Translated by newbienoona
Edited by anks
Meng Xiaonan's hand freezes over the zipper of her bag. As she slings it on her back, she asks, “Xu Nian, why are you so concerned about my studies all of a sudden?”
“Your studies?” Xu Nian stutters. “Oh, it's because I want a worthy adversary, not someone who's useless.”
Useless? Xiaonan purses her lips. Sanitation workers are more useful compared to Xu Nian's lack of skills.
“It seems I would be needing my case after all,” Xiaonan says without smiling. She holds the soft leather against her palm before adding, “Would you like me to open it to see if I'm missing any of my pens?”
Xu Nian proudly tilts her head. “Why are you asking me? That's up to you.”
Meng Xiaonan shrugs as she challenges Xu Nian's intelligence. “Indeed, I shouldn't have asked you.”
Xiaonan opens the case as the girls' eyes await. A secret smile spreads on her lips. This is boring!
“There seems to be something inside… .” Meng Xiaonan sticks her hand in, and without looking at the other three, she knows they are antic.i.p.ating her reaction.
Her fingers touch something slimy. Since she prepared herself, she doesn't frown. She pulls the red earthworm between her forefinger and middle finger like a cigarette. She can tell Xu Nian bought the worm from the nearby bait shop.
There was no unexpected scream. Instead, Meng Xiaonan lifts the worm halfway up, and talks to it as she leans closer. “Who brought you here, you cute, little, dehydrated… .”
Xu Nian's lips twitch. She thinks to herself, “Is this girl a monster? Normal girls would be disgusted or scared when they come upon an earthworm. This one calls them cute!”
When she notices their reactions, Meng Xiaonan turns to them coldly. She has no time to play with them! “I have too many things to do to care for this cute little thing. Please remember to return it to a flower bed!” She walks directly to Xu Nian. The girl screams and steps back.
“Take it away! Jiangnan, if you dare let that disgusting thing touch me, I will kill you!” Xu Nian shoots her a look that can kill.
“You're nauseated?” Xiaonan smirks as she coolly speaks to Xu Nian. “Are you saying I should put the worm back in my bag, my nausea be d.a.m.ned?”
“I… .” Xu Nian stammers.
“Who do you think you are, Xu Nian? No matter what I think, I don't f.u.c.king come over to provoke you. Leave me alone! Stop bullying me!” Meng Xiaonan throws the earthworm out of the window. Then, she pats Xu Nian. “In the future, don't come searching for trouble with me.”
The two other girls hide behind Xu Nian after the worm is tossed. All of a sudden, the girls find their spirit.
“Watch yourself, jie! How dare you talk to our sister like that!” The girl with the wavy hair plants her hand against her hip while waving a finger at Xiaonan.
“What att.i.tude are you talking about? Also, don't ever call me jie!” Meng Xiaonan says as she looks at Xu Nian, focusing on her neck. “If I hear any of you call me jie in front of me i'll definitely kill you!”
“You!” Xu Nian says through gritted teeth. “Don't force me!”
She remembers Xiaonan didn't say anything to her, but instead shrugged her off with indifference. Xiaonan can't believe she's able to beat these three rich and respectable ladies like market commoners.
Xiaonan looks down at Xu Nian which ignites the latter's anger.
Xu Nian is about to push her when a dark shadow looms. When she looks up, she sees a boy standing in front of Meng Xiaonan.
“Liu Dongyu!” The girl with the pigtails stares.
“It truly is Liu Dongyu!” the girl with wavy hair confirms as she pushes the girl with pigtails away.
“Idiot, haven't you seen him with her?”
Ignoring the dialogue between the two girls, Liu Dongyu looks at Xu Nian stoically. “It is my job to protect her. In the future, I better not catch you bullying her.”
He may not have witnessed what happened earlier,but he is no fool. He can surmise that the girls have converged with less than n.o.ble intentions.
Meng Xiaonan takes a double take at Liu Dongyu.
It is my job to protect her.
Why isn't it Xiao Mingluo saying these words?
“Aren't you a new transfer student? Let me tell you. In Stein College, it won't do you any good saving the beauty. You've just met her! Ugh, get away from me!” Xu Nian says snootily.
Liu Dongyu isn't scared of her. He says with indifference, “If there's nothing going on, we'll take our leave. Keep in mind what I just said.”
“You!” Xu Nian's face turns flush, and her bosom heaves. But Liu Dongyu and Xiaonan have turned and aren't looking back. She has no one to vent her anger at.
“d.a.m.n, how can my male G.o.d be a.s.sociated with that Jiangnan?” The girl with pigtails tugs on one of her pigtails anxiously. Her first impression on him must be really bad. As she thinks, her eyes light up.
“Really!” Xu Nian says angrily as she walks in front of the girl with pigtails. “That guy, do you know him?”
The girl in pigtails say, “He's my male G.o.d. If you're familiar … .”
“I'm not asking you if he's your male G.o.d. You should give up on him! You don't know where he's from!” Xu Nian clenches her fists. Anyone who stands with Meng Xiaonan should go to h.e.l.l! She asked this freshman to help to give Meng Xiaonan a hard time!
“… I don't know yet,” the girl with pigtails says. “When I get home, I'll ask someone to check up on him. It shouldn't be that difficult to get information.”
“Tell me as soon as you get something!” Xu Nian leaves the room irritated.
She seems to have forgotten the fact that she had once been dragged to the music room because of An Chuxia and Meng Xiaonan and almost died on the rooftop.
* * *
“You can let go of me now,” Meng Xiaonan says, embarra.s.sed.
Liu Dongyu comes back to his senses, and quickly releases her hand.
Meng Xiaonan's retracted hand points to the sky. “We've wasted too much time to visit An Chuxia now. We should visit her tomorrow.”
She still can't believe he has the audacity to say he'd protect her.
“It's okay. I've got nothing to do anyway,” he says as he runs his fingers through his hair. “Let me take you home.”
“No, I'll take a cab back,” she refuses him. “Oh, before I forget, thank you for helping me out.”
She could have escaped on her own accord.
“No worries. I just didn't want to see you getting bullied… .” His words disappear as she says, “Taxi! My ride's here.”
Liu Dongyu swallows his words as the cab reaches the curb and she enters the vehicle swiftly. He smiles before saying, “See you tomorrow.”
“I'll see you tomorrow,” she says in return. She doesn't know why she's so anxious to leave his side. She waves goodbye before she sees him disappears from her line of sight.
That night, sleep eludes Liu Dongyu. His thoughts are full of Meng Xiaonan.
What's wrong with him?
Next day, he just woke up when steward Han starts knocking on his door. “Get up, it's getting late!”
He fell asleep around dawn, and was only able to get a few hours of sleep. Insomnia is a bi**h, and now he has a dull headache.
Insomnia has also claimed Han Qilu. As soon as he closes his eyes, fragments of his memory flash in his head.
“Master Qilu? It's time for your drip,” the nurse informs him.
He wakes up from his trance when the doctor knocks and greets him. Behind him is steward Han carrying a tray with his breakfast.
“Why's there only one set? Didn't you prepare a meal for An Chuxia?” Han Qilu frowns after asking.
Steward Han freezes before smiling. “Xiaonainai has been served. Madame is currently sitting with her.”
After tossing and turning all night, his fragmented memory has been restored. Right now, all he feels is his empty heart, and he has no one else to blame but himself.
“Madame has personally grounded this soy milk for you.” Steward Han hands over the milk carefully as he explains its origins.
“Call An Chuxia for me.”
