The Mighty Mage
Chapter 376: Off-Campus

Chapter 376: Chapter 376: Off-Campus

Wei Changsheng wasn’t in the state to answer. He curled up as if suffering great pain.

Gu Jin calmly took a photo of him and sent it to her mother.

A hint of excitement appeared in her eyes.

To be honest, if she wanted, she could have easily broken the protective barrier, after all, her plant element was on emperor level.

In front of emperor-level elements, high-level artifacts were just like baby toys.

However, she didn’t use her element at all.

Reason?

Ding.

A message appeared on Gu Jin’s phone. Her mother had replied,

’Who is he?’

Gu Jin immediately messaged her back,

’Oh, sorry, mother. He is some random guy, I was sending the photo to a police officer, but mistakenly I sent it to you.’

Her mother’s reply came almost instantly,

’Police? Why? Are you okay? Did something happen to you?’

’I am fine. He stole my shadow elemental stone and used it. I am reporting him to a police officer. I heard he comes from a prominent family. He even had bodyguards.’

Mrs. Gu who was sitting in the living room stood up after seeing Gu Jin’s message,

"How dare this bastard steal my daughter’s shadow stone! He even had bodyguards? Does that mean those bodyguards might have hurt my Jin’er?"

Mrs. Gu paced back and forth, her face red with anger and worry. She quickly called Gu Jin.

"Jin’er! Are you hurt? Tell me where you are right now! I’ll come there this instant!" Mrs. Gu’s voice was sharp but full of concern.

On the other end, Gu Jin sighed,

"Mother, calm down. I’m fine. He didn’t even scratch me. Don’t worry."

Mrs. Gu’s voice softened a little but still carried an edge.

"Fine? You’re telling me someone dared to steal from my daughter and you’re fine? This is unacceptable! I’m coming over."

Gu Jin chuckled lightly, trying to reassure her mother.

"Mother, really, it’s handled. He got what he deserved. Trust me, it’s under control."

But Mrs. Gu wasn’t convinced.

"What do you mean he got what he deserved? Did you beat him up? Call the police! No, wait, I’ll call the police!"

"I already sent his picture to the authorities. They’ll handle it. You don’t need to worry. Just relax. It is just...I feel sad." Gu Jin’s voice sounded a bit low.

Mrs. Gu immediately caught the change in Gu Jin’s tone. Her heart tightened.

"Sad? Why? What happened, Jin’er?" she asked, her voice softer now, filled with concern.

Gu Jin hesitated for a moment, then sighed dramatically.

"It’s just... you know, Mother, I always try to be strong, but sometimes it feels like no one cares about how hard things are for me."

Mrs. Gu’s protective instincts flared up instantly.

"What are you talking about? Of course, I care! You’re my precious Jin’er! Who dared to make you feel like this?"

Gu Jin sniffled a little, making her voice sound even softer.

"You say that, but... you didn’t even come here to check on me when I told you what happened. You’re always so busy."

Mrs. Gu froze.

"Busy? Me? Jin’er, you’re the most important thing in my life! I just didn’t want to crowd you. But if you need me, I’ll drop everything and come right now."

Gu Jin bit her lip, trying to hide a sly smile.

"No, no... it’s okay, Mother. I don’t want to bother you. I’ll just deal with it alone, like always."

Mrs. Gu gasped, guilt washing over her.

"Deal with it alone? Never! I’m coming right now. Stay where you are. I’ll bring some soup and your favorite snacks too. You’ve been through so much!"

Gu Jin’s voice turned sweet, but her face lit up with victory.

"Really? You’ll come? I’d feel so much better if you were here."

"Of course! Just hold on, my Jin’er. I’ll be there in no time," Mrs. Gu promised, already grabbing her purse and car keys.

As the call ended, Gu Jin smiled to herself, the sadness in her voice replaced by a playful smirk.

By the time Mrs. Gu arrived, her arms were full of food and comfort items.

She fussed over Gu Jin, checking her from head to toe as if searching for invisible injuries.

