The "Shamate Trio" plus Chen Jiale had clearly not expected Gu Qianran to be such a good fighter, let alone remain so calm while pulling a stunt like faking an injury. For a moment, they were all stunned. Gu Qianran looked at her half-spilled milk tea, sighed, and said, "I hope you call the police yourselves. That way I can save a bit of phone credit and maybe earn enough for another cup of milk tea."
She was not joking. When she followed the four of them into the alley, Gu Qianran had already noticed the surveillance camera at the entrance. That was why she deliberately picked her spot before striking. If the police checked, they would only see Gu Qianran being "threatened" and dragged into the alley, not the one-sided beatdown that followed. After all, who would believe a seemingly delicate girl could thrash a group of shamate boys and a small-time delinquent girl?
The four failed to pick up the hidden meaning in Gu Qianran's words and fled in embarrassment. Gu Qianran narrowed her eyes at their retreating backs.
To be hated simply for being better, to be attacked without cause—what an amazing feeling. The more enemies she made now, the more enemies the Li family would have in the future. Did they really think anyone who tried to set her up would walk away unscathed? Gu Qianran was an expert at playing the weakling who turns the tables, especially in this Mary Sue world. Face-slapping? All it takes is a pair of fists. With luck, she might even squeeze out some compensation.
Gu Qianran felt she had just discovered a golden key to wealth. The hate she attracted went to the Li family, while the profits landed in her own pocket. Delightful. With her mood lifted, Gu Qianran decided to lift her self-imposed restriction on her little friend's milk tea. Why bother overthinking with one's own child? Just spoil her.
Bai Ziyuan sat at her desk, sneaking glances at Gu Qianran. Strangely enough, Gu Qianran was seriously writing something, her face solemn and focused like never before. Bai Ziyuan could not resist staring longer.
Gu Qianran had always been striking, but in this life, she seemed to have been granted an upgrade in beauty. When she grew serious, her aura slipped unconsciously into her features, lethal in its intensity. Bai Ziyuan gazed at Gu Qianran's long lashes, and her heart filled with pink bubbles. "Ahhh, Ran Ran looks so handsome when she's serious, so handsome…"
Gu Qianran herself was unfazed by the little friend's staring. Bai Ziyuan was simply too poor at hiding her emotions. That burning gaze felt as if it could bore holes through her. If she didn't know better, she would have thought Bai Ziyuan was plotting revenge like Chen Jiale.
"What are you looking at? Do I look that good?" Gu Qianran curved her lips in a sly smile.
Bai Ziyuan's face flamed red. She turned her head away. "Good-looking what! Ran Ran, you're so narcissistic! I was just watching the flies buzzing next to you!" No way would she admit Gu Qianran was good-looking! Hmph! Why should she be the one dragged along like a clueless child by this "old auntie" Ran Ran? She had to make Ran Ran realize her importance!
Gu Qianran chuckled. The little one was not very straightforward. Still, she had changed—from tiptoeing carefully to showing hints of spoiled arrogance. It meant the shadow of betrayal had begun to fade in her heart. Gu Mama felt comforted at the thought.
Bai Ziyuan shivered under that inexplicable motherly gaze. Where on earth was Gu Qianran's sudden maternal instinct coming from? "I want to be your partner, and you want to be my mom?"
No way. She could not allow Gu Qianran to develop such dangerous thoughts! Bai Ziyuan decided to escape from Gu Qianran's sight and went to find Ji Tang.
Ji Tang noticed Chen Jiale's empty seat, then looked back at Bai Ziyuan and Gu Qianran, her suspicions deepening. She grabbed Bai Ziyuan's hand and asked sternly, "Xiao Bai, are you hiding something from me?"
Bai Ziyuan nearly cried. She had just escaped the clutches of Gu Mama, only to fall into Ji Mama's tiger den. Why did they both wear the exact same expression as strict parents interrogating a child?
One had to admit, when Ji Tang stared with a blank face, her aura was formidable. Bai Ziyuan swallowed hard. "N-no, nothing! What could I hide from you! Why are you acting like some worried mom too!" She absolutely could not let her secret slip. If it got out, she would never have the face to stand before Gu Qianran again.
