With the phone and novels both taken away, the girls of room five-two-oh spent the night weak and weary. Even though some asked whether the teacher on watch duty would let them off, the others knew such a thing was impossible.

[Xiaoya VS Boss]

With the phone and novels both taken away, the girls of room five-two-oh spent the night weak and weary. Even though some asked whether the teacher on watch duty would let them off, the others knew such a thing was impossible.

Xiaoya's stiffened body relaxed somewhat, as she then said, "Thank you, Sir." If her mother found out she and Lu Xiaobei were still in contact, it could lead to more trouble.

Xiaoya angrily punched her pillow for a long time, because her phone was her only way to communicate with Lu Xiaobei. From then onwards, not only could she not message Lu Xiaobei on QQ, it would be a month before she could go home. And when she does arrive in Nancheng, she has no idea if they would be able to meet.

At school the following day, on the notice board it was posted that there a person(s) in the second year of room five-two-oh who was using a mobile phone, and other(s) who caught reading novels. So, as a result, all the students of the dorm room were called into the office to see Mr. Li.

A Long Separation

After the monthly exams, the school had a sports day. Because of Xiaoya's height and long legs, she looked good in a skirt, so when Mr. Li arranged for her to walk in the march past up front and holding the sign.

Holding the toothpaste in her hand, Xiaoya scurried to the phone with thudding steps. "Hello, mom?"

Xiaoya then continued, "Sometimes I'm really jealous of you. If there's something you want to do, you'll strive to do it with all you got. I'm not like that. I'm someone who'll wait for others to stride ahead by ninety-nine steps before I move to make one."

*Sobbing noises*... What is Lu Xiaobei going to think when I "disappear" without a reason?! Xiaoya wrestled with this problem until she fell asleep, and once she fell asleep she was still uneasy.

Xiaoya: ...

At school the following day, on the notice board it was posted that there a person(s) in the second year of room five-two-oh who was using a mobile phone, and other(s) who caught reading novels. So, as a result, all the students of the dorm room were called into the office to see Mr. Li.

"Xiaoya—"

Holding the toothpaste in her hand, Xiaoya scurried to the phone with thudding steps. "Hello, mom?"

N/A

When Xiaoya heard the girl beside her complain on her behalf, she also thought of them helping bring her food at lunch, and waiting for her after their evening self-study sessions so they could all go back to their dorm together. She thought about how despite them coming from different places, and despite them not knowing each other for too long, when compared to her life previous high school, having these lovely girls she had beside her now meant there were also a lot of good aspects in her current life.

There as a mid-monthly exam, and because it was the first exam after the second year class was divided, both teachers and students attached a great amount of importance to it.

When Xiaoya heard the girl beside her complain on her behalf, she also thought of them helping bring her food at lunch, and waiting for her after their evening self-study sessions so they could all go back to their dorm together. She thought about how despite them coming from different places, and despite them not knowing each other for too long, when compared to her life previous high school, having these lovely girls she had beside her now meant there were also a lot of good aspects in her current life.

Xiaoya whispered under her breath, "Lu Xiaobei?"

Xiaoya admitted she was using her phone point blank and also accepted the fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection she had to write, her only request being: "Sir, can you not tell my parents was playing with a phone at school?"

Lu Xiaobei had always told her: "When you should study, study. When you should have fun, have fun. And when you should rest, rest." Xiaoya always thought it would be great if she could "study then she should study". So now with learning atmosphere around her being like this, even though she didn't run out to study in the middle of the night, she also worked quite hard.

Lu Xiaobei: "I noticed the number of your dorm room never changed, so I wondered if it was possible I could call in."

[Xiaoya defeated]

Cheng Kexin shook her head regretfully, saying, "It's a really old phone." Then she suddenly snapped her finger, recalling a person. "Liu Xiangyu! Liu Xiangyu has a phone and it's possible he'll let you borrow it."

When Xiaoya heard the girl beside her complain on her behalf, she also thought of them helping bring her food at lunch, and waiting for her after their evening self-study sessions so they could all go back to their dorm together. She thought about how despite them coming from different places, and despite them not knowing each other for too long, when compared to her life previous high school, having these lovely girls she had beside her now meant there were also a lot of good aspects in her current life.

Cheng Kexin then said to herself, "But if I had to choose, I'd prefer to fight for what want and not wait for others to hand it to me." Looking at her own hands, she continued, "Because whatever others give to you can always be taken away. But the things I seize for myself, will always remain in my hands."

During the afternoon, the few sporadic self-study classes were all snatched up by teachers from all departments and all kinds of practice exercises were given out for free. "You guys are no longer first years, so don't think your college entrance exams are still some far off dream. When you make it to your third year, It will be far too late to start trying." All kinds of 'chicken soup for the soul' and other inspiration ideas were mixed and pounded into the students' brains.

Mr. Li: "Then why did you bring a phone here? Don't you know this school forbids mobile phones being brought on the grounds?"

Mr. Li: "Your hand will be holding the sign so it doesn't need to move. Therefore, you don't need to worry about not marching properly."

Xiaoya then muttered, "Seriously, my character is no good at all." Xiaoya always knew she was someone who never wanted to leave her comfort zone. If it was stormy outside, it was better to stay curled up in her turtleshell. But hiding in her shell meant she had no way to protect the person she wanted to protect, so she had to change—no matter how painful it was, she needed to change.

Cheng Kexin: "Actually, I'm jealous of you too. You didn't need fight for stuff because for most of your life there was never anything you needed to fight for. If you needed it, even if the time for it hadn't come yet, you parents would prepare it for you ahead of time. Other girls have to continually expand their contact list just so they can meet a guy who will like them to, but you only have to sit there and the minute the one upfront falls aside there would one after the other lined up and ready to take their place."

Xiaoya could've honestly said she hadn't known, she had been at Yunta High for under a month, the other students were all old students and the head teacher never went through the school rules when she started classes. So her saying she was unaware was believable.

N/A

After the monthly exams, the school had a sports day. Because of Xiaoya's height and long legs, she looked good in a skirt, so when Mr. Li arranged for her to walk in the march past up front and holding the sign.

After the games, the monthly exam results were released. Xiaoya placed fourteenth in her class, and was ranked thirtieth for both the liberal arts classes for her grade. Yunta High's teaching quality was not as good as Nancheng's, so students who place thirtieth are most likely hovering around the college enrolment baseline, which is still a long way from what's needed to qualify for entry into Nancheng University.

Xiaoya knew she still had a long way to go.

Xiaoya could've honestly said she hadn't known, she had been at Yunta High for under a month, the other students were all old students and the head teacher never went through the school rules when she started classes. So her saying she was unaware was believable.

But Xiaoya said nothing, she was never one who liked to quibble. She could be described as aloof, she could also be described as well-behaved—someone who simply follows the rules.

