor please come out and apologize?!”

“I saw the previous video and joined the crowd in cursing them. I’m here to apologize.”

“Using netizens’ sense of justice to do evil—people like this must be severely punished.”

“This is defamation! Those two girls in the video must be so aggrieved; they were clearly the ones being bullied.”

“On a side note, did anyone notice the girl with long brownish hair? She was so cool when she caught that slap.”

“I noticed! Beautiful and cool. Even though she’s pixelated, my heart skipped a beat. A classic ‘hero saves the beauty’ vibe—wait, no, it’s ‘beauty saves the beauty,’ hahaha.”

“Ahhhh, I want to see that girl’s face. She must be gorgeous.”

Watching the tide of public opinion turn online, Liu Sihui’s face turned livid. She slammed her phone onto the ground, and it shattered into pieces.

Her lackey, the yellow-haired girl, shrank back in fear, terrified of being the target of her rage.

Liu Sihui glared at her. “This was your idea—telling me to post that video. Dammit! They aren’t getting cursed, but I’m being torn apart!”

The yellow-haired girl smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t expect this either. Who could have known Chi Yi would share their video?”

“It’s not about the video anymore. They actually dared to go against me,” Liu Sihui’s eye twitched. “Fine. Let’s see who ends up being the miserable one in the end.”

With their names cleared, Xiao Xiaoli and Mu Cheng happily bought a huge bag of snacks to celebrate.

Mu Cheng used Sprite as a substitute for wine, raising her cup with the bravado of a martial arts hero. “Come, come! We won a great victory today. Cheers!”

Xiao Xiaoli joined in. “Cheers!”

The cans clinked together with a clink.

Mu Cheng looked at Zhong Yingzhi and invited her with a smile, “Do you want to come and eat some? We bought a lot of snacks.”

Zhong Yingzhi swept a glance at the table full of potato chips and spicy strips, then looked away, ignoring her.

Fine, I’m used to it. Getting one reply out of ten is a success.

Mu Cheng didn’t mind; she was in a great mood.

Zhong Yingzhi stole a glance at her. Seeing Mu Cheng laughing so happily, she couldn’t help but let the corners of her mouth twitch upward. She tapped her fingers lightly on the desk, seemingly in a good mood.

Meanwhile, Lin Zhuo was on the phone with Chi Yi’s manager. “Thank you for your help with this.”

The manager gave a fawning laugh. “Think nothing of it! If Doctor Lin asks for something, we’ll certainly do our best. I just wonder about the product endorsement for next season… if my artist’s name could be on the list?”

Lin Zhuo: “Don’t worry. Someone will contact you later to discuss the details of the endorsement.”

After hanging up, Lin Zhuo let out a sigh of relief. He really couldn’t stand Zhong Yingzhi’s mercurial personality. One second she said there was no need to interfere, and the next she sent a message telling him he had thirty minutes to get it done.