Chapter 44

Guo Hairuo, knowing that the English teacher had taken sick leave, figured there was nothing to do sitting idle in the office and decided to check on the students in the classroom to see if they were studying properly.

Unexpectedly, she saw Ji Wenchen in the classroom holding Qin Xiaoxiao’s hand, the two of them locking eyes…

This… wasn’t he supposed to have agreed to maintain boundaries at school?

However, she had just talked to them, had just expressed respect for their wish to remain desk mates—it wouldn’t be appropriate to immediately go back on her word.

Guo Hairuo raised her hand and leaned against the door frame of the back door of the classroom, sighing…

For now, she would observe. If their grades dropped in the next exams, she would separate them.

Having made her decision, Guo Hairuo still felt a bit conflicted. She glanced briefly at the other students, too preoccupied to even address someone reading a magazine during class, and went back downstairs to the office.

Unaware that she had already been “caught” by the homeroom teacher, Qin Xiaoxiao glared at Ji Wenchen and whispered, “Let go.”

Ji Wenchen’s amber-colored phoenix eyes lifted slightly, carrying a hint of lazy amusement, as if smiling yet not.

His thumb moved slightly, lightly brushing against the back of her hand.

“You…”

Before she could get angry, Ji Wenchen released the soft hand in his grasp and handed the lighter in front of her. “This time, I’m really giving it to you.”

Qin Xiaoxiao stared at him for two seconds, then snatched the lighter away. “I’m not giving it back.”

“Suit yourself.” Ji Wenchen’s lips curved slightly.

The smooth touch still lingered on his fingertips.

So easygoing?

Qin Xiaoxiao hesitated for a moment. “You don’t happen to have another lighter, do you?”

“Yeah.”

Knew it…

Qin Xiaoxiao weighed the lighter, which had a solid and premium feel to it.

“I don’t smoke at school anymore,” Ji Wenchen said in his lazy tone.

“Hm?” Qin Xiaoxiao sounded doubtful. “Really?”

“Mmm.”

Ji Wenchen propped up his chin, his thumb brushing against the corner of his lips. “If I can manage it, will you be my girlfriend?”

“…” Qin Xiaoxiao turned her gaze away. “What does whether you smoke or not have to do with me?”

A hint of amusement flashed through his deep amber eyes.

Ji Wenchen didn’t say anything further.

That idiot Jiang Zhousi had said not to push too hard.

…

After finishing the multiple-choice questions and the cloze test, most of the remaining class period had passed.

When the bell rang, Qin Xiaoxiao went to find Bi Chun.

The restless Bi Chun had already been waiting.

As soon as Qin Xiaoxiao approached, she stood up and softly said, “Can we go to the hallway?”

The hallway on a winter morning without warm sunlight was sparsely populated with students stepping out for fresh air.

Qin Xiaoxiao waited for half a minute, but Bi Chun, who had her eyes lowered, still didn’t speak.

Dong Yunfang, on her way to the restroom, passed by and glanced in their direction.

Qin Xiaoxiao returned a polite smile, then gently asked Bi Chun, “Is there something you want to say?”

“Um…” Bi Chun nodded timidly.

Qin Xiaoxiao waited another half minute.

“Xiaoxiao, I… I’m sorry…”

Qin Xiaoxiao’s heart stirred, her earlier suspicions…

“It was me who reported to the homeroom teacher and aunt… I’m sorry…” Bi Chun clutched the hem of her clothes, her head hanging even lower. “I don’t know what came over me those days… I just got confused and…”

The more Bi Chun spoke, the softer her voice became, even carrying a hint of choking.

That it was Bi Chun who reported it didn’t come as much of a surprise to Qin Xiaoxiao.

But… Qin Xiaoxiao considered herself fairly good at reading other women and had previously thought Bi Chun bore no hostility toward her. Her personality also matched the description in the book—gentle, quiet, and soft.

The book’s description?

Qin Xiaoxiao’s almond-shaped eyes widened slightly, and a sudden tension gripped her scalp.

Bi Chun said she wasn’t sure what had come over her during those days… Could it be that the “world consciousness” was trying to force the plot back onto its original track?

