Chapter 18: The Cold School Beauty’s Fierce Love
After a flurry of activity, Xu Qiuyi asked, “This icon is lit up, does that mean it’s downloaded?”
Tao Ning put down what she was holding and leaned closer: “Yes. Then you can…”
After listening to the explanation, Xu Qiuyi, rarely fazed, softly admitted, “I don’t understand.”
Lü Xinxi’s attention was momentarily captured. She had never heard those words from Xu Qiuyi.
A chasm existed between academic prodigies and those who struggled. In two years as classmates, Lü Xinxi had seen Xu Qiuyi confidently accepting awards, composed and poised on stage. Vulnerability and confusion seemed alien to her. This side of Xu Qiuyi was likely a rare sight for the entire school.
Thinking this, Lü Xinxi felt a smug sense of privilege, witnessing something no one else had.
However, Tao Ning, who usually struggled to explain technology, showed no impatience, no smugness at finding something Xu Qiuyi wasn’t good at. She simply said, “It’s okay, I’ll teach you.”
A brief silence fell over the room.
Jin Yue, her sharp eyes aided by contact lenses, noticed Xu Qiuyi’s fingertips tap the table, then stop.
Their heads leaned together unconsciously, Tao Ning explaining in detail, Xu Qiuyi listening attentively as if in class.
Xu Qiuyi’s slender fingers moved hesitantly across the screen before she asked, “Like this?”
Tao Ning, ever generous with praise, replied, “Yes, yes, exactly! As expected of a study god, you pick things up so fast.”
Jin Yue: “…” This is strange, inexplicably strange.
Finally, Jin Yue realized what felt off. She slapped her thigh. Who was the person who calmly presented her PowerPoint in the auditorium last semester?
There couldn’t be two Xu Qiuyis in the world, right?
Startled by the sound, Tao Ning looked up: “Jin Yue, why did you hit yourself so hard?”
Xu Qiuyi also looked up, her shoulder still brushing against Tao Ning’s.
Jin Yue: “Are you accusing me of interrupting your lesson?”
Tao Ning, thinking Jin Yue’s brain was lagging from a carb overload, replied, “No.”
Jin Yue: “…” You didn’t, but the look in the eyes of the person next to you suggests otherwise.
But what truly baffled Jin Yue was that the person next to her probably didn’t even realize the intensity of her own gaze, still looking quite innocent.
Forget it, Ningning seems to like her a lot these days. The Tao family’s precious daughter mustn’t be hurt.
Xu Qiuyi lowered her head, her fingers quickly typing in Tao Ning’s phone number. She had a good memory, retaining information easily.
Tao Ning raised a surprised eyebrow, accepted the friend request on her phone, and a blank profile picture appeared in her contacts. She added a note: A. Study God.
Instead of changing the nickname, Xu Qiuyi pointed at the single contact and asked, “How do I pin you to the top?”
Tao Ning explained, successfully getting herself pinned.
Although she didn’t understand the need to pin someone with only one contact.
She pondered this, but her mind drew a blank.
“I won again, I’m so awesome!” Lü Xinxi put down her console and announced proudly, “I’ve had Ningning pinned for years, we even have a giant ship of friendship!”
Jin Yue rarely used that app and wasn’t a collector, so she didn’t care.
But she was perceptive, and after witnessing everything, she hesitated: “Why do I feel… she’s different from us?”
Lü Xinxi jumped up, ticking off names on her fingers: “How is she different? I have you, Ningning, my parents, my sister, my brother, all pinned…”
After listing everyone, Lü Xinxi declared, “Mine is a family portrait!”
“…” Jin Yue patted the excitable girl’s head. “It’s best for a fangirl not to try and understand, it’ll warp your worldview.”
Lü Xinxi looked at her, puzzled: “…What profound thoughts are occupying our Ming Rui Sea Queen now?”
Meanwhile, Xu Qiuyi softly asked, “How do you build a giant ship?”