"Where is that thief now? Did the police arrest him yet?" Mrs. Gu asked, her eyes blazing with determination as she spooned soup into Gu Jin’s bowl.

Gu Jin leaned back, enjoying the attention.

"The police are handling it. Don’t worry about him, Mother. Just stay with me for a while."

Mrs. Gu nodded firmly. "I’ll stay as long as you need."

In the end, Mrs. Gu dragged Gu Jin to lunch, and even gave her a little pocket money.

Staring at 10 million yuan in her bank, Gu Jin feels her mood soaring.

"Don’t worry Jin’er, I will get compensation for you. I will also ask your father to teach that young master a good lesson." Mrs. Gu reassured.

Gu Jin nodded. She was a bit reluctant to part away from her mother, but she knew that she couldn’t stay away in the Gu Mansion, because of the university’s rule.

A trace of sadness flashed in her eyes.

If only...if only she had uncovered the truth earlier, and chose some ordinary university, she would be able to spend more time with her family.

With sadness, an idea appeared in her mind too.

What if she talked about it with the principal?

A little try won’t hurt.

After Mrs. Gu left, Gu Jin requested a meeting with the principal and expected a response after 5 days.

But to her surprise, her request was accepted within 1 hour.

Gu Jin walked inside Principal Lan’s office.

Principal Lan sat behind his desk, a polite smile on his face as he looked up at Gu Jin, who had just entered his office.

"Miss Gu," Principal Lan began, his tone polite yet curious. "It’s not often a student requests a personal meeting with me. May I ask what brings you here today?"

Gu Jin’s dark eyes met his without a hint of hesitation.

"Principal Lan, I recently discovered my real family. After so many years apart, I want to spend some time living with them. I was hoping you could make an exception and allow me to stay off-campus for a while."

Principal Lan’s smile faltered slightly, and he leaned back in his chair.

"Miss Gu, I understand how important family is. However, the university’s rules are quite strict.

All students, especially those in their first year, must live in the dormitories. Exceptions are rarely made, and I’m afraid this is one of those rules that cannot be bent."

Gu Jin’s expression didn’t change, but her voice carried a subtle edge as she pressed on.

"I understand rules are important, but surely there are situations where exceptions can be considered. My situation is unique.

Would it truly harm the university if one student stayed off-campus for personal reasons?"

Principal Lan shook his head.

"I sympathize with your position, Miss Gu, but these rules are in place for a reason. First-year students must participate in all aspects of dormitory life to build discipline and camaraderie.

If I allow this for you, others might ask for similar exceptions, and the structure we’ve built could crumble."

Gu Jin’s gaze didn’t waver, though disappointment flickered in her eyes. She remained quiet for a moment before nodding slightly.

"I understand, Principal Lan. Thank you for your time."

Without another word, she turned and left the office, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor.

As the door closed behind her, Principal Lan let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples.

He had barely composed himself when the sound of a door opening broke the silence.

A figure emerged from the attached bathroom, his movements casual and confident.

"Principal Lan," Long Yifan said, his voice light but carrying an undertone of authority.

"That was quite the performance, but I think you’ll have to reconsider your decision."

Principal Lan’s face darkened as he looked at Long Yifan.

"What are you talking about? You know the rules as well as I do. Gu Jin’s request is impossible to accept."

Long Yifan chuckled, stepping further into the room.

"Impossible? I don’t think so. If you don’t approve her request, I won’t be participating in the national championship this year."

The color drained from Principal Lan’s face.

"You can’t be serious, Yifan. The national championship is critical to our university’s reputation! Why would you jeopardize that over this?"

Long Yifan’s grin widened, his tone turning playful yet firm.

"And Gu Jin’s happiness is critical to me."

"Yifan, think like this...if she stays in the dormitory she will stay near you. If she stays off-campus, you won’t get much chance to meet her."

"I want her to be happy, and if that means letting her live with her family instead of staying here, then so be it." Long Yifan counterattacked with a smile.

Principal Lan’s frown deepened as he tried to reason with the stubborn student.