In Chapter 19, Ye Yuying, who was last in line, felt a strange sense of security...
She wasn't familiar with him.
They didn't even have a single real conversation.
In this vast and impersonal mansion, Cheng Mingdu remained detached from the troubles, appearing indifferent as if it were none of his business.
But he would leave her two rice balls in the very corner of the refrigerator.
Perhaps some people feed stray cats with a similar mindset, feeding them casually without taking it to heart, let alone having a noble attitude.
But the most distinct feeling was hunger, especially in the dark of night. The nausea in her stomach, as if a towel had been wrung out, made her stomach and heart soften as she hugged a cold rice ball alone in the middle of the night…
His feelings for her were neither caring nor tender.
But what it was, she didn't know; it might have been a kind of indifferent sympathy.
It was like the wind blowing through the branches, so light that it left no trace of deliberate effort.
On the contrary, she was emotionally trapped by this silent charity.
She thought she had long been used to isolation, but when someone actually left even a small act of kindness, a passive and fragile sense of gratitude slowly welled up like a tide.
Ye Yuying herself couldn't explain it.
She knew perfectly well that this kind of thing was unreliable and shouldn't be taken too seriously.
So at this moment, she stood inside the door, her gaze fixed on him.
The girl's eyes, once washed by tears, held a deep sense of bewilderment and confusion, as if she were looking at him and gazing at a distant hope, like the last flame in winter, ready to be extinguished at any moment.
Perhaps there was a moment when she herself was unaware that she almost regarded Cheng Mingdu as her only hope in Rongcheng.
But those things that are destined to be buried in the dust at the bottom—violence, oppression, jealousy, obedience… have never been related to this person before me, who is as pure as a gentle breeze and a bright moon.
So she decided to say nothing, and simply gaze at him silently with those eyes—
His gaze was complex, carrying a hint of hidden gratitude, mixed with a touch of stubbornness, and... and an overwhelming sense of inferiority.
She was the stray cat that was fed at midnight, and dared not make any requests other than for food, for fear of offending others.
Cheng Mingdu seemed to sense something and turned his head to meet her gaze for a second.
He didn't avoid the gaze, but asked very casually, "Didn't they prepare slippers for you?"
A few light words cut off the silence, and it took her a while to react. She subconsciously looked down at her feet and for a moment felt a little embarrassed and wanted to hide them.
"I was prepared... but I forgot to wear it," she explained softly.
Actually, it wasn't that I forgot to wear it.
She was simply used to the feeling of walking barefoot on the cold floor.
During her years at her maternal grandmother's house, she had long since gotten used to not wearing slippers in winter.
Just as she was pondering whether not wearing slippers might violate the Cheng family's rules, and was about to flee back to her room, she saw him carrying the cardboard box downstairs, leaving behind a single sentence.
"Children who don't wear slippers are more prone to rheumatism."
That voice, like a cool breeze sneaking in through a crack in the window, came unexpectedly, yet caused the beaded curtain to jingle incessantly, making her heartstrings tremble slightly.
Ye Yuying shifted her feet, finally snapping out of her daze. She nodded and quietly retreated back inside.
The moment the door closed, she remained standing behind it, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, motionless for a long time.
The wind outside the window rustled through the roof tiles of the attic, making a soft sound, as if someone had sighed for her.
Ye Yuying finally loosened her grip on the hem of her clothes, walked to the corner, and rummaged through the cardboard box to find a pair of brand-new slippers.
Light gray, so simple it's almost unremarkable.
She crouched down and carefully slipped her foot in.
Then, she just sat on the edge of the bed, hugging her knees, quietly lost in thought.
A faint smell of dust filled the air, mixed with the dampness of wood, and a subtle sense of loneliness.
She curled up in the corner of the bed, her slippers quietly encasing her feet, bringing a subtle yet undeniable warmth.
She looked down at the slippers she was wearing and suddenly had a very strange feeling—
It felt like I was finally someone who was allowed to stay.
