Chapter 353: Go
"Wu Sheng, you... how dare you..."
How dare Wu Sheng use Little Yangqin to threaten her. Grandma Ge’s chest swelled with rage. "You animal! How dare you..."
"You dare, and I’ll dare right back. Don’t go around threatening people unless you’re made of steel!"
Wu Sheng’s tone was ice-cold.
’Animal? Heh. Who’s the real animal here?’
’Ge Ba did what he did to Su Li, and all they do is beg for forgiveness. But the moment I mention Little Yangqin, I’m the animal? Heh...’
Ignoring Grandma Ge’s livid face, Wu Sheng turned and walked away.
He took a few steps, then tossed a final sentence over his shoulder.
"Su Li is only a few years older than Little Yangqin."
There were only a few years between them. Su Li was also young, still just a girl, at an age where she should be cherished and protected.
In that, she and Little Yangqin were the same.
Grandma Ge, of course, understood the unspoken implication. All strength left her, and she collapsed to the ground.
While Wu Sheng was dealing with Grandma Ge, Su Li wasn’t having any peace either. Mother Ge had come to see her.
Ge Ba’s mother. Mother Ge didn’t resort to threats. She didn’t say a word. The moment she saw Su Li, she simply dropped to her knees.
Su Li had just come back to the bookstore after class and was arranging some books. When she turned around and saw Mother Ge kneeling, she was completely taken aback.
Once she realized who the woman was, the gloom and irritation in Su Li’s heart surged, almost becoming unbearable.
She took one deep breath, then another, barely stopping herself from cursing out loud before turning and heading upstairs.
Mother Ge had an elegant air about her. She was well-kept, and her clothes were clearly expensive. For a woman like that to kneel to Su Li without a word, it was an incredibly conspicuous sight.
As confused onlookers stared, Mother Ge stumbled after Su Li up the stairs. Inside the reading lounge, she once again dropped to her knees before Su Li.
Su Li let her kneel and said nothing.
Today was her second day back at school for classes.
Even though she had mentally prepared herself as much as she could, she was still in a terrible state.
The university was a crowded place, and the student body was predominantly male. Whether in class or just walking on campus, she was constantly running into boys.
Su Li did her best to control herself, endlessly trying to steel her nerves.
But once she was at the university, surrounded by boys who might approach at any moment, she was still on the verge of breaking down.
In just two days of classes, Su Li had already lost her composure twice.
In those two short days, the hair on her arms had stood on end countless times. Goosebumps broke out across her skin, faded, and then broke out all over again.
She had no one she could talk to about these feelings, these reactions. She could only endure it and try to overcome it on her own.
She was struggling so hard to readjust, wanting nothing more than to lose herself in a book for a few minutes of peace, and now Mother Ge had to come and kneel before her like this.
How could Su Li not feel irritated? How could she not feel miserable?
"Su Li, I’m begging you. Just let Little Eight off, won’t you?"
When Su Li didn’t say anything, Mother Ge finally spoke.
"I’ll kowtow to you. I’ll beg for your forgiveness on Little Eight’s behalf. Please, just spare him, won’t you?"
Saying this, Mother Ge started to kowtow.
Su Li looked at her and finally spoke.
"You want me to spare him? Then who should I beg to spare me?"
Mother Ge froze. She didn’t understand what Su Li meant.
Su Li closed her eyes. "Please leave. Don’t come looking for me again."
But Mother Ge wouldn’t leave. "My heart aches for him! Little Eight’s ribs haven’t even healed yet. His future can’t be ruined like this..."
"Su Li, he’s just sick. Once he’s cured, everything will be fine. Really. I’ve already contacted a psychiatrist. We just need to get him treated and he’ll be fine."
After the Ge family found out about Ge Ba’s "proclivities," they unanimously decided he was sick and needed to see a psychiatrist.
While heartbroken, their main focus was to cover up the "fact" of his illness and do everything in their power to "save" him.
