Chapter 121: I'll Help You Deal with Her

Mo Song crouched behind the tree, burying her face in the crook of her arm.

The soreness at the corners of her eyes grew stronger, tears fell onto her cheeks and hit the ground, instantly evaporating without leaving a trace, just like her presence in that household.

She raised a hand to wipe her face, but the more she wiped, the more disheveled she became, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

After a while, a clear voice tinged with a hint of arrogance broke the silence: "Hey, it's rare to see you out of school this early, desk mate. Why are you squatting here?"

Mo Song stiffened all over and jerked her head up.

In the backlight, the girl wore a Lan Lin uniform—a white shirt with a black skirt—her long hair pulled high behind her head, revealing a slender, fair neck.

Between her brows and eyes lay a hint of aloof coldness that kept strangers at bay; her gaze was clear, looking down at her from above.

It was Leng Yueyou.

The Leng Family Eldest Miss, who had moved out of the Leng family since junior high, had once helped her, and now was her desk mate.

"No, it's nothing." Mo Song hastily lifted a hand to wipe her tears, her voice choking.

Leng Yueyou raised an eyebrow, strode over with her long legs, swept her gaze over Mo Song's reddened eye sockets, and didn't press further.

She simply bent down to pick up the document Mo Song had accidentally knocked to the floor, glanced at the cover, and returned it to her without changing expression.

"It's hot here," she said, her tone still carrying her usual arrogance—not like comfort, more like a command—yet she reached out her hand: "Get up."

Friends waiting behind Leng Yueyou:?

One of them, a girl with a ponytail, nudged the short-haired girl beside her and lowered her voice: "When did Senior Yue meet a new friend? She looks quite quiet."

The short-haired girl reacted: "She's Senior Yue's new desk mate! On the day we reported to school, I personally saw Senior Yue pull her over to sit."

"Huh? Weren't you Senior Yue's desk mate before?"

The short-haired girl scratched her head, smiling brightly, and explained: "Yeah, yeah, but when I got to the classroom that day, Senior Yue already had someone beside her."

The other shook her head and sighed: "How can you not cherish the spot beside Senior Yue properly!"

"……"

The few people's low whispers weren't loud, but they carried clearly to Mo Song's ears.

She looked at the hand extended before her—slender fingers, nails trimmed neat and clean.

After hesitating a few seconds, she first tucked the document behind her, then lightly grasped that hand, using Leng Yueyou's strength to rise, and said, "Thank you."

"What's with the formality between us?"

Leng Yueyou raised an eyebrow, her gaze landing on Mo Song's hand clutching the document, then shoved the milk tea in her hand toward her: "Here, just bought, haven't touched it. Looking at you, did you run into trouble or get bullied?"

Leng Yueyou moved out of the Leng family in junior high; her father couldn't let go of his pride, wanted her to come back voluntarily, and cut off all her cards.

He didn't know her mother had secretly gotten her a new card, sending her money each month, and the apartment she now lives in was also bought by her mother.

In that apartment, besides her, there's only a housemaid; these past few years she's been freer than at home.

So after she moved out of the Leng family alone, aside from occasional visits from Leng Yueyue, who shamelessly came to look for Gu Xingnan, she hadn't seen any Leng family members.

Although Mo Song said they attended the same school, since they hadn't been in the same class before, she rarely ran into her.

A cool sensation came from her hand; Mo Song blinked, looked at the exquisitely packaged milk tea, hesitated a moment, then took it: "Thank you, Miss."

She spoke softly, not daring to lift her head to meet Leng Yueyou's eyes, afraid the emotions she had barely suppressed would spiral out of control again.

"Don't call me Miss." Leng Yueyou said casually, yet subtly shifted closer to her.

She was a little over half a head taller than Mo Song; now she slightly turned sideways, using her own shadow to block part of the light for her.

"Is someone bullying you again? Tell me, and I'll take care of her for you."

Wasn't Leng Yueyue supposed to be eating labor reform meals?

Besides, Mo Song is now in the Elite Class A; who would bully someone in that class?

What's going on then?

She looked at her, waiting for an answer.

Mo Song didn't continue calling her "Miss," just shook her head and said, "I'm fine, just... a bit tired."

Leng Yueyou leaned against the nearby tree, jerked her chin toward the bench beside her, her posture relaxed.

Her tone still carried arrogance, but without malice: "If you're tired, find a place to sit; squatting here like a little pitiful thing looks awful."

Seeing Mo Song lower her head without replying, merely gripping the milk tea cup tighter, she paused: "Really nothing?"

She actually wasn't satisfied with that answer from her desk mate.

Mo Song fell silent for a few seconds, lifted her head, "... I plan to move out of the Leng family."

"Move out?" Leng Yueyou blinked, not expecting her to disregard that person who always wanted to cling to the Leng family through her mother's influence.

Mo Song nodded.

Leng Yueyou fixed her gaze on Mo Song's reddened eye sockets, then immediately said: "My apartment still has a spare room; you can stay with me for now—there's enough space, the rent..."

Thinking of this person's nature, she swallowed the words "no need," and rephrased: "I'll calculate the rent to be cheaper for you, or if you're temporarily short on money, you can stay first."

"This..." Mo Song bit her lip, "Too much trouble for you."

"What trouble?"

Leng Yueyou raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying an unyielding arrogance: "We're desk mates; helping each other is only natural. Besides, I find living alone boring—you coming over would be perfect company for me."

At the start of the term, most of the class still sat according to their previous seats.

Seeing Mo Song standing alone over there, she pulled her over to sit together.

Friends:?

Mo Song said nothing, obviously aware that she was trying to help herself.

Leng Yueyou added leisurely: "If you feel embarrassed, you can come to my place each day to make me lunch—room and board included; I'll be taking advantage, essentially hiring you for free. How does that sound?"