Rebirth: A Cinderella's Counterattack

Chapter 149: Chapter 138: Granting You Freedom from Yearning

Xu Tianyi was stunned, subconsciously looked at his legs, and they were not thick at all, in fact, they were somewhat slim, but seeing Luo Qianqian’s expression, she seemed to be seriously saying something, and said, ”What is Qianqian’s goal?”

”To make mom and brother live better, to be proud of having a child (sister) like me. To make those who once looked down on us with disdain look up to us with awe and respect,” Luo Qianqian said with a determined gaze into Xu Tianyi’s eyes. Xu Tianyi was stunned. How could a child have such a profound gaze?

”Luo Qianqian, do you know how much effort is needed behind success?” Xu Tianyi gave a bitter smile and shook his head, ”Just stand behind your brother, you’re just a child, there’s no need to be so serious.”

”Xu Tianyi, I am serious. I’ve thought through what I said,” Luo Qianqian looked up at the boy with her small face.

”Luo Qianqian, society is treacherous, don’t just trust strangers, even relatives may have their own agendas when they approach you,” Xu Tianyi gently pinched Luo Qianqian’s little face, ”If I had a sister like you, I would also want to protect you behind me, so you never have to encounter such a dark life.”

What exactly had Xu Tianyi experienced? Luo Qianqian was stunned by his words, mouth slightly agape, then she took Xu Tianyi’s hand and walked home, ”I’m not the kind to sit and wait for death. Facing storms together, that’s what shared joys and sorrows are about. Indulging oneself while others bear the pain, that’s selfishness.” Luo Qianqian thought of the past-life’s Luo Shufan, old and weary, thought of Luo’s Mom, ridden with disease, thought of her own past self, naïve and foolish. She was truly selfish, having all the good to herself, yet her family endured the bad.

”A rainbow after the storm is the most beautiful,” Xu Tianyi suddenly said, smiling. Luo Qianqian, not understanding, put her worries aside.

As nice as Xu Tianyi was, he also had the same overprotective love as the past-life’s Luo Shufan.

This naivety, yet untouched by romantic feelings, was already set aside.

——

”Luo Qianqian, today is the exam,” Wang Wei stood in front of Luo Qianqian, and she looked up and smirked.

”What, do you also want to bet and leave Class Nine, leave First Middle School?” Coincidentally, they were randomly assigned to the same exam room as Luo Qianqian.

Wang Wei looked at Luo Qianqian’s arrogant demeanor and snickered coldly, ”You can only strut around for a few more days, like a cicada after autumn—it won’t jump for long.”

”Firstly, it’s a locust—not a cicada—that won’t jump for long after autumn. Secondly, cicadas die after summer ends. Your biology isn’t great. Why don’t you say, a bear after autumn?” Luo Qianqian took out her stationery, her backpack contained nothing else except for two extra books.

”A bear after autumn?” Wang Wei was taken aback.

”Can’t stay awake much longer, right? Bears hibernate, but when a bear wakes up, it’s still a bear, not a puppy,” Luo Qianqian chuckled.

”Qianqian, you really have the luxury of idle talk,” Gu Yanzhi said as he saw Luo Qianqian outside the exam room and walked into the classroom, ”I heard you made a bet?”

”Yeah, betting on leaving school,” Luo Qianqian smiled with narrowed eyes, ”And here’s another student who wants to bet with me, just when I was worried about not having a witness, you show up.”

”Don’t talk nonsense! This Gu Yanzhi has a thing for you, it doesn’t count,” Wang Wei looked at Luo Qianqian with a panicked face.

Pointing at himself with a puzzled face, Gu Yanzhi looked toward Luo Qianqian, ”I have a thing with you?”

”If you want to take it to court, I’ll testify for you. The first one to spread the rumor was our classmate Wang Wei,” Luo Qianqian retorted without hesitation, ”That’s defamation. Anyway, I’m speechless with him. A few days ago, he said I had a thing with our class president, these days it’s Xu Tianyi; now it’s your turn. There are only a few male friends around me, and he’s gone through all of them. If it weren’t for my young age, I’d think he’s doing this to get my attention or maybe he’s taken a fancy to me.” She continued without hesitation, cutting off Wang Wei who tried to interject, ”Even if I were older, I wouldn’t fancy someone like that. I still like someone who’s smart and good-looking, and sunny. Unfortunately, this guy is both dull and shady-looking, and it’s not like I’m looking for my opposite.”

Watching Wang Wei’s face, Gu Yanzhi couldn’t help but laugh in agreement, ”Exactly, I’m just fine. Good-looking, clean, and clever too.”

Luo Qianqian nodded earnestly, ”Exactly, looks smart, and also gentle.”

