Chapter 209: Fang Hong Insists Qin Xue Repay the Money

Recently Lu Chi didn't know if it was because he had to work part-time every day, but his arrival time at school kept getting later. However, since Lu Chi had already greeted the homeroom teacher in advance, the teacher just turned a blind eye, as long as Lu Chi didn't fall behind in his studies.

Zhou Tingting couldn't help glancing at Lu Chi, then she said to Su Yun Jiao, "Don't you feel that Lu Chi has been acting especially strange lately?"

"What's strange about him?"

Although they're in the same class, Su Yun Jiao hasn't paid attention to Lu Chi's situation for a long time.

"Anyway, it's just strange—he doesn't say a word, yet I know he stares at me during class; I've noticed it several times already."

Lu Chi merely stares at Su Yun Jiao during class, then pretends he saw nothing; moreover, since the start of the term, he and Su Yun Jiao have hardly exchanged a word.

Zhou Tingting had rarely seen Lu Chi like this before; now his mind seems filled only with study—he does twice as many practice sheets as they do every day.

But Lu Chi is smart; after just one winter break, he's already caught up to their pace.

Whenever she thinks Lu Chi might make it into Class Yi Ban like them, Zhou Tingting feels uneasy all over.

"Don't overthink it—anyway, the exam is tomorrow. After school today, let's go home together; I'll come tutor you."

"You really can come tutor me? Won't Lu Jingqing say something about it?"

Before, when Su Yun Jiao came to the Zhou family's home, Lu Jingqing looked reluctant.

Su Yun Jiao said, "Isn't this to celebrate your escape from Zheng Haoyuan's clutches? I already greeted Brother Jingqing last night; today after school we'll go home together to prepare for tomorrow's exam."

"That's fine."

Zhou Tingting said, "I should also thank Lu Jingqing properly; if it weren't for him, I might still be engaged to that jerk Zheng Haoyuan—in a sense, he's done me a huge favor."

The two were chatting away when gossip from other girls drifted out of the classroom.

"Did you see that? I thought I just saw Qin Xue coming to class."

"Really? Isn't she all beaten up and covered in wounds? How can she still come to class?"

"What if she doesn't come? Tomorrow's the placement exam; if she misses it, she'll only be able to go to Class Liu Ban."

……

Several girls chirped about how severely Qin Xue had been beaten.

Seeing that there were only seven or eight minutes left before morning class, Zhou Tingting immediately grabbed Su Yun Jiao's hand and headed outside the classroom.

Sure enough, many boys and girls from other classes wanted to see what was going on with Qin Xue.

By the time the crowd had filled the entrance of Class Yi Ban, Zhou Tingting had struggled mightily just to pull Su Yun Jiao close enough to see.

"Make way! Make way!"

Zhou Tingting pushed through the crowd and then pulled Su Yun Jiao to stand at the entrance of Class Yi Ban.

At first glance, Su Yun Jiao spotted Qin Xue sitting in the back row.

Qin Xue was bruised all over, especially her face, which bore a clear thumbprint.

Even her head was wrapped in gauze.

Seeing this, Su Yun Jiao immediately thought of Zhou Tingting's fate in her previous life.

If Zhou Tingting had married Zheng Haoyuan, what she would have suffered would only be worse than what Qin Xue is enduring.

Su Yun Jiao fell silent for a moment.

But Zhou Tingting tugged at Su Yun Jiao and said, "Really, evil meets its match—why would Qin Xue, perfectly fine, insist on climbing a high branch? If it weren't for her, the one beaten up like this might have been me."

Su Yun Jiao replied, "Zheng Haoyuan wouldn't dare treat you like this before marrying you, out of respect for your family's status."

"That's also true."

Zhou Tingting nodded, feeling Su Yun Jiao made a lot of sense.

Just then.

The homeroom teacher of Class Yi Ban quickly came over to disperse the crowd.

Su Yun Jiao and Zhou Tingting also returned to their own class.

At that moment, Qin Xue felt only endless humiliation in the classroom.

She clearly was in this state, yet she still had to come to school and endure so many strange looks.

Fang Hong, standing nearby, felt a pang of pity seeing Qin Xue like this—but who would pity her?

Fang Hong said, "Qin Xue, how are you preparing to repay the two thousand dollars?"

"Red Red, you've seen it—I'm like this now. If it weren't to pay you back, I wouldn't have provoked someone like Zheng Haoyuan; I really have no money……"

"Don't say that—the Zheng family is rich and powerful; if they beat you like this, wouldn't they have given you money? I think you just don't want to give it to me."

This time Fang Hong wised up—Qin Xue simply had no money to give her.

To keep her parents from discovering the money was gone, Fang Hong had to retrieve the two thousand from Qin Xue.

At that moment, everyone in the class was watching the spectacle; after the homeroom teacher walked in from outside, he saw Qin Xue sobbing at her desk, while Fang Hong, standing opposite her, still pressed aggressively: "You must repay those two thousand quickly! Stop acting innocent—I already know! The two thousand you borrowed from me went to curry favor with Lu Chi!"

Fang Hong didn't care about the setting; she just blurted out everything she knew.

It's obvious Qin Xue deceived me first, yet now she's still playing innocent here.

Fang Hong's words made Qin Xue's face turn even uglier.

Meanwhile, other girls in the class were snickering, because they were the ones who had told Fang Hong the whole story unchanged; Qin Xue thought her scheme was flawless, unaware that the other girls had already seen it.

"Red Red, hear me out……"

"I won't listen to your excuses! Do you know how much risk I took to help you? And you lied to me—hand over the money now, or I'll tell the teacher!"

Just then, Fang Hong looked up and saw the homeroom teacher of Class Yi Ban appear before them.

Upon seeing the homeroom teacher,

Fang Hong's face changed instantly.

Fang Hong quickly returned to her seat, while the homeroom teacher had already entered the classroom and said, "I don't care what conflicts you have among classmates—settle them privately. The college entrance exam is coming up soon; I don't want any problems before it. Fang Hong, Qin Xue, the two of you come with me to the office in a moment; everyone else, keep working on your worksheets."

The other students were just watching the drama, but Fang Hong only wanted to get her money back.

Qin Xue had no choice but to follow Fang Hong to the office.