LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 14
The school grounds were silent in the crisp winter morning air, save for the soft crunch of snow underfoot. Xu Yue, wrapped in a cotton jacket too thin for the season's bite, waited at the school's front steps, a plume of breath fogging the air with each shiver.
The unexpected arrival of a sleek black limousine broke the monotony of the snow-laden landscape. Its windows were dark, the engine quiet, an enigma against the backdrop of a typical school day. Behind Xu Yue, the muffled steps of someone approaching drew her attention away from the cold.
Li Miao emerged from the snow, her strides small and hesitant. She paused, observing Xu Yue's figure against the winter white—a blend of resilience and vulnerability.
Memories of Xu Yue's hands, cool yet comforting, flashed through Li Miao's mind, stirring a resolve within her.
Li Miao, you're just repaying her for before!
"Xu Yue!" She called out, her voice cutting through the chill as she closed the distance between them.
"Li Miao," Xu Yue responded, her tone even, her expression unreadable.
Li Miao shivered, rubbing her gloved hands together. Her eyes darted to Xu Yue's shivering form. "Aren't you cold standing here? I can wait with you," she offered, her concern genuine, her usual bravado absent in the face of Xu Yue's discomfort.
Xu Yue raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering across her otherwise guarded expression. "That's kind of you, but I'm waiting for Tang Jia. We have plans to study."
The mention of Tang Jia did little to deter Li Miao's offer. "Then, you should wait in my car. It's warm, and I can drive you both home after," she suggested, hoping to ease the bite of winter for them both.
Xu Yue looked slightly surprised. She had not expected an offer like that. She thought of the texts from earlier with a slight smile.
The little cat is worried about me.
The air was pleasant inside the car, but the air prickled with tension. They sat stiffly, a chasm of space between them on the leather seats. Li Miao fidgeted
Li Miao attempted small talk, "How are your studies?" hoping to bridge the gap between them.
"Good," Xu Yue replied, her response brief, leaving the conversation hanging in the air, heavier than before.
Li Miao, you idiot, of course she’s fine! She’s been ranked first since the start of the story.
The conversation fizzled utterly, even more awkward than before.
Then, a flash of movement – Tang Jia approached, pulling Li Miao from her self-inflicted conversational torment. Li Miao nearly leaped at the sight, her relief cracking the silence.
"Look, Xu Yue. Isn’t that Tang Jia?” Li Miao excitedly pointed towards Tang Jia, happy to end the awkward conversation.
A tiny frown creased Xu Yue's brow as Li Miao gestured towards Tang Jia. “Mhm…”
Why do I feel upset when Li Miao is excited to see others?
Li Miao flung open the window. "Tang Jia! Hop on!"
Tang Jia hesitated, startled by Li Miao's greeting. A quick glance at Xu Yue – already seated inside the car – was all it took for a sigh to escape her lips. Reluctantly, she climbed in.
Tang Jia blinked, then glanced between them. “Xu Yue, why are we in Li Miao's car?'” Her whisper was barely audible, laced with confusion and a hint of a tremble.
"Li Miao offered us a ride," Xu Yue said nonchalantly without even looking at Tang Jia as if this was the most normal thing in the world.
Teacher Xu, why are you acting this cold to me right now? What did I do?
Tang Jia, clueless as to why Xu Yue was upset with her, cupped her mouth near Xu Yue’s ears. Tang Jia's concern was palpable, her whisper barely audible, "Isn't this risky? What if it's a trap?"
Li Miao: Why would I do that! Everyone is so mean to me wuwuwu… QAQ
Li Miao's lips pressed into a thin line. She glared at the window, tears welling but unshed – pride refusing to let them fall.
A strange smile bloomed on Xu Yue's face as she looked at Li Miao's sullen expression. It was sharp, not unkind, yet it did nothing to comfort Tang Jia.
“She bought me this.” Xu Yue held up the phone.
Tang Jia had seen Xu Yue looking at the phone with a gentle face before, and now she was even more confused.
“She bought you this??! I thought you bought it with your savings!”
