Chapter 16: 016 One and Only

Bai Lian, a new transfer student, was currently the most talked-about student in the entirety of Xiangcheng High School due to her excessively flamboyant looks.

Once seen, one could never forget her.

The girl who had just spoken had seen Bai Lian on the second floor at noon, leaving a deep impression.

Seeing Ren Wanxuan so furious now, she felt a flicker of fear.

"Class Monitor, nothing bad will happen, right?" the girl asked, looking toward the Class 8 monitor.

The monitor clearly knew about the transfer student Bai Lian as well. He shook his head, indicating he wasn't sure. "I'll go take a look. I don't know if it has anything to do with that new student. If we find it, fine; but if something goes missing for no reason, our whole class might end up in trouble!"

He kicked his chair aside and headed out.

Behind him, Shi Yutong's eyes flickered. She followed him, wearing a gloating smile. "It's definitely that transfer student!"

***

Class 15.

At midday, most people were slumped over their desks for a nap, while a few were writing feverishly.

*Bang—*

The door was flung open, startling a crowd of students sleeping on their desks.

Ren Wanxuan, Shi Yutong, the Class 8 monitor, and several other members of Class 8 entered.

There was no one in school who didn't recognize them.

Class 15 fell silent. Even the few people whispering stopped, watching them in silence.

They were as quiet as cicadas in winter.

The people from Class 8 were known as the "Prince Class," largely because of their arrogant behavior; students from other classes had grown accustomed to their attitude.

Ren Wanxuan didn't look at anyone. Her gaze swept across the classroom once, and seeing that Bai Lian was not there, she asked coldly, "Where is Bai Lian?"

No one dared to speak.

Zhang Shize, who had been catching up on sleep at his desk, was startled awake by the loud slamming of the door. He glanced at Ren Wanxuan and the Class 8 monitor, sat up straight, and leaned back. "She went to the restroom. Why are you looking for her?"

The Class 8 students often played ball with Zhang Shize. Fearing that Zhang Shize might offend Ren Wanxuan, the Class 8 monitor immediately rushed in to restrain him, whispering an explanation.

Ren Wanxuan ignored Zhang Shize entirely. "Where is she sitting?"

No one answered, but some couldn't help but glance toward Bai Lian's seat.

Zhang Shize had some friendship with Class 8; moreover, Chen Zhu's sister, Chen Wei, liked him, so the Class 8 students always gave him face.

He frowned, refusing to believe Bai Lian was that kind of person. "You must have the wrong person. The girl in front of me went to the second floor because her homeroom teacher called her."

As Zhang Shize was still speaking, Shi Yutong didn't even need to think. She walked directly to Bai Lian's seat, reached into the desk compartment, snatched out a black backpack, and dumped it upside down—

*Clatter!*

A pile of books and notebooks spilled onto the floor.

Ren Wanxuan didn't look at the books. Her eyes were fixed on an exceptionally conspicuous red cover amidst the pile.

Bending down, she picked up the red invitation from the pile of books with a cold sneer. She took a tissue from her pocket, wiped it carefully, and only then held it in her hand. Looking at Zhang Shize with a half-smile, she asked, "The wrong person?"

Zhang Shize and the people around them were stunned when they saw the red invitation in Ren Wanxuan's hand.

Yang Lin had been sitting in her seat the entire time. She had originally been watching Shi Yutong rummage through Bai Lian's bag with an expressionless face, but when Ren Wanxuan picked out that red invitation from the pile of books, a look resembling a question mark slowly appeared on her face.

**

Bai Lian had just returned from the restroom.

"I don't want to say anything," Ren Wanxuan said, coldly withdrawing her gaze upon seeing Bai Lian return. "Go explain yourself to the teacher."

However, Bai Lian did not look at her.

She stood at the doorway, looking at her seat. Her black backpack had been tossed carelessly on the floor; books were scattered across the chair and under the desk, along with a bottle of milk that Ji Shaojun had stuffed into her bag before she left this morning.

The classroom was as quiet as ever.

Bai Lian walked slowly to her seat, kicked the chair aside, and stared down at the scattered books for a few seconds.

She looked up. There was no trace of a smile on her face, only three words: "Who did this?"

She had always maintained a lazy demeanor, showing little interest in anything other than her studies.

But now, her features were sharp and intense. Her pitch-black eyes seemed shrouded in a morning mist, and her originally exquisite brows held a fierce, "do not approach" aura!

Under the sweep of her gaze, even Zhang Shize couldn't help but take a half-step back.

He looked toward Shi Yutong.

