Chapter 16

Shen Li shook her head, "I don't know."

"Alright." She replied and turned her head back.

"Teacher, I think I can answer this question." Song Yuewei, sitting in Xie Qin's seat, stood up under the gaze of everyone.

Teacher on stage: "Since a student has volunteered, then you come and answer today's topic."

Song Yuewei: "Freedom... is the fullness of the heart; it is actually more like a pure state. Some people think having money is freedom, others think escaping parental control is freedom, yet all of these are freedoms chosen by oneself while following one's true heart. Because we follow our true heart, we obtain satisfaction in the present moment. Or perhaps it is that instant when the shackles are broken, and one is no longer bound. Freedom does not need clamor to prove itself to others; it is when we ask ourselves, that heart will tell us, at this moment... I am at peace! Just like a trip you take on a whim, every step you take is freedom."

Song Yuewei's attitude was humble, her tone soft: "Teacher, if there is anything I said that is incorrect, I hope you can correct and supplement it."

The teacher on stage was still savoring these words; a moment later, she applauded, and thunderous applause followed from the audience.

"This student, you answered very well; it is also the best understanding I have heard so far. If no other students answer, I will give these twenty credits to this student." The Ideological and Moral Cultivation teacher picked up a black signature pen and swept her gaze over the students below again.

Song Yuewei then smiled slightly and said, "Sorry teacher, I am not a student at Chengde; I am a freshman at the University of Finance and Economics this year, my name is Song Yuewei. I came today to accompany Xie Qin to class. Your topic is very interesting; if possible, could you please add these twenty credits to A-Qin's name?"

The teacher also smiled and agreed: "Then we will do as you say; I will add this answer to Xie Qin's regular grade."

"With a girlfriend who has such good academic results, you should also supervise your boyfriend well in the future, and make him come to class on time."

Song Yuewei nodded: "I will, teacher."

"No way, are they showing off their affection? This is so sweet."

"Ahhh, I'm really going to die; a genius school beauty and a school bully who's a poor student, they are really a perfect match."

The previously oppressive atmosphere vanished.

Xu Zhouyuan whistled, "Well done, Sister-in-law Twelve. You really saved our face!"

Only Xie Qin, who was to the side, was unusually silent.

"Brother Qin, not saying a word, you must be secretly happy inside."

Song Yuewei looked at Xie Qin beside her; seeing his cold attitude toward her and that he wasn't even looking at her, the curve of her lips faded.

For the entire class, Shen Li was almost entirely lost in thought.

By the time she came back to her senses, the Ideological and Moral Cultivation teacher on stage had already left the classroom with her books, and the test paper she was preparing to do was still on the sixth multiple-choice question.

Shen Li stood up and found the head teacher at the back door.

"Ruanruan, do you want to go to the cafeteria to eat together?" Zhao Zhouyuan stood up with her bag, turned her head, and didn't see Shen Li sitting in the back; as her gaze searched for her, she saw her walking with the head teacher outside the classroom corridor.

Shen Li told the head teacher the situation, and in the end, the head teacher contacted the maintenance staff to come and open the vending machine with a key, and only then did Shen Li get her bottle of milk for lunch.

"You didn't eat at noon, and you're just drinking milk at night? Are you not eating anything else?"

Shen Li pinched the cold bottle with her fingertips, "Mm, I'm not very hungry."

In the corridor, there came the soft "click" of a lighter.

Shen Li walked past Xie Qin, who was to the side, without looking sideways.

Xie Qin was leaning lazily against the wall at the entrance of the women's restroom; his slender fingers held a cigarette, and his other hand held a silver metal lighter, which he used to light it.

Smoking was strictly forbidden at school, yet he ignored the school rules as if the school belonged to him.

The youth lifted his thin eyelids, his gaze falling on the slender back that walked past, and he exhaled a puff of smoke.

A faint smell of tobacco permeated the empty corridor.

Zhao Zhouyuan pushed up her glasses, "Ruanruan, this won't do; you can't keep not eating. Let me treat you to the cafeteria."

Shen Li, "Thanks, no need."

Shen Li returned to the classroom, packed up the English Level 4 mock exam paper on her desk, put on her bag, and was just about to leave when she happened to run into Song Yuewei and Xie Qin returning together.

"Shen Li, do you want to go out to eat together? A-Qin and I will treat you. If you feel awkward, you can also have your roommate come with you; it's livelier with more people."

Shen Li curled her lips into a shallow arc, without any aggression, slung her bag over one shoulder, and refused, "Thanks, but no, you guys go ahead and eat, I'm going back to the dorm first."

Today Shen Li was dressed very plainly—a white T-shirt, black trousers, and a pair of white sneakers—without much decoration. Paired with those alluring, charming eyes and a long ponytail, she looked indescribably seductive, yet not the least bit vulgar.

Her cold, fair skin and slender, tall figure made her stand out clearly in the crowd.

Yet she was difficult to approach.

Seeing her leave, Zhou Mingyu to the side spoke up: "Sister-in-law Twelve, I think we should just forget it; this kind of person is impervious to reason, there's no need to deal with her, it's completely pointless."

"We aren't people who look for trouble either; as long as she doesn't cause any, we won't touch her."

Zhang Zixin, who was in the same dorm, spoke up for Shen Li: "I think you guys might have misunderstood her; she's actually quite well-behaved and not messy at all. Just last time when we were playing four-player games, Qiao Lang wasn't there, and I intended to call her—you guys know! I watched her go to sleep as soon as the lights went out; I haven't seen any cosmetics in the dorm, she doesn't even use skincare, and she just uses plain water to wash her face in the morning."

"The clothes she wears aren't designer brands either."

"She even has a wallet with a broken zipper, and I see she's still using it."

"Wife, you can know a person's face but not their heart; some people just shouldn't be judged by their appearance, don't get fooled by this kind of person." Xu Zhouyuan stepped forward and put his arm around Zhang Zixin's waist, saying this to enlighten her.

Zhang Zixin shrugged, "If that's how you guys think, then suit yourselves, I'm not participating." After saying this, she looked down at her phone.

"Alright, let's stop talking about her." Song Yuewei hugged Xie Qin's arm, "A-Qin, what shall we go eat in a bit?"

Xie Qin's mood inexplicably turned cold; he brushed away the hand holding him, "Go back, sleep."

Xie Qin didn't live at school; he rented an apartment near the school. After a drunken night at the hotel, the group had stayed up all night, and the smell of smoke and alcohol on them hadn't dissipated yet.

Zhou Mingyu: "Brother Qin, why sleep in the middle of the day? Let's go have a couple of drinks? I called a few girls, each one of them is super pretty, are you going or not?"

Xie Qin was listless: "Not interested."

Seeing him leave, Song Yuewei hurriedly chased after him, walking down the stairs.

"I have a self-study session tonight that ends at nine; how about I go find you at your place after class?"

Xie Qin walked down the stairs with his hands lazily tucked in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the slender figure walking not far ahead, "Don't take yourself too seriously, it's just for fun."