22 – Thought I was already used to it
Jin Zhi’s hands gripped the edges of the dining table tightly, his expression twisted in agony as if he were struggling, leaving everyone both puzzled and frightened.
“What’s wrong with this mad dog again… Is he about to lose it?”
“Oh my god… Hey, Fu Yao, come over quick… He’s going to bite someone again!”
…
Jin Zhi felt every cell in his body revolting with disgust.
A voice inside him screamed: “Don’t get close to anyone—they’ll only hurt you!”
He took another heavy breath, his eyes bloodshot.
Fu Yao never expected that her casual question, born of curiosity, would push Jin Zhi into such a state. She leaned closer to check on him, only for Jin Zhi to glare at her.
Those eyes—terrifyingly, unnaturally red.
It stunned Fu Yao.
Realizing he had frightened her, Jin Zhi wrestled with fear, guilt, and sorrow before muttering hoarsely,
“Sorry…”
Without hesitation, he fled the scene. The others quickly stepped aside, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
Fu Yao had no time to react or stop him. All she saw… was a fresh, warm drop of liquid on the table where Jin Zhi had been sitting.
Had he… cried?
Fu Yao’s mind was in turmoil. She sank back into her chair, expression grave.
“What exactly happened to Jin Zhi at the orphanage?”
She sensed this could be a major breakthrough.
But breaking through that barrier seemed incredibly difficult.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, unsure what to do next.
She rarely encountered situations that left her stumped—yet now, aside from the orphanage with no witnesses, she had no leads.
After a while, Fu Yao slowly left the cafeteria.
Just outside, her phone rang.
Fu Yao glanced at the screen—it was Fu Chengyu.
She pinched her brow, already bracing for bad news.
Fu Chengyu had never truly cared for her. Since childhood, his world revolved solely around endless work and himself.
He felt no affection for her mother either—she was merely a stepping stone to climb higher.
So when her mother tried to take her own life, bringing Fu Yao along, he simply remarked afterward, “Noted.”
Noted—
How effortlessly those words came, as casual as eating or drinking.
Fu Yao answered the call, holding the phone to her ear.
Fu Chengyu’s voice came through: “Settled into the new school?”
Fu Yao: “Mm.”
His tone turned sharp with anger: “What did you do to upset your Aunt Jiang this time? Haven’t I told you repeatedly not to provoke her? Don’t add to my stress—every second of my work matters. I won’t waste time on your petty dramas!”
Fu Yao remained expressionless, letting out a cold scoff.
What did she say?
Still, if Jiang Liqin was playing the victim first, she deserved a lesson.
“Instead of calling me, you should keep your wife from eyeing my belongings. After all, if my life turns shabby, the Fu family’s reputation won’t look too good either.”
Hearing this, Fu Chengyu’s voice turned dangerous: “Are you threatening me?”
Fu Yao chuckled lightly, “How could that be, my dear Mr. Fu? How would I dare threaten you? After all, I’ve never given you any reason to worry since I was little—always been a good kid. How could I ever defy you? I’m just suggesting that instead of questioning me, you might want to keep a closer eye on your own family, so you don’t accidentally harm good people.”
“Oh, and by the way, two months ago, Fu Yi got into a fight and broke someone’s leg. The other family didn’t make a fuss because your dear wife used my living expenses to cover their medical bills and even took your precious watch to apologize and settle it privately. So, technically… you owe me a favor. But who am I to complain? As a good girl, it’s my duty to help Mr. Fu solve problems and reduce trouble.”
If you show no kindness, don’t blame her for being ruthless. As for trustworthiness… Fu Yao never bothered with trash like that.
Sure enough, when Fu Chengyu heard this news, he was both confused and furious. After a moment of simmering, he finally replied to Fu Yao with a few words.
“You’d better not be lying to me!”
“And also, do well on the entrance exam tomorrow. Don’t embarrass me.”
“Beep, beep-beep-beep—”
The other end hung up.
Fu Yao stared at her phone for a long while, then couldn’t help but sneak back to the corner where she had watched the cat with Jin Zhi earlier. She pulled a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from her pocket, lit one, and placed it between her lips. Sitting on the ground, her eyes slightly moist, she gazed blankly into the distance.
She thought she’d already grown used to it.
The flickering ember glowed through the haze, shimmering in the deserted grove.
…
There was no evening self-study session that night. Fu Yao returned to her dormitory and lay down almost immediately.
Everyone else was diligently reviewing their lessons.
But Fu Yao only felt exhausted—the kind of weariness that seeped deep into her bones.
…
The next morning, for the exam, Fu Yao put on her school uniform from No. 1 High School.
Truth be told, the uniform wasn’t ugly at all. In fact, it was considered the best-looking in all of Kyoto.
It was black and white, still loose-fitting but with a much more stylish cut.
Even in the uniform, Fu Yao looked stunning. No one could escape her charm.
As she walked with Qin Ke to the exam hall, everyone along the way turned to look at her.
Qin Ke was overjoyed, linking arms with Fu Yao and giggling, “Hehehe, our Yao Yao is so pretty, and her aura is just perfect. Even though we’re all wearing the same uniform, you somehow make it look like a designer brand.”
Fu Yao couldn’t help but laugh and gently pinched Qin Ke’s cheek.
“Is it really that exaggerated?”
Hmm, nice and soft.
Qin Ke grinned, “It really is! You’re like every girl’s dream—beautiful face, great figure, and such an impressive family background… It feels like you’re perfect in every way, and everyone loves you, just like a princess in a fairy tale. It’s so enviable.”
Fu Yao looked at Qin Ke, momentarily at a loss for words.
Even princesses in fairy tales have people who want them dead.
Qin Ke then murmured to herself, “And I heard your grades are pretty good too. So, how confident are you about ranking in the top fifty in this entrance exam?”
Fu Yao shook her head, “Not too sure.”
Before results came out, she never liked giving overly precise answers.
Qin Ke let out a surprised “Ah,” her eyes suddenly filled with comfort. “I didn’t think there was anything I could help you with, but it turns out there is! Let me feel awesome for a bit—time to strike a pose!”
With that, she actually laughed and struck a proud pose with her hands on her hips.
She could easily rank in the top ten of the entire school—there were still areas where she could outperform Yao Yao!
Wouldn’t that give her a legitimate reason to get close to the beauty?
Just as Fu Yao was about to say something, Qin Ke patted her shoulder and said, “Don’t worry, follow Sister Ke, and within a year, I’ll get you into the top ten and into Tsinghua or Peking University!”
Fu Yao: (??_??)
Dear Sister Ke, did you misunderstand something?
Never mind, as long as Sister Ke is happy.
The mischievous woman couldn’t help but curl her lips, choosing not to explain for now.
Let Sister Ke be happy for a little while longer.