The students at Li City University were sharp and perceptive. Although Liza's words were blunt and her demeanor unyielding, the truth behind her statements began to dawn on them. Slowly, they pieced together the reality of the situation and realized she wasn’t entirely wrong. The root cause of the forum scandal was Serena. Yet, thanks to her influential background, she escaped with nothing more than a public warning posted on the university's announcement board. Meanwhile, a teacher who had merely grumbled about the incident was expelled and left to face utter humiliation. How was this fair? What made it even more absurd was that Serena, the real instigator, stood alongside Emma, pleading for forgiveness, as if she had no role in the matter. If anything, she should have been the one apologizing to Emma for starting the entire fiasco. "I…" Serena stammered, completely caught off guard as the attention turned to her. She had not anticipated being exposed so quickly. Facing the judging and questioning gazes of the surrounding students, she stumbled back, her face pale. Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to maintain her fragile act. “Sister,” she choked, her voice trembling, “how could you accuse me like this? I know you’ve never liked me. You think I stole your place in the family, that I took what should have been yours. I’ve always wanted to get along with you, but you’ve never given me the chance. I admit I was wrong about the forum post, and I’ve already apologized for it. Besides…” She paused, grasping for words. “The claims in that post haven’t even been verified yet. How can you keep blaming me?” Before Liza could respond, Emma suddenly sprang to her feet, her eyes blazing with fury. “That’s right!” she shouted, her voice echoing with bitterness. “What’s so great about you, Liza? I don’t think I said anything wrong back then. You are a mistress! You found yourself a sugar daddy and used your connections to punish Serena while forcing the university to expel me. You even threatened me into silence to keep the truth from getting out!”The crowd froze, shocked by Emma’s bold accusations. She didn’t stop there. Her voice grew louder, angrier, as she pointed an accusing finger at Liza. “When your people came after me, you admitted it yourself! You said you’re just a mistress, backed by a powerful old man and other financiers. After they’re done dealing with me, they’ll still roll around with you, won’t they? You’re absolutely vile—shameless and disgusting!” A suffocating silence fell over the crowd. The students stared at Emma, her hoarse voice ringing in their ears, as her words hung heavily in the air. “So,” Emma concluded with venom, “how does a nobody from the countryside, ignored by her own family, manage to have so much power? The answer is simple—because you’re a mistress.” Serena gently wiped away her tears, her voice soft and full of concern. “Sister, I know you’re not the kind of person they’re saying you are. Don’t take Miss Emma’swords too seriously. But there are so many rumors spreading outside. You’ve been away from home for so long. Dad and Mom are really worried about you. They don’t even know where you’re staying or what you’re doing every day. Sister, please… come back home.” Her seemingly heartfelt plea, combined with Emma’s accusations, quickly fueled misunderstandings among the onlookers. The murmurs began to spread through the crowd, casting suspicion on Liza. A few students whispered among themselves. “What should we think? It’s starting to sound believable. If she really weren’t a mistress, how could she go so far as to have someone beat up Miss Emma like that? That’s not something ordinary people could pull off.” “Exactly. And Serena mentioned she hasn’t been home for ages. What could a woman from the countryside like her possibly be doing in a big city like Li City? She doesn’t seem to have any close friends, so it’s unlikely she’s staying with someone she knows. It’s starting to add up—maybe she really is living with some sugar daddy.” Sensing that the tide of opinion was shifting in her favor, Emma raised her voice, her words dripping with mockery and anger. “Liza, you call yourself a teacher at Li City University, yet you depend on an old man to support you. You use your position to bully others and throw your weight around like a tyrant. Mark my words—you won’t have a good ending! One day, when you’re old and no longer useful, that man will cast you aside without a second thought!” Her words rang out, harsh and unrelenting, as she continued. “Maybe my words sound cruel, but they’re the truth. Punish me if you want—I’ll take it. But if you’re planning to destroy me completely, I won’t stand for it.” The students around her nodded in agreement, their whispers growing louder. “Miss Emma isn’t wrong. If Liza wasn’t guilty, why would she go to such lengths to silence her? Trying so hard to hide the truth only proves she’s a kept woman!” “Don’t be afraid, Miss Emma,” another student called out. “Even if Liza wants to bury this matter, we won’t let her. Everyone has a right to know! She’s just a shameless mistress who relies on some old man to maintain her status!” Some even turned to Serena, their voices filled with sympathy. “Serena, you should discuss this with your parents. It’s better if they distance themselves from Liza. Having her as part of your family is only going to tarnish your reputation. You’re so kind and respectable—how could you have a sister like this?” Serena bit her lip and lowered her head, pretending to struggle with their words. “Please don’t say that…” she murmured, her tone hesitant yet pitiful, further stoking the crowd’s anger. Liza, watching the scene unfold, felt no need to defend herself against their baseless accusations. She raised an eyebrow at Serena’s contrived performance and let out a cold chuckle. Pulling out her phone, she dialed a number with deliberate calmness. “Hello, this is Li City University. There’s a disturbance here—someone is causing trouble and spreading malicious rumors. Please send someone over immediately.” Her voice was steady, her words precise, as she prepared to put an end to the farce. The atmosphere around her shifted as the students fell silent, the weight of her actions beginning to sink in.