Shu Lanzhou cast a glance at Huang Tiantian and quickly pulled Dong Anlan and the others a few steps back.
A dog-eat-dog drama like this? No way were they getting involved—they didn't want any part of it, let alone be dragged into the mess.
But not everyone around was so understanding.
"How could you young people be like this?" a bystander scolded. "The poor girl just fell right in front of you, and none of you even offered to help?"
"Exactly! No empathy at all. Aren't you afraid you'll be in her shoes one day, dealing with a scumbag like that?"
"You all look nice on the outside, but I bet none of you are decent people!"
The crowd's murmurs grew increasingly harsh. Ironically, not one of them stepped forward to help Huang Tiantian up.
No one could really say why Shu Lanzhou's group was getting targeted. Weren't they all just spectators?
Zhang He, who had a fiery temper, couldn't stand being wrongfully blamed. She rolled up her sleeves, ready to shout back.
"Zhang He!" Shu Lanzhou stopped her and raised her eyes to the person who had just spoken. "Since you're so full of sympathy, why haven't you helped her up yet?"
"What's the matter? Afraid she'll latch onto you? Or are you worried that scumbag of a boyfriend will start swinging punches your way too?"
"You're clearly just as cowardly as the rest—what gives you the right to judge us? Where do you get off?"
Zhang He echoed with satisfaction, "Exactly! You don't even know what's going on, and you're already blaming random bystanders like us. What's your problem?"
"We don't owe that woman anything. If she really had been beaten up by some abusive boyfriend, maybe we'd step in. But that's not the case!"
Those words made the crowd pause—they'd hit a nerve.
"Wait, so you know them?"
"Is this woman a gold-digger or something?"
"See? That's why you shouldn't jump to defend someone just because they look like the victim. Better get the facts straight first."
More and more onlookers gathered, whispering and pointing at Du Yifan and Huang Tiantian.
Du Yifan glanced at Shu Lanzhou. Zhang He's words made him mistakenly believe they were defending him.
The prideful heir of the Du family had never been this humiliated before—and right in front of the girl he once pursued, who had never given him the time of day!
Fuming, he yanked Huang Tiantian up and tried to drag her through the crowd. "This woman conned me," he growled, shooting a look at Shu Lanzhou as he passed by.
"I'll come apologize once this is over."
Shu Lanzhou pursed her lips and shook her head. "No need. I wouldn't dare accept."
Her words stirred the crowd once again.
"Miss, don't tell me this guy's your ex?"
"He cheated on you with this woman, and now that they've fallen out, he wants you back?"
"No wonder you wouldn't help her up—she's the mistress?"
"Well, serves her right then!"
The group exchanged bewildered glances. These bystanders really had some wild imaginations.
Shu Lanzhou was speechless. "Everyone, stop guessing. He's not my ex. At most, you could call him my former senior—we once had the same teacher."
"And I don't even know that woman. Whatever their relationship is, it's none of my business. I didn't help her because I simply don't want to meddle. My senior may be a jerk, but he's never laid a hand on a woman before."
The implication was clear: if he did hit her, then she must have done something truly outrageous.
"Right, right. Make way, everyone," Dong Anlan said, tugging at Shu Lanzhou. "We only know them, that's all. We're not getting involved. If the guy really did hit her, then call the police."
Zhang He swept her eyes across the crowd. "Whatever the relationship or the reason, hitting someone is wrong. If you see it, report it. Simple as that."
With those parting words, the group turned and stepped onto the escalator—just as the mall security guards arrived.
The crowd was gradually dispersed by the guards. Huang Tiantian clung to one of them, sobbing pitifully, "I want to call the police! He hit me, even though I already broke up with him! He just won't leave me alone!"
"Shameless woman!" Du Yifan was livid. How had he ever fallen for someone so brazen and manipulative? What was so obedient and sweet about her? She wasn't even half as likeable as Shu Lanzhou!
"Fine! Call the cops! You stole my money—I want every cent back!"
"Such big talk, Young Master Du." A man in his late forties pushed through the crowd. "Throwing your weight around and bullying a young lady. Is this the Du family's idea of class?"
He gave Du Yifan a scornful glance, then turned to Huang Tiantian with a worried look. "Tiantian, are you okay? I'm sorry I got here so late."
Huang Tiantian threw herself into the man's arms, crying harder. "President Zhang, you're finally here! If you were even a minute later, he might've killed me! Wuwuwu..."
She beat her fists against his chest, tears streaming down her cheeks, playing the damsel-in-distress to perfection.
President Zhang held her protectively, soothing her with gentle words. "Don't be afraid. I'm here now. He won't dare hurt you."
"So you're the home-wrecker?" Du Yifan was stunned. Huang Tiantian had broken up with him for a man nearly fifty? And this was who she left him for?
President Zhang scoffed. "Watch your words, Young Master Du. I only fell for her after you two had already broken up. That hardly makes me a home-wrecker."
"But you, a supposed heir of the Du family, raising a hand against a woman over a few petty expenses during your relationship? How disgraceful. Is the Du family that short on money?"
"Oh, right, I almost forgot," he added with deliberate cruelty. "I heard the Du family had some failed investments. Projects got pulled, stock price plummeted. Du Corp's value has taken a nosedive, hasn't it? And your father's hit one dead end after another—tough times."
"Looks like Daddy stopped funding your lavish lifestyle, huh? So now you're trying to extort your ex-girlfriend?"
His mockery was ruthless—painting Du Yifan as nothing but a broke playboy trying to claw back what little pride and cash he had left.
"Bullshit!" Du Yifan, always hot-tempered, exploded. He lunged at President Zhang, fist raised—and landed a heavy punch.
President Zhang, nearly fifty, crumpled instantly and fainted on the spot.
Huang Tiantian shrieked—and passed out herself.
—
Upstairs, Shu Lanzhou and the others were only halfway through lunch when they heard ambulance sirens.
An emergency crew rushed in to carry away both President Zhang and Huang Tiantian. A police car arrived soon after.
Du Yifan was escorted into the back seat.
"It really blew up," Zhang He said, holding up her phone. "Look! Someone already posted the video online—Du Yifan actually hit someone!"
Dong Anlan sighed. "So let me get this straight: the woman dumped Du Yifan for an old man, and Du Yifan, unwilling to let it go, tried to get back all the money he spent on her?"
"How much money did he even spend on her?" Ding Yueqian looked incredulous. "Wasn't Du Yifan supposed to be filthy rich—on par with Luo Jialin?"
"Don't tell me the Du family actually went bankrupt?"
"It can't be. Even if their last investment tanked, they shouldn't have gone under that fast."
"Then maybe Du Yifan isn't as rich as he pretended to be?"
The Du family was wealthy—comparable to the Luo family—but Du Yifan was not the same as the Du family.
Ever since his personal investment in a research project had failed, his father had cut off his access to the family's money.
He gave Du Yifan two choices: either graduate and join Han Weicheng's research team to prove his worth, or return to Du Corp and learn the family business from the ground up.
In the previous life, Du Yifan chose the latter. But his arrogance got the better of him. Eventually, he was tricked by Huang Tiantian into leaking business secrets.
Within a few years, the Du family's fortune crumbled—at his hands.