N/A

After the games, the monthly exam results were released. Xiaoya placed fourteenth in her class, and was ranked thirtieth for both the liberal arts classes for her grade. Yunta High's teaching quality was not as good as Nancheng's, so students who place thirtieth are most likely hovering around the college enrolment baseline, which is still a long way from what's needed to qualify for entry into Nancheng University.

After the monthly exams, the school had a sports day. Because of Xiaoya's height and long legs, she looked good in a skirt, so when Mr. Li arranged for her to walk in the march past up front and holding the sign.

After an awkward silence, Mr. Li broke their deadlock. "It's not out of the question, but the phone must be kept in my possession. When the semester is over I will give it back to you."

Xiaoya quietly continued marching on that playing field. Her thoughts drifting from Cheng Kexin as well as herself. Thinking about how if she were stronger, a lot of the issues she faced would not be the same.

Xiaoya's stiffened body relaxed somewhat, as she then said, "Thank you, Sir." If her mother found out she and Lu Xiaobei were still in contact, it could lead to more trouble.

After returning to school Xiaoya felt as though the days were quickly rushing by.

Xiaoya then muttered, "Seriously, my character is no good at all." Xiaoya always knew she was someone who never wanted to leave her comfort zone. If it was stormy outside, it was better to stay curled up in her turtleshell. But hiding in her shell meant she had no way to protect the person she wanted to protect, so she had to change—no matter how painful it was, she needed to change.

"Before, I thought it really didn't matter if I did, because I didn't have any big ambitions to chase after. I only wanted to get into a university, find a nine to five job, then my family would've arranged blind dates for me. When the time came, I would've found someone to marry and just lived a life like my parents, and maybe that life would've been better than theirs, or not as good." Xiaoya then remained silent for a moment before adding, "But now, I don't want that."

But Xiaoya said nothing, she was never one who liked to quibble. She could be described as aloof, she could also be described as well-behaved—someone who simply follows the rules.

The two then spoke of random things until the foam from the toothpaste on Xiaoya's lips turned white, and the dorm lights were about to be shut off. So, with much reluctance, the call between the two was ended.

Xiaoya's stiffened body relaxed somewhat, as she then said, "Thank you, Sir." If her mother found out she and Lu Xiaobei were still in contact, it could lead to more trouble.

Xiaoya quickly told Lu Xiaobei the recent situation at her school as well as asking for her phone number. The latter being on account of Lu Xiaobei's number not being memorised by her given it was set with a shortcut button on her phone.

[Xiaoya VS Boss]

Xiaoya admitted she was using her phone point blank and also accepted the fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection she had to write, her only request being: "Sir, can you not tell my parents was playing with a phone at school?"

At school the following day, on the notice board it was posted that there a person(s) in the second year of room five-two-oh who was using a mobile phone, and other(s) who caught reading novels. So, as a result, all the students of the dorm room were called into the office to see Mr. Li.

After the monthly exams, the school had a sports day. Because of Xiaoya's height and long legs, she looked good in a skirt, so when Mr. Li arranged for her to walk in the march past up front and holding the sign.

When Xiaya left the office her roommates were all waiting by the door. "Xiaoya, is everything alright? Did Sir give you back your phone?"

But Xiaoya said nothing, she was never one who liked to quibble. She could be described as aloof, she could also be described as well-behaved—someone who simply follows the rules.

Xiaoya shook her head. "No, but he promised to not tell my parents I had one."

"Before, I thought it really didn't matter if I did, because I didn't have any big ambitions to chase after. I only wanted to get into a university, find a nine to five job, then my family would've arranged blind dates for me. When the time came, I would've found someone to marry and just lived a life like my parents, and maybe that life would've been better than theirs, or not as good." Xiaoya then remained silent for a moment before adding, "But now, I don't want that."

"Why is he acting like that, huh?" The girls in Xiaoya's dorm championed her cause on her behalf. After suffering through hardships together, those girls who slept in the same dorm could only feel as though they'd gotten closer.

Xiaoya heard the voice in her own heart, and thus replied, "Yes, let's.

When Xiaoya heard the girl beside her complain on her behalf, she also thought of them helping bring her food at lunch, and waiting for her after their evening self-study sessions so they could all go back to their dorm together. She thought about how despite them coming from different places, and despite them not knowing each other for too long, when compared to her life previous high school, having these lovely girls she had beside her now meant there were also a lot of good aspects in her current life.

As Xiaoya was on her way back to the washrooom to wash up again, the roommate of hers from earlier said a line by chance that made her halt her steps.

When Xiaoya heard the girl beside her complain on her behalf, she also thought of them helping bring her food at lunch, and waiting for her after their evening self-study sessions so they could all go back to their dorm together. She thought about how despite them coming from different places, and despite them not knowing each other for too long, when compared to her life previous high school, having these lovely girls she had beside her now meant there were also a lot of good aspects in her current life.

Xiaoya then continued, "Sometimes I'm really jealous of you. If there's something you want to do, you'll strive to do it with all you got. I'm not like that. I'm someone who'll wait for others to stride ahead by ninety-nine steps before I move to make one."

And if not for...

Xiaoya admitted she was using her phone point blank and also accepted the fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection she had to write, her only request being: "Sir, can you not tell my parents was playing with a phone at school?"

She would've probably been quite happy staying there.

It's possible there are some thongs we just won't be able to do, you know? But that doesn't mean we should be afraid to try."

"Xiaoya, your mother has a really beautiful voice."

"Before, I thought it really didn't matter if I did, because I didn't have any big ambitions to chase after. I only wanted to get into a university, find a nine to five job, then my family would've arranged blind dates for me. When the time came, I would've found someone to marry and just lived a life like my parents, and maybe that life would've been better than theirs, or not as good." Xiaoya then remained silent for a moment before adding, "But now, I don't want that."

Before the evening self-study session began, Mr. Li told the class of the "evildoings" room five-two-oh and that their punishment would start from that day. They would be responsible for classroom sanitation for a week, and for Xiaoya who was using a mobile phone along with the girl who brought the novel, they both had to write a fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection.

Cheng Kexin: "It's probably to pick up girls. You can go ask him, I feel as though the relationship between the two of you is pretty good."

When the study session was over, XIaoya asked Cheng Kexin, "Is there anyone in our class who has a phone? I want to send a friend of mine a message."

And there were a lot of students who had begun growing anxious. Cheng Kexin spent her entire lunch break every day reciting Classical Chinese or English, which was fine. But her other dorm mates scurried to read under the lamps in the hallway at night, and that gave Xiaoya a fright.

"So do you want to always be like this?" Cheng Kexin asked.

Cheng Kexin: "Actually, I'm jealous of you too. You didn't need fight for stuff because for most of your life there was never anything you needed to fight for. If you needed it, even if the time for it hadn't come yet, you parents would prepare it for you ahead of time. Other girls have to continually expand their contact list just so they can meet a guy who will like them to, but you only have to sit there and the minute the one upfront falls aside there would one after the other lined up and ready to take their place."

