Chapter 103

The homeroom teacher gave Qin Xue no room to refuse at all, and Qin Xue's face turned ugly.

Because she had already made plans with Lu Chi earlier to go see the sea together during the winter break.

Qin Xue walked out of the office and found herself at the door of Class Liu Ban; who would have thought that as soon as she reached the door, Zhou Tingting from inside the classroom fixed her gaze on her.

Zhou Tingting didn't like Qin Xue coming to their class, and the few brothers around Lu Chi had been avoiding her all along, as if even a single glance was not allowed.

Even Lu Chi pretended not to have seen her.

Qin Xue could only brace herself and walk into the classroom from outside.

Seeing Qin Xue like that, Zhou Tingting coldly sneered, "Shameless."

Qin Xue pretended not to have heard Zhou Tingting's words, then walked up to Lu Chi and said, "Lu Chi, the break is coming; I have something I want to discuss with you."

Qin Xue's eyes were full of pleading, and her tone carried a hint of weakness.

Lu Chi knew that nobody in the class liked Qin Xue, so she must have mustered great courage to come find him.

So Lu Chi agreed.

Lu Chi followed Qin Xue to the classroom door.

One of Zhou Tingting's friends said, bewildered, "I really don't understand why Lu Chi still pays attention to Qin Xue; she deliberately harmed Tingting before."

"Exactly, I have no idea what Lu Chi's brain is thinking."

Zhou Tingting had long stopped caring about Lu Chi, so when a few classmates spoke up for her, she sneered, "Maybe some men are just lowly."

In the class, several of Lu Chi's lackeys clearly knew Zhou Tingting was talking about Lu Chi, yet they dared not utter a word of rebuttal.

Because they had already witnessed the Zhou family's capabilities, which were hardly inferior to the Lu family's.

Lu Chi followed Qin Xue outside the classroom.

Qin Xue keenly noticed that Lu Chi was unwilling to get close to her; even when walking together they kept a distance, whereas before Lu Chi would have liked to stick right to her, and they always shared some intimate gestures.

But now none of that remains.

Qin Xue looked at Lu Chi before her, hesitated a little, and said, "Lu Chi, that night was my fault; I thought you liked me, and I do have a bit of fondness for you, but mostly I wanted to repay you because you've been too good to me—I just chose the wrong way."

Lu Chi hadn't expected Qin Xue to say that.

He fell silent for a moment, then said, "I don't dislike you; I just don't know how to face this, after all we are friends."

Friends?

Qin Xue couldn't believe that the months of ambiguity between her and Lu Chi amounted to nothing more than friendship in his heart.

Nevertheless, Qin Xue suppressed her resentment and forced a smile: "It's good that we've cleared things up like this; you had promised to take me out together during the winter break—too bad I can't go with you."

Lu Chi had long forgotten that; it was just something he said offhand when he was carried away.

During the winter break he often went out with a few brothers, occasionally with a girl along.

Qin Xue was actually not the most special one.

It's just that Lu Chi or Qin Xue had once said they wanted to go out alone together.

So at that time it sounded somewhat ambiguous.

"Then that's fine; I happen to need to make up lessons at home during the winter break."

His final exam scores had always been in the lower-middle range; since he was in senior year, Lu Mu specially enrolled him in a class this time.

Seeing Lu Chi not even ask her about it, Qin Xue's bitterness grew: "Lu Chi, my grades have dropped, the homeroom teacher has already talked to me; I don't know if I'll still be able to hang out with you in the future—my grades have never fallen this badly before."

Saying this, Qin Xue lowered her head and burst into tears.

Lu Chi looked at Qin Xue crying before him, hesitated a moment, then reached out and patted her head, saying, "It's okay, don't cry."

"How can it be okay? You're both rich; your parents have already arranged a way out for you—after graduation, even with poor grades you can go abroad, but I can't; I can only rely on my own scores to get into college."

Everything Qin Xue said struck a sore spot in Lu Chi's heart.

Before, Qin Xue had attracted his attention because she was hardworking and ambitious.

These past two days at home, because Lu Chi had been distant, Qin Xue had carefully studied the situation.

It was because recently she had become too self-assumed, thinking she and Lu Chi were a sure thing, so she did many things that made boys feel she was overstepping.

That's how men are: the harder something is to obtain, the more they cherish it.

The more one fawns, the less they are liked.

Seeing Lu Chi soften toward her again, she said, "Lu Chi, let's just go back to being ordinary friends from now on; don't spend money on me anymore, and we shouldn't hang out often—sorry."

Having said that, Qin Xue turned and left without looking back.

She silently clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, admonishing herself never to soften at this moment.

One who can't bear to lose a child won't catch a wolf.

Lu Chi didn't stop liking her; it's just that recent events happened too suddenly, causing his feelings for her to fade.

As long as she uses a little trick, Lu Chi will still fall for her again.

Lu Chi watched Qin Xue's retreating back, fell silent for a moment, then returned to the classroom.

A few lackeys curiously gathered around Lu Chi: "Brother Lu, what exactly happened? Why does Qin Xue keep coming to you every few days? I find it annoying."

"Yeah, I don't know if Brother Lu has already lost interest, yet she still clings to him."

"Last time, because of the Zhou Tingting incident, I already disliked her; if it weren't for Brother Lu, I would have warned her long ago to stop having such overreaching thoughts."

……

Hearing the boys' words, Lu Chi's brows furrowed.

He felt that the people around him were very hypocritical.

Back when he first liked Qin Xue, this bunch wasn't talking like that.

Now that he doesn't like Qin Xue, they turn around and speak ill of her.

Over the years, this bunch has probably said the same things about Su Yun Jiao.

"Enough."

Lu Chi said lightly: "From now on, keep your mouths shut and say less of these things near my ears."

Hearing Lu Chi's words, several people sheepishly closed their mouths.

They dared not speak further.

"Jiao Jiao, winter break is coming up; are you planning to study at home or go out to play?"

Facing Zhou Tingting's question, Su Yun Jiao shook her head and said: "I may need to first prepare for my coming-of-age ceremony."

Her birthday is January 11.

That is to say, in a few days her birthday will arrive.

The coming-of-age ceremony is very important; she must first handle its affairs.