Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 268: Heart-to-Heart Conversation

Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Heart-to-Heart Conversation

When Gu Fan walked up the stairs with heavy steps, he indeed saw Su Hui standing on the balcony, leaning against the railing, gazing woodenly at the lights outside, a look of worry on her face.

Gu Fan walked over and handed a can of beer to Su Hui. Su Hui forced a smile and then took it.

It was always like this in the past. Whenever Gu Fan or Su Hui felt troubled, they would go to the balcony to feel the breeze and appreciate the scenery. Then, the other would come over with a beer to alleviate the other’s mood, and this had become an unspoken agreement between them.

After clinking their beer cans together and taking a sip, Gu Fan asked: "I know it’s not my place to meddle in your relationship with your boyfriend, but I want to know if the reason behind your argument with Zhuo Hang is related to that incident."

To this, Su Hui nodded and sighed: "He just wanted to know the whole truth. He wanted to know what I’ve been through. He said he wanted to help me and that I should trust him."

Gu Fan pondered for a moment: "You should trust your boyfriend, and you should also trust his ability to handle the truth, especially since he already knows about the existence of ’The Boss’."

"What will happen if he knows everything and tells the higher-ups? How will they investigate this? Do you think Du Jun and Lin Xi can escape?" Su Hui wore a troubled expression. After all, she owed Lin Xi for saving her once. She couldn’t betray him. Furthermore, Lin Xi hadn’t done anything heinous and the twelve classmates had returned safely.

A hesitant look appeared on Gu Fan’s face: "Sister Su, I know you’re in a difficult situation, but you should do what your duty calls for. No matter what choice you make, I will stand by you."

"I understand that even though the twelve classmates returned safely, it doesn’t mean that nothing happened. Everyone has to be responsible for their actions. But after careful consideration, the world isn’t simply black and white. Some people may have made mistakes, but it doesn’t mean they can’t be forgiven. And besides, ’The Boss’ is still a threat. We need Lin Xi." After some thought, Su Hui said: "Perhaps it’s fate. We need Lin Xi to deal with ’The Boss’ now, or we will all be in serious trouble."

Hearing this, Gu Fan nodded: "That’s true, neither Du Jun nor Lin Xi have committed any unforgivable mistakes. From my personal standpoint, I won’t hold them accountable, neither would I forgive them. But I am just an ordinary college student. My attitude alone can’t decide anything. Even if I don’t press charges, they still need to be forgiven by society."

Su Hui nodded: "I understand what you mean. You won’t pursue it anymore, but I have the duty to report it, and let our superiors make the decision. You really are crafty, shifting the pressure to me."

"Ah, can you put it that way?" Gu Fan gave an awkward laugh, then cheered Su Hui up: "Don’t worry, no matter what decision you make, I will share the responsibility with you. And you should also trust Zhuo Hang, having faith that he will make the right choice."

Gu Fan shrugged indifferently, then gazed at the city lights outside with an expression of melancholy: "I still remember the anxious and painful looks on the parents’ faces when they lost their children. I can’t even begin to imagine how the twelve families pulled through that period. The actions of Du Jun and Lin Xi nearly shattered twelve families. I have been covering for them since the incident, but they can’t keep shunning the responsibility they should bear. What they need is not my forgiveness, but that of the twelve families. Furthermore, now that Zhuo Hang has started to suspect, he will surely conduct an investigation, sooner or later he will be led to Du Jun and Lin Xi, then how are you going to plead for them...?"

"OK, I understand. I will do what I should do." Having spoken, Su Hui raised her beer can in a gesture.

Gu Fan smiled, also raised his beer can and clinked it with Su Hui’s.

*****

The next day, Su Hui pulled Zhuo Hang into the garage and earnestly narrated everything that had happened in recent times, including the outlandish events and their experiences in the outer realm.

Seeing Zhuo Hang’s incredulous expression, Su Hui had anticipated this. However, she instructed Zhuo Hang to verify her story with Professor Luo, a university professor whose words surely carried credibility.

Zhuo Hang said he needed some time to process all of this. Earlier, when he found out about ’The Boss,’ he had considered that unbelievable. Now, after hearing all of Su Hui’s experiences, he felt lost.

But Su Hui insisted, saying that she had told Zhuo Hang because she believed he could keep a secret and acknowledge the importance of Lin Xi. Without Lin Xi, they couldn’t deal with ’The Boss.’

What Su Hui meant was that dealing with ’The Boss’ was the top priority, and they should at least give Lin Xi and Du Jun a chance to make up for their mistakes and gain forgiveness.

Zhuo Hang said that he needed to think about it and then decide whether to report to his superiors.

Throughout the day, Su Hui was distracted at work, worried about what Zhuo Hang might do. She feared that a single command from above might lead to an attack on Du Jun and Lin Xi.

"Zhuo Hang, don’t let me down." Su Hui chose to trust Zhuo Hang, to trust his judgement, to trust that he would support her, but she had started to subtly regret it. However, remembering Gu Fan’s words about how it’s better to admit guilt than to be found out, she sought lenient treatment.

By quitting time, Su Hui hadn’t seen Zhuo Hang. With a heavy heart, she made her way to the underground parking lot of the office. Just as she was about to start her car, someone suddenly appeared beside her, startling her.

It was Zhuo Hang. He knocked on Su Hui’s car window, signalling her to roll it down.

With a curious expression, Su Hui asked: "What’s up? Do you need something?"

"Of course." After saying that, Zhuo Hang handed a long rectangular box to Su Hui and said, "Give this to Gu Fan. Warn him to protect himself and not to be used by those with ulterior motives." With that, Zhuo Hang causally turned around and left.

"What is it? At least tell me clearly." When Su Hui opened the long rectangular box and saw the blueprint inside, she was stupefied. When she turned around and saw Zhuo Hang’s leaving figure, she could hardly believe it. Apparently, Zhuo Hang was also one of the five custodians.

"How could it be such a coincidence?" Su Hui quickly tucked away the blueprint and sped home. This was a significant gain. She wondered how Gu Fan would react upon knowing about it. Would he be so surprised that his jaw would drop? She believed it would be thrilling.