Chapter 172 : Your... Free Lunch
"Aww, it's already the start of a new school term? I didn’t even get enough time to play~" Xu Qing sprawled lazily across her desk, her whole demeanor slothful as she spoke.
That's right! As high school seniors, Ling Ning and her classmates had to start school earlier than everyone else. Judging by their lazy gazes, drooping expressions, and sluggish postures, none of them had recovered from the holiday mood yet.
Not that Ling Ning was any different. She too was collapsed on her desk, feeling languid. It had been a while since she last woke up this early, and today, she had almost been defeated by her bed's clutches. Thankfully, her quick-witted daughter had saved her by yanking her blanket away, allowing her to make it in time.
As she reminisced about the joys of the holiday, the bell for class rang, and in walked Ye Xuan, her face as indifferent as ever. She began with the standard start-of-term talk everyone expected.
I won't bore you by detailing her speech since it wasn't particularly meaningful. It would be more practical for me to fill this space with something more interesting.
After finishing the typical opening speech, Ye Xuan added calmly, "There will be a small test tomorrow—just to see if anyone has fallen behind in their studies over the break. It won't be too difficult, but I hope you all do well. Otherwise..." Ye Xuan trailed off with a cold smile.
The moment her smile appeared, most of the students shivered, and their previously sleepy expressions became alert in an instant. They all knew, from their experience over the last semester, that Ye Xuan's cold sneer always meant trouble was brewing. If they didn’t perform well on the upcoming test, things could truly turn dire.
That cold chuckle brought back memories of the fear of being under Ye Xuan's strict control during the previous semester.
Since it was the start of the final semester of high school, there wasn’t much to emphasize. Everything that needed saying had already been said last semester. Ye Xuan merely reiterated the important points and then began the first lesson of the term.
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"Ring, ring, ring~"
The bell for the end of class rang, and Mr. Xiao Ming, the math teacher, ended the lesson without delay. That was Xiao Ming's one redeeming quality—he never dragged on a class past the bell. Compared to Yu Wen, the literature teacher, he was so much better.
"Ahh~"
Ling Ning stretched contentedly. Since it was already the final semester, she didn't dare slack off by writing her novel or sleeping during class. After all, her goal was S University, the top school in the city. Its entrance requirements were no joke, and she couldn't afford to make a mistake at the last moment.
For lunch, she went to her usual "free lunch" meal ticket, Miss Li Qian. Though Li Qian kept saying she wouldn't treat her, she always ended up paying for their meals.
Sometimes, Ling Ning really couldn't understand the logic behind a tsundere's thoughts.
"Hey, Bai Yiyue is really so pretty and elegant, isn’t she~" Li Qian suddenly remarked as they ate.
Ling Ning paused for a moment before realizing that Li Qian was talking about the TV show playing on the screen—an interview with Bai Yiyue.
On the screen, Bai Yiyue wore a simple white dress, yet her beauty and charm were undeniable.
"Don't put yourself down. You're beautiful too, you know~" Ling Ning said casually as she glanced at Bai Yiyue.
"W-what!? Really?"
Hearing Ling Ning's words, Li Qian's heart skipped a beat, and a light blush spread across her cheeks. Her expression turned a bit peculiar.
Ling Ning, still focused on Bai Yiyue on the TV, didn't notice Li Qian’s strange reaction.
Looking at Bai Yiyue, Ling Ning felt that odd sense of familiarity again, like she had seen her somewhere before. It was frustrating—someone as beautiful and charismatic as Bai Yiyue should be easy to remember, but Ling Ning couldn't recall anything specific.
"Bai Yiyue, may I ask you a question? Just so you know, this is something the audience wanted me to ask~"
"Of course~"
"It's about your relationship with Hao Shuai. Lately, there have been rumors of you two being seen together, even having dinner at a fancy restaurant. Does that mean...?"
"Who is Hao Shuai?" Ling Ning asked, looking puzzled.
"What era are you living in?" Li Qian shot her a bewildered look, then explained slowly, "Hao Shuai is a hugely popular star—just like his name suggests, he's really handsome. But unlike the other pretty boys, he's got real talent. His acting skills put those so-called 'pretty faces' to shame."
"And supposedly, there's something going on between Hao Shuai and Bai Yiyue. If it’s Hao Shuai, then yeah, I’d say he’s a good match for Bai Yiyue."
"Oh~" Ling Ning nodded thoughtfully.
On screen, Bai Yiyue smiled and shook her head. "I've said it many times already, Hao Shuai and I are just good friends, like besties. Going out for a meal or shopping together—it's all perfectly normal. There's nothing more to it. Plus, I already have someone I like~"
The host was stunned for a moment before asking, "Can you tell us who it is?"
"For now, it's a secret, but soon enough, soon enough..." Bai Yiyue trailed off, seemingly cut short.
Seeing this, Ling Ning shot a glance at Li Qian, who was eating expressionlessly. "Li Qian, aren’t you surprised at all that Bai Yiyue said she has someone she likes?"
Li Qian gave her a sidelong glare. "Don’t you ever watch the news? This is old news—it’s been the headline for days now."
"Uh..." Ling Ning was at a loss for words. She really hadn't been keeping up with the news lately.
Just then, the host on TV asked another question, "So, what are your plans for the near future? I’m sure your fans would love to know."
"My plans, hmm..." Bai Yiyue thought for a moment. "I'll probably hold a concert soon. As for the location, let me keep that a secret for now."
"A concert, huh? I bet putting on a concert must make a ton of money~" Ling Ning sighed.
Li Qian rolled her eyes at her. "Is money all you think about?"
"You... and your free lunch."
The moment Ling Ning said "you," Li Qian's heart skipped a beat. But when she heard the rest of the sentence, she could only say one thing.
"Ling Ning, today, I'm going to kill you!"
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Author's Note:
Ah, today Shu Ke started a lucky bag event, and of course, salted fish like me didn’t win anything worthwhile—not even a Sora figurine. Three hundred bucks wasted; I could have bought several already.
By the way, you big shots must have gotten some recommendations, monthly tickets, or blade awards, right? Don’t hesitate—just throw them at this humble writer (insert humor here).