After finishing breakfast, Jing Ran asked, “Lili, can I skip taking the medicine today?”

A few days had passed since the injection, and Jing Ran had been taking medicine for several days. He felt like he had already recovered, but Jing Li still insisted that he take the medicine.

“One last time, and we’re out of the medicine prescribed by the doctor.” Jing Li opened the lid of the medicine box, revealing the only pill compartment and poured the pill into Jing Ran’s palm.

Every time Jing Ran took the medicine, he looked like he was ready to die. He swallowed the pill and drunk half a bottle of water.

He breathed a sigh of relief, finally liberated.

Jing Li glanced at the smug look on the university top student’s face and thought it was really childish.

After finishing breakfast, they held hands as usual and walked back to the teaching building. Jing Ran held a few books in one hand, and a paper with black print fell out from between the pages.

Jing Li let go of Jing Ran’s hand, squatted down to pick it up, and upon seeing it, she realized it was a registration form for an English debate competition within the school.
“Are you planning to sign up?” Jing Li stood up and handed the registration form back to Jing Ran as she spoke.

“Yes,” Jing Ran nodded and asked, “Do you want to sign up with me? We still need one more person to form a team and participate.”

To sign up for the debate competition, they needed four students to form a debate team. Jing Ran and two members of the student union were already a team, but they were still missing one person for the group.

Jing Li shook her head and said, “I’m not suitable for playing this kind of fast-paced competition that requires quick thinking.”

After thinking for a moment, Jing Ran agreed with what she said and nodded.

Jing Li was infuriated by his response.

I know you’re good at studying, exceptionally amazing!

*

Jing Li returned to the classroom, found an empty seat, and placed her books. Seeing that it wasn’t time for class yet, she picked up her phone and played a game of “Elimination.”

“Jing Li, let’s participate in the English debate competition.” Li Ruihua, the top student in Class 2, came back to the classroom with a registration form and handed it to Jing Li.

Jing Li took a look and saw that it was the same registration form that Jing Ran had in the morning.

Without thinking, Jing Li immediately said, “I’m not participating.”

Li Ruihua sat next to Jing Li and grabbed her arm, pleading, “My dear Jing Li, please participate. The first prize is 1000 yuan! On average, that’s 250 yuan per person!”

“I don’t need the money, thank you!”

“Just participate, I’m short on team members…”

Jing Li glanced at her registration form. There were four sections to fill in the team member information, and Li Ruihua had only filled in one section. Jing Ran’s form, on the other hand, had already filled in three sections of information. Jing Li doubted whether Li Ruihua would be able to fill in all the required information on the registration form.

Li Ruihua has a very small social circle at school. Besides interacting with her roommates, she rarely interacts with outsiders. However, there are only four people in her dormitory, and the other two haven’t even passed the English Level 6 exam, so they definitely won’t participate in the English debate competition.

Jing Li asked, “Even if I join, you still need two more people. Where will you find them?”

“I found a sophomore schoolmate who went to the same high school as me. There’s one spot left, hehe…”

Jing Li suddenly felt that Li Ruihua’s laughter sounded a bit sinister, with a disdainful expression on her face. “Why are you laughing so sinisterly?”

“Jing Li, how about asking your university top student to join our team?”

Jing Li looked at Li Ruihua with infinite disdain. How could this scheming person want to invite her to join the debate group? Li Ruihua knew that she had lived in the United States before the age of 10, so her English level was slightly better than that of her Chinese peers, but she didn’t have much knowledge and wasn’t the best candidate for the debate competition.

Jing Li directly exposed Li Ruihua’s ulterior motive, “Your ultimate goal is to get Jing Ran to join your debate group, right?”

Li Ruihua awkwardly smiled and admitted, “Hehe… You found out. You see, there aren’t many people in our management department with good English grades, while the foreign language department has a lot of talented individuals. I definitely need to find a skilled person to join us, right?”

“Jing Li, think about it. If our group wins, not only will we receive a cash prize, but we will also advance to represent the school in the city’s intercollegiate English debate competition. It would be helpful to have an honorary certificate for future job hunting.”

Jing Li didn’t think as far ahead as Li Ruihua did. Graduation was already a problem for her. She failed several math subjects and would have to take them again before graduating next year. As for employment and such, she hadn’t thought about it. If things didn’t go well, she could become a beauty influencer, which didn’t sound too bad.

Anyway, she just wasn’t interested in this kind of pointless competition.

“Jing Ran’s group is still missing one spot. Do you want to join?” Jing Li could only help Li Ruihua up to this point, as she had no intention of participating herself.

