Xie Qian had meant to say top 200 in the grade.
Before he finished, Wen Ying’s face paled, and he softened, settling on top 300.
Xie Qian was exasperated. Why was it so hard to get this hamster to improve her grades?
He couldn’t relate to being a poor student. Knowledge from textbooks was effortless for him, so he couldn’t fathom someone struggling with it.
In April’s monthly exam, Wen Ying had climbed to the top 400s, neck-and-neck with Li Mengjiao, whose grades had slipped.
Now, in May, with only two months until finals, Xie Qian wanted her to jump 100 ranks?
Wen Ying felt the pressure, but Xie Qian ignored her protests, keeping her at the provincial library doing questions all day. Li Mengjiao was off filming final scenes and promoting at Super Girl’s regional events, or she’d have been dragged into the study session too.
The same went for Wang Slacker.
After the May Day holiday, with filming wrapped, Wang had no more excuses to dodge.
During the holiday, Wen Ying studied until her legs wobbled, sustained only by her adult soul’s willpower.
So, the debt from their Hunan trip was being settled during the May Day holiday!
When the holiday ended, Wen Ying was thrilled.
She’d never so eagerly awaited school’s return.
School meant escape from the sea of questions.
Meeting at school, the three slackers looked pale and shaky.
Wang Shuang yawned, “We were running around cities. You stayed in Chengdu—how’re you like this?”
Wen Ying wanted to cry.
She’d rather have run around cities!
But why remind Wang Shuang? He’d join the grind soon—let him have some surprise.
“Filming done?”
Li Mengjiao yawned and nodded, “Done. Shot the last scenes last night. Yun Chen’s heading back to Taiwan. He wants to treat us to dinner before he goes. You in?”
Wen Ying couldn’t decide.
She had knowledge points to review and stacks of practice papers!
With Li Mengjiao’s drama wrapped, Tianjiao started post-production. Wen Ying was curious but had no time to check progress.
In the end, she missed Yun Chen’s farewell dinner. Xie Qian approved of her choice.
—Between a Taiwanese heartthrob and studying, studying was obviously priority.
Li Mengjiao rolled her eyes secretly: Xie Qian’s jealousy was real!
She was overthinking. Yun Chen just admired Wen Ying’s talent, nothing more.
“There’ll be other chances. It’s not like we’ll never see him again!”
If the drama did well, Yun Chen would likely rise to fame.
Famous, he’d have more chances for mainland events.
Wen Ying said it casually, but after school, Xie Qian handed her two new practice papers.
Wen Ying was dazed, “I haven’t finished the ones I have!”
Xie Qian said lightly, “Papers never end. Think of your finals goal—you’ll find time for these two.”
Wang Shuang craned his neck, “Xie Qian, that’s favouritism. What papers does Wen Ying get that we don’t… Hey, I wasn’t done! Why’re you dragging me?”
Li Mengjiao yanked Wang Shuang’s arm, pulling him away.
No tact as a third wheel.
Xie Qian wasn’t giving Wen Ying special treatment—he was showing possessiveness through papers. Such a unique love, only Wen Ying could handle!
The girls at school crushing on Xie Qian? Distance breeds illusion.
Just for two extra papers, Li Mengjiao mentally ranted a storm.
Early May, bold students like Wang Shuang wore short sleeves. He used to roughhouse with Li Mengjiao without a care, but this year, everyone was growing up. When Li Mengjiao grabbed his arm, her palm touched his skin, and Wang Shuang flinched like he’d been stung by a caterpillar.
He shook off her hand.
“Talk, don’t touch me!”
“Who’s touching you? I’d touch a dog before you!”
Li Mengjiao shot him a glare, fuming.
Since when was she touchy?
She’d pulled Wang Shuang like this before, and he never complained.
She hadn’t acted like a star yet, but Wang Shuang was already getting cocky!
She glared at him twice, flicked her ponytail, and stormed off. Wang Shuang stood dumbfounded, lifting his arm to check.
How strong could Li Mengjiao be? His skin wasn’t even red.
But it felt so weird.
He rubbed his arm, muttering, “Was I overreacting?”
He didn’t mean to react so strongly; his body just flinched instinctively.
Wang Shuang was sure he didn’t dislike Li Mengjiao, yet he’d acted like that… Kind of hurtful.
Argh, what was wrong with him?
Maybe he needed a few papers to clear his head!
…
School was a haze of youthful confusion, but adult schemes reeked of cold reality.
Zhao Dong had Song Foxiang ghostwrite his autobiography, instructing him to negotiate with Zou Weijun while preparing a backup plan. If Zou Weijun refused, he’d enlist Jiang Youjia.
Jiang Youjia was hard to pin down. Zhao Dong used mutual friends as intermediaries, securing a meeting during the May Day holiday after several attempts.
Zhao Dong pitched the autobiography publishing idea. Jiang Youjia neither agreed nor refused.
That was a crack.
Zhao Dong smiled at Jiang Youjia, secretly plotting to trip him up through this.
Things were going smoothly on his end, but Song Foxiang botched it spectacularly!
Zhao Dong, a cheapskate, paid Song Foxiang only for ghostwriting yet expected him to handle two tasks. With just one fee, Song Foxiang only did the writing well. For the unpaid second task, he improvised.
Zhao Dong didn’t hide this from his driver.
He wanted to see if Xie Qian would intervene against Song Foxiang. If Xie Qian was alert, it’d prove the driver was leaking info.
Xie Qian didn’t act, but Song Foxiang was still rejected by Zou Weijun, for reasons that blindsided Zhao Dong.
At the time, Zhao Dong was at a gathering with Jiang Youjia and others. Jiang Youjia took a call, his face darkening. He grabbed Zhao Dong’s collar, dragged him to a corner, and hissed, “I thought you’d changed, but you’re filthy! You had someone harass Xie Qian’s mum? Zhao Dong, you’re shameless!”
Jiang Youjia punched Zhao Dong, splitting his lip.
For other misdeeds, Zhao Dong deserved a hit.
But this? He genuinely hadn’t done it!
When he learned what Song Foxiang had done, Zhao Dong’s vision blurred.
He’d sent Song Foxiang to discuss publishing, not to write love poems chasing Zou Weijun!
Was Song Foxiang insane?
—Was it really so hard to find a helper focused on business?!
