After Biting the Female Lead, the Vicious Female Supporting Character Turned Alpha [Transmigration] - Chapter 14: 014
Shi Qingfan had arranged the prepared materials on her desk. Hearing the knock, she went to open the door, only to find Gong Linglang had gotten there first.
Hearing footsteps enter, Shi Qingfan stood up and turned around, directly meeting Jiang Xuenian’s dark eyes. Those dark eyes sparkled with tiny lights under the lamplight. Shi Qingfan was momentarily distracted. Snapping back to attention, she noticed Jiang Xuenian’s hair was still wet and asked, “Why didn’t you blow-dry your hair before coming?”
Jiang Xuenian walked towards Shi Qingfan, casually brushing some hair away from her cheek. Her fingertips picked up a trace of water, and she looked up, smiling. “We said we’d start at 8:30. If I were late, wouldn’t I be breaking my word to you?”
Shi Qingfan pursed her lips. “It’s fine.” *Being late is fine.*
Gong Linglang followed behind Jiang Xuenian. Seeing Shi Qingfan’s concern for Jiang Xuenian, she said sourly, “It’s only early autumn. The weather isn’t that cold, and wet hair won’t give you a cold.”
Jiang Xuenian sat down in the seat Shi Qingfan had prepared for her, then turned and looked up with a smile. “Class monitor, time is money. Let’s start quickly. My hair isn’t long; it’ll be dry by the time we finish studying.”
Shi Qingfan asked Gong Linglang, “What about you?”
Gong Linglang quickly waved her hand. “Maybe in a few days! Although my Imperial Common Language grades are average, I’m not like Jiang Xuenian, who knows nothing at all. I’ll join you guys later when we get to the more advanced stuff.”
“Mm,” Shi Qingfan sat down next to Jiang Xuenian and began teaching from the most basic vocabulary.
Gong Linglang turned her back to Shi Qingfan, took out her phone from the drawer, and climbed into bed, huddled under her blanket, and started messaging the Jiang Xuenian Behavior Research Group.
Gong Linglang: *@Tang Xiuran @Jiang Feichen, Jiang Xuenian really came!*
Gong Linglang took a photo of the two from behind and sent it to the group.
In the photo, two slender, straight figures sat together, their heads close, looking very intimate.
Gong Linglang had deliberately chosen an ambiguous angle for the photo to incite anger in Tang Xiuran and Jiang Feichen. In reality, the distance between Jiang Xuenian and Shi Qingfan was not that close.
Tang Xiuran: *Gong Linglang, you’re just going to watch them sit that close???*
Jiang Feichen: *Make them separate!!!*
Gong Linglang: *[crying emoji] I don’t dare! Jiang Xuenian is Shi Qingfan’s beloved now. I, her childhood friend, am no longer that important, boohoohoo.*
Gong Linglang: *You guys aren’t at St. Lyceum; how would you know my suffering? Every day I watch Qingfan grow closer to Jiang Xuenian, powerless. Who knows my sadness? When emergencies happen, I don’t even have anyone to consult; I can only secretly find time to message you two.*
The more Gong Linglang spoke, the more pitiful she sounded. Tang Xiuran and Jiang Feichen felt guilty.
As Shi Qingfan’s childhood friends, only Gong Linglang was constantly by Shi Qingfan’s side, while they were at different schools.
The group was quiet for a moment, then Tang Xiuran sent a voice message.
Tang Xiuran: *[My parents are coming back to Bin City for a month-long business trip next month. I’ll figure out a way to return to Bin City with them.]*
Jiang Feichen: *I can’t make it. You two definitely have to keep me updated on any developments.*
Gong Linglang: *Ahhhhhh, Tangtang @Tang Xiuran, you’re the best! I’ll wait for you to come!!! @Jiang Feichen, of course, don’t worry.*
Due to Shi Qingfan’s family situation, Gong Linglang and her two childhood friends had felt a sense of pity for Shi Qingfan since they were young, and couldn’t bear to see any bad people approach Shi Qingfan.
••••
Shi Qingfan taught diligently, and Jiang Xuenian learned diligently. After an hour of study, Jiang Xuenian made rapid progress.
Jiang Xuenian glanced at her watch, then raised her arms and stretched. “Class monitor, you’ve worked hard. I’ll treat you to milk tea tomorrow.”
Shi Qingfan said, “You’re welcome.”
Jiang Xuenian’s dark eyes widened. “Why ‘you’re welcome’? This is called…”
“A reciprocal gesture,” Shi Qingfan said before Jiang Xuenian could finish.
“Right, a reciprocal gesture. Class monitor, you actually remembered that,” Jiang Xuenian’s dark eyes flashed with surprise.
Shi Qingfan’s eyebrows softened slightly. “It left quite an impression.”
After speaking, her gaze shifted to Jiang Xuenian’s head. Jiang Xuenian touched her hair, her palm feeling cool. “See, it’s dry.”
Shi Qingfan raised her hand and gently touched it. Cool, smooth strands of hair slipped through her fingertips.
Jiang Xuenian’s body trembled slightly. “Class monitor, your touch makes me a little ticklish.”
A faint fragrance permeated the space between them. While teaching Jiang Xuenian Imperial Common Language, Shi Qingfan had been distracted by this scent several times.
“Jiang Xuenian!” Gong Linglang’s agitated voice interrupted the strange atmosphere between the two. “Time’s up! Hurry up and go! We still need to shower and sleep!”
