Just as the family atmosphere was turning strange, Xue Jiao spoke again.
"I don't just like brother, I also like grandparents and Uncle Cheng!"
She blinked her eyes, speaking very earnestly.
Cheng Mingze was indeed outstanding, and Gu Xue Jiao genuinely admired him, but he had never once looked at her properly.
So she dressed herself in unconventional ways, hoping to catch his attention.
The more she did this, the more repulsive she became.
After Li Sitong's death in the novel, Gu Xue Jiao practically worshipped him as her faith.
It was also because of Li Sitong's death that she abandoned her delinquent appearance, following Cheng Mingze everywhere he went, with her eyes and heart fixated only on him.
Cheng Shuo missed Li Sitong dearly, and considering Xue Jiao had lost her mother, he indulged her even more, intending to care for her on behalf of his late wife.
This led to Xue Jiao becoming increasingly spoiled and willful, hating every woman who tried to take Cheng Mingze away from her. In the end, she repeatedly opposed the female lead Gu Shiyun and met a tragic end, left to die in the wilderness.
Xue Jiao couldn't understand this kind of emotion. While there were indeed many malicious people in Gu Xue Jiao's life, it was ultimately she herself who ruined her own good hand.
Adolescent infatuation is human nature, but once this infatuation falls into an abyss, there's no turning back.
"You're lying! Your 'liking' is clearly romantic feelings!" Cheng Mingjiao jumped up, almost losing her composure.
Xue Jiao widened her eyes and admonished, "Mingjiao! Early romance is unacceptable! And it's even more unacceptable between me and brother. You must never entertain such unrealistic thoughts again."
"You—you—you—" Mingjiao was so agitated she couldn't speak.
Xue Jiao maintained her serious demeanor: "Mingjiao, we're about to enter our second year of high school. We should focus on studying hard to get into a good university. You mustn't engage in early romance! And if you notice any signs of it, don't be afraid! I used to be ignorant and disobedient too, but after listening to my mom's lecture today, I've resolved to change. Let's supervise each other from now on! Whoever fails will face punishment!"
Damn this early romance talk!
Damn this mutual supervision!
Cheng Mingjiao was so furious she nearly passed out, unable to utter another word.
Li Sitong, in a daze, pulled Xue Jiao along as they left the Cheng family home with the equally bewildered Cheng Shuo and Cheng Mingze.
It took Mingjiao a long while after getting into the car to catch her breath, teetering on the edge of rage.
"That bitch Gu Xue Jiao!!"
She had barely finished cursing when her mother Liu Yazhen tugged at her sleeve and tentatively asked, "Mingjiao... you're not really involved in early romance, are you? You're still too young..."
"Mom!! That bitch is lying—"
The breath she'd just caught was lost again...
——
"Mom, I'm going out for a bit," Xue Jiao called out while changing her shoes.
Li Sitong emerged from the kitchen with a frown, her anger confirmed. "Where are you going?"
See? She promised to change, but after just one day, she's reverting to her old ways!
"To get my hair done."
Li Sitong took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "What more can you possibly do to that awful hair of yours?! Gu Xue Jiao, I'm telling you, school starts tomorrow. You're not going anywhere today!"
Xue Jiao had already finished changing her shoes and slung the pink backpack Cheng Shuo had given her for high school over her shoulder. She looked at her mother and said, "I'm going to dye it back to its original color. The red really isn't appropriate."
Her words left Li Sitong stunned.
"You—"Xue Jiao let out an almost imperceptible sigh before saying, "I've already declared in front of Cheng Mingjiao that I'd change for the better. Of course, I can't let her look down on me!"
Her mother didn't believe she could improve on her own, but using Mingjiao as an excuse made it seem more plausible.
Sure enough, Li Sitong visibly relaxed after hearing this, though her expression remained conflicted.
Cheng Shuo, who had been reading a newspaper on the sofa, set it down with a smile. "Alright, let Jiao Jiao go out. Jiao Jiao, have the driver take you, and don't stay out too late. Be careful."
"Okay, thank you, Uncle Cheng." Xue Jiao waved at Li Sitong and pulled the door open to leave.
Cheng Mingze, coming downstairs, frowned slightly at the scene but said nothing.
It was rare for that girl not to parade around with her garish makeup in front of him all day. Today, he could finally relax at home.
"Do you really think Jiao Jiao wants to change?" Li Sitong sat down, her face clouded with worry.
Cheng Shuo placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, his voice gentle. "She's growing up and will mature with time. Whether she's had an epiphany or is just competing with Mingjiao, as long as she's making progress, you should encourage her more. Don't scold her all the time, or she might rebel again."
Li Sitong's worried expression didn't fade as she sighed. "I just hope it lasts."
Cheng Shuo gave her a reassuring pat, then turned to Cheng Mingze, who was drinking water. "Mingze, since Jiao Jiao wants to study seriously, why don't you tutor her?"
Cheng Mingze shrugged, his lips curling slightly.
As if someone like Gu Xue Jiao could ever study seriously. Yeah, right.
——
"Perfect! Absolutely perfect!" The hairstylist ran his fingers through Xue Jiao's hair in awe, hardly believing it was his own handiwork.
When the girl had first walked in, she was just a pretty girl with red hair. But after dyeing it back to its natural color and trimming her bangs, she looked like a completely different person!
"Thank you." Xue Jiao was quite satisfied too. As long as it wasn't an eyesore of a color, she was happy.
