Chapter 44: How do you hit someone?

Su Yao was already quite impatient, and after hearing Yun Qing’s previous sentence, her mind was filled only with the thought of leaving.

But when Yun Qing mentioned a thousand yuan, Su Yao’s foot, which had just been about to lift, stopped abruptly.

She turned her head to look at Yun Qing, trying to find even the slightest trace of deception on her face, but there was none.

Yun Qing wore a confident, radiant expression, sharp and unyielding—a persona unlike the one she usually showed in front of others.

Could this be her true nature? Su Yao thought.

But she quickly dismissed the idea. Maybe this was just another act by Yun Qing.

How could someone like her so easily reveal her true thoughts and emotions?

One thousand yuan—for a script.

Su Yao marveled at Yun Qing’s wealth and boldness.

She was actually willing to spend such a large sum just to have Su Yao write a script for a few minutes of the show.

Though the thousand yuan was tempting—after all, today’s meal had already cost her three hundred, and combined with various expenses these days, her spending far exceeded her income.

Money is the lubricant of life.

With money, a person won’t have their sharp edges worn down by life.

Su Yao genuinely needed that thousand yuan, but it wasn’t as if she couldn’t live without earning it from Yun Qing, so she hesitated whether to accept.

And that hesitation was exactly what Yun Qing wanted.

Seeing Su Yao faltering, a slight curve lifted the corner of Yun Qing’s lips.

She kept watching the changes in Su Yao’s eyes, and just before Su Yao was about to make a decision, Yun Qing raised the stakes again!

“Not enough?

Then two thousand!

If the script passes the preliminary review, I’ll add another thousand.

If it passes the Directors’ Group’s review and gets performed on New Year’s Day, I can double the previous amount.

How’s that?”

Yun Qing’s voice echoed through the lecture hall, her words repeated over and over in Su Yao’s ears.

Though gradually fading, they remained crystal clear.

After this round of raises, Su Yao’s breathing quickened.

Doing the math: just writing it would earn two thousand, passing the preliminary review would be three thousand, and performing at the showcase would bring it to six thousand.

Six thousand yuan—not too little, not too much.

Few summer factory workers at a cheap university could earn that much, and all Su Yao had to do was write a script for less than ten minutes.

Yun Qing pulled out a file folder she had prepared long ago and handed it to Su Yao.

Only after Su Yao took it did she speak.

“Su Yao, you’re connected with Senior Sister Mu, right?”

“……”

Su Yao shifted her gaze to Yun Qing’s seemingly harmless face.

Yun Qing seemed to have been watching her all along.

This secretive, unnoticed attention made Su Yao uneasy.

They held each other’s gaze for two breaths.

In the end, Su Yao averted her eyes and looked down at the file folder in her hands.

It was packed full—seemingly prepared with plenty of materials.

Seeing Su Yao dodge her question, Yun Qing didn’t stop there but instead pressed on.

She stepped closer and continued, “You should know Senior Sister Mu’s family situation. Their three generations of business assets rank among the top domestically. The Three Estates south of the school are rumored to be the dowry prepared for Senior Sister Mu. She’s the legitimate daughter, a proper rich heiress. And you?”

That “and you” was a heavy blow.

Su Yao’s expression dimmed.

Her hand touched the scarf Mu Nanqiu had given her.

If it weren’t for their connection in the game, the distance between her and Mu Nanqiu would be enormous.

But…

Su Yao raised her head to look at the smug Yun Qing and suddenly punched her in the stomach.

“Ah! You—you hit people?!”

Yun Qing clutched her belly and fell to the ground.

The punch wasn’t very strong, but it still made her sweat cold.

She hadn’t expected Su Yao to suddenly strike.

Weren’t they supposed to be civilized university students?

Su Yao looked down at her, tilting her head slightly, and asked in return, “So, why do you say that?”

“……”

This time it was Yun Qing who was momentarily at a loss for words.

Mu Nanqiu was indeed a rich heiress, but what did that have to do with Yun Qing?

Her face darkened, she clenched her teeth, and glared coldly at Su Yao.

She looked like she was about to say something harsh, but in the end, she held back and changed her fierce expression back to a peaceful smile.

The transformation was almost instantaneous—as quick as turning a page.

Su Yao, watching as a bystander, felt a chill run down her spine.

I just punched you, right?

Did I not hit you?

Su Yao remembered that Yun Qing once told her they were the same kind of person, but looking now, how could that be true?

She curled her lips and stood tall, looking down on Yun Qing with pride.

Yun Qing also wanted to hold her head high, but seeing Su Yao’s obviously noticeable chest even in a down jacket, she knew she had already lost too much.

Facing such grandeur, Yun Qing felt diminished.

Gritting her teeth in frustration, she said,

“So, are you going to take the money or not?”

“I will!”

Although Su Yao disliked Yun Qing, she didn’t dislike money.

Taking money from Yun Qing was the best thing she could ask for!

But before that, Su Yao had to ask one question.

“How did you make this money?”

After asking, Su Yao began to appraise Yun Qing’s body, scanning her from head to toe.

The class monitor was good-looking and good at socializing, but Su Yao hadn’t heard anyone say Yun Qing had close relationships with anyone… Right, Hua Mingye, Senior Sister Hua!

She recalled Yun Qing hanging out with Hua Mingye and then thought back to what happened at the KTV that day.

Feeling Su Yao’s loaded scrutiny, Yun Qing’s face turned dark as if she were about to explode with rage.

She shouted resentfully,

“None of your business!”

She was getting desperate.

Su Yao rolled her eyes and said nothing more, just grabbed the folder and headed for the lecture hall’s exit.

Su Yao wasn’t being mean for no reason—she just thought Yun Qing deserved it.

Su Yao resisted socializing but hadn’t lost the ability to speak.

Online, she was lively; when chatting with Oyster Sauce, she would even make dirty jokes.

But in reality, she instinctively restrained herself from speaking recklessly.

It was just that Yun Qing’s words earlier were too much, so her blood boiled and she punched her.

Yun Qing watched Su Yao disappear through the door, growling bitterly,

“I’m not your substitute!”

Back in the classroom, Su Yao distracted herself with her phone until nearly the end of class.

Watching the time tick down second by second, her excitement grew.

When the number fifty-nine turned to zero zero, Su Yao sent a message to Mu Nanqiu.

“I’m out of class.”

Mu Nanqiu replied with a voice message: “I’m waiting for you at the place from before. Hurry up and come~”

Hearing the voice through the phone, Su Yao felt an indescribable sweetness in her heart.

She never imagined that in her lifetime, there would be someone looking forward to seeing her.