Chapter 116 - He hung up on Gao Zifan before he could say anything else. (3)
"See for yourself," said Yang Jing as he pointed at the screen with the outcome and the surveillance videos that were still ongoing.
Gao Zifan suddenly realized what had happened when he saw what was on the big screens. He was frantic all of a sudden.
"That, that was not possible!" That meant everyone knew his score and his earlier performance!
Yu Fangfang, who returned to the wait area after Gao Zifan, too, had saw the grades on the screen. She felt relieved the same time she felt contempt toward Gao Zifan.
– Lucky there were surveillance videos. Had things remained the same as they were in the past and both the situation during the competition and individuals' scores were all hidden, would she be the next Gu Xi and became Gao Zifan's new scapegoat?
"We have also seen the scores from last year. You don't need to try to place the blame Gu Xi anymore." Having said that, the others ignored Gao Zifan and took off with Yu Fangfang.
Even the few teachers that were there with team who had always had high hopes for Gao Zifan were now looking at him with disappointment: One could work on poor grades but, if one's problem was their integrity, that was indeed a big problem.
"We will talk when we get back to school."
The few that were there were probably not the only ones who had learned about this. Most likely the entire school had already found out about it by now.
Many had spread words about the competition to those who were not there while they were waiting.
It wasn't really personal either. Most of the individuals only felt that the HSAU's performance was so incredible that they had shared the situation and the outcome in their own friend's circles or on their own school forums.
Even though Liming's school forum had been shut down, but there were still many small groups among the students.
Almost all of them were reposting this incident from today.
"Every single group is talking about the matters with Gao Zifan right now."
"Both about last year and this."
"That was Gao Zifan's own fault. It wasn't a big deal that he didn't do well but trying to blame that onto someone else was too far."
"That being said, his performance was awful. I am starting to wonder if he was the one who cheated on school examinations."
"Had we known, might as well have me in that last round." Liming's ranking was awful with Gao Zifan's series of mistakes.
Everyone started talking about it on their way out.
***
Watching as everyone left, Gao Zifan turned pale. He fell into a chair and had a look of fear.
"No! I can't let anyone else find out about this!" Otherwise, every accomplishment that he had at school, his image as a valedictorian, and his reputation as a heartthrob would all be in vain.
Gao Zifan was frantic.
He frantically pulled out his phone from his pocket and called up his father.
The Gao family has a wide network and they were also the sponsor of a few of the instructional items at school. It shouldn't be difficult for the Gao family to suppressed this incident and had the organizer shut down the announcement of the scores.
Nevertheless, nobody answered his call.
"What is going on?"
Gao Zifan phoned Gao Sheng's assistant.
This time, he was connected.
"Is my dad at the office? Why didn't he answer my call?" asked Gao Zifan.
"Something happened at the office. The president is taking care of them right now."
Gao Zifan frowned, "Then I will just tell you. You can go and take care of it for me."
"I'm sorry, Young Master. I really don't have time on my end."
Having said that, he didn't wait for Gao Zifan to say anything else before he hung up.
***
Over on this side, those from HSAU left the wait area laughing and chatting.
They also refresh from time to time to see when the scores and ranking from the event would be posted.
Suddenly, a news alert popped up on Yang Mengmeng's browser.
"Eh? Gao Sheng Corporation?" Reading the title, Yang Mengmeng lifted her brows and asked the person next to her. "Gao Sheng Corporation is located at City B, right? The one that own owns Kittu, the import mall?"
"I think so. Why? What's up?" The few next to her looked over.
"They are on the news. Something seemed to have happened," said Yang Mengmeng.
"Really? Let me see." The others, too, picked up their phone. Sure enough, the first notification was about Gao Sheng Corporation and from a few different applications as well.
"Oh shoot. I remember it now. Isn't this Gao Sheng Corporation Gao Zifan's family business?"
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, of course. My dad brought me with one to a banquet hosted by Gao Sheng Corporation and I saw Gao Zifan there." He then added, "No wonder I thought it looked familiar."
"What happened?" A few others clicked opened the article.
[Gao Sheng Corporation is under investigation for trafficking illegal products. All of their business lines are halted and all of their brick-and-mortar and online stores are shut down.]
The news comprised some 30 or so words and nothing else.
"That was so sudden......" lamented one of them.
"What kind of illegal products?"
"That's hard to say."
Normally speaking, however, the less words there were in a news article, the more serious the matters.
And judging from the scale of the event just from them being under investigation, it must be something serious.
"I guess the Gao family is done for then."
Not just the Gao family. Someone mentioned in the comment area below: The Lin Corporation, as a long-term partner of the Gao family was also dragged in. The rippling effects were quite far-reaching.