CH 10.2

The two people walked down the stairs and encountered a few boys standing in the way. They had their heads lowered, buried in the mobile games they were playing while chattering.

Even though Eighth High’s uniform was the same for everyone, there was one slightly different area that distinguished which grade a student was in. The main area you had to look at was the two lines on their trousers and sleeves. Third years had light blue lines while second years had purple lines.

The academic building for third years was not the same building for second years. Usually, apart from places like the sports courts and the canteen, the buildings couldn’t be spotted, so at this moment, the student having light blue lines in their uniform and was the oldest among all of them stood out conspicuously. The second years had bought a meal box and were on their way back to the classroom to eat, casting them glances.

One of the boys in the group raised his head and seeing the people who came out, he stuffed his phone into his pocket and suddenly started patting the others.

The three other people raised their heads and hid their phones in their pockets in unison. The four people stood in one row by the entrance of the second year’s building and looked at the people who were on the steps, yelling in chorus. “Boss Juan, good afternoon! Boss Juan, you’ve worked hard! Respectfully welcoming Boss Juan back to the palace!”

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The youths’ voices were clear, giving off an aura so imposing it could reach the clouds.

Second year passersby: “….”

Shen Juan: “….”

Fbld Kwyd lmralppksdzlppzu oldv yaswde vblx. “Reksvp.”

Tl Fsdtdyd zywtble ps xwnb bl nswzed’v pvayktbvld bkp oykpv, ulzzkdt yqvla bkx, “Ebyv es usw vbkdj, ckt cas! Rpd’v kv qzypbu!”

Fbld Kwyd vwadle bkp blye yde tyhl bkx vbl qkdtla, “Yu vbasyv bwavp, R esd’v oydv vs oypvl y pkdtzl osae xsal ps esd’v xyjl xl bkv usw.”

Tl Fsdtdyd tyhl bkx y alprlnvqwz cso. “Xj, ckt cas! Nlv’p lyv, ckt cas! Gal ol lyvkdt aknl dssezlp, ckt cas!”

–

Mblal olal y zsv sq qsse pvyzzp yv vbl rlakrblau sq Oktbvb Tktb. Gqvla nasppkdt vbaswtb vbl pnbssz tyvlp, vblu vwadle vs vbl aktbv yde naspple y asye.

Sknl dssezlp kd bsv prknu pswr, ryd xll okvb asypvle cyacliwl kd nypplaszl, lhlauvbkdt dllele oyp yhykzyczl. Mblal oyp lhld y bsvrsv pbsr wr yblye.

Nkd Zwfkdt eked’v alnstdkgl ydusdl. Fbl yaakhle cu blaplzq yde saelale vbl aknl dssezlp cwv wrsd pvlrrkdt kdpkel vbl pbsr, pbl alyzkgle vblal olal ds lxrvu vyczlp zlqv. Mbl sdzu alxykdkdt plyv oyp kd vbl nsadla clpkel y zkvvzl zyeu.

Lin Yujing walked over and asked, “Student, is anyone sitting beside you?”

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The little lady currently had her head lowered, quietly eating rice noodles. Hearing a sudden inquiry, her heart skipped a beat in surprise. She hurriedly raised her head and quickly shook her head.

With big eyes and a mouthful of rice noodles, her cheeks jiggling, she was unable to say a word.

She was such a cute little lady with bright eyes, slightly tan skin, and round face like a ball. She looked like a chocolate marshmallow.

Lin Yujing felt that the jitteriness she had been feeling for some time, had eased a smidgeon. She sat down beside her and ordered rice noodles for herself before beginning to ponder about how to solve the problem of Meng Weiguo.

She had blurted to him that she didn’t want to remain in the house but thinking about it again, even if managed to get a fake receipt, when Meng Weiguo returned, she couldn’t avoid getting into an argument with him.

Wouldn’t the good girl image she had built for several years be ruined?

Lin Yujing had already completely forgotten that she had called him “a country boy who married into a woman’s family” last night out of anger.

The restaurants at the edge of the school served meals very quickly. For rice noodles, it was even quicker. And so, Lin Yujing was served food in no time. She returned to her senses and looked at the bowl of rice noodles for 5 minutes before realizing that she had no chopsticks to eat with.

Raising her head, she looked around and saw that there was a chopsticks container on the table near the wall. Just as she was about to reach out to grab some, a pair of chopsticks appeared in front of her, held by a chubby and tan little hand.

Lin Yujing tilted her head. Chocolate Marshmallow held the chopsticks towards her and appeared a little embarrassed as she blinked at her.

Lin Yujing received it and gave thanks.

Little Marshmallow: “N-..No need…”

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Her voice was barely audible, much less in a rowdy small shop but because she was still seated close to her, Lin Yujing was able to hear her.

“D-do you need vinegar….” Little Marshmallow quietly and stammeringly asked.

Lin Yujing reacted and shook her head, “No need. Thank you.”

“N-No…” She couldn’t even say no problem properly.

She was too nervous.

Lin Yujing had an innocent-looking face. She herself was clear of this. She looked like she would be easy to get along with so she didn’t understand why this little lady acted so scared she couldn’t even speak without stammering.

Little Marshmallow no longer spoke. The two people quietly ate in silence for the next few minutes. Lin Yujing took out her phone and turned it on.

From last night up until today, her phone remained shut.

