From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Ruyu's fingertips were icy cold as she trembled as she picked up the letter.

The letter did not contain alarmist phrases like "the Yan family is about to perish," but was filled with slander against Xu's new ideas in delicate handwriting, calling them "fallacies and heresies that bewitch people." At the end, it also threatened Yan Ruyu to leave the academy or face the consequences.

Yan Ruyu felt a chill run from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, and her face turned deathly pale instantly.

She wasn't afraid of the threat, but rather shocked by how abruptly the letter appeared and how precisely it struck at her weak spot.

The promotion of Xu's new ideas at the academy has not gone smoothly, with conservatives obstructing them at every turn. Now, this letter is like a time bomb, which could detonate the peace of the academy at any moment.

"Ruyu, what's written on it?" Xu's voice trembled slightly; he sensed the seriousness of the situation.

The surrounding guests also sensed that something was wrong. They craned their necks curiously, but dared not get too close, and whispered among themselves like the buzzing of mosquitoes.

Yan Ruyu took a deep breath and handed the letter to Xu Nanzhu.

After reading it, his expression turned serious, and the knuckles of his fingers holding the letter turned white.

This letter is not only a slander against him, but also a provocation against their relationship.

"Outrageous!" Yan Ruyu slammed her hand on the table, and the once lively garden instantly fell silent as everyone turned to look at her.

"Playing tricks and hiding your true colors, what kind of hero are you! If you have the guts, step forward!"

Her eyes shone brightly as she scanned the entire room, trying to find the man in black, but unfortunately, he had already vanished without a trace.

Yan Ruyu decided to find out who was behind it all.

She began investigating the origin of the letter and the owner of the handwriting; however, the investigation encountered resistance as soon as it began.

Led by Young Master Bai, a group of conservative students somehow got wind of the situation and blocked Yan Ruyu's path.

"Yan Ruyu, what are you up to now?" Young Master Bai asked provocatively, his tone sarcastic. "You're not planning some kind of scheme to frame us again, are you?"

"Young Master Bai, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want," Yan Ruyu retorted without backing down. "I'm investigating who's spreading rumors and disrupting the academy's stability and unity. It's you who's jumping out so quickly; are you perhaps feeling guilty?"

The surrounding students whispered among themselves, some expressing support for Yan Ruyu's actions, while others understood the concerns of Young Master Bai and the others.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the garden was tense, as if a single spark could ignite a major battle.

"You..." Young Master Bai's face flushed red with anger, but he couldn't find any words to refute it.

He glared fiercely at Yan Ruyu, then turned to look at Confucius behind him, seemingly seeking support.

Confucius stroked his beard and slowly said, "Miss Yan, your high-profile investigation will only make the academy more chaotic. Wouldn't it be better to inform the dean first and let him handle it?"

Yan Ruyu sneered, "Confucius, are you trying to smooth things over, or are you trying to protect the culprit?"

"You..." Confucius's face darkened, "How dare you!"

"I dare?" Yan Ruyu met his gaze without flinching. "I'd like to see who it is..."

Yan Ruyu's gaze was as sharp as a hawk's; she was no pushover!

She keenly sensed something amiss when Bai Gongzi uttered the words "spreading rumors."

rumor?

The letter was clearly a threat, how did it become a rumor?

unless……

They already knew the contents of the letter and deliberately guided public opinion.

Who else could have done this besides Confucius, the leader of the conservatives?

"Confucius, you are getting old, and there are some things you may not remember." Yan Ruyu's lips curled into a cold smile, with a hint of provocation. "Why don't we go to your study and have a good chat? Maybe it will help you recall some things."

After saying this, Yan Ruyu walked straight to Confucius's study without waiting for his response.

The students around were stunned. This Miss Yan was incredibly audacious, daring to directly challenge the authority of Confucius!

Some students who originally supported the conservatives couldn't help but admire Yan Ruyu's courage.

Miss Ye's eyes lit up as she looked at Yan Ruyu's back with admiration, thinking to herself: As expected of my favorite CP, he's so domineering!

Confucius was caught off guard by Yan Ruyu's sudden action, his face turning pale and then red, but he couldn't lash out.

He could only suppress his anger and follow Yan Ruyu to the study.

The male protagonist, Xu, has always been quietly by Yan Ruyu's side, holding her hand and giving her silent support.

His eyes were gentle yet firm, as if to say: Don't be afraid, I'm here.

Yan Ruyu felt the warmth of his palm, and a warm current surged in her heart.

She took his hand in return and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Confucius, please." Yan Ruyu stood at the door of the study, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

Confucius took a deep breath and pushed open the door to his study...

"It seems like no one has been to this study for a long time..." Yan Ruyu said meaningfully as she looked around.

Upon hearing this, Confucius's old eyes widened like copper bells, and his beard almost stood on end.

This little girl actually wants to "cooperate" with him?

He had lived most of his life and had never seen such a "daring" woman!

Yan Ruyu, however, said earnestly, "Confucius, times are changing, and ideas should evolve with the times. New ideas do not mean completely negating old ideas, but rather taking their essence and discarding their dross. Why don't we sit down and have a proper discussion?"

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.

Mr. Lu stroked his chin thoughtfully: What exactly is this Miss Yan up to?

Even the male protagonist, Xu, was slightly taken aback. Then he knew that his little fox was about to start "stirring up trouble" again.

Confucius was stunned for a long time, but finally agreed to Yan Ruyu's suggestion.

After all, he also wanted to see what tricks this little girl could pull.

The news caused an uproar throughout the entire academy.

"What? Miss Yan is actually going to cooperate with Confucius? Did I hear that right?" "This Miss Yan really doesn't follow the usual path!" "This is going to be interesting!" The academy was abuzz with discussion, the atmosphere was lively.

Yan Ruyu stood in the crowd, a slight smile on her lips, her heart filled with a sense of accomplishment.

Dean Su stood at a distance, watching this scene.

However, the good times did not last long.

Just when Yan Ruyu thought things were going in a good direction, she discovered that someone was secretly altering the propaganda materials for the male protagonist's new ideas, changing the originally positive content into distorted facts and inflammatory remarks.

"What's going on? This...this isn't what we wrote before at all!" Yan Ruyu looked at the altered documents, her face turning deathly pale, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart.

The air around us seemed to freeze, and the oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe.

The male lead walked to her side, gently took her hand, and said with concern in his eyes, "Ruyu, don't worry, we will find out the truth."

Yan Ruyu took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

She looked around, her gaze settling on a furtive figure...

"stop!"