Chapter 314

Chapter 314: Public Apology (8000 words) (Extra Chapter for SilverMengShuiWuYiYue)

Compared to Mei Fang and Lin You Xi’s liveliness, Xia Yuan had remained silent after the incident because she had applied for early dismissal and rest from her homeroom teacher. According to Lin You Xi’s plan, Xia Yuan was currently shouldering a more important mission.

After some time at home, she finally picked up her phone and called her father, Xia Xun.

“Ding-ding-ding—”

Xia Xun hadn’t received his daughter’s call in a long time. Seeing that Yuan Yuan was calling him now, he was filled with joy. He had intended to prepare himself emotionally, but thinking about how it was still during normal school hours made him feel uneasy, so he quickly answered the call.

“Hello… Yuan Yuan? Why are you calling at this time? What’s the matter…”

“There’s something I need to tell you in advance, Dad. I’m afraid you might misunderstand later.”

Xia Yuan cleared her throat and said softly,

“I broke up with A Fang.”

Upon returning from school, Mei Fang took the initiative to call Xiao Xia to explain the situation. Xiao Xia, who had been furious earlier, seemed much calmer by evening.

She had been worried that Mei Fang and Lin You Xi would rekindle their old feelings while dating Xia Yuan, but upon learning that Xia Yuan had initiated the breakup and “helped” Mei Fang and Lin You Xi get together, her mood had somewhat eased.

Having watched the three of them grow up since childhood, no matter who Mei Fang chose to be with, she could understand as a mother.

“But no matter what, you can’t start dating You Xi shortly after breaking up. Don’t you think about Yuan Yuan’s feelings?”

“It’s not as serious as you think… Actually, Yuan Yuan feels that being childhood friends is happier than being a couple. If you don’t believe me, let me put her on the phone. She’s sitting right here beside me.”

Mei Fang gestured to Xia Yuan, asking if she wanted to take the call. Xia Yuan was about to pick up the phone when Xiao Xia hurriedly replied, “Forget it… I don’t have the energy to meddle in your three’s affairs anymore. Just make sure you don’t ruin your relationship… There’s nothing I want to say to Yuan Yuan now. Raising such an ungrateful son, I really can’t face her.”

“But remember this one thing: don’t neglect or mistreat Yuan Yuan just because you broke up. Do you hear me? If you don’t want Yuan Yuan, I do. I treat her like my own daughter!”

“Yes, yes… I wouldn’t abandon Yuan Yuan. We’re still like family. You can rest assured, Mom.”

After calming down, the Mei family didn’t seem to have any plans to scold their son. Xia Yuan felt very happy hearing Xiao Xia’s words. She leaned against Mei Fang’s shoulder, cuddling in his arms.

“I was worried that Auntie Xiao would be happy that You Xi is with you… It seems she likes me too.”

Mei Fang smiled, “My mom isn’t biased. She handles things fairly.”

“Hmm…”

Mei Fang combed Xia Yuan’s hair and asked,

“What did your dad say when you explained the situation?”

“Since I had enough time to explain, Dad didn’t say much after I clarified everything. He wanted to come see me, but I persuaded him otherwise. Then he told me to take a break if I felt wronged.”

Mei Fang smiled, “Uncle Xia may look calm on the surface, but inside he must be plotting to kill me.”

“I think it’s fine… After all, it was me who broke up with you.”

“From others’ perspective, it might seem like that, but your parents won’t think so… They know how much you like me. They must think you were forced to break up.”

Mei Fang hugged Xia Yuan and whispered warmly, “I’ll talk to Uncle Xia at some point. Although we broke up temporarily, we’ll end up together eventually. We can’t lose your parents’ good impression.”

“Mm! Fang, you’re so nice.”

Xia Yuan hugged Mei Fang and kissed him on the cheek.

At this moment, Lin You Xi, who had just finished bathing, was flipping through her wet hair while checking their draft apology letter, sitting next to Mei Fang.

“Will you be the only one reading the apology letter tomorrow?”

“As a guy, I have thick skin. Plus, you’ve always been a top student at school. I can’t let you lose face.”

“You didn’t feel ashamed reading this draft? I even polished it for you.”

