Three days passed in the blink of an eye. The self-inflicted bite wasn’t too severe, and the tooth marks were barely visible by Sunday afternoon.
To ensure she passed the check, Liu Xia tearfully gave herself another small chomp. She didn’t go for deep pressure, just enough to leave a mark that would last until the end of the morning—that would be enough.
The freshly added tooth mark was clearly visible. Liu Xia anxiously rolled up her sleeve, afraid Patron Mom would strike her down with a single accusation of “cheating.”
Fortunately, Patron Mom had a tiny bit of mercy. She merely glanced at the mark and let it go.
The sense of gratitude was like a rushing river.
Being injured and feeling utterly grateful for the criminal’s tiny bit of mercy—was this borderline Stockholm Syndrome?
She hadn’t expected that she, Liu Xia, a good and upstanding socialist youth, would one day contract such a trendy, cutting-edge syndrome.
Patron Mom, my integrity is almost shattered just to be your Ji-you, do you know that?
Regardless, Patron Mom had finally forgiven her. After the storm, the sky was vast and the sea was clear~
For the next half-month, Liu Xia was on cloud nine. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at six in the evening was her golden time to nurture her relationship with Patron Mom. She used every trick in the book to show meticulous care. The owner of the cake shop where she bought chocolate cake knew her by sight; the moment she showed up, he packed it up without even asking!
Although Patron Mom’s attitude remained icy, and she refused the chocolate cake eight out of ten times, giving the remaining two away to others, at least she accepted it sometimes. A cause for celebration!
Next week was the monthly exam again.
During Philosophy class, Gai Gai, as usual, hid her phone in her pocket, obsessing over her Xu Qinglan. Liu Xia shook her head speechlessly and nudged Hao Yan’s arm.
“Should I really go all out this time and get a good score, so Gu Lingluo will look at me differently?”
Hao Yan rolled her eyes at her. “A brain is a good thing. Please make sure to bring it with you every day.”
Liu Xia replied earnestly, “Beast language is not a universal language. Please speak in human terms.”
Hao Yan tapped the rhinestones on her fingernail, staying silent.
Liu Xia glanced at the teacher and whispered, “Give me an idea, already!”
Hao Yan offered a fake smile. “Human-animal communication is difficult. We can discuss it once I’ve learned the human language.”
This petty Hao Yan!
“Ouch! My eyes are blind. I mistook a fairy for a beast. I was wrong, okay?”
Hao Yan chuckled softly. “Fine, put your tail away. Don’t shake fur all over me! Think about it, why is Gu Lingluo tutoring you?”
“Because Mr. Seider gave the word.”
“Exactly. If you score too well, she’ll have an excuse with Mr. Seider. Aren’t you afraid she’ll declare mission accomplished and drop you?”
Liu Xia had considered this, but…
“If I score too poorly, won’t she think I’m hopeless? What if she just gives up on me?”
“So, you need to improve, but you can’t improve too much.”
“Then… what’s the right amount of improvement?”
Hao Yan: “5 to 8 points.”
What?!
Liu Xia wanted to throw her textbook.
“Do you think I’m a robot? A difference of just a few points—is that so easy to control?”
Hao Yan shrugged. “I’ve given you the idea. The rest is up to you.”
Sure enough, Ji-you’s are all fake! After all that talking, she still has to rely on herself?!
The third monthly exam ended. Liu Xia nervously opened her results slip. Before she could make out the score, Hao Yan and Gai Gai’s heads clustered over her shoulder.
Gai Gai rubbed her chin: “You’re finished.”
Hao Yan twirled her hair: “Truly finished.”
Liu Xia looked at the bright red score and also felt she was doomed.
14 points…
14→ Yao Si (Want Death).
What a stark, naked irony!
Heaven! Wants! Her! Dead!
