Did Xingyao Academy have such a pretty girl?
They seemed to have no memory of her at all.
Some people felt a restless urge stirring within them, but when they caught sight of the color of Yu Jinyao’s brooch, their enthusiasm fizzled out.
If only she were a special admit…
After sizing up the young woman, a few found their interest piqued even more.
Because these individuals believed their backgrounds were formidable enough—even if Yu Jinyao came from a wealthy family, they were confident they could handle her clan.
Xia Muyan was briefly dazed, her memories shrouded as if by a thin mist. When she came to again, Yu Jinyao had already become indistinguishable from the little sidekick she remembered.
She found it strange, her gaze flickering as she instinctively avoided the young woman’s eyes.
Then she thought better of it—she hadn’t done anything to feel guilty about, so why should she feel uneasy?
Once she regained her composure, the young Miss Xia crooked a finger at the girl by the door. “Perfect timing. Come here.”
Ruan Zhi, who had thought her savior had arrived, felt the light in her eyes dim instantly.
A cold despair settled over her heart.
Under everyone’s gaze, Yu Jinyao walked toward Xia Muyan.
It was then that someone finally remembered who Yu Jinyao was, and hurriedly went to search for a thread about her on the Xingyao Academy forum on Do.
The others watched on, eager for drama.
In this antiquated, melodramatic environment brimming with veiled malice and objectifying stares, Yu Jinyao felt her throat go dry and her entire body grow uncomfortable.
She handed the book to Xia Muyan, flashing the same sweet smile she had shown Wen Jiayan.
—What could she do? She wasn’t a professional actress; this level of acting was already the best she could manage.
In a tone laced with a hint of fawning, she said, “Muyan, your book.”
The classmates who had been dazzled by the young woman’s beauty should have found her cheap and common for groveling so obsequiously before the young Miss Xia.
They should have lost interest, even felt disgust.
But strangely, those emotions merely flickered past, and the tangled web of feelings ultimately twisted into something else…
Jealousy?
Jealousy of Xia Muyan.
If wielding power could make her fawn over them like that, then why not strive to crush these detestable scions of wealth?
Xia Muyan straightened her back, her posture growing even more arrogant, as if no one was worthy of her notice.
“No need for books now. Take her to the restroom and teach her a proper lesson—get some revenge for me.”
A flicker of disgust passed through the young Miss’s eyes. “How dare that lowly commoner set her sights on A Yan? She must be tired of living!”
“Does she think she’s some Cinderella? Or the Mary Sue heroine of some trashy novel?”
As she spoke, she seemed amused by her own words and lightly covered her mouth with a laugh.
In the original book, Ruan Zhi had already caught the attention of Yu Shiyan and Wen Jiayan the previous semester.
But compared to the cold and heartless Yu Shiyan, she was more drawn to the gentle and courteous Wen Jiayan.
This semester, for reasons unknown, the supporting female character had gotten wind of something and started making trouble for the female lead.
It was precisely this series of provocations that deepened the bond between Ruan Zhi and Yu Shiyan, while also earning her Wen Jiayan’s goodwill and assistance.
Yu Jinyao glanced at the young Miss Xia.
Still laughing, huh. Little did she know she was brushing right past the truth.
She lowered her head in acknowledgment and helped Ruan Zhi up from the ground.
Xia Muyan expressed dissatisfaction with her slow, deliberate movements.
“Are you waiting on some ancestor?”
“…Of course not.” Yu Jinyao smiled and patted the girl’s cheek. “Come with me, Classmate Ruan Zhi.”
Ruan Zhi caught a faint, delicate fragrance.
She stared blankly at Yu Jinyao’s face, and without a word, followed behind her.
After the two left, Xia Muyan signaled her other followers with a glance, telling them to tail along.
The restrooms at Xingyao Academy were ultra-luxurious.
The floors were polished to a mirror shine, and scented diffusers ran year-round. Finding anything filthy in there would be harder than climbing to the heavens.
Yu Jinyao said to Ruan Zhi, “Wait here a moment.”
Then she went into the janitor’s supply closet and hauled out a bucket.
“W-What are you going to do?”
The little white lotus female lead looked at her actions with timidity.
The bucket was spotless too. Yu Jinyao set it under the faucet and began filling it with water.
At that, she flashed a sinister smile. “What am I doing? Didn’t you hear what Muyan said?”
She looked Ruan Zhi up and down, then sneered. “Someone like you? You think you’re worthy of liking Yu Shiyan?”
[Host, you’re terrible at playing the villain.]
Yu Jinyao: “…Don’t talk. Don’t mess with my performance.”
Disappointment flooded Ruan Zhi’s heart.
So she really was just another one of Xia Muyan’s lackeys. I misjudged you!
In that case, she would just have to play along.
Though looking at the pretty girl’s slender frame before her, she could probably overpower her and avoid being bullied.
But Xu Xinze was about to bring Wen Jiayan over—why not take the chance to play the victim a little?
Ruan Zhi glanced at the bucket.
The water was clean.
Even if she got doused, it wouldn’t matter much.
So her voice grew more anguished, nearly a shout: “I don’t like Yu Shiyan! I have nothing to do with him!”
“You’ve got it wrong! Let me go!”
She stood there sobbing, when she could have simply turned and run away.
“…”
Yu Jinyao could only attribute this to the female lead being too naive and kind.
At the bathroom entrance, the two followers who overheard this exchanged satisfied glances.
They were about to go in and lend Yu Jinyao a hand when they suddenly spotted the student council president leading a group of people over from afar.
The two exchanged a look and, without a word, quietly slipped away.
Better them than us.
Xu Xinze and Wen Jiayan both saw them but had no mood to chase after them.
“What are you doing? This is the women’s restroom.”
Wen Jiayan blocked the boy who was about to barge in.
Xu Xinze said urgently, “Didn’t you hear Zhizhi crying?!”
“Or is it that your student council also turns a blind eye to this kind of thing?”
Wen Jiayan still wore a gentle smile on his face: “How could that be? It’s just that things aren’t clear yet.”
Muffled voices drifted from inside, and among them was one sweet, soft voice he recognized.
The very person who had just told him she needed to rest had now appeared here, bullying someone else.
Very well.
The smile on the young man’s face deepened, yet his eyes were icy cold.
“Do you think someone like you, a special admit, can hide your intentions from anyone?”
Yu Jinyao recited her lines while hauling the water-filled bucket onto the floor.
It was too heavy.
The handles had left her hands red.
“Someone like you isn’t even worthy of a single glance at Yu Shiyan, and you dare to eat with him?”
The voice, dripping with jealousy and malice, made Xu Xinze’s heart race.
It made Wen Jiayan’s face darken like water.
“W-what exactly do you want to do?”
Ruan Zhi took a step back, her expression growing more panicked.
Yu Jinyao let out the laugh of a vicious supporting female character: “What do I want to do? Of course, I want to make you see yourself for what you are!”
She carried the bucket toward Ruan Zhi.
Because the bucket was too full, water splashed out with every step.
Halfway there, she successfully slipped and tripped over herself.
“Oops!”
The bucket tipped over with her, spilling water all over the floor and soaking her white knee-high socks and skirt.
How could a person be so useless?
Yu Jinyao seemed to have laughed at herself in exasperation.