Chapter 119: She didn't like Haishi, and she didn't like anyone there

Liang Jingze didn't wait for Shen Li's message for a long time. Suddenly, her phone rang again. She looked down at her phone; the previous message had been recalled.

Shen Li didn't reply again, just turned off the phone screen and put it back in her bag.

Xie Qin, beside her, spoke, pulling her distracted thoughts back: "Whose message? Not replying?"

Shen Li responded in a very faint voice: "Nothing."

The obviously absent-minded mood was all taken in by Xie Qin. On weekdays, it could actually be seen; she wasn't very good at hiding her emotions. Whether it was good or bad, it would be directly expressed on her face.

Xie Qin rarely saw her like this. She didn't want to talk, so he didn't ask much, giving her enough space.

The two walked very slowly, having already pulled a small distance away from the people in front.

Zhou Mingyu turned his head to look at them and shouted: "What are you two doing? Why are you walking so slowly? Walk faster."

Shen Li lowered her eyes, distracted, thinking of some things from the past.

Shen Zhaozhao was her aunt's daughter, and they were only one year apart.

She remembered the first time she saw her. Shen Zhaozhao was wearing old clothes, sallow and thin, with withered yellow hair, and her eyes were timid when looking at people. Compared to Shen Li, who was celebrating her birthday in a princess dress, they were simply two different worlds.

She had been a "little princess" pampered in the palms of her parents' hands since she was a child. From the moment she was born, she was fair, tender, fragrant, and soft, which was why her mother gave her the nickname "Softie."

Shen Li would never be able to forget the scene when she saw her for the first time, and her mother said that sentence to her: "Softie, from now on, she will be your sister. You two should get along well."

Yes, sister.

Shen Li hadn't seen this sister; she had mostly seen her in photos.

Her mother's birth family environment wasn't good, growing up in a village in the mountains. She was able to afford university because her older brother and younger sister, who was two years younger, supported her tuition.

In order to support her mother's university education, her aunt married very early and took a sum of bride price.

Later, because her aunt died of cancer, fearing that her uncle wouldn't be able to take good care of her, they brought her to Haishi.

Regarding this sister, she had always accepted her because she was the only one in the family, and her parents were too busy. Her appearance, to her, was equivalent to having an extra playmate.

She thought she could also have an extra sister to cherish, like others.

From then on, she wouldn't have to be lonely and play by herself.

She had always treated her as her mother's own daughter.

When they were young, her relationship with Shen Zhaozhao was actually very good.

It was just later, she didn't know when it started to change.

She didn't know if it started when Shen Zhaozhao asked for a dress from her hand.

Or...

Because of one sentence, "she likes it," her mother would unconditionally give her everything of hers.

Whether it was clothes or the hair accessories she liked, Shen Li wouldn't care too much about giving them to her.

It was just that after such things happened more often, it started to slowly change flavor.

Everything in the early stage seemed to be just testing.

Until... the year Shen Zhaozhao was twelve, she got sick, and just because of one sentence, she could take away her room.

From then on, it started to get worse.

As long as it was something she liked, even if it was something she didn't want, she would take it.

Shen Zhaozhao changed from a dull and timid personality at the beginning to later becoming lively and cheerful. Whatever she wanted, her parents would give her; they would send her to play the piano, dance, sing, and let her do everything she wanted to do.

She could talk and make everyone very happy.

Shen Li was the one who was out of place in that family, the redundant one.

Clearly, that was her home, but it had been occupied by someone else for ten years.

Shen Li didn't know how she had survived these ten years...

Everything of hers was given to Shen Zhaozhao.

But why did even her "Qingbei University recommendation quota" have to be snatched away by the person she was closest to, to give to Shen Zhaozhao, who was not as good as her in the first place?

What was this?

The first time she entered her mother's dean's office, it was also because of Shen Zhaozhao: "It's just a recommendation quota, what's wrong with giving it to your sister? Do you even have to fight with her over this?"

Her mother's position was special, so she never let her find her privately when she was at school.

But Shen Zhaozhao could do it blatantly.

Even if she left that home.

No one would care.

They would never know what she had experienced on the day of the college entrance exam.

No matter what she said, everything seemed to be a lie she had fabricated.

She was sick.

It also became an excuse that she was just throwing a tantrum.

Later, she gradually began to loathe any contact with anyone.

On the day she came to Wuchuan to report, Xie Qin touched her, which was why she had such a big reaction.

She didn't hate Xie Qin.

She didn't like Haishi, and she didn't like anyone there.

Xu Zhouyuan and the others had already gone upstairs.

They had just reached the bottom of the teaching building when Shen Li suddenly stopped and called his name: "Xie Qin."

Xie Qin's gaze fell on her, and he looked at her. "Hmm?"

"I don't want to attend class."

"..."

"Can you... accompany me for a while like last time?"

Shen Li didn't know if this request was too much.

Then...

Shen Li dragged him to skip class.

It had always been Master Xie dragging others to skip class.

Upstairs, Xu Zhouyuan was signing in for a few people as usual.

He turned his head, and ten minutes had passed; class had already started, and he didn't see them go upstairs.

Xie Qin wasn't there, and he really didn't like it at all.

"What did those two go do? Did they get lost?"

Zhou Mingyu played a small game with his head down: "What else can a young couple do? They went to make out."

By the artificial lake.

Shen Li pulled Xie Qin to sit down, and then she sat beside him. Xie Qin naturally reached out and pulled her over. He lowered his eyes, raised his eyebrows nonchalantly, and looked at her leaning over. "Just like this?"

Shen Li responded lightly: "Yeah."

Xie Qin...

You don't have to do anything.

Just like this, just keep accompanying me.

The two sat quietly like this, neither of them speaking.

"Other people dating keep dragging each other to learn well. You... like this, dragging me to skip class and indulge, and also being so selfishly possessive of me—isn't it a bit... too unreasonable?"

Shen Li remained silent.

Xie Qin took a breath and sighed helplessly: "... Next time, if you want to do these things, it's not impossible. At least tell me in advance so I can be prepared, wear more clothes, and sit as long as you want."

He held her somewhat cold hands, wrapped them in his palms, and warmed her with his body temperature.

"Are you cold?"

"..."

He moved his body, lowered his head, and looked down: "Why did you fall asleep?" ===== CHAPTER 120 =====