She didn’t want Lin Qing to suffer this kind of injustice anymore
At this point, we can only defend ourselves against the oncoming army and bury ourselves like earth when the water comes.
After all, Qiao Yu was just a minor character, and no matter how fierce the battle, it would never reach her.
The urgent matter is to first understand the intentions of this uninvited Song Wanwan. Since everyone knows each other, wouldn’t it be foolish of her to cause trouble for Lin Qing?
This task is undoubtedly most suitable for the secretly admired Cong Ye. Qiao Yu leaned back in her chair, stretched out her legs, kicking Cong Ye and signaling him.
Cong Ye didn’t pick up the signal at all and angrily shouted, “Qiao Yu, why did you kick me?”
…If a border collie was sitting across from him, it would be smarter than him. This man is truly unreliable.
Ignoring Cong Ye’s attempt to retaliate under the table, Qiao Yu withdrew her leg and personally engaged, revealing an awkward yet polite smile to Song Wanwan.
“Did you have business with Lin Qing just now?”
However, Song Wanwan’s attitude towards her was far from friendly. It was evident that she still remembered Qiao Yu’s failure to recognize her and refusal to help her move the table. Her face grew long, and she was ready to attack.
“Why? Are you her manager or something?”
Qiao Yu pondered for a moment and shook her head earnestly.
“I guess I’m more like a bodyguard.”
After all, she wouldn’t go around arranging Lin Qing’s schedule.
Seeing that Song Wanwan’s weird and sarcastic remarks had no effect, her eyebrows furrowed, and her face turned red. How could she get angry so easily? Qiao Yu gave up on communicating with her and turned to Lin Qing.
“What did she say when I wasn’t here? Did she bully you?”
Unlike her professional tone with Song Wanwan, when she spoke to Lin Qing, her voice would unconsciously soften, with a gentle nasal tone, as if afraid of scaring her.
Lin Qing felt Qiao Yu’s hand reaching over and holding her fingertips again. She had faintly noticed before that Qiao Yu had frequent small physical contacts, but it seemed unconscious, like a subconscious movement of her body.
They were close, but not excessively intimate, at least not to the point where Lin Qing, who was not accustomed to physical contact, wanted to escape.
Unlike Lin Qing’s perpetually cool hands, Qiao Yu’s hands were always warm. Lin Qing felt the warmth spreading from her fingertips, warm and gentle, just like the way she looked at her now, with a faint sparkle in her light-colored pupils, honestly reflecting her owner’s concern and self-blame.
Being looked at by such straightforward eyes easily made one feel cherished and valued like a treasure.
Lin Qing dared not look for long and hastily averted her gaze, feeling a slight panic.
Before she could sort out her bewildering thoughts, the opposing Song Wanwan raised her voice, “What are you saying? How could I bully her!”
It seemed that she was extremely displeased with Qiao Yu’s words. She reached out her hand to grab Lin Qing as a witness, saying, “Hey, speak up!”
Instinctively, Lin Qing leaned back to avoid her outstretched hand. It was only when she saw the other person’s indignant expression that she regained her senses and spoke up, calming herself.
“No, that’s not true. She came over to ask about the relationship between Cong Ye and me. She didn’t bully me.” She paused for a moment and added in a low voice, “You’re not a bodyguard.”
Oh dear, why did her casual remark make Lin Qing take it seriously?
Qiao Yu found her adorable and leaned closer, whispering in her ear,
“Then what am I?”
Of course, Lin Qing knew that Qiao Yu was teasing her. Suppressing her shyness, she calmly looked at her and gave a gentle smile.
“Aren’t you my father?”
“…”
Qiao Yu tactfully stepped back, digesting Lin Qing’s not-so-light counterattack and reflecting on her own careless words in the past. Being called “father” by Lin Qing felt so awkward.
She refocused on the current situation. It seemed that before she entered, she had seen Lin Qing’s troubled expression, struggling with how to explain things. Qiao Yu felt slightly relieved, thinking that Lin Qing was probably worried about how to handle the situation.
