Chapter 18 : They Say the Heart Changes Easily

“Look, I…”

After a long silence, Shen Yingxu set down her teacup, unable to hold back.

“Ye Qingshu’s the one involved and doesn’t mind, so I shouldn’t say much. But you’re a guy—staring at those photos for so long, could you at least consider how she feels? She’s been fidgeting the whole time.”

“I… I’m fine…” Ye Qingshu waved her hands quickly, thanking Shen Yingxu. “Thanks, Class President, but I’m not uneasy because Zhu Hanqi saw the photos… It’s just that some angles make my legs and waist look chubby. I’m not that chubby—it was probably just puberty…”

“Huh?”

Shen Yingxu’s expression screamed, Are there even humans here? as she locked eyes with me, just looking up.

“You’re finally done. So, can we report this to the police?”

“Hm?” I was puzzled. “We can report it anytime. Even if they deleted the messages, threats like this are something the police would take seriously to prevent crime.”

“Then why’d you stare so long? I thought you were checking if the photos were usable for a report.”

“Nope. Turning to the police is the safest, most reasonable option when you’re helpless. Once you report it accurately, even if they have more explicit photos, spreading them after a police filing is like taunting the authorities.”

After all, if you’ve already reported it and they still spread the photos, it’s like kidnapping someone and then tearing up the ransom note in front of the cops—a direct insult to law enforcement.

That’s no small matter.

“So, when you’re being blackmailed, your choice to report it was fine. It might feel embarrassing at first, but adults with more resources will handle it from there.”

“At least it’ll keep them from acting.”

I looked at Ye Qingshu, who nodded vaguely, as if half-understanding.

“How do you know all this?” Shen Yingxu asked quietly, eyeing me curiously.

“Even a Demon King’s castle needs administration, right?” I replied in a hushed tone only she could hear. “You all fixate on the ‘Demon’ part and miss the ‘King’ part’s weight. I was, after all…”

She stepped back, looking utterly done with my explanation.

Ugh.

“But since you say that, it sounds like you’re not planning to report it?”

Seeing me shut down, Shen Yingxu smirked, satisfied. “So, Zhu Hanqi, you’ve got other plans, don’t you?”

“…” I sighed, swiping Ye Qingshu’s phone to the first photo—the most private, most threatening “about-to-change” shot.

“What I just said respects the social contract, but when you have greater power, you can earn respect yourself.”

“Reporting it ensures they back off but doesn’t guarantee enough punishment.”

I said calmly, looking at the confused Ye Qingshu.

“What’s off about this photo?”

Ye Qingshu blinked, studying it for a while before saying uncertainly, “It’s… really close?”

“Close enough. It’s the setting.”

I held the phone up, letting her see it from a better angle.

“First, it’s a changing photo. Based on the environment and your expression, it’s likely a women’s changing room.”

“Public women’s changing rooms are limited—pool, bathhouse, gym, sports field…”

“From the surroundings, a pool or bathhouse is unlikely. It’s probably a sports-related place. You’re right about it being close. This angle… Come here, I can estimate your height at the time based on the locker’s relative height.”

I had Ye Qingshu stand and crouch slightly to mimic her height then, stepped back, and gestured at the height.

“About here, this position.”

Shen Yingxu’s eyes widened.

“That’s way too close! Wouldn’t someone notice? And Ye Qingshu’s height…”

“My height was probably like this in second year,” Ye Qingshu said, turning to me.

“Yeah, I thought so.” I nodded.

“Also, if it was a guy disguised as a girl, they’d be under psychological stress and usually hide a camera in a bag for cover. But in a women’s changing room, there’s no need to risk getting so close—just place the bag farther away and snap away.”

“At this distance, it’s more likely a girl, pretending to check messages or something, openly taking the photo—and she probably knows you.”

“That explains why the photos aren’t too private—less about not wanting to, more about not being able to. Even with the same gender, most people pause changing or cover up when someone behind them is on their phone. It’s a natural reaction.”

“So, talk of ‘more private photos’ is likely just a bluff. These scumbags sent a two-year-old photo, meaning it’s probably their most threatening one.”

I smiled, holding my phone at a lower height.

“Based on all this, the culprit is likely someone from your second-year middle school, in a sports changing room, familiar enough to openly use their phone behind you.”

I showed Ye Qingshu the photo I’d just taken, its layout 70-80% similar to hers.

“Other candid photos back this up—they’re the kind only someone close could take.”

I scratched my cheek, coughing as Ye Qingshu and Shen Yingxu looked puzzled.

“Li Xiaowan. If I remember her name right. That girl in middle school who always trailed you, obsessed with Yang Xinwei—she’s likely the culprit.”

“She’s in our school now, and coincidentally, she visited the journalism club last time.”

…

“You didn’t have to come with me to find Jiang Xiang-senpai. Like Shen Yingxu said, you could’ve gone home.”

Streetlights cast a dim yellow glow. Though it was autumn, a few bugs still buzzed around them.

Shen Yingxu had to leave for family reasons, and I planned to meet Jiang Xiang-senpai alone to dig into this, but Ye Qingshu insisted on coming, refusing to wait at home.