Jiang Xuenian was already accustomed to Gong Linglang’s hostile demeanor. Hearing her, she smiled indifferently and said to Shi Qingfan, “Class monitor, good night. See you tomorrow~”
Jiang Xuenian’s smiling lips were above a perky nose, with a tiny mole adorning its tip.
Shi Qingfan’s ears turned slightly red. “Good night, see you tomorrow.”
After Jiang Xuenian left, Shi Qingfan sat at her desk, staring blankly. She held a pen in her hand, but its tip didn’t touch the exercise book for a long time.
Gong Linglang watched Shi Qingfan from the side for a long time, but couldn’t get her attention.
Dazing off during study time—this was something that would have been absolutely impossible before.
Jiang Xuenian’s influence on Shi Qingfan was truly immense. They had only just become familiar over a few days, and before that, they had even had a quarrel.
••••
The next day, during morning self-study, Gong Linglang shared her confusion with her “Protect the Class monitor Plan” buddies.
“…What’s so great about Jiang Xuenian anyway?” Gong Linglang was utterly baffled.
“The class monitor is just too kind-hearted.”
“The class monitor hasn’t seen how treacherous people can be. Being too naive makes it easy to be deceived!”
“Exactly, Jiang Xuenian is too cunning.”
“I don’t think Jiang Xuenian is that bad either…” Yin Yan said weakly.
He was Jiang Xuenian’s deskmate, and over the past few days, he had found Jiang Xuenian to have a very good personality, very easy to get along with, and her attitude toward studying had also improved. If it weren’t for the bad things she had done before, Yin Yan would definitely have become friends with her.
“Yin Yan! Even you’ve been fooled by her?” Gong Linglang looked at Yin Yan in disbelief.
Yin Yan guiltily lowered his head. “Jiang Xuenian has helped me several times. She doesn’t seem like a bad person to me. Was there some misunderstanding about what happened before?”
Gong Linglang stared coldly at Yin Yan. “Tell me, what misunderstanding could there be? As long as you can give a reason, as long as the reason is logical.”
Being stared at by a group of people, Yin Yan nervously swallowed. “During Sports Day, I personally heard Jiang Xuenian say that she liked the class monitor. I don’t think she was lying.”
“As for why she would frame the class monitor for helping Linglang cheat, I still can’t figure that out,” Yin Yan said, rubbing his head.
Gong Linglang’s heart skipped a beat. She and Tang Xiuran and Jiang Feichen had previously speculated on the reasons for Jiang Xuenian’s various behaviors, and the most likely possibility was that Jiang Xuenian liked Shi Qingfan.
“Jiang Xuenian liking Qingfan isn’t a reason for her to do bad things,” Gong Linglang said. “Yin Yan, you’ve betrayed us. Don’t come to our discussion sessions anymore.”
The others, whose expressions had softened after Yin Yan’s words, instantly sobered up when Gong Linglang spoke.
The harm Jiang Xuenian had caused to Shi Qingfan had already happened. Even if Jiang Xuenian liked Shi Qingfan, it couldn’t change the facts of what had occurred.
“Yin Yan, just leave on your own.”
“Be proactive; don’t make us look down on you.”
Yin Yan: “…” *He shouldn’t have opened his mouth.*
••••
During morning self-study, Tan Ying watched the classroom for a while, then called Shi Qingfan out. She didn’t return for a long time. Class Three became noisy, with many people leaving their seats to chat.
Jiang Xuenian was very focused on her studies and was not affected by the environment at all.
After learning the basics for an hour yesterday, Jiang Xuenian returned to her dorm and memorized all the Imperial Common Language vocabulary at the back of the textbook. Although she still didn’t understand some grammar, facing the Imperial Common Language textbook, she was no longer illiterate.
Jiang Xuenian reviewed the vocabulary. Looking up, she saw her deskmate, Yin Yan, return, head bowed, and sit down at his desk, clearly unhappy.
A moment later, Yin Yan let out a clear sob, his body trembling slightly.
Jiang Xuenian: “…” *Is he crying?*
When Yin Yan’s trembling subsided a little, Jiang Xuenian quietly asked, “Yin Yan, what happened?”
Yin Yan looked up, his eyes red and swollen, his face wet with tears. “N-nothing.”
*Crying like that, how could it be nothing?*
“Yin…”
Just as Jiang Xuenian spoke one word, Tan Ying suddenly pushed the door open. The classroom instantly quieted. Shi Qingfan followed her in, then turned and closed the door.
Students who had gathered at other desks scurried back to their own seats, took out a book, and held it up, occasionally stealing glances at Tan Ying.
Tan Ying scanned the classroom. Yin Yan and Jiang Xuenian remained in the same positions they were in before she entered: one frowning unhappily, the other looking wronged and crying.
Tan Ying walked over and asked Jiang Xuenian, “What’s going on?”
Jiang Xuenian: “…” *If only she knew what was going on.*
Jiang Xuenian didn’t speak. Tan Ying looked at Yin Yan. “What’s wrong with you?”
Yin Yan wiped his tears, glanced at Jiang Xuenian, and shook his head. “Teacher Tan, I’m fine. I just accidentally got sand in my eye. It has nothing to do with Jiang Xuenian.”
Tan Ying’s suspicious gaze immediately fell on Jiang Xuenian.
Jiang Xuenian: “…”
*It really has nothing to do with me.*