Su Li understood what Mother Ge meant when she said Ge Ba was sick.
Su Li had been the first to suspect and confirm Ge Ba’s situation. After her initial disbelief, she had actually been the calmest one about it.
’After all, in the future she came from, people were more open-minded and didn’t consider it an illness.’
’She didn’t look down on him for it, nor did she think of it as a disease. But Ge Ba still had to be punished according to the law.’
’But in this day and age, people saw someone like Ge Ba and just assumed it was a disease—that something was wrong with his mind.’
Su Li had nothing to say about that. But what Mother Ge said and did next went too far.
"Su Li, please, I’m begging you! If you don’t agree, I won’t get up. I’ll follow you wherever you go and keep kneeling."
"Except for the people who are already aware, this whole affair has been kept secret. And you know... for something like this to happen to a girl... it’s not good. If word gets out, your reputation will be ruined too."
"For the good of all of us, Su Li, just spare Little Eight. If this whole thing gets out, Little Eight’s life will be difficult, and yours won’t be any easier."
She was threatening to follow Su Li everywhere, kneeling, while also threatening her with the scandal if word got out.
When it came down to it, it was just a combination of emotional blackmail and outright threats.
Su Li let out a long, slow breath.
"Spread the rumors if you want. Kneel if you want. I am not going to change my mind."
Mother Ge was incredulous. "Aren’t you afraid of the rumors?"
"Of course I’m afraid. Rumors cut like knives, how could I not be? But I can’t let you threaten me into dropping the lawsuit just because I’m scared."
Su Li’s gaze was steady, her tone even.
"If you’re going to keep pestering me like this, I have no problem contacting a friend of mine and having her report on this story."
’If it comes to it, we can just go down together.’
Mother Ge’s voice died in her throat. She stared into Su Li’s eyes, her face a mask of disbelief.
"You..."
"I’ve heard more than enough threats lately. I don’t want to hear any more."
Su Li glanced at the telephone on the nearby table. "If you don’t leave now, I’m making that call."
Mother Ge looked at Su Li, and finally gritted her teeth and left.
The next day, two words were scrawled all over the door and walls of the Love Reading Bookstore.
"Drop dead!"
The bright red paint looked like blood. Combined with the words, the effect was jarring.
In addition to the red paint, filth had been thrown all over the entrance.
When Chang E went to open the door, she was so frightened her hands started to shake.
Su Li’s heart leaped when she saw it, but she managed to remain relatively calm.
She didn’t report it to the police, because she knew it would be useless.
She didn’t have to think twice about who was responsible for this.
The hearing was that afternoon. The Ge family was getting desperate.
And desperate people would resort to any dirty trick.
"Let’s not worry about it for now. We’ll just close for the day."
Su Li had no intention of dealing with it right away.
If she didn’t solve the root of the problem, cleaning it up today would be pointless. It would just happen again tomorrow.
Su Li put it out of her mind, steeled herself, and went to class.
Not long after they left, Tang Yuanxiao arrived in front of the bookstore.
Tang Yuanxiao knew the hearing was that afternoon, so he’d taken the day off work to be there.
Ever since he’d found out Su Li had opened a bookstore, whenever Tang Yuanxiao came to the Imperial City, he would make a point to circle the area around her apartment complex, Little Tang Mo’s school, the bookstore, and her university, just to check for any potential dangers.
He’d even helped a shop owner secure a loose sign on Su Li’s usual route home, worried it might fall and hurt someone. So seeing these terrifying words scrawled in red paint was another matter entirely.
Tang Yuanxiao’s expression darkened the moment he saw the state of the bookstore.
He suppressed his anger, got to work cleaning, then bought some paint and covered up the frightening graffiti.
After he had done all that, Tang Yuanxiao checked the time and then left.
Su Li had no classes that afternoon. After lunch, she arrived at the courthouse right on time.
At two-thirty, the court session began.