Xu Yue flicked her gaze up, a touch of disdain in her eyes before she smiled at Li Miao again. “When have I ever wasted money on something unnecessary?”
Tang Jia opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Xu Yue.
"We went on a date together," she said before Tang Jia could ask.
Tang Jia flinched as if slapped. In the confined car, her outburst ricocheted back at them. “A DATE??!”
Li Miao sank lower in her seat, her hands clamped over her burning ears, and her mumbled chant was barely audible.
“I didn’t hear anything… I didn’t hear anything…”
During the rest of the car ride, Xu Yue remained silent and refused to answer any more of Tang Jia’s questions.
Qi Rui stared at the picture of Xu Yue, a white-hot fury erupting within her. Her knuckles turned white on her phone, nails digging into plastic. Li Miao's car... that smile on Xu Yue's face. Had Li Miao really switched sides? The sting of betrayal fueled the flames of her anger.
That bitch thinks she can steal what's mine? She thinks she's so special... A cruel smile twisted her lips. No... more than pay. Xu Yue needed to be utterly exposed and ruined.
Her fingers flew across the screen, each word a venom-tipped dagger. Rumors mutated into vile accusations, carefully targeted to inflict maximum damage. A wicked glee surged through her as she pictured Xu Yue's downfall. This time, there would be no escape.
The usually hushed murmurs in class were replaced by an oppressive silence broken only by pointed whispers. Eyes slid sideways toward Xu Yue, then quickly away. She was already used to this from the past, though it was a consequence of Li Miao’s actions.
“Student Xu Yue, come with me to the teacher's office,” her homeroom teacher announced, his voice slicing through the quiet with an ominous edge.
Each step toward the teacher's office felt like a march to the gallows.
Did Li Miao reveal her true colors? The question haunted her with every footfall, a sinister whisper against the backdrop of her rising anxiety.
The teacher’s sigh was heavy inside the office, laden with disappointment and disbelief as he toggled between Xu Yue and the school forums with an image of herself stepping out of a black limousine.
“Xu Yue, do you understand what the consequence of this can be? There’s been rumors of you doing compensated dating!” He revealed, his words hanging between them like a verdict waiting to be passed.
“Teacher, it’s not true.” Xu Yue calmly denied the accusation, her voice unwavering.
The teacher’s next question felt like a continuation of the relentless siege. “And the phone? It wasn’t bought by your family, was it? Where did you get the money?”
It was a date, but it was with Li Miao.
“From Li Miao,” Xu Yue admitted.
The teacher called out, "Li Miao?" The teacher was aware of the ongoing situation in the school where Li Miao was constantly harassing Xu Yue. The teachers couldn't act to punish Li Miao due to their fear of the Li Group's retaliation against the school. However, they were trying to prevent any further escalation of the situation.
How could Li Miao possibly buy Xu Yue something?
The silence between the two was interrupted by the sound of the door slamming.
As Li Miao walked in, her energetic presence disturbed the silent atmosphere. She was no longer humble but instead displayed arrogance on her face. She slammed her hands on the desk before her, making a loud noise echoing through the room.
“That’s right, I bought her that phone.” Li Miao said, pulling up the receipts on her phone to the teacher. “That’s also my car.” She added nonchalantly, checking her nails with her arms crossed.
The teacher, caught off guard by Li Miao’s bold intervention, could only muster a cough of surprise before conceding. “Alright, it seems you’re innocent, Xu Yue. You may return to class.”
“Thank you, teacher.” Xu Yue bowed and left, with Li Miao following behind her.
As they left the office, Li Miao’s facade of indifference faltered, her concern for Xu Yue surfacing. “I’m sorry…” Her apology was tinged with genuine remorse, a stark contrast to the confidence she had just displayed.
“It was my suggestion that you ride with me. I didn’t think this would happen…” Her voice trailed off, revealing her vulnerability.
Xu Yue’s heart felt heavy, and she responded gently, “It’s okay, it’s not your fault.”
I shouldn’t have doubted her…
