“Li Shu sure knows how to play people. No real achievements, but skilled at flattering.”
Li Shu was climbing the stairs when she heard the sneering voices coming from the vent in the second-floor corridor. Her eyelashes trembled; she paused her steps.
“That’s not right. Li Shu’s family is rich. Why would she bother to please the old man? Totally unnecessary.”
“So what if she has money? Are we poor? I just can’t stand her self-righteous attitude. If her dad hadn’t donated the building, could she even transfer to Fu Nan? See? She can only come to our ordinary class. Donating the building, so what? Can’t just do whatever she wants?”
Li Shu squinted, looking at the girl with the ugly, jealous face—someone she didn’t know.
The other girl didn’t notice her presence yet and continued her complaint, growing even more vicious.
“I’m fed up with those boys wandering in the corridor during breaks, plus some from the experimental class, maybe five out of eight, craning their necks to peek in. They say it’s not for Li Shu, who would believe that?” The voice was sweet, but tinged with five parts disgust.
“You’re right, but Li Shu is pretty.”
“Whose friend are you anyway? So what if she’s pretty? I heard her dad’s a mess.”
Li Shu lowered her gaze to her small white shoes, her breathing slightly erratic.
Her distant peach-blossom eyes blinked, she lifted her foot, and climbed the last few steps.
The commotion naturally caught the two speakers’ attention. When they saw who was approaching—the very person they had been trash-talking—their faces froze. Bad-mouthing caught in the act, they couldn’t argue confidently.
The girl who always picked on others suddenly froze in words. She pulled her friend aside, ready to slip away.
Unexpectedly, Li Shu only glanced at them indifferently and turned back to the classroom.
As if she didn’t care at all—or perhaps had no words to argue.
Qiu Ning, returning from the restroom, saw the whole scene. She pushed up her large glasses and hurried to follow, passing the gossiping girls, and couldn’t help glaring at them.
“All day talking nonsense. Li Shu’s family donates a building—what’s it to you? They want to, if you’ve got the ability, donate one yourself, I’ll watch. Donate it!”
——
Li Shu returned to her seat, tossing the newly bought eraser into the pencil cup.
Did those idle words upset her? No. She’d heard them so often she was numb.
She silently looked out the window at the camphor tree. Her pale fingers fumbled in the drawer for her phone but instead found a pink envelope.
She hesitated; it definitely wasn’t there before she left her seat.
Qiu Ning caught up:
“Li Shu, don’t pay attention to them. Anqi from Class Eight just can’t stand anyone else doing well, always speaking with venom. As if everyone owes her.”
Class Seven and Eight shared the same floor, separated only by an office.
Before Qiu Ning could say more, she saw the name on the envelope and squealed in excitement.
“Ah, no wonder she talks so nastily! Jiang Zhe sent you a love letter.”
Anqi had liked Jiang Zhe from the basketball team for quite a while. Now that he’d done this, she’d be furious.
Li Shu frowned slightly at the annoying news. She casually tossed the letter aside and continued sipping her yogurt. Efficient and decisive.
“Don’t you want to look?”
That’s Jiang Zhe!
Li Shu had no impression of him from Qiu Ning’s words. Seeing Qiu Ning so excited, she licked her lips and said seriously:
“I’m too lazy to read handwriting.”
It gave her a headache.
Qiu Ning: So, Jiang Zhe lost at the starting line.
Li Shu took out her Chinese textbook, about to preview for class, but still asked:
“Your dad really donating a library?”
Li Shu paused, softly:
“Mm… when you’ve got money, you can do whatever you want.”
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