After Rebirth, the Celebrity Daughter is the Medical Expert!-Chapter 121 - 86: Malice

School leadership office, guest area.

The school leaders, Ning Youguang, and the lawyer arranged by her father sat on the main three-person sofa.

A well-dressed middle-aged couple each occupied a single-seater sofa on either side.

Ye Ziqin stood alone opposite Ning Youguang and the others, head down, recounting the details of her recent wrongdoing.

"...That’s how it happened."

After finishing her story, she closed her mouth and continued staring at the floor.

Ye’s father, sitting on a single-seater, sighed and looked at Ning Youguang in the middle, speaking up: "Miss Ning, I’m sorry, we only found out yesterday that the child made a mistake outside, so we brought her today to apologize to you, hoping that you’ll let us know what we need to do to earn your forgiveness."

Ning Youguang smiled at him but said nothing.

Ye’s mother on the other side also spoke up: "Yes, Ning student, please see what it would take to forgive our Qingqing? The child has realized her mistake; we didn’t know about the internet incident until she took some photos which caused it. Until yesterday night, she was terrified of the media pestering her, which led her to explain everything to us."

Is this an attempt to downplay the issue?

Ning Youguang’s smile remained unchanged, and she turned to the lawyer beside her.

"Lawyer An, what’s your take?"

"Miss Ning, based on the testimony just provided by Ye, and the information from various media outlets, we have sufficient evidence to prove that Ye’s actions constitute defamation. According to our country’s Public Security Administration Punishment Law and Criminal Law, due to the significant reputational damage Ye’s actions caused to Mr. and Miss Ning, and considering the severity of it, Miss Ye needs to bear the corresponding criminal responsibility."

After he finished speaking.

Ye’s mother immediately spoke anxiously: "Lawyer An, is it really as serious as you say? Our Qingqing is still a minor, and she hasn’t caused any reputational damage to Miss Ning and Mr. Ning."

Lawyer An adjusted his glasses and looked at her seriously: "If Madam Ye has doubts about my estimation of this case, you’re welcome to pursue legal action against us."

"..."

Ye’s mother’s face changed color.

She looked at her husband, then the school leadership, and finally at the exceptionally beautiful young girl in the middle.

She hadn’t expected someone so young to be such a tough opponent.

In truth, she didn’t learn about her daughter’s wrongdoing yesterday, it was the day before.

Yesterday, her daughter had already apologized to the young lady, trying to win her forgiveness, an idea suggested by her and her husband.

However, her daughter told them last night upon returning home that it was useless; the other party didn’t accept her apology and asked them to come to the school with her and talk in front of the school leaders.

To their surprise and lack of alternatives, they had to come this morning and apologize in front of the school leaders, only to encounter the situation before them.

She thought to herself, truly worthy of being a lady of the prestigious Ning family.

With such a seamless style, behaving not at all like a fifteen-year-old.

"Lawyer An, it shouldn’t be that severe, your expertise, I’ve heard about it." Seeing his wife getting obstructed by the opposing lawyer, Ye’s father tried to smooth things over.

Unexpectedly, at the sight of her parents also falling short, Ye Ziqin’s emotions instantly burst.

She finally raised her head, tear-stained face looking at Ning Youguang, screaming angrily:

"Ning Youguang, what more do you want? I’ve already apologized to you, I said I didn’t mean it, I was manipulated by others. Didn’t you say yesterday that if I brought my parents to school today you’d forgive me? Why is your attitude today different from yesterday, wanting your lawyer to send me to jail? How can you be so mean?"

Ning Youguang remained exceptionally calm:

"Ye, are you certain I said yesterday that I’d forgive you if you brought your parents to school today?"

"I..."

"You’re not sure, are you? Because I never said that. What I said was that discussing it alone with me wouldn’t work, you needed to go home and bring your parents to school, to discuss in front of the leadership, right?"

"As the perpetrator, you’re standing here seeking my forgiveness, and as the victim, I have the right to say ’no’. This has nothing to do with whether I’m kind or not. You certainly aren’t qualified to accuse me of being bad for my lawyer presenting the facts, right?"