As she paid, she gave the stylist a sweet smile, her eyes curving into crescents. Her fair skin held a faint blush, and her dark, wavy hair cascaded down to her waist, making her look like an exquisite porcelain doll standing before him.
After she left, the stylist grabbed his colleague's hand, still entranced.
"I must have a daughter in the future—one just like that little angel!"
The other stylist, trembling as his hand was stroked, stammered, "I-I-I'm also a man... I can't give birth..."
——
After leaving the salon, Xue Jiao strolled leisurely down the street until she spotted a bookstore. Her eyes lit up, and she hurried inside.
The shop was tucked away in a quiet corner, but there were still a few customers inside at this hour. Among them, a father and son stood out conspicuously.
The man was dressed in flashy nouveau riche attire that clashed with the bookstore's atmosphere. Beside him, his tall, lanky son, clad in a basketball jersey with a ball tucked under his arm, looked thoroughly annoyed.
Xue Jiao only glanced at them briefly before her gaze landed on the bookshelves. Her eyes sparkled as she headed straight for the Wang Houxiong section.
Though small, the bookstore was well-stocked. Xue Jiao browsed intently, even pulling out a few books to skim through.
After a while, she felt as if someone was watching her.
She looked up—and froze.The father and son pair from earlier were now standing beside her. The middle-aged man grinned at her, while the young boy looked impatient, his chin slightly raised, his entire face screaming, "Heaven is first, earth is second, and I'm third."
"Young lady, are you buying study materials too? I saw you looking at sophomore-level review books earlier. Are you starting your second year of high school tomorrow too?"
Xue Jiao nodded blankly.
"What a coincidence! My son is also a sophomore, at No. 7 High School over there!"
"Ah?" So they were schoolmates?
The man rubbed his hands together and said with a smile, "Well... my son doesn't do well in school, and I don't really understand this stuff. Could you recommend some review materials, classmate?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the boy beside him scowled impatiently. "Hey, old man, are you done yet? Even if you buy them, I won't read them!"
"Shut your mouth!" The man glared fiercely at him, looking downright menacing.
Then he turned back with a "gentle" smile, scratching his head. "This is my son, Yi Tianyu. Don't mind him. What are you planning to buy, classmate?"
Yi Dafa had already made up his mind—whatever Xue Jiao bought, he'd get the same for his son!
Xue Jiao gave another awkward smile and said, "I've already self-studied the sophomore curriculum, so I'm planning to buy college entrance exam review materials. This... classmate here is just starting his second year, so he shouldn't overload on supplementary books. The school will provide unified materials that are suitable, so he just needs to focus on those. The most important thing is the textbook content—all problems stem from the fundamentals. However, the school-provided materials cater to all students and aren't very targeted. If he has extra capacity, I'd recommend these books for after-school and weekend study. This one..."
Xue Jiao spoke at length, while Yi Dafa nodded eagerly, quickly grabbing every book she pointed to and stacking them in his arms. Yi Tianyu stared blankly at the petite girl in front of him who barely reached his chest.
Ten minutes later, Yi Dafa was holding a towering stack of books, and Yi Tianyu's dazed expression had turned into a teeth-gritting scowl.
Was this girl trying to hand him the entire bookstore? Trying to kill him with work?!
Xue Jiao pursed her lips, also looking embarrassed. "Well... I just think this combination is ideal, but people have limited energy. He might not finish all these books..."
Yi Dafa waved it off grandly. "No problem! Money's no issue in our family. Let this brat take them all home. If he learns even a fraction, I'll be satisfied!"
When they finally left, both Xue Jiao and Yi Tianyu were carrying stacks of books. Yi Dafa had bought everything Xue Jiao had recommended, even the "Five-Year, Three-Simulation" series she'd picked out—a thick set covering all subjects. Yi Tianyu's face was now beyond just displeased.
After Xue Jiao had walked off with her books, Yi Dafa watched her retreating figure and nodded approvingly. "That girl is not only pretty but also so studious. What a sensible child. Any family would be lucky to have her..."
Yi Tianyu scoffed, any trace of goodwill he'd had for the pretty girl now gone. "Hey, old man, here's an idea—why don't you run after her right now, ask which family she's from, then take me over and swap me out? Let her be your daughter instead."
Yi Dafa turned and jabbed his son's head hard. "You brainless brat! And with those lousy grades of yours—out of the whole grade, you're the one bringing up the rear!"
Yi Tianyu ran off, basketball tucked under his arm and books in hand, his voice trailing behind him: "With your crappy genes, old man, how could I possibly do well in school?""That damn brat! Don't you dare run away from me!" Yi Dafa took off his shoe and chased after him, brandishing it.
——
Being able to study again was a great privilege, and Xue Jiao couldn't resist buying too many books.
She had already sent the driver back while getting her hair done, and now she couldn't be bothered to call someone to pick her up. So Xue Jiao stood by the roadside, waiting to hail a taxi.
August was the height of scorching summer, and two in the afternoon was the most unbearable time of day. She stood under a large tree by the road, wiping sweat from her brow while standing on tiptoe to look down both sides of the street.
At this hour, there were very few cars on this road. After waiting several minutes, two cars finally approached from the right—a taxi following behind. Delighted, Xue Jiao quickly gathered her books and stepped onto the road.
"Taxi!"
Just as she called out, the sleek black Maybach in front of the taxi sped straight toward her without slowing down.
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