Rebirth: A Cinderella's Counterattack

Chapter 274: Chapter 256: The ’Bloodbath’ Triggered by an Apple (Part 1)

”Luo Qianqian, aren’t you being a bit unfair? I made such a big contribution, and you only give me one, while he didn’t do anything but watch the drama unfold, and you give him two? What are you planning to do with the other two apples in your hand? Just give them to me as a tribute, and I won’t fuss over it.” Gu Yanzhi looked at the round apple in his hand, then at Qiao Xiyang, who was on the side with a smug smile holding two apples, and felt frustrated for a moment.

Luo Qianqian felt a little wronged, ”I asked you, and you said you wanted one. You can’t lay claim to the rest; they’re for the instructor.” As for the instructor’s other identity, she chose not to tell him.

Watching Luo Qianqian run away with a triumphant look in her eyes, Qiao Xiyang wore a bemused expression, ”What’s the matter? Jealous? Want me to share half with you?” He had long seen through his brother’s petty thoughts, but felt that the two didn’t quite match in terms of aura, so he didn’t offer any suggestions and just watched the situation unfold from the sidelines.

”Get lost,” Gu Yanzhi said after Luo Qianqian had disappeared from sight. He tightly clutched the apple and headed back to the dormitory. After some thought, he turned back to Qiao Xiyang and asked, ”What are you planning to choose next semester, humanities or sciences?”

Qiao Xiyang didn’t quite catch up with Gu Yanzhi’s change of subject. How did the conversation switch to something years in the future? ”I should choose sciences, but you know, girls generally go for humanities. Who knows, I might go to the humanities class and pick up a girl or something.”

Gu Yanzhi’s lips curled into a smirk, not buying it for a second, ”Then you better hurry up and go.”

After handing out apples to Gu Yanzhi and Qiao Xiyang, Luo Qianqian waited under a tree at the training ground for Luo Yanhai, sitting next to the tree, tilting her head slightly, looking at the clouds in the sky.

When Luo Yanhai arrived, this was the scene: a young girl looking sorrowful at the sky, holding two round objects in her arms.

Of course, the sorrowful look was imagined; it was too dark to see anything clearly at night, being able to see her lift her head was already good. The round objects were only seen clearly because of the white T-shirt she was wearing as the backdrop.

”Qianqian,” Luo Yanhai chuckled, ”Are you missing your dear brother?” His lips curved into a charming arc, a pity that the night was too dark to see clearly.

”Brother,” Luo Qianqian grinned, finally, he had come, her teeth gleaming white in the night.

”What’s the matter? Why did you call me out so late? Homesick? Or do you need me to tell you a bedtime story?” Luo Yanran sat down beside Luo Qianqian, his face wearing a hint of pride, as if saying ’just ask, and I shall grant,’ sadly, it was too dark to see his expression clearly.

”No, it’s not that.” Luo Qianqian placed the apples in Luo Yanhai’s arms and got up briskly, ”Mom brought a lot of apples for me, and I brought two for you. Nothing else really, I’ll head back first, and you should rest early.” Saying so, she turned and left. Luo Qianqian glanced around at the pitch darkness, not daring to stay long, fearing what kind of ghost or creature might suddenly appear.

Luo Yanran watched his sister run off, amused. She still seemed like such a child: ”Be careful, don’t trip.” No sooner had he spoken than he saw his sister stumble a bit and then quicken her pace, watching her figure enter the dormitory area before he left.

Luo Qianqian heard what Luo Yanran said, tripped slightly, and then unconsciously sped up her walk. She wasn’t a child, how could she trip?

”Qianqian, you’re back,” said Chu Ci as she saw Luo Qianqian enter the dormitory, quickly grabbing her and whispering, ”Right after you left earlier, Qian Yuling also went out. You didn’t run into her, did you?” It looked like she was up to no good. Chu Ci clenched her fist secretly; that sister, really...

Luo Qianqian shook her head, ”No, I didn’t see her. I just delivered the apples and came back. By the way, where are the others?” She tilted her chin towards the empty beds, finding it strange that only Chu Ci and Fu Mingxue were in the entire dormitory.

”There’s a class meeting. They were called to another dormitory just now; I’m not sure what for.” Chu Ci paused for a moment, speaking softly. She had only been watching out for Qian Yuling before and hadn’t considered where the others in the dormitory might have gone, only remembering someone mentioning a meeting.

”Is that so?” Luo Qianqian nodded, ”Well, when they come back, we’ll raid Xiao Yu’s stash and divvy up the little cakes.” Everyone knew those couldn’t be kept indefinitely, and there was no need to be secretive. It was fine to share a bit with those who liked it, and as for that one person, let her go wherever she wanted.