"I think everyone present is already clear about right and wrong regarding you. As for your mother’s claim that you’ve realized your mistake," at this point, Ning Youguang turned to look at Ye’s mother:

"I’m sorry, Madam Ye, I don’t feel your daughter truly understands her mistake. If the person your daughter defamed wasn’t me, but any ordinary fifteen-year-old girl student, discovered by your daughter with a famous middle-aged man, and exposed to the media, do you know what consequences she would face? It could be cyberbullying, or campus bullying, living like a rat chased on the streets, spending the rest of her life in low self-esteem, in shame’s shadow, possibly could she not bear the negative public opinion and strange looks from others, she might choose to end her young life prematurely... A fifteen-year-old girl, even if she accidentally strayed, shouldn’t need to bear such heavy consequences."

At this point, she looked at Ye Ziqin, who no longer had tears but was in a daze: "As you said, if you, as her classmate, truly wished her well, you could have privately approached her and told her it’s wrong to do so, advised her to correct her behavior, or even approached her parents or teachers. It would be better than making it known online to everyone. You’re not a child; at seventeen, you have independent thinking capability. I don’t agree with your mother’s statement that you made the mistake because you’re immature. On the contrary, I think you’re very aware of the consequences I would face by your actions, isn’t that right?"

"Why?" The stunning young lady’s voice was icy, every word ringing with determination, "We have no grudges, no interactions, right? Yet even for someone without grievances like me, you dared to strike so hard. This is no longer immaturity, it’s malice, and I won’t condone your malice."

"Ye, do you not understand why I brought a lawyer today? Because no one can avoid paying for their mistakes!"

"I’m telling you now, I accept your apology, but you must bear all the consequences that come from it. Whatever sanctions the school and law decide on you are the responsibilities and obligations you must face."

"Having you bring your parents today is because I believe in ’the fault lies with the father if the child is not taught’. If a problem arises with every family’s children, the root of the problem must be found in the parents."

From the moment Ning Youguang began speaking, the school leaders’ office became pin-drop silent.

After she finished this statement, the once-proud postures of Ye’s father and Ye’s mother slumped.

The couple exchanged looks, shocked and embarrassed.

Yet Ning Youguang didn’t look at them; she continued facing Ye Ziqin: "I hope you’ll learn from this, and truly amend your ways. My greatest mercy to you, the perpetrator, is not exposing you, returning harm in the manner you harmed me."

"As for your claim that you were instigated by someone, that’s none of my concern; it’s between you and her. I only state facts supported by evidence. Perhaps you’re telling the truth, or perhaps not. Without evidence, I won’t indiscriminately blame others based on your words. However, rest assured, no wrongdoing leaves no traces. Even if she temporarily escapes unscathed, a day will come when she bears the consequences of her actions. Heaven won’t spare anyone."

"Finally, as a conscientious classmate, I advise you in choosing friends wisely in the future. Be discerning of those who are genuinely worth befriending and those who aren’t. In this world, some are skilled at exploiting interpersonal connections, manipulating others from a standpoint of self-interest, excelling in intrigue, watching from the sidelines to profit from conflicts. They largely exploit people’s generally low self-awareness. My piece said, take it from here."

After speaking, Ning Youguang stood up, bid farewell to everyone, and went to the classroom.

...

Approaching summer vacation in 2016, several major events occurred at DiYin Public School.

First, a student from school caused significant reputational damage to others through inappropriate words and actions, was detained by the police and expelled from school.

As for what exactly constituted inappropriate words and actions, there were various opinions, but specific details weren’t disclosed by the school.

Secondly, the father of the famous school goddess Zhang Xuan, renowned lawyer Zhang from Jincheng, was recently imprisoned and on an afternoon in his mansion was detained and arrested.

The subsequent official documents revealed Zhang Lawyer’s detention cause involved numerous issues, including but not limited to falsifying evidence, cover-ups, defamation, witness intimidation, enticement to falsify testimony against facts, and false litigation charges, among others.

As more of Zhang Lawyer’s wrongdoings were disclosed, the severity of the criminal responsibility he faced became apparent.

...

Grand Plaza, fourth floor, luxury KTV private room.

"Yang, can’t you ask Uncle and Aunt to help my dad? My dad hasn’t done so many bad things." Zhang Xuan’s eyes were filled with tears as she looked at her boyfriend.

In these recent days since her father got into trouble, her mother had been frantically seeking connections and help, still without managing to get her father out.

She felt utterly helpless, resorting to asking her boyfriend in desperation.

"Your dad’s situation is what it is; how can I ask my parents for help?" Shi Tongyang replied, full of irritation. "I suspect someone’s deliberately targeting your dad."