“Apology letter? Let me see, I want to see!”

Xia Yuan happily took the letter from Lin You Xi and read it carefully. Even though Mei Fang still had Xia Yuan in his arms, he managed to free a hand to comb Lin You Xi’s hair.

“The Fang Yan said her boyfriend was a C Station UP with 100,000 followers, and threatened to cyberbully us. Did you find that video?”

“I wanted to see how many people would criticize me, but couldn’t find the video. I asked Uncle, and he said the video was taken down because it incited cyber violence, which violated platform rules. The operations team even asked if they should ban the account.”

“Did you ban it?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t I?”

Lin You Xi tilted her head, feigning seriousness, “Promoting cyber violence is a very serious offense, especially for influencing children. We must resolutely crack down on such behavior on C Station to promote positive social values.”

“There’s a bit of revenge involved…”

Mei Fang laughed, “But such a cool young lady, I really like her.”

“You saying such things while hugging Yuan Yuan doesn’t convince anyone.”

“Woohoo!”

Xia Yuan, sitting on Mei Fang, finished reading their apology letter and blushed deeply.

“This, this is such a stimulating apology letter. Can we really read it tomorrow? Doesn’t the homeroom teacher check these letters?”

“Of course, the teachers at Jiangcheng No. 1 High School are all sharp.”

Mei Fang and Lin You Xi smiled, “But the versions we wrote in the office were just for show. This one is our true apology letter.”

Xia Yuan also excitedly said, “I can hardly wait for tomorrow!”

The next morning’s assembly, as the pride and role model of the school, Mei Fang and Lin You Xi stood on the stage for the first time as negative examples. Before Mei Fang began his apology, Director Pan’s criticism wasn’t particularly intense.

The crowd below showed various reactions:

Those who knew the situation, such as Xia Yuan, Liu Xiaoyu, and Xiang Bingbing, were eagerly waiting for the drama. Wan Chaoxiong and Zhu Nainai from Grade Two were hiding in secret corners, preparing to capture Mei Fang’s famous moments.

Everyone seemed happy except Fang Yan, who looked distressed.

Her friend asked, “Fang Yan, what’s wrong today? Isn’t it good that they’re coming forward to apologize and be criticized?”

Facing her friend’s inquiry, Fang Yan shook her head and forced a smile, “It is good, but I didn’t expect C Station’s review to be so ridiculous.”

“How did the review affect you?”

“They banned my boyfriend’s account without giving any reason.”

“No way, so ridiculous. Did you appeal?”

“He appealed, but we argued over it. He said it was because I made him post that video. He just texted me not to provoke Lin You Xi and said he suspected she might be a certain kind of girl.”

“What kind of girl? Is your boyfriend obsessed with anime? That sounds disgusting.”

“I don’t know… Anyway, I’ve been feeling annoyed by him lately.”

Fang Yan honestly admitted that she regretted it now. She didn’t really like Xia Yuan; she saw her as Lin You Xi’s naive follower, nothing special besides her singing ability. Her liking for Xia Yuan came more from her dislike of Lin You Xi.

This time, she just seized the opportunity to challenge Lin You Xi.

But what happened? Now Lin You Xi was officially taking charge without a care, and Xia Yuan was too scared to say anything. She was even having a fight with her boyfriend, getting no sympathy at all.

At least if this pair of lovers embarrassed themselves in public, they might behave better…

Under the director’s urging, Mei Fang slowly walked to the front. His expression was solemn, looking truly remorseful.

He cleared his throat and began his speech.

“Respected school leaders, dear teachers, and beloved classmates,”

“Good morning!”

“Today, I write this apology letter with a heart full of guilt and regret, to publicly express our deep understanding of our inappropriate behavior.”

“I deeply regret my mistake. No matter how close my relationship with You Xi was, we shouldn’t have been intimate at school. School is a place for learning, yet we treated it lightly.”

“Next, I will delve into the journey of my relationship with Lin You Xi, serving as a negative example to warn future students. Please take heed.”

“Like everyone knows, Lin You Xi and I have known each other since kindergarten. In elementary school, we were close childhood friends, supporting and learning from each other.”

As they listened, everyone felt something was off. Was Mei Fang here to confess or to brag?

