“Does anyone actually like the start of a new semester?”
Ever since that school opening banquet ended, Ning Chuxue had been pondering this question.
That banquet had been grand and heartwarming.
Mu Wannuo, Wen Yasheng, and Shen Ruqing had all come to celebrate with her. There were even fireworks and night lights before it ended.
Such a spectacular scene had once made Ning Chuxue wonder if it was really a school opening banquet.
The day after the banquet, Shen Ruqing drove her to school.
Mu Wannuo and Wen Yasheng seemed to have matters to attend to and couldn’t take her.
In the first few days of the semester, Ning Chuxue couldn’t adapt at all. She was extraordinarily famous in her class—too famous, even.
Every break, there would always be a crowd surrounding her.
She even accidentally overheard that she had made it onto the School Beauty Ranking List.
This sudden popularity caused Ning Chuxue a great deal of trouble, but she didn’t have the energy to deal with it.
She thought this problem would plague her for the entire semester, but right when the buzz was at its peak, the School Beauty Ranking List suddenly went into system maintenance. When the maintenance was complete, her name had mysteriously vanished from the list.
Some people tried to add her back, but within a minute, the posts were banned for violating the rules.
There were even rumors that one persistent person kept trying to put her name on the list, repeatedly pasting it despite being taken down by the platform multiple times. That person just wouldn’t give up.
But before half a day passed, that same person inexplicably issued an apology, actively urging others not to challenge the platform’s bottom line.
This incident even trended briefly online, but the school stepped in to suppress it.
Ning Chuxue went from being instantly famous to being known only by her classmates.
She also suspected that the suppression of the trending topic had something to do with Mu Wannuo, but since things were developing in a direction she liked, she didn’t ask.
“Chuxue, what are you thinking about?”
A curious question broke Ning Chuxue’s reverie.
She lifted her head to find the source of the voice.
A lively-looking girl was sitting in the seat next to her.
It was Ying, Director Zhang’s personal disciple.
On her first day in class, Ning Chuxue had been surprised to find that she and Ying were in the same class.
Ying was equally surprised.
As a chatterbox, she constantly hovered around Ning Chuxue, talking nonstop.
Over time, under Ying’s relentless pestering, she became Ning Chuxue’s first friend.
Considering what had happened with Qian Sheng, Ying had even risked getting hurt to shield her, so Ning Chuxue didn’t really dislike her.
Seeing that Ning Chuxue hadn’t answered, Ying began guessing,
“Could it be that Chuxue is still worried about Qian Sheng?”
Ning Chuxue snapped back to reality at her guess and shook her head.
“No, Qian Sheng isn’t worth me thinking about him for that long.”
She wasn’t the type to hold grudges.
Although what Qian Sheng did was disgusting, he had already received due punishment.
“Did I guess wrong?”
Ying pretended to think for a moment, then something came to mind, and the corners of her mouth lifted mischievously.
She leaned in close to Ning Chuxue’s ear and whispered,
“Could it be that Chuxue has found someone she likes?”
“No way! Don’t talk nonsense!”
Ning Chuxue’s face flushed pink as she playfully punched Ying’s arm as soon as the words left her mouth.
“Chuxue is blushing! That denial doesn’t sound convincing at all. I’m so jealous of whoever gets to be liked by such a cute girl like you. I’m turning green with envy.”
“What are you saying? There really isn’t anyone!”
Ning Chuxue swore she didn’t have a crush on anyone.
If she had to name someone, she did have some fondness for her three older sisters.
But that fondness was definitely not romantic!
“Well, I’m relieved then. If Chuxue ever likes someone else, I bet a bunch of people will say they’re heartbroken and start jumping off the rooftop like dumplings.”
“That’s way too exaggerated!”
Ning Chuxue naturally didn’t believe it.
Ying’s example was far too over the top.
“You never know.”
Ying’s tone was confident, but all she got in return was Ning Chuxue’s eye roll.
Seeing Ning Chuxue growing impatient, Ying swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue, and the atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
After calming down, Ying realized she might have gone too far.
She quickly stopped the topic and switched to a new one.
“Chuxue, how about we grab lunch together? My treat.”
“No need. Chuxue has something to do later.”
Ning Chuxue was about to agree, but another voice cut in first.
Along with the voice, a book slammed heavily onto the desk in front of Ying, making her instinctively shrink back.
Startled, Ning Chuxue looked up and saw Shen Ruqing casually sit down in the seat next to her.
“Ruqing Jie?”
Ning Chuxue was confused.
She herself didn’t know of any plans for later.
Why would Shen Ruqing say she had something to do?
Before she could ask, Shen Ruqing shot her a glare that silenced her.
Then Shen Ruqing turned back with an apologetic expression and said,
“Sorry, Xiao Ying. I have things to do later, so I can’t join you for lunch.”
“At least take this hair clip, okay?”
Ying pulled a blue hair clip from her pocket.
She still felt guilty about her earlier rudeness and needed to make it up somehow.
“Thank you, Ying.”
Seeing that Ning Chuxue had accepted the hair clip, Ying sensed something off about the atmosphere.
The source of this tension seemed to come from Shen Ruqing.
But Shen Ruqing was just reading a book, so it didn’t seem like it was coming from her.
Regardless, Ying felt that staying any longer might bring trouble.
She quickly waved at Ning Chuxue.
“I’m off now. See you, Chuxue.”
Ning Chuxue gave her a slight smile in response, not sensing the tension Ying had noticed.
Once Ying had left, Ning Chuxue pouted and rested her head on the desk, mumbling softly,
“But I really don’t have anything to do later…”
“I made that up.”
Shen Ruqing’s voice was calm but brooked no argument.
“Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. Hanging out with others might make it worse.”
Faced with Shen Ruqing’s unwavering attitude, Ning Chuxue had no choice but to obediently turn her head.
“Alright.”
Shen Ruqing didn’t respond further.
Her gaze shifted from the book to the phone beside her.
Several unread messages from Wen Yasheng popped up on the screen.
She swiped to unlock it.
[The Qian Family matter has been resolved.]
[Qian Sheng, relying on his family’s wealth, had been committing violent acts and bullying others. With the evidence provided by multiple victims, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.]
[Qian Yuan, taking advantage of his position, repeatedly engaged in private profiteering. He had also done many shady things behind the scenes. He was sentenced to death.]
[The Qian Family’s smuggling ledgers have also been uncovered. The amount involved exactly matches the family’s financial loophole. Several records of embezzlement were also found. All involved parties have been sentenced to various punishments, and the Qian Family’s assets have been fully confiscated and donated to charity.]