After Becoming the Abused Heroine in a Campus Story - Chapter 42: Get Up, Sweetie

Chapter 42: Get Up, Sweetie

The young lady finished flipping through the chat records, satisfied, and returned the phone to Zhou Yining. Then, she buried herself in Zhou Yining’s arms, ready to sleep.

Zhou Yining looked at the little fox in her arms, her eyes slightly curved. She reached for the lamp switch and said, “It’s eleven-thirty. Should I turn off the light?”

Jiang Xianzhi comfortably nuzzled in her arms and then nodded.

Zhou Yining turned off the room’s light, then pulled Jiang Xianzhi up a bit, holding her waist to prepare for sleep.

Zhou Yining found this experience quite novel, as she had never slept holding someone else before.

At five-forty in the morning, Zhou Yining’s phone alarm rang. Jiang Xianzhi, nestled in Zhou Yining’s arms, slightly furrowed her brow and buried herself deeper into Zhou Yining’s embrace.

Zhou Yining quickly turned off the phone alarm. It was still dark outside. She turned on the room’s light and gently patted Jiang Xianzhi’s waist, saying, “Wake up, we need to get up for school.”

Jiang Xianzhi whimpered and rubbed her nose against Zhou Yining’s neck, acting coy. “I’m so sleepy. I want to sleep more.”

Zhou Yining amusedly looked at the young lady in her arms, gently stroking her back and coaxing softly, “Sweetie, you really need to get up. If you don’t, we’ll be late.”

“It’s so comfortable. I don’t want to get up.” Jiang Xianzhi buried herself in Zhou Yining’s arms again, took a deep breath, and showed no intention of opening her eyes.

Actually, she usually didn’t like lingering in bed, but Zhou Yining’s embrace was too comfortable, and she didn’t want to get up.

Zhou Yining looked at the young lady with closed eyes in her arms, chuckled, and shook her head, continuing to coax patiently, “Come on, sweetie, you really need to get up. Open your eyes, and you won’t feel so sleepy.”

“No way~”

Meanwhile, Liang Jing and Jiang Shengde had also gotten up. They usually woke up early, and both were already sitting in the dining room.

Liang Jing noticed her daughter hadn’t come down yet. She glanced at her watch and said doubtfully, “Haven’t Zhizhi and the others gotten up yet? It’s this late already. If they don’t get up, there won’t be time for breakfast.”

“They’re probably two girls who played too late last night. Go call them,” Jiang Shengde said with a smile. He hadn’t expected his daughter to have such a close friend.

“Hmm, I’ll go check.” Liang Jing agreed and went upstairs.

She walked to her daughter’s door and was about to knock when she heard noises inside, as if Zhou Yining was coaxing her daughter to get up.

Hiss, were young girls nowadays this clingy?

Liang Jing knocked on the door twice, then turned the handle to open it. As she was about to enter, her gaze fell on the room, where she saw her daughter lying in Zhou Yining’s arms, whimpering and unwilling to get up, while Zhou Yining seemed to be holding and coaxing her.

Liang Jing felt she shouldn’t have come in. She cleared her throat and said, “Zhizhi, you guys need to get up, or you’ll be late. Don’t cling to your classmate.”

“Hmm.” Hearing her mother’s voice, Jiang Xianzhi reluctantly opened her eyes.

Zhou Yining smiled at her, gently patted her waist, and coaxed, “Get up, sweetie.”

Jiang Xianzhi’s beautiful fox-like eyes stared at Zhou Yining’s for a while, then she reluctantly got up from Zhou Yining’s arms.

Liang Jing cleared her throat again and instructed, “Both of you, wash up and come down to eat. The driver will take you to school later.”

“Okay, thank you, Auntie,” Zhou Yining politely thanked her.

Liang Jing smiled at her and said, “No need to thank me. I’ll head downstairs.”

After Liang Jing left Jiang Xianzhi’s room, the more she thought about it, the stranger it felt. Why did Zhou Yining and her daughter’s interaction seem off? Did people coax their friends to get up like that? The more she looked, the more they seemed like a young couple.

Liang Jing shook her head, thinking she was overanalyzing. Maybe kids nowadays were just this clingy.

When she reached the dining room, Jiang Shengde asked with a smile, “Are they up?”

Liang Jing nodded and said, “They’re up, probably washing up. But it’s kind of strange—why does Zhizhi like her little classmate so much?”

“It’s nice, though. Zhizhi didn’t have any close friends before. It’s good to have a friend to hang out with now,” Jiang Shengde said with a smile.

