The midterm exam results were out.
Xu Jia Ning was devastated.
For the entire afternoon, he laid his head on the desk without speaking to anyone, keeping silent.
The atmosphere was tense.
On the podium, Teacher Qin announced happily, "Xiao Yan is still the first place in our class and the whole grade. He is leading the second place by more than 20 points!"
Lin Chu Sui looked back at Xu Jia Ning.
No wonder this guy looked so upset. Turns out he was pulled behind by the top student by more than 20 points.
Teacher Qin continued, "The second place in the grade is from Class A. Xu Jia Ning ranked third in the grade. Although only third place, his total score has improved, which is still a very good result."
Lin Chu Sui was shocked.
So this guy...slipped one place in the ranking!
Lin Chu Sui still remembered that he had made a military order in front of Old Xu that if he didn't get first place, he would have to move to live with his mother.
It looked like he was really going to be kicked out this time.
Lin Chu Sui was quite happy that she finally didn't have to live under the same roof as this fake foreign devil, with him making a racket all day battling with her.
"Similarly, the polarization in our class is still severe. The scores of the top few students have single-handedly pulled up our class average, far ahead of other classes," Teacher Qin said.
As he glanced at Lu Chi and Lin Chu Sui, he sneered coldly, "So much so that the students at the bottom of the rankings, you few rat turds, your grades keep sliding lower and lower, yet you haven't affected our class's overall results. This is all thanks to the top students. Classmates, let's give them a round of applause."
Sparse applause rang out. Lin Chu Sui was quite delighted. She raised her hands above her head and led the cheers, shouting, "Great! Well done!"
"Top student rocks!"
Inspired by her, the other students also started clapping enthusiastically, the applause thunderous―
"Top student rocks!"
"Our class's high average is all thanks to the top student!"
Teacher Qin gave Lin Chu Sui a cold glance and muttered, "Shameless as a pig, not an ounce of self-awareness."
"Teacher Qin, Lin Chu Sui also did quite well this time," Lu Chi said. "From last place to second last, then to third last...that's very impressive, right? A few more spots and she'll be mid-ranked!"
Teacher Qin hated Lin Chu Sui through and through. Even though she did make huge progress this exam, only moving up a few spots in class but jumping 100 spots in the grade, scoring over 400 points.
"Lin Chu Sui's progress...is indeed very big."
Lin Chu Sui stood up and said with a smile, "Being able to make such big progress is completely due to my own efforts. Everyone can humbly learn from me."
From behind came someone's cold ridicule: "Trash."
"Compared to certain people whose total score went up but ranking went down, I'm quite happy being this trash."
After speaking, she smiled back at Xu Jia Ning.
Xu Jia Ning lowered his eyes expressionlessly at his exam paper and said flatly, "Who knows what tricks were pulled again. People like you have no bottom line and are capable of anything."
Lin Chu Sui was too lazy to waste her energy bickering with him. Anyway he didn't get first place in the grade and would be moving out soon.
She was elated.
Teacher Qin added, "Of course, Lin Chu Sui being able to improve so much is all thanks to sitting next to the top student in the grade, Xiao Yan. Learning by his side, her grades naturally went up."
Lin Chu Sui objected, "Teacher Qin, if you want to praise me then just praise me, why keep bringing up others?"
Teacher Qin: "I have no intention of praising you. You're the one singing your own praises."
Fine.
Lin Chu Sui was in a good mood today and wouldn't stoop to the level of these commoners.
After school, she took out a gift box from her schoolbag and said to Xiao Yan beside her, "Top student, this is a gift for you to show my gratitude for your help these days."
Xiao Yan glanced at the exquisitely wrapped box in her hand: "Store bought or homemade?"
"Of course it's homemade! Handmade!"
"Oh, then I don't want it."
Lin Chu Sui: ...
Do you have to be so pragmatic.
"Top student, just take a look."
Xiao Yan accepted the box and opened it. His originally expressionless eyes turned even colder as he handed the box back to Lin Chu Sui, "May I ask, what is this?"
Lin Chu Sui took out the QR code plaque inside the box, "I specially customized this payment QR code for you! In the future when you get business, you don't need to add those girls one by one on WeChat to transfer money. Just take out this QR code, so convenient!"
Xiao Yan: ......
Lin Chu Sui hung the QR code plaque on a blue lanyard around Xiao Yan's neck.
On the back of the QR code, Lin Chu Sui had photoshopped a picture she secretly took of him cooking braised meat into a publicity photo in successful entrepreneur style. Below was a line of text―
"Perseverance leads to success, believe in yourself, you can do it!!"
With a row of flashy bold exclamation points.
After hanging the plaque around his neck, Lin Chu Sui said, "Top student, remember to keep this QR code business card with you at all times. I guarantee business will come rolling in and you'll make big profits."
