Su Nuannuan and Zhou Qianqian squeezed into the cafeteria line to get their meals, but Su Nuannuan’s mind wasn’t on the food before her. Her thoughts were entirely consumed by the image of Lin Wei sitting alone in the classroom.
After getting their dishes, the two found a seat and sat down.
“Nuannuan, what are you thinking about?” Zhou Qianqian looked at her dazed expression, a little puzzled.
Snapping back to reality, Su Nuannuan glanced at her barely touched meal and felt her cheeks flush. “Huh? I… I’m fine.”
She quickly lowered her head and stuffed her mouth with food, her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk.
Oh no, oh no, she really left Lin Wei all alone! Would Lin Wei think that this fake daughter wasn’t just foolish, but selfish too, lacking even basic courtesy?
Mom clearly told her to take care of her sister, but here she was, off indulging herself with a big meal.
Lin Wei must hate her even more now. Her resolve to kick her out must have strengthened yet again! The more Su Nuannuan thought about it, the more anxious she became, and the food in her mouth lost all its appeal.
Hurry up, finish eating, and pack a meal for Lin Wei to send back!
Meanwhile, the classroom was empty except for Lin Wei.
She closed her book, and the room was deathly quiet. This kind of solitude was her norm—she had spent the past eighteen years like this.
But today, staring at the empty seat and recalling Su Nuannuan being dragged away by that girl named Zhou Qianqian, Lin Wei felt a strange irritation.
Hmph, she runs off so quickly. This little thing, putting on the act of a frightened rabbit on the surface, but behind the scenes, enjoying herself, leaving her “older sister” here to fend for herself.
As expected, selfishness is her true nature. What’s with the pity act?
Lin Wei stood up with a cold expression.
Fine, not close, huh? Even better!
Once she firmly established herself in the Su family and earned her parents’ complete trust, the first thing she’d do was sweep this glaring impostor out the door!
She decided to get familiar with the campus and, while at it, look for a convenience store to solve lunch.
Su Nuannuan devoured the food on her plate at her fastest pace ever, feeling as if her stomach was about to burst. She rushed to the takeaway window, ordered a seemingly decent set meal, and carefully held it as she jogged back to the classroom.
Her heart pounded rapidly—half from being full, half from fear.
As she neared the classroom door, she tiptoed and poked her head inside!
Lin Wei sat at her desk, back facing the door, holding a cup of instant noodles.
She bowed her head slightly, stirring the steaming noodles with a fork. The sunlight pouring through the window cast a lonely silhouette of her bowed figure.
Su Nuannuan froze, lowering her gaze to the lunchbox in her hands and then back at Lin Wei’s instant noodles. This was bad—they were truly doomed now!
Lin Wei would definitely think she did it on purpose, deliberately abandoning her while she feasted, leaving her to pitifully eat instant noodles!
Quickly, Su Nuannuan hid the lunchbox behind her back.
What to do now? Bring the lunchbox in? That would just make her look fake and showy.
Not bring it in? Then what about the lunchbox?
Throw it away? That’d be wasteful, and what if someone saw and told Lin Wei…
Su Nuannuan was caught in unprecedented turmoil and panic, feeling like the whole world had turned gray.
The entire afternoon, she slumped over her desk like a withered eggplant. The math teacher spoke passionately from the podium, but she couldn’t focus on a single word, though she never really understood it anyway.
Lin Wei glanced at her occasionally, seeing her distracted state, and the corners of her mouth curled slightly.
Hmph, feeling guilty? So you still have a bit of conscience, but too late!
Lin Wei noticed all of Su Nuannuan’s little movements. Although she didn’t see what she did with the lunchbox in the end, that guilty expression only lifted her mood inexplicably.
Her determination to drive her out remained unwavering. Lin Wei snorted coldly inside.
The last class of the afternoon was P.E.
Lin Wei was in a good mood, stretching her wrists and ankles, ready for some exercise. The feeling of sweating it out made her feel in control again.
Su Nuannuan, however, felt drained of energy, her face scrunched up in misery. She hated P.E.! The sun, the exhaustion—she just wanted to find a shady spot and lie down, a quiet salted fish.
Unfortunately, the P.E. teacher had no intention of sparing these pampered students.
“Gather up! Warm-up’s done, run two laps first, loosen up your muscles!” The teacher blew the whistle.