As she expected, the messages started flooding in, Meng Weiguo’s name filling the whole screen.

[Meng Weiguo: What did you just say? Say that again to me.]

[Meng Weiguo: Lin Yujing, are you really going against me?]

[Meng Weiguo: Don’t I treat you well enough? I give you food to eat, water to drink. I sent you to a good school and even when your mom didn’t want you, I took you in–]

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With a “kacha”, Lin Yujing expressionlessly locked her phone. In an instant, the screen turned black and the world regained its silence.

She left her phone on the table and continued slurping her noodles.

Just as she had taken a bite of her fish balls, a burst of giggles resounded from the entrance. A group of girls had entered and the one in front called out, “Are there any tables?”

“Nope!”

“Then we’ll wait. Today, I want to eat rice noodles.”

“How long do we have to wait? This is so annoying.”

“Sigh, isn’t there an empty seat here? Pull some chairs over and share them.”

Little Marshmallow visibly stiffened at the side. Lin Yujing turned to her and saw that her head was lowered, her long lashes quivering.

Out of the whole shop, only their table had a few seats left. It was a four-person long table with Lin Yujing and Little Marshmallow sitting on one side. There was originally another person opposite them but had just finished eating. And so, it was now empty.

The girls outside discussed for a bit before walking over when suddenly one of them abruptly laughed, “Well, isn’t this Sister Yi?”

A hand pressed down on their table, having clean and pretty fingers. On her wrist were several simple red bracelets. “Our Sister Yi also came to eat rice noodles? Please do share your table.”

It was just that the tone that she spoke with was a bit detestable.

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The few girls sat down across them. They were three people in total so one pulled a chair over, sitting beside Lin Yujing. After giving their orders, they chatted at the side and laughed boisterously, sounding a little noisy and clamorous.

Lin Yujing sighed and picked up the pace, wanting to finish eating early and head back.

Before a few minutes could even pass, the three ladies turned their gazes towards Lin Yujing’s direction, looking at Little Marshmallow who was sitting beside her. “Sister Yi, is the rice noodle delicious?”

Little Cotton Candy didn’t speak. Lin Yujing tilted her head and saw the chopsticks she was holding were quivering.

“Sigh. Sister Yi, your classmate is talking to you. Why aren’t you responding? You should be friendlier to them.”

The lady with the red bracelet smiled. “What do you want her to say? She’s a stutterer.”

Little Cotton Candy lowered her head and remained motionless, her expression indiscernible.

“Sister Yi, why are you so gloomy? Say something. Say something for us to hear. Aren’t you being disrespectful?”

“I like hearing you talk,” Another girl pinched her throat and imitated, “Y-y-you guys are so mean! G-g-g-give it back to me!”

Her voice was so loud that when she finished, the people inside the store looked over and the three people broke into an ear-piercing jeer.

Lin Yujing could feel that the girl was trembling all over.

Lin Yujing shut her eyes.

At this point, the girls’ rice noodles had been prepared. The boss lady carried three bowls over and placed them on their table.

They grabbed some chopsticks while laughing and were also about to get vinegar. After pouring some into their bowl, Red Bracelet suddenly seemed to remember something. “Sister Yi, didn’t you like having vinegar in your rice noodles? I’ll pour some for you. Is this enough? If it isn’t, let me pour in some more…” The girl reached out the vinegar bottle with her hand and screwed the cap off, pouring the entire bottle of vinegar into Little Marshmallow’s bowl.

The thick sour stench permeated the air.

The three girls began to laugh again, one of them unable to stop herself, slapping the table loudly. The flimsy-looking table seemed to shake dangerously due to her actions. “Li Shiqi, you’re too much. How could you bully someone?”

“Where did I bully her?” Red Bracelet chuckled, “Aren’t I being considerate?

Little Marshmallow didn’t make a peep in protest. She lowered her head, her shoulders shaking.

Lin Yujing heard a very soft sniffling voice.

A snap sounded in her head as the nerve that had stretched thin in her head for god knows how long snapped.

Like a bubbling Coke bottle, the anger she had been storing inside of her had been stifled to the brim. The cap of the bottle was finally unable to tolerate the pressure, popping off the body.

Lin Yujing pushed aside the bowl in front of her and looked up. Her chopsticks fell down on the table, emitting a clear sound.

The three girls turned quiet. Red Bracelet, whose hand was still holding the vinegar bottle above Little Marshmallow’s bowl, turned to look at her.

Lin Yujing licked her lips as she looked at her. “Are you blind?”

The girl was taken aback. “What?”

The store was very quiet, everyone turning to look at them due to the commotion they made.

“What do you mean what? Didn’t you hear what I just said? Are you not only blind but deaf as well?” Lin Yujing was now completely enveloped in anger. Her tone was very blunt, each word she uttered revealed annoyance and impatience, “You keep rattling on to no end. Can’t you stuff your mouth shut?”

“F*ck….” The girl started laughing from anger, “Our conversation is none of your d*mn business. Who even are you–“

“Who am I?” Lin Yujing narrowed her eyes, “I’m your adoptive dad. Now, you can either shut your mouth, eat quietly and f*ck off or this adoptive dad will teach you what basic manners and courtesy is on your father’s behalf.”

****

The author has something to say:

Lin Yujing: My temper is good, innit!!!!!