Mei Fang continued his story as if nothing was amiss, “Our friendship from elementary school carried on into middle school. Lin You Xi and I were placed in the same class.”

“Before that, although she excelled academically, she was a very introverted girl. With my encouragement, she decided to change and actively ran for class president.”

“Class president used to be an introverted girl? I never would have guessed!”

Mei Fang’s revelations shocked everyone, who then eagerly listened to his stories.

“Afterward, she gradually became more independent and developed her own ideas. I felt a sense of pride, believing that I played a big role in her growth. This laid the groundwork for my later actions.”

“During junior high, Lin You Xi, Xia Yuan, and I worked hard together, supporting each other. Finally, thanks to our individual efforts, we successfully enrolled in Jiangcheng Normal University’s附属 High School, one of the best high schools in ChuBei Province.”

“In high school, Xia Yuan, Lin You Xi, and I achieved many goals, such as participating in cultural performances, developing new games, expanding our website, founding a company, and securing financing from Tencent…”

Mei Fang briefly mentioned these achievements, but they contained significant information. Everyone knew about the cultural performances and games by Mei Fang and Xia Yuan, but the website expansion, founding a company, and Tencent financing were previously unknown.

“What website are they talking about?”

“Hey… Could it be the one I guessed, the C Station?”

Director Pan, a conservative teacher who viewed cell phones, internet, and dating as the ‘three knives’ of high school life, had always been critical of the school’s praise for Mei Fang and Xia Yuan. He had hoped to use this apology opportunity to suppress Mei Fang…

What was he doing now?

Director Pan hastily consulted Principal Hu, asking if Mei Fang should stop speaking, but the principal shook his head with a smile, refusing.

“Don’t rush. Let him continue.”

Principal Hu stroked his chin thoughtfully, “Don’t forget our school motto. Let’s give the students some time to share any secrets they haven’t revealed yet.”

Without interference from school leadership, Mei Fang continued his speech.

“However, these activities unrelated to studies undoubtedly affected our enthusiasm for learning. Our grades declined during school, especially mine and Xia Yuan’s.”

“Instead of feeling ashamed about our declining grades, we immersed ourselves in our world.”

“In the process of creating songs together, Xia Yuan and I developed feelings that shouldn’t exist at our age. We started dating prematurely.”

Ah…

Even though she was already a former girlfriend in public eyes, Mei Fang’s recounting of this past was incredibly embarrassing!

Girls in the class poked her back, and Xia Yuan covered her face, laughing in delight, savoring her own love story.

But Xia Yuan’s classmates didn’t think so.

Breaking up and still smiling to encourage them, Yuan Yuan was truly strong!

Only Liu Xiaoyu wore a slightly helpless smile.

Don’t be sad for her…

She’s genuinely happy.

“In the year we dated, we gradually became engrossed in immature emotions. Though Xia Yuan and I seemed happy every day, we felt guilty, believing we hurt Lin You Xi’s feelings.”

“I learned later that in Xia Yuan’s eyes, she believed Lin You Xi and I were a better match. Based on this, she suggested we break up temporarily to end this relationship.”

“After breaking up, I felt extreme pain and sadness. During this period, it was Lin You Xi who encouraged me. Xia Yuan also tried to help us reconcile.”

“Given the strong bond between me and Lin You Xi, coupled with Xia Yuan’s encouragement, we soon got back together.”

Mei Fang suddenly raised his voice, as if causing trouble,

“Although our relationship with You Xi happened unexpectedly, the feeling of liking someone can’t be hidden!”

Mei Fang’s explanation drew a mix of boos and cheers from the audience.

Some envied Mei Fang, some criticized him, and some dismissed his actions. Regardless, all the attention focused on him, making it irrelevant whether Lin You Xi was a mistress or if Xia Yuan was cheated on.

“Enough, enough, stick to the facts! You’re not apologizing properly, are you? How can you set an example if you don’t study well and instead make games for money?”

Director Pan vented his emotions, and some knowledgeable boys immediately shouted,

“Director Pan! Mr. Mei has made tens of millions from those games!”

Other students chimed in, “Just listen to him boast. Can you afford to attend this school with tens of millions?”