In the room, Zhou Yining and Jiang Xianzhi had gotten up. Zhou Yining’s clothes from yesterday were washed and not yet dry, so she had to wear Jiang Xianzhi’s.

Jiang Xianzhi, like playing a dress-up game, picked out several outfits for Zhou Yining to try.

Zhou Yining chuckled and held her back, saying, “Alright, one outfit is fine. If we keep trying, we’ll run out of time.”

Zhou Yining casually grabbed a white short-sleeved shirt and light gray casual pants. She had a school uniform jacket in class, so she could just put it on at school.

Jiang Xianzhi regretfully put her clothes away, wanting Zhou Yining to try them all for her.

Zhou Yining quickly changed, and by the time she finished washing up, Jiang Xianzhi had changed too.

Jiang Xianzhi looked at Zhou Yining in her clothes, her eyes sparkling. “You look good.”

Zhou Yining smiled at her and teased, “Do I look good, or do the clothes look good?”

Jiang Xianzhi leaned closer, her beautiful fox-like eyes blinking at Zhou Yining. “Of course, you look good. I’m going to wash up, or we’ll really be late.”

“Hmm,” Zhou Yining nodded.

While Jiang Xianzhi washed up, Zhou Yining tidied the room and fixed the bed they had messed up.

When she finished, Jiang Xianzhi came out.

“All tidied up? Where’s your backpack?” Zhou Yining asked.

Jiang Xianzhi moved closer, hugged Zhou Yining, and buried herself in her arms. “I don’t want to go to school. I want to stay with you.”

Looking at the clingy little fox in her arms, Zhou Yining’s eyes curved. “If you miss me, you can find me anytime. I can come to you too. Be good. You need to study hard at school today.”

Jiang Xianzhi pouted. At a time like this, shouldn’t Zhou Yining say something sweet to coax her? Why was she urging her to study?

Seeing the little fox looking aggrieved and silent, Zhou Yining softened her voice. “Don’t we want to go to the same city for college? Work hard this year, and we can be together all the time.”

Hearing this, Jiang Xianzhi’s eyes lit up. She nuzzled in Zhou Yining’s arms and nodded firmly.

True, if she worked hard this year, she could stay with Zhou Yining forever and not worry about other pretty girls stealing her away.

“Hmm, I’ll work hard.”

“Good girl. Let’s go downstairs,” Zhou Yining said, picking up Jiang Xianzhi’s backpack and heading out.

Seeing her backpack, Jiang Xianzhi remembered Zhou Yining’s. “Oh, isn’t your backpack still at home? Let’s drop by your place to get it first.”

“No need. It’s just one morning. I’ll borrow some notes or something to get by. Don’t worry,” Zhou Yining said, smiling and leading her downstairs.

When they went down, Jiang Shengde and Liang Jing were still there.

“Sit down quick. Breakfast is ready. Eat, and I’ll have the driver take you to school,” Liang Jing said.

“Thank you, Auntie and Uncle, for your hospitality,” Zhou Yining quickly thanked them.

Jiang Xianzhi pulled her to sit. “Why so formal? You don’t need to be so polite with my family.”

“Right, you’re Zhizhi’s good friend. Treat this place like your own home. Be at ease,” Jiang Shengde said with a smile.

“Okay, thank you, Uncle,” Zhou Yining said, starting to eat breakfast.

The breakfast at Jiang Xianzhi’s house was wontons, soup dumplings, sandwiches, and milk. Zhou Yining chose wontons and soup dumplings.

The wontons were freshly made, with water chestnuts in the filling, crisp and sweet. The soup dumplings had crab roe and meat, leaving a fragrant taste with each bite.

Zhou Yining’s eyes lit up as she ate. This was the best breakfast she had ever had here.

Seeing her enjoy it, Jiang Xianzhi’s eyes curved. “Eat more. Next time, tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll have the kitchen prepare it.”

“No need. I’m not picky,” Zhou Yining said, winking at her.

Seeing his daughter in a good mood, Jiang Shengde felt relieved. He said to Liang Jing beside him, “It’s about time. I’ll go to the gym first. See you at the company later.”

“Hmm,” Liang Jing nodded.

Zhou Yining and Jiang Xianzhi had almost finished eating. Liang Jing arranged for the driver to take them to school.

Zhou Yining and Jiang Xianzhi sat in the back seat. Jiang Xianzhi glanced at the distance between them and scooted closer to Zhou Yining. “I’m sleepy.”

Zhou Yining looked at the young lady acting coy beside her and smiled. “Then lean on me and sleep for a bit?”

