The hallway buzzed with faint chatter as Su Ning, Chen Anya, and Mu Suying walked side by side, leaving the cafeteria behind. Their heels clicked in rhythm against the polished floor, echoing softly through the wide, sunlit corridor.
Su Ning walked in the center, her posture graceful, her expression composed. The light caught the gleam of her jade earrings and the faint shimmer of her long black hair as it flowed neatly behind her shoulders. Even in silence, she carried herself with a poise that demanded attention — calm, untouchable, and utterly regal.
But the quiet didn't last.
A low murmur rippled through the hall. Then came the whispers.
"Isn't that Su Ning?"
"She still dares to show her face after everything that happened?"
"She looks so calm… maybe she doesn't have any shame left."
More voices joined in, rising like waves.
"I saw her photos online. She was really with the director of Zongsheng Medical."
"So it's true then… she really sold herself?"
"She fooled everyone. Acting like some goddess, but she's just a whore with a pretty face."
Laughter followed — sharp, mocking, and cruel.
Chen Anya's fists clenched at her sides. Her chest tightened painfully as she caught every venomous word. She wanted to scream, to defend Su Ning, but the calm figure walking beside her made her hesitate.
Su Ning didn't so much as glance their way. Her gaze remained ahead, steady and cold. She walked through the corridor like a queen crossing through her court of fools — untouchable and indifferent.
Her silence was louder than any words.
They continued walking, but the whispers trailed behind them, multiplying. Phones were already out, recording, taking photos. The scandal had only grown, spreading like wildfire across every platform.
@CampusBuzz: Goddess Su turns out to be a sugar baby? Unbelievable!
@FuyuanEye: She's so shameless, I guess being a whore must be her talent.
@TeaTimeForum: She walks around like she owns the place. Maybe her sugar daddy bought the school too 😂
The crowd ahead began to part as they walked through.
A sharp silence cut through the whispers.
Students stepped aside, eyes lighting with the kind of excitement reserved for chaos. Heads turned, some leaning over the railing from the upper floors.
Down the center of the hall, six figures appeared — walking with the arrogance of those who believed they ruled the school.
The ROYAL 6.
Gu Yingying led the group, her glossy curls bouncing softly as she approached, every step deliberate. Her lips curved into a cruel smirk, her eyes gleaming with malice.
Behind her were Mo Lingxue and Xu Jinghan, both laughing quietly, Fang Yiren with his phone raised high, recording everything with a mischievous grin, and Ling Zixuan and Zhao Mingyu trailing behind — composed, but visibly amused.
The entire hall fell silent, waiting.
Gu Yingying stopped right in front of Su Ning. For a moment, no one spoke just the heavy sound of tension crackling through the air.
Then, Gu Yingying's smirk deepened.
"Well, if it isn't Su Ning," she said slowly, voice dripping with contempt. "I didn't think you'd have the nerve to come back after being exposed for what you really are."
Her words sliced through the stillness like a knife.
Gasps rose around them. Someone stifled a laugh.
Mo Lingxue tilted her head, amusement gleaming in her eyes. "Oh, don't say that, Yingying. Maybe she's just proud of it. Not everyone can sleep their way to luxury."
Xu Jinghan covered her mouth, pretending to be shocked. "Lingxue, that's so mean," she said, laughing. "You should at least give her credit for being ambitious."
Their laughter spread like wildfire.
Phones went up — capturing every smirk, every cruel glance, every flicker of humiliation they hoped to see.
Fang Yiren whistled low, smirking as he adjusted the angle of his phone. "The goddess of Fuyuan, reduced to a scandal. What a beautiful fall from grace."
Gu Yingying folded her arms, her gaze cold and superior. "A slut pretending to be pure. How pathetic. You should've just dropped out, Su Ning. No one wants your kind infecting this school."
Her voice dripped with disdain, and the crowd erupted with whispers.
Chen Anya stepped forward, trembling, her face flushed red. "That's enough! Stop spreading false rumors!"
Gu Yingying turned to her with an arched brow, her tone mocking. "False? Oh, really? Everyone's seen the pictures. Your dear friend isn't as innocent as she acts."