For those who are not allowed to stay, the discussion should be about staying or leaving, not about slippers.
After that day, she became even more curious about the dark attic storage room, because it seemed to contain Cheng Mingdu's old belongings.
To some extent, this may hold the secret to how Cheng Mingdu grew up to be so clear-headed.
*
The past few days had been peaceful, and Ye Yuying originally thought that she would suffer the consequences for offending Ge Jie.
But it wasn't just Ye Yuying; many people in the class had their lives improve because Ge Jie had fallen into a romantic crush and asked people every day to help her figure out how to pursue the boy.
Ye Yuying understood; it turned out that this "good day" was somewhat related to the emperor being in a good mood and granting a general amnesty.
However, this calm did not last for more than a few days; that day happened to be the time when the math unit test results were released.
Ye Yuying glanced down at the score on the test paper, and it was indeed unsurprisingly her last place again.
When she was in her hometown of Qingcheng, she could barely be considered above average in the county primary school. But when she went to Chengdu, where education is more developed, she couldn't even reach the middle level.
There's an unwritten rule in the class: the student who gets the lowest score has to sit in the front row under the teacher's desk so the teacher can supervise them. But this puts invisible pressure on everyone; everyone knows it's a shameful position.
The spot that will receive special "attention" from the teacher.
The previous last place was a short-haired girl with severe myopia. Every time she received the test paper, she would complain and bury her head on the table in frustration.
Since Ye Yuying arrived, after only a few unit tests, that "special position" has changed hands.
The short-haired girl pushed up her glasses, happily and relievedly packed up her books and moved them from their "special spot," excitedly shaking Ye Yuying's hand as if in a handover ceremony.
"Savior, Ye! I'll cover all your snacks from now on. Will your parents make you kneel as punishment for sitting in a 'special position'? My knees are calloused from kneeling all year..."
Ye Yuying didn't seem to care much about it and seemed quite accepting of being last in the class. She comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, with me here, you won't be coming back here."
Actually, she wasn't so opposed to this "special position," and even looked forward to it a little, because with the teacher under her nose, Ge Jie's little notes with trivial matters written on them during class couldn't be passed here.
Because the target is too large, the "secret operation" is easily exposed.
So, under everyone's watchful eyes, Ye Yuying quietly carried her books to the front row of the teacher's desk.
The new location has an indescribable sense of desolation.
All around were piles of papers marked by teachers, teacups that had turned yellow from grading, and the occasional pointer tossed carelessly onto the corner of the table.
There was also a faint smell of chalk dust mixed with the scent of old wood, like the unique, aged aroma of a school.
But it was precisely this desolation that gave Ye Yuying a strange sense of security.
She sat up straight, took out her math workbook from her bag, and slowly began to write. Although she was slow and made many mistakes, at least she was writing.
The last rays of winter sunlight slanted in, illuminating her slender profile, making it appear soft and fair.
Sometimes, when life is chaotic enough, being "last place" can actually be a form of salvation.
Oh……
Ge Jie's infatuation made everyone feel relaxed and happy, like it was a holiday. Pleasing her became much easier; all it took was saying one sentence:
"You're beautiful and have great poise; it would be hard for Lin Zhiyan not to like you."
This sentence is like magic, immersing Ge Jie in a pink atmosphere so that she has no time to lecture others. However, everyone has to take turns acting as a courier between Rongcheng No.1 High School and Laishan Middle School, delivering small gifts to Lin Zhiyan for Ge Jie every day.
Each person takes turns, and it wasn't long before it was Ye Yuying's turn.
"Hey, Ye Yuying, pack your schoolbag in advance, and run fast after school to deliver this letter to Lin Zhiyan before evening self-study at Rongcheng No.1 High School."
"Hmm..." She tightened the letter in her bag, reluctant but could only give a faint reply.
She had absolutely no room to refuse.
As soon as the school bell rang, the sky was already tinged with a faint orange-red.
Ye Yuying packed her schoolbag, tucked the pink envelope into her pocket, and quickly walked out of the school gate with her head down.