“Hmm!” Jiang Xianzhi’s eyes lit up, and she immediately leaned into Zhou Yining’s arms.

She wondered why she loved staying in Zhou Yining’s arms so much. It just felt so comfortable—more comfortable than her soft mattress.

Zhou Yining held Jiang Xianzhi’s waist with one hand, her eyes smiling as she looked at the person in her arms. Jiang Xianzhi closed her eyes to rest.

Twenty minutes later, the car stopped at the school gate.

Zhou Yining patted Jiang Xianzhi’s waist. “We’re here. Time to get out.”

Jiang Xianzhi nuzzled in Zhou Yining’s arms, reluctant to move. “Already?”

Zhou Yining smiled. “Hmm, time to go to class. You need to study hard.”

Jiang Xianzhi pouted and muttered softly, “Fine, fine, always studying. Bookworm.”

Zhou Yining playfully lifted Jiang Xianzhi’s chin. “What did you say?”

“Hmm? Nothing. I said I’m going to study hard today,” Jiang Xianzhi said, propping herself up on Zhou Yining’s waist to sit up. Had Zhou Yining just lifted her chin?

“That’s more like it,” study fanatic Zhou Yining said, satisfied with the answer, before opening the car door to get out.

They got out of the car together and walked into the school. Zhou Yining wasn’t wearing her uniform, making her stand out and attracting attention.

“Hey, isn’t that Zhou Yining? Why is she with Jiang Xianzhi?”

“No idea. Don’t they both like Zhang Ye? Are rivals getting along so well now?”

“Forget it. They were already on good terms. My friend’s in Class 1 and said they’re not interested in Zhang Ye anymore.”

“Really? But Zhang Ye does seem better matched with Zhong Yumeng.”

Zhou Yining ignored the gossip. She hadn’t even brought a backpack, just herself.

They went upstairs together. At the third-floor hallway, Zhou Yining reminded, “You’re here. Go back to class and study hard.”

Jiang Xianzhi pouted and gently shook Zhou Yining’s wrist. “What if I transferred to your class?”

Zhou Yining lightly patted Jiang Xianzhi’s waist. “No way. Changing classes takes a lot of energy. Besides, you’re used to Class 1’s teachers. Switching wouldn’t help your studies. So, in conclusion, no way.”

Jiang Xianzhi’s face fell. “Study, study, always study. What if I miss you?”

“You have a phone. I can come find you during breaks if I’m free. Come on, get to class,” Zhou Yining said, smiling and nudging Jiang Xianzhi to hurry back.

Jiang Xianzhi looked unhappy, glancing back at Zhou Yining every few steps. Seeing her still there, Jiang Xianzhi’s mood improved slightly.

Zhou Yining watched her enter the classroom before heading to the fourth floor. She stood out among the uniformed students.

Maybe because she changed her hairstyle, her whole vibe was different—more confident and prettier than before. Plus, Jiang Xianzhi’s stylish clothes made her even more noticeable.

“Hey, isn’t that Zhou Yining from Class 19? When did she get so pretty?”

“Yeah, I remember she used to walk hunched over. Why’s she so confident now?”

“Her outfit looks great. Isn’t that from that new light luxury brand?”

“Totally, and it looks good on her.”

Jiang Hao and Yu Yang ran into each other on the way to class and saw Zhou Yining ahead.

Yu Yang’s eyes lit up. She ditched Jiang Hao and ran toward Zhou Yining. “Zhou-jie, Zhou-jie, wait for me!”

Hearing the familiar voice, Zhou Yining turned and saw Yu Yang calling her. She stopped to wait, and Yu Yang soon caught up.

“Zhou-jie, why aren’t you wearing your uniform today?”

“I stayed at a friend’s house last night and didn’t have time to change. But I have my uniform jacket at school. I’ll put it on later,” Zhou Yining explained.

They chatted as they walked into the classroom. Jiang Hao, trailing behind, couldn’t take his eyes off Zhou Yining.

He wanted to kick himself for joining those guys in talking smack about Zhou Yining before.

When Zhou Yining entered the classroom, it briefly went quiet. Then a boy excitedly whistled at her. “Zhou-jie, you look amazing today!”

“Yeah, that outfit really suits you.”

“Hmm, I think so too.”

No wonder everyone was excited. Zhou Yining’s old clothes were cheap and outdated, barely passable even on her. They couldn’t compare to these stylish, well-designed clothes.

Xu Yueming stared, stunned. Was this his dull deskmate? She could practically rival Zhong Yumeng for school beauty.

Zhou Yining ignored them, pulled her uniform jacket from her bag, put it on, and sat down to read her book.