“Then… do you like Ji Wenchen?” Qin Xiaoxiao heard her own voice sounding a bit airy.

Bi Chun froze for a moment, still keeping her head lowered, but she didn’t hesitate. “No, I don’t.”

So, the “world consciousness” couldn’t control deviations in the feelings of characters from the book? Qin Xiaoxiao stared at the crown of Bi Chun’s head, lost in thought.

“I don’t like Ji Wenchen,” Bi Chun repeated softly.

“Oh.” Qin Xiaoxiao bit her lip, feeling that the question she had just asked was rather meaningless.

Even if Bi Chun did like Ji Wenchen, so what? Was she supposed to yield to the original storyline, push Ji Wenchen away, and hand him over to Bi Chun?

—Not to mention, Ji Wenchen wasn’t an object that could be given away at will.

Ji Wenchen had his own thoughts and feelings, and he didn’t like Bi Chun. That much, Qin Xiaoxiao was certain of.

“Xiaoxiao…” Hearing what seemed to be a rather indifferent response from Qin Xiaoxiao, Bi Chun lifted her face, her red-rimmed almond-shaped eyes on the verge of spilling tears. “I’m sorry… I… please don’t ignore me…”

Qin Xiaoxiao looked at Bi Chun for a few seconds. From the perspective of a peer, secretly reporting someone like this was indeed a rather despicable act. As someone who had lived for over twenty years in reality, she wasn’t exactly a forgiving person and didn’t feel like pretending nothing had happened to forgive her so easily.

“Xiaoxiao…”

“Is there anything else?”

Bi Chun sniffled.

“Then I’m heading back to the classroom.”

Bi Chun opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say…

She only knew that Xiaoxiao was so good, and she didn’t want to lose this friend.

The water in the cup had gone completely cold after a class period. Qin Xiaoxiao took a sip, and the cold water slid down her throat into her stomach.

It brought her a sense of calm and clarity.

Since returning from the hallway, she had been thinking: What was the purpose of her being transported into this novel?

In fact, she had thought about this question when she first arrived in this world.

The novel 《The Cool and Arrogant School Bully Falls for Me》 already had its male and female leads. Why was she transported here? Was it just to play the role of a vicious supporting character? No, she wasn’t foolish. Knowing that following the original storyline would lead to a bad ending, how could she do such a thing? Besides, her personality wouldn’t allow it.

No one would willingly use their life to play a supporting role for someone else.

She was no exception.

Qin Xiaoxiao took another sip of the cold water.

Returning to her original world was probably hopeless. Since she had been brought here, she was determined to live every moment to the fullest—forget about this so-called “world consciousness.”

She, Qin Xiaoxiao, was determined to write a different life trajectory, one that truly belonged to her.

“Stop drinking that.”

“Hm?”

Ji Wenchen’s hand reached over, touching the side of the water cup. “It’s so cold.”

“…” Qin Xiaoxiao’s lips, slightly damp from the water, left the rim of the cup. It’s not like she was on her period—what was the problem with drinking cold water?

…

On Wednesday afternoon, after the second class, Ji Wenchen left school on leave.

Speaking of which, Guo Hairuo found it a bit surprising when she received Ji Wenchen’s leave note. This student, who used to leave school by simply climbing over the wall, would never bother asking a teacher for permission…

Perhaps because he had never written a leave note before, Ji Wenchen’s reason for leaving consisted of just two words: “Something came up.”

Guo Hairuo asked him, “What’s the matter?”

“My grandfather’s birthday.”

Seeing a trace of coldness in the boy’s expression, Guo Hairuo lightly coughed and dismissed the thought of asking him to rewrite the leave note, approving it instead.

What Guo Hairuo didn’t know was that Ji Wenchen’s coldness wasn’t directed at her but at two specific people he was about to face.

The villa halfway up Mount Zhong was brightly lit with its gates wide open.

After getting out of the car, Ji Wenchen went straight to wish his grandfather a happy birthday.

“Good, Wenchen, it’s thoughtful of you,” Ji Kunxiong said with a smile as he opened the gift his grandson had brought, nodding in approval.