Tao Ning blinked her long lashes, turning to face Xu Qiuyi directly. She asked, “You want to build one too? It takes time. Who are you building it with?”
Who else here could Xu Qiuyi possibly build a ship of friendship with?
Xu Qiuyi muttered, “I won’t tell you yet.”
This amused Tao Ning. She had actually managed to provoke a little sulkiness from Xu Qiuyi.
Her first month in this world, Tao Ning faced her first exam.
Exam rooms were assigned by grades. Xu Qiuyi remained in Class A, firmly in the first seat of the first row. Tao Ning, having missed the previous exam, was assigned elsewhere.
Before leaving with her backpack, Xu Qiuyi gave specific instructions: “Do the questions you know first, skip the ones you don’t. Always show your work, even if you don’t know the answer. For reading comprehension, use the method I taught you, write more rather than less.”
This was a direct result of seeing Tao Ning’s previous test paper.
It was the blankest test paper Xu Qiuyi had ever seen, only name and ID filled in. Even randomly marking the answer sheet wouldn’t result in such a low score.
Tao Ning nodded repeatedly: “Got it, got it.”
520, unwilling to miss its barely-passing host’s exam, abandoned its drama and commented: [To have the aloof female lead from the original worldline fussing over you and giving detailed instructions, Tao Ning, you’re truly a legend.]
Tao Ning replied modestly: “You’re too kind, too kind.”
That wasn’t a compliment.
Honestly, Tao Ning was the fastest among 520’s hosts to gain the protagonist’s trust, perhaps even too much trust.
Xu Qiuyi paused, then added, “By the way, do you remember the questions I went over with you last night…?”
Tao Ning blinked: “I remember.”
Xu Qiuyi was relieved: “Good. Off you go then, good luck on the exam.”
Tao Ning extended her hand: “Shake hands, let me absorb some of your study god luck.”
Lü Xinxi, who had been watching eagerly, exclaimed, “Me too, me too! I want to shake the study god’s hand for luck!”
No expectations, no disappointments. Lü Xinxi’s study habits were erratic, but even the worst student held some hope for their grades, as long as they didn’t submit a blank paper.
Jin Yue wanted to drag Lü Xinxi away, but she couldn’t resist the temptation: “Luck is a mysterious thing. I might have forgotten everything the study god taught yesterday, but I still want some.”
Xu Qiuyi: “…”
So, before the exam, she held an impromptu handshake event.
Attendees: Lü Xinxi, Jin Yue, Tao Ning, listed in order of participation.
When it was Tao Ning’s turn, Xu Qiuyi switched to her right hand, shook Tao Ning’s hand, and said, “May everything go smoothly, and may you know all the answers.”
Tao Ning accepted the blessing and replied, “May you continue to excel.”
As they released hands, Tao Ning again noted the contrast between Xu Qiuyi’s appearance and inner strength, reflected in her hands.
Anyone looking at the back of Xu Qiuyi’s hands would find them perfect, smooth and fair, with delicate bones. But her palms bore calluses from work, not soft.
Just like her outwardly gentle, inwardly strong personality, she looked delicate and scholarly, but her heart was resolute, always ready to be a pillar of support.
Meanwhile, Lü Xinxi said excitedly to Jin Yue, “I’m not washing my hands for three days after touching her hand!”
Jin Yue gave her a disgusted look: “That’s a bit much.”
An idea sparked in Lü Xinxi’s mind: “Are you saying I should shake hands with Xu Qiuyi every day?”
“…” Jin Yue hesitated, “That’s also a bit much.” But the idea was tempting.
Glancing at Xu Qiuyi’s serene profile and the prominent cinnabar mole, Jin Yue wisely decided against it.
With the lingering warmth on her palm, Xu Qiuyi sat down for the exam, the faint smile fading as she returned to her usual aloof demeanor.
Her classmates, observing her, were reassured that Xu Qiuyi hadn’t changed. She was still the same.
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