Chapter 267: Why Doesn’t Anyone Believe Me?
Li Ruili burst into tears on the spot.
She couldn’t stay in this lousy school for another second!
The environment wasn’t as good as the schools in Xindu, and the students were impossible to get along with!
Shi Ziyue shook her head and tried to smooth things over, “Forget it, she just speaks her mind without thinking.”
Li Ruili shot up from her seat and shoved Shi Ziyue aside. “Stop pretending to be nice!”
With that, she ran out of the classroom, crying.
Lieutenant Zheng Piao, the homeroom teacher of Comprehensive Class Three, saw Li Ruili sprinting past and cheerfully called out,
“Li Ruili, are you going to check out the protective shield? Don’t bother! Come help the life instructor instead—he needs to count how many desks, chairs, and teaching tools need replacing. I just got the notice that Taoyang will be giving us all brand-new ones! Oh, and they’re also building us a swimming pool, a gym, and an activity center!”
He added, “While you’re at it, call a few more girls to help. One person won’t be able to handle it alone. Man, it’s great that Taoyang took over! With this kind of environment, your training and studies will be so much more effective. Give it a few years, and our academy might even rival the schools in Changjing.”
Li Ruili stopped in her tracks, momentarily forgetting to cry.
Taoyang was going to renovate their classrooms, replace all the equipment, build a training ground, and even add a swimming pool?
Her cousin studied in Xindu, and when he visited Dongyang two years ago, he wouldn’t stop bragging about how amazing his school was. But even he never mentioned having a swimming pool or a gym.
Did this mean their school would surpass Xindu’s?
No—according to Instructor Zheng, they might even match Changjing’s in a few years.
Li Ruili was dumbfounded. Just six months ago, her parents had been trying to use their cousin’s connections to move the family to Xindu so she could study there. After half a year of effort, they were finally close to making it happen.
But now that Taoyang had taken over her school… she wasn’t so sure about leaving anymore.
She spent the entire day lost in thought.
When school ended, she was shocked to find her parents—who never came to pick her up—waiting for her at the gate.
They even wanted to borrow her access card to take a stroll inside and experience the benefits of the protective shield.
Unfortunately for them, Old Guo, the gatekeeper, was a relative of Director Guo and just as strict as he was. If you weren’t a student, it didn’t matter who you were—you weren’t getting in.
Like all the other parents, Li Ruili’s mom and dad were turned away. But they didn’t dare complain.
Instead, they stood at the entrance, staring enviously at the students running around inside, staying cool and sweat-free.
Someone muttered wistfully, “When will Taoyang just take over all of Dongyang already?”
Honestly, they all wished they could go back to school and study with their kids.
On the way home, Li Ruili glanced at her father and hesitantly asked,
“Dad… are we still moving to Xindu?”
Her father was a small business owner in the clothing industry. Their family was fairly well-off, and they even had a relative with supernatural abilities—her cousin in Xindu. Because of this, they had decent social standing, and Xindu welcomed families like theirs to relocate.
For years, her cousin’s family had looked down on Dongyang, constantly persuading them to move.
And this year, her parents had finally agreed.
But then, out of nowhere, Taoyang appeared next door, throwing all their plans into chaos.
Her father remained silent.
Her mother, on the other hand, let out a dramatic sigh and said,
“Move? What for? Let’s not even talk about Li Ruili’s school—just look at the nearby daycare centers, maternity hospitals, and all the new infrastructure. When Li Ruili gets married and has kids in the future, everything will be so much more convenient and reliable.”
“Besides, I don’t think it’ll be long before Taoyang takes over all of Dongyang. Even that old neighborhood we live in might get torn down and replaced with new housing! Why would we move to Xindu? The houses there are even more expensive than in Dongyang.”
Deep down, Li Ruili agreed with her mother.
Most importantly, she didn’t believe that the schools in Xindu could be as cool, safe, and zombie-proof as hers. Here, she could focus entirely on her studies and training.
Suddenly, she understood why her classmates were always sucking up to Shi Ziyue.
Taoyang must be an even better place to live than their school…
After a long pause, her father finally made up his mind. His gaze became firm as he said,
“We’re not moving. Honey, tonight, call your sister and brother-in-law and let them know we’re staying in Dongyang. Apologize for all the trouble they went through helping us apply for the relocation these past six months. When I get the chance, I’ll go to Xindu myself and make it up to them.”
Li Ruili’s mother happily agreed and, as soon as they got home, called her sister in Xindu to explain the situation.
Her aunt frowned and said, “Taoyang? Isn’t that just a front created by Dongyang to trick Changjing into offering support and attention? And you actually believe it?”
Since when had her younger sister become so gullible?
A random organization that suddenly appeared, with no recognition from Changjing—how could it possibly be as powerful as the rumors claimed? And how could it help with Dongyang’s development?
Anyone with common sense would see that Taoyang was just a gimmick, a scam—completely unreliable.
As for the rumors that some people had actually bought supplies from Taoyang, they all assumed that Dongyang had staged the whole thing.
And now her sister was falling for this scam and giving up the chance to move to Xindu for a better life?
Li Ruili’s mother wasn’t happy about that.
“Sis, you really should come to Dongyang and see for yourself. You can’t trust everything you read online. Taoyang has already taken over Li Li’s school! I heard they’re even going to build a gymnasium and a swimming pool—just like the university cities before the apocalypse. They say it’ll all be finished in less than six months.”
Li Ruili nodded furiously in agreement.
Her aunt scoffed. What a load of nonsense.
A university city like before the apocalypse?
Even Xindu wouldn’t dare make such claims!
And yet, a mere third-tier base like Dongyang could pull it off? Impossible.
Sensing her disbelief, Li Ruili grew anxious and quickly added, “It’s true, Aunt! The moment Taoyang took over today, everything felt different!”
“Oh really? What changed? Send me some pictures.”
Li Ruili’s mother responded instead, “Li Li says it’s much cooler now, but I can’t exactly take a picture of the temperature. You’d have to come and feel it for yourself. As for the other changes, those things take time to build, but they’ll be done soon.”
She then added, “Sis, I’m serious—you should move to Dongyang as soon as possible. Once Dongyang develops under Taoyang’s help, you might not even be able to get in!”
Hearing this, her aunt became even more skeptical. They couldn’t even provide solid proof, yet they were telling her to move to Dongyang?
What a joke!
Annoyed, she snapped, “You people are hopeless! I went through all that trouble to help you apply for relocation, and this is what I get? Whatever! Stay in Dongyang and keep dreaming if you want—I don’t care!”
Then she hung up immediately.
The three members of the Li family exchanged helpless looks.
Why wouldn’t anyone believe them?
Sigh.