Ji Tang watched her closely and declared, "Judging by your look, nine times out of ten, you're in love."
Bai Ziyuan panicked inside, but outwardly put on an innocent face. "In love? No way!" If Ji Tang knew, she would definitely tell Gu Qianran!
Ji Tang leaned in with a sly grin. "Come on, Xiao Bai, don't be shy. Maybe I can even give you some advice."
At that, Bai Ziyuan thought of how Ji Tang and Gu Qianran could talk happily about things she never understood. Her eyes lit up. "Really?"
Ji Tang's lips curled in triumph. "So there is someone!"
Bai Ziyuan almost burst into tears. "You tricked me!" Then she put on her cutest look and pleaded, "Please don't tell Ran Ran!"
The same move that always worked on Gu Qianran also worked on Ji Tang. Ji Tang ruffled Bai Ziyuan's hair in promise. Bai Ziyuan swatted her hand away in protest. "Stop it! You'll make me bald!"
Ji Tang huffed. "Then why can Gu Qianran touch your hair?"
Bai Ziyuan's heart skipped, and she quickly changed the subject. She tugged Ji Tang's hand and said shyly, "About… her… Actually, I just have a crush on her. She doesn't like me."
Ji Tang raised her brows. "Who is this guy who doesn't like you?" She had not only picked up financial knowledge from following Gu Qianran, but also mastered her fierce protectiveness.
Bai Ziyuan, worried Ji Tang would cause trouble for Gu Qianran, waved her hands anxiously. "No no no, don't go looking for them! And… I don't want to say their name…" As she spoke, her face grew hot.
Ji Tang gave her a look of utter disappointment. How could such an adorable child be swept away by some rotten man? She even blushed at just thinking about him. What if he was a scumbag?
So, when Bai Ziyuan went to her history elective, Ji Tang immediately told Gu Qianran everything.
Gu Qianran's heart skipped. Oh no. Could Bai Ziyuan have fallen for the male lead? Absolutely not. She had to stop that scumbag.
When Bai Ziyuan came out of class, she saw Gu Qianran waiting at the stairs, tense as if about to face a great enemy.
Bai Ziyuan also felt her heart lurch. Oh no. Had Gu Qianran found out she liked her? What should she do? Panic! Help!
The two stared at each other for a long while before Gu Qianran finally spoke. "Little cutie, I heard you have a crush on someone?"
It's you, Bai Ziyuan thought shyly. "And "little cutie" again… you're getting smooth, Ran Ran."
Outwardly, she put on her innocent face. "That's right."
Gu Qianran's face grew even more serious. "Is that person a scum… Li Junyao?"
"Who is Li Junyao?" Bai Ziyuan blinked, puzzled. After thinking for a while, she shook her head. She honestly had no idea who Li Junyao was, so in her simplicity, she asked out loud.
Gu Qianran nearly burst into laughter. Li Junyao, after all your effort to raise the heroine's favorability, she could not even match your name to your face.
"Oh, then never mind." Confirming it was not that scumbag, Gu Qianran felt a bit less sour. But the thought of her little friend falling for another man still clogged her chest. She said earnestly, "Little cutie, this is an important time with exams coming up. You can't be dating now. If you really want to, wait until high school. Right now you're still a child and should focus on studying. Once you have a clear direction for life in high school, then you can think about relationships."
What was meant as a simple lecture took on another meaning in Bai Ziyuan's ears. "Was Ran Ran hinting that once I get to high school, I can be her girlfriend?" As expected, Ran Ran who always bought her milk tea and spoiled her must like her back!
Ecstatic, Bai Ziyuan immediately shared the "breakthrough" with her sister, Bai Zilu, in a message full of hints begging for praise.
Bai Zilu, in the middle of her own elective class, looked at her love-struck sister whose brainpower had plummeted below zero after falling for someone, and resisted the urge to scold her. She replied with four words:
"Next time, for sure."