Mo Lingxue laughed scornfully, looking at Chen Anya with disdain. "Maybe you're defending her because you're like her. Did you sell yourself too? Last time, you couldn't even afford my shoes and could only tremble at my feet. Now, suddenly dressing so luxurious, I wonder where the money came from..."
The words hit like a slap.
Chen Anya's breath hitched, her eyes wide and teary. "You—!"
"Watch your mouth!" Mu Suying snapped, her voice sharp with anger. "That's slander! You can be sued for saying that!"
Mo Lingxue smirked. "Oh? Maybe I'll just say I was joking. Wouldn't want to upset her sponsor."
Laughter echoed again.
Su Ning still hadn't spoken.
Her eyes calm, unreadable, watched the scene unfold like a spectator at a play. The hall's fluorescent lights reflected in her dark pupils, twin pools of restrained fire.
When she finally moved, it was slow and deliberate, a single step forward.
Her voice, when it came, was quiet and clear.
"Are you done?"
The laughter stopped instantly.
Gu Yingying blinked, caught off guard. "What?"
Su Ning raised her eyes, her expression cold and unreadable. "I asked if you were done barking."
The words hit the hall like thunder.
A sharp intake of breath swept through the students. Even Fang Yiren's phone dipped slightly as he blinked in disbelief.
For a heartbeat, no one moved. Then Gu Yingying's face twisted with fury.
"You—!"
Su Ning's gaze didn't waver. "Careful with your words," she said, voice low but steady. "You're already too far beneath me to provoke. Don't make me step on you just to remind you where you belong."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Gu Yingying's pride snapped. She took a step forward, ready to slap Su Ning — but before she could, Li Zixuan's deep voice cut through the air.
"Enough."
He stepped forward, his tall frame commanding attention. His sharp, cold eyes fixed on Su Ning like she was something that needed to be crushed.
"This isn't just about you," he said coolly. "You've shamed Fuyuan Academy. You've stained its name. If you have any dignity left, kneel here and apologize to the school."
Gasps echoed.
Chen Anya turned pale. "You can't— she didn't do anything wrong!"
Li Zixuan ignored her completely. "Apologize," he said again, voice cold as ice.
Mu Suying grabbed Chen Anya's hand to stop her from rushing forward. Both of them looked at Su Ning in panic, but Su Ning didn't flinch.
Instead, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips.
"Kneel?" she repeated softly, almost amused.
Li Zixuan's brow furrowed. "You don't get to laugh—"
But Su Ning's eyes lifted, and the look in them silenced him.
"You mistake silence for guilt," she said, her tone calm, controlled, every syllable laced with quiet power. "But it's just that I don't waste breath on trash."
The air grew colder.
"Now," she said, stepping forward, her gaze locked on his, "move."
Her voice wasn't loud. Yet the moment it left her lips, the entire hall seemed to hold its breath.
Something unseen, heavy and cold rippled through the air.
Li Zixuan froze, his chest tightening as a strange pressure pressed against him. His body stiffened and suddenly, his limbs moved without his control, stepping aside.
Students stared in shock, unable to believe what they had just seen.
Su Ning walked past him, her steps unhurried, her expression untouched by emotion. Chen Anya and Mu Suying followed closely, their hearts pounding.
No one dared move until she disappeared around the corner.
Then the whispers exploded.
"She made him move!"
"She didn't even touch him—"
"What was that?!"
Li Zixuan stood frozen, his pride shattered, his face pale with fury.
Gu Yingying turned on him, her voice shaking with rage. "You just let her walk away?!"
He didn't answer. His hand trembled slightly at his side.
Gu Yingying's eyes darkened. "How dare that slut think she can do whatever she wants?"
Gu Yingying glared at the direction Su Ning had gone her anger burning brighter. "I don't care what she thinks she is. She'll regret this."
But even as she spoke, a quiet unease flickered through her.
Because for the first time, when Su Ning looked at her, she had seen something that made her spine go cold.
Not arrogance.
Not defiance.
But power.
Real, unshakable power.
And that terrified her more than anything else. But she was unwilling to admit it.
With that, she turned and left, others following her.