But Song Wanwan’s question was obviously directed at Cong Ye. Though her straightforward attitude of asking Lin Qing directly instead of whispering behind her back could be considered candid, if she cared so much, why didn’t she go ask the main person, Cong Ye? Why bother Lin Qing?
Song Wanwan didn’t bully Lin Qing—yet. But it was highly likely that it was just a matter of time.
Qiao Yu’s mood soured again. She frowned and looked at Song Wanwan, who had a righteous expression as if saying, “I didn’t bully her,” with a cold tone.
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“If Lin Qing’s answer doesn’t satisfy you, would you then bully her?”
Song Wanwan’s expression froze, her mouth opening and closing without uttering a single word, like a fish out of water, trapped in confusion.
Qiao Yu and Lin Qing’s hands remained clasped. Suddenly, Qiao Yu felt a gentle squeeze on her hand.
She turned to look and saw a faint curve forming at the corner of Lin Qing’s lips, silently conveying three words to her.
Don’t be angry.
No matter how fiery a person’s temperament may be, they cannot ignite a flame in the face of such a warm smile, especially since Qiao Yu has always listened to Lin Qing.
She was genuinely not very happy.
The world was unfair to Lin Qing. Previously, it was Cong Ye who spoke without reservation, yet Lin Qing bore the brunt of the rumors flying around. And now, although it was Cong Ye who caused the romantic entanglement, she came to find Lin Qing.
Readers of romance novels know that a suffering female lead will soon be rescued by the male lead. But when the female lead is suffering, does she know she will be saved? Will her suffering be erased by the belated help?
This is unreasonable. Qiao Yu doesn’t want Lin Qing to endure this kind of injustice anymore.
But when Lin Qing told her not to be angry, Qiao Yu rubbed her own stiff face to relax it.
Forget it, what’s the use of getting angry about something that has already happened? It’s more important to quickly resolve the hidden dangers.
Qiao Yu grabbed Lin Qing’s hand and placed it on her own knee. As she soothingly massaged Lin Qing’s fingertips, she unabashedly stepped on the shoes of the main culprit sitting across from them.
“Haven’t you heard? It’s about you,” she tilted her head towards the speechless Song Wanwan. “You explain it. Don’t keep involving Lin Qing in your mess.”
Cong Ye also understood that this was mostly the consequence of his previous actions. He remained silent, accepting Qiao Yu’s reproach, and explained their relationship to Song Wanwan once again.
“…That’s it, I’m her brother,” Cong Ye blabbered on, feeling parched. He reached out to grab the three bottles of drinks he had just bought, only to have Qiao Yu sweep them all into her embrace, not leaving a single one for him.
Then, right in front of Cong Ye, she unscrewed the cap of a bottle of sparkling water and handed it to Lin Qing. She casually placed the other two bottles under the chair and took out her phone, not even lifting an eyelid in his direction.
Lin Qing, bewildered, held the bottle of sparkling water that was forced into her hand. She looked at Cong Ye, who seemed eager, and then at the expressionless Qiao Yu, hesitating before taking a sip.
Cong Ye’s phone buzzed twice. He took it out and saw that Qiao Yu had transferred the money for the three bottles of drinks to him, even adding a few extra cents. In the remarks section, she succinctly wrote: Delivery fee.
Cong Ye:…
Qiao Yu was incredibly petty when it came to matters involving Lin Qing.
“Oh, I see. She’s your sister, huh.”
Finally, Song Wanwan beside them successfully reboot from her frozen state. Upon hearing Cong Ye’s explanation, she visibly became happy, and her two legs swung leisurely under the chair.
“I didn’t know that before, hehe.”
…With her looking so much like a love-struck teenage girl, who could she possibly fool?
Qiao Yu reluctantly averted her gaze from the phone, cautiously stealing a glance at Lin Qing using her peripheral vision. Noticing Lin Qing’s lack of reaction, and even a hint of distraction, she absentmindedly turned the bottle of sparkling water in her hand.
Qiao Yu felt relieved, thinking that perhaps people in this world were generally slow to catch on.
