Chapter 33 Partial Understanding: Which University Do You Most Want to Attend...?

In May, the atmosphere at school became even more tense.

Yu Kui came out of the teaching building after dark. There were hardly any people outside. Her father drove over to pick her up and brought her a cup of fruit tea. "You've gotten so thin from all this work," he said.

"I haven't lost much weight," Yu Kui pinched her cheek and asked excitedly, "Dad, do I look better now than before?"

“What do you mean?” Mr. Yu immediately said, “What’s so good-looking about someone so thin? It’s better to be a little chubby.”

Yu Kui: "...But my classmates all say I'm pretty."

“That’s just to comfort you,” Mr. Yu said without turning his head. “He’s probably just making things up because he wants to ask you a question.”

Yu Kui touched the tip of her nose. "Really? I didn't notice."

"Of course," Mr. Yu snorted, "Your mother stewed pig's trotters tonight, so eat two extra bowls of rice."

Yu Kui immediately perked up, "Green bean and pig's trotter?"

"Peanut one," said Mr. Yu, "If you want kidney bean one, we'll talk about it next time."

Yu Kui is not a picky eater. "I told my mom this morning that I wanted to eat pig's trotters, and she prepared them today. That's so nice."

"Of course, you're the one your mom loves the most," Mr. Yu said sourly. "In this family, you're her most precious treasure."

Yu Kui: "......"

After finishing her meal, Yu Kui completed her exam paper. Looking at the round moon outside, she felt a pang of sadness. She was reluctant to part ways with her classmates after the college entrance exam.

Of course, the ones I'll miss the most are Sun Shuya and... Qin You.

Of the 5,000 yuan I lent Qin You before, Qin You proactively repaid 1,000 yuan, saying she would give me the rest during the summer vacation.

Yu Kui didn't ask him for it, only saying that she would pay him back when she had it.

But Qin You's attitude towards her remained visibly cold; he didn't even bother to greet her when they met. It was probably because the "borrowing money" incident had hurt his pride.

Yu Kui wasn't very sad, just a little helpless.

After school that day, Xie Xingzhi took his notebook downstairs to find her and asked her all the questions that had been piling up. Knowing that Yu Kui was under a lot of academic pressure, he didn't come to see her every day like before. Instead, he came every few days, asking more questions each time, but her grades improved noticeably.

"Why are there so few questions today?" Yu Kui looked at him with some surprise.

"Didn't you notice that the questions I asked were all quite difficult?" Xie Xingzhi raised an eyebrow. "I already figured out everything before."

Yu Kui took his notebook. The questions on it were indeed difficult, so she patiently explained them to him.

Xie Xingzhi sat opposite her, and could see her fluffy hair and fair forehead when he looked down. "Your baby fat is completely gone."

Yu Kui blinked. "They're long gone."

“Yes, I used to,” Xie Xingzhi said. “Have you been staying up late every day lately?”

“No,” Yu Kui finished reviewing the question and looked up. “Why are you paying attention to these things? Focus on the question.”

“Of course I’ll pay attention,” Xie Xingzhi said, looking into her eyes. “You’re my great benefactor, so I definitely need to find out if anything changes in you.”

"Boring." Yu Kui tapped the problem with the tip of her pen. "The approach to this problem is a bit convoluted, but the solution isn't difficult..."

Xie Xingzhi lowered his eyes and saw her slender fingertips, as white and tender as scallions.

Yu Kui didn't notice his subtle movements and continued explaining the question, then looked at him and asked, "Did you understand?"

"I only have a vague understanding." Xie Xingzhi readily admitted what he didn't understand, "Could you explain this part again?"

"Sure." Yu Kui rewrote the solution steps on the paper. "Do you understand now?"

"Yes," Xie Xingzhi nodded, "After your guidance, I now understand everything."

Yu Kui: "......"

“Then I’ll give you a similar question,” Yu Kui casually posed a question that looked even more complicated, “to see if you’ve truly grasped it.”

Xie Xingzhi reached out to take the pen from her hand, and Yu Kui was taken aback. "Didn't you bring it?"

"No," Xie Xingzhi said unhurriedly, "Can't I use yours?"

Yu Kui didn't say anything, but handed him the carbon pen in her hand. She watched him write the correct answer before saying, "You're not stupid at all."

"That's right," Xie Xingzhi smirked, "Don't you even know who my tutor is?"

Yu Kui rolled her eyes inwardly, too lazy to pay him any attention. "What other questions are there?"

Xie Xingzhi pointed to the questions below, "These."

Yu Kui explained everything to him one by one, "Do you understand now?"

“Okay,” Xie Xingzhi put the notebook away. “Come on, I’ll treat you to dinner.”

"No," Yu Kui packed her schoolbag. "My mom made pork ribs today, I want to go home for dinner."

Xie Xingzhi paused in his steps, "Does your aunt cook for you every day?"

“Yes,” Yu Kui smiled as she thought of her mother, “She cares about me a lot.”

Xie Xingzhi looked at the round dimples at the corners of her mouth, his eyes changed slightly, and he deliberately said, "I really envy you. Not only are you good at studying, but your aunt is also so good to you."

"What's there to envy?" Yu Kui scoffed. "Aren't your parents good to you?"

