The storm on Weibo had not settled.
Instead, it continued spreading like wildfire.
By the time the final senior class session at Jinling Imperial Academy resumed, the entire school already knew about the scandal involving Vivian Chen, Derek Wang, and Lila Chen.
Students gathered in small groups around campus, whispering excitedly.
"Did you see the Weibo posts?"
"Of course! Lila Chen already reached one million followers!"
"I heard Vivian Chen lost almost half her followers."
"Serves her right."
Others were more interested in the announcement made by the school.
Today's morning assembly would include a public apology.
And the person apologizing… was Wang Bo.
The entire student body gathered in the grand courtyard of Jinling Imperial Academy.
Teachers stood on the stage while the principal adjusted the microphone.
The murmuring students slowly quieted.
"Today," the principal announced seriously, "we will address misconduct that occurred during the last examination."
Everyone already knew what was coming.
A moment later, Wang Bo walked onto the stage.
Her face was pale and her hands trembled as she held a sheet of paper.
Standing in front of hundreds of students, she felt her pride shatter.
She clenched her teeth before speaking.
"I… Wang Bo… would like to publicly apologize to Lila Chen."
A wave of whispers spread through the crowd.
"I mocked her abilities and tried to humiliate her during the exams."
Her voice tightened as she forced herself to continue.
"My actions were irresponsible and harmful to the reputation of another student."
She bowed stiffly.
"I sincerely apologize to Lila Chen and promise to reflect on my behavior."
Then she began reading her self-criticism letter, describing her misconduct and promising to improve.
When she finished, the entire courtyard fell silent.
Many students looked toward Lila, who stood calmly among her classmates.
She showed no arrogance.
No triumph.
Only quiet composure.
That calm dignity made her appear even more admirable.
Some students began clapping.
Soon the applause spread across the courtyard.
Vivian's Forced Smile
Standing nearby, Vivian Chen's face was stiff.
The applause felt like a slap across her face.
She forced a sweet smile, but inside her jealousy burned like fire.
Her popularity online had dropped drastically.
Meanwhile, Lila's Weibo followers had officially surpassed one million.
Even some students who once supported Vivian were now praising Lila.
Her nails dug into her palms.
This should have been my spotlight…
Just when the assembly seemed about to end, a sudden commotion occurred near the school gate.
A sleek black car pulled up.
Students whispered again.
"Isn't that Derek Wang?"
Sure enough, Derek Wang stepped out of the car, his expression dark.
The principal frowned in surprise.
But Derek walked straight toward the stage.
Everyone stared.
Vivian's heart suddenly tightened.
She had not expected him to come here.
Derek took the microphone.
His jaw was clenched, as if every word tasted bitter.
"I have something to say."
The courtyard fell completely silent.
He glanced briefly at Lila before speaking again.
"In the past… I made unfair judgments about Lila Chen."
His words sounded forced.
"My behavior caused misunderstandings."
His father's warning echoed in his mind.
Apologize, or you will disgrace the Wang family.
Derek inhaled slowly.
"I apologize."
Gasps spread among the students.
No one expected the proud young master of the Wang family to apologize publicly.
Derek continued stiffly.
"Lila Chen is an outstanding student and deserves respect."
Then he stepped away from the microphone.
The entire courtyard buzzed with shock.
Some students immediately pulled out their phones.
Within minutes, the moment was uploaded online.
Weibo Explodes Again
Soon, Weibo exploded with new comments.
"Derek Wang apologized publicly at Jinling Imperial Academy!"
"Wow… Lila really forced the Wang family heir to apologize."
"The queen of Jinling remains undefeated."
"Vivian must be furious right now."
Lila's followers climbed even higher.
3.5 million…
And still rising.
Lila's Calm Response
After the assembly ended, many students gathered around Lila.
"Congratulations!"
"You handled everything so well!"
"You're amazing!"
Lila simply smiled politely.
"It's nothing."
But her eyes were calm and thoughtful.
This was only the beginning.
Vivian and Mrs. Chen would not give up so easily.
And Lila had already started preparing for their next move.
Watching from Afar
In his office, Ethan Li watched the video of Derek's apology circulating online.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Interesting…"
The girl he chose…
Was even more formidable than he expected.
And somehow…
He found himself looking forward to seeing what Lila Chen would do next.