The line formed unevenly. Su Nuannuan and Lin Wei, being about the same height, ended up in the same row. Su Nuannuan’s heart skipped a beat, overwhelmed by pressure.
The run began. Su Nuannuan forced herself to move her legs, praying for a quick end.
This world always felt strange to Su Nuannuan—the chance of tripping on flat ground was oddly high.
Halfway through the lap, Su Nuannuan suddenly felt her foot slip, as if stepping on an invisible banana peel. She lost balance instantly, letting out a startled cry as she tumbled sideways!
Right beside her was Lin Wei.
Almost instinctively, upon hearing the cry, Lin Wei turned her body and stretched out her arm.
“Ah!”
“Mm!”
Two muffled sounds sounded almost simultaneously.
Su Nuannuan crashed firmly into Lin Wei’s arms, the force knocking both off balance. They fell together.
Lin Wei felt something soft slam into her.
“Nuannuan!”
Zhou Qianqian was the first to rush over, trying to help Su Nuannuan up.
“Are you okay? Where did you hurt yourself?”
Su Nuannuan was completely stunned, her mind blank. She’d collided with Lin Wei and knocked her down too. Lin Wei would surely think she did it on purpose—retaliation, faking an injury. She was doomed and about to be torn apart on the spot!
She even forgot about the pain, scrambling to climb off Lin Wei with trembling voice.
“I-I’m sorry! Sister, I… I didn’t mean to!”
Lin Wei frowned; her elbow was numb from the fall.
She ignored Su Nuannuan’s apology and Zhou Qianqian’s outstretched hand, looking down at the “culprit” still lying on her.
This one was surprisingly light.
Lin Wei showed no expression, no anger as Su Nuannuan had expected.
Su Nuannuan remained frozen.
“Where’s the infirmary?” Lin Wei asked directly, eyes on Zhou Qianqian.
Zhou Qianqian shivered under Lin Wei’s gaze, instinctively pointing toward the other end of the playground. “That… over there.”
Lin Wei nodded and pushed herself up, pulling the still-shocked Su Nuannuan along.
“Can you walk on your own?” She looked at Su Nuannuan’s weak legs.
“Y-yes…” Su Nuannuan’s voice was faint as a mosquito. This was one of the few times Lin Wei spoke to her. Being pulled by the arm, Su Nuannuan stiffened like a wooden doll.
Her brain had completely shut down as Lin Wei half-dragged, half-supported her toward the infirmary under the curious gazes of their classmates.
Lin Wei’s grip was firm. Su Nuannuan could feel the warmth of her palm, and oddly, a strange sense of safety bloomed inside her. Just as the thought surfaced, she suppressed it immediately—she must be dazed from the fall!
Lin Wei thought as they walked, this little thing looked chubby, but was actually so light?
The infirmary door stood ajar.
Lin Wei pushed it open. Inside was quiet. A young female school nurse in a white coat was organizing the medicine cabinet with her back turned.
Hearing the noise, the nurse turned around. Wearing a mask, she revealed a pair of pretty eyes and a neat short haircut, looking to be just in her early twenties.
Her gaze swept over the two, finally resting on the still half-supported Su Nuannuan.
Flushed from fright and running, with sweat dotting her forehead and strands of hair stuck to her cheeks, Su Nuannuan’s large eyes were filled with confusion. She looked pitiful and almost adorable.
The nurse’s eyes brightened instantly as if she’d found a treasure. She quickly stepped forward, voice softened with concern. “Oh dear, what happened? Did you fall? Let me see!”
She naturally took Su Nuannuan from Lin Wei’s hands.
Lin Wei’s tone was flat, “She fell while running.”
“Oh?”
The nurse’s gaze swept between the two before settling back on Su Nuannuan.
“Fell? That sounds serious. Quick, lie down, lie down!”
She pointed to a clean hospital bed, her tone carrying an unmistakable warmth. “Luckily, you were brought here in time!”
Su Nuannuan was a little overwhelmed by the nurse’s enthusiasm and timidly said, “It’s just my knees and elbows that hurt a bit. It should… be nothing serious, right?”
The pain was just a little burn from scraped skin.
The nurse had already reached the bed and patted the mattress. The corners of her mouth seemed to curl beneath the mask.
“Student, you can’t say that! Some internal injuries aren’t visible! If you’re any later…”
She paused, voice turning serious.
“The wound would’ve healed!”
“…Huh?”