Su Lingxi was in her second year of junior high this year. Junior high was a two-year program, so barring any surprises, she would take the junior-to-senior high entrance exam next year and officially become a high school student.
But becoming a high school student wasn’t anything new or exciting, because the town’s junior and senior high shared the same campus—only the classes were different.
Su Xinghui, in her second year of senior high, Class 2, was right next door to Ling Xi’s class. In the past, she had often come looking for the original owner, putting on a show of sisterly affection while actually dropping insinuating remarks that led everyone to believe the original owner was stupid, weak, and a jinx.
So when Ling Xi walked into Class 1 of junior high year two, no one paid her any attention or showed any surprise. Everyone wore indifferent expressions, and the occasional whisper carried a trace of ill intent.
Finding her seat in the last row, Ling Xi had just sat down when she heard a complaint: “So annoying! I’m going to have bad luck again! Couldn’t she just stay home? Why does she have to come out and wreck other people’s lives?”
The voice was loud, drowning out the chatter of the whole class. It came from the desk in front of Ling Xi.
Ling Xi remembered her. Her name was Chen Xingzi, from Huaijun Village—sharp-tongued and fond of gossip, and not well liked by her classmates.
Of course, compared to the original owner, her popularity was actually quite good.
In the original owner’s memory, Chen Xingzi was one of the main forces bullying her. Whenever anything went wrong, she would blame the original owner for her bad luck. Over time, everyone came to believe that getting close to the original owner would bring misfortune, and they couldn’t wait to keep their distance from her.
Sure enough, as soon as Chen Xingzi finished speaking, her deskmate Wang Xiaoqing turned around and snapped at Ling Xi: “Are you deaf? Get away from us right now!”
The original owner had always been a pushover like this—anyone could push her around, and she never dared fight back.
But Ling Xi was not someone who let people walk all over her. She coldly lifted her eyelids. “Taking up that much space—are you two planning to raise pigs?”
Hearing her actually talk back, the whole class froze for a moment and turned to look at her in unison, as if wondering whether she’d taken the wrong medicine.
Looking closely, everyone noticed she really did seem different. She’d gotten plumper, taller, and her complexion had improved—but no matter what, she was still the skinny, plain-looking Su Lingxi. When had she gotten so bold?
Chen Xingzi was even more furious. She turned around and glared viciously, slapping her dark, claw-like hand on Ling Xi’s desk with a smack. “What did you say? How dare you call me a pig?!”
“I didn’t say anything—you said it yourself.” Ling Xi calmly took out her books. “But even if you are a pig, you’re an ugly pig with a filthy mouth and terrible luck.”
Such harsh words made Chen Xingzi frantic with rage. “You’re lying! It’s because of you that I’ve had bad luck—you jinx!”
That was exactly what she’d been waiting for.
Ling Xi sneered. “How funny. If I’m a jinx, how come I never have bad luck? This jinx thing—who knows who it really is…”
Her luck only turned especially bad when she was near the female lead while the female lead was having good fortune. But no matter how close Su Xinghui got, she was in a different grade, and there were few chances for them to be together. Ling Xi had never once made a fool of herself at school.
Thinking about it, everyone realized—true, everyone said Su Lingxi was a jinx, but had anyone actually seen her suffer misfortune? She was just a bit sickly, that was all. Look at her now—rosy-cheeked and relaxed—she really didn’t look like a hapless jinx at all.
Then what about those people who go around all day complaining about their bad luck? Maybe they’re the real jinxes!
Some quick-thinking classmates had already started recalling who always talked about being unlucky, quietly preparing to stay away from them.
Even Wang Xiaoqing, who had just been speaking up for Chen Xingzi, scooted her chair away, as if afraid of catching bad luck.
Chen Xingzi panicked instantly. She wanted to explain that she just looked down on Su Lingxi, that she wasn’t really that unlucky—but the words died in her throat. One look at everyone’s eyes told her they wouldn’t believe her, just as no one had ever believed Su Lingxi.
Anxious and aggrieved, she sobbed until she could barely catch her breath, but no one felt the slightest sympathy for her.
Ling Xi snorted coldly. Let’s see who dares to call themselves unlucky again!
Maomao came in together with Su Miaomiao. Su Miaomiao was as selfish and snobbish as her mother, fawning after Maomao all day long, bent on bonding with the village chief’s granddaughter—completely different from how she treated Ling Xi, with whom she never had a pleasant word.
But Maomao clearly liked Ling Xi better. The moment she entered, she ran over to Ling Xi’s seat. “Xiao Xi, you’re finally here! Walking home together today?”
Ling Xi actually quite liked this round-faced girl, and nodded with a smile. “Sure, I’ll wait for you after school.”
Su Miaomiao shot Ling Xi a venomous glare, then turned and went back to her own seat.
The teaching standards in town were truly mediocre, and with teachers not daring to discipline students strictly during this special period, most people were there more to hang out with their friends than to study—schoolwork was the last thing on their minds.
In an environment like this, Ling Xi, listening attentively and taking notes, was a breath of fresh air.
Maomao was amazed that her friend had suddenly changed, and picked up her textbook to compliment her—but the moment she opened it, she furrowed her brow. “Xiao Xi, your handwriting… it’s way too ugly…”
Ling Xi had never been so embarrassed.
She rubbed her nose guiltily. It wasn’t her fault, though! She’d never written before—how was she supposed to know it would be this hard?
“I’ll practice and get better!” she vowed earnestly.
“Of course, I believe you, Xiao Xi.”
Ling Xi: “…” You clearly don’t.
After the morning’s events, her classmates’ attitudes toward Ling Xi began to shift. Though they still didn’t quite dare talk to her, they no longer avoided her like the plague.
Ling Xi had only come to study, not to make friends, and this social distance suited her just fine.
That evening, walking home with Maomao, Su Miaomiao trailed behind them sullenly, coughing pointedly again and again—only to earn a single remark from Ling Xi: “If you’re sick, stay away. Don’t infect Maomao and me.”
Su Miaomiao swallowed a bellyful of anger, and the moment she got home, she dragged Wang Guiqiu aside to secretly tattle.
But Wang Guiqiu, for once, didn’t curse up a storm—instead she smiled mysteriously. “All right, all right. She’ll get what’s coming to her soon. Mama will stand up for you!”
Mother and daughter were cut from the same cloth; Su Miaomiao caught on immediately. “What happened? Mama, did something happen? Tell me!”
Ignoring their gloating looks, Ling Xi was heading back to the second household’s quarters when Su Xinghui came running up, looking at her with guilt and self-reproach. “I’m sorry, Xiao Xi, I didn’t mean it…”
One look at that expression and you knew she was about to stir up trouble again.
Ling Xi showed no courtesy to this two-faced female lead. “Save it. You meant it.”
Then she opened the door and went straight inside, giving the other girl no chance to explain.
Su Changhe wasn’t there, but Yu Lian was sitting at the edge of the kang, shedding tears. When she saw her come in, she quickly wiped her eyes.
“Mom, why are you crying?”
“Xi’er,” Yu Lian paused, seemingly unsure of how to say it, before continuing, “Su Xinghui took a package from outside this afternoon and delivered it to your grandmother’s place. I only just found out. That package was the one the soldier gave you last time…”
“No wonder!” No wonder Su Xinghui had been putting on that act earlier.
Ling Xi didn’t need to guess to know what had happened next. Her mother must have gone to Old Mrs. Su to ask for the package, only to be scolded and sent away, which was why she was wiping away tears here.
Her eyes darkened. When someone was bent on courting death, even eight horses couldn’t drag them back.