The wind was cold, making her ears ache. She wrapped her coat tighter around herself and ran towards Rongcheng No. 1 High School, following her memory.
Rongcheng No.1 High School is a bit far from Laishan Middle School, only a ten-minute walk away. However, there is only an hour before evening self-study begins, so she has to deliver the things before the start of self-study, otherwise she will have to wait until tomorrow.
To avoid causing trouble for Ge Jie, she quickened her pace and started running directly on the sidewalk.
Rongcheng No.1 High School is the best high school in Rongcheng and one of the best high schools in the province.
For several years, no student from an ordinary middle school like Laishan Middle School has been able to get into Rongcheng No. 1 High School.
The two sides are worlds apart, and someone like Lin Zhiyan, who can be a double academic star at Rongcheng No. 1 High School, coupled with her good looks and wealthy family background, it is no exaggeration to describe her as a prodigy.
This place is full of hidden talents and brilliant minds; it's as if the words "bright future" are floating in the air.
Ye Yuying stood outside the tall iron gate, feeling a little awkward. Lin Zhiyan should be having a meal now, but she didn't know his exact location.
Fortunately, several girls from other schools gathered at the school gate, holding neatly wrapped small gifts.
Ye Yuying paused for a moment, then quietly approached the crowd to listen to their discussion about Lin Zhiyan's whereabouts.
"It's Wednesday today. Lin's last class is basketball; he's probably still playing a game."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a figure darted away from the crowd.
Everyone glanced over instinctively, but only saw a blurry and unfamiliar back view.
After receiving the crucial information, Ye Yuying immediately strode towards the basketball court on the back playground.
As she walked through the teaching building, she saw a few scattered figures on the playground in the distance, with several boys shooting hoops under the basketball hoops.
The setting sun stretched their shadows long, casting them in a staggered pattern on the dimly lit playground, like crumpled golden threads.
She slowly approached, and before she could find Lin Zhiyan, her eyes were drawn to a prominent notice board. The notice board was called "Zhiyuan Wall," and it was probably similar to a honor roll, listing the names of the best graduates from previous years, ranked according to their overall strength and weighted by various factors, with the highest overall score appearing at the top.
Ye Yuying slowly looked up from tenth place, when she heard a voice behind her: "Zhiyan, pass on!"
Upon catching the name, she immediately abandoned her curiosity about the Zhiyuan Wall and looked away.
Lin Zhiyan received the ball outside the three-point line, turned and shot in one smooth motion.
The moment the ball went in, a cheer, neither too loud nor too soft, erupted across the playground.
Ye Yuying stood still at the sidelines, not daring to take another step forward, just waiting timidly, like someone waiting for a pilgrim.
There were many people watching Lin Zhiyan play basketball, and there were no seats available. Many of them were high school students from other schools. Only Ye Yuying was wearing the uniform of Laishan Middle School, and she looked particularly small in the crowd.
"Wow, Lin Zhiyan is so charming that even junior high school students are eyeing her."
High school students in the crowd took turns teasing her. She clutched her schoolbag tightly to her chest, trying to cover the logo of her junior high school, like a lamb that had wandered into a herd of cattle.
Soon, Lin Zhiyan noticed the awkward figure. He took off the towel around his neck, wiped his sweat, and walked towards her.
Lin Zhiyan stopped in front of her, bent down slightly, and asked in a calm and unhurried voice, "Looking for me?"
Ye Yuying nodded, quickly rummaged through her bag for the letter, and hastily handed it over: "Someone asked me to give this to you."
She wanted to finish her mission as soon as possible and leave this troublesome place.
"Ge Jie sent you, right?" Lin Zhiyan didn't open the letter, but slightly lifted her eyelids and immediately understood.
Ye Yuying nodded subconsciously.
"You've been bullied like this, and not a single one of you dares to fight back?" Lin Zhiyan narrowed his eyes slightly, not intending to interfere, but simply asking casually.
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Author's note: 50 red envelopes!
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