I spent some peaceful days.

Soon, the school's art festival arrived.

Of course, it was up to the arts committee member, Liang Zhaodi, to organize the event.

Although I was skilled at playing the guzheng, I wasn't very interested in joining the festivities.

After the homeroom teacher announced the details of the art festival, I lowered my head and started reading a book.

But I knew that Liang Zhaodi wouldn't let me off easily.

"Song Zhi, I heard you can play the guzheng, so I've signed you up for the instrument performance," Liang Zhaodi said expectantly, holding the registration form, as if she really hoped I would represent the class in the performance.

"No, I don't want to waste time on this." Liang Zhaodi's cheeks turned red with embarrassment every time I refused so bluntly.

Liang Yaozu came over: "Song Zhi, you're also a part of our class. Representing the class in the performance brings glory to our class. It's a good thing, so let's sign you up."

Our classmates chimed in: "Is Song Zhi still upset about not being chosen as class monitor? Going against the Liang siblings."

"Maybe, she's very petty. Liang Zhaodi stained her clothes, and she insisted on being compensated."

"I heard the compensation was over 500 yuan, which is a month's living expenses for the Liang family."

...

"Since the class monitor has spoken, I can't be ungrateful. I'll sign up."

Liang Yaozu was clearly not expecting me to sign up. He looked at me in surprise.

And Liang Zhaodi stood behind him, staring at me with malice.

After I agreed to sign up, I practiced every afternoon for two class periods.

I've been learning the guzheng since I was a child, so I'm quite proficient.

However, the school planned to combine my performance with a dance, which required coordination with the dancing students.

Solo performance was easy, but a combined performance was challenging.

Soon, it was the day of the art festival.

Liang Zhaodi was chosen as the host of the art festival.

She wore a white formal dress with light makeup, speaking cautiously on stage.

She looked stiff and unnatural.

It was said that her mother came to the school and gave the principal several baskets of eggs, crying and wailing in the principal's office to secure the hosting opportunity for her.

It was almost time for me to go on stage.

I went to the small practice room to get my guzheng and take it to the auditorium.

However, when I opened the door, I saw that all the strings of my guzheng had been cut, and the fine wooden body had been slashed with a knife.

The guzheng was unusable.

It seemed someone wanted me to embarrass myself at the art festival.

I posted a photo of my guzheng in the class group chat.

The homeroom teacher, the class monitor, the students performing with me, and other classmates who weren't participating in the festival immediately came over.

"What happened? How did your guzheng end up like this?"

Liang Yaozu looked at my guzheng in shock and asked.

The girl performing with me immediately started tearing up. After all, we had practiced together for so long, and now this was the result.

A girl whispered, "Could it be Song Zhi herself? She didn't want to perform on stage, so she broke her guzheng."

"Yes, it's possible. She didn't want to bring honor to the class."

"Poor girl who practiced with her."

Liang Yaozu's eyes changed as he heard the murmurs behind him and looked at me.

The homeroom teacher glanced at those students.

"Don't speak without evidence."

"Song Zhi, did you go home after practicing last night?" Liang Yaozu asked.

"Yes, I did."

"Can anyone confirm that?"

"No."

"Class monitor, do you think I broke my own guzheng just to avoid performing?" I asked, looking into his eyes.

He hesitated: "I didn't mean that, just asking."

"If Song Zhi doesn't want to perform, that's her choice. Maybe she thinks we poor people aren't worthy of hearing her play."

As soon as he said that, I could feel the malicious stares from behind.

"Class monitor, do you think it was me?"

"Do you have evidence?"

Liang Yaozu touched his nose, avoiding my gaze.

"You have no evidence, but I do.

"I say it was our class's arts committee member."

I lightly stroked the guzheng strings and said lightly, but my gaze shot like an arrow.

"You're lying, my sister wouldn't do that."

Liang Yaozu's eyes were burning with anger.

"Song Zhi, just because you don't get along with Liang Zhaodi doesn't mean you should accuse her.

"She just stained your school uniform. You don't have to hold a grudge."

Liang Zhaodi's friends stood up for her.

The first half of the art festival ended, and Liang Zhaodi saw the messages in the group chat and came to the small practice room.

"Oh no, what happened?"

She looked at me with a pained and regretful expression.

"Stop pretending, Liang Zhaodi.

"You did this."

She looked at me innocently and firmly said, "Song Zhi, I didn't do it. Don't wrong me."

I smiled and asked, "I'll give you one more chance. If you admit it, you don't have to pay for the guzheng, just drop out."

Liang Zhaodi's eyes filled with tears: "It wasn't me, really."

The homeroom teacher looked at her pitifully: "Song Zhi, maybe it wasn't one of our classmates."

I didn't say anything. I slowly walked to the shelf beside the guzheng and took down a snowman-shaped doll.

I removed its head and took out a camera.

Then I turned on my phone and played the footage from last night.

Seeing this, Liang Zhaodi was stunned. Her face turned pale, and she wobbled.

Classmates and teachers crowded around to watch the footage.

9 PM.

Liang Zhaodi appeared in the video.

She entered the classroom with a venomous look on her face.

She took a sharp knife from her pocket.

"Song Zhi, you bitch, die."

One by one, she cut the strings of my guzheng.

It seemed that wasn't enough for her, so she started slashing the body of the guzheng.

"Liang Zhaodi, what do you have to say now?

"The guzheng was bought by my dad from abroad, costing about a hundred thousand yuan. Will you pay by card or cash?"

Liang Yaozu stood aside, his molars clenched tightly, his gaze murderous.

He resented my vigilance and his sister's stupidity for being caught so easily.

The classmates didn't dare say anything, knowing that all explanations were futile in the face of evidence.

At my insistence, the homeroom teacher eventually chose to call the police.

Liang Zhaodi was taken away by the police.

Damaging someone else's property can land you in a cell.

Before leaving, she tried to rush at me, but the police stopped her.

"Song Zhi, just you wait."

Yes, I'm waiting.

With no host, the homeroom teacher had the previous arts committee member, Shao Yingying, take over.

Soon it was my turn to perform.

Actually, I had prepared a backup guzheng. After practicing for so long, it would be a shame not to perform.

My partner and I coordinated well. I played "Three Variations of Plum Blossom," and she performed a traditional dance.

After the performance, there was enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Liang Yaozu was watching me from the audience with malice and resentment.