“You didn’t know all this time?” Completely oblivious to Song Wanwan’s one-sided affection for him, Slow No. 1 Cong Ye spoke in a dazed manner, “But I told the class about it two weeks ago, so it should have spread by now.”
Song Wanwan’s smile froze once again. “B-but I never heard anything about it.”
Cong Ye furrowed his brows and put himself in her shoes, speaking decisively.
“Maybe you just don’t have good social connections.”
Oh my god.
Qiao Yu silently reached out and propped her hand on the table, covering one ear as she turned her head away. Her actions conveyed that she couldn’t bear to listen anymore.
This Cong Ye, with his typical straight-to-the-point attitude, would definitely get an earful from Qiao Yu if he said that to her. He was acting as if he had great social connections! Wasn’t he the one who was constantly avoided by his classmates?
But Song Wanwan was different. This was the person she liked saying it, so even if she wasn’t happy in her heart, she couldn’t lash out at him. She could only force a smile and say, “…No, no. It’s just that I don’t often gossip with friends…”
Qiao Yu looked at Song Wanwan’s smile, which was more pitiful than tears, and couldn’t help but sympathize with her.
“But didn’t you just tell me at the door that Qiao Yu didn’t recognize you? I remember you said your relationship with her was quite good. It seems like it’s not the case.”
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…In less than two seconds, Cong Ye ignited the battlefield and targeted her. Really, if he were a mute, he might be a hundred times more likable than he is now.
Qiao Yu was almost getting used to Cong Ye’s behavior as a terrible teammate. She could calmly think about how to explain, but Song Wanwan’s reaction was intense. She suddenly grabbed Qiao Yu’s wrist, propping herself up, and forcefully pulled Qiao Yu closer.
“That’s not true! Qiao Yu and I have a great relationship! We even had a meal together during the break!”
Her voice was on the verge of tears, urgently seeking a definite answer, making Qiao Yu feel a bit guilty.
The system mentioned that the original host and Song Wanwan had a social relationship between wealthy second-generation individuals. Their families had business collaborations, so their relationship as children wouldn’t be that bad. Although they weren’t very close friends, forgetting someone like that was really inexcusable…
She thought and thought but couldn’t come up with a satisfactory explanation. She could only come up with a flimsy excuse that sounded extremely perfunctory.
“M-maybe you became more beautiful over the break, and I just didn’t recognize you for a moment…”
Wow, why does this explanation sound like something a scumbag would say? Qiao Yu regretted it as soon as she spoke. This flowery excuse clearly sounded like a lie to appease someone. It would have been better to say that she had a bad memory.
“Oh, I see!”
Song Wanwan released her with great excitement, and her blushing face cleared up with a sunny expression.
…Is this even possible, sir?
Qiao Yu silently rubbed her wrist, deeply realizing how easy it was to coax a girl.
“I told you we have a great relationship! Qiao Yu even remembers what I like to eat, right?”
Oh no! Spare me, sir, and spare yourself too!
Qiao Yu almost couldn’t catch her breath, pain closing her eyes tightly. She didn’t dare to look at Song Wanwan’s sparkling eyes filled with anticipation. She urgently sought help from the system.
“What does she like to eat?!”
“…There doesn’t seem to be any records in the host’s memory about what Song Wanwan likes to eat…”
…So the original Qiao Yu didn’t remember either! Song Wanwan, please don’t casually say things in front of your crush!
Although it felt somewhat cruel to directly say that she didn’t remember while facing her expectant face… Qiao Yu couldn’t think of any other way. She couldn’t just make up something, right? There are so many delicious foods in the world, it would be a miracle if she managed to guess correctly!
Her silence lasted too long, and the atmosphere at the table became somewhat oppressive. Song Wanwan’s smile gradually dimmed, but she still stared at Qiao Yu without completely giving up.
Sweat started to bead on Qiao Yu’s forehead as she silently prayed that someone would interrupt this situation, just like Cong Ye did when he entered the room earlier. How would she handle it if Song Wanwan started crying because of her words? Whose fault would that be? Who would console her?
