Seeing how calm Qin Jiao still was, Han Juan was in complete awe!
However, when it came to the gossip, Han Juan, who had never even been in a relationship, was a little embarrassed to bring it up directly.
But she really liked Qin Jiao and didn’t want her to be kept in the dark, so she gritted her teeth, steeled herself, and said, "They’re saying that back in high school, you used some shady methods to, to... seduce Shen Yi! All for his family’s money! But don’t worry, Qin Jiao. I know you’re definitely not that kind of person. They’re just saying that because they’re jealous of you!"
Seeing Han Juan’s anxious explanation, Qin Jiao just smiled calmly and said, "Don’t worry. I know you’re telling me this out of the goodness of your heart. But when you’re exceptional, it’s inevitable that people will get jealous."
The people jealous of her weren’t just Li Man and her ilk.
There was also Lin Nian.
This was all within Qin Jiao’s expectations.
Seeing Qin Jiao’s faint smile and completely unbothered expression, Han Juan was stunned. Then, it dawned on her.
Han Juan said, "You’re right. You’re so amazing, so they get jealous and start talking behind your back. Seriously, those people... instead of working hard to improve themselves, all they know how to do is be salty from the sidelines!"
A girl nearby overheard them, and her expression soured. She said coldly, "If you don’t want people to know, don’t do it in the first place."
"Exactly. And there’s another old saying: ’There’s no smoke without fire.’ How come no one’s talking about anyone else?"
The people Han Juan had been alluding to were quite annoyed.
Although they were jealous of Qin Jiao, they didn’t want anyone to know it!
People are just that contradictory.
Qin Jiao looked at the unfamiliar girls and said, "That’s right, those two old sayings aren’t wrong. But you can’t be one-sided in your learning. Just knowing those two isn’t enough. You also need to know that rumors get distorted as they spread until the falsehoods are mistaken for truth. Public opinion can create its own reality, and the power of words is a fearsome thing."
"Luckily, I’m mentally tough. But what if it were someone else? After being slandered by you, in a mild case, they’d become dejected. In a severe case, they might develop depression. And if that depression gets worse, they might drop out of school at best, or at worst, take their own life. Is that your goal?"
The girl’s face changed. "We never thought about it like that. We were just gossiping."
"If you lack the ability to make rational judgments for yourselves, if you just believe whatever anyone says, how can people like you ever become lawyers or work in the legal field?" Qin Jiao’s tone suddenly became serious.
The girls were all stunned.
Sun Lili, who was sitting not far away, looked up.
"Well said!" At that moment, the civil law professor, who had just walked in with her books to start class, began to applaud. She said, "Class, you are all law students. Take this situation, for example. Because of some rumors and slander, a life is made to bear an unbearable weight and ultimately chooses to end. Yes, legally speaking, none of you would be guilty. But from a moral standpoint, you would all be murderers!"
The professor’s tone was grave. She then shifted her focus. "So, no matter what work you do in the future, I hope you all have your own moral baseline!"
A look of guilt appeared on the face of the girl who had spoken out against Qin Jiao.
Some sank into deep thought.
Others looked confused.
Qin Jiao, however, calmly sat back down in her seat. She opened her book and began to listen attentively to the lecture.
Inwardly, however, she was already thinking, ’How should I repay Lin Nian for this ’generous gift’ she’s sent my way?’
But what Qin Jiao hadn’t expected was that before she could make a move, Shen Feng’s current girlfriend, Sun Lili, sought her out after class.