"It was you?" Bai Lian reached out, her slender fingers grabbing Shi Yutong by the neck and pulling her forward.

*Thud—*

With one hand on her neck, Bai Lian threw Shi Yutong onto a stool.

The loud noise caused everyone to instinctively take another step back.

Bai Lian pulled the wooden hairpin from the back of her head. She aimed the sharp pin at Shi Yutong's carotid artery, slowly pressing down while smiling at her with almost cruel intent. "Who gave you permission to touch my things?"

The area around Shi Yutong's neck turned incredibly red, with traces of blood faintly visible.

"What's happening?" At the classroom door, Lu Lingxi rushed over.

Lu Lingxi's voice was gentle yet powerful.

As soon as the Class 8 students had arrived, someone from Class 15 had already gone to find Lu Lingxi.

"Bai Lian!" Zhang Shize finally reacted, reaching out to grab Bai Lian's hairpin.

Bai Lian stared fixedly at Shi Yutong for a few seconds.

*Can't kill her.*

Lu Lingxi said these were the "future flowers of the motherland."

But this person was a "magnetic flux" (a nuisance/troublemaker).

Since she was a nuisance, she would let it go.

Bai Lian thought for a few seconds, then leisurely withdrew the hairpin.

"Cough, cough—"

Shi Yutong scrambled to her feet, looking at Bai Lian with eyes full of terror. Before touching Bai Lian's desk, she never imagined the person in front of her was a lunatic!

**

Ren Wanxuan's item had been stolen and finally recovered in Class 15.

This was no small matter.

Upon hearing it involved Ren Wanxuan, the Vice Principal set aside his work and came to the Senior Three teaching building.

"There's no need to call the parents," Ren Wanxuan said, holding the invitation. She hung up Ji Shaorong's call and said to Lu Lingxi and the school leadership, "Just call the police."

Wouldn't calling the parents just be playing into Bai Lian's hands?

In the end, it would not only become a private family matter for the Ren family, but the entire school would know that this new student was a member of the Ren family.

Ren Wanxuan had no doubt that Bai Lian was the culprit. Aside from her, Ren Wanxuan didn't know anyone else who would be stupid enough to do something so self-destructive.

She thought about how, if they called the parents and made a scene, the Ren family would eventually be forced by public opinion to let it go.

But Ren Wanxuan refused to let it go that way.

"Student Ren," Lu Lingxi didn't believe Bai Lian had done it, but regardless of who did, she did not agree with calling the police. "This is an internal school matter. Calling the police will have too much of an impact on a student's life..."

Beside her, the Vice Principal nodded repeatedly.

"Not calling the police? Just letting it slide?" Ren Wanxuan looked at the people in the office. "If you don't know that this invitation of mine is priceless and unavailable on the market, you can ask Chen Zhu."

Beside her, Chen Zhu pondered for a moment. "Teacher, this is an invitation to the White Tiger Auction House. Aside from special channels, it is indeed unavailable on the market."

How could these teachers know what the White Tiger Auction House was?

But hearing the words of Chen Zhu and Ren Wanxuan, they knew the matter was not simple.

Lu Lingxi and the Vice Principal looked at each other.

"Ahem," beside Ren Wanxuan, Shi Yutong, who didn't dare look at Bai Lian, said in a hoarse voice, "If you don't call the police, I'll help you..."

Lu Lingxi frowned. "But..."

"It's fine," Bai Lian, who was taller than Lu Lingxi, comforted her with an indifferent air. "Let them call the police. I'm fine."

"But her family..."

Lu Lingxi knew these great families were not to be trifled with.

She looked at Chen Zhu. Among the Class 8 crowd, Chen Zhu wouldn't cause trouble just because of his family background. Unlike the others, if there was anyone in the school who could stop Ren Wanxuan, it might only be Chen Zhu.

Chen Zhu withdrew his gaze, his refusal quite obvious.

This was a matter of principle; he couldn't help Lu Lingxi, and furthermore...

The White Tiger Auction House invitation was also very important to the Chen family.

Lu Lingxi felt somewhat discouraged.

Shi Yutong had already called the police; she glared at Bai Lian with eyes full of malice.

Bai Lian didn't care about the invitation at all. She simply took out her phone, found a specific contact's avatar, and slowly inquired—

[.]

White Tank Top: [Sis, I was just about to tell you, someone placed a bid to buy your invitation.]

Bai Lian: [Xiao Mao, is there any purchase record for that thing?]

White Tank Top: [No record, but everyone's is unique. Godfather had the auction house make a new one for you, so you are a VIP; there's a golden "Bai" character on the back.]

Bai Lian understood and typed a single character: [.]