”Am I really that good?” Gu Yanzhi approached Luo Qianqian with a chuckle, ”Do you have a crush on me? Then I’ll reluctantly accept.”

”No way, no way, you’re too artsy, not sunny at all,” Luo Qianqian blinked, not falling for the ruse.

Ignoring them completely, Wang Wei left with a remark, ”Just you wait and see!” as he went back to his seat.

”Thanks,” Luo Qianqian pulled out a piece of milk candy, still a gift from Li Qi a few days ago, ”Here’s a reward,” then she placed it in Gu Yanzhi’s palm.

”I’m quite serious,” Gu Yanzhi touched his nose and accepted the milk candy, ”I’ll head back to the examination hall now. I’ll be next to you, so come find me if you need anything.”

The first day passed safely, and the next morning, a bottle of peanut milk appeared on Luo Qianqian’s desk in the examination hall. It had a sticky note attached, signed by Gu Yanzhi.

Looking at the obviously opened bottle, Luo Qianqian sneered and put it in her seat. She sent a message to Li Qi, who hadn’t arrived at school yet, asking her to bring a bottle of peanut milk and sneak it to her in the examination hall.

Having received the drink from her friend, Luo Qianqian felt relieved. She placed the beverage on her desk.

After getting the test paper and taking a couple of sips, she started answering the questions. It was just English, so she finished writing comfortably in twenty minutes, including the listening part, then raised her hand with an undecided face.

The proctor approached her promptly and asked, ”What’s the matter, is there a problem with the test paper?”

”I think I have a stomachache...” Luo Qianqian whispered, not missing the sneer on Wang Wei’s face. A smile formed in her heart; it was definitely him.

”But...” the proctor looked at the clock and said, ”Can you hold on a little longer? You haven’t finished the paper yet... If you leave now, it might not be fair to the others.”

”Teacher, I want to submit my paper. I really can’t stand it,” Luo Qianqian thought to herself that her acting skills were wasted by not going into the entertainment industry.

”Are you sure? This is a midterm exam, important for your evaluation,” the proctor said with a frown, looking at the child before her.

Luo Qianqian handed her paper to the proctor, ”Teacher, just like this, I have to go.” She left the classroom without even taking her bag.

”This child,” the proctor muttered, looking at the paper in hand, then shocked. It was all finished? Even the composition was done? Confused, the proctor looked towards the class: Luo Qianqian of Class 1-9.

Class 1-9? Probably just guessing, the proctor thought, taking the paper back to the podium to start grading. The more she looked, the more alarmed she became. She checked twice and, apart from not being certain about the essay, didn’t find a single mistake. Even if she wasn’t an English teacher, she was a university graduate; it couldn’t be that she couldn’t understand middle school English.

Seeing the proctor’s gaping mouth, Wang Wei sneered triumphantly, certain the paper would be mostly blank. Finally, Luo Qianqian was going to be kicked out, and he would get his revenge for the humiliation he’d suffered these days. Plus, he might even get a good reward from Sun Xuan.

Thinking this, Wang Wei couldn’t hide his smirk, growing happier the more he thought about it. However, he could only cover his mouth and bury his head on the desk to laugh until, perhaps from the fatigue of marking papers, he fell asleep.

Luo Qianqian waited until the papers were collected before she returned to the examination hall to pack up her things. Seeing how Wang Wei looked, he probably already decided that she had lost. Just as well, the higher you fly, the harder the slap.

”Luo Qianqian, enjoy your last few days!” As soon as she returned to the class, Sun Xuan and Wang Wei came over to Luo Qianqian, flaunting their power.

Luo Qianqian bit her lower lip, her face the picture of grievance, but said nothing. The two of them gloated even more and, after a round of ridicule, left the classroom.

Once they left, Luo Qianqian’s expression returned to normal.

”What’s going on?” Xu Tianyi looked at Luo Qianqian, confused by her changing expressions. What did the words of Wang Wei and Sun Xuan mean?

Pei Yuhao, Pei Yutian, Li Qi, and Xia Qi closed in with concerned faces.

Luo Qianqian sneered coldly, ”Don’t worry, their scheme didn’t catch me.”

”Scheme?” Pei Yuhao frowned.

Luo Qianqian took out the peanut milk with the sticky note still attached, ”I didn’t touch it, it’s been opened already.”

”No wonder you asked me to bring you peanut milk so early in the morning,” Li Qi realized, then laughed, ”But why did you make that expression just now?”

”Letting them strut for a bit won’t kill me.” Luo Qianqian was very confident in her grades. As long as it wasn’t the high school part, she wouldn’t slip up.

Xu Tianyi looked at the peanut milk on the desk, wanting to say something but ultimately did not.