Chapter 033: Treating Her Like a Daughter
"No classes this afternoon. There's a sale at the gym and a lecture by an outstanding alumnus. Anyone interested is welcome to attend."
"Graduation exams are coming up soon—everyone focus!"
"If you have any questions, feel free to visit the office—all subject teachers will be available."
"Everyone, buckle down, get serious, and put in the effort—got it?"
After the rain stopped, the sun came out in full force.
Today's weather was stiflingly hot and humid—clearly setting the mood for the final exams.
The homeroom teacher wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced at the magnolia tree outside the window.
After the rain, the buds had all bloomed, filling the air with a rich fragrance.
But the heat was truly intensifying.
After assigning the day's schedule, the homeroom teacher returned to the office to chat idly with several subject teachers.
Their conversation, however, had nothing to do with the bottom-ranked Class F. Instead, it revolved around the elite Classes A and B.
"There's no doubt about this year's top student, right? It's definitely Ye Fuli."
Ye Fuli's name was mentioned here an average of ten times a day.
Even the cafeteria cook probably knew her by name.
"How enviable! Old Wang, teaching the elite class, is so lucky to have stumbled upon such a once-in-a-lifetime genius. He'll be bragging about this for the rest of his life."
"Yeah, he's got some luck!"
"I heard Old Wang's getting promoted. Probably thanks to Ye Fuli too."
"That's for sure."
The homeroom teacher chimed in with a couple more compliments about Ye Fuli.
At some point, praising Ye Fuli had become an unspoken social norm in this school. From students to teachers, mentioning her name would automatically draw expressions of flattery.
But how many of them genuinely wished her well?
Envy played a part, jealousy another.
And jealousy, by far, dominated the majority.
The cacophony of cicadas outside mingled with the mercenary chatter inside the office, stirring an inexplicable sense of irritation within one's heart.
"Ah, this life will soon come to an end," the homeroom teacher sighed, grabbing a free fan distributed by advertisers and fanning herself vigorously.
…
At that moment, in the elite third-year class of the school.
Ye Fuli rose and stepped out of the noisy classroom.
Her leg injury hadn't fully healed yet, requiring frequent dressing changes, but it had passed the painful and inflamed stage and was steadily improving.
She had heard about the sale at the gymnasium.
Still, she felt little interest in it.
Lack of interest was one thing; whether she would attend was another. After getting her dressing changed, Ye Fuli still headed toward the gymnasium. After all, she had spotted two familiar figures.
One was Ye Zhen, and the other was her best friend from her previous life, Jiang Nini.
Jiang Nini was enthusiastically introducing Ye Zhen to some newly released novels, accurately pinpointing Ye Zhen's preferences and frantically recommending titles.
"Who would've thought a delicate little cutie like you would be into such hardcore novels, huh?"
Jiang Nini said this aloud, but inwardly she couldn't help but roll her eyes.
What's wrong with liking anything else? Why must she be into crime case files and corpse manuals?
Does this little cutie have some kind of psychological disorder?
"Haha, I read romance novels too," Ye Zhen replied with a perfunctory chuckle, picking up a romance novel with a flashy cover.
"Oh! Well then, let me recommend a few more romance novels for you."
Jiang Nini acted very attentive and enthusiastic.
While she bustled about catering to Ye Zhen's barely-there interest, Ye Fuli slipped into the library and crouched silently beside her.
With people bustling around her front and back, Ye Zhen naturally didn't notice the sudden presence beside her.
She was still intently selecting novels, about to pack them into her basket and head to the checkout counter, when Ye Fuli reached out and grabbed her basket.
Ye Zhen jumped in surprise.
The loose change in her hand spilled out.
Ye Fuli picked them up and placed them back into her palm.
"With graduation exams coming up, you still have time to read these leisure books?" Her tone was flat, yet carried a hint of reproach.
Ye Zhen gave an awkward laugh. "I… I don't read much."
"Save it for after the exams."
Ye Fuli took the basket, carried it to the cashier, and paid.
Watching her spend money like water without a hint of regret, Ye Zhen felt a bit overwhelmed by the pampering.
This must all be for her!
Did Ye Fuli even have this much money to splurge with before returning to the Ye family?
Oh, wait—no, that wasn't right. She was Feng Aotian, the darling of this vast world. Now with the added bonus of rebirth, she naturally had countless ways to make money…
Why should this fake heiress, weighed down by debuffs, even bother worrying about her?
After paying, Ye Fuli bundled all the books into a large bag, tied it securely, and set it aside.
Next, she picked out several reference books, placed them in a basket, and took them to pay.
"You need to study these books diligently."
Ye Fuli handed the large bag of study guides to Ye Zhen.
"Especially these two on essay writing—study them well. They'll be very useful."
Just then, Jiang Nini returned carrying a stack of romance novels. Her smile stiffened momentarily upon seeing Ye Fuli, but she quickly composed herself.
"Lily! What a coincidence! You're here to buy books too?" She sidled up to Ye Fuli, acting as if they were old friends.
In reality, Ye Fuli had been watching her with a mocking gaze the entire time, with no intention of acknowledging her.
"Hey, are you getting all these books for Ye Zhen?"
Still no response.
Unfazed by the awkwardness, Jiang Nini smiled and greeted Ye Zhen: "Hey, I picked out these books myself—they're absolutely amazing! They're for you."
Out of politeness, Ye Zhen was about to accept them, but Ye Fuli beat her to it and snatched the books away.
Ye Fuli remarked indifferently, "These can wait until after the exams."
Jiang Nini, her books snatched away, finally couldn't keep her expression in check.
What was Ye Fuli doing? Why was she treating Ye Zhen like she was disciplining her own daughter?
By then, Ye Zhen had already taken the bag containing the study guides and thanked her earnestly, "Then I'll go back and study hard. I'll thank you properly later."
Ye Zhen dared not linger in this place of potential conflict.
She could tell Ye Fuli was in a bad mood!
It was best for their girlfriend issues to be resolved privately between them.
Watching Ye Zhen slip away quietly, Jiang Nini gritted her teeth in frustration.
"What's wrong, Jiang Nini? You seem upset. Did something happen?" Ye Fuli deliberately asked this pointless question.
"Haha, nothing, nothing."
Jiang Nini's rage was boiling over, but she managed to hold it in.
"I should get back to studying. We'll chat another day."
She clutched two unimportant books and walked out of the gymnasium.
But even after walking a considerable distance, she still felt as if someone was following her. She turned to look, yet saw nothing.
Only when she entered the classroom did that prickly sensation finally fade.
Despite the sweltering heat, Jiang Nini broke out in a cold sweat.
"Am I just being paranoid?"
She hadn't been seated long when a boy approached her, asking for her help with something.
Jiang Nini looked at the chocolate gift box and the pink love letter he handed her, and her mood lifted.
But when she saw the words "To Ye Fuli, Dear Classmate" on the envelope, her expression darkened instantly.
"Um, Jiang Nini, I heard you and Ye Fuli were childhood friends… So, could you help me give this to her?"
The boy was too shy to speak loudly, so he could only plead with Jiang Nini cautiously.
Jiang Nini raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Sure thing, leave it to me."
But after the boy left, beaming with joy, she frowned, pulled out a craft knife, and slashed the love letter to shreds.
"Hmph, for Ye Fuli? Like she'd have time for you, you delusional fool, you toad! I'll show you what happens when you try to deliver this…"
She almost tossed the box of chocolates too, but spotting the price tag made her selfishly reconsider. She slipped it into her backpack instead…