Perhaps her prayers were sincere enough to move the heavens. Suddenly, hurried footsteps could be heard from outside, and two familiar figures entered the self-study room. It was Lu Yao, dragging a reluctant Mi Yi, his eyes burning as he walked straight towards them.
Tears welled up in Qiao Yu’s eyes as she looked at Lu Yao with the eyes of a savior.
“You’re still studying! Qiao Yu, you can’t leave me. I don’t want to fail alone, waaah…”
He wailed a couple more times and even tried to cling to Qiao Yu’s leg, but she kicked him away. He could only stand up and mutter that they should take him along since he brought Mi Yi, assuring them that he wouldn’t be a bother.
Only now did he notice that Song Wanwan was still sitting there. He exclaimed, touched his chin, and furrowed his brows, lost in thought.
“Oh, this person seems a bit familiar… Ah, I’m not hitting on you. I really think we’ve met before…”
After pondering for a while, he simply waved his hand dismissively.
“I can’t remember. I must have mistaken, haha.”
Song Wanwan burst into loud wailing.
“Waaah, why is my social circle really this terrible!”
Her crying was earth-shattering. Those who were close, including Cong Ye, covered their ears, and even Qiao Yu felt a buzzing in her head. Not only the people in the classroom but also those passing by in the corridor were drawn to the powerful sound of her crying, crowding around the doorway to watch.
“Qiao Yu doesn’t remember me, and Lu Yao doesn’t remember me either!”
“Qiao Yu doesn’t even remember that I love eating Luosifen1. Waaah!”
…How could the original Qiao Yu not remember even this! The fact that the rich second-generation young lady loves eating Luosifen, such a impactful detail, shouldn’t be so easily forgotten!
The people present were completely unable to console the crying young lady. The crowd of onlookers grew larger and finally caught the attention of the teacher.
“This is a self-study room! Don’t disturb the other students who are studying seriously!”
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Amidst the teacher’s scolding, Qiao Yu and her group cowered, holding their heads, and were driven out of the self-study room.
Standing at the school gate, the group of people ran in a disheveled manner. As the September autumn wind carried a hint of chilliness, they felt an immense sense of desolation.
Qiao Yu, with a wooden face, didn’t know whom to be angry with anymore. Angry at herself for having a blank mind, angry at Cong Ye for stepping on a landmine, angry at Lu Yao for coming at all, and even angry at herself for putting in so much effort to no avail.
Song Wanwan, who had been crying, was nowhere to be seen. Cong Ye, who had been in close proximity to her crying, staggered with a dazed expression, and Lu Yao, who had been kicked out of the self-study room within five minutes of entering, stood on the side with a vacant gaze, murmuring to himself about what had happened. Mi Yi patted her ears and grumbled unkindly that he was definitely to blame for this outcome.
…What on earth just happened?
Qiao Yu, with a mournful face, turned around to seek comfort from Lin Qing.
Lin Qing, innocently affected by this spectacle, gently stroked the head pressed against her neck and comforted Qiao Yu in a soft voice. It took a while before Qiao Yu regained some composure.
“…What should we do?” Lin Qing thought she was referring to Song Wanwan, but Qiao Yu quickly changed the subject. “Based on the teacher’s attitude, I don’t think we can go to the self-study room anytime soon.”
Lin Qing was momentarily speechless, realizing that Qiao Yu genuinely wanted to study earnestly.
Staying in the classroom was an option, but there were classmates all around, making it easy to be disturbed. It was also troublesome to keep changing seats.
Qiao Yu sighed in frustration, unable to come up with a good solution, when she noticed from afar that her ride had arrived to pick her up.
She stared blankly at the car for a few moments when a sudden spark flashed through her mind.
Qiao Yu tightly held Lin Qing’s hand, facing her directly with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes.
“Lin Qing, would you like to come to my house?”
Footnotes
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Luosifen is a Chinese noodle soup and specialty of Liuzhou, Guangxi. The dish consists of rice noodles boiled and served in a soup. Ingredients are: Rice vermicelli, stock made from river snails, pickled bamboo shoots, peanuts, tofu skins, and chili pepper.