After Becoming the Abused Heroine in a Campus Story - Chapter 23: (Three-in-One) No Need to Make a Fuss...

Chapter 23: (Three-in-One) No Need to Make a Fuss…

“My daughter hasn’t been obedient lately. She used to focus only on studying and never cared about dressing up, but today she suddenly cut her hair. I thought something was wrong with her, like she was in an early relationship, so I reminded her a few times. As a result, she got angry right away.”

Zhao Xiuna spoke and shed a few tears before continuing, “She blamed me for meddling too much and accused me of slandering her without evidence. She shouted loudly at home, waking her father and little brother. Her little brother also thought she was acting strange and said a few words to her, but who knew she would hit him? Comrade police, this is our family matter. Can you just educate her and not take her away?”

Zhou Yining was her daughter, after all, and Zhao Xiuna didn’t want her to be taken by the police. Of course, she felt more heartbroken for her son, who had just been hit.

The male police officer beside the female officer took notes. The female officer’s gaze turned to Zhou Yining. “What about you? Do you have anything to say?”

“Comrade police, she hit someone. What’s there to say? How did I raise such an ungrateful child? You should take her away and teach her a lesson!” Zhou Yuanfei felt angry just looking at Zhou Yining now.

“Please watch your attitude. Our routine questioning is part of our duty, not something you can dismiss.” The female officer looked at Zhou Yuanfei, feeling that things weren’t as the woman had described.

She turned to Zhou Yining and continued, “Say whatever you have to say. Don’t be afraid.”

“Thank you.” Zhou Yining expressed gratitude before speaking. “After I came home tonight, my mother, Madam Zhao Xiuna, saw my haircut and, without distinguishing right from wrong, assumed I was in an early relationship. She kept throwing dirty accusations at me, as if I had done something terribly wrong. But I only went to the barbershop at noon to cut my hair. That’s all.”

“You’re making excuses…” Zhou Yuanfei glared at her warningly.

“We’re questioning her. Please don’t interrupt.” The male officer couldn’t tolerate it anymore. He felt this family was strange, as if they were all targeting this girl.

Zhou Yuanfei, hearing the police speak this way, had no choice but to stop. His eyes fixed on Zhou Yining, as if she were his enemy.

“Afterward, my father and little brother came out. My little brother didn’t ask anything and just insisted I was focusing on my appearance because I was dating at school. He even said I was fooling around with boys and warned me not to get pregnant with some bastard. Are those words a normal person would say? I couldn’t hold back and slapped him.”

Zhou Yining spoke calmly, but the female officer felt sympathy. What kind of family was this girl dealing with?

“You probably guessed what happened next. My family has always favored boys over girls. Since I hit their precious son, they wouldn’t let me off. My father yanked me to the ground. If you hadn’t arrived, I might be bruised and battered by now.” Zhou Yining continued steadily.

Zhou Yuanfei nearly exploded with anger. “You bastard, you animal, wait till I deal with you!”

The female officer immediately stepped in front of Zhou Yining. “Watch your words. The police are still here, and you act like this? Do you disregard the law?”

“No, comrade police, that’s not what I meant. I said this is a family matter. I’m educating my daughter. Outsiders can’t interfere.” Zhou Yuanfei, full of anger with nowhere to vent, snapped at the female officer.

“If you say that, I’ll have to take you back to the station for criticism and education. People like you are likely to commit domestic violence. Your daughter is probably still a minor, right? Minors are even more protected by the law.” The female officer didn’t back down. Normally, such cases were mediated on the spot, but this man had gone too far.

“No, I haven’t even touched her yet,” Zhou Yuanfei muttered softly.

“If you had, it’d be too late. Hitting your daughter isn’t an excuse for domestic violence.” The female officer glanced at him and said.

“What about her hitting my son? How does that count? My son is a minor too.” Zhou Yuanfei refused to accept it.

“If your son made up those words, your daughter had the right to defend her dignity. And, sir, is your son your biological child, but your daughter someone you picked up off the street? My colleague and I haven’t been here for even twenty minutes, and I can already sense your malice toward your daughter. I really don’t understand why.”

