Chapter 4: The Cold School Beauty’s Fierce Love
Seeing Xu Qiuyi’s indifferent look, Tao Ning recalled the information 520 had transmitted.
As the grassroots white lotus female lead in the school, how could she not face setbacks? After the dazzling campus prince appeared and showed favoritism towards her, these setbacks would only multiply.
But every time, the campus prince would descend from the heavens to help her solve her problems. The grassroots female lead, initially driven by her pride, would overreact and refuse his kindness, leading to another quarrel and an unhappy parting.
The early stages of their bickering-lovers plot revolved around these three stages: quarreling, changing perspectives, and reconciling. As time went on, their feelings would gradually warm up, sounding quite youthful and hazy.
Thanks to her excellent grades, people didn’t dare to go too far with Xu Qiuyi. She didn’t care about verbal taunts; she had heard far worse.
When verbal violence proved ineffective, they resorted to these petty tricks, occasionally damaging her bike chain or tires, or stealing her homework.
However, the teachers never punished her for not submitting her homework. They understood Xu Qiuyi’s character, and the school also understood the benefits a top student brought.
However, as time went on, the teachers wouldn’t necessarily notice the more subtle things.
An idea gradually formed in Tao Ning’s mind. She said to 520, “I have a plan.”
520 asked: [What plan? Tell me about it.]
Tao Ning said, “Currently, the most straightforward solution is to give Xu Qiuyi a backer who is more powerful than the campus prince Nangong Yunfei himself and his fan club.”
520: [So?]
Tao Ning: “I want to be the female lead’s backer.”
520 was speechless for a moment, feeling something was off, but wanting to agree: […You’re very imaginative.]
Later, 520 realized something. The newbie hosts it had guided in the past all held a natural awe for the centers of fortune in the small worlds. In similar situations, their choices would lean towards befriending the protagonists, with a clear bias in their thinking.
Only Tao Ning, this barely-passing intern, would dare to declare she wanted to be the female lead’s backer on a whim.
Not understanding what this young miss was planning, Xu Qiuyi, whose life principle was to ask about anything she didn’t understand, was about to speak.
Before she could utter the words “Is there something you need from me?”, she heard Tao Ning say, “But I also bear some responsibility.”
Unexpectedly, Xu Qiuyi looked up in surprise.
Tao Ning said, “If you had gone to the bike shed earlier, they wouldn’t have had the chance to puncture your tire.”
Xu Qiuyi moved her lips: “Uh…” If you insisted on putting it that way, it was also true.
Tao Ning said, “Come on.”
Opening the car door and getting out, Tao Ning stood by the car, extending a hand towards the inside: “We’re classmates. It would be impolite to just drive past and ignore you. Let me give you a ride.”
The cool air conditioning from inside the car washed over Xu Qiuyi, dispelling the late summer heat, causing the hair by her cheeks to flutter slightly.
Xu Qiuyi gripped her backpack straps tightly, feeling a bit bewildered. Like a proper teenager, she looked at Tao Ning: “You…”
Beside the black car stood another girl in school uniform, with a bright smile, fair skin, and a few wine-red highlights amidst her black hair, likely left loose because she couldn’t be bothered to tie it up, cascading down her chest and back.
At first glance, she seemed unapproachable, but her smile contradicted that impression.
Facing this smiling face, it was hard to associate ill intentions with her.
Tao Ning said, “Why so hesitant? Afraid I’ll sell you? Wait a minute.”
“I’m not…” Xu Qiuyi watched as Tao Ning looked around, then waved at a roadside surveillance camera, making sure her face was fully visible in the lens.
Tao Ning said, “You see, my face is completely captured by the surveillance camera, license plate and all, very high definition. If anything happens to you, the police will come looking for me first.”
Xu Qiuyi: “…”
Just like that, Xu Qiuyi got into the car in a daze.
Sitting in this luxurious car for the first time, breathing in the high-end fragrance, Xu Qiuyi couldn’t bring herself to relax. She sat upright on the leather seat, hugging her old friend tightly, preventing its dust from dirtying the seat.
Tao Ning glanced at Xu Qiuyi’s fair wrists from the corner of her eye, pretending not to notice her actions, and asked casually, “Where do you live? I’ll have Uncle Liu take you there.”
Xu Qiuyi hesitated for a moment, wavering between giving the nearest bus stop and her actual home address. Then, looking at Tao Ning, she said, “Xiao’an Village, West City. The roads in the village are rough, just drop me off at the entrance.”
Tao Ning gave a soft “oh” and turned to ask the driver, “Uncle Liu, do you know how to get there?”
Uncle Liu, who had been driving quietly, nodded, “Yes, Miss.”
Tao Ning leaned back: “He said he knows, so he won’t take you to the wrong place.”
Xu Qiuyi found herself puzzled again. There had been classmates who offered her rides just to see her embarrassed and awkward, and others who, upon hearing “Xiao’an Village,” feigned indifference while their eyes couldn’t hide their disdain.
Why, after doing both of these things, did Tao Ning close her eyes and pretend to sleep?
Miss Tao’s thoughts were too difficult to guess, and Xu Qiuyi couldn’t understand.
Xu Qiuyi wasn’t the only one who didn’t understand. 520 was also curious about what she was thinking.
Tao Ning said, “Xu Qiuyi has that disaster-prone female lead constitution. She was supposed to face a hardship today, but nothing happened. If I leave and something uncontrollable happens, I’ll have to bear the consequences again.”
Hearing this, 520 agreed deeply, praising her for being so thoughtful.
Closing her eyes to rest for a while, Tao Ning, whose temples were still throbbing, reluctantly opened them.
There was no helping it. The gaze beside her was too intense. If she didn’t open her eyes, she would be melted by Xu Qiuyi’s stare.
