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A crowd had gathered outside Room 502.
Seeing the situation escalate, Wang Miaomiao grew anxious. “Qiao Bao, why did you call the teacher?”
“Doesn’t she want fairness?” Xu Zhiqiao replied. “She can fight for her own fairness. I just want mine. I want to know, what does this matter have to do with me?”
It had escalated.
What was there to be afraid of?
Song Siting’s eyes flickered, and she seemed to grow a bit nervous. “Stop being crazy.”
Once Song Wan arrived, the situation would definitely get worse. She was insignificant and could not control the situation then.
“I don’t need my big brother,” Xu Zhiqiao said. “I can fight for my fairness on my own. I’m not afraid of punishment or expulsion, but if anyone tries to disgust me, that’s not something I’ll tolerate!”
“……”
Inside and outside the door, a crowd of people was pressing in, including students from the same department and others from different classes.
“Qiao Bao,” Zou Qi said carefully, “Just let it go, everyone’s just angry.”
Xu Zhiqiao’s eyes shifted. “She’s venting her anger on the wrong person. My anger is because of her, not the other way around. Don’t get the cause and effect mixed up.”
The scene fell silent, not a sound to be heard.
Song Siting pressed her lips tightly together, and when she loosened them, her lips were pale. “Alright, alright…”
“This isn’t for you to decide,” Xu Zhiqiao said. “I can risk everything for myself. Can you?”
“……”
Xu Zhiqiao snapped, “You can’t! You only want me to risk everything for you. You know full well that you’ll end up with nothing, and you want me to take the risk for you. Am I your mother?”
Song Siting retorted, “Are you done?”
“No!” Xu Zhiqiao’s eyes turned red. “Are you going to spread more rumors about me being aggressive? Then gather the whole class and department to isolate me, as if that somehow proves you’re right and I’m wrong? Well, today, I’m going to clear my name!”
“……”
Wang Miaomiao and Zou Qi frantically grabbed Song Siting’s hand, signaling her to apologize quickly.
After a long silence.
Song Siting said, “Sorry, this is my fault.”
Xu Zhiqiao replied, “Please clarify, what exactly did you do wrong?”
“……” Song Siting’s face flushed red. “I was envious and jealous of you. I deliberately teamed up with Zou Qi and Miaomiao to isolate you and told them not to talk to you.”
“We’re in the same dorm,” a classmate in the crowd frowned, “Isolating someone is bullying.”
“Yeah, Song Siting, we’re in college now. You didn’t use this trick on others in middle school or high school, did you?”
Song Siting was furious. “What nonsense are you saying!”
Wang Miaomiao was still concerned about the teacher situation. “Qiao Bao… what about the teacher…”
Xu Zhiqiao sniffled, grabbed her laptop and the clothes she had packed. “I was just kidding, I didn’t hit anyone.”
“……”
“Don’t let me hear any more bad words about me,” Xu Zhiqiao warned. “Otherwise, even if I have to chase her back to her hometown, I’ll make her apologize to me in front of the whole world!”
She gave a fierce warning. “I’m crazy!”
“……”
The tense and awkward atmosphere suddenly took a sharp turn and became somewhat comical.
In a cute, menacing way.
Seeing her about to leave, Wang Miaomiao quickly asked, “Qiao Bao, where are you going?”
“Going out to stay,” Xu Zhiqiao threw over her shoulder, “You should reflect on yourselves!”
“……”
“Tingting,” Wang Miaomiao said, “Qiao Bao didn’t do anything wrong, and she even showed restraint.”
She hadn’t exposed the reason Song Siting had isolated her in front of everyone. Otherwise, even if Song Wan didn’t show up, the gossip would have spread and eventually reached her ears. By then, Song Siting would be in trouble.
Zou Qi awkwardly said, “I don’t know if she’ll forgive us.”
—-
Xu Zhiqiao took a taxi and went to her apartment.
After washing up and getting into bed, she received a call from Xu Shu. Xu Shu asked if she was feeling cold and said she wanted to send over some cotton clothes.
Xu Zhiqiao declined and whined, “The day after tomorrow is Saturday, I’ll go back myself.”
“Alright,” Xu Shu said. “Mom was worried you wouldn’t be able to handle it, it’s a bit cold these days.”
“I’ve put on all my clothes, several layers,” Xu Zhiqiao said.
Xu Shu laughed, telling her to take care of herself.
After hanging up, there was a message from Zhou Cong on her screen.
Just a question mark.
Xu Zhiqiao suddenly remembered the message Zhou Cong had asked her to send. She had been so angry and confused when leaving the dorm that she completely forgot.
The next second, Zhou Cong’s call came in.
Xu Zhiqiao hesitated for a moment before answering.
The man’s voice was faint, neither warm nor cold. “Where are you?”
“……” Xu Zhiqiao sensed something was off. “In the dorm.”
Zhou Cong gave a half-smile, his tone mocking. “Who are you trying to deceive?”
“……”
So, how did he know she wasn’t in the dorm?
“Your secret base, right?” Zhou Cong said calmly. “Location?”
“…Don’t come,” Xu Zhiqiao said unwillingly, “I just want to be here.”
Zhou Cong: “Xi Cheng Apartment, right?”
Xu Zhiqiao instantly exploded. “You know everything, why are you still asking?”
“……” Zhou Cong suddenly chuckled. “You’re too smart, I didn’t want this to happen either.”
Xu Zhiqiao: “Don’t come, this is my personal space.”
“Well,” Zhou Cong said lazily, “I don’t want to deceive you either. Xi Cheng Apartment was developed by Zhou’s Group… I have a place there.”
Xu Zhiqiao: “…Don’t flaunt your wealth.”
Zhou Cong: “I’m not flaunting anything. Just wanted to let you know, there’s no point in hiding things from me.”
After a while, he cleared his throat. “Open the door, I brought you some late-night snacks.”
“……” Xu Zhiqiao almost cried. “You’re already at the door, and now you’re saying all this nonsense! I’m done with you!”
Zhou Cong: “Eat first, then we’ll settle it. I won’t fight back.”
Xu Zhiqiao felt an overwhelming sense of shame in front of him.
If Zhou Cong was playing with her, it would be as easy as playing with a dog.
The door opened, and cold air from the corridor rushed in. The man stood tall, holding many things in his hands, blocking the exit.
Xu Zhiqiao tightened her coat. “Maybe you shouldn’t come in, you’re not my real brother…”
Zhou Cong lowered his eyelids. “Move.”
“……”
Zhou Cong knew the apartment layout well. He entered calmly, placed his items on the table, and walked barefoot on the floor.
“Chicken soup and wontons, eat something first.”
After that, he casually opened the other bags, revealing small decorations and trinkets that girls liked.
They weren’t expensive, but they were exquisite.
The kind of gifts you’d accept without feeling uneasy.
Xu Zhiqiao fell silent for a moment. “Big Brother, how did you know I left?”
“I wasn’t at ease,” Zhou Cong placed a crystal rabbit on the bookshelf. “I went back to check, then heard someone say you left.”
Xu Zhiqiao stared at the rabbit. “Why did you buy these?”
“Hmm?” Zhou Cong turned his head and smirked. “I guessed you might not be happy, so I thought… I’d try to soothe you.”
“……”
Here it came again.
That familiar feeling of anxiety and discomfort washed over her once more.
“Hey,” Zhou Cong said thoughtfully, “Xu Zhiqiao, I’ve realized… you have quite a bias against me.”
“What! Don’t say random things!” Xu Zhiqiao’s mind went blank, and she instinctively retorted, “I don’t feel anything for you!”
“……”