The female officer continued, unable to help feeling pained for Zhou Yining. What kind of family was this? She felt suffocated just being here briefly. How did this young girl grow up in such a household?

Zhou Yuanfei choked on her words but retorted, “Of course it’s different. My son will take care of me in my old age. As for her, with her grades, I can’t rely on her at all.”

The female officer, with three years on the job, thought she’d seen plenty of absurd things, but Zhou Yuanfei’s worldview shocked her. “You think you can’t rely on her, so you deliberately make things hard for her?”

“I didn’t. She’s the one causing trouble every day. Without her, our family could live peacefully for a few days.” Zhou Yuanfei glared at Zhou Yining and said.

“Even if you dislike her, you have an obligation to raise her until she’s eighteen. Since she’s a minor, you can’t lay a hand on her. Be mindful in the future.” The female officer finished and turned to Zhou Jiaming.

“Are the things your sister just said true?” The female officer’s gaze shifted to Zhou Jiaming.

Zhou Jiaming, just a student, felt scared seeing the police. He avoided the officer’s eyes, mumbling timidly, “It’s true. Zhou Yining has changed so much lately, focusing on her appearance. Isn’t that because she got a boyfriend? With a boyfriend, getting pregnant with a bastard isn’t far off.”

The female officer laughed in anger. What kind of family was this? They threw baseless accusations at a girl, and this so-called little brother even spread vile rumors about his sister.

Her expression turned serious as she looked at Zhou Jiaming. “First, spreading malicious rumors without evidence is a serious matter, showing your own character flaws. Second, the target of your rumors is your own sister, which shows how despicable you are. For someone like you, I think we need to speak with your school teachers to pay more attention to your moral education.”

Zhou Jiaming’s face paled at this. “No, don’t tell my teachers. If they know, how can I face people at school? Mom, tell them quickly, don’t call my teachers!”

Zhao Xiuna naturally sided with her son. She spoke up, “Comrade police, Jiaming spoke too harshly. We’ll educate him ourselves later. No need to trouble you. As for Yining’s matter, I admit I got too emotional. But we’re a family. How about we let this go? There’s nothing to mediate.”

Even the two officers, used to messy situations, felt disgusted by this family.

The female officer looked at Zhao Xiuna and said, “We’ve got the situation clear now, and the notes are almost done. It’s obvious you’re in the wrong. You need to apologize to her at the very least.”

“What? Where in the world does a father apologize to his daughter? I won’t apologize.” Zhou Yuanfei stiffened his neck, feeling the police were meddling too much, even thinking they were being nosy.

“If you don’t apologize, come with us to the station for ideological education. You can leave when you understand that you should apologize for doing wrong.” The female officer didn’t yield.

It wasn’t a big deal, just something to mediate on the spot, but she worried Zhou Yining would suffer if they left.

Zhou Yuanfei’s chest heaved, clearly still unconvinced. “I just educated my daughter a bit, and I have to go to the station?”

“Education must be done civilly. Committing domestic violence under the guise of education is still illegal. If you keep refusing to cooperate, we may need to call your workplace.” The female officer looked at Zhou Yuanfei and continued.

At this, Zhou Yuanfei’s face flushed red. His company was already laying off staff. If they found out he’d been to the station, he might get fired. More importantly, if his colleagues knew, he’d lose face completely.

“No, this is our family matter. Don’t call my workplace.” Zhou Yuanfei glared coldly at Zhou Yining, blaming her for everything.

The female officer looked at the three and said, “So, what’s it going to be? Apologize, or come with us to the station for ideological education?”

Zhao Xiuna spoke first. “Comrade police, I’m so sorry for troubling you. It’s my fault. I was too worried about Yining, and that’s why this happened.”

She turned to Zhou Yining with red eyes. “Yining, you’re the most sensible. Today was my fault. I was too sensitive and misunderstood you. I apologize to you. I’m sorry.”

She wiped her tears. “Don’t blame your father and little brother. I’ll apologize for them. We’re a family. No need to make things too tense, right?”