Turning her head to meet Xu Qiuyi’s gaze, Tao Ning asked, “Why are you looking at me?”
The back seat was actually quite spacious, but Tao Ning was lazy and didn’t like to move. Xu Qiuyi was also afraid of dirtying the seat, so she hadn’t moved since sitting down.
Therefore, there was only a hand’s width between them. With this turn of her head, they could see each other clearly.
Xu Qiuyi paused, subconsciously slowing her breathing, and said, “Don’t you have anything else to say?”
Tao Ning adjusted her posture, sitting up straighter: “What should I say?”
Xu Qiuyi’s gaze met Tao Ning’s: “Do you know Xiao’an Village?”
Tao Ning blinked, seemingly puzzled.
Seeing this, Xu Qiuyi felt a flicker of emotion she couldn’t quite name, whether it was “as expected” or disappointment. So she didn’t know what that place was.
Xiao’an Village was the city’s most notorious and chaotic urban village, known for its mix of people…
“Xiao’an Village, I know it,” Tao Ning said suddenly, as if realizing something. “That area is prime real estate, very close to the commercial center. It’s just that the acquisition price is too high, even my mom doesn’t dare to touch it.”
Xu Qiuyi fell silent, realizing that anything she said would be pointless.
The young miss hadn’t suddenly changed her personality, but she had her own way of understanding things, often talking to herself.
No wonder the most common complaint about Tao Ning in class was – I can’t understand what she’s thinking.
With an inexplicable sense of exhaustion, Xu Qiuyi remained silent for the rest of the journey.
Finally getting Xu Qiuyi to shut up, Tao Ning quickly closed her eyes to rest, lest she be called upon and questioned further.
Xu Qiuyi was stacked with buffs, possessing the typical traits of a classic tragic female lead. Besides her beautiful appearance and resilient personality, she also had a gambling-addicted father, a frail mother, and a seriously ill younger sister. Just after turning eighteen, she was tricked by her biological father into shouldering a mountain of debt, and later hounded by loan sharks, her life thrown into chaos. It was the male lead who appeared and helped her repay all the money.
The more capable she became, the more burdens she had to bear. Realizing that his daughter had become the fiancée of the Nangong family, Xu’s father reappeared, demanding money.
Xu Qiuyi didn’t want to deal with him, but she couldn’t withstand her mother’s tearful pleas. Outsiders also attacked her with accusations of filial impiety, leaving her physically and mentally exhausted.
In fact, she had experienced these things as a child, and many classmates and friends had left because of them. Having witnessed too many similar scenarios, Xu Qiuyi learned to suppress all her emotions and focus only on herself.
Tao Ning understood that Xu Qiuyi simply didn’t want trouble, so she proactively avoided it. It was perfectly normal for someone from her family background to develop such a personality.
How could one demand a completely healthy personality from someone who grew up in an unhealthy environment? Xu Qiuyi’s keeping everyone at arm’s length was understandable.
As the lights came on, the luxury car stopped at the entrance of Xiao’an Village under the watchful eyes of many.
It was past seven in the evening, and many people, having finished their dinner at the fast-food restaurants at the entrance of Xiao’an Village, were preparing to continue their night shifts.
The sudden appearance of a gleaming luxury car attracted a lot of attention, with curious eyes staring and appraising.
Opening the car door and seeing this scene, Xu Qiuyi suddenly regretted her decision.
She had thought Tao Ning would drop her off halfway after she mentioned Xiao’an Village, but unexpectedly, Tao Ning actually had the driver take her all the way to the entrance. Even if the luxury car had been driven like a bumper car, she hadn’t relented.
Bracing herself, she got out of the car and closed the door.
Xu Qiuyi’s long sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, one hand carrying her backpack, her dust-covered loafers stepping onto the cement ground.
The curious gazes intensified, surprised to see Xu Qiuyi emerge from the car.
For a moment, apart from the sound of evening dramas, the chatter around them quieted down considerably.
“Wow, that’s a real luxury car.”
“How expensive is it? Isn’t it just a bit bigger than other cars?”
“Look at that logo, see it clearly? And look at the license plate number, those digits and these digits.”
“That expensive?”
“That’s Xu Laosan’s daughter. I recognize that uniform. The annual tuition is more than five figures.”
After walking a few steps, Xu Qiuyi realized she hadn’t spoken to Tao Ning.
A wave of fragrant coolness swept over her. Xu Qiuyi saw the car window lower, revealing Tao Ning’s face and hands, smiling and waving at her: “Be careful on your way.”
Xu Qiuyi froze, not knowing when she had replied with the same words: “Be careful on your way.”
The car window rose again, and the car, parked at the chaotic intersection, started and drove away, disappearing from everyone’s sight.
The people eating their meals reluctantly withdrew their curious gazes. Looking back, Xu Qiuyi had already walked far away, and they all sighed in disappointment.
Xu Qiuyi, carrying her backpack, walked quickly through the hot and narrow alley, carefully avoiding puddles of unknown origin, the air filled with the faint aroma of food.
If Tao Ning hadn’t given her a ride, Xu Qiuyi wouldn’t have arrived home by bus until after eight, with only leftovers waiting for her.
Xu Qiuyi walked quickly and soon reached her old building. Passing through the first-floor corridor piled with cardboard boxes collected by the elderly scavenger, the girl climbed the dimly lit stairs to the fourth floor and took out her key to open the door.
The next moment, a teacup flew out from inside, narrowly missing Xu Qiuyi’s shoulder and smashing against the old wall plastered with small advertisements, making a loud crashing sound.
“Where’s the money! Where did you hide the money? Give it to me!”
The lingering ease on Xu Qiuyi’s face vanished instantly.
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