”Okay,” Chu Ci laughed and nodded. Fu Mingxue, who was sitting on the bed reading a book, also nodded. But Luo Qianqian caught a glimpse of the extravagantly designed cover hidden under the Yilin magazine in Fu Mingxue’s hands, featuring two cute little boys. Somewhat mischievously, she blurted out, ”Boundless as the ocean?”

”Limitless as the sky?” Fu Mingxue sharply raised her head to look at Luo Qianqian, her eyes brimming with excitement, as she hopped down from the upper bunk and grabbed Luo Qianqian’s hand, ”The ’fandom’, right...”

Clearly a fan of male-male romances, Luo Qianqian pursed her lips and chuckled to herself. It seemed Fu Mingxue truly defied appearances, didn’t she?

”I’m only halfway there; that one there is your ’fandom’,” she said, pointing to the bunk beside them, which belonged to He Wenyu, a smirk curling her lips. It looked like He Wenyu was going to have some fun in the days to come. Just when she was testing the waters, she found another fan, a delightful surprise indeed, ”We should exchange notes in the future.” But she didn’t have much to share, since she only knew about the surface-level fascination. The details were He Wenyu’s forte.

”What are you talking about? Should I say ’wealthy as the eastern sea’?” Chu Ci was momentarily perplexed as she spoke, thinking that they all sounded like auspicious phrases; surely, there was nothing wrong with her response.

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Luo Qianqian and Fu Mingxue exchanged looks and burst into hearty laughter.

”Xiao Ci, you’re really a good kid, so amusing,” Luo Qianqian said, laughing until tears streamed down her face, clutching her stomach.

However, the next instant, she grabbed Chu Ci like a person with split personality: ”Shouldn’t you be telling us about that Chu Yu situation? It’s clear she’s targeting you.” Nothing had been said, and you’ve already been targeted several times, okay? Chu Yu is the one with unspoken grievances.

Fu Mingxue also paused, quickly closed the door, and sat on one side with a worried expression. Though they had only known each other for a few days, he already cared deeply for his new friend. He had come to see everyone here as friends, despite not knowing if he’d feel the same after revealing his true self at some point.

”It’s nothing much,” Chu Ci said, pursing her lips. ”That’s my half-sister, same father but different mothers, and she’s just over a month younger than me.” Luo Qianqian and Fu Mingxue understood the unspoken implication—their father had an affair.

”And then there’s not much else to tell. My stepmother doesn’t give me much trouble; after all, she has to maintain appearances. She signed me up for all the classes I should attend. Since I’m not her own child, it’s enough,” Chu Ci said with a smile. ”You don’t think I’m a pushover, do you? Just enduring when people bully me? My dad still feels guilty towards me, so I haven’t missed out on anything I should have. It’s just that when dad’s not around, they might treat me a little worse.” At most it was doing house chores and running errands, she was resilient enough to tolerate that. Besides, she didn’t want to see pity in her friends’ eyes, which is why she had never spoken about it.

Luo Qianqian looked at her friend seriously, ”Are you sure it’s only this? Then why would Chu Yu target you?”

”It’s just because I get to choose the gifts dad brings back first, probably just jealousy,” Chu Ci shrugged, feigning innocence. How could she say it was due to jealousy? Jealous of her excellence, her popularity, even her room and clothes. Anything that made her better than Chu Yu, Chu Yu wanted to destroy, even if that meant ruining friendships.

”But you don’t resemble your dad at all,” Fu Mingxue commented, his eyes filled with admiration, ”You’re a good person.”

Chu Ci looked at her two friends, surprised, not finding any disdain or pity in their eyes, only admiration.

”Of course, my Xiao Ci is a good person. Who says the children of scumbags must be scoundrels?” Luo Qianqian wrapped an arm around Chu Ci’s shoulder. She had seen the momentary anxiety on Chu Ci’s face after she had finished speaking. Her hand rested on her shoulder, patting gently to comfort her, while her mouth declared, ”It’s often such children who are the tragic side characters, yet my Xiao Ci, both beautiful and kind, has become the protagonist, no wonder she draws envy.”

”Qianqian,” Chu Ci was about to say something when He Wenyu suddenly pushed the door open, her brow furrowed, pulling Luo Qianqian outside, ”Come out.”

”What’s wrong?” It was rare to see her friend looking so serious, Luo Qianqian frowned, sensing that something had happened.

”Were you at the sports field just now? Did you meet anyone?” He Wenyu asked, knitting her brows, her intuition telling her that the recent rumors were certainly related to their dorm.