Surviving the ordeal—that was probably the true feeling in everyone’s heart right now.

After all, they were just college freshmen, fresh out of the gate. Feeling scared in this situation was completely normal.

So now that they knew everything had settled, their hearts—suspended for so long—finally dropped. Each person let out a long sigh of relief.

Then came waves of praise and gratitude.

“Oh my god… I nearly died of fright! If it weren’t for you, Cheng Yu, I wouldn’t have known what to do!”

“Seriously! My legs went weak with fear, but you actually stood up to them, Cheng Yu!”

“I never saw this side of you, Cheng Yu! You’re always so low-key, but you’ve got real guts and nerve!”

Everyone had eyes in their heads. They all knew Cheng Yu’s actions had saved them. No one held back their compliments.

Cheng Yu himself felt awful. Seeing Blade Brother again triggered a physical revulsion. His face was pale as he forced a weak smile at his classmates and murmured,

“It’s nothing. I’m just glad everyone’s safe.”

His haggard appearance didn’t raise doubts—it only deepened their admiration.

[Cheng Yu was so scared himself, yet he stepped up to help us…]

[He was terrified but still so reliable… Ugh… How did I never notice Cheng Yu’s actually kinda handsome…]

[Ah… Honestly, Cheng Yu would be perfect if not for that hemorrhoid issue…]

Unaware of their thoughts, Cheng Yu noticed a figure approaching. The person gripped his arm tightly and said earnestly,

“Brother Cheng… I won’t say much. You saved my life!

“If you hadn’t been here, I might’ve charged at them with a broken beer bottle. Then… I’d probably be lying on the floor right now.”

Zhao (?) sighed, a hint of helplessness in his expression, but he clearly understood the situation.

“We’ve barely talked before, Brother Cheng. I didn’t know you well. From now on, if you ever need a hand, just say the word!”

“It’s not that big a deal… really,” Cheng Yu waved him off, a little awkward.

“If you truly want to thank me… just remember what I said. Don’t show off so much next time. Caution keeps you sailing safely for ten thousand years, Zhao…”

Cheng Yu paused, suddenly realizing he still didn’t know this classmate’s full name. He corrected himself awkwardly,

“…Brother Zhao.”

Zhao (?) chuckled and patted Cheng Yu’s shoulder.

“No worries, Brother Cheng. Just call me—”

“Cheng Yu!”

A female voice cut him off. Cheng Yu turned to see someone unexpected.

Jiangyx Jiang stared at him, lips parted as if words were stuck. She twirled a strand of her dark hair around her finger, hesitating before finally speaking.

“This… this time, thanks to you. Um… I apologize for my past behavior. I underestimated you…”

“Class rep.”

Unlike his tone with Zhao (?), Cheng Yu’s gaze at Jiangyx Jiang was far from friendly.

“Instead of apologizing, I’d rather you reflect on your own mistakes.”

Jiangyx Jiang’s eyes widened in disbelief. She stared at him, stunned.

“You… you’re blaming me?”

[Facing Jiangyx Jiang’s question, your choice is:]

[Option A: Apologize for your attitude and wording. Reward: A Fenty Beauty spring/summer highlighter set.]

[Option B: Change the subject. Reward: A 10,000-yuan membership card for Wudaokou Jiahe Cinema.]

[Option C: Ignore her and talk to others. Reward: Two VIP passes to Shanghai Disney Resort.]

[Option D: Tell her, “Yes, I’m blaming you.” Reward: 1 random attribute point.]

“Yes. Exactly. I’m blaming you. Did you really think you did nothing wrong?”

This time, Cheng Yu chose without hesitation.

He pointed at Zhao (?), but his eyes stayed locked on Jiangyx Jiang, deadly serious.

“Brother Zhao made mistakes—I admit that. Honestly, I understand why.

“But Jiangyx Jiang, did you forget you’re the class rep?

“You’re our leader. You should guide us, push us to be better.

“Not just go with the flow. We said ‘bar,’ and you followed without backbone. If you thought it was a bad idea, why not speak up from the start?

“Don’t call me a Monday-morning quarterback. I just can’t stand your misplaced sense of duty. You vanish when needed, then meddle when you shouldn’t.

“What were you thinking, telling them you called the police? Weren’t you afraid things would spiral out of control?”

“I… I was just bluffing. I didn’t actually call, and even if I did, what’s the problem…”

“No problem?”

Cheng Yu let out a cold laugh, pressing her.

“We’re law students, right?

“Class rep, use your brain. What crime could their actions even be charged as?”

The question left Jiangyx Jiang momentarily lost.

But as she thought deeper, she grew hesitant, stumbling over her words until she fell silent.

“Can’t think of one? That’s because they planned it all along.

“They seemed like troublemakers, but from start to finish, they only threw Brother Zhao onto the sofa once, grabbed his collar, and tossed one beer bottle. Nothing truly physical.

“Even that attempt to slam him on the table was likely staged. They’d have stopped anyway—even if you hadn’t jumped in.

“Every rough act was premeditated. Their insults? Just bait to provoke us, creating an excuse for ‘self-defense.’

“From the beginning… they just wanted to teach us reckless college kids a harsh lesson.”

Cheng Yu had seen this tactic before in his past life. Different methods, same cruel intent—to humiliate others openly.

“So, everyone here… this might sound harsh, but learn from it.

“We’re adults now. We answer for ourselves. Problems are bigger than we imagined.

“If we lack experience, keep a low profile out there. Hone your skills. Study hard.

“And Jiangyx Jiang.”

At her name, her shoulders trembled slightly. She looked up. Cheng Yu sighed, calm but firm.

“People elected you class rep because they trust you to lead us well.

“So, if you don’t want to betray that trust—or our faith—drop your biases. Set aside personal likes. Think objectively for the whole group.

“Not just as Jiangyx Jiang the individual.

“I won’t always be here to help. Often, we’ll rely on you—the one we trust.”

Cheng Yu scanned every face. Expressions varied, but all seemed thoughtful.

He said nothing more. Step by step, he walked out of the bar.

Pushing the door open, Beijing’s icy midnight air washed over him, clearing his foggy mind with a sharp, sobering chill.