After Mad Dragon was released from prison, I shocked the world!

"Fourth brother, let's go."

The fourth brother ran to Lin Li's side, and the two of them, one human and one dog, turned and walked towards the door.

Just as they were about to step out of the store, they suddenly heard footsteps behind them.

"Waaah..."

Gu Xiaomeng chased after him, crying, her hands moving rapidly with gestures, her expression intense.

Why?

Why did you become like this?

You used to be so gentle, but just now... you broke their hands, you stabbed people with a knife, your eyes were so terrifying...

Why did you become such a violent and cruel person?

Are you still the Lin Li I know?

Lin Li looked at Gu Xiaomeng's hand gestures and fell silent.

How do you explain that?

Does this explain what he experienced in the Black Dragon Prison? Or does it explain that this world is inherently a dog-eat-dog world, and the only way to deal with evil people is to be even more evil than them?

These words were too heavy and too cruel for Gu Xiaomeng, who had a pure and kind heart.

People always change.

Lin Li didn't explain much, but simply said, "Xiao Meng, remember my words, contact me immediately if anything happens."

After saying that, he got into the car with his fourth brother.

Gu Xiaomeng stood by the roadside, tears streaming down her face.

She was still very afraid of the violent Lin Li from earlier, but deep down, she felt empty because of his departure.

Zhou Juan came out, gently put her arm around Gu Xiaomeng's shoulder, and sighed.

"Xiaomeng, don't cry."

She looked in the direction Lin Li had left, her expression complex: "No matter what kind of person he becomes, he just helped us."

"From now on, the two of us won't have to be afraid of those thugs anymore."

……

The mess in the store has been mostly cleaned up.

Zhou Juan was checking the accounts behind the counter. Although today was a bit stressful, she not only made up for the previous losses, but also had a considerable surplus.

Gu Xiaomeng sat on a small stool in the corner, holding a kitten in her arms, staring blankly out the window.

"Xiao Meng, stop daydreaming."

Zhou Juan handed her a cup of hot water, saying helplessly, "Still thinking about what happened earlier?"

Gu Xiaomeng shook her head in a fluster, then took out her phone and opened the high school class group that had been quiet for a long time.

This group only gets lively during Chinese New Year, or when someone is getting married and sends out an invitation.

Gu Xiaomeng never speaks in the group chat because in this small circle where seniority is determined by family background, she, being mute, is practically invisible.

But today, looking at that familiar profile picture, she still typed a line of text into the input box.

[Gu Xiaomeng: Everyone... Lin Li has been released from prison.]

After sending the message, Gu Xiaomeng's heart was pounding.

After all, we are all classmates. Although Lin Li had an accident back then, he has come back. Perhaps we can help him, even if it's just a few words of encouragement.

The group was quiet for a few minutes.

The first reply popped up.

[Wang Mingsha (Literature and Art Committee Member): Hey, isn't this our class's little mute? Did the sun rise in the west today? Even a mute can talk now?]

After a while, messages started popping up in the group chat.

[Liu Jun (Squad Leader): @Gu Xiaomeng, we already knew about this. What's the big deal? Those rapists, even when released, are just a menace to society. Why bring him up? It's bad luck!]

[Chen Huaxiang: Exactly. Our graduating class was originally quite glorious, producing several students from prestigious universities, but Lin Li, that rotten apple, ruined it all.]

[Yang Xiaoli: Xiaomeng, why are you still so senile? Why are you still paying attention to that kind of scum? Lin Li is a psychopath! Stay away from him, or you'll get caught up in it too.]

Gu Xiaomeng's eyes instantly reddened as she looked at the harsh words on the screen.

That's not how it is... Lin Li isn't that kind of person!

Gu Xiaomeng: Lin Li isn't a bad person! There must be more to what happened back then!

But no one paid attention to her words; everyone continued to mock Lin Li.

[Liu Hongyan (Discipline Committee Member): Wrongfully convicted? The court has already ruled in his favor, how could it be false? Gu Xiaomeng, are you trying to grovel because he used to be a rich second-generation heir? Too bad, the Lin family is long gone now. He's just a recently released convict. If you're looking for a man, don't go after this trash.]

Lou Man: Flies don't land on eggs without cracks. If he were truly upright, how could he have been sent to a place like Black Dragon Prison? I heard it's where the most wicked are imprisoned. He's been there for three years; who knows what he's become. Little mute, if you try to rekindle old friendships, be careful he doesn't sell you out without you even knowing it.

[Wang Mingsha: Hahaha, maybe that little mute girl just likes this kind of thing? After all, birds of a feather flock together, a disabled person and a convict, a perfect match!]

A series of "laughing" emojis were sent out in the group.

Gu Xiaomeng's fingers froze on the screen, tears streaming down her face as they fell onto the phone.

She wanted to argue, to tell them that Lin Li wasn't that kind of person, and that he had even saved her today...

But she typed too slowly and couldn't keep up with the vicious words spamming the screen.

Moreover, Gu Xiaomeng suddenly realized that no matter what she said, these people wouldn't believe her.

They only want to believe what they want to believe, and they only want to gain that pitiful sense of superiority by belittling the once high and mighty eldest son of the Lin family.

Gu Xiaomeng deleted all the words she had typed and chose to remain silent.

Just then, squad leader Liu Jun issued a notice to all members.

[@Everyone, please note: To reconnect with our classmates, we're having a reunion next Saturday at 6 PM at the "Wen Yuan Restaurant" in the Junlin Building! This reunion is sponsored by Mr. Zhang, the most successful person in our class, so please make sure you come! Anyone who doesn't come is showing no respect!]

The screen was flooded with comments like "The class monitor is awesome!" and "Thank you, Mr. Zhang!"

……

On the other side, the King's Tower.

As soon as Lin Li got out of the car, he saw all his employees gathered at the entrance of the building, their faces flushed, as if they were arguing with someone.

Yao Chengrou was wearing a business suit, holding a folder, and making a phone call.

Lin Li walked over and asked, puzzled, "What happened?"

"Chairman Lin!"

Upon seeing Lin Li, Yao Chengrou immediately hung up the phone and ran over: "You're finally here! Something's happened!"

"Tomorrow is the unveiling ceremony. According to the plan, we will pull down a huge congratulatory banner from the third-floor platform of the building all the way down to the entrance of the lobby on the first floor."

Yao Chengrou pointed to the third and fourth floors of the building and said angrily, "But Zhai Guiwen, the owner of Wenyuan Restaurant, absolutely refuses to let us hang it up! He even threatened to cut it down if we dared to put the banner down!"

"Wen Yuan Restaurant?"

Lin Li looked up and glanced at it.

This restaurant has booked the third and fourth floors of the Grand Lisboa building; its location is indeed crucial.

If you want to hang a large, impressive banner, you have to go through their exterior wall area.