“Sure, sure, quickly tell your university top student!” Li Ruihua urged.

Jing Li picked up her phone and sent a WeChat message to the university top student.

Jasmine: [My roommate wants to join your English debate group. Can she?]

Jing Li thought for a moment and added:

Jasmine: [Her name is Li Ruihua. She ranked second in the class in last semester’s final grades.]

Jing Ran: [Okay.]

Jing Li held her phone and showed the screen to Li Ruihua, saying, “He said okay.”
“Thank you, Lili!!!”
Li Ruihua excitedly pressed her index finger and middle finger together, placed them against her lips, and made a gesture as if blowing a kiss.

Afternoon dismissal, Jing Ran arrived at the classroom of Class 2 Hotel Management to assess Li Ruihua’s English proficiency. The two of them conversed in English about daily topics and current affairs. Once Jing Ran was satisfied, he took out an application form and had Li Ruihua fill in the last information field.

After filling out the application form, Li Ruihua automatically left the classroom, not wanting to be a third wheel to the two of them.

Jing Ran was the leader of the debate group, and Jing Li praised him when she saw how carefully he carried out his responsibilities: “I never expected you to be so responsible for your team, personally conducting interviews to ensure qualifications for joining.”
Seeing his serious demeanor, Jing Li couldn’t quite understand. The university top student knew well that her grades weren’t that great, so why did he invite her to join the debate group in the morning?

“Ranran, why didn’t you mention that you wanted to interview me when you invited me this morning?”

“I thought of letting you experience what it feels like to win a championship.”

Jing Li: “…”

*

Today is Friday, there are no classes in Hotel Management classes 1 and 2 in the afternoon, so there is no need to stay at school. Some students from this city have been gradually returning home for the weekend. Jing Li promised last week to go to Jing Ran’s grandma’s house with Jing Ran for the weekend, but Jing Ran needs to submit an application form to the Foreign Languages Department in the afternoon. So, after having lunch in the cafeteria, the two of them went back to their dormitories for a nap and planned to go to Jing Ran’s grandma’s house after submitting the form in the afternoon.

After the nap, Jing Li packed her luggage for the weekend in her dormitory. She packed them in a sky blue canvas backpack and left the dormitory at the agreed time to meet up with Jing Ran.

The two of them went to the office of the Foreign Languages Department in the teaching building to submit the application form and came out into the corridor. Suddenly, a fragrant smell of osmanthus drifted into the corridor. It was a tall and elegant woman walking in the direction of the office, wearing high heels. Jing Li recognized this beautiful woman in front of her. She was the school’s beauty from the Foreign Languages Department, Li Xueqing, who was also known as the campus beauty of J University.

Li Xueqing was about 1.7 meters tall, and with heels on, she was nearly 1.8 meters tall. When she passed by Jing Li, Jing Li felt a bit overwhelmed.

Wait a minute, this woman suddenly slowed down her pace. When she passed by Jing Li and Jing Ran, she looked at Jing Ran with a disdainful expression and smirked.

Jing Li felt a bit annoyed in her heart: ‘What does this woman mean? Jing Ran didn’t block her way, why is she making such an expression! Even though Jing Ran’s appearance is slightly lower, why look down on him like that?’

Jing Li muttered quietly to herself, “What’s wrong with this woman?”

Li Xueqing didn’t expect the little girl standing next to Jing Ran to speak to her like that. She turned around, crossed her arms, and looked down at Jing Li with a condescending tone, saying, “Who do you think has a problem?”

Jing Li didn’t pay attention to Li Xueqing and muttered indifferently, “Whoever responds, it’s their problem!” After saying that, she grabbed Jing Ran’s hand, not taking Li Xueqing seriously, and said, “Ranran, let’s go home.”

After leaving the teaching building, Jing Ran finally spoke, “That girl is the daughter of my parents’ friends.”

Jing Li didn’t expect the top student to have that kind of relationship with the campus beauty. “Ah? Then why did she look at you like that?”

Jing Ran thought for a moment and said, “During Chinese New Year, her dad wanted us to be together, but I rejected her.”

Jing Li took a sharp breath. Was this top student stupid? He rejected such a beautiful girl!

No wonder the beautiful girl looked at him with displeasure. It must be annoying for any girl to be rejected by an ugly guy like him.

Jing Li asked, “Why didn’t you accept her? She’s so beautiful.”

Jing Ran lowered his head and looked at Jing Li, who was a head shorter than him. His cheeks turned slightly red, and he answered with a hint of shyness, “But at that time, I liked you.”

Jing Li’s eyes widened in surprise…