Chapter 25 The Young Lady in the Wheelchair 25: Shall we get rid of her?
On the afternoon the results were announced, the school's honor roll was also updated promptly.
As the school bell rang, students who had been confined to the classroom all day filed out and surged toward the road leading out of the school.
Many students gathered in front of the honor roll to check their rankings. Wen Yan wanted to pass by quickly, but her friend pulled her aside to check as well.
My friend said, "I improved by three places this time. I want to see that number with my own eyes. There's no point in looking at the rankings on the podium compared to seeing the honor roll in person."
Wen Yan smiled: "Want me to take a picture for you as a souvenir?"
My friend quickly waved his hand, saying, "No, no, that would make me look like an idiot."
Wen Yan: "Hahahaha!"
The students from other classes were gathered in small groups, discussing the ranking order.
"No need to look, it's definitely Wen Yan again. She's always number one in her grade."
"No, it's someone else."
"If it's not Wen Yan, could it be He Jiayu, the perennial runner-up and the ultimate one-sided student, who has finally turned the tables? Congratulations... But who is Cheng Zhishu?"
The friend didn't hear what the people in front were saying and tried to pull Wen Yan away.
"I remember your parents are away on a business trip. Are you going to visit your parents on the other side?"
Wen Yan, who was about to leave, paused, as if her feet had taken root and she didn't want to move.
The discussion continued: "That name sounds familiar. I remember now, it's that transfer student from Class One."
"Oh, right. I remember now, our teacher mentioned her. I knew she was good enough to be assigned to Class 1, but I didn't expect her to be this good; she even surpassed Wen Yan in the exam."
"..."
Starting from junior high school, Wen Yan became an adjective, specifically divided into those who could outperform Wen Yan and those who couldn't.
Even Wen Yan herself felt it was an honor, and she would continue to feel that way until graduation. However, recently someone broke her record.
"Hey Orange, why are you walking so fast?" a girl's lively voice called out from behind the crowd.
Wen Yan subconsciously turned her head and saw Cheng Zhishu walking quickly by. Her eyes were bright as she walked towards the sunlight, exuding an indescribable arrogance and unrestrainedness.
Cheng Zhishu replied without turning her head, "My sister is waiting for me outside. I'm in a hurry."
The girl behind her jogged up to catch up with her and put her arm around her shoulder: "Why does she come to pick you up every day..."
Cheng Zhishu just smiled, happy and proud.
Wen Yan watched the two figures gradually disappear into the distance. Cheng Zhishu didn't even glance at the honor roll before walking away.
That person is the child that neither mom nor dad wants to accept.
Her mother, who raised her from a young age, also said, "I feel like she's had a tough time, sigh..."
However, the other person easily surpassed her in just one exam, so Wen Yan turned her gaze to the top spot on the leaderboard.
If it were only a difference of one or two points, it would be fine, but a difference of ten points, she would find it difficult to even feel resentful.
Upon arriving at the school gate, Shangguan Yin parted ways with Cheng Zhishu and headed towards home. Cheng Zhishu immediately spotted the familiar vehicle, ran through the crowd, and jumped into the car.
With the air conditioning on in the car, closing the door shut out the sweltering summer heat, and Xi Congshuang put down her tablet.
Cheng Zhishu had previously seen the contents of Xi Congshuang's tablet and kept saying that she couldn't understand it because it was full of technical terms or difficult-to-understand foreign words.
She even looked up a few words on the computer in the room and found that they were all financial terms. At her current level, she couldn't even understand what the Chinese words were saying, let alone the foreign language versions.
Cheng Zhishu put all that aside and leaned forward, asking, "Sister, do you remember what you promised me a few days ago?"
Ni An's ears twitched, and her gaze involuntarily drifted towards the rearview mirror.
The rearview mirror clearly reflected the back seat of the car. Xi Congshuang frowned in the mirror, pondering seriously