“Do they not have mouths? You have to speak for them? I don’t see their sincerity. Let the officers take them for ideological education.” Zhou Yining replied.

Zhou Yuanfei nearly died of anger. He wanted to strangle Zhou Yining. “Zhou Yining, I see you don’t want to stay in this family anymore.”

“Comrade, your attitude is problematic. You dare threaten someone in front of us? You likely have violent tendencies. You’re definitely coming to the station today.” The female officer said.

She turned to Zhou Jiaming. “What about you? Apologize, or come to the station?”

Zhou Jiaming trembled in fear. Reluctantly, he looked at Zhou Yining and said, “I’m sorry.”

Zhou Yining laughed outright. “Is that an apology? Your tone sounds like you want to tear me apart. I don’t feel your sincerity.”

Zhou Jiaming gritted his teeth. Thinking about the possibility of the school finding out, he swallowed his resentment and said to Zhou Yining, “Sister, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those things. I was wrong. I won’t dare do it again.”

Zhou Jiaming’s tone sounded sincere, but he cursed Zhou Yining eight hundred times in his heart.

“You’d better not dare.” Zhou Yining smirked at him, lightly tapping her right cheek with her fingertip.

Zhou Jiaming flinched back a step. His right cheek, slapped by Zhou Yining earlier, still stung.

Zhou Yuanfei, seeing Zhou Yining smile, grew even angrier. In his forty-plus years, he had to apologize to his disliked daughter? But if he didn’t, this could reach his company, and he’d lose even more face.

After thinking it over, Zhou Yuanfei coughed a few times and said, “Yining, I have a bad temper. I went too far this time. I apologize to you. I’m sorry. We’re a family. Let’s not make this too ugly. Besides, the police comrades came out late at night. It’s hard work. Let’s not add to their workload. How about we end this here?”

Zhou Yining looked at Zhou Yuanfei and said flatly, “How do I know you won’t hit me after the police leave? You already threw me to the ground earlier. What if you go crazy again once they’re gone?”

Zhou Yuanfei’s face darkened. Didn’t Zhou Yining, this animal, know when to quit? He’d given her a way out, and she still wouldn’t take it.

The female officer seemed to think of something and nodded.

She looked at Zhou Yining and asked, “Do you have a phone?”

Zhou Yining nodded, took out her phone, and turned off the recording. “What’s wrong?”

“Let me use your phone.” The female officer extended her hand.

Zhou Yining unlocked her phone and handed it over.

The female officer entered a string of numbers and pressed the call button. Soon, her personal phone rang.

“If something happens and you can’t call the police in time, you can call my personal number. My name is Ji Ying. Protect yourself well.” The female officer looked at Zhou Yining, admiring the girl’s strength. Despite such treatment from her family, she stood calmly without shedding a tear. Ji Ying respected her resilience.

“Thank you, Officer Ji.” Zhou Yining felt surprised. Police usually handled issues on the spot or at the station. They rarely gave out personal numbers.

Zhou Yuanfei’s expression soured, but with the officers present, he didn’t dare act out.

Ji Ying instructed, “Add me on WeChat later. It’s this number. Contact me anytime if something happens.”

“Thank you.” Zhou Yining nodded gratefully.

It was ironic. Her family treated her worse than a stranger like Ji Ying.

Zhou Yuanfei, though furious at Zhou Yining, didn’t want more police trouble. It was nearly midnight, and he didn’t want to go to the station. He began speaking politely to Ji Ying.

“Officer Ji, I was wrong earlier. You see, we’ve apologized, and we’ve calmed down. Rest assured, I won’t touch her again. You gave her your contact info. Can I avoid going to the station? It’s late, and it’s too much trouble for you.” Zhou Yuanfei said with a forced smile.

Ji Ying figured he wouldn’t dare touch Zhou Yining now. Such cases usually ended with verbal education at the station. The report they received was about noise disturbing neighbors from unit 501, so the issue was essentially resolved.

Ji Ying nodded. “Don’t let it happen again. As parents, treat your children fairly.”

