Chapter 132: Is It Time to Go Head-to-Head with Feng Aotian?
"Zhenzhen, come quick! The seeds you planted have sprouted—come see!"
Monde Academy, Room 404 balcony.
Three girls crouched on the ground, examining the two potted plants Ye Zhen had planted.
Early in the morning, Ye Zhen was still brushing her teeth. Hearing the excited shouts from the balcony, she came over holding her water cup and toothbrush.
"What's going on?"
Two vibrant green shoots had sprouted from the pots, their leaves oddly shaped—no one could tell what they were.
In one pot, alongside the green sprouts, sat a mushroom so large it looked like it could feed the entire village.
"What did you plant? That's a poisonous mushroom, right?"
"Zhenzhen, don't let those mushroom sellers fool you! This thing is probably deadly poisonous—the kind that'll kill you even if you eat it right outside the hospital."
"Why don't we just pull it out right now?"
Seeing one of her roommates about to reach for it, Ye Zhen quickly stopped her.
The dog system emitted a groundhog-like shriek.
[Ah! Don't pull it! This is a super rare mushroom! That farming-obsessed host has been neglecting sleep and meals just to grow this mushroom, ahhh…!]
Ye Zhen's eyes lit up.
She keenly sensed a business opportunity.
She quietly communicated with the system, asking if she could sell this to the other person or trade it for something valuable.
The dog system's tone grew smug.
[This is no challenge for this cute little me. I'm going to squeeze every last penny out of him, and maybe snatch a few extra goodies while I'm at it… Hehehe~]
Ye Zhen: "…"
This dog system was galloping down the path of a ruthless bandit, never to return.
Could it truly be the strongest system?
The thought flashed through Ye Zhen's mind before she quickly dismissed it.
How could it be the strongest?
It's restricted everywhere in this world, with almost no permissions at all.
Never mind it for now.
Facing her roommates' puzzled stares, Ye Zhen forced an explanation: "This isn't for eating—it's an ornamental mushroom, a very rare one! Right?"
"Rare bird food."
"But it's poisonous, right?"
"It doesn't look like a harmless mushroom to me either."
Still, none of them were the impulsive type. If Qiao Xin said not to touch it, they wouldn't.
"Rain today means outdoor training will probably move indoors," Qiao Xin remarked, touching her face. "Ah, what a waste—all that expensive sunscreen I slathered on for nothing."
Lu Chengcheng slung her small backpack over her shoulder. "Let's go. The academy group just posted a notice—we're gathering at the gym."
"Ugh, why won't this button on my tracksuit fasten?!"
Wang Xiaoya fumed as she fiddled with her sweatshirt.
The moment she let go of the zipper pull, it slid down smoothly like skiing.
"What's wrong with this thing! It wasn't cheap either, and the craftsmanship is this shoddy?"
Ye Zhen, wearing the same tracksuit as Wang Xiaoya, silently glanced at her own zipper.
Hmm…
This is outrageous!
We're decent people—what are you trying to make us look at?
Lu Chengcheng shot Wang Xiaoya a look of contempt. "You're showing off, aren't you? For a kid like Zhenzhen, isn't this kind of flaunting a bit cruel?"
As she spoke, she deliberately glanced at Ye Zhen.
Ye Zhen shrugged her shoulders and said earnestly, "Ah, no way. I just like the feeling of traveling light."
Admiring a mature woman was one thing, but that didn't mean she wanted to acquire her gear.
Ye Zhen genuinely preferred the lightness of her body—no lie about that.
Wang Xiaoya chuckled, "Hehe, being a loli has its perks, you know."
Lu Chengcheng pushed her glasses up. "Give us an example."
"Well, given the height difference between me and Zhenzhen, there's one thing we could do."
As she spoke, Wang Xiaoya walked behind Ye Zhen.
Ye Zhen: "???"
She was pinned by Wang Xiaoya's hands on her shoulders, forcing her to crouch slightly.
Then Wang Xiaoya leaned in close, making Ye Zhen's head spin.
Ye Zhen was startled.
Wang Xiaoya grinned triumphantly, declaring with childish enthusiasm, "Look! It's brainwaves!"
The other three in the dorm: "…"
Oh my, this beauty with her impulsive, childish nature is truly unbearable.
…
The joke ended.
The three of them walked downstairs together under an umbrella.
The rain wasn't heavy, but autumn rain still felt quite chilly.
The campus was dotted with umbrellas—a kaleidoscope of colors, like a swarm of moving poisonous mushrooms.
Ye Zhen and Lu Chengcheng shared the same umbrella.
Wang Xiaoya held up both pant legs, complaining to Qiao Xin about this awful weather and the puddle she'd accidentally stepped in.
"Ugh! This lousy school! With all the money they make, couldn't they fix the roads properly?"
Qiao Xin: "Calm down, calm down."
"Damn it, my new shoes! My eighteen-thousand-yuan sneakers!"
Qiao Xin: "Cough cough, calm down."
"Seriously, this crappy school, ugh~"
Ye Zhen, walking behind them, squinted her eyes, feeling the cool breeze on her face.
The wind carried a chilly, damp chill that wasn't exactly pleasant.
Still, she relished this authentic slice of life.
After all, when confined to a hospital bed, her perception of the drizzling autumn rain had been purely imagined.
