Chapter 364: The Birthday Present

Chapter 364

On the way back, Xiao Qi could not help but smile foolishly.

Su Li thought the student council member was really thick-skinned. When she saw her display the grades for her aunt to see, Su Li's heart leapt to her throat, and she wanted to shout, "Student council member, wake up! The person in front of you is the great demon king. Don't provoke her, don't..."

But then she noticed that in addition to the student council member's grades, there were also those of Li Weijin, the pea-brained peacock. Li Weijin had passed the level 4 exam, and he had also passed the computer level 2 certification, albeit just passing. Amazingly, he had even passed the Japanese level 4 exam.

Where did he find the time to study all that?

During the preparatory course, his grades were much worse than hers.

Had he cheated somehow? Yôur favorite stories at novelhall.com

Following the student council member in studying just one additional language had left her feeling exhausted.

Could being bald really make one incredibly smart? Should she shave her head too?

Su Li was perplexed. She couldn't help but admire Li Weijin a little.

She was conflicted. Why should grades matter more than liking someone?

How tragic.

How arduous.

Xiao Qi did not notice Su Li's inner turmoil. Through their time together, she realized that although Su Li appeared tough on the surface, she was actually a gentle girl. She wasn't good at greeting others with a smile, but once you got to know her, she would open up her heart and be very pleasant to be around.

Despite being busy with her studies recently, Xiao Qi had not neglected her painting.

In fact, her inspiration was overflowing, and she would paint a new piece almost every other day.

This was probably related to Zaizai's recent state as well.

She calmly studied together with Li Weijin, sometimes even eating meals together, and had even visited Li Weijin's home.

Xiao Qi found it very pleasant.

Yes, previously she had studied diligently according to a routine, always under pressure, feeling that since she came from an ordinary background with a low starting point and poor conditions, she had to work harder than others, as if she had wound up a spring inside herself.

Every day, she would periodically tighten that inner spring, urging herself to keep working hard.

After being with Li Weijin, it seemed like she had long forgotten to tighten that spring, yet she was still working hard, and happily so.

Xiao Qi felt that she had made progress, advancing to a different state where she did not need prompting, did not need constant reminders, did not need any spiritual sustenance, yet she could naturally study diligently. It was very comfortable and relaxed.

She felt that her studying had reached a natural state, without any sense of urgency, yet she was learning better and more at ease.

Perhaps it was because she had gained confidence from being with Zaizai.

Most people called him "Young Master," but Xiao Qi preferred the nickname "Zaizai."

How melodramatic!

As she walked back to the dorm, Xiao Qi felt it would be just fine to celebrate with her roommates. She couldn't prioritize her relationship over her friends.

But when she arrived at the dorm, her roommates had also gotten up, which was rare. On weekends, Mier and Yun Shu usually loved to sleep in.

Today, they had even gotten dressed.

"Xiao Qi, hurry! It's your birthday today. Let's all go to the city and eat something delicious," Mier greeted her with a wide smile.

Even the shy Wei Cheng was wearing her new windbreaker, smiling as she said, "Happy birthday. You're 18 now, how wonderful."

Yun Shu wore a pink corduroy dress, sent by her mother, from the brand Miu Miu, extremely expensive. Unaware of its cost, she looked rather cute wearing it.

No one asked Xiao Qi for help with makeup this semester. After learning from her, they had picked up quite a bit and could do it themselves.

Xiao Qi: "..."

"You're all so serious about this, even doing makeup."

"Of course, you need to put on makeup too. We're going out together, we must look gorgeous," Mier said with a smile as she applied whitening cream on her face.

Infected by her roommates' enthusiasm, the last hint of melancholy dissipated from Xiao Qi's mind. She felt she needed some self-reflection. No wonder people say being in love makes you silly - she was showing signs of silliness herself. Wouldn't it be nice to join her roommates?

They happily showered and changed clothes.

In the past, Xiao Qi's clothes were mainly black, white, and gray, but now she gradually developed a liking for bright colors that made her feel vibrant and cheerful, reflecting her more confident and outgoing personality.

Xiao Qi showered and put on a pair of blue flared jeans, a short-sleeved bubble blouse with little blue flowers and a square neckline that revealed her collarbones. The top just barely covered her waist, making her legs look two meters long and full of energy. With her short hair tied in a little ponytail, she looked especially fresh and pretty.

It was Xiao Qi's birthday, so instead of squeezing into a bus, Yun Shu called a car. Xiao Qi got in and chatted animatedly with her roommates for a while. Seeing Mier dozing off again, she took out her phone, put on earphones, and started listening to her French audio course.

Xiao Qi found that studying whenever and wherever possible was the most efficient way, with outstanding results. It felt like she had gained several times more time than others, which was very worthwhile.

Immersed in her studies, Xiao Qi didn't notice the scenery outside. The journey today seemed unusually long.

As she listened to the elegant French, Xiao Qi started to doze off towards the end, so she switched to French songs and leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes to rest.

It was Mier shaking her awake. "We're here, we're here, time to get out."

Even with her eyes closed, Xiao Qi could feel Mier's excitement - just for going into the city, how thrilling.

She opened her eyes, got out of the car, and was stunned.

In front of her was an enormous egg-shaped exhibition hall, with a large screen in front displaying various paintings, and an enormous poster that read 'Su Xiaoqi Art Exhibition'.

And under the massive poster stood a bald young man, dressed in a stylish white suit that would normally look drab, but his shaved head made him look lively, creating an eye-catching contrast.

Seeing this scene, Xiao Qi didn't just feel her heart flutter - she felt she had fallen, and fallen hard.