After confirming with 166 that this wasn’t part of her storyline, Jiang Qiao had no intention of going over to interrupt.
However, while she didn’t go looking for trouble, trouble always seemed to find her.
“Jiang Qiao? What a coincidence,” Song Qingying said while walking over. “I haven’t thanked you for last time yet. If you don’t mind, let me treat you to a meal.”
Treat my ass.
Before Jiang Qiao could refuse,
Jiang Chao sensed something and frowned gently. “What happened? Xiao Ying, what occurred?”
Song Qingying looked somewhat ashamed. “When I was working part-time, a customer gave me trouble.”
She turned to Jiang Qiao with a smile. “Thanks to classmate Jiang Qiao, she managed to make that customer leave with just a few words.”
The words of gratitude sounded strangely off.
Was this really something the kind and generous female lead would say?
166 immediately defended its female lead: [What’s wrong? She’s expressing gratitude! Look at you, overthinking again!]
?
Fine, fine, it’s always her fault.
Jiang Qiao was utterly speechless. Faced with Song Qingying’s “gratitude,” as the villainous female supporting character with supposedly low intelligence, she had to pretend not to detect the underlying meaning. “That’s because you’re stupid.”
Song Qingying’s face stiffened, looking embarrassed. Naturally, Jiang Chao couldn’t stand by. “Classmate Jiang, Xiao Ying is thanking you.”
Jiang Qiao remained unimpressed. “Teacher Jiang, I’m not deaf.”
I heard it, thanks!
Jiang Chao: “…………………”
His impression of this beautiful girl worsened further. However, aside from her poor tone, Jiang Qiao hadn’t said anything too excessive. He took a deep breath. “Let me treat Classmate Jiang to this meal as thanks for helping Xiao Ying.”
“No, no, Brother Jiang, how can I let you pay? This is my matter. If anyone should treat her, it should be me…”
“You said it yourself – you call me brother. Your matters are my matters.”
“But still…”
“Stop!” Jiang Qiao couldn’t listen anymore. “Why don’t you two just go eat together then.”
Treat, treat, treat my ass! They didn’t even ask if she wanted to eat before offering!
“I wouldn’t dare eat any meal you two offer.” She pointed at each of them in turn, smiling without warmth. “Teacher Jiang, we’re not familiar; Song Qingying, we’re enemies. Forcing ourselves to share a dining table would make everyone uncomfortable. Goodbye, no need to see me out.”
After speaking, she straightened her back and walked briskly past them.
The remaining two: “……………………”
Even after walking quite some distance, Jiang Qiao still felt irritated: [Those two were flirting right in front of me. So I’m just part of their play, huh?]
As if anyone didn’t know how close you two are.
[Don’t talk nonsense. It was just normal, polite conversation. The female lead only flirts with the male lead, thank you.] 166 corrected her wording seriously.
Electronic little idiot, Jiang Qiao rolled her eyes.
Lu Xun’s genius aura radiated wherever he went, even allowing those around him to benefit somewhat. After several tutoring sessions, Jiang Qiao finally achieved the excellent result of ranking 1,834th in the first mock exam.
Facing 166’s merciless laughter, Jiang Qiao responded like this: [Five high schools participated in the joint exam with over ten thousand candidates! Is ranking in the 1,000s easy? This is an outstanding result, outstanding!]
In the ranking column, “Lu Xun” firmly occupied first place with perfect scores in integrated science and mathematics, 148 in English.
Only his Chinese score dragged him down slightly, but for ordinary students, it was still an remarkably high score.
[So this is the male lead halo…], Jiang Qiao stared in disbelief. She knew Lu Xun was exceptional, but never imagined he could be this extraordinary. Were these even humanly achievable scores?
As the male lead, Lu Xun was this formidable—then what about Song Qingying as the female lead?
Her gaze traveled downward, finding Song Qingying’s name around the three-hundredth place with a total score over six hundred—still an impressive result.
Jiang Qiao’s remarkable progress sparked celebrations among her friends, who quickly organized a gathering. Upon hearing it was at Jiangnan Shore, she immediately refused: “Let’s pick somewhere else.”
“Why? Didn’t we just celebrate your birthday there? The food was quite good,” Ye Qingqing questioned, confused.
Exactly because of that, Jiang Qiao felt lingering apprehension. Though she considered Jiangnan Shore unlucky, saying so would surely make Ye Qingqing question her sanity.
“Going to the same place repeatedly is boring. Let’s just go to Red Pavilion.”
“Haven’t we been to Red Pavilion just as often?”
Jiang Qiao: “……” Someone’s learned to talk back.
They ultimately went to Red Pavilion, where a different male server stood at the front desk—less handsome than Lu Xun, without his height or physique.
Coincidentally, they encountered the bar manager instructing a staff member upon entry. Jiang Qiao walked past indifferently until something caught her ear. She halted abruptly: “What did you just say?”
“Someone’s giving Lu Xun trouble? What does that mean?”
Her face tense, Jiang Qiao ignored her friends’ protests and strode to the roadside to hail a taxi.
A light rain had begun falling, droplets streaking down the windows. Watching the receding scenery outside, her agitation gradually eased as the manager’s words echoed in her mind: “That Young Master Peng comes often with his friends, always deliberately causing trouble and demanding Lu Xun serve their drinks and snacks.”
Jiang Qiao frowned. “That’s not part of Lu Xun’s duties. Why comply just because he says so?”
The manager explained helplessly, “Young Master Peng warned that if Lu Xun refuses, he should watch his back on the way home……”
A group of spoiled young heirs cornering someone on the streets—they were capable of anything. Better to swallow pride and serve them, enduring some sarcastic insults.
He had advised Lu Xun to endure it, but Lu Xun voluntarily resigned.
Peng Yang wouldn’t randomly target people without reason—Lu Xun was suffering collateral damage because of her.
Without an umbrella, Jiang Qiao got out as the thoughtful taxi driver stopped outside the café. The taxi drove off, leaving her standing before the glass door. Her hand paused on the cold handle as she prepared to push.
Inside, Lu Xun wore a simple white sweatshirt with a black-and-red work apron tied at his waist. His back was to the door as he carried coffee. When someone spoke to him, he tilted his head slightly to listen, his profile calm and handsome.
Jiang Qiao’s eyes flickered. After a long moment, she slowly withdrew her hand.
In the café, Lu Xun’s heart gave a sudden leap. Sensing something, he turned toward the entrance—only to see continuous drizzle and the door chime swaying, its pleasant tinkling fading.
No one was there.
Lu Xun turned back.
The rain grew heavier, and a car sped past, splashing water half a meter high. Jiang Qiao swiftly blocked it with the umbrella she had just bought. “Damn it, have you no common decency? Did you learn nothing from the driving theory test? Don’t you know what ‘slow down’ means?”
She yelled until her voice grew hoarse, but the car had already vanished from sight.