Shi Qing quickly graded Feng Shuang Shuang’s test papers. Hmm, her math had improved significantly. Previously, she could only score around fifty or sixty points, but now she could achieve over ninety.
“Shi Qing, in our class, this is as good as it gets. What’s the point of studying hard?” Feng Shuang Shuang sighed deeply, unable to understand why Shi Qing had suddenly decided to take studying seriously.
For those like them—born into wealthy families but neither favored nor academically successful—the usual path was to muddle through until the college entrance exams were over, then be sent abroad for packaging before returning. In their eyes, academic qualifications meant little, serving at most as a superficial layer of false prestige.
“How could it be useless? Which do you think sounds more impressive: a diploma from a diploma mill or one from Hua Yi University? In the future, the knowledge will be yours, and so will the prestige. People might call some heiress a decorative vase, but you’ll be different—you’ll be a smart vase…”
Feng Shuang Shuang: “…”
Hua Yi University? She must be joking.
“Don’t lose heart. I’ll study with you,” Shi Qing encouraged from the side.
Feng Shuang Shuang was one of the original host’s few friends, and since Shi Qing had crossed over, the two had gotten along quite well. Feng Shuang Shuang was quick-witted and knew when to advance or retreat. She might not go so far as to take a bullet for her, but she wouldn’t hesitate to spend hundreds of thousands on her behalf.
“Alright, alright,” Feng Shuang Shuang waved her hand and reluctantly returned to her arduous problem-solving.
For some reason, math problems that had once baffled her suddenly made sense after Shi Qing’s explanations, making the exercises a bit easier. Even the dreary texts she used to struggle with were now manageable to memorize.
As for English…
Almost no one in the entire school was weak in English. These young masters and ladies, who frequently shuttled between domestic and international circles, spoke the language quite proficiently.
When school ended, Hua Nana, who had previously blocked her path, now avoided her like a mouse fleeing a cat.
“Hua Nana, don’t run away! I won’t make you recite today…” Shi Qing called out loudly at the school gate, but upon hearing this, Hua Nana only quickened her pace.
Shi Yi Yi, who had originally intended to leave with Hua Nana, immediately shot a resentful glare at Shi Qing and strode directly toward her.
Since she had been brought back, she hadn’t had a single peaceful day. Damn it, why did she have to return? If her mother had switched their identities back then, why hadn’t she just strangled her to death? Why leave such a scourge alive until now?
“Shi Qing, are you satisfied now? You schemed to make me lose everyone’s support—you must be thrilled, aren’t you?” Shi Yi Yi clenched her fists, her gaze fixed fiercely on Shi Qing as she hissed through gritted teeth, wishing she could tear her to pieces.
Shi Qing innocently spread her hands. “What a pity you didn’t become a chef—you’re so skilled at shifting blame. What does your isolation have to do with me? Clearly, you’re the one who says one thing and does another. Did you think everyone was a fool? Since you love pretending, why not keep it up?”
Fearing that Shi Yi Yi might notice something amiss, Shi Qing had instructed the Truth Ghost to leave her a day ago. Yet, even without the Truth Ghost clinging to her, Shi Yi Yi continued to spew reckless words. It seemed the Truth Ghost had fully unleashed her true nature.
“Shi Qing! Someone like you deserves to be hated by everyone…” Shi Yi Yi lowered her voice, her eyes brimming with undisguised loathing.With a sidelong glance, the malice in her eyes deepened as she suddenly spoke in a low, vicious tone.
“Shi Qing, on the day you were brought home, I actually intentionally ate allergic food to fake illness. The gifts Mom and Dad gave you were also deliberately broken by me…”
Shi Qing pressed her lips together, observing Shi Yi Yi as she slowly raised her hand.
How could she forget? The original host had been both thrilled and anxious when first brought home, eagerly wondering how to build good relationships with them.
Yet when the driver delivered her to the Shi residence, she was greeted only by a single servant and a cold, empty house. The entire family had gone to the hospital because Shi Yi Yi was “sick.”
They hadn’t even remembered to assign her a bedroom—she ended up staying in a guest room arranged by the servant…
Later, to make amends, her parents bought her an expensive necklace and dress. But before she could wear them, both items were ruined.
Her parents assumed the original host had destroyed them out of resentment. No matter how she explained, they wouldn’t listen. Their initial guilt turned to indifference, and they never bought her anything again…
“So, are you telling me this now to provoke me?”
Noticing Shi Mo getting out of the car to pick up Shi Yi Yi, Shi Qing let out a soft laugh.
Unaware, Shi Yi Yi flashed a smug look.
But Shi Qing leaned forward with a slight smile, then suddenly delivered a stinging slap across her face.
“Ah!”
“You know, Shi Yi Yi, sometimes people have too much time on their hands to fuss over trivial matters.”
Shi Qing remained unhurried. After crying out in pain, Shi Yi Yi’s eyes grew even more triumphant before instantly shifting to pitiful vulnerability as Shi Mo came running over.
“Shi Qing! What are you doing—”
Shi Mo rushed forward angrily, stopping beside Shi Yi Yi, his dark eyes filled with unmistakable loathing.
“Brother, it’s not Shi Qing’s fault. It’s all my mistake—I shouldn’t have made her angry…”
Shi Yi Yi covered her reddened cheek, tears welling in her eyes as she bravely held them back, looking increasingly pitiable and stirring Shi Mo’s heart.
“Yi Yi, you’ve never owed her anything! How dare she hit you?! Shi Qing, apologize to Yi Yi right now, or else…”
After comforting Shi Yi Yi, Shi Mo turned a disgusted glare toward Shi Qing, as if wishing he could strike her down immediately.
Shi Qing merely raised an eyebrow and stepped closer to Shi Mo. “Or else what?”
“Hah, you’re like the white bone spirit craving Tang Monk’s flesh—delusional! Expect me to apologize? I hit her, and what of it? I’ll hit you too!”
With that, Shi Qing closed the distance and slapped him hard across the face.
“You won’t stand up for your own blood sister, but you’ll defend this fake one. What? Do you have a taste for this vintage 1982 green tea act? I’ll beat you senseless today…”
She landed another slap on Shi Mo’s face.
Shi Mo froze for a second before snapping back to reality, his face flushing crimson with rage as he growled through gritted teeth, “Shi Qing! You’re asking for death!”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s right. I’m looking for death. Got the guts to hit me? No? Then stop talking big. It’s like a turtle trying to commute—can’t help but laugh. What can you do besides run your mouth…”
Slap after slap rang through the air. Shi Yi Yi stood frozen in place, completely stunned.
Has Shi Qing lost her mind?”Enough! Shi Qing, you’ll pay for this!”
Shi Mo, bruised and battered, cowered behind a luxury car while shouting threats.
Shi Qing grinned widely: “Since you’ve already said I’ll pay the price, I’d be letting myself down if I didn’t hit you a few more times.”
Better to drive others crazy than torment yourself.
No sooner had he spoken than Shi Qing charged forward again, causing Shi Mo to panic and immediately lock himself inside the car.