"It's hard to say," Xie Xingzhi sighed softly, "Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, it's contradictory."

Yu Kui turned to look at Xie Xingzhi. His eyes were slightly lowered, making it impossible for her to see his expression or be sure of the truthfulness of his words. However, she did not doubt him and said softly, "It's their loss that they treat you badly. You should take better care of yourself from now on."

"That's it?" Xie Xingzhi sighed in disappointment. "I thought you would say that someone else would be nice to me in the future."

“I won’t talk about such vague and unrealistic things,” Yu Kui shook her head. “No matter how good others are to you, it can’t compare to how good you are to yourself. Only by being good to yourself can you truly receive the kindness of others.”

Xie Xingzhi followed behind her, watching her slightly swaying ponytail. "Oh, I see. Then I'll definitely take better care of myself from now on."

Listening to his casual words, Yu Kui felt that he might be deceiving her, and she didn't want to talk to him.

"Yu Kui." As they reached the top of the stairs, the lights gradually dimmed, and Xie Xingzhi suddenly called her name.

"What's wrong?" The girl didn't turn around.

Which university do you want to attend in the future?

Yu Kui stopped in her tracks, looking at the steps in front of her, and did not answer immediately.

"Should we stay in this city?" Xie Xingzhi asked.

"I don't know." Yu Kui had never thought about which university she wanted to apply to, but ultimately there were only a few places she wanted to go to, and she hadn't made any real plans yet.

"You must tell me when you've made up your mind," Xie Xingzhi said.

"You want to go to the same university as me?" Yu Kui chuckled. "Why are you asking that?"

"What, you look down on me?"

“No,” Yu Kui could not possibly look down on him. “Your grades are already very good. If you can work on your weaknesses, you’ll definitely do well in the college entrance exam. Keep it up.”

"It's all because my tutor is amazing."

"Don't call me tutor anymore," Yu Kui said irritably. "Just call me by my name."

"Okay, okay."

Xie Xingzhi escorted her to the bus stop and watched her get on the bus before turning and leaving.

As the weather gradually warmed up at the end of May, some students at school started wearing short sleeves.

Yu Kui emerged from the office carrying the exam papers. The corridor was eerily quiet, devoid of any noise; everyone was engrossed in their studies, focusing all their energy on reviewing. The countdown on the blackboard sounded like an alarm bell ringing in everyone's hearts.

Yu Kui stood at the front, handing out the exam papers one by one. She wasn't nervous about the college entrance exam; instead, she was reluctant to part with such good classmates.

"Yu Kui," someone slowly raised their hand, "I have a math problem I can't solve, could you explain it to me?"

Yu Kui walked over to the person who had asked the question, picked up a pen, and began to explain the problem to her. Her voice was very soft, and she was very patient. She solved her classmate's problem in no time.

Tao Jiang looked at her beautiful profile, her feelings incredibly complicated. When Yu Kui stood up, she also raised her hand, "Yu Kui, can you teach me? There are still many questions I don't know how to answer."

She seemed to have forgotten her previous hostility towards Yu Kui, and appeared exceptionally gentle.

Yu Kui glanced at her sideways, her voice gentle, "You can ask the class monitor; he's a very good student."

The class monitor's position was very close to Tao Jiang's, so she didn't need to go far away.

"What if I insist that you tell me?" Tao Jiang was very unhappy that she kept refusing her. "Can't you help me too if you can help others?"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Before Yu Kui could speak, Sun Shuya stood up. "Stop using this to blackmail Yu Kui. You know perfectly well why you're not doing well in your studies. Don't cling to Yu Kui, or I'll tear your mouth apart."

“Yes,” the other classmates chimed in, “Tao Jiang, your deskmate has excellent grades, why don’t you ask him? You don’t have to ask Yu Kui.”

Ever since Tao Jiang exposed her true colors as a "liar" at the last parent-teacher meeting, everyone's positive impression of her has been shattered.

It's okay to be bad at studying, but lying by nature is a big problem. It would be really annoying to be among people like that.

Tao Jiang was surprised that so many people spoke up for Yu Kui. Her eyes darkened instantly, revealing a hint of hatred.

Why can Yu Kui help others but not herself? Isn't that hypocrisy? And there are actually people who think she's good—it's utterly ironic!

Her heart felt like it was overflowing with venom, and she just wanted to find a place to vent it all out.

After school, she went upstairs to Qin You to complain, "I think your childhood sweetheart is deliberately targeting me. What right does she have? I tried to talk to her nicely, but she incited others to isolate me."

Qin You squeezed her hand, and I said with concern, "Don't mind her. I'll explain any questions you don't understand."

"You have to help me get revenge," Tao Jiang said unhappily. "Call her now and yell at her, otherwise I'll feel bad."

“I haven’t been in contact with her for a long time,” Qin You said helplessly. “Didn’t you tell me to break off all contact with her?”

“Call her,” Tao Jiang said coldly. “I know you have her number. If I’m unhappy, she shouldn’t be happy either.”

Qin You didn't move. He hadn't paid back Yu Kui's money yet, so how could he curse? He reached out and hugged Tao Jiang, saying, "Alright, alright, don't argue with her. She's nothing."