Chapter 5: Xing Yuan Really Deserves to Die

After all, she was aiming for one of the top universities in the country—Tsinghua. The other was Capital University, the one Yue Chi attended.

Ning Ning pursed her lips in dissatisfaction and complained.

“Mom, do you not believe I can get in?

Actually, I’ve always had a gift for studying. The reason I didn’t study before was because I was afraid of scoring too well and surpassing Xing Yuan. I didn’t want to embarrass him. Back then, I liked him so much I didn’t want him to feel even a little wronged.”

“But now I don’t like him anymore. I want to be myself. I want to study, to become an outstanding person. I want you and Dad to live good lives. If you don’t believe me, I’ll be heartbroken. Or… is it because our family doesn’t have enough money to support my studies?

If that’s the case, then forget it. I’d rather suffer myself than let you two suffer.”

A perfect move of “playing hard to get.” Her mother immediately panicked.

“You’re our only child. If you want to study, then study. How could we not afford to support you? Don’t worry—whether you pass or not, as long as you’re willing, your father and I will sell everything we own if we must. We’ll support you!”

Ning Ning’s mother declared fiercely, a true doting parent. Though she probably didn’t really believe her daughter had talent for studying, she was willing to let her try. Ning Ning curved her eyes in a confident smile.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t fail. Just wait and see—I’ll take you to the capital.”

When her father came home, Ning Ning announced the good news again at the dinner table. She, Niuhulu Ning, was not only going to take the college entrance exam, she was going to a capital university—the best one, Tsinghua.

Her father’s chopsticks trembled, and he dropped the food.

“Her mother… how much wine did Ning Ning drink? She’s drunk. Why didn’t you stop her? A child shouldn’t be drinking at all.”

“Dad, I didn’t drink. But you know the saying—wine doesn’t make people drunk, people make themselves drunk. Come on, let’s toast, soup in place of wine, and celebrate in advance our family’s move to the capital!”

Ning Ning raised her bowl boldly to clink with her father’s.

…

“Good, good. My daughter is truly filial!”

Her father forced a dry smile, but inside he was sighing. How had his good daughter grown up to be so delusional? It was all Xing Yuan’s fault. That damned boy led her astray and abandoned her. Rotten scoundrel. He’d better stay away from his daughter.

While cursing Xing Yuan in his heart, he still had to put on a doting face to coax her, nearly splitting his personality.

Ning Ning, of course, knew her parents didn’t believe she was good at studying. That was fine—she could just solve problems in front of Yue Chi and let him grade them. She could even reveal, casually, that she had secretly studied all these years—for example, teaching herself Russian.

With her plan set, she went to bed without worries. She had always believed in “accept and adapt.” She never cried easily. No matter how bad things got, she always did her best.

The next morning, before dawn, she was awakened by the crowing of roosters. She yawned, rolled over, then gave up on sleep and got up. She flipped through the textbooks casually.

It was child’s play. Even after years since graduating high school, she could solve the problems with ease. In less than half an hour, she had completed several workbooks and skimmed three textbooks, recalling even the faintly forgotten knowledge.

Her mother, getting up to use the bathroom, was stunned to find her daughter already studying so diligently. She crept back to the bedroom and shook her husband awake.

“Husband, Ning Ning must have been badly shaken—she’s actually studying! She got up before dawn!”

“What?!”

“Shh, not so loud! Come with me and see. It’s unbelievable. The sky must be falling, our daughter is actually studying. Xing Yuan really deserves to die for driving her to this!”

Her mother dragged her father to crouch behind the wall. Like thieves, they secretly watched their daughter study intently for ten minutes before sneaking back.

Only then did Ning Ning, who had been pretending not to notice, finally relax. She smiled faintly to herself, lingered another ten minutes in her room, then came out.

“Mom, is there anything you need me to do?”

She offered cheerfully, her eyes sparkling livelier than before.

“Go to the coop and fetch the fresh eggs. I’ll make you scrambled eggs.”

Her mother didn’t hesitate to assign her a small task.

“Okay.”

Ning Ning had no experience collecting eggs. She thought it only required ignoring the chicken droppings. She didn’t expect—

“Cluck cluck cluck!”

“Hiss—!”

As soon as she reached into the coop, the mother hen lunged and pecked her hand viciously, leaving a deep dent in the flesh. Tears sprang to her eyes from the pain.

“Cluck cluck cluck!”

The hen wasn’t satisfied. It flew at her again, pecking furiously with sharp beak and glaring eyes. How dare you steal my egg! How dare you violate me! How dare you eat my child!

Startled out of her wits, Ning Ning fled in panic.

“Mom! The chicken’s attacking me!”

“What?”

Her mother only heard the hen’s frantic clucking and Ning Ning’s cries. By the time she rushed out of the kitchen, Ning Ning was already running toward the front gate—only to crash headlong into someone.

The hen was relentless. It didn’t spare the newcomer either, lashing out at both. Wings flapped ferociously, beak stabbing like a machine gun.

“Mom!”

“Cluck cluck cluck!”

The hen shrieked—then was suddenly lifted by the neck.

Yue Chi’s pale, slender fingers held it firmly. Even strangling a chicken, he looked calm and graceful. Turning his head slightly, he asked coolly,

“Are you alright?”

Ning Ning’s hair was in disarray from the struggle. Her clothes were rumpled, her flushed face hot with fear, anger, and embarrassment.

“I’m fine.”

She turned her face away, ashamed. Her mother finally came hurrying out.

“What on earth, child? Collecting eggs as if you were tearing down the house, and getting scared by a chicken! Good thing Xiao Yue was here.”

“It attacked me out of nowhere. Even you would’ve been pecked if you tried.”

“I wouldn’t be as reckless as you.”

Her mother teased her, then took the hen from Yue Chi and put it back into the pen. She finally turned to him.

“My mother made some sweet potato noodles and asked me to bring you some.”

Yue Chi smiled faintly, handing over the basket. It was neighborly courtesy—whenever someone cooked something good, they shared. Ning Ning’s mother accepted readily.

“Ah, Xiao Yue, I heard from your mother you’ll be staying home for a while. Could you tutor my daughter? She’s impulsive, suddenly claiming she wants to study. But she did wake up very early today, so maybe she’s not joking.”

Caught off guard by her mother exposing her, Ning Ning didn’t falter. She quickly brushed off the embarrassment from the chicken incident. Clearing her throat, she began to sing in Russian, softly but fluently:

“rteпepьhecmotpюhahe6o，rжnвytam，cnrюcmeлo，Гoвopюпpocвoюпoдpyжky”
“Now I look at the sky,
The scarlet dawn rises,
The stars have faded,
I speak to my dear friend.”

Her voice was sweet, her Russian accent impeccable. Singing slightly lower, tinged with sadness, her performance was undeniably moving. Yue Chi’s eyes flickered with a hint of admiration.

Only her mother was baffled.

“Ning Ning, what on earth are you doing? What nonsense are you singing?”