Rebirth: A Cinderella's Counterattack

”It’s been mailed, needs to be tested... medicine... I don’t know... not needed... no problem... I know... okay... that’s it then, goodbye.” Xu Tianyi hung up the phone, sprawled on the sofa, his face showing exhaustion. These past few days, the little girl’s attitude toward him wasn’t as warm as before, instead, she seemed to get along better with Gu Yanzhi, he didn’t know where the problem was, but he would still honor the promise he made to the Luo Family, as grandma had said, ’A gentleman’s promise is worth a thousand in gold.’

”What’s the matter with you, kid?” Bai Yixian happened to be passing nearby and came to check.

”It’s nothing.” Xu Tianyi hastily got some water to offer.

Bai Yixian slightly raised an eyebrow, his appearance strongly resembling a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy troubled by love: ”Is it because of a girl?”

”Sort of.” Xu Tianyi was a bit surprised but then realized it, having lived so many more years wasn’t for nothing.

Bai Yixian: ”Your girl you like? Kids these days really mature early, you’re not even twelve yet... Have you that...what?”

”What?” Xu Tianyi looked at Bai Yixian, completely baffled.

”I mean... that thing in dreams.” Bai Yixian explained, his face red.

”Wet dreams.” Xu Tianyi rolled his eyes and continued.

”Yes, yes, yes.” Bai Yixian nodded repeatedly.

Xu Tianyi shook his head: ”No.”

”Then do you know what liking someone is? You’re playing deep here as a half-grown kid?” Bai Yixian chuckled as he looked at Xu Tianyi, then glanced around, his gaze locking onto the medicine box on the dining table, his brow furrowed as if about to say something, but he closed his mouth, knowing the kid understood what was important.

”What does it mean if a girl says she wants to rely on you, but then slowly starts drifting away from you?” Xu Tianyi asked Bai Yixian with furrowed brow.

Bai Yixian was grateful he wasn’t drinking water at that moment, otherwise he surely would have spat it out: ”Did you reject her?”

”No.” Xu Tianyi thought about what he had said, there was no word of rejection.

”Then it must be a change of heart.” Bai Yixian said with certainty.

Xu Tianyi frowned deeply. (Xiao Luo: Xu Tianyi, are you dumb? Asking someone with no love experience for advice?)

---

Xiu Xian entered the classroom holding a stack of papers, and in an instant, the room fell silent; Class Nine’s biggest interest this week was to see who would win this bet.

”I heard our classmates made a bet?” Xiu Xian put down the papers, standing at the podium full of dignity: ”This is gambling, it’s not a good behavior, who started it?”

Luo Qianqian shrank a little, showing a face full of distress. Seeing Luo Qianqian’s demeanor, Sun Xuan was even more certain that Luo Qianqian wasn’t entirely confident, and quickly stood up: ”Teacher, it was between Luo Qianqian and me, this is our personal act, we hope the teacher won’t interfere.”

Luo Qianqian lowered her head and stood up as well.

”What do you say, Luo Qianqian?” Xiu Xian looked at Sun Xuan, disliking even more, was he helping her or was this an ungrateful act?

”I...”

”Teacher, the ancients have said that a gentleman’s word, once given, cannot be taken back like spilled water; it’s about integrity. Luo Qianqian has also given long lectures on the virtues of benevolence, propriety, righteousness, wisdom, and trustworthiness before, she hasn’t forgotten, has she?” Sun Xuan interrupted Luo Qianqian, looking at Luo Qianqian’s demeanor with more pride: ”What’s with a student coming out ahead in a class that should be lagging?”

”Teacher, this bet was made in front of our whole class, it’s unreasonable and unfair for the teacher to prevent it, right? Basically, all the poor students are in this class.” Wang Wei also stood up, his face full of pride.

”You’re sure?” Xiu Xian looked at Sun Xuan and then at the meddlesome Wang Wei, and asked seriously.

”Sure.” Sun Xuan and Wang Wei said in unison.