When Xiaoya heard the girl beside her complain on her behalf, she also thought of them helping bring her food at lunch, and waiting for her after their evening self-study sessions so they could all go back to their dorm together. She thought about how despite them coming from different places, and despite them not knowing each other for too long, when compared to her life previous high school, having these lovely girls she had beside her now meant there were also a lot of good aspects in her current life.

By then, Lu Xiaobei would have sent her back some message of some sort.

Cheng Kein thought about it then replied, "I know a few classmates who have one, but they definitely won't lend them out, especially since you just got yours taken away. Our class monitor would lend you hers, though, but her phone is a old model. It can only send text messages and make calls, so would that be good enough?"

Having waited a couple minutes for a response, it appeared Lu Xiaobei wasn't near her phone since she did not reply to Xiaoya. So, closing the phone, Xiaoya gave it back to Liu Xiangyu.

Xiaoya bit her lip then asked further, "Can it connect to the web?"

After an awkward silence, Mr. Li broke their deadlock. "It's not out of the question, but the phone must be kept in my possession. When the semester is over I will give it back to you."

A Long Separation

After the games, the monthly exam results were released. Xiaoya placed fourteenth in her class, and was ranked thirtieth for both the liberal arts classes for her grade. Yunta High's teaching quality was not as good as Nancheng's, so students who place thirtieth are most likely hovering around the college enrolment baseline, which is still a long way from what's needed to qualify for entry into Nancheng University.

Cheng Kexin shook her head regretfully, saying, "It's a really old phone." Then she suddenly snapped her finger, recalling a person. "Liu Xiangyu! Liu Xiangyu has a phone and it's possible he'll let you borrow it."

Lu Xiaobei suppressed her laughter. "I never told your roommate I was your mom, she made the assumption herself."

Xiaoya then thought of her and Lu Xiaobei, that if it was not for Lu Xiaobei's steadfastness in slowly waiting for her to understand, they could've missed finding one another.

[Xiaoya defeated]

Lu Xiaobei: "I noticed the number of your dorm room never changed, so I wondered if it was possible I could call in."

By then, Lu Xiaobei would have sent her back some message of some sort.

Xiaoya admitted she was using her phone point blank and also accepted the fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection she had to write, her only request being: "Sir, can you not tell my parents was playing with a phone at school?"

N/A

Xiaoya: "He's a day student, so can he have a phone?"

Liu Xiangyu: "Has he still not replied? If you want you can take my phone back with you and used it for the night then just hand it back to me tomorrow."

Xiaoya could've honestly said she hadn't known, she had been at Yunta High for under a month, the other students were all old students and the head teacher never went through the school rules when she started classes. So her saying she was unaware was believable.

There as a mid-monthly exam, and because it was the first exam after the second year class was divided, both teachers and students attached a great amount of importance to it.

Cheng Kexin: "It's probably to pick up girls. You can go ask him, I feel as though the relationship between the two of you is pretty good."

Xiaoya's stiffened body relaxed somewhat, as she then said, "Thank you, Sir." If her mother found out she and Lu Xiaobei were still in contact, it could lead to more trouble.

When the study session was over, XIaoya asked Cheng Kexin, "Is there anyone in our class who has a phone? I want to send a friend of mine a message."

"So do you want to always be like this?" Cheng Kexin asked.

After returning to school Xiaoya felt as though the days were quickly rushing by.

Liu Xiangyu: "Has he still not replied? If you want you can take my phone back with you and used it for the night then just hand it back to me tomorrow."

"All he did was ask me a few questions before, and after the seats got closer, we spoke a few times." Mr. Li who had Xiaoya seated in the front row before the holiday, placed her in the middle black row with Liu Xiangyu seated right in front of her, so the two were a bit familiar with one another. "Fine. I'll go ask him."

After Xiaoya's phone got confiscated, Lu Xiaobei messaged her phone number to Xiaoya on QQ, so Xiaoya would usually call her using the payphone in her dorm and so they could chat to ease their lovesickness.

When the evening self-study sessions were done, the students who lived in the dorms all rushed back, but as a day student, Liu Xiangyu was neither swift nor sluggish in packing up his book bag.

"Your mom is called." Room five-two-oh had a land line on the wall. To call from the inside you needed a phone card, but it was also possible to receive calls from the outside.

After the monthly exams, the school had a sports day. Because of Xiaoya's height and long legs, she looked good in a skirt, so when Mr. Li arranged for her to walk in the march past up front and holding the sign.

After an awkward silence, Mr. Li broke their deadlock. "It's not out of the question, but the phone must be kept in my possession. When the semester is over I will give it back to you."

Xiaoya asked to borrow his phone, and he readily agreed. Together with Cheng Kexin they gave Xiaoya some cover, allowing her some time to log into her QQ account and send Lu Xiaobei a message.

Cheng Kexin: "Actually, I'm jealous of you too. You didn't need fight for stuff because for most of your life there was never anything you needed to fight for. If you needed it, even if the time for it hadn't come yet, you parents would prepare it for you ahead of time. Other girls have to continually expand their contact list just so they can meet a guy who will like them to, but you only have to sit there and the minute the one upfront falls aside there would one after the other lined up and ready to take their place."

Cheng Kexin: "Actually, I'm jealous of you too. You didn't need fight for stuff because for most of your life there was never anything you needed to fight for. If you needed it, even if the time for it hadn't come yet, you parents would prepare it for you ahead of time. Other girls have to continually expand their contact list just so they can meet a guy who will like them to, but you only have to sit there and the minute the one upfront falls aside there would one after the other lined up and ready to take their place."

Mr. Li: "Then why did you bring a phone here? Don't you know this school forbids mobile phones being brought on the grounds?"

Xiaoya quickly told Lu Xiaobei the recent situation at her school as well as asking for her phone number. The latter being on account of Lu Xiaobei's number not being memorised by her given it was set with a shortcut button on her phone.

Holding the toothpaste in her hand, Xiaoya scurried to the phone with thudding steps. "Hello, mom?"

Having waited a couple minutes for a response, it appeared Lu Xiaobei wasn't near her phone since she did not reply to Xiaoya. So, closing the phone, Xiaoya gave it back to Liu Xiangyu.

Xiaoya shook her head. "No, but he promised to not tell my parents I had one."

Xiaoya: "You can, my mother does. I forgot to tell you about it."

N/A

Cheng Kein thought about it then replied, "I know a few classmates who have one, but they definitely won't lend them out, especially since you just got yours taken away. Our class monitor would lend you hers, though, but her phone is a old model. It can only send text messages and make calls, so would that be good enough?"

As Xiaoya was on her way back to the washrooom to wash up again, the roommate of hers from earlier said a line by chance that made her halt her steps.

