Today, Shi Sheng unexpectedly didn’t see Yu Jiu after school ended. After waiting at the gates for a while, she was about to go home on her own when a golden-haired foreigner blocked her path.
Shi Sheng remembered him. It was the foreigner who wanted to speak to Yu Jiu at the event.
Ms Sheng.
The foreigner spoke in stilted Chinese.
I want to talk to you. Can I?
About what?
The foreigner checked the surroundings. His appearance had attracted a lot of attention. Adding on to the fact that Shi Sheng was a(n) (in)famous bad student (who was already dating people to boot), even more people paid attention and pointed at him.
Ms Sheng, can we find somewhere with less people?
Shi Sheng gave him a look.
I hold no malice!
The foreigner immediately raised his hands.
Shi Sheng’s lips curled up in a smile. ‘If you knew I was the one who called the police that time, would you still hold no malice?’
Shi Sheng brought the foreigner to a more remote location within the school.
What is it?
The foreigner scanned their surroundings before speaking.
It’s like this, Ms Sheng: Mr Yu has confiscated a batch of our goods, but they’re not our
goods. We’re just an intermediary. So we wanted you to put in a good word for us with Mr Yu. We can offer good conditions.
What does he do?
The foreigner was confused.
Who?
Yu Jiu.
Er… Mr Yu didn’t tell you?
The foreigner was even more befuddled now. ‘Since he didn’t tell this Ms Sheng, why’d he get us to look for her?!’
Shi Sheng revealed a slight smile as she started tricking the foreigner.
He worries for me, so he never tells me, but I’m curious. Besides, if you don’t tell me, how am I supposed to help you guys?
After some thought, the foreigner felt it made sense. Still, he pondered over it a bit further before leaning closer to whisper in Shi Sheng’s ear.
She narrowed her eyes. ‘Looks like I underestimated that idiot.’
Shi Sheng got the foreigner to give her a contact number. She didn’t say whether she would help them or not.
When she got home, Yu Jiu wasn’t there.
Shi Sheng frowned slightly. ‘Where’s this fellow gotten off to?’
Over the next couple of days, she still didn’t see him. The foreigner came to ask her once again, and Shi Sheng merely told him that Yu Jiu hadn’t agreed yet.
The foreigner was a bit suspicious. Yu Jiu used to pick her up after school, but the foreigner hadn’t seen him while he was hanging out in the area the past few days. So where had he gone?
After not seeing Yu Jiu for several days in a row, students started guessing whether Shi Sheng had been dumped.
All sorts of rumours arose.
Shi Sheng was even summoned to the Principal’s office for a chat.
The Principal was a bald, portly man sporting glasses and a stern expression as he counselled Shi Sheng.
Student Sheng Xia, your job now is to study, not get into romantic relationships. Once you’ve gotten into a good university, it’ll be no one’s business who you get involved with. But look at your current grades! How are you going to get into university like th—
I wasn’t planning to.
Shi Sheng retorted.
The Principal felt anger lodging in his throat as he stood up, slapping the desk.
What’re you going to do if you don’t attend university?! If you don’t study now, what’re you going to do once you enter society?!
Inherit the family business ah.
Shi Sheng spoke with a matter-of-fact expression. ‘Sheng Xia’s parents left her a large company too, not just liquid assets.’
And it was comparable to the Long Family’s ownings, so why would she want to attend university? She’d have no problem just being a CEO-in-name and enjoying the rest of her life!
Inheriting the family business?
The Principal’s expression turned odd for a bit, before quickly reverting to its previous sternness.
Even if you have a family business to inherit, you at least need to have some knowledge. Do you think it’s that easy to be the boss? If you don’t learn now, it’ll be hard for you to do so in the future! People are very insidious—if you don’t develop some skills, you won’t even know when others are scheming against you!
Shi Sheng sighed, her attitude improving somewhat.
Principal, don’t worry. I won’t tarnish your reputation.
The Principal,
…
‘With your grades, how could you not? Pei! Weren’t we talking about the problem of you being in a romantic relationship at this age? How did the topic change to such a deep one?’
But the Principal appeared to have a bone to pick with Shi Sheng—he’d come looking for her often to talk, trying to counsel her.
At first, Shi Sheng was nice and listened, but after this carried on for some time, she started retorting. This angered the Principal to no end, but he still persistently came to look for her. It seemed he wouldn’t quit till he’d moulded her into a model student…
Seeing the unhappy look on Shi Sheng’s face every time she emerged from the Principal’s office, Yao Qin felt rather uneasy. She was afraid of one day hearing that Shi Sheng had beaten up the Principal. But that never happened.
Even Yao Qin felt it a miracle that Shi Sheng had actually calmly listened to the Principal’s nonsense.
Shi Sheng gave her a classic bad student reply,
Because that means I won’t have to go to class ah.
Yao Qin,
…
‘Top Student, please accept this kneel…’
For the whole month that Yu Jiu was gone, the Principal hounded Shi Sheng. He gave up in the end…instead choosing to change his plan of attack and give her remedial lessons instead.
As a result, Shi Sheng had an even better excuse to skip classes.
When the Principal discovered this, he chased after Shi Sheng with a feather duster, intent on whacking some sense into her. Naturally, Shi Sheng didn’t allow him to do so.
She overbearingly took a test paper from him and filled it out, before smacking it on the table for him to see.
Since then, the Principal no longer pestered her—and even occasionally covered for her when she skipped classes.
As for not getting into a relationship… With those grades, there was absolutely no problem.
I say! Are you treating my place as your home or something?
The Principal entered the office with his hands clasped behind his back, looking at the girl occupying his computer with a stern expression.
In this day and age, computers were still large and clunky.
C’mon, Mr Li, I’m busy doing proper work, aren’t I?
The mouse clicked loudly under Shi Sheng’s hand.
The Principal looked at the computer and his attitude took a 180° turn from its previous seriousness.
How is it? Has it risen?
With me here, how can it not?
Shi Sheng proudly raised her jaw.
The Principal nudged Shi Sheng to the side so he could have a good look, after which he nodded satisfactorily. ‘This girl’s investing ability is simply godly!’
Curiosity suddenly overtook him.
What line of business were your parents in?
Finance, I suppose.
Shi Sheng answered casually.
No wonder.
The Principal appeared to have been enlightened. ‘Talent is inherited ah! Sigh, if only old dad had picked up a proper skill before having me…’
Ah right, I saw your little boyfriend just now.
The Principal spoke suddenly.
Shi Sheng’s lips twitched.
Mr Li, I thought you forbade students from getting into relationships while they’re still young?
The Principal spoke with all seriousness,
I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to handle yourself in society. But who hasn’t been young, eh?
……
Shi Sheng left the Principal’s office and saw Yu Jiu the moment she reached the school gates.
There seemed to be something different about him yet, at the same time, it seemed as though he was still the same. Shi Sheng found it a bit odd, so she hesitated for quite a while before heading over.
And here, I was thinking that you’d given up.
Yu Jiu’s lowered gaze shifted so that it rested on Shi Sheng. He stared at her for three full seconds before suddenly going over to hug her tightly, as if he wanted to absorb her into his own body.
The sounds of laughter and wolf whistles came from the observing crowd.
Yu Jiu…
Don’t say anything, just let me hold you for a while.