Ji Ying spoke to her colleague. They finalized the notes, had Zhou Yuanfei and others sign, and left.

Downstairs, the male officer said to Ji Ying, “You didn’t need to give your personal contact. This family is so bizarre. That girl might have endless troubles later. If she calls you every day, won’t it be a hassle?”

Ji Ying shook her head. “Help where I can. That kid is tough, resisting after living in that environment for years. It’s not easy.”

“You’re too kind,” the male officer said, smiling and shaking his head.

Back in unit 501, after the police left, Zhou Yuanfei glared at Zhou Yining furiously and mocked, “Well, now you’ve got police backing you. Planning to poke a hole in the sky?”

Zhou Yining didn’t fear him. She stared back coldly. “You can try. If you provoke me, I don’t mind poking that hole.”

“Hmph.” Zhou Yuanfei glared but didn’t dare touch her. He stormed to his bedroom, slamming the door heavily.

Zhou Jiaming, covering his face, glared at Zhou Yining. Today was his worst day. He’d planned to stir things up so his father would beat Zhou Yining, but he ended up slapped and had to apologize to her.

Zhou Jiaming’s face shifted between pale and livid, his eyes full of defiance.

Zhou Yining glanced at him faintly and smiled. “You’d better control that foul mouth. If you can’t, don’t blame me for doing it for you.”

“Zhou Yining, you…” Zhou Jiaming started to speak but was stopped by Zhao Xiuna.

“Jiaming, don’t fight with your sister. Go back to your room. I’ll get ice to soothe your face, or it’ll swell by morning.”

“Hmph, Zhou Yining, don’t think I’m scared of you.” Zhou Jiaming threw out another threat before reluctantly returning to his room.

Zhao Xiuna, eyes red, looked at Zhou Yining. She reached to hold Zhou Yining’s hand but was dodged.

Zhou Yining glanced at her faintly and said, “After all this, no need to play the loving mother and filial daughter act, right? I don’t buy it. Go pamper your precious son instead.”

Zhou Yining grabbed her clothes coldly and went to the bathroom.

Zhao Xiuna couldn’t hold back and cried. She couldn’t understand how her once obedient daughter became so aggressive. The old Zhou Yining always considered the family and never competed with her brother. How did she change like this?

Zhao Xiuna felt exhausted. She didn’t like Zhou Yining’s change. The old Zhou Yining would’ve apologized and explained, not caused such a scene.

Zhao Xiuna wiped her tears and went to her bedroom.

Zhou Yining finished showering at 12:30 a.m. She dried her hair with a blow dryer and went to the dining area.

Looking at the narrow single bed, she felt sad for the original Zhou Yining. At seventeen, trapped in this tiny home, suffocated by oppression.

Having lived one life already, Zhou Yining sometimes couldn’t help getting angry. What about the original Zhou Yining? How much unfair treatment had she endured silently in this family?

Zhou Yining sat on the small bed and lay down to rest.

The next morning, she woke to her alarm as usual.

Zhou Yuanfei and Zhou Jiaming sat at the dining table, chatting animatedly. Seeing Zhou Yining up, they fell silent.

Zhou Yining ignored them, heading to the bathroom to wash up. When she returned, rice porridge and steamed buns were on the table.

Zhou Yining didn’t care about others. She couldn’t starve. She took a bowl of porridge and ate a bun, not glancing at the other three.

Zhao Xiuna, fearing another morning fight, said, “Alright, eat first.”

“Hmph.” Zhou Jiaming glared at Zhou Yining fiercely. Yesterday’s slap still stung, so he didn’t say more.

His useless sister had become hard to deal with. Every recent clash with her left him worse off.

Zhou Yuanfei wanted to avoid Zhou Yining even more. Last night nearly landed him in the station, and that nosy female officer gave her contact info. He feared the police somewhat and didn’t want to confront Zhou Yining again.

The table was silent, but Zhou Yining ate heartily. She loved morning eggs and porridge.

After finishing her porridge, she grabbed her things and left without speaking to anyone.