“I’d be scared at home.”

“Ningxi-jie and Yushu are with you, right?”

We walked one behind the other.

“They probably don’t want to see me.”

“I can’t comfort you there. Sorry, let’s change the topic.”

I said bluntly.

“It’s fine. I know I brought it on myself.”

Ye Qingshu said softly, pausing for a few seconds. “You’ve changed a lot.”

“Have I?”

“Yeah. Like just now, something that terrified me felt like an elementary math problem to you.”

“Haha, elementary math’s pretty tough these days.”

Math’s always been my weakness.

“When did you get so dependable?” Ye Qingshu said quietly. “And so… distant…”

I pretended not to hear that.

She said it so softly, she probably didn’t want me to.

Too bad for my Demon King senses! Haha!

…Lame self-amusement.

After more silence, I regretted not picking a closer spot to meet Jiang Xiang-senpai.

Seeing Ye Qingshu’s head-down silence, I thought for a moment.

“Oh, at the start of the term, Mu Ziqing and I went to the milk tea shop we’re heading to. He ditched halfway, said he was looking for you? I saw you two outside.”

When you don’t know what to say to an estranged childhood friend, talk about mutual friends.

“Oh, you saw?” She blinked. “I told him not to tell you. He just saw Yang Xinwei at our school and came to warn me.”

So that guy knew about Yang Xinwei too?

Seeing my distant smile, Ye Qingshu waved her hands.

“No, it wasn’t to hide it from you. It’s just…”

“It’s fine, bad topic choice on my part,” I cut off her explanation. “Let’s switch. How about today’s homework from Teacher Xia?”

“I haven’t been to school lately,” Ye Qingshu said, staring at me stubbornly. “Don’t change the topic. I don’t want you to misunderstand me anymore.”

“Haha, not much to misunderstand.”

I’m so snarky. Must be from being a Demon King too long!

As if stung by my sarcasm, Ye Qingshu stopped walking.

“Sorry…”

“No, no, is today some apology festival? What a pointless holiday.”

I looked at her, tilting my head.

“Not walking? I’ll take you home then.”

Maybe my urgency to shoo her off provoked her. She pursed her lips, gritted her teeth, and looked up.

“It’s not like that! Mu Ziqing knew about Yang Xinwei because he got invited to that group in second year too. He thought it was shady, didn’t join, and warned me to stay away.”

Mu Ziqing, reliable as ever.

“I stopped hanging out with them after second year. Once, when I went out with them, we ‘coincidentally’ ran into Yang Xinwei’s group. I didn’t go to karaoke, but when I went to grab takeout at the restaurant, I overheard them egging Yang Xinwei on about when he’d ‘get’ me.”

“I realized the rumors about us being a couple were spread by them to help him sleep with me faster.”

Eyes closed, face red, Ye Qingshu spoke in a tone of near-fainting shame.

“I couldn’t stand their filthy talk, so I confronted him online. He apologized, said he wouldn’t bother me anymore, but asked me not to expose the rumors’ truth for the sake of his feelings and the group’s bond…”

“I ignored him, wanting to at least deny the girlfriend thing, but then came the photo threats. I didn’t dare talk to you or Mu Ziqing because I didn’t deserve to—I hurt you on purpose, ignored Mu Ziqing’s advice out of vanity. I deserved it all…”

“My only thought was to endure middle school… just get through it…”

Her voice was almost a wail as she wiped her face with her hands.

So that’s why Yang Xinwei called her his ex.

“I don’t know why he’s after me again or why he’s so prepared, but I really… I never had any feelings for him, I always—!”

“Because he was a third-year then, dummy,” I cut off her emotional outburst. “If you’d made a fuss, given his shady dealings, it could’ve wrecked his future.”

“!”

“I didn’t even think of that. I thought it was over…” Ye Qingshu murmured.

“To be blunt, this is likely his doing, and he’s probably a repeat offender, at least working with Li Xiaowan. One takes photos, the other threatens and plays good cop. Whether others are involved, we don’t know yet.”

“That’s why I’m meeting Jiang Xiang-senpai—she likely knows more about this.”

I turned and kept walking.

“As for what you said—good intel. But you don’t need to explain to me. Tell Jiang Xiang-senpai; she might help more.”

I felt Ye Qingshu’s emotions cool, like autumn leaves swept away.

“…Got it.”

“Thanks for helping me, and for listening to my… boring intel.”

“No problem. We grew up together. It’s only right.”

I answered, glancing at the milk tea shop’s sign.

Jiang Xiang-senpai’s sudden choice of meeting spot was unlike her usual calm demeanor—was there an urgent reason?

…

As I thought this, I heard an exaggerated gasp upon entering the shop.

“Aaah! Ye Qingshu?! What’re you doing here?!”

Following Ye Qingshu’s confused gaze, we looked at the source.

Next to Senpai, a short girl was performing an over-the-top, reunion-level surprise.

Ye Qingshu blinked, hesitating.

“…Li Xiaowan?”