Chapter 36: The Most Vicious Woman’s Heart

Before Bai An had a chance to lie down for a few minutes, she felt someone gently tugging on her ponytail, shaking it lightly.

Bai An thought it was Guo Dan coming back for revenge and felt anger bubbling up inside her.

“Smack.”

Bai An slapped the hand hard, angrily saying, “What are you doing?”

Lin Zhixia rubbed his arm where Bai An had hit him and laughed, “Why are you so angry so early in the morning?”

Bai An realized she had hit the wrong person, and a trace of guilt appeared on her face, but she quickly masked it. After all, Lin Zhixia wasn’t exactly a good person.

She decided to lay her head back down on the desk.

Lin Zhixia watched Bai An’s lazy posture, a slight smile appearing in his eyes. He gave her a gentle push, but when she didn’t respond, he increased the pressure.

Bai An was almost pushed under the desk when she suddenly shot up, turning to glare at Lin Zhixia and snapping, “Are you sick?”

Lin Zhixia raised an eyebrow, teasing her, “At home, you’re the obedient daughter, but out here, you’ve changed completely.”

Bai An rolled her eyes at him, clearly not interested in talking any further.

Lin Zhixia decided to stop teasing and pointed at himself, asking, “Do you want to join me for manual labor later? I’ll take care of you so no one bullies you.”

“Will you help me work?”

Bai An wondered if Lin Zhixia, with his tall frame, would be doing more physically demanding work, and she might struggle to keep up, so she decided to ask him now.

Hearing Bai An’s question, Lin Zhixia couldn’t help but chuckle. He leaned back against the desk, propping his head up with one hand and lazily tapping on the table with the other, as if thinking about her request.

“Sure,” he said, making Bai An glance at him in surprise. She didn’t expect such a quick answer.

“What are you looking at me for?” Lin Zhixia avoided her gaze on the injury on his arm and lightly tapped her head. “It’s just a small favor.”

Bai An nodded with a smile, though her words were slightly reluctant, “Thanks, then.”

Just then, the teacher walked in, knocking on the blackboard. “Everyone, head to the playground for labor work.”

Bai An obediently followed behind Lin Zhixia, walking step by step.

“Hey, Bai An, Bai An.” Da Zhuang ran up to her in large strides, his voice bright and cheerful. “Do you want to come work with me? I’ll protect you, and no one will bully you.”

Bai An shook her head slowly, pointing ahead at Lin Zhixia. “I’m going to follow him for labor.”

“Why?” Da Zhuang protested, pointing at Lin Zhixia. “Why go with him and not with me?”

“There’s no reason,” Bai An replied, pointing at Lin Zhixia again. “I promised him first.”

Seeing he had no chance, Da Zhuang walked away, his head hanging low. “Fine.”

Bai An noticed his dejected expression. She was about to comfort him, but before she could say anything, Da Zhuang clenched his fist, turned back, and shouted at her.

“I’ll get revenge for you!”

Revenge? What revenge?

Bai An looked at Da Zhuang’s retreating figure, confused.

Revenge!

Bai An immediately ran to the door, shouting at Da Zhuang, who was not far away, “Don’t go too far!”

The classmates who had witnessed the whole scene nervously stepped aside, clearly afraid, after seeing Guo Dan’s sorry state.

Lin Zhixia, holding Bai An’s hand, asked, “What happened between you two?”

“Nothing,” Bai An shook her head, pulling her hand away from Lin Zhixia’s grasp. “Let’s go.”

Bai An followed Lin Zhixia. When the teacher instructed Lin Zhixia to move some soil to a nearby spot, Lin Zhixia pointed at Bai An and said, “Let Bai An come with me. I need to take care of her.”

The teacher, noticing the injury on Bai An’s head, paused and replied to Lin Zhixia, “Since Bai An is injured, let her return to the classroom and rest properly.”

Bai An’s eyes widened in surprise, just as the teacher was about to agree, Lin Zhixia quickly intervened, saying, “It’s better for Bai An to stay with me. Some of the less thoughtful kids might try to bully her.”

The teacher nodded, agreeing, “That works.”

“Teacher, I can take care of myself,” Bai An called after the teacher, watching their figure retreat into the distance, still persistently saying, “No one will bully me.”

The teacher waved a hand and told her to listen to Lin Zhixia, before heading off to assign tasks elsewhere.

Once the teacher was out of sight, Bai An turned and saw Lin Zhixia grinning. With a twisted smile, she gritted her teeth and asked, “Was that on purpose?”

“Yep,” Lin Zhixia pinched Bai An’s cheek, squeezing it as he watched her pout, a grin creeping up on his face.

“You look so funny like that.”

Bai An rolled her eyes, reaching up to grab his hand and pull it away.

“Still rolling your eyes at me?” Lin Zhixia playfully shook her face, chuckling. “Can’t you be a bit more polite to me?”

Seeing she couldn’t pull his hand away, Bai An angrily raised her foot as if to stomp on him.

Realizing that Bai An was genuinely upset, Lin Zhixia rubbed her head and said, “Go on, time to do some work, or the teacher will start rushing us.”

Bai An covered her disheveled hair, calling out to Lin Zhixia, “Lin Zhixia, don’t think you can pressure me with the teacher! Even if the teacher comes, you’re done for!”

When Lin Zhixia saw Bai An running toward him, he grinned and began walking ahead, matching her pace. As Bai An got close, he sped up; when she slowed down from exhaustion, he slowed down as well, maintaining the same distance between them.

Eventually, Bai An realized that Lin Zhixia was just messing with her.

When Lin Zhixia saw Bai An stop to catch her breath, no longer chasing him, he paused and breathed heavily, watching her.

“Come on,” Lin Zhixia offered his arm with a light smile. “Let me hit you a few times to help you calm down.”

Bai An, feigning a fierce look, raised her hand.

Thinking Bai An was about to strike, Lin Zhixia didn’t even blink, smiling as he watched her move.

But instead of the pain he expected, Lin Zhixia turned his head to see what Bai An was doing. He was shocked to see her lift her foot and kick forcefully at his lower body.

Lin Zhixia’s face turned pale as he swiftly dodged to the side. Seeing Bai An still glaring at him, he shakily pointed a finger at her.

“Truly, the most vicious woman’s heart.”