Once Zhou Yining closed the door, Zhou Yuanfei slammed his chopsticks on the bowl, cursing, “Look at this! This is the fine daughter I spent so much money raising. I raised an enemy!”

“Exactly. Zhou Yining’s gone crazy. Her grades are bad, and she causes trouble at home. Why do I have such a sister?” Zhou Jiaming added fuel to the fire.

Zhou Yuanfei sighed. “With her like this and her poor grades, I say forget university. After high school, two and a half years of vocational school, then marry her off.”

“Exactly. She’s eaten and drunk from us for years. We need a big dowry.” Zhou Jiaming perked up. As the family’s boy, Zhou Yining’s dowry would be his.

“Indeed. No less than 200,000.” Zhou Yuanfei snorted coldly.

Zhao Xiuna, hearing the father and son, felt uneasy. “What if Yining gets into university?”

“With her bottom-tier grades, what university could she get into? A junior college? Better save those tens of thousands and make her work. She’s lived off us for years. It’s time she paid back.” Zhou Yuanfei snorted.

“But…”

Zhao Xiuna tried to speak but was cut off impatiently by Zhou Yuanfei. “But what? It’s settled. Even if she gets into university, I won’t pay a cent for her tuition.”

Unaware her family was plotting her dowry, Zhou Yining walked to school in a decent mood.

Since school started early, nearby shops opened early too. Zhou Yining took her summarized math notes to a print shop.

“Boss, can you photocopy things here?”

“Yes. For students, I’ll give you a discount. What do you want to print?”

“This.” Zhou Yining showed her notebook.

“Alright, let me count the pages.” The boss counted and said, “First order of the morning, just 15 yuan.”

Zhou Yining nodded and paid.

She sighed. She was broke, with only 70 yuan left.

Soon, the boss finished copying and bound the pages with a cover.

“Done. Check if it’s okay.”

“Good, thank you.” Zhou Yining flipped through. The text was clear, and she left the shop satisfied.

Tian Xue was the original Zhou Yining’s friend. Though Zhou Yining felt their personalities didn’t mesh, Tian Xue was her friend, so she’d look out for her when possible.

At school, having slept little last night, Zhou Yining felt sleepy during morning reading.

After morning reading, she napped on her desk. The first class was math, with the teacher reviewing papers. Zhou Yining, uninterested since she knew the problems, pondered who the person in the surveillance video was and why they seemed familiar.

After thinking for a while, she couldn’t match the video figure to anyone she knew. She pinched her brow and gave up.

At noon, Tian Xue waited for her at the classroom door. Zhou Yining grabbed the printed notebook and left.

“This is for you.” Zhou Yining handed the thick notebook to Tian Xue.

Tian Xue asked curiously, “What’s this?”

“It’s all the math knowledge points for three years of high school, summarized inside. Take it to review. If you don’t understand something, just ask me.” Zhou Yining smiled at her.

“For me?” Tian Xue’s eyes flickered, her thoughts unclear behind thick glasses.

“Hmm, your math foundation isn’t great. Reviewing this will be more organized.” Zhou Yining explained.

Tian Xue gripped the notebook tightly. “Hmm, thank you. I’ll study it carefully.”

“Alright, I’ll wait for your call at noon. Best to leave after lunch. That barber takes a while, or we won’t make it to class.” Zhou Yining thought and said.

“Hmm, I’ll call you later.” Tian Xue smiled, holding the notebook, feeling especially good.

They parted at the fork. Back home, Zhou Jiaming played games at the dining table. Seeing Zhou Yining, he sneered.

He couldn’t be bothered with her now. His father said in two years, they’d get 200,000 yuan from Zhou Yining’s dowry, all his.

Zhou Yining ignored Zhou Jiaming, eating her meal without caring about his or Zhao Xiuna’s expressions. After eating, she got Tian Xue’s call.

“Hmm, okay, I’m coming out now.”

She washed her face in the bathroom, grabbed her things, and headed out.

Zhao Xiuna frowned but, due to last night, didn’t dare say anything harsh. “Yining, why leave now? It’s still early.”