Xiaoya whispered under her breath, "Lu Xiaobei?"

[Xiaoya VS Boss]

Liu Xiangyu: "Has he still not replied? If you want you can take my phone back with you and used it for the night then just hand it back to me tomorrow."

The two then spoke of random things until the foam from the toothpaste on Xiaoya's lips turned white, and the dorm lights were about to be shut off. So, with much reluctance, the call between the two was ended.

Xiaoya didn't intend on troubling him any further so she replied, "Thanks, but you don;t need to do that. There's a computer class on Wednesday so I can just check to see her message then." Yunta High had one computer class scheduled every two weeks, and despite there being homework involving Microsoft Word or Excel to be done, it was the only class where any access to the internet was possible.

She would've probably been quite happy staying there.

Xiaoya then continued, "Sometimes I'm really jealous of you. If there's something you want to do, you'll strive to do it with all you got. I'm not like that. I'm someone who'll wait for others to stride ahead by ninety-nine steps before I move to make one."

Xiaoya then continued, "Sometimes I'm really jealous of you. If there's something you want to do, you'll strive to do it with all you got. I'm not like that. I'm someone who'll wait for others to stride ahead by ninety-nine steps before I move to make one."

When Xiaoya heard the girl beside her complain on her behalf, she also thought of them helping bring her food at lunch, and waiting for her after their evening self-study sessions so they could all go back to their dorm together. She thought about how despite them coming from different places, and despite them not knowing each other for too long, when compared to her life previous high school, having these lovely girls she had beside her now meant there were also a lot of good aspects in her current life.

She would've probably been quite happy staying there.

By then, Lu Xiaobei would have sent her back some message of some sort.

Xiaoya whispered under her breath, "Lu Xiaobei?"

After returning to school Xiaoya felt as though the days were quickly rushing by.

Xiaoya then muttered, "Seriously, my character is no good at all." Xiaoya always knew she was someone who never wanted to leave her comfort zone. If it was stormy outside, it was better to stay curled up in her turtleshell. But hiding in her shell meant she had no way to protect the person she wanted to protect, so she had to change—no matter how painful it was, she needed to change.

There as a mid-monthly exam, and because it was the first exam after the second year class was divided, both teachers and students attached a great amount of importance to it.

During the afternoon, the few sporadic self-study classes were all snatched up by teachers from all departments and all kinds of practice exercises were given out for free. "You guys are no longer first years, so don't think your college entrance exams are still some far off dream. When you make it to your third year, It will be far too late to start trying." All kinds of 'chicken soup for the soul' and other inspiration ideas were mixed and pounded into the students' brains.

Cheng Kexin: "Actually, I'm jealous of you too. You didn't need fight for stuff because for most of your life there was never anything you needed to fight for. If you needed it, even if the time for it hadn't come yet, you parents would prepare it for you ahead of time. Other girls have to continually expand their contact list just so they can meet a guy who will like them to, but you only have to sit there and the minute the one upfront falls aside there would one after the other lined up and ready to take their place."

By then, Lu Xiaobei would have sent her back some message of some sort.

During the afternoon, the few sporadic self-study classes were all snatched up by teachers from all departments and all kinds of practice exercises were given out for free. "You guys are no longer first years, so don't think your college entrance exams are still some far off dream. When you make it to your third year, It will be far too late to start trying." All kinds of 'chicken soup for the soul' and other inspiration ideas were mixed and pounded into the students' brains.

When the study session was over, XIaoya asked Cheng Kexin, "Is there anyone in our class who has a phone? I want to send a friend of mine a message."

Liu Xiangyu: "Has he still not replied? If you want you can take my phone back with you and used it for the night then just hand it back to me tomorrow."

After the monthly exams, the school had a sports day. Because of Xiaoya's height and long legs, she looked good in a skirt, so when Mr. Li arranged for her to walk in the march past up front and holding the sign.

Xiaoya: "You can, my mother does. I forgot to tell you about it."

Xiaoya refused internally so she said, "Sir, I'm worried my hands and feet are uncoordinated so I can't march properly."

"So do you want to always be like this?" Cheng Kexin asked.

When the study session was over, XIaoya asked Cheng Kexin, "Is there anyone in our class who has a phone? I want to send a friend of mine a message."

And there were a lot of students who had begun growing anxious. Cheng Kexin spent her entire lunch break every day reciting Classical Chinese or English, which was fine. But her other dorm mates scurried to read under the lamps in the hallway at night, and that gave Xiaoya a fright.

"All he did was ask me a few questions before, and after the seats got closer, we spoke a few times." Mr. Li who had Xiaoya seated in the front row before the holiday, placed her in the middle black row with Liu Xiangyu seated right in front of her, so the two were a bit familiar with one another. "Fine. I'll go ask him."

"Xiaoya—"

There as a mid-monthly exam, and because it was the first exam after the second year class was divided, both teachers and students attached a great amount of importance to it.

Lu Xiaobei had always told her: "When you should study, study. When you should have fun, have fun. And when you should rest, rest." Xiaoya always thought it would be great if she could "study then she should study". So now with learning atmosphere around her being like this, even though she didn't run out to study in the middle of the night, she also worked quite hard.

When the evening self-study sessions were done, the students who lived in the dorms all rushed back, but as a day student, Liu Xiangyu was neither swift nor sluggish in packing up his book bag.

[Xiaoya defeated]

"Before, I thought it really didn't matter if I did, because I didn't have any big ambitions to chase after. I only wanted to get into a university, find a nine to five job, then my family would've arranged blind dates for me. When the time came, I would've found someone to marry and just lived a life like my parents, and maybe that life would've been better than theirs, or not as good." Xiaoya then remained silent for a moment before adding, "But now, I don't want that."

Cheng Kexin: "Actually, I'm jealous of you too. You didn't need fight for stuff because for most of your life there was never anything you needed to fight for. If you needed it, even if the time for it hadn't come yet, you parents would prepare it for you ahead of time. Other girls have to continually expand their contact list just so they can meet a guy who will like them to, but you only have to sit there and the minute the one upfront falls aside there would one after the other lined up and ready to take their place."

Xiaoya refused internally so she said, "Sir, I'm worried my hands and feet are uncoordinated so I can't march properly."

Cheng Kexin: "Xiaoya, how about both of us change together? Let's become better and better, and take control of our own lives. As I see it, since you're afraid to walk at the head of the crowd, you should push yourself to walk in front of the crowd. You hate speaking up in front of many people, so you should find as many opportunities as you can to go speak in front of a crowd.

Xiaoya: "You can, my mother does. I forgot to tell you about it."

After the monthly exams, the school had a sports day. Because of Xiaoya's height and long legs, she looked good in a skirt, so when Mr. Li arranged for her to walk in the march past up front and holding the sign.