"Top student, why are your eyes red? Are you so touched you're crying?"
Xiao Yan glanced at the task progress bar in the bottom right corner: 34%.
He could still endure...
That night after school, Lu Chi lamented that if Lin Chu Sui and Xiao Yan continued sitting together, he could only go to Beida Qingniao University alone.
Lin Chu Sui asked him, "What do you think of North City University of Science and Technology?"
"You mean the private college under North City University of Science and Technology? With your grades...you still have a long way to go."
"No, not the private college, North City University of Science and Technology itself."
Lu Chi was silent for a bit before nodding solemnly, "Believe in yourself, perseverance leads to success."
"So you mean as long as I work hard, I can do it, right?"
"I think you can do it in your next life."
"......"
"Let's go to the internet cafe for an all-nighter."
"Let's go."
"I'm not going. Lin Chu Sui quickened her pace to leave, "Going home to do homework."
"You're really planning to apply to North City University of Science and Technology?"
"Yes!"
"Why don't we set a smaller goal first, get into a third-tier university?"
Lin Chu Sui flashed him a friendly middle finger over her shoulder as she walked away.
...
When Lin Chu Sui got home, Xu Jia Ning's luggage was already packed in the living room.
He was more meticulous than a girl when it came to living habits, so he had a lot of stuff, two big suitcases full.
Fang You Yi was very reluctant for Xu Jia Ning to leave and tried to persuade Xu Song Bai, "It's just one spot lower in the rankings, but his total score improved. There's no need to be so harsh."
Xu Song Bai said, "He promised to get first place in the grade, but not only did he fail to get first place, he slipped to third. A man should keep his word. Making promises you can't keep is the biggest taboo in business. How will he establish himself in the future?"
"You also said he's never lived over there before. Going now...may not be so convenient."
"What's inconvenient about it? The mother should be taking on the responsibility of caring for the child. I've been raising him alone all these years. Does the mother not have any responsibility at all?"
Fang You Yi sighed. Of course she was thrilled about Lin Chu Sui's academic improvement, the happiest she'd been in almost two years.
But considering Xu Jia Ning's unhappiness earlier, she didn't outwardly show her delight too overtly in consideration of Xu Song Bai's feelings.
Taking advantage of the situation, Lin Chu Sui made a small request to Fang You Yi, hoping to rejoin the school sports team.
"No way," Xu Song Bai immediately rejected it. "You've finally made some progress in your grades. Now you must focus all your energy on studying instead of messing with sports."
"I don't need your approval." Lin Chu Sui held Fang You Yi's hand and pleaded coquettishly, "Mom, please let me go back to training. I promise my grades won't drop and I won't spend too much time, just practice a bit every day after school."
Fang You Yi hesitated, "What your Uncle Xu said makes sense. You're in 12th grade. You should be focusing more on studying."
"My dad said to just do what I love. If I love studying, study hard. If I love sports, run my hardest. As long as I'm on the path I love, that's being my best self."
“Do you really like sports?” Fang Youyi questioned doubtfully, “I feel like you’re just trying to avoid studying by doing sports. And then you use being lazy every day to avoid the team’s training. Don’t think I don’t know what you’ve been doing these past two years.”
Lin Chusu looked at her firmly and said, “From now on, I absolutely won’t avoid it anymore.”
The regret from that marathon and the pouring rain had caused her to grow and sober up a lot.
After dad left, she had been fighting solo and stumbling along, becoming more and more unrecognizable.
But she couldn’t meet the people she cared about in life with this “unrecognizable” face.
She really wanted to change for the better. Really wanted to change for the better.
“Mom, I really won’t be like I was in the past anymore.”
“Alright.” Fang Youyi relented, “As long as you know the path you want to take and walk down it firmly, mom will support you no matter what.”
Fang Youyi had always spoiled Lin Chusu more than disciplined her. Although this spoiling had also made her willful again and again.
But she was still her only daughter. Losing her father so young made Fang Youyi even more doting.
Xu Songbai had wanted to say something more originally, but seeing Fang Youyi’s mind was made up, he kept silent.
...
The next day, Lin Chusu got up bright and early, and went downstairs to wash up in an extremely carefree mood.
The auntie had already prepared a sumptuous breakfast on the table, with milk, eggs, and toast.
In the past, every morning when Lin Chusu came downstairs, she would always see Xu JiaNing sitting neatly in the chair drinking coffee, one hand holding a copy of Dream of the Red Chamber, sunlight shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows landing perfectly on his cheek.
What a pretentious fake foreign devil, deeply versed in the essence of showing off.
