CHAPTER 171: CHAPTER 171: HUO FEI’S SCHEMES.

Song Kai stared at her for a while but didn’t utter a word. As long as she didn’t cross lines she wasn’t meant to, then it’d be fine.

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Shenghua University, Library

"Why do you look so gloomy? Your expression has been dark ever since you came in." Huo Yan leaned closer to Song Yun, her expression full of worry and concern.

Song Yun forced a smile onto his face as he replied. "I am fine."

Huo Yan’s brows creased. "You are not okay, you do not need to lie to me." With a low insistent voice, she urged. "Tell me, what’s bothering you?"

Song Yun exhaled. "As expected, I cannot hide anything from you."

"Glad that you know. Now tell me, what’s on your mind? What seems to be troubling you?" She demanded with folded arms.

With a despondent expression, he recounted everything which happened at breakfast.

"What?" Huo Yan gasped quietly. "And your brother took her side?"

Song Yun laughed, feeling self-depreciated. "Of course he did. My brother never supports me. To him, I’m just like a bane in his existence."

Huo Yan bit her lips heavily. Pity gnawed at her, and she wanted to do something nice to cheer him up.

"I always knew Xu Yuelan was no good. Hmph!" Huo Yan scoffed, clenching her fists tightly.

Song Yun’s lips curved faintly and he leaned closer to her. "Why do you say so?"

Huo Yan breathed out before explaining, "Xu Yuelan is my brother’s ex-fiancée. She’s also my Sister-in-law’s cousin. The few times I’ve interacted with her, she proved to be a big meanie."

Song Yun chuckled seeing how puffed up her cheeks were.

"You look like a bun with your puffed up cheeks." He teased.

"What?" She screamed loudly. All eyes turned to them instantly. She offered an apologetic smile before glaring at Song Yun.

Pointing at him, she accused. "This is your fault!"

She folded her arms and turned away from him. Song Yun smiled, and pulled her hands into his.

"I am sorry. I didn’t mean to make you angry." He apologized, his voice low and steady. "I just found you cute and couldn’t resist."

Huo Yan turned her attention to him, and she sighed. "I will use the restroom and when I return, you’ll apologize properly."

"As you wish, My Queen." He eyes crinkled with delight as he watched her walk away, unconsciously swaying her hips.

When Huo Yan reached the restroom, she splashed water on her face, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here? If it isn’t Huo Yan, how are you doing?"

Huo Yan rolled her eyes, and calmly swerved meeting the ’intruder’ with proud eyes.

"Huo Fei, what do you want?" She demanded with folded arms.

Huo Fei stepped forward, trying to intimidate her. But unfortunately, there was a difference in height. Huo Yan was 167cm while Huo Fei was 160cm. Even with her heels, she still couldn’t match Huo Yan’s height.

Hence, she could only look up to Huo Yan which was a funny situation.

"I want you to suffer. Just as I am suffering daily. That’s what I want!" Huo Fei seethed with rage. If she could, she wished she could tear up Huo Yan’s face.

Having no idea what was going on in Huo Fei’s mind, Huo Yan calmly spat out. "Dream on."

"Do you think I can’t make it happen?" Huo Fei chuckled bitterly.

"Right from childhood, you’ve always had things easy. And why wouldn’t you?" Huo Fei laughed darkly, taking a step forward. "You are the Princess of the first branch while I’m often overlooked just because I’m from the second branch."

Huo Yan scoffed, rolling her eyes slightly. "I believe your dad or your family has never been discriminated against before. I do not understand where your anger stems from."

Huo Fei’s eyes darkened, her voice dropping lower. "Never been discriminated against? Your brother locked my mother in the station and we don’t have access to see her. My dad is seeing another woman and you stand there telling me we were never discriminated against?"

Huo Yan took a step forward to stand in front of her. Thanks to her height, she was able to tower her. "Your mother pushed Grandmother down the stairs. Thanks to her, it gave an opportunity for a killer to murder grandmother. Your mother is guilty and she deserves to rot in jail.

Huo Yan didn’t stutter. She calmly met the other girl’s eyes. Huo Fei’s blood boiled seeing the confident expression in her eyes.

Pulling at her hair, she screamed. "My mother didn’t kill anyone. You all framed her! You... you framed her!"