While brushing her teeth, Xiaoya heard someone calling her name from the her dorm room, causing her to shout in return, "What is it?"

After Xiaoya's phone got confiscated, Lu Xiaobei messaged her phone number to Xiaoya on QQ, so Xiaoya would usually call her using the payphone in her dorm and so they could chat to ease their lovesickness.

Cheng Kexin: "Xiaoya, how about both of us change together? Let's become better and better, and take control of our own lives. As I see it, since you're afraid to walk at the head of the crowd, you should push yourself to walk in front of the crowd. You hate speaking up in front of many people, so you should find as many opportunities as you can to go speak in front of a crowd.

Xiaoya refused internally so she said, "Sir, I'm worried my hands and feet are uncoordinated so I can't march properly."

Xiaoya bit her lip then asked further, "Can it connect to the web?"

Mr. Li: "Your hand will be holding the sign so it doesn't need to move. Therefore, you don't need to worry about not marching properly."

Xiaoya wailed in her dorm room for a couple days until she was dragged out by Cheng Kexin to the playing field to practice marching. Cheng Kexin saw the irritation on Xiaoya's face. "If you're worried about not doing something well, you need to go practice. It's pointless spending day after day mourning over it."

[Xiaoya defeated]

Xiaoya bit her lip then asked further, "Can it connect to the web?"

Xiaoya's stiffened body relaxed somewhat, as she then said, "Thank you, Sir." If her mother found out she and Lu Xiaobei were still in contact, it could lead to more trouble.

Xiaoya whispered under her breath, "Lu Xiaobei?"

[Xiaoya VS Boss]

Xiaoya could've honestly said she hadn't known, she had been at Yunta High for under a month, the other students were all old students and the head teacher never went through the school rules when she started classes. So her saying she was unaware was believable.

Xiaoya refused internally so she said, "Sir, I'm worried my hands and feet are uncoordinated so I can't march properly."

"Xiaoya, your mother has a really beautiful voice."

By then, Lu Xiaobei would have sent her back some message of some sort.

[Xiaoya defeated]

[Xiaoya defeated]

[Xiaoya defeated]

During the afternoon, the few sporadic self-study classes were all snatched up by teachers from all departments and all kinds of practice exercises were given out for free. "You guys are no longer first years, so don't think your college entrance exams are still some far off dream. When you make it to your third year, It will be far too late to start trying." All kinds of 'chicken soup for the soul' and other inspiration ideas were mixed and pounded into the students' brains.

Xiaoya: "He's a day student, so can he have a phone?"

Xiaoya wailed in her dorm room for a couple days until she was dragged out by Cheng Kexin to the playing field to practice marching. Cheng Kexin saw the irritation on Xiaoya's face. "If you're worried about not doing something well, you need to go practice. It's pointless spending day after day mourning over it."

Perhaps it was on account of Cheng Kexin accompanying her during training, because Xiaoya managed to successfully complete the opening ceremony of the sports festival. Keep your head straight. Maintain a proper distance from the front and back. Don't forget to keep a light smile...

Xiaoya refused internally so she said, "Sir, I'm worried my hands and feet are uncoordinated so I can't march properly."

When the evening self-study sessions were done, the students who lived in the dorms all rushed back, but as a day student, Liu Xiangyu was neither swift nor sluggish in packing up his book bag.

While practising, Xiaoya replied, "I've always been like this. When others tell me something, I just do it. But if I don't want to do it, even if I try to do it as best I can, I on;t be able to do it properly."

Xiaoya asked to borrow his phone, and he readily agreed. Together with Cheng Kexin they gave Xiaoya some cover, allowing her some time to log into her QQ account and send Lu Xiaobei a message.

Before the evening self-study session began, Mr. Li told the class of the "evildoings" room five-two-oh and that their punishment would start from that day. They would be responsible for classroom sanitation for a week, and for Xiaoya who was using a mobile phone along with the girl who brought the novel, they both had to write a fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection.

Xiaoya whispered under her breath, "Lu Xiaobei?"

"So do you want to always be like this?" Cheng Kexin asked.

With the phone and novels both taken away, the girls of room five-two-oh spent the night weak and weary. Even though some asked whether the teacher on watch duty would let them off, the others knew such a thing was impossible.

While practising, Xiaoya replied, "I've always been like this. When others tell me something, I just do it. But if I don't want to do it, even if I try to do it as best I can, I on;t be able to do it properly."

After returning to school Xiaoya felt as though the days were quickly rushing by.

Before the evening self-study session began, Mr. Li told the class of the "evildoings" room five-two-oh and that their punishment would start from that day. They would be responsible for classroom sanitation for a week, and for Xiaoya who was using a mobile phone along with the girl who brought the novel, they both had to write a fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection.

As Xiaoya was on her way back to the washrooom to wash up again, the roommate of hers from earlier said a line by chance that made her halt her steps.

"Before, I thought it really didn't matter if I did, because I didn't have any big ambitions to chase after. I only wanted to get into a university, find a nine to five job, then my family would've arranged blind dates for me. When the time came, I would've found someone to marry and just lived a life like my parents, and maybe that life would've been better than theirs, or not as good." Xiaoya then remained silent for a moment before adding, "But now, I don't want that."

When Xiaya left the office her roommates were all waiting by the door. "Xiaoya, is everything alright? Did Sir give you back your phone?"

Cheng Kexin: "It's probably to pick up girls. You can go ask him, I feel as though the relationship between the two of you is pretty good."

When Xiaya left the office her roommates were all waiting by the door. "Xiaoya, is everything alright? Did Sir give you back your phone?"

"All he did was ask me a few questions before, and after the seats got closer, we spoke a few times." Mr. Li who had Xiaoya seated in the front row before the holiday, placed her in the middle black row with Liu Xiangyu seated right in front of her, so the two were a bit familiar with one another. "Fine. I'll go ask him."

There as a mid-monthly exam, and because it was the first exam after the second year class was divided, both teachers and students attached a great amount of importance to it.

Xiaoya then continued, "Sometimes I'm really jealous of you. If there's something you want to do, you'll strive to do it with all you got. I'm not like that. I'm someone who'll wait for others to stride ahead by ninety-nine steps before I move to make one."

Xiaoya angrily punched her pillow for a long time, because her phone was her only way to communicate with Lu Xiaobei. From then onwards, not only could she not message Lu Xiaobei on QQ, it would be a month before she could go home. And when she does arrive in Nancheng, she has no idea if they would be able to meet.

Cheng Kexin: "Xiaoya, how about both of us change together? Let's become better and better, and take control of our own lives. As I see it, since you're afraid to walk at the head of the crowd, you should push yourself to walk in front of the crowd. You hate speaking up in front of many people, so you should find as many opportunities as you can to go speak in front of a crowd.

Xiaoya bit her lip then asked further, "Can it connect to the web?"

