Shen Qi immediately felt the malicious stares from everyone around her.
Most of the people still present were from Team Three and Team Six. After spending so many days together, Jiang Xiaojing’s own teammates naturally sided with her. Shen Qi was a stranger to them. Many people would rather support their own than uphold justice.
Thus, a number of people in the crowd began launching personal attacks without any investigation.
A sharp-tongued woman immediately spoke up: "Oh, I thought Miss Shen was so wealthy! Turns out even such a cheap necklace catches her eye! How eye-opening! I may be poor, but at least I have some spare change. Why don’t you come beg me, and I’ll give you this Tiffany I just bought from Hong Kong?"
"Yeah, look at this prim and proper young lady. I hear she’s anything but proper. Seems like she’s about to get divorced, hmm? Abandoned by her man, so she takes her anger out on others? Does she need to be so fiery? Does she need to put on such airs?"
"That’s not all! Hanging out with someone who’s neither male nor female all day—how good could her character be? Who knows what happens when two people share a room for so long? Hehehehe."
Liu Yi couldn’t hold back anymore and stepped forward to teach those foul-mouthed women a lesson. Shen Qi grabbed Liu Yi firmly: "The innocent are clear, the guilty are murky. I’ve never stolen anything, so I’m not afraid of slander."
"Oh, playing the virtuous martyr? Do you dare let us search you? If you let us search your body and your room, we’ll believe you didn’t steal anything," the sharp-tongued woman said.
Shen Qi and Liu Yi turned around simultaneously, glaring at her. How insulting! To say such a thing!
At that moment, Shen Qi realized the speaker was the girl she had helped when she first entered the hotel! Back then, Shen Qi had arrived in a rush and nearly missed the registration time. She had helped carry the girl’s suitcase to the check-in desk, saving her from a wasted trip.
Shen Qi never imagined there could be such an ungrateful person in the world! She had always been kind to others, never picking fights, yet still drew envy. Why? Was it because she had qualified for the semifinals that people hated her?
When the girl saw Shen Qi looking at her, she averted her eyes briefly, then glared back with defiance and contempt: "What are you looking at? I just can’t stand your hypocrisy! If you didn’t steal, then let us search! Who told you to bump into Jiang Xiaojing? Of course, you’re the suspect! Are you targeting me just because I spoke the truth? Is that my fault?"
Shen Qi took a deep breath, forcing down her anger, and turned to Jiang Xiaojing: "Let me ask you, why do you suspect me? Do we have some deep grudge? Have I ever wronged you? Is your necklace so valuable that I’m that desperate for money?"
Jiang Xiaojing puffed out her chest: "How should I know why you have it out for me? Today, I only bumped into you, no one else. Who else would I suspect? I even suspect you used underhanded methods to get this far! Everyone knows how hard we racked our brains for the real semifinal questions. I heard you didn’t even go back to your room that night but slept somewhere else."
As Jiang Xiaojing finished, the entire dining hall erupted in murmurs! Except for Liu Yi, everyone looked at Shen Qi with strange eyes—some disdainful, some scornful, some mocking, some indifferent, and some just eager for drama.
"No wonder the committee praised Team Five’s creativity. Turns out someone traded their body for intel! Tsk tsk."
"Exactly! Look, the whole of Team Five was eliminated except for Shen Qi and Liu Yi. Who believes there’s no foul play there?"
"No surprise! She’s pretty, so all she has to do is sleep around!"
"Hahaha!"
A tidal wave of insults and false accusations engulfed them. Shen Qi and Liu Yi stood among the crowd, utterly isolated and helpless.
Just then, a timid girl who had been silent spoke up: "Don’t talk about her like that. Back then, everyone used every trick in the book to get the real test questions. Besides, who actually saw Shen Qi sleeping with someone to get them? Without proof, throwing mud is slander."
Jiang Xiaojing immediately turned on her: "Who are you? Who do you think you are? Did you see with your own eyes that Shen Qi didn’t sleep with anyone?"
"I..." The girl was choked into silence by Jiang Xiaojing, her face red with anger.
