Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  “Not this time.” Zhu Chengqi’s expression darkened. He had not expected that his son would be so weak that he would lose to a young lady like Shi Qing. Back then, he and Shi Qing’s father joined the army at the same time.

  At that time, it was Shi Peng who lost to him. But every dog has his day. Ten years later, he had a son, while Shi Peng had a daughter!

  His son had an advantage over Shi Qing because of his gender, but he still lost to her. This time, even without Qiao Nan’s reminder, Zhu Chengqi had already decided to make Zhu Baoguo go through hardcore training. He was such a disgrace to him.

  “Alright, that’s about all. Uncle Zhu, you must take care of yourself. Goodbye.” After settling Zhu Baoguo’s affair, Qiao Nan had nothing else to say to Zhu Chengqi.

  After hanging up the phone, Qiao Nan sighed. Because of Chen Jun, she did not wish to keep in touch with the Zhu family if possible, particularly Zhu Chengqi.

  In this life, Zhu Baoguo was still alive, but Zhu Chengqi had the intention to take her in as his goddaughter nonetheless. In the previous life, Zhu Baoguo had passed away. If it was according to what Zhu Chengqi said, that she resembled the daughter he and Zhu Baoguo’s mother had wanted to have, then it was highly possible that Zhu Chengqi had wanted to take her in as his goddaughter in the previous life.

  Even though she could only be Zhu Chengqi’s goddaughter, given her status as his goddaughter, Wang Yang, who was the nephew, could never compare to her.

  So, in fact, she could say that it was because of the Zhu family that Wang Yang targeted her and saw her as an eyesore.

  Sometimes, when Qiao Nan thought about it, she felt that in a few lifetimes back, not only had she owed her mother and Qiao Zijin, but she might also have owed the Zhu family and Zhu Baoguo.

  Two days later, after Qiao Nan had her breakfast, she hummed a rhyme and carried the schoolbag on her back, getting ready to go to school. She was in an especially good mood.

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  The school would be giving out the report cards, loads of summer break homework, and exam papers for practice to the students today. But it did not affect Qiao Nan’s good mood.

  “Nan Nan, you’re in a skirt today!” Nan Nan never wore skirts to school. She would always wear pants to school. Qiao Dongliang was used to seeing her in pants. Today, he was surprised when she came out in a skirt.

  “Yes, I’m wearing a skirt today.” Qiao Nan nodded happily. She was in high spirits.

  “Is this okay? Ever since you went to high school, I have never seen you in a skirt. Didn’t you say that the girls in your school don’t usually wear skirts?” At the sight of his beloved daughter in a skirt, Qiao Dongliang could not help but find the skirt too short. “Nan Nan, have you grown taller? This skirt is quite short. If you like skirts, I will give you money to buy a new skirt tomorrow. You must make sure to buy a skirt that is long enough.”

  “Dad, don’t waste the money. I seldom wear skirts. I just feel like wearing it today.” Qiao Nan looked at her skirt. It was not short. In fact, compared to miniskirts that would be in fashion decades later, it was considered quite long.

  “Dad, I couldn’t talk to you any longer as I have to go to school. Dad, if I end up with the second place in the level, you must not be disappointed. I have already preempted you. Don’t think that I was being modest. I have already told you about the past results of the person who has the highest possibility of ranking first in the level.”

  “Yes, I know. I’m not muddleheaded. I understand. It is good enough to achieve second place. Don’t think too much about it.” Qiao Dongliang did not know whether to cry or laugh. He was not that concerned whether Nan Nan ranked first or not.

  Besides, if Nan Nan ranked second, it was not that she had lagged behind. It was that she had a formidable opponent.

  “Alright, Dad, I will go to school now. I am already quite pleased if I could rank second. I may even be selected as the top-three model students.” Qiao Nan put on her white gymnastics shoes and ran toward Ping Cheng High School.

  Qiao Dongliang smiled as he watched his daughter left for school. When she had left for quite some time, it suddenly dawned on Qiao Dongliang that Qiao Nan must have a reason for wearing a skirt. “Could it be that since Zhai Sheng is coming back today, Nan Nan decided to wear a skirt?!”

  “Crap, Nan Nan, you’re wearing a skirt! A skirt!” Tang Mengran cupped her face and shouted at the top of her lungs. “Why would you come to school in a skirt? Xu Tingting doesn’t even dare to wear a skirt to school. You are too much. You should have told me, so I could join you and wear a skirt.”

  Tang Mengran would wear a skirt when she was at home. However, when she was at school, she would always wear pants.

  Actually, the school did not have any rule that forbade female students from wearing skirts, but everyone seemed to have a tacit understanding and only wore pants to school. Even though they wanted to look pretty, they dared not be the oddballs.

  Even though they were only there to get their report cards, it was still at the school. Why would Nan Nan be so daring to come in a skirt? “Nan Nan, are you thinking that since you can’t win against Shi Qing in your grades, you will beat her with looks? It’s a great idea! Nan Nan, I support you!”

  One could not show others their weakness. It was just a few points apart in the exams, not too far apart.

  “Shameless.” Xu Tingting ground her teeth. Who was Qiao Nan thinking of seducing with her skirt and exposed legs?

  “Oh my god! Shi Qing is in a skirt as well! Did both of you agree to wear skirts today beforehand?” Shi Qing walked into the classroom in a lotus pink long skirt. Everyone in the first-year class one was dumbfounded.

  Shi Qing said nothing when she noticed that Qiao Nan was in a white skirt.

  “We didn’t.” It was just that she and Shi Qing had the same mentality. Knowing that Brother Zhai would be back today, they wore skirts. After all, a girl would doll herself up for him who loved her.

  “I will return to my seat, lest Zhu Baoguo sees me and wants to drive me away.” Tang Mengran felt gloomy. She wanted to wear a skirt as well.

  “There’s no need to return to your seat. Zhu Baoguo will not come to school today. The school will probably send his report card to the Zhu family’s residence.”

  “Really? Then, I will not leave and sit next to you.” Tang Mengran decided not to leave. “Nan Nan, you seem to be in a good mood today.” Tang Mengran had nothing to do, so she propped her head with her hand and looked at Qiao Nan.

  “Nothing. It’s just that the person who ‘reads books’ with me has come back. Of course, I am happy.” Qiao Nan thought of how the students in Ping Cheng High School would use ‘reading in the library’ as a cover for dating and made an inference to it.

  However, nobody realized what she was referring to.

  “Come on, it’s just reading books. Nan Nan, if you continue to be like this, you will turn into a nerd.” They needed to read a lot of books and revise when they were in school. There were twelve months in a year, and she had spent at least nine months on reading. She would like to have a break during the holiday.

  “Qiao Nan.” Shi Qing, who sat behind Qiao Nan, snorted all of a sudden and gave Tang Mengran a scare.

  “What is it?” Qiao Nan calmed Tang Mengran down and turned to look at Shi Qing.

  “Qiu Chenxi went to the army yesterday.”

  “It is useless.” What she did would not work.

  “Are you sure?” Brother Zhai seemed to like girls like Qiu Chenxi. Yesterday, Qiu Chenxi went out in a new skirt.