Chapter 2010 — The Mysterious Phone Call, Part Two
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
Still, on second thought, this could hardly be called a secret—Bai Weituo had made such a loud fuss posting about it on the campus BBS. Anyone who was a student at Donghai Engineering University would naturally know about it.
Having worked this out, Zhang Duopan subconsciously assumed it was a Donghai Engineering University student who had gotten hold of his phone number and was trying to swindle some money out of him. But the caller's words had interested him far too much, so he held back and did not hang up.
"Heh heh, Student Zhang, why the change of heart? Decided you want to hear me out?" the hoarse, rasping voice asked with a chuckle.
"You have a way to make me win first place? How much money do you want?" Zhang Duopan asked.
"If I wanted money, I'd have come to you in person. Why would I bother calling anonymously?" The rasping voice gave a faint laugh. "I don't want money. I just think you ought to take first place."
"No money? Then why are you helping me? Are you really that kindhearted?" Zhang Duopan asked, quietly on his guard.
"I'll be straight with you—I can't stand that Wei Zhao either. I don't want Wei Zhao's class taking the prize. Now do you understand?" The rasping voice had not expected Zhang Duopan to doubt him, and sounded somewhat exasperated.
"Oh? So you're an enemy of Wei Zhao's too. That's good, then." Hearing this, Zhang Duopan breathed a sigh of relief. "So tell me, what's your plan?"
"Simple. If Xu Shilan has a little mishap during her performance and flubs it, then even if she's a big star, the student council can't possibly give them first place. At most, for the sake of face, they'll throw them a consolation second or third place. But first place is out of the question! Awarding it to them would be blatant favoritism—whether the students would stand for it or not, the school authorities would never agree." The rasping voice rattled this off in one breath.
"What? You mean you want me to go make trouble?" Zhang Duopan more or less grasped the other's meaning. "But if I go make trouble and the school catches me, isn't that just digging a pit for myself? By the time they figure out the reason, sure, their act will have been ruined—but our class's act will be finished too."
"Heh heh, don't worry!" The rasping voice said, "I have my own clever scheme—otherwise I wouldn't have bothered calling you. My method will let you sabotage Xu Shilan's performance without a sound and without any responsibility. The school won't be able to pin the slightest trouble on you!"
"Really?" Zhang Duopan asked quickly. "Then tell me—what exactly do I have to do?"
"Very simple. Halfway through Xu Shilan's performance, you have someone—a girl, ideally—walk slowly across the stage in front of her, hair disheveled, wearing a black trench coat splashed with some red paint or fountain-pen ink to look like fresh blood..." the rasping voice said.
"Huh? What kind of trick is that? Is Xu Shilan supposed to take one look and be scared stiff?" Zhang Duopan was stunned. He didn't see anything special in the other's idea.
"Hmph. If you don't believe me, forget it. Pretend I never said anything." Hearing that Zhang Duopan was still second-guessing him, the rasping voice immediately grew displeased.
"It's not that I don't believe you—I just have to know why, don't I?" Zhang Duopan asked with a bitter smile.
"There is no why. I can't tell you the reason!" the rasping voice said. "All you need to know is that this will affect Xu Shilan!"
"All right, but what if the school starts asking questions?" Zhang Duopan asked, still somewhat worried.
"Are you dense? If they ask, just have the girl say it was her costume!" the rasping voice said impatiently.