Cheng Kexin then said to herself, "But if I had to choose, I'd prefer to fight for what want and not wait for others to hand it to me." Looking at her own hands, she continued, "Because whatever others give to you can always be taken away. But the things I seize for myself, will always remain in my hands."

Having waited a couple minutes for a response, it appeared Lu Xiaobei wasn't near her phone since she did not reply to Xiaoya. So, closing the phone, Xiaoya gave it back to Liu Xiangyu.

Xiaoya then thought of her and Lu Xiaobei, that if it was not for Lu Xiaobei's steadfastness in slowly waiting for her to understand, they could've missed finding one another.

Xiaoya then thought of her and Lu Xiaobei, that if it was not for Lu Xiaobei's steadfastness in slowly waiting for her to understand, they could've missed finding one another.

Cheng Kexin shook her head regretfully, saying, "It's a really old phone." Then she suddenly snapped her finger, recalling a person. "Liu Xiangyu! Liu Xiangyu has a phone and it's possible he'll let you borrow it."

Lu Xiaobei had always told her: "When you should study, study. When you should have fun, have fun. And when you should rest, rest." Xiaoya always thought it would be great if she could "study then she should study". So now with learning atmosphere around her being like this, even though she didn't run out to study in the middle of the night, she also worked quite hard.

When Xiaoya heard the girl beside her complain on her behalf, she also thought of them helping bring her food at lunch, and waiting for her after their evening self-study sessions so they could all go back to their dorm together. She thought about how despite them coming from different places, and despite them not knowing each other for too long, when compared to her life previous high school, having these lovely girls she had beside her now meant there were also a lot of good aspects in her current life.

Perhaps it was on account of Cheng Kexin accompanying her during training, because Xiaoya managed to successfully complete the opening ceremony of the sports festival. Keep your head straight. Maintain a proper distance from the front and back. Don't forget to keep a light smile...

Xiaoya then muttered, "Seriously, my character is no good at all." Xiaoya always knew she was someone who never wanted to leave her comfort zone. If it was stormy outside, it was better to stay curled up in her turtleshell. But hiding in her shell meant she had no way to protect the person she wanted to protect, so she had to change—no matter how painful it was, she needed to change.

Lu Xiaobei: "I noticed the number of your dorm room never changed, so I wondered if it was possible I could call in."

By then, Lu Xiaobei would have sent her back some message of some sort.

Xiaoya: "You can, my mother does. I forgot to tell you about it."

Cheng Kexin: "Actually, I'm jealous of you too. You didn't need fight for stuff because for most of your life there was never anything you needed to fight for. If you needed it, even if the time for it hadn't come yet, you parents would prepare it for you ahead of time. Other girls have to continually expand their contact list just so they can meet a guy who will like them to, but you only have to sit there and the minute the one upfront falls aside there would one after the other lined up and ready to take their place."

When Xiaoya heard the girl beside her complain on her behalf, she also thought of them helping bring her food at lunch, and waiting for her after their evening self-study sessions so they could all go back to their dorm together. She thought about how despite them coming from different places, and despite them not knowing each other for too long, when compared to her life previous high school, having these lovely girls she had beside her now meant there were also a lot of good aspects in her current life.

"So do you want to always be like this?" Cheng Kexin asked.

Before the evening self-study session began, Mr. Li told the class of the "evildoings" room five-two-oh and that their punishment would start from that day. They would be responsible for classroom sanitation for a week, and for Xiaoya who was using a mobile phone along with the girl who brought the novel, they both had to write a fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection.

Xiaoya admitted she was using her phone point blank and also accepted the fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection she had to write, her only request being: "Sir, can you not tell my parents was playing with a phone at school?"

*Sobbing noises*... What is Lu Xiaobei going to think when I "disappear" without a reason?! Xiaoya wrestled with this problem until she fell asleep, and once she fell asleep she was still uneasy.

Xiaoya laughed, retorting, "Hey my, life isn't a walk in the park either." There are times when she was also very confused as well as very lost.

"Why is he acting like that, huh?" The girls in Xiaoya's dorm championed her cause on her behalf. After suffering through hardships together, those girls who slept in the same dorm could only feel as though they'd gotten closer.

N/A

And there were a lot of students who had begun growing anxious. Cheng Kexin spent her entire lunch break every day reciting Classical Chinese or English, which was fine. But her other dorm mates scurried to read under the lamps in the hallway at night, and that gave Xiaoya a fright.

"Xiaoya—"

It's possible there are some thongs we just won't be able to do, you know? But that doesn't mean we should be afraid to try."

Perhaps it was on account of Cheng Kexin accompanying her during training, because Xiaoya managed to successfully complete the opening ceremony of the sports festival. Keep your head straight. Maintain a proper distance from the front and back. Don't forget to keep a light smile...

While brushing her teeth, Xiaoya heard someone calling her name from the her dorm room, causing her to shout in return, "What is it?"

Cheng Kexin then said to herself, "But if I had to choose, I'd prefer to fight for what want and not wait for others to hand it to me." Looking at her own hands, she continued, "Because whatever others give to you can always be taken away. But the things I seize for myself, will always remain in my hands."

A low laugh erupted from the other end of the line.

Xiaoya: "You can, my mother does. I forgot to tell you about it."

A Long Separation

Xiaoya: ...

Lu Xiaobei: "I noticed the number of your dorm room never changed, so I wondered if it was possible I could call in."

Xiaoya quietly continued marching on that playing field. Her thoughts drifting from Cheng Kexin as well as herself. Thinking about how if she were stronger, a lot of the issues she faced would not be the same.

Cheng Kexin then said to herself, "But if I had to choose, I'd prefer to fight for what want and not wait for others to hand it to me." Looking at her own hands, she continued, "Because whatever others give to you can always be taken away. But the things I seize for myself, will always remain in my hands."

Cheng Kexin: "Xiaoya, how about both of us change together? Let's become better and better, and take control of our own lives. As I see it, since you're afraid to walk at the head of the crowd, you should push yourself to walk in front of the crowd. You hate speaking up in front of many people, so you should find as many opportunities as you can to go speak in front of a crowd.

Xiaoya: "You can, my mother does. I forgot to tell you about it."

Xiaoya bit her lip then asked further, "Can it connect to the web?"

Xiaoya: "He's a day student, so can he have a phone?"

It's possible there are some thongs we just won't be able to do, you know? But that doesn't mean we should be afraid to try."

Xiaoya: "He's a day student, so can he have a phone?"

Xiaoya heard the voice in her own heart, and thus replied, "Yes, let's.

Before the evening self-study session began, Mr. Li told the class of the "evildoings" room five-two-oh and that their punishment would start from that day. They would be responsible for classroom sanitation for a week, and for Xiaoya who was using a mobile phone along with the girl who brought the novel, they both had to write a fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection.

Xiaoya knew she still had a long way to go.

