Do You Dare Admit It

"Professor Lily!" Lola called out, a bit anxious.

But Professor Jade Evans remained seated, perfectly composed, gently shook her head, and held tightly onto Lola's wrist, refusing to let go.

Beside them, Henry Thompson grew nervous and stepped forward, tugging at Louis Lee: "Louis, you're drunk. You're making a scene in front of everyone. Let me help you downstairs to rest."

Louis Lee burst out laughing, shook off Henry Thompson's hand, his eyes wide as he stared at Professor Jade Evans: "Professor Jade Evans, if you value honesty so much, do you dare tell everyone the truth? Admit to everyone that the famous Professor Jade Evans is, in fact, a woman!"

The moment Louis Lee said this, the entire banquet erupted. Several people were so startled their hands shook, causing cups to drop to the floor:

"Professor Jade Evans is a woman!?"

"That can't be true! Most women are supposed to be virtuous and uneducated—how could a woman be so brilliant?"

"Exactly! Professor Jade Evans is a once-in-a-generation genius. How could a woman have such a mind?"

Henry Thompson's expression turned cold as he tried to drag Louis Lee away: "Louis, what nonsense are you spouting? Come downstairs with me!"

But Louis Lee was surprisingly strong, broke free from Henry, rushed forward, and stared at Professor Jade Evans, questioning word by word: "Professor Jade Evans, aren't you always preaching honesty? Now that I've exposed your true identity as a woman, are you going to keep deceiving everyone? Ha! Turns out you're just a hypocrite who says one thing and does another. You don't even dare admit who you really are—how disgraceful!"

Professor Jade Evans stared steadily at Louis Lee, her heart surging with waves of emotion. She finally understood—this banquet was a setup. Louis Lee had been waiting here just to expose her!

Louis Lee spoke with absolute certainty, and the entire hall fell silent, watching the confrontation between Professor Jade Evans and Louis Lee.

Henry Thompson clasped his hands and said to Professor Lily Evans, "Professor, Louis Lee truly cannot hold his liquor. When he drinks too much, he starts spouting nonsense and has offended you. Please forgive him. You are a master of your generation—what Louis Lee said about you being a woman is utter nonsense. Please don't take his drunken words to heart."

But Louis Lee threw his head back and laughed, pointing at Professor Jade Evans, shouting repeatedly, "Hypocrite! Hypocrite! Bah!"

The banquet hall descended into chaos. Most of the students and civil officials began criticizing Louis Lee for his nonsense, but what Professor Jade Evans heard most clearly was the crowd's scorn for women.

To them, it was only natural that Professor Jade Evans must be a man—otherwise, how could a woman be so intelligent and accomplished?

Listening to their words, full of disdain and contempt for women, Professor Jade Evans sighed softly.

In this world, simply being born a woman was an original sin.

Stupid, ignorant, useless at reading—these and countless other insults were used to describe women. No one would ever acknowledge that women could possess the same intelligence and talent as men.

Professor Jade Evans looked at the room full of men, brimming with pride in their gender. She sighed, then raised her hand and gave a gentle wave.

That effortless wave of her hand seemed to carry immense power, instantly silencing everyone in the hall.

Professor Jade Evans slowly rose to her feet, looked around, taking in the certainty on everyone's faces that Professor Jade Evans must be a man, and the scorn and provocation on Louis Lee's face.

She spoke slowly, and every eye in the room focused on her elegant, expressive lips.

Her clear, calm eyes shone as she said, "What Louis Lee just said, that I am a woman... is simply the truth."