Chapter 79: Protecting Ling (4)

The apartment door swung open, revealing Ji Ming's father, Ji Junfeng, stepping inside.

"Dad?" Ji Ming's heart raced as he spotted his father. His first instinct was to panic, fearing that his father had discovered his truancy and had come to confront him directly.

Ji Junfeng's expression shifted between anger and disappointment as he laid eyes on Ji Ming. "What are you doing here?" he snapped, his tone harsh and accusatory.

"Dad, I— I had a stomachache today, so I came home early…" Ji Ming stammered, desperately trying to justify his absence from school.

But Ji Junfeng was in no mood to listen to his son's excuses. The matter of Ji Ming skipping class was the least of his concerns. Just as Ji Ming was about to continue his defense, several imposing bodyguards clad in black suits entered behind his father, filling the small space with their intimidating presence.

Then, to Ji Ming's surprise, he spotted Yu Xi and a young man who had accompanied him. At first, Ji Ming didn't register who the young man was. However, it quickly dawned on him when he saw his father bowing and scraping in front of him, a forced smile plastered on his face.

The young man was none other than the renowned Sheng Ye, who had come from the capital city. Recognizing the significance of the situation, Ji Ming felt his stomach drop. He had long wanted to meet this illustrious figure, but he never expected it to happen under such strained circumstances.

"Uh… Xi Ge, what's going on?" Ji Ming hesitated to address Zhai Yunsheng directly, so he turned to Yu Xi, hoping for clarification.

Before he could receive an answer, two of the bodyguards advanced on him, seizing Ji Ming and pinning him down effortlessly. He realized he was completely at their mercy; these were top-tier, professionally trained bodyguards.

They confiscated his phone, forcing him to unlock it before wiping it down with a cloth and presenting it to Zhai Yunsheng.

Once Zhai Yunsheng had the phone, he began to scroll through the contents. It didn't take long for him to discover the messages exchanged between Ji Ming and Qiu Yizhen, as well as those with the social delinquent Ah Hui he had hired. 

Without a word, Zhai Yunsheng handed the phone over to Yu Xi.

Yu Xi quickly took screenshots of the conversations, capturing evidence before posting it on the Shenghua High School campus forum through his own account. His movements were quick and efficient, a display of meticulous planning and execution.

Ji Ming was left in a state of confusion, utterly unaware of what had just transpired. He glanced pleadingly at his father, hoping for some sort of intervention or understanding.

Ji Junfeng, on the other hand, was seething with rage, wishing he could simply strangle his son for the trouble he had caused. Of all people to annoy, he had chosen to provoke Sheng Ye!

Five minutes later, Yu Xi reported back to Zhai Yunsheng. "It's done. I had my junior pin the post to the top, and the original is still up for comparison."

Hearing this, Ji Ming's mind raced. He finally grasped that Sheng Ye's visit was directly tied to the events unfolding at Shenghua High. Yet, he couldn't fathom why Sheng Ye would involve himself in a matter that seemingly had nothing to do with him.

Looking at Yu Xi beside Sheng Ye, it hit Ji Ming: the Yu family had a good relationship with the Jian family. It was highly likely that Sheng Ye's intervention stemmed from Yu Xi's influence.

But regardless of the reason, now that Sheng Ye was involved, Ji Ming was in deep trouble!

Realizing the gravity of his situation, Ji Ming quickly turned to Zhai Yunsheng. "Uh… Sheng Ye, I… I was just being foolish. Please, I beg you to overlook this mistake!" His voice trembled with urgency as he sought forgiveness.

"Can you jump rope?" Zhai Yunsheng suddenly asked, his question catching Ji Ming completely off guard.

"I… I can…" Ji Ming stammered, bewildered by the unexpected nature of the inquiry. What did this have to do with the mess he was in? Confusion swirled in his mind as he awaited Sheng Ye's next move, not knowing what fate awaited him in this precarious situation.