White Tank Top: [Sis, I'll wait for you at the usual place tonight to give you the seller's money.]

Bai Lian: [1]

White Tank Top: [Got it, Sis!]

**

Since the matter involved the Ren family, the police did not dare to be negligent and arrived very quickly.

Because it was a school, they were afraid of disturbing the students, so they arrived in plain clothes without sirens.

The leading officer took Bai Lian aside for questioning and went to retrieve the surveillance footage from the hallway.

Lu Lingxi felt uneasy. She looked at the Vice Principal, wanting to say something.

The Vice Principal sighed. He lowered his voice, looking somewhat headache-ridden, fearing this group of special children from Class 8. "Teacher Lu, you know as well as I do, which person in Class 8 is easy to deal with? If you don't want this student to have a criminal record, just let her transfer schools directly."

Even though he was the Vice Principal, he could only act with trepidation in front of the Ren and Chen families.

The entire questioning process seemed very simple.

In less than three minutes, the officer from the adjacent office and Bai Lian came out.

As soon as the two emerged, everyone's eyes turned toward them.

Lu Lingxi even stood up directly, her eyes filled with inquiry.

"Miss Ren," the officer, who had already been informed of Ren Wanxuan's identity, spoke politely, "could you let me see the invitation in your hand?"

Ren Wanxuan frowned.

But she still handed the invitation to him.

Unlike the civilians, the police maintained order in Xiangcheng year-round and naturally knew about Blackwater Street and the White Tiger Auction House. Seeing the lifelike white tiger on the red invitation, he became cautious.

He flipped it over.

Bai Lian hadn't looked closely at the invitation, so she only now saw the tiny "Bai" character on the back. She regained her composure, took the wood-colored hairpin from her pocket, and unhurriedly re-pinned her hair.

Her fingers were slender, clean, and lustrous without a single blemish.

It was hard to imagine how these artistic hands had just been gripping Shi Yutong's neck.

She looked at the officer, her eyes clear and bright, her demeanor graceful and appearing very well-behaved. "Can I go back now? I haven't finished my homework."

The two officers had never seen such a beautiful, well-behaved, and studious student. Feeling a sense of paternal affection, they hurriedly said, "You can, you can. Go back and do your homework."

Bai Lian nodded, unzipping her school uniform jacket as she walked toward the exit.

Remembering something, she turned back, looking very aggrieved. "Teacher, she just pushed my desk."

She was tattling to Lu Lingxi.

The officer immediately looked at Shi Yutong, his expression alert and serious. "Student, please watch your words and actions!"

Lu Lingxi hurriedly blocked Shi Yutong's gaze toward Bai Lian and turned back gently. "Bai Lian, don't be afraid. Go back to self-study first. Teacher is here."

Shi Yutong looked at Bai Lian in disbelief: "...???"

*What do you mean "pushed the desk"? Dammit, she only rummaged through the backpack, and Bai Lian almost stabbed her neck through!*

*Are you all blind?*

Shi Yutong was the one who truly wanted to call the police now.

Bai Lian had already left. In the office, the others finally snapped out of it.

Chen Zhu stared blankly at the invitation in the officer's hand, then looked toward the door.

He was lost in thought.

Shi Yutong cried out in a hoarse voice, "Officer, she's a thief! How can you just let her go? Did someone send you a notice? Do you even know whose things she stole?"

Ren Wanxuan also stood up abruptly. She frowned at the officer and pursed her lips. "Did the Ren family call you? Who was it? My father?"

The two officers were stunned. "What call?"

Ren Wanxuan gave a cold laugh, not wanting to argue with them further. "What are you two pretending for? Would you dare let her go if you hadn't received a call? Forget it, just give me the item."

She reached out.

"Miss Ren, when did you buy this invitation?" one officer couldn't help but ask.

Ren Wanxuan replied, "Yesterday. It cost five hundred thousand."

Five hundred thousand was an astronomical sum to ordinary people, but to them, it wasn't much money.

What mattered was the channel.

"Five hundred thousand... according to our understanding of the White Tiger Auction House's market price, that's just a regular customer. Miss Ren, you probably don't know that the White Tiger Auction House has a type of invitation that is one-of-a-kind, right?"

"What?" Ren Wanxuan was stunned; she indeed had never heard of it.

The officer turned the invitation over and pointed to the tiny "Bai" character for her to see. "See this? There is a 'Bai' character in the bottom right corner. This indicates that this is the private property of that student Bai, a VIP invitation to the White Tiger Auction House. It's one thing to claim you're calling the police with someone else's item, but why are you insisting this is yours?"