"Pear, I heard from your mother that your test scores have improved again this time?"

A man wearing gold-rimmed glasses was drinking miso soup when he asked the girl in front of him a question.

The girl was wearing a classic Japanese sailor uniform and had a pure and innocent appearance, but her temperament was slightly rebellious.

At this moment, she was casually sipping the miso soup in front of her.

It seems the miso soup didn't suit her taste, or perhaps it was simply pride.

She smiled slightly upon hearing the man's words and said proudly, "That's right, because I'm smart!"

Beside the man sat a middle-aged woman who looked rather old.

Although time has left its mark on her face, one can still vaguely see her former beauty.

At this moment, she seemed to have regained her past passion, excitedly shouting, "Her teacher praised her highly, and I feel very honored too!"

The man raised an eyebrow, picked up where the woman left off, and murmured, "Unlike Youyi, Pear is our pride!"

"Pear really put in a lot of effort this time! The neighbors all have high praise for having such a smart and clever daughter!"

The woman covered her mouth and chuckled softly, praising her daughter loudly.

However, just one door away, by the stairs, a girl also dressed in a classic sailor uniform froze as she reached out her hand.

This young girl was exceptionally beautiful and possessed a ethereal charm. Her skin was delicate, her demeanor relaxed, her eyes sparkling, her cheeks rosy with a smile, her words unspoken, and her breath sweet as orchids. She was indescribably gentle and lovely.

However, in terms of temperament, this girl was far less rebellious than Pear, and appeared exceptionally timid and hesitant.

After a moment of silence, the girl finally opened the door.

As soon as the girl entered, she heard the man wearing gold-rimmed glasses say, "Pear, wife, let's celebrate properly today! It's been a long time since the three of us went out to eat together, but you can't relax! You have to work even harder."

"Really? Lucky~"

Pear chuckled, and her slightly rebellious expression vanished instantly.

At the same time, the tasteless miso soup suddenly became delicious.

“That’s great, Pear.”

The woman smiled slightly and said with delight.

"Then, I want to eat Chinese food."

Pear pouted slightly before replying.

"Okay, let's find a good restaurant."

The man wearing gold-rimmed glasses nodded slightly; he agreed.

Compared to the pear, which was highly valued by the two and thus seemed to be fawned over.

The girl's presence was clearly not very noticeable.

She walked in silently and silently took her share of food.

There were three other people in the room besides her, but not one of them greeted her.

"Splash!"

A crisp sound rang out.

The miso soup broth spilled onto the table.

The man's previously cheerful expression instantly turned dark.

His face was grim as he stared intently at the girl.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

The girl's face turned pale, and her timid expression made the man's expression worse.

Seeing the girl frantically wiping the table with a rag, the man stood up angrily.

Then, he snatched the girl's rag and smashed it hard against her face.

The miso soup splattered onto her face, making her look extremely embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry..."

The girl showed no anger whatsoever; instead, she appeared extremely humble.

Pear glanced at the girl with disdain, then shook her head slightly.

...

In the morning, the sunlight shone on the earth.

Although it was warm, the girl didn't feel any warmth at all.

The miso soup broth was still on her body, and the faint aroma of miso soup seemed rich and pungent.

At this moment, she looked like a pathetic, defeated dog.

As she absentmindedly walked toward the school gate, a group of girls who had been leaning against the railing moved away and slowly approached her.

Among this group of people, Pear, who had previously been fawning over the stars, stepped out from the crowd and clearly held a leader-like position in this small group.

"Yui, lend me some money."

Unexpected, yet perfectly logical.

Yui looked at Riko's outstretched hand, paused slightly, and finally lowered her head to explain in a low voice, "I have no money left..."

Riko was already prepared. The moment Yui finished speaking, Riko's words were shoved into her face: "Nonsense! Didn't you already get your wages from yesterday's part-time job? I know all that. Don't try to fool me!"

"But... that money is for buying a new schoolbag."

After Yui finished speaking, Weiwei placed her schoolbag in front of her chest.

Compared to the brightly colored or neatly made schoolbags of other female classmates, Youyi's schoolbag looked slightly dirty and worn, and had a tear that was more than ten centimeters long.

"Don't worry about those scratches, they'll look like that when you buy a new one anyway."

Pear frowned, her tone gradually becoming increasingly stern and intimidating.

"What's wrong, Pear Jam? Do you need our help?"

Among the giggling girls nearby, one wearing bubble socks said with a smile.

"They've spoken up."

Pear glanced at the smiling girl, then looked at Yui with disdain.

Yui pursed her lips and hesitated slightly before taking out a sum of money from her schoolbag.

Although it may not be much for adults, it is a huge sum of money for students.

That's more than enough for a group of people to live a carefree life for a long time.

When Riko saw Yui take out the money, her eyes lit up. She snatched the money from Yui's hand and ran back to chat with the group of girls.

"But is this really a good idea? Isn't she your older sister?"

Another girl with a few freckles glanced at Yui, who was standing there with her head down, and then asked Riko, who was counting money.

"She just happens to be related to me by blood. Anyway, she's not my biological sister. I don't need to care about that kind of lowlife."

“That’s right. Pear Jam’s sister is definitely an amazing person, not some lowlife.”

Amidst jeers and jeers, the girls left in groups, leaving Yui standing there dumbfounded.

It wasn't until the school bell rang that Yui finally moved her stiff steps and ran towards the school.

However, this time, Yui ran with great difficulty, as if she was about to collapse under the pressure.