“You haven’t had dinner, have you? I’ll have Aunt Yang warm something up for you…”

“No need,” Ji Wenchen said. “There’s plenty to eat in the hall and courtyard—I won’t go hungry.”

Ji Kunxiong laughed heartily. “Then go and grab something to eat.”

“No rush, I’ll chat with you for a bit first.”

The grandfather and grandson talked for a while before they heard a clear and stern middle-aged man’s voice calling, “Dad,” followed by a soft and gentle woman’s voice echoing, “Dad.”

It was Ji Hui walking over with his new wife, Xu Yilan.

Ji Kunxiong’s smile faded as he instinctively glanced at his grandson, who had stopped talking.

“Dad, wishing you all the best, good fortune, and good health.”

“Dad, wishing you everlasting prosperity and longevity.”

Ji Kunxiong didn’t accept the gift handed over by his eldest son’s new wife. Instead, he said indifferently, “Just put it down.”

Xu Yilan’s smile faltered slightly, but she responded softly, “Yes,” and placed the meticulously wrapped gift on the nearby table with both hands.

“When did you get here?” Ji Hui asked his son, who was standing nearby. “Why didn’t you greet anyone?”

Ji Wenchen glanced at Ji Kunxiong. “Grandfather, I’m going to get something to eat.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

“Ji Wen—”

Clap. Ji Kunxiong lightly but firmly tapped the wooden armrest of his chair.

Ji Hui had no choice but to swallow the words he was about to use to reprimand his son, feeling a headache coming on as he faced his unruly son who acted as if he didn’t exist.

“Dad…”

“You shouldn’t just stand around here either,” Ji Kunxiong said indifferently to his son. “Go and help me entertain the guests.”

“Yes.”

In the main hall, people kept coming up to strike conversations with Ji Wenchen. Annoyed by the constant interactions, he grabbed a plate of pastries and headed to a secluded corner near the garden’s flower trellis.

He wasn’t sure what kind of flowers they were, blooming even in winter, but at least they didn’t emit a fragrance he found unpleasant.

It felt as though this place was far removed from the city; above him, the desolate night sky held only a faint, sparse crescent moon.

The winter night wind was dry and biting, scraping against him unpleasantly.

Ji Wenchen found himself missing the warmth and calm of sitting in the classroom.

Even though it had been less than three hours since he left her side.

After finishing the last piece of an unidentifiable sweet pastry, Ji Wenchen carried the plate back toward the brightly lit hall that seemed as bright as daylight.

He casually set the plate down and went to inform his grandfather that he was leaving.

Ji Kunxiong sighed softly in his heart, knowing his grandson didn’t want to stay here any longer. “Go ahead, let Uncle Lin take you.”

“Alright.”

“Oh, and…”

Ji Wenchen waited for his grandfather to continue.

“Your father…” Ji Kunxiong paused, “Your father just transferred half of his shares to you.”

Ji Wenchen’s expression remained indifferent, as if the recipient wasn’t him. “Goodbye, Grandfather.”

Half a minute later, Ji Wenchen’s figure was no longer visible. Ji Hui, who had been silently standing nearby, walked over and asked casually, “Dad, why did Wenchen leave so early?”

Ji Kunxiong glanced at his son, who at least had some sense in crucial matters. His tone softened slightly, no longer as cold. “How would I know? It can’t possibly be because he wants to go back and study, can it?”

…

When Ji Wenchen entered the classroom, it was during the break.

Dressed in a long, dark gray coat, with a handsome face, tall stature, and long legs, he moved with effortless confidence and ease.

Even more attractive than the male leads in the currently popular campus idol dramas.

This was the instant thought of many female classmates sneaking glances at Ji Wenchen.

Then they watched as Ji “Oppa”—no, Ji the school bully—returned to his seat and placed an elegantly packaged box of something on Qin Xiaoxiao’s desk.

A wave of budding feelings, stirred by Ji Wenchen’s striking appearance and momentarily forgetting his infamous fierceness, was abruptly shattered with a figurative snap by their envy toward Qin Xiaoxiao.

Sigh… the school bully’s heart already belongs to the school belle…