“I’m going with my friend to get a haircut, then straight to school.” Zhou Yining left after speaking.

Zhao Xiuna sighed on the couch. Her once worry-free daughter had become so rebellious.

Outside, Zhou Yining felt her breathing ease. Living in that environment long-term, no wonder the original Zhou Yining was insecure and sensitive.

At the fork where she met Tian Xue, Tian Xue was already waiting.

“Here. I came out right after eating. I’m a bit sleepy.” Tian Xue smiled.

Zhou Yining nodded and walked over. “I just ate too. Let’s go, or we’ll be late.”

“Hmm, I bought iced coffee across the street. Have one to stay awake this afternoon.” Tian Xue handed over a lidded iced coffee.

“Thank you.” Zhou Yining took the coffee and thanked her.

She craved something sweet. The coffee had thick ice cream on top. Zhou Yining opened the lid and ate with a spoon.

Chatting, they reached yesterday’s barbershop.

Zhou Yining greeted the barber. “Hello, my friend wants a haircut here too. Can you check for her?”

“Sure, no problem.” The barber smiled at her, then looked at Tian Xue.

Tian Xue lowered her head instinctively, disliking being stared at.

Seeing her shy, the barber smiled. “No worries, I’ll check your face shape to cut your hair.”

“Can’t I get the same style as Zhou Yining?” Tian Xue asked.

“Your face is narrower than hers. That style might look odd. Wash your hair first, and I’ll design something for you.”

“Okay.” Tian Xue nodded.

Zhou Yining sat on the shop’s sofa, sipping iced coffee and enjoying the air conditioning, feeling relaxed.

She took out her phone and messaged Jiang Xianzhi on WeChat.

Zhou Yining: [I’ll find you after class. Got something for you.]

Jiang Xianzhi replied almost instantly.

Jiang Xianzhi: [What is it?]

Zhou Yining: [You’ll see. Wait for me after first period.]

Jiang Xianzhi: [Okay! (cat rubbing hands jpg)]

Jiang Xianzhi, just finished lunch, sat at the dining table playing on her phone. Messaging Zhou Yining, her lips curved slightly.

Jiang Yueyi, seeing her sister happy, asked tentatively, “Zhizhi, who are you chatting with? So happy?”

“A friend from school.” Jiang Xianzhi looked at her sister and answered.

“A friend? Shi Yuanyuan or Si Yaqing?” Jiang Yueyi asked with a smile. Those seemed to be her sister’s only friends.

“Neither. Someone from another class. A new friend. She’s amazing, studies well, and said she’ll tutor me in math.” Jiang Xianzhi thought of Zhou Yining, her smile unstoppable. She liked being with Zhou Yining.

Jiang Yueyi’s heart sank. Her sister was lukewarm toward Shi Yuanyuan and Si Yaqing. Why was she so attached to this new friend? She worried this person might be using her sister to climb their family’s social ladder.

She’d heard recently that her sister had someone investigate a school post and check a net café’s surveillance, possibly linked to Zhang Ye.

Her sister was great, but Jiang Yueyi couldn’t understand one thing: what was so good about Zhang Ye? Her sister had been smitten with him since childhood, always inviting the Zhang family to her birthdays.

Jiang Yueyi sighed. Her sister had poor taste in men and friends. Shi Yuanyuan and Si Yaqing befriended her sister to cozy up to their family, but with no other friends, the family turned a blind eye.

As long as Shi Yuanyuan and Si Yaqing treated her sister well, their family would give business benefits to the Shi and Si families.

Jiang Yueyi asked tentatively, “Since she’s a friend, bring her home sometime to get familiar.”

“Hmm, she said she can tutor me Sunday morning. I’ll send her the address for her to come over.” Jiang Xianzhi smiled at Jiang Yueyi.

“Good.” Jiang Yueyi nodded subtly. This new friend seemed cunning. She could tell her sister liked her a lot. She’d have to see for herself.

Jiang Xianzhi, unaware of her sister’s thoughts, stood up. “Sis, I’m napping. Got a whole afternoon of English classes.”