“Yuan Yuan’s records have sold tens of millions too, and she’s still studying!”

“Are those record companies making the money? How much can she earn independently?”

“Quiet, quiet, everyone please be quiet…”

Mei Fang continued using the microphone, “I understand that my behavior caused a huge impact among my classmates and damaged the school’s image.”

“Students should support and learn from each other. My behavior sets a bad example, hindering the development of a positive academic atmosphere. It also harms the school’s reputation. As a student of Jiangcheng Normal University’s附属, I should protect its image, not damage it! For this matter, I have reflected deeply:”

“1. I caused a negative influence among my peers. By openly being intimate with You Xi at school, I affected the academic environment and hindered my classmates’ studies, showing irresponsibility.”

“2. I failed to improve comprehensively, especially during this crucial period of senior high school. The mistakes I made are regrettable, and I deeply reflect on them.”

“3. My awareness was insufficient. Had I realized the severity of the issue earlier, the mistake wouldn’t have occurred. All problems stem from my lack of modern students’ awareness, failing to repay the hard work of teachers. I increasingly realize the severity of my mistakes, and I will strictly demand more of myself in the coming year.”

Mei Fang spoke a lot of nonsense that made everyone laugh, except Director Pan, who nodded in agreement. Then he put down his speech notes and faced the senior high school students.

“To express my sincere apology, I decide to donate approximately 2 million yuan worth of assets in my personal name and make the following commitments to the school, hoping to help students enjoy school benefits and make up for my negative influence…”

Mei Fang’s last statement immediately caused a stir both on and off stage.

“Two million! Oh my goodness, it’s really Mr. Mei!”

“Who can casually donate 2 million yuan to the school? What kind of family does he come from?”

“I heard it’s all from his own earnings.”

“Oh my god… With so much money, why give it away for free?”

“Mr. Mei is so rich, give it to me! From now on, I’ll be your dog! I’ll beat anyone who says bad things about you!”

Having seen too much wealth, Mei Fang smiled and gestured for everyone to calm down, then continued,

“I plan to use this donation in three ways:”

“1. Update school equipment, including desks, multimedia tools, sports equipment, and devices needed by clubs;”

“2. Purchase new computer equipment for the computer room to upgrade server network speed, allowing students to explore the internet swiftly;”

“3. Optimize and upgrade recording studio equipment to let artistic flowers bloom freely in Jiangcheng Normal University’s附属 campus;”

While Mei Fang claimed to update equipment, he was essentially investing in himself—

Allocating budget to clubs would enrich extracurricular activities, expanding the influence of Ximilu Studio;

Investing in the computer room would facilitate students’ access to internet knowledge;

Updating recording studio equipment was obviously prepared for someone.

To preserve and pass on memories at Jiangcheng Normal University’s附属, necessary financial support was essential. Now that identities were revealed, there was no need to worry.

“Of course, these are just my immature thoughts and suggestions, not yet communicated with school leaders. If they don’t need it… then it’s fine.”

“Need—cough, cough…”

Director Pan interrupted Mei Fang with a cough, and laughter erupted from the students.

“Little Mei Fang, such matters shouldn’t be mentioned in an apology letter… Your idea is good, but discuss it directly with our school—”

Mei Fang nodded, smiled at Lin You Xi behind him, then looked at Xia Yuan, who was eagerly staring at him, and pretended to continue reading,

“After this apology, I deeply recognize the severity of my mistake. I promise not to repeat similar errors. Please give me a chance, school leaders and homeroom teachers. I will definitely correct these bad habits. If I ever do it again, I’ll voluntarily withdraw from school to avoid affecting my classmates and damaging the school’s image!”

“Don’t quit, please don’t quit! Leaders won’t let you go!”

The students’ heckling made the atmosphere extremely lively. Only Fang Yan and her friends looked grim. In the end, they were the ones being ridiculed, unwittingly helping expose their identities, while the trio was doing well together.

Shang Ce, who usually clashed with Lin You Xi, didn’t participate much but still felt unhappy for her friend Fang Yan’s current predicament.