But now, the table was empty and bare, no one to bicker with. Lin Chusu ate breakfast alone feeling rather lonely. Her previously cheerful mood seemed to have vanished into thin air, always feeling like something was missing.
It couldn’t be that...she missed Xu JiaNing a little bit right?
Lin Chusu immediately denied this preposterous idea.
Most likely just not used to it yet.
...
Xu JiaNing always came to the classroom early to read, but today he broke his usual routine, arriving almost exactly at the morning reading bell.
His condition also seemed rather poor, hair a bit messy, eyes swollen, faint dark circles under his eyes.
He even...hadn’t shaved off the stubble on his chin cleanly.
He was usually someone who paid close attention to his outward appearance. At home, he would not spend less than 10 minutes in front of the mirror every morning, tidying himself up properly before going out.
Even Lu TianBai noticed Xu JiaNing’s off mood today, looking back at him worriedly—
“What’s wrong with brother JiaNing today?”
Lin Chusu said softly, “No makeup, bare face appearance, this is what he actually looks like.”
“Brother JiaNing’s original appearance is so wild!”
“Disappointed, little girl?”
Lu TianBai shyly shook her head, “What I like is not one side of him, I like every side of him.”
Lin Chusu gave her a thumbs up.
...
Xu JiaNing was in an extremely bad mood. He usually loved to raise his hand and answer questions in class, especially Chinese class when they talked about ancient literature and poetry he was most interested in. He always had his own thoughts and insights.
Today’s Xu JiaNing was completely subdued.
After class, Lin Chusu moved closer to Xu JiaNing and smiled, “Not accustomed to the environment at your mom’s place?”
“Very happy there.” Xu JiaNing kept his head down doing workbook questions, didn’t even lift his head. “Not having to live under the same roof as a certain annoying person, I don’t know how carefree that is.”
“Is that so.” Lin Chusu looked at him doubtfully. “Does your mom welcome you there? Didn’t you say she hadn’t even seen you for many years?”
Xu JiaNing put down his pen and swept Lin Chusu a glance with his narrow eyes, “What, little sister is concerned about me?”
“I just want to know if you’re doing well or not.”
“Whether I’m doing well or not, what does it have to do with you?”
Lin Chusu laughed, “If you’re doing well over there, I’ll definitely think of ways to get uncle to take you back. If you’re not doing well, then I can rest easy.”
“Lin Chusu, I really dislike you.”
“It’s not like I like you either.”
“Scram.”
“You scram.”
...
After bickering a few lines, they finally found that familiar feeling again. Lin Chusu was very satisfied turning back around.
Right then, Xiao Yan happened to come over to check on her homework progress. Caught off guard, when Lin Chusu turned around, her lips lightly brushed past his nose.
Xiao Yan clearly felt his nose go cold, the soft touch of the girl’s lips made his whole body tingle.
Looking at Lin Chusu again, she had suddenly covered her mouth with her hand, staring at Xiao Yan with wide eyes, unbelieving.
The two looked at each other for two awkward seconds under the bizarre atmosphere, then went back to their own matters, pretending nothing had happened.
A few minutes after class started, Xiao Yan saw Lin Chusu post a message in the “South City No. 1 Middle School It Girl Group”—
“Help! Mr. Genius just tried to steal a kiss from me!”
Seeing this message, Xiao Yan looked at the blushing red Lin Chusu again. He didn’t know whether he should remind the silly forgetful her that he...was also in the group.
After school at night, Lin Chusu wanted to tail Xu JiaNing to see what his mom’s place was like.
She wanted to see with her own eyes how destitute Xu JiaNing’s life was living under someone else’s roof. As long as she knew he wasn’t doing well, she could be at ease.
But Lin Chusu didn’t have a bike, so she commandeered classmate Genius to ride his bike giving her a lift.
Classmate Genius had wanted to refuse originally, but Lin Chusu put her palms together and gave him an extremely exaggerated cute act, “Pretty please?”
Somehow classmate Genius agreed.
But the condition for agreeing to tail someone was that Lin Chusu had to be the one riding.
“Are you even a man or not!”
“I am, but I’m not physically well.”
“If you’re this weak, how will you find a girlfriend in the future?”
“That’s why I need to find a girlfriend who’s physically fit, right?”
“...”
Xu JiaNing rode past the two of them on his bike.
Lin Chusu was too lazy to bother talking. She jumped on the bike to chase after him, openly tailing him the whole way.
Xu JiaNing’s mother lived in South City International Community, a high-class small district. All large sized, single story homes, belonging to the high quality reformed housing South City had built these last few years.
The conditions weren’t bad at all, not one bit worse than Lin Chusu’s villa.
Xu JiaNing had just walked to the entrance, about to swipe his card to go in, when a few seven or eight year old kids rushed over to block Xu JiaNing’s path.