"Argh!"

Huo Fei screamed, her fury exploding like a storm breaking free. She lunged forward, shoving Huo Yan hard against the sink. The sharp edge hit Huo Yan’s lower back, knocking the air from her lungs.

"Fei! Stop it!" Huo Yan pushed back, but Huo Fei’s rage blinded her. She grabbed a handful of Huo Yan’s hair and yanked it backward causing Huo Yan to wince in pain.

"You framed her! You and your perfect family ruined us!" Huo Fei shouted, her voice trembling with both rage and tears.

"Because of you, I can’t even look people in the eye anymore! Do you know what it’s like to be called the murderer’s daughter?"

Huo Yan gritted her teeth, trying to keep calm, but pain shot through her scalp. "Your mother made her choice," she said sharply, struggling to free herself. "Face the truth, Huo Fei. Don’t blame others for her crime."

"Liar!" Huo Fei hissed, tears streaming down her face. "You’re all liars!"

In her fury, she slapped Huo Yan hard across the face. The sound echoed sharply against the tiled walls.

Huo Yan’s head snapped to the side, her cheek stinging. Slowly, she turned her face back, her eyes dark with restrained anger.

"That was your first mistake," she said with a low voice.

Before Huo Fei could react, Huo Yan caught her wrist mid-swing as she tried to slap again. With a swift motion, she twisted her arm, forcing Huo Fei to stumble back.

"Don’t test my patience, Fei."

But instead of backing down, Huo Fei shoved her again, harder this time. They stumbled, nearly slipping on the marble floor. The mirror rattled from the impact.

"You think you can act high and mighty because you’re a Huo?" Huo Fei shouted, panting. "You’re nothing but a spoiled brat hiding behind your family’s name!"

"And you’re nothing but a coward who can’t admit her mother was wrong," Huo Yan fired back, her patience finally snapping.

"Shut up!" Huo Fei screamed and pushed her once more. Huo Yan’s back hit the wall with a dull thud.

For a second, neither of them moved. They were both panting as they glared at each other.

Then, Huo Fei’s expression twisted. Something wild, unrestrained flashed in her eyes. She raised her hand and shoved Huo Yan one final time, harder than before.

Huo Yan stumbled, hitting her shoulder against the wall. A small yelp escaped her lips as pain flared through her arm.

Breathing heavily, Huo Fei stood there, shaking, not from exhaustion, but from the storm of emotions consuming her.

"I hate you," she whispered, voice trembling. "I hate everything about you."

She spun around and rushed toward the door.

"Fei!" Huo Yan shouted after her. "Don’t walk away from this conversation!"

But instead of answering, Huo Fei yanked the restroom door open, slipped outside, and with a sharp click, she locked it from the other side.

"Fei! Open this door right now!" Huo Yan shouted, slamming her palms against it. "Huo Fei!"

But there was only silence.

Inside the empty restroom, her voice echoed back to her. She tried the handle again, but it wouldn’t budge.

"Damn it," she muttered, banging against it once more. Her heart began to race, not from fear, but frustration.

Meanwhile, at the far end of the library, Song Yun closed his book with a quiet sigh. Something didn’t feel right.

He had been checking the time for the past ten minutes. Huo Yan said she’d be right back, but she hadn’t returned.

He glanced toward the hallway, frowning. "What’s taking her so long?"

He waited another moment. She still didn’t show up.

A faint unease crept into his chest. He stood abruptly, earning a curious look from the student beside him.

"Going somewhere?" the boy asked.

"Restroom," Song Yun muttered, already striding off.

The hallway was quiet, the faint hum of the air conditioner the only sound.

As he approached the restroom corridor, something faint reached his ears. It was a soft, rhythmic pounding.

He stopped.

"Yan?" he called out tentatively.

A muffled voice came from inside. "Yun... help..."

His heart dropped. "Yan! Hold on!"

He twisted the door handle. It was locked.

Without a second thought, he looked around and grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher. His jaw clenched tightly.

"Hang on, I’m coming!"

With one hard swing, he slammed the extinguisher against the lock.

The loud crash echoed through the hallway.

Once. Twice. On the third hit, the lock snapped, and the door flew open.