After Becoming the Abused Heroine in a Campus Story - Chapter 18: Are Guys This Fragile...

Chapter 18: Are Guys This Fragile…

After parting with Tian Xue, Zhou Yining received a call from Jiang Xianzhi.

“Any news?” Zhou Yining asked.

“The person hid well and wore clothes that weren’t our school uniform. We can’t tell who it was from the surveillance alone. But I had someone copy the footage. Do you want a copy for yourself?” Jiang Xianzhi asked.

“Sure. I’ll come find you this afternoon. Thanks, you’ve put in a lot of effort for this.” Zhou Yining thanked her again.

“No need to thank me. I’ll put the surveillance video on a USB drive and give it to you this afternoon.” Jiang Xianzhi said with a smile.

She had just gotten home. After talking with Zhou Yining, she washed her hands to eat.

Zhou Yuanfei didn’t come home for lunch. Zhou Jiaming, still upset from his morning run-in with Zhou Yining, looked angry but didn’t dare speak.

Zhou Yining ignored him, went to the bathroom to wash her hands, and sat at the dining table.

Zhao Xiuna had already brought out the food. Not daring to provoke Zhou Yining, she smiled and said, “Eat quickly. The food won’t taste good when it cools.”

Zhou Jiaming snorted, eating resentfully while occasionally glaring at Zhou Yining.

Zhou Yining remained calm and raised an eyebrow at him. “Don’t want your eyes? Why keep staring at me?”

Zhou Jiaming immediately complained, “Mom, look at her. I didn’t even do anything.”

Zhao Xiuna quickly mediated, “Alright, Yining, say less. Your brother’s tired from school. Seventh grade is a critical time. Don’t argue with him.”

“I don’t want to argue with him. But he keeps giving me those dog eyes.” Zhou Yining didn’t back down.

Zhou Jiaming was furious and slammed his chopsticks down. “I’m not eating.”

“Good. Don’t.” Zhou Yining didn’t care and kept eating.

Zhao Xiuna hurriedly got up to coax her son, but Zhou Jiaming slammed his door and locked it.

Zhao Xiuna knocked a few times. “Jiaming, don’t be mad. You’re at an age where you can’t go hungry. Come eat.”

“Leave me alone. I’m not eating with that crazy Zhou Yining.” Zhou Jiaming’s anger surged, recalling how Zhou Yining swindled fifty yuan from him that morning.

“Jiaming, open the door.” Zhao Xiuna knocked for a while, but with no response, she gave up.

She wanted to talk to her daughter, but Zhou Yining had already stood up.

“Done eating?” Zhao Xiuna asked.

“Yeah, I’m going to get a haircut. My bangs are too obstructive.” Zhou Yining said, getting ready to leave.

Zhao Xiuna quickly said, “Wait, don’t we usually cut hair at home? I can trim it for you and save thirty yuan.”

Zhou Yining frowned slightly. Cutting her own hair wasn’t a big deal, but she doubted Zhou Jiaming’s hair was cut at home. Thirty yuan wasn’t much; their family wasn’t that poor.

“Does Zhou Jiaming get his hair cut at home too?” Zhou Yining looked directly at Zhao Xiuna and asked calmly.

Zhao Xiuna guiltily avoided her gaze. Her son went to a big mall for haircuts, costing seventy or eighty yuan each time.

Seeing Zhao Xiuna stay silent, Zhou Yining got up and left the house.

No. 1 High School wasn’t strict about hairstyles. Loose hair was fine. But for convenience in studying, most girls tied their hair up for neatness.

Zhou Yining hated her eye-obstructing straight bangs. She didn’t know why this style was so popular, but she disliked it.

She found a reasonably clean nearby barbershop and briefly explained to the barber. The barber immediately understood.

Zhou Yining’s face shape was actually nice, but her heavy bangs made her look dull and lifeless.

The barber changed her straight bangs to side bangs and layered her hair. Finally, he blow-dried the ends into a slight curve, making Zhou Yining look fresh and sharp, like a different person.

Zhou Yining was pleased with the hairstyle. The side bangs would look even better as they grew out. She happily paid.

After leaving the barbershop, it was almost time for school. Zhou Yining didn’t tie her hair and headed to campus.

Near the school, she felt someone watching her. She looked back and saw Yu Yang, who had asked her a question that morning.

Yu Yang looked at Zhou Yining in shock. How had she not noticed Zhou Yining was actually pretty?

“Sister Zhou, you got a haircut? I thought it was you but wasn’t sure.”

“Yeah, I didn’t like straight bangs, so I got them trimmed at noon.” Zhou Yining smiled, looking even prettier when she did.

“It looks great.” Yu Yang said, shaking the bag in her hand. “I brought you snacks. I got some practice tests, and there are a few questions I don’t get. You’ve got to help me.”

“No problem.” Zhou Yining smiled back.

As they walked, Yu Yang noticed Zhang Ye standing not far ahead, looking at them.

Yu Yang wanted to warn Zhou Yining. Zhou Yining saw Zhang Ye too but had no intention of acknowledging him. She pulled Yu Yang toward the teaching building.

Zhang Ye was ignored. He frowned and called out, “Zhou Yining, are you pretending not to see me?”

Zhou Yining didn’t want to bother with him, but Zhang Ye insisted on stepping into the line of fire. She turned and looked at him. “Are we close? Do I need to acknowledge you?”

Zhang Ye choked, but remembering the love letter Zhou Yining posted about him on the confession wall, he sneered, “Zhou Yining, you think this will make me notice you?”

Zhou Yining laughed, clapping in his direction. “You’re really something. Are you one of those overly confident guys? Who wants your attention? Get over yourself. And do you think you’re that handsome?”

People around started looking over. Zhang Ye felt humiliated but, thinking of why he approached her, held back. “Where did you take math tutoring? Or did you hire a private tutor?”

“No tutoring, no private tutor.” Zhou Yining turned to pull Yu Yang away.

Zhang Ye stepped in front of them, blocking their path, and looked at Zhou Yining. “Not telling me because you’re afraid I’ll beat you next time?”

Zhou Yining thought Zhang Ye was ridiculous. The original owner liked this arrogant guy? She was done.

“If you’re sick, go get treatment. You think everyone’s family is as rich as yours? My parents don’t even give me pocket money. Hire a tutor? You’re dreaming.” Zhou Yining said sarcastically.

Zhang Ye’s face flushed red and white. After a moment, he still asked, “Then how did your math score improve so much?”

“What, you’re not convinced? You’re allowed to take first, but others aren’t? Are guys this fragile? Get ready, because as long as I’m at No. 1 High School, the top spot is mine. Be prepared to break down anytime.” Zhou Yining said calmly.

She was confident she could take first in the arts stream.

Zhang Ye’s face darkened. He didn’t back down. “Don’t get too cocky. Don’t forget your English was zero.”

“I only got zero because I don’t get along with the English teacher. When I feel like it, I can probably score around 150 in English. It’s easy, isn’t it?” Zhou Yining said nonchalantly, as if scoring 150 in English was as simple as eating or drinking.

Zhang Ye’s brow twitched hard. If Zhou Yining had said this before, he wouldn’t have believed her. But he heard she explained the math test in Class 19 that morning and did it well. He felt she was a potential rival, which made him uneasy.

Since starting at No. 1 High School, he had always ranked first in every exam. No one had ever made him feel this unsettled. Zhou Yining was the first.