Xiaoya admitted she was using her phone point blank and also accepted the fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection she had to write, her only request being: "Sir, can you not tell my parents was playing with a phone at school?"

A Long Separation

Holding the toothpaste in her hand, Xiaoya scurried to the phone with thudding steps. "Hello, mom?"

Perhaps it was on account of Cheng Kexin accompanying her during training, because Xiaoya managed to successfully complete the opening ceremony of the sports festival. Keep your head straight. Maintain a proper distance from the front and back. Don't forget to keep a light smile...

As Xiaoya was on her way back to the washrooom to wash up again, the roommate of hers from earlier said a line by chance that made her halt her steps.

Xiaoya quietly continued marching on that playing field. Her thoughts drifting from Cheng Kexin as well as herself. Thinking about how if she were stronger, a lot of the issues she faced would not be the same.

Xiaoya whispered under her breath, "Lu Xiaobei?"

To most people, such a thing might seem like a trivial matter. But for Xiaoya, this was a first. It was as though she was new player in a game. A game where every level were all unknown, and were all a challenge.

Xiaoya refused internally so she said, "Sir, I'm worried my hands and feet are uncoordinated so I can't march properly."

After the games, the monthly exam results were released. Xiaoya placed fourteenth in her class, and was ranked thirtieth for both the liberal arts classes for her grade. Yunta High's teaching quality was not as good as Nancheng's, so students who place thirtieth are most likely hovering around the college enrolment baseline, which is still a long way from what's needed to qualify for entry into Nancheng University.

Cheng Kein thought about it then replied, "I know a few classmates who have one, but they definitely won't lend them out, especially since you just got yours taken away. Our class monitor would lend you hers, though, but her phone is a old model. It can only send text messages and make calls, so would that be good enough?"

After the games, the monthly exam results were released. Xiaoya placed fourteenth in her class, and was ranked thirtieth for both the liberal arts classes for her grade. Yunta High's teaching quality was not as good as Nancheng's, so students who place thirtieth are most likely hovering around the college enrolment baseline, which is still a long way from what's needed to qualify for entry into Nancheng University.

With the phone and novels both taken away, the girls of room five-two-oh spent the night weak and weary. Even though some asked whether the teacher on watch duty would let them off, the others knew such a thing was impossible.

By then, Lu Xiaobei would have sent her back some message of some sort.

Perhaps it was on account of Cheng Kexin accompanying her during training, because Xiaoya managed to successfully complete the opening ceremony of the sports festival. Keep your head straight. Maintain a proper distance from the front and back. Don't forget to keep a light smile...

When the evening self-study sessions were done, the students who lived in the dorms all rushed back, but as a day student, Liu Xiangyu was neither swift nor sluggish in packing up his book bag.

A Long Separation

Xiaoya knew she still had a long way to go.

Cheng Kexin shook her head regretfully, saying, "It's a really old phone." Then she suddenly snapped her finger, recalling a person. "Liu Xiangyu! Liu Xiangyu has a phone and it's possible he'll let you borrow it."

"Xiaoya—"

"So do you want to always be like this?" Cheng Kexin asked.

After Xiaoya's phone got confiscated, Lu Xiaobei messaged her phone number to Xiaoya on QQ, so Xiaoya would usually call her using the payphone in her dorm and so they could chat to ease their lovesickness.

When the evening self-study sessions were done, the students who lived in the dorms all rushed back, but as a day student, Liu Xiangyu was neither swift nor sluggish in packing up his book bag.

While brushing her teeth, Xiaoya heard someone calling her name from the her dorm room, causing her to shout in return, "What is it?"

After the monthly exams, the school had a sports day. Because of Xiaoya's height and long legs, she looked good in a skirt, so when Mr. Li arranged for her to walk in the march past up front and holding the sign.

"Why is he acting like that, huh?" The girls in Xiaoya's dorm championed her cause on her behalf. After suffering through hardships together, those girls who slept in the same dorm could only feel as though they'd gotten closer.

When Xiaya left the office her roommates were all waiting by the door. "Xiaoya, is everything alright? Did Sir give you back your phone?"

A Long Separation

After the games, the monthly exam results were released. Xiaoya placed fourteenth in her class, and was ranked thirtieth for both the liberal arts classes for her grade. Yunta High's teaching quality was not as good as Nancheng's, so students who place thirtieth are most likely hovering around the college enrolment baseline, which is still a long way from what's needed to qualify for entry into Nancheng University.

The two then spoke of random things until the foam from the toothpaste on Xiaoya's lips turned white, and the dorm lights were about to be shut off. So, with much reluctance, the call between the two was ended.

Cheng Kexin: "Xiaoya, how about both of us change together? Let's become better and better, and take control of our own lives. As I see it, since you're afraid to walk at the head of the crowd, you should push yourself to walk in front of the crowd. You hate speaking up in front of many people, so you should find as many opportunities as you can to go speak in front of a crowd.

"Your mom is called." Room five-two-oh had a land line on the wall. To call from the inside you needed a phone card, but it was also possible to receive calls from the outside.

Xiaoya knew she still had a long way to go.

Holding the toothpaste in her hand, Xiaoya scurried to the phone with thudding steps. "Hello, mom?"

And if not for...

A low laugh erupted from the other end of the line.

While practising, Xiaoya replied, "I've always been like this. When others tell me something, I just do it. But if I don't want to do it, even if I try to do it as best I can, I on;t be able to do it properly."

Xiaoya could've honestly said she hadn't known, she had been at Yunta High for under a month, the other students were all old students and the head teacher never went through the school rules when she started classes. So her saying she was unaware was believable.

Xiaoya then thought of her and Lu Xiaobei, that if it was not for Lu Xiaobei's steadfastness in slowly waiting for her to understand, they could've missed finding one another.

To most people, such a thing might seem like a trivial matter. But for Xiaoya, this was a first. It was as though she was new player in a game. A game where every level were all unknown, and were all a challenge.

But Xiaoya said nothing, she was never one who liked to quibble. She could be described as aloof, she could also be described as well-behaved—someone who simply follows the rules.

And if not for...

Mr. Li: "Then why did you bring a phone here? Don't you know this school forbids mobile phones being brought on the grounds?"

Xiaoya: ...

By then, Lu Xiaobei would have sent her back some message of some sort.

Xiaoya: "You can, my mother does. I forgot to tell you about it."

Xiaoya: ...

Xiaoya whispered under her breath, "Lu Xiaobei?"

A Long Separation

Lu Xiaobei: "I noticed the number of your dorm room never changed, so I wondered if it was possible I could call in."

Xiaoya refused internally so she said, "Sir, I'm worried my hands and feet are uncoordinated so I can't march properly."

Lu Xiaobei suppressed her laughter. "I never told your roommate I was your mom, she made the assumption herself."

