"Zheng Xiao Ge... Zheng Xiao, how could you say that!" Wang Lili was almost in tears. "It's okay if you say you don't know me, but you can't talk about Wen Jing like that. Do you know how much Wen Jing likes you? And you spend time with that bitch every day. She'll be very sad if you do this!"
"This classmate!" Zheng Xiao said, his tone serious and a little angry. "First of all, Mao Wen Jing is just Yi Nuo's cousin to me, and that's it. Secondly, I don't care how much she likes me. Do I have to accept everyone who likes me? Would I have enough time? Lastly, please don't belittle classmate Mao Qing Yan casually in the future. I really dislike you slandering her with that word!"
Zheng Xiao's voice wasn't low. Many students who had been pretending to be passersby but secretly observing heard him and started whispering amongst themselves.
Wang Lili was so angry with him that she declared, "I'll tell Wen Jing. You'll regret this!" With that, she covered her face and ran away crying.
Xu Fei was also a bit confused. She was Bai Lu's deskmate and had indirectly heard from her that Mao Qing Yan often hung out with Xie Yi Nuo and Zheng Xiao from the second year during breaks. Coupled with her good relationship with Wang Lili, and hearing that Zheng Xiao was Mao Wen Jing's childhood sweetheart, she had concluded that Mao Qing Yan was a shameless homewrecker.
So, when she saw them in the cafeteria today, she couldn't help but come over to mock them and show off her sense of justice. To her surprise, things didn't seem to be as she had imagined. Xu Fei's face turned red, and she left without saying a word, slinking away.
Xiao Wen Qiang had originally intended to confront them directly, but she hadn't expected Zheng Xiao to be so supportive. She looked up joyfully, her sparkling eyes fixed on him, her voice soft and sweet. "Zheng Xiao Ge Ge, you're amazing, thank you!"
The moment their eyes met, Zheng Xiao was stunned. A blush crept across his face, but he didn't reply, only looking away. After about ten seconds, his gaze shifted back, and he said softly, "You don't need to be so polite with me. And, don't be so honest in the future, letting people say these things about you."
"Mhm, I'll fight back," Xiao Wen Qiang thought to herself: You're too naive, young man. You haven't seen me retort until people can't speak. I'm afraid your perception will be shattered then.
After dinner, they went to the library to study. Xiao Wen Qiang was extremely diligent in attending the master's lessons. Indeed, Zheng Xiao lived up to his reputation as a top student. Many concepts that she had found obscure during class became clear after his analysis and explanation. The few hours of tutoring in the afternoon passed easily and efficiently. If studying were always this efficient, Xiao Wen Qiang would almost have the illusion that she could become a science genius.
While they were studying diligently, many new posts appeared on the school forum. Most of them were about the two of them studying problems together intently.
The girl's black hair was gilded by the sunlight, and a stray strand playfully dangled by her ear. She lowered her head, looking at the exam paper in front of her, as if she were solely focused on this one thing in the world. However, in a place she couldn't see, the boy's gaze lingered affectionately on her face, a faint smile on his lips. It was a harmonious picture of a handsome man and a beautiful woman.
Lying on the bed in his rented apartment, Zheng Xiao silently saved the photo and pressed his phone to his chest. He listened to his heart beating rapidly, like the most dense drumbeat in the world, involuntarily revealing his affection.
In fact, he had been feeling very down recently due to family matters. But the time spent with the girl this afternoon made him feel very comfortable. It seemed that looking at her smiling face made all his worries feel insignificant.
The sound of a key turning in the lock came from the door, and then Xie Yi Nuo, his roommate, walked in dejectedly.
"What's wrong?" Zheng Xiao asked with concern. "Did your meeting not go well?"
"Ai, don't even talk about it!" Xie Yi Nuo closed the door, threw his keys on his desk, and slumped into a chair to complain. "Do you know? In the game, she was supposed to be a cute, sweet girl, but when we met, she was a burly man taller than me. Is that fair?"
"Didn't you talk on the phone?" Zheng Xiao remembered Xie Yi Nuo mentioning that he had a very good rapport with a player in the game and had even contacted her privately by phone, saying her voice was soft and sweet.
"Yes, the guy naturally has a soft and sweet voice. He never said he was a girl, I just misunderstood him because of his voice!" Xie Yi Nuo was full of regret.
"Then why are you back so late this time?"
"Would I have the nerve to turn around and leave just because they weren't a girl? Am I that superficial? I had to have dinner with them and then go to an internet cafe to play a game or something!"
"You just wanted to play games, don't make excuses!" Zheng Xiao exposed him.
Xie Yi Nuo pouted and sighed, "Never mind me. How have you been lately?"
"How have I been? You mean tutoring your sister? It's going well!"
"I'm not worried about the tutoring, I have faith in your abilities. I'm asking about your family. Auntie called me this afternoon."
"What did she call you for? Ignore her!" Zheng Xiao frowned displeasantly.
"Auntie said you were having a spat with your family because of Zheng Ze. She didn't call me today, and I didn't know you hadn't been home all this time! I thought you still went back once every two weeks like usual!" Xie Yi Nuo sighed, reaching out as if to hug him. "Ai~ It's my fault as a brother for not caring enough about you."
"Don't gross me out!" Zheng Xiao pushed him away, his hairs standing on end. "I just don't want to go back and see their harmonious picture. Ms. Wu Yue Li is making it seem like Zheng Ze is her real son. But I don't care, I can take care of myself!"
"Oh, my Xiao Ge, you can't think like that. That's letting Zheng Ze replace you. You need to be around them so they can't ignore you!" Xie Yi Nuo hit the nail on the head.
"But I feel so uncomfortable! Forget it, let's not talk about it. Let's sleep!"
The topic ended, and the two washed up and went to sleep. The night passed uneventfully.
A week later, the freshman welcome party arrived even earlier than the midterm exams.
The school generously opened up many spots, allowing students to invite their friends and family to watch the performances. Mao Wen Jing was invited by her good sister Wang Lili, and thinking she could see Zheng Xiao Ge Ge again, she gladly accepted.
Xiao Wen Qiang also invited Mao Gen Hong and Xie Qiao, as she needed to maintain the original owner's family relationships! Not to mention Xie Yi Nuo and Zheng Xiao, who had secured their seats early on.
Backstage, there was a flurry of activity. The cultural and artistic committee member Zhou Fang was shouting at the top of her lungs, "Quick, quick, quick, Wang Lili's piano solo is next, where is she?"
Xu Fei weakly said from the side, "Lili just had an accident, her white dress got dirty, and she's gone to the restroom to change."
"What's the point of changing now? Just wrap a jacket around yourself and play!" Zhou Fang was anxious, as the music from the previous performance was nearing its end.
"Is Wang Lili still not here?" Zhou Fang felt like she was about to explode. The host backstage was already urging them to announce the next performer.
"Should I go on first?" Xiao Wen Qiang was the second to last performer, and seeing how anxious Zhou Fang was, she volunteered.
"Okay, you go first!" As soon as Zhou Fang finished speaking, the host lifted the curtain and walked out.
"Alright, next, please enjoy the suona solo by classmate Mao Qing Yan from Class 1, Year 1 - 'A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix'." The host's introductory remarks concluded, and the audience below applauded enthusiastically.
Xiao Wen Qiang took a deep breath and walked onto the stage with her head held high and chest out.