"Zhenzhen, you have such a positive outlook," Lu Chengcheng remarked suddenly. "I rarely see you get angry or complain."
Ye Zhen smiled faintly. "Do I?"
Lu Chengcheng glanced at her and nodded. "I kind of envy you, but at the same time…"
She pressed her lips together, carefully weighing her words.
"But then I also feel like you're hiding a lot inside. People who are too gentle often get hurt easily, don't they?"
Ye Zhen froze.
Memories flooded back, one after another.
She sighed. "It's okay."
It's all in the past.
She didn't want to live in the past, didn't want to torment herself with memories all the time.
She rarely recalled the past on her own anymore, and even Ye Fuli seldom surfaced in her thoughts.
Ye Zhen knew she had truly let go—in the truest sense of the word.
Her new life was good—exactly what she had wanted.
She would cherish the peace she had now and not yearn for more.
As they spoke, they had already reached the entrance of the gymnasium.
Lu Chengcheng and the others went to put away the umbrellas.
By then, the freshmen from the Literature Department had also started arriving one after another.
When Ye Zhen spotted Jiang Zao trailing behind the crowd, she couldn't help but freeze in surprise. How could Jiang Zao seem like a completely different person after just a few days apart? Her outfit was so extravagant!
And that hairstyle…
Ye Zhen felt a sense of familiarity.
Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be the hairstyle the original owner, "Ye Zhen," often wore.
No, it wasn't just the hairstyle. The jewelry, the clothes, even the way her eyebrows were drawn—everything resembled the original Ye Zhen.
Ye Zhen let out a sharp gasp.
It felt oddly unsettling, yet she couldn't tell if it was mere coincidence.
She figured how someone dressed was their own business and didn't ask any further questions.
Jiang Zao lifted her head slightly and spotted Ye Zhen nearby.
She smiled faintly and said, "Hello, Ye Zhen."
"Hello."
After the greeting, there was nothing more to say.
Ye Zhen silently entered the gymnasium.
Today's activity was volleyball practice.
This proved a bit challenging for Ye Zhen, as physical education was her weakest subject.
Lu Chengcheng, who partnered with her, proved remarkably patient. She patiently taught Ye Zhen the proper techniques, tirelessly retrieving the ball time and time again.
"Yes, that's right this time."
After half an hour of practice, Ye Zhen gradually grasped the fundamentals. Her movements became more coordinated, and she could now exchange several rallies with Lu Chengcheng.
Just as they were practicing methodically on their side, a sudden shriek erupted from the group of girls from the Literature Department next door.
"Jiang Zao! What are you doing? I told you not to touch me! Are you deaf?"
Jiang Zao was shoved hard to the ground.
Her expression was stunned, but she still instinctively apologized quickly.
The girl she'd been practicing volleyball with was frantically wiping her arm—all because Jiang Zao's face had accidentally brushed against it when she crouched down to pick up the ball.
Jiang Zao struggled to explain, "This is a burn, not a contagious disease…"
"Shut up! Who cares what it is? Just don't touch me! It makes me sick! This is so annoying—why did it have to be me practicing with you?"
Jiang Zao lowered his head, saying nothing.
Whispers filled the air around them.
Of course, not everyone ignored her completely.
One or two kind girls would come over, help her up, and offer her tissues.
Jiang Zao kept bowing in thanks, tears falling in big drops.
It was nearly halftime. Jiang Zao sat alone on the steps, wiping the sweat from her forehead with a damp wipe.
The temperature outside the gymnasium wasn't particularly high, but inside it felt stiflingly hot.
"Here, take this. The snacks you gave me before tasted pretty good."
Ye Zhen handed her a cold drink.
Jiang Zao didn't take it. Instead, she forced a smile and said, "Ye Zhen, don't pay attention to me. You'll… you'll get bullied."
"It's just a drink. Don't overthink it."
Ye Zhen placed the drink at her feet and turned to leave.
Watching Ye Zhen's retreating figure, Jiang Zao's envy reached its peak in that moment.
That cold drink tasted incredibly good.
Jiang Zao sniffed back a sob, forcing herself to pull herself together.
"No one will truly help me. Only I can help myself."
……
…
Noon.
After finishing the morning practice, everyone rushed to the cafeteria.
"Hey, have you heard? There's this super gorgeous lady serving desserts at the dessert counter!"
"What auntie? Call her sister!"
"I bet she's a senior working part-time."
"No need to guess—she totally is!"
The dessert counter lady?
Ye Zhen glanced curiously in that direction.
She shouldn't have looked—it nearly gave her a heart attack.
Ye Fuli was actually wearing her uniform, serving desserts to customers with a blank expression—as if she was thinking, "You all owe me two kidneys."
Ye Zhen: "…"
So this is the billionaire food server, huh.
When it comes to playing games, you're the master, Feng Aotian.
Alright, Ye Zhen made up her mind instantly: no more cafeteria desserts from now on.
Going head-to-head with Feng Aotian in a showdown of acting skills? That'd be pure suicide.
Just as she turned to leave, her three roommates shoved her toward the dessert section.
"Zhenzhen, if you wanted dessert, just say so! Stop standing there like a fool. Come on, we're treating you."
Ye Zhen gasped in shock: "Hey… you guys!"
All she did was glance at the dessert counter once in the crowd.
Oh no, oh no.
She was getting closer and closer to Feng Aotian.