They decided to release the most damning evidence first, wanting to topple the position the school had seized by sending out Wu Yin.

After posting it, Chen Ziheng started drinking water.

Zhang Yijie went out for a walk, saying he would bring them dinner later.

“You don't have class today?” Cheng Shuo finally made small talk with Chen Ziheng.

“I told my professor I was helping the school handle this matter.”

“What about the school?”

“I said I was in a meeting with the Student Union Propaganda Department.”

“What about the Student Council?”

“I assigned them tasks, so now, I have to go through the motions.” His voice was calm. “Are you nervous?”

“Aren't you nervous? Have you ever done something like this before?”

“I'm nervous too,” Chen Ziheng said. “Actually, I'm very nervous.”

He was very frank: “Before I regret it, you'd better not ask any more questions.”

So honest, so honest it shocked Cheng Shuo. He said, Chen Ziheng, so this is the kind of person you are.

Chen Ziheng gave him a taste of his own medicine, replying, I didn't know you were this kind of person either.

Thirty minutes later, Cheng Shuo finally mustered the courage to look at the comments.

Someone below had made a summary for the onlookers, saying that based on the chat logs and recordings, the supervisor's abuse was indeed a real thing.

People had already started calling to trend the hashtag Cheng Shuo started: #LiAiminOfXXHospitalAbusedStudentToDeath#

Some people were pointing the way to Wu Yin's Weibo, saying to let the bullets fly for a while.

Let the bullets fly for a while for what, to fly into your own chest?

Cheng Shuo had nothing to say.

More people were posting question marks.

Others posted links to summaries of revelations about the supervisor on Weibo and Douban; clicking on them, they were all deleted.

They waited a while, and the school issued a statement.

It very officially stated that the incident was still under investigation and that they had already contacted the supervisor, students, and professors. It asked everyone to respect the deceased, not to believe rumors, and to remain calm.

Netizens gradually began to dig into the censored names. The supervisor's student admission list had been made public, and for some unknown reason, these people began to search for the others mentioned in the chat logs.

It was absurd.

Some also started asking, who is the person who made the post, can its authenticity be verified?

There were also people telling him not to profit from someone's death.

Every single one of these things made him feel a bit suffocated.

“Should we issue a statement? To make them focus on the supervisor, not the anonymized victims.” He asked Chen Ziheng, “Cen Zeng definitely wouldn't want other victims to be dragged into this.”

Chen Ziheng's expression was calm. He said, "Cheng Shuo, once it's out there, it will definitely be judged from all angles. I thought you knew that."

“I don't care if I'm judged. I just think, Cen Zeng remembered to censor their names before he did it, he definitely wouldn't want others to be dragged in too.”

“Everyone is a victim,” Chen Ziheng said. “Seeking justice will inevitably expose them as well.”

For some reason, Cheng Shuo could actually hear the helplessness in his tone: “It's impossible to truly hide them.”

Cheng Shuo didn't continue this topic. He clicked on the school's announcement and asked, "What now?"

Chen Ziheng paused for a moment. Someone was calling.

“It's Zheng Yi,” he said. “Should I answer it?”

Cheng Shuo asked him: “What do you think?”

“Answer it,” Chen Ziheng said. “At least it's unlikely she'll be called in for a talk by the school. She and Cen Zeng didn't have a particularly special relationship.”

Zheng Yi asked: “Did you guys know all along?”

It was a natural question, and Cheng Shuo didn't know how to answer.

“We only just found out not long ago,” Chen Ziheng replied. “Cen Zeng wasn't in a good state emotionally. A friend of mine noticed and came to ask me.”

“Why did this happen?” Zheng Yi asked. “Why?”

No one could answer.

Cheng Shuo desperately hoped someone could give him an answer.

But no one could answer.

Zheng Yi quickly let them off the hook and asked, "What do you plan to do?"

“Have you seen Wu Yin's statement?” Cheng Shuo asked.

“I have. I don't believe it at all.” Zheng Yi's tone was cold. “Li Aimin has a record. I told you last time.”

“I also saw the new exposé post…” she said. “I guess you guys posted it.”

Chen Ziheng was face-to-face with him.

“I posted it,” Cheng Shuo admitted straightforwardly.

“I don't mean anything by it,” Zheng Yi replied quickly. “I won't tell anyone it was you. But right now, no one knows what Wu Yin and the school administration discussed. The rumor is just that the person who came to collect the belongings wasn't Cen Zeng's parent, but a student. With you posting this, I guess they'll be able to trace it to you soon. Be prepared.”

“I understand…” He paused. “Thank you.”

“Also, I want to know, what is Cen Zeng's family saying? The internet is a mess right now. If this drags on, and Li Aimin puts on another shameless display of appeasement and grief in front of the cameras, this matter will end up unresolved just like what happened with that Senior Brother.”

Her tone was quiet and cold: “If Cen Zeng's family is willing to come forward and make a statement, there's still a chance to fight this.”

“Auntie…” Cheng Shuo was silent for a moment. “She's been unwilling to speak.”

“You must make her speak,” Zheng Yi said. “The school's direction is very clear. They want to say that you have an unknown origin and unclear motives, that you just want to muddy the waters and not let the family have peace.

It's fine if she doesn't want to be interviewed, but you must at least get proof that you published this with her consent. Otherwise, even with evidence, you won't be able to explain yourselves clearly.”

“And…” she sighed. “Netizens are now starting to demand that other victims come forward and speak out. I'm afraid that another similar tragedy might happen. At that point, even though everyone means well, it will only lead to more deaths.”

Her tone was very light, yet it squeezed his heart painfully.

Cheng Shuo didn't reply immediately. His fingertips unconsciously tapped on the table, tap by tap, but his anxiety wasn't diminished in the slightest.

It wasn't that he hadn't expected this to happen, Chen Ziheng had mentioned it too, but he still couldn't help but find it ironic.

Before he died, Cen Zeng had done everything he could to hide the other victims' information, yet netizens were using so-called ‘justice’ to drag them out one by one, demanding they cut open their bellies in the street to prove their innocence.

“Are you listening?” Zheng Yi asked from the other end.

“I'm listening,” Cheng Shuo answered.

“Then what do you think should be done?”

“Make Auntie speak.” He repeated Zheng Yi's words, his throat still aching. “But she doesn't want to speak at all.”

“Then have her write it,” Zheng Yi said calmly. “She doesn't have to show her face. Just have her handwrite a statement, a few simple sentences will do. For example, that she is aware and has authorized you to release this information. That way, at least you won't be completely suppressed in public opinion.”

Cheng Shuo rubbed his temples: “I'll try my best.”

“Don't try your best, you must do it.” Zheng Yi's tone left no room for argument. “The school is stalling for time, trying to wait out the peak of public opinion. After the hype dies down, they'll just brush it off with a ‘the investigation is still ongoing.’ Right now, besides the evidence you have, the family's attitude is the only key to keeping this matter alive.”

“I understand.”

After hanging up, the room fell into silence.

Chen Ziheng had finished his water and was scrolling through social media, looking at the comments under the exposé post, the Weibo trending topics, the RedNote hot posts, and the popular threads on Douban.

“She's right,” he said faintly. “The netizens' enthusiasm will fade much faster than you think. Especially when this matter is steered in the direction of ‘profiting from someone's death.’”

“I'll go find Auntie.” Cheng Shuo stood up and grabbed his jacket.