It proved that controlling a score perfectly was not for ordinary people. She had originally calculated that, based on past probability, she would at least guess two or three of the questions she didn’t know correctly, keeping her known score at 18 points. That would put her total score at roughly 24-27 points—a perfect 5-8 point improvement over her last score of 19.
She never expected that!
None of her guesses were right, and she even got two of the questions she knew wrong?!
After a full month of tutoring, not only did she fail to improve, but she also caused Patron Mom to lose points on her regular grade for the third time…
Don’t stop me from jumping off a building!
Patron Mom, of course, scored her usual perfect grade. She was practically non-human. Ever since opening the results slip, Liu Xia hadn’t dared to look back, terrified of meeting her icy, sub-zero gaze.
The moment class ended, Liu Xia bolted out of the classroom. Avoid her now, deal with her later. Gu Lingluo was a woman of her word; she would definitely be at the library at six tonight. The priority now was to figure out how to beg for forgiveness with thorns on her back!
“Liu Xia!”
Carrying Hao Yan and Gai Gai limited her speed. Before she could even get out of the teaching building, she heard someone call her name. Fortunately, it was a male voice, or she’d have been scared to death.
Aside from the old locust tree incident, Patron Mom had never sought her out. If she did, it would likely be to pass a death sentence.
Living is nice. She didn’t want to die. She prayed Patron Mom would never seek her out!
Liu Xia kept moving but glanced back. It was Qi Fei.
“What is it? Do you need something?”
“Just wait a second!”
Wait? What kind of Spongebob Squarepants joke is that? Was she supposed to wait for an awkward encounter with Patron Mom?! She wanted to sprout wings and fly right now!
Liu Xia, still linked arm-in-arm with Hao Yan and Gai Gai, sped towards the door.
“Just say whatever you need to say. There are a lot of people here, stopping would bother everyone.”
“Then wait for me at the door. I have something to tell you!”
Liu Xia called back, “Okay!”
Her gaze flickered around. She didn’t see Patron Mom, but she did lock eyes with Flat Iron Hair, who was glaring at her.
What was her name again? Xiao something?
Wasn’t she Deng Jiali’s friend? The previous-previous campus belle didn’t hate her this much. Where did all her resentment come from?
Besides, she was old news now, wasn’t she? The new campus belle was Gu Lingluo! Her reign as “ex-campus belle” only lasted half a year.
The karma came so fast. Shouldn’t Flat Iron Hair be celebrating, clapping her hands, and scorning Deng Jiali? Why was she even more hateful toward Liu Xia?
Speaking of which, last time, Flat Iron Hair was so foolish as to openly provoke her in the lecture hall. Now, students saw her and walked around her. What was her motive?
Could it be…
While moving toward the door, her eyes darted between Flat Iron Hair and Qi Fei.
She thinks she understands.
Tsk! Love makes people temporarily insane. Unrequited love makes people perpetually idiotic. And unrequited love that fails spectacularly makes people instantly and outrageously stupid!
Flat Iron Hair, I’m not your love rival, I swear! Please hate someone else, thank you!
Outside the teaching building, Gai Gai swiftly departed. No matter how tight the schedule, she had to go to the city to glimpse her Lan Lan.
Gai Gai’s words: “If I don’t see her for a while, I feel a blockage in my chest. To prevent sudden death from a heart attack, I must go inhale some ‘Lan’ to ensure my life functions continue.”
Liu Xia only wanted to say one thing: Seriously ill!
Hopeless first love, it’s time to turn over a new leaf, my Gai Gai.
Hao Yan also ruthlessly abandoned her. “Qi Fei needs to talk to you, right? I’ll go first then.”
“What could he possibly need? Just a couple of words. Wait for me, and we’ll go eat together.”
Hao Yan waved without looking back. “Let’s not. If I’m any later, the braised pork ribs will be gone.”
She’s not even as important as a piece of pork rib? Huh?
One prioritized looks over friendship, and the other only cared about food. That their little boat of friendship hadn’t capsized was solely due to her good balance.