“Hmm, go.” Jiang Yueyi nodded at her sister.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yining finished her coffee as Tian Xue’s haircut wrapped up. The barber’s aesthetic was spot-on, giving Tian Xue a fitting style, much better than her heavy bangs.

Without the bangs, Tian Xue seemed less confident, her eyes darting as she looked at Zhou Yining. “What do you think?”

Zhou Yining said honestly, “It suits you, much better than the heavy bangs. Stick with this style. It’s getting late. Let’s go.”

“Hmm.” Tian Xue glanced at her reflection, quietly relieved. It did look better.

They headed to school. Zhou Yining returned to her seat, waiting for first period. Before class, Yu Yang and some girls crowded around, asking questions.

Zhou Yining answered patiently, earning plenty of snack offerings.

Satisfied, she left with her notebook after the first history class.

Some classmates wanting to ask questions had to wait. A few boys noticed Tian Xue’s new haircut and whispered.

“Hey, Tian Xue got a haircut too. Way better than those heavy bangs.”

“Probably Zhou Jie took her. Gotta say, Zhou Jie’s cool. A top student, yet she hangs with bottom-ranker Tian Xue.”

“Yeah, they don’t seem like friends. Zhou Jie’s so pretty and smart. Tian Xue’s plain, bad at studies, and not clean. She smells bad when you pass her.”

Tian Xue, heading to throw trash, overheard. Her face darkened.

The boys, seeing she heard, scattered awkwardly.

Tian Xue’s hands clenched tightly. After a moment, she returned to her seat.

Zhou Yining went straight to Class 1. At the door, she said to a front-row student, “Classmate, please call Jiang Xianzhi for me.”

The boy, working on a paper, didn’t look up but called, “Jiang Xianzhi, someone’s here.”

Jiang Xianzhi looked up, saw Zhou Yining, smiled from afar, and jogged to the door.

Zhang Ye’s face soured. How many times had these two ignored him? What was their deal?

Jiang Xianzhi reached the door, smiling at Zhou Yining. “What’d you bring me?”

Zhou Yining took her wrist, stepped aside to clear the doorway, and handed over a blue-covered notebook. “This. For you.”

“What is it?”

Jiang Xianzhi flipped through curiously. The thick notebook was filled with neat, elegant handwriting, easy on the eyes.

After a few pages, her eyes lit up. “Math knowledge points?”

“Hmm, all three years of high school points are in there. Study it well. It’ll help when I tutor you Sunday.”

“What about you if you give it to me?” Jiang Xianzhi knew, without Zhou Yining saying, that this took time to compile—a unique study guide.

Zhou Yining smiled at her. “I don’t need it. I wrote this for you last night. Study it well.”

Jiang Xianzhi gripped the notebook, her heart racing. “You wrote it for me? Why?”

Zhou Yining grinned brightly. “Why so many whys? It’s almost class time. I’m heading back.”

“Hmm.” Jiang Xianzhi nodded, her ear tips slightly red. She held the notebook, watching Zhou Yining’s back disappear down the corridor before returning to class.

She hadn’t expected Zhou Yining to hand-write a math guide for her. Jiang Xianzhi couldn’t describe the feeling, just that her heart felt sweet.

Recalling Zhou Yining’s smile, her ears reddened more.

Shi Yuanyuan and Si Yaqing exchanged glances, sensing a threat, and approached.

“Zhizhi, why’s she here again? Asking for help?” Shi Yuanyuan asked.

“Yeah, some people don’t get it. They see you’re kind and keep bothering you.” Si Yaqing added fuel.

Jiang Xianzhi frowned, unhappy hearing them talk about Zhou Yining. “She’s nice. Don’t say that about her, or don’t blame me for getting mad.”

Shi Yuanyuan and Si Yaqing exchanged glances, their hearts sinking.

“Sorry, Zhizhi. We’re just worried she might hurt you. We didn’t mean it.”

“Yeah, if she’s your friend, she’s our friend too.” Si Yaqing quickly smoothed things over.

Jiang Xianzhi nodded. “That’s more like it.”