The kid in front wore an Ultraman outfit and held a water gun, repeatedly spraying water at Xu JiaNing, “Beat you to death! Beat you to death!”
Caught off guard, Xu JiaNing raised his hands to block, but the top half of his school uniform got soaked. His hair also got wet.
The key was, the water in this kid’s water gun was muddy water. He got Xu JiaNing completely covered in mud.
Xu JiaNing was an extremely clean person. Getting his clothes suddenly dirty like this, he yelled angrily, “Zhu ZiQi, what are you doing!”
“Get out of here! I won’t let you in my house!”
“Let me through.”
“Get out get out!”
This boy named Zhu ZiQi was apparently Xu JiaNing’s younger brother. He glared fiercely at Xu JiaNing, “Mom said she only loves me. I don’t want you coming to take mom’s love. She’s my mom, not yours! Get out of my house!”
“Whether I get out or not isn’t up to you.”
“I won’t let you in!”
Zhu ZiQi spread his arms wide, blocking the entrance of the residential area, “This isn’t your home! Get back wherever you came from! Otherwise I won’t be polite with you!”
Xu JiaNing wasn’t one to take things lying down. He sneered coldly, “What can a little brat like you do to not be polite with me? Are you going to hit me or something?”
Zhu ZiQi and the other kids exchanged looks, then all took out slingshots from their bags, aiming at Xu JiaNing, “Hit him!”
“Beat him to death!”
The elastic bands on the slingshots were extremely powerful. Xu JiaNing wasn’t able to dodge in time and a rock hit his forehead, hurting badly.
Lin Chusu really couldn’t stand watching anymore. She hurriedly threw down the bike, rushed over and grabbed Zhu ZiQi’s slingshot, throwing it into the sculptured fountain by the entrance.
Zhu ZiQi was furious. He scratched and bit Lin Chusu, “Pay me back for my slingshot! Pay me back pay me back!”
“I’ll pay back your mom!”
Lin Chusu grabbed Zhu ZiQi by the collar and directly threw him out, making him fall to the ground.
The children around saw Zhu ZiQi being bullied and wanted to come forward to help him. But seeing Lin ChuSui's ferocious look, they didn't quite dare and blamed her in unison, "How can you bully people! Adults shouldn't bully kids!"
"So what if I bully you? You're just a bunch of cowards who only dare to bully the meek." Lin ChuSui clapped her hands, "Not only do I like to bully kids, I also enjoy beating up naughty brats. Come on if you don't agree!"
The children were frightened by Lin ChuSui's ferocity and scattered in a panic.
Zhu ZiQi was spoiled at home and naturally had never suffered such grievance before. He wailed loudly as he charged at Lin ChuSui again.
Lin ChuSui kicked him away, controlling her strength so he wasn't injured, but it was enough to make him suffer.
The child sat on the ground bawling loudly.
Just then, Zhu ZiQi's grandmother, who was square dancing in the courtyard, came rushing over like the wind when she heard the cries. She shielded her grandson.
"How dare you bully my grandson! I...I'll beat you to death!"
Saying so, the old woman who had lost her senses, took off her shoe and charged at Lin ChuSui.
Lin ChuSui snatched away her shoe and threw it into the fountain: "I'm not someone who plays by reason. Since I can fight a child, I can also fight an old person. Don't provoke me."
The old woman sat down on the ground and started wailing loudly, "This is terrible! Bullying people! Assault!"
"That's right, I bullied and hit you! So what! Cry louder, let's see who loses face."
"What kind of person are you! On what basis did you hit our precious A'Bao!"
Lin ChuSui pulled Xu Jia Ning behind her, "Take a good look, he's our brother! Your spoiled brat sprayed dirty water on our brother and shot him with a slingshot until his forehead swelled up! Our brother has high IQ. If he gets beaten into an idiot, I'll twist your brat's head off!"
Xu Jia Ning's mouth twitched. "I won't become an idiot."
"Shut up!"
...
Xiao Yan leaned against the fountain with folded arms, watching from the sidelines.
The corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
The young girl's uniform collar was askew, and her delicate features seemed all the more aggressive because of her arrogance.
For some reason, Xiao Yan felt his heartbeat quicken.
He had been bullied by a group of kids like this when he was in the orphanage. After finally enduring until he was adopted by a family, he was bullied again by the seemingly gentle and kind "dad and mom". Later he was bullied by people in society...
He understood that helpless feeling of anger suppressed in one's heart all too well.
Not having the ability to protect oneself, let alone protect others.
In the past few years, Xiao Yan had thought he would like gentle, charming women like his sister.
But at this moment, he finally realized, damn gentle and charming.
The unreasonable and wild Lin ChuSui was his ideal woman.
Lin Xiuze: ?
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