Luo Qianqian straightened up and flashed a confident smile, ”I’ve confirmed it too. Sun Xuan, you did say that ’words spoken and water spilled can’t be taken back’, right?” She said, her eyes filled with amusement as she looked at Xiu Xian.

Xiu Xian shook his head slightly, ”Our class’s top student is still Xu Tianyi, and the second place remains Luo Qianqian.”

”How is that possible?” Wang Wei exclaimed in surprise, thought about the class’s grades, understood, and then said, ”Teacher, we’re talking about the rankings for the whole grade.”

Sun Xuan quickly nodded in agreement.

Rankings for the whole grade? Xiu Xian sighed, shaking his head; naturally, he was proud that his class had two students dominating the top two spots in the grade, yet some people were still so oblivious, ”Congratulations to Xu Tianyi and Luo Qianqian, the rankings remain unchanged, both in our class and in the grade.”

Sun Xuan’s face turned pale, ”How is that possible?” As she spoke, she ascended the podium, grabbed the transcript, looked at the English grades—full marks? ”Luo Qianqian, did you cheat?”

”Oh?” Luo Qianqian chuckled lightly, completely unfazed.

”You clearly went to have diarrhea; how could you possibly score full marks?” Sun Xuan pointed at the English section, her face filled with anger, ”You actually cheated, you’ll be disciplined for this, and don’t think changing schools will help you.”

”Well, I did have diarrhea, but I could finish the exam first, couldn’t I?” Luo Qianqian lazily smiled, ”Not everyone is named Luo Qianqian, but in our class, I’m not the only one capable of this.”

”How is that possible?” Sun Xuan pointed at Luo Qianqian, her face full of horror, ”Then why did you look like that after the exam?”

”Me? I don’t have any other hobbies; my favorite thing is proving people wrong.” Luo Qianqian narrowed her eyes, ”How about that? Planned against me for so long, only to end up like throwing a stone that rebounds on your own foot?”

”Planned?” Xiu Xian furrowed his brows, ”What’s going on?”

”Just some mediocre tricks, like putting diarrhea medicine in a drink and then sticking a note on it to pretend it was from someone I trust,” Luo Qianqian said lightly looking at Wang Wei with a smile, ”Some people didn’t know that I never drink soft drinks, and even bought things I wouldn’t buy.”

Xiu Xian looked at Wang Wei, his tone hard, ”What’s this about?”

”I don’t know; Luo Qianqian is framing me.” Wang Wei shook his hands, innocent-faced.

”But the bottle has fingerprints.” Luo Qianqian blinked slowly, drawing out the words one by one.

Wang Wei’s face went pale, but seeing the troubled look on Xiu Xian’s face, he did not pursue the matter further; having such a person to spice up the campus life wasn’t so bad.

”Teacher, you should see what Jun Ziyan...” Luo Qianqian narrowed her eyes and smiled, but her tone was icy cold.

Pei Yuhao stood up, ”Teacher, we can’t have someone like Sun Xuan in our class, poor grades are one thing, but poor character is a major issue.”

”Hmph, I’m leaving; just you wait, Luo Qianqian!” Seeing that no one in the class pleaded on her behalf, Sun Xuan grabbed her backpack and turned to leave.

”Teacher, you should call and inform her parents quickly, she wants to transfer schools herself.” Luo Qianqian sat down, the very image of a good student—ironically it was this image that had driven away an unfriendly and even malicious rival.

”Luo Qianqian... you owe me an explanation,” Xu Tianyi said, unable to help himself as he observed Luo Qianqian’s demeanor.

”What?” Luo Qianqian turned to look at the slightly melancholic boy beside her, ”What’s the matter with me?”

”Why have you been distancing yourself from me?” Xu Tianyi asked softly.

Huh? Ah? What? Ha? What? Nani?

Luo Qianqian twitched the corner of her mouth; really, did she still have to explain her clueless feelings? She had already given up, after all—they were not from the same world, and she harbored no extravagant hopes.

”I’m going through a rebellious phase,” Luo Qianqian blinked and said.