Jiang Xiaojing then played the victim, wiping her tears: "Miss Shen, how much money do you want to give back my necklace? Name your price, and I’ll agree."
Shen Qi didn’t answer. Instead, she turned to look at Cui Yuelan, who had remained silent. If Shen Qi still didn’t realize this was Cui Yuelan’s doing, she’d be truly foolish. Jiang Xiaojing had always been Cui Yuelan’s pawn, going wherever she pointed. Maybe Jiang Xiaojing was begging Cui Yuelan, or maybe Cui Yuelan had leverage over her, or perhaps Jiang Xiaojing was just happy to aid the villain.
If Cui Yuelan had nothing to do with Jiang Xiaojing, she wouldn’t miss such a perfect chance to kick someone when they were down. Yet now, Cui Yuelan’s silence actually proved their connection. Sure enough, when Shen Qi looked at Cui Yuelan, a faint, smug smile curled at the corner of her mouth.
Seeing Cui Yuelan not charging ahead but directing from behind, Shen Qi realized she had leveled up. Someone must have coached her behind the scenes. For her to grasp this in just a few days, her mentor was truly formidable.
Shen Qi turned back to Jiang Xiaojing and said firmly: "I refuse a search of my body or my room. That’s an insult to my dignity. But I suggest we check the surveillance footage. This is a five-star hotel; all public areas have cameras to ensure our safety and property. If the footage proves I stole, I’ll allow a search. Without that proof, I have the right to refuse."
"Oh, Shen Qi, Miss Shen! Are you stalling because you know the restaurant’s cameras are broken? Is that why you’re so bold?" Jiang Xiaojing sneered.
Shen Qi’s eyes darkened: "What? The cameras are broken? So you chose this spot to frame me?"
Jiang Xiaojing snorted: "Am I framing you? A simple search would clear things up! Why are you so dead set against it? Guilty conscience?"
Liu Yi stepped forward, standing tall: "Then first tell us, what reason does Xiao Qi have to steal from you? Because she doesn’t like you? Sorry, who do you think you are? She wouldn’t even notice you! As someone else’s lackey, have you ever thought you might end up as a discarded pawn?"
Jiang Xiaojing glanced nervously at Cui Yuelan. Liu Yi was now certain there was something between them.
Shen Qi sighed: "Jiang Xiaojing, you’re wasting your name. Jiang Ziya in history was brilliant and unmatched in talent. You’ve dishonored that great surname! Today, you keep accusing me of theft and demanding to search me and my room. Let me ask you this: if nothing is found, what then?"
Jiang Xiaojing shrugged: "Then I’ll apologize."
Shen Qi shook her head in exasperation: "Can your apology erase the insult to my dignity? What if I said that when you bumped into me in the restaurant, I lost something precious? Could I then search your room?"
"Of course not!" Jiang Xiaojing blurted out. "My room isn’t something you can just search!"
"Then what gives you the right to demand a search of mine? Since we disagree, I propose we call the police." Shen Qi raised her hand. "I refuse any non-police search of my room. Everyone wants clarity, right? Let the police decide!"
At this, murmurs spread through the crowd. Calling the police would introduce too many uncertainties. Most people there didn’t want trouble. Watching the drama was fine, but involving the authorities was another matter.
"Oh, Shen Qi, why call the police? Just let Jiang Xiaojing search you," someone said irresponsibly. "It’s just a search; you won’t lose a piece of meat."
"Yeah, let her look. If she finds nothing, it clears your name," another chimed in.
Shen Qi stood firm: "No. If we’re investigating, let’s do it thoroughly! I’ve lived my life upright and honest. I won’t shame my parents, disgrace my brother, or dishonor the Shen family! I refuse to carry this black mark for the rest of my life!"
"Well said!" Liu Yi looked down at Shen Qi. "If they suspect, then let’s investigate everyone!"
The crowd grew chaotic, voices clashing. Jiang Xiaojing shot a cautious glance at Cui Yuelan, whose eyes flickered with impatience at her lack of efficiency.