There as a mid-monthly exam, and because it was the first exam after the second year class was divided, both teachers and students attached a great amount of importance to it.

Lu Xiaobei had always told her: "When you should study, study. When you should have fun, have fun. And when you should rest, rest." Xiaoya always thought it would be great if she could "study then she should study". So now with learning atmosphere around her being like this, even though she didn't run out to study in the middle of the night, she also worked quite hard.

Xiaoya quietly continued marching on that playing field. Her thoughts drifting from Cheng Kexin as well as herself. Thinking about how if she were stronger, a lot of the issues she faced would not be the same.

Having waited a couple minutes for a response, it appeared Lu Xiaobei wasn't near her phone since she did not reply to Xiaoya. So, closing the phone, Xiaoya gave it back to Liu Xiangyu.

While brushing her teeth, Xiaoya heard someone calling her name from the her dorm room, causing her to shout in return, "What is it?"

Cheng Kexin then said to herself, "But if I had to choose, I'd prefer to fight for what want and not wait for others to hand it to me." Looking at her own hands, she continued, "Because whatever others give to you can always be taken away. But the things I seize for myself, will always remain in my hands."

Xiaoya then continued, "Sometimes I'm really jealous of you. If there's something you want to do, you'll strive to do it with all you got. I'm not like that. I'm someone who'll wait for others to stride ahead by ninety-nine steps before I move to make one."

After Xiaoya's phone got confiscated, Lu Xiaobei messaged her phone number to Xiaoya on QQ, so Xiaoya would usually call her using the payphone in her dorm and so they could chat to ease their lovesickness.

After the games, the monthly exam results were released. Xiaoya placed fourteenth in her class, and was ranked thirtieth for both the liberal arts classes for her grade. Yunta High's teaching quality was not as good as Nancheng's, so students who place thirtieth are most likely hovering around the college enrolment baseline, which is still a long way from what's needed to qualify for entry into Nancheng University.

The two then spoke of random things until the foam from the toothpaste on Xiaoya's lips turned white, and the dorm lights were about to be shut off. So, with much reluctance, the call between the two was ended.

When Xiaya left the office her roommates were all waiting by the door. "Xiaoya, is everything alright? Did Sir give you back your phone?"

Xiaoya bit her lip then asked further, "Can it connect to the web?"

[Xiaoya defeated]

Lu Xiaobei: "I noticed the number of your dorm room never changed, so I wondered if it was possible I could call in."

"Xiaoya, your mother has a really beautiful voice."

Lu Xiaobei: "I noticed the number of your dorm room never changed, so I wondered if it was possible I could call in."

By then, Lu Xiaobei would have sent her back some message of some sort.

Xiaoya: "You can, my mother does. I forgot to tell you about it."

Xiaoya laughed, retorting, "Hey my, life isn't a walk in the park either." There are times when she was also very confused as well as very lost.

After returning to school Xiaoya felt as though the days were quickly rushing by.

And if not for...

"Xiaoya, your mother has a really beautiful voice."

During the afternoon, the few sporadic self-study classes were all snatched up by teachers from all departments and all kinds of practice exercises were given out for free. "You guys are no longer first years, so don't think your college entrance exams are still some far off dream. When you make it to your third year, It will be far too late to start trying." All kinds of 'chicken soup for the soul' and other inspiration ideas were mixed and pounded into the students' brains.

Xiaoya wailed in her dorm room for a couple days until she was dragged out by Cheng Kexin to the playing field to practice marching. Cheng Kexin saw the irritation on Xiaoya's face. "If you're worried about not doing something well, you need to go practice. It's pointless spending day after day mourning over it."

Lu Xiaobei suppressed her laughter. "I never told your roommate I was your mom, she made the assumption herself."

The two then spoke of random things until the foam from the toothpaste on Xiaoya's lips turned white, and the dorm lights were about to be shut off. So, with much reluctance, the call between the two was ended.

Cheng Kexin: "Xiaoya, how about both of us change together? Let's become better and better, and take control of our own lives. As I see it, since you're afraid to walk at the head of the crowd, you should push yourself to walk in front of the crowd. You hate speaking up in front of many people, so you should find as many opportunities as you can to go speak in front of a crowd.

Xiaoya then muttered, "Seriously, my character is no good at all." Xiaoya always knew she was someone who never wanted to leave her comfort zone. If it was stormy outside, it was better to stay curled up in her turtleshell. But hiding in her shell meant she had no way to protect the person she wanted to protect, so she had to change—no matter how painful it was, she needed to change.

Cheng Kexin then said to herself, "But if I had to choose, I'd prefer to fight for what want and not wait for others to hand it to me." Looking at her own hands, she continued, "Because whatever others give to you can always be taken away. But the things I seize for myself, will always remain in my hands."

As Xiaoya was on her way back to the washrooom to wash up again, the roommate of hers from earlier said a line by chance that made her halt her steps.

Xiaoya didn't intend on troubling him any further so she replied, "Thanks, but you don;t need to do that. There's a computer class on Wednesday so I can just check to see her message then." Yunta High had one computer class scheduled every two weeks, and despite there being homework involving Microsoft Word or Excel to be done, it was the only class where any access to the internet was possible.

Xiaoya: "You can, my mother does. I forgot to tell you about it."

Cheng Kein thought about it then replied, "I know a few classmates who have one, but they definitely won't lend them out, especially since you just got yours taken away. Our class monitor would lend you hers, though, but her phone is a old model. It can only send text messages and make calls, so would that be good enough?"

Xiaoya admitted she was using her phone point blank and also accepted the fifteen-hundred word essay of self-reflection she had to write, her only request being: "Sir, can you not tell my parents was playing with a phone at school?"

And there were a lot of students who had begun growing anxious. Cheng Kexin spent her entire lunch break every day reciting Classical Chinese or English, which was fine. But her other dorm mates scurried to read under the lamps in the hallway at night, and that gave Xiaoya a fright.

"Xiaoya, your mother has a really beautiful voice."

After returning to school Xiaoya felt as though the days were quickly rushing by.

"All he did was ask me a few questions before, and after the seats got closer, we spoke a few times." Mr. Li who had Xiaoya seated in the front row before the holiday, placed her in the middle black row with Liu Xiangyu seated right in front of her, so the two were a bit familiar with one another. "Fine. I'll go ask him."

N/A

After the monthly exams, the school had a sports day. Because of Xiaoya's height and long legs, she looked good in a skirt, so when Mr. Li arranged for her to walk in the march past up front and holding the sign.

And if not for...

Xiaoya didn't intend on troubling him any further so she replied, "Thanks, but you don;t need to do that. There's a computer class on Wednesday so I can just check to see her message then." Yunta High had one computer class scheduled every two weeks, and despite there being homework involving Microsoft Word or Excel to be done, it was the only class where any access to the internet was possible.

[Xiaoya VS Boss]