Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  “Nan Nan, I am curious. Unlike us, you do not study in the dormitory at night. Why do you need to buy a flashlight? You are really good to your dad.” Tang Mengran tapped the shoulder of Qiao Nan, her tone full of envy. “Nan Nan, your dad must be very good to you.”

  “Yes, there will be no me without my dad.”

  “That’s not it. I mean, what Zhao Yu said in class just now must be lies, then?” Tang Mengran blurted out the question on her mind without taking into consideration Qiao Nan’s feelings. Zheng Lingling was shocked. She did not manage to stop Tang Mengran in time.

  Zheng Lingling gave Tang Mengran a disdainful glance. Why would she touch someone’s soft spot?

  Tang Mengran did not believe what she just heard. “What’s wrong with all of you? Nan Nan and her dad are very close. It is obvious that Zhao Yu was lying.” She was not a fool. If Uncle Qiao was not good to Nan Nan, why would Nan Nan be so close to Uncle Qiao?

  She did not believe it.

  Nan Nan had been her roommate for half a semester. It was true that Nan Nan did not have many new clothes, but at the very least, she did not wear hand-me-downs.

  “Alright, we should go back to finish our homework. The teacher has given us a lot of homework. We still have to go back to our dormitory later,” Fang Fang interrupted Tang Mengran’s silly words. If Zhao Yu’s words were not true, Uncle Qiao would not have that kind of reaction.

  “That’s right. I still have five exam papers that I haven’t done yet. What to do?” Tang Mengran was so anxious that she could not stand still. After entering high school, the workload was so heavy that Tang Mengran could not remember how many practice papers she needed to do every day.

  There were too many practice papers that she could no longer keep them in her desk in the classroom. She had to bring some of them back with her to the dormitory.

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  “Let’s go. I have three practice papers to finish.” He Yun turned and walked into the classroom first.

  Because of the parent-teacher conference, every student in the class seemed to be able to get along with one another. Their attitude toward Qiao Nan particularly had also changed.

  To Qiao Nan, it was good that they would be able to have a good and relaxed learning atmosphere.

  But after a short while, Qiao Nan and the others felt uneasy and uncomfortable.

  While Tang Mengran was having her lunch, she looked around the canteen. “Do all of you feel that the students from other classes seem to be casting strange looks at us? They seem to be stealing glances at us.”

  “If you didn’t look at them, how would you know that they were watching you?” Fang Fang took a sip of her soup: “I don’t find it weird.”

  “I looked around since I felt uncomfortable with their stares. The problem is, every time I looked at them, they would avoid my gaze. It’s okay to be curious. After all, Nan Nan ranked first place in the whole level. But why would they steal glances at us? I can’t help but feel uncomfortable.” In fact, Tang Mengran felt that those students not only stared at Qiao Nan, but they also appeared as if they were gloating.

  “Actually, I also have this strange feeling,” Tao Zhenqin could not help but said. “Shall we ask around?”

  Regardless, she felt that those students were not staring at Nan Nan because she ranked first in the whole level. It seemed to be for other reasons.

  “Who will volunteer to ask around?” He Yun blinked her eyes. How could they bring themselves to ask?

  Qiao Nan finished her meal and said, “Forget it. All of you don’t have to worry about this. I have a way to figure it out.”

  “How?” Zheng Lingling looked at Qiao Nan.

  “Zhu Baoguo.” No matter where he was, people would be fearful of Zhu Baoguo and listen to him. Even though he was still a first-year, those students in the second and third year dared not go against him. He was like their ‘big brother’. He was the most suitable candidate for this task.

  “That’s a good idea.” Fang Fang finished her soup and said satisfactorily, “Zhu Baoguo may not be capable in other areas, but this is an easy feat for him.”

  Zheng Lingling thought for a while and nodded. “Alright, you should get Zhu Baoguo to ask around. If there’s anything wrong, you must let us know. We can work together to find a solution.”

  “Why will there be any problems?” Tang Mengran did not understand and asked. Nan Nan’s academic performance was good, and her classmates had changed their attitude toward her. Why would there be any problems?

  “Alright, you should hurry to finish your meal.” Zheng Lingling really had nothing to say about Tang Mengran’s silly character. No wonder Tang Mengran sounded uneasy whenever she mentioned Xu Tingting in the past. It was not that Xu Tingting was very capable. It was Tang Mengran who was too slow-witted.

  Back in the classroom, Qiao Nan saw that Zhu Baoguo had returned to his seat. “Zhu Baoguo, can you find out something for me?”

  “What is it?” Zhu Baoguo looked strange.

  “The people from other classes cast me weird glances. Can you find out what’s wrong?”

  “This……” Zhu Baoguo wrapped his arms around his stomach and said reluctantly, “Xiao Qiao, I think it is better for you not to know about this. Anyway, you have moved out of that Qiao’s house and have been staying with your dad. It’s good to not know about those terrible things. The guards in our school are very strict. This will not happen again in the future. After a while, those people will not look at you strangely.”

  “The Qiao’s house?” Qiao Nan was stunned at the mention of the house she used to stay in. “It seems like this has to do with either Qiao Zijin or my mom. The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China is similar to our school, and their students have to stay at school during the weekend. Since it’s not Qiao Zijin, then it must be related to my mom?”

  Zhu Baoguo frowned with disapproval. “I have never seen a mother who acted like her. She must be your enemy. Xiao Qiao, you should stop treating her as your mom. Even if she is the elder, even if she gave birth to you, if she is here, I feel like giving her a punch!”

  Qiao Nan rested her elbows on the table. She put her hand on her forehead and sighed deeply. “Sure enough, she is the one behind all these troubles. Tell me honestly, what ‘good deeds’ has she done this time?”

  What she did not understand was why her mother would appear for the parent-teacher conference at Ping Cheng High School yesterday. Her mother treated Qiao Zijin as her sole daughter and would only attend the latter’s parent-teacher conference. What did she mean by coming to Ping Cheng High School?

  “Do you really want to know?” Zhu Baoguo looked at Qiao Nan. “You may be angered to death if you know about it.”

  Qiao Nan twitched the corner of her lips and sneered. “Angered to death?” She had once been angered to death by her mother. In this life, that would not happen again. “Tell me, what happened? I don’t want to be kept in the dark.”

  At Qiao Nan’s insistence, Zhu Baoguo had no other choice but to tell her what happened.

  Most importantly, he hoped that Qiao Nan would be able to see the true colors of Ding Jiayi.