“Why isn’t Lin You Xi a mistress? Why did you wait until now to clarify? Were you planning to humiliate Fang Yan in public? Clearing up misunderstandings sooner would have avoided all this.”

“That’s exactly our goal.”

Mei Fang didn’t deny his intentions but looked at Shang Ce and said seriously,

“Did Fang Yan confirm the facts before posting the举报信 to smear You Xi?”

“If you had asked her or Yuan Yuan to verify the situation, would this misunderstanding have escalated to this point?”

“You only acted because you happened to provoke us. If you were reporting an ordinary student without connections, have you considered how others would cope? Would they endure rumors and defamation, drop out of school, or worse?”

Shang Ce was left speechless under Mei Fang’s questioning. Fang Yan, standing next to her, trembled in fear, crouching on the ground and covering her face.

At this moment, Lin You Xi, standing behind Mei Fang, stepped forward and continued speaking into the microphone,

“As Class 5’s class monitor, I often share a life motto with my classmates: ‘One must take responsibility for their actions.'”

“Mei Fang and I are willing to take responsibility for our actions. Since I can no longer set a good example, I will resign from my position as class monitor of Class 5 after this apology.”

“Don’t, please don’t!”

Class Monitor Li Xiang nearly collapsed hearing Lin You Xi’s sudden decision. Dong Zhongying, standing beside her, patted her shoulder sympathetically. Lin You Xi continued,

“Fang Yan, your blind accusation of others has seriously infringed on my personal reputation. You need to publicly apologize to me.”

Fang Yan, squatting on the ground, hugged her knees, her face buried in her hands, trembling as if crying. At this critical moment, none of her close friends dared to approach her, fearing any association.

Lin You Xi continued in a stern voice,

“Putting on a weak front now might win you some meaningless sympathy, but you won’t gain my forgiveness.”

“My forgiveness is crucial for your future path.”

“Because if you don’t come forward and sincerely apologize now, the lawyer’s letter I mentioned earlier wasn’t a joke.”

…

Lin You Xi’s words were firm and uncompromising. Director Pan felt this situation shouldn’t be entirely controlled by students, as it would damage the school’s reputation. He interrupted,

“Lin, let’s talk things out properly. We can solve problems through communication—”

Lin You Xi ignored their grade director. Principal Hu patted Director Pan’s shoulder and said, “Let them handle this themselves.”

“But they’re still students…”

“Most of them are already eighteen, no longer just students but adults responsible for their actions.”

Principal Hu said meaningfully, “Besides academics, this is a valuable lesson for their lives.”

It wasn’t just to settle scores.

Ultimately, the local students had always clashed with Lin You Xi because they subconsciously looked down on the rural students, often engaging in teasing and bullying.

Lin You Xi, as class monitor, never ignored such incidents, leading to accumulating resentment.

True mutual understanding requires both sides truly standing in each other’s shoes, experiencing the bitterness of being bullied.

Unfortunately, many people never had the chance to understand these truths long after leaving school.

With some kind students’ persuasion, the tense situation began to ease. Fang Yan, trembling, stood up and walked to the front, crying and apologizing to Lin You Xi for her actions.

The public apology, filled with entertainment, ended under a slightly oppressive and somber atmosphere. When Mei Fang and Lin You Xi were about to leave the stage, someone noticed a blind spot in the entire event and called out to them.

“Mei Fang! About the website you and Lin You Xi founded… I’ve been wondering for a long time… So, is it really that website?”

“The answer is obvious, isn’t it…”

Mei Fang smiled, “Yes, it’s the one you’re thinking of, C Station.”

“Our You Xi is the little miss of C Station. Little Miss Shan You Xi.”

Although many people had been speculating, the impact of the direct confirmation was far greater than expected, causing a commotion in the crowd.

“Can we really talk about this publicly?”

“We can now! We have nothing to hide.”

Mei Fang finally revealed all his cards in his final year of senior high.

This chapter is almost 8000 words, and I think it counts as an extra chapter! Because there’s some plot-twisting content, if I split it, I’d be criticized. Anyway, it’s okay to ask for monthly votes, right? Also, the matchmaker I mentioned in the previous chapter is a future one—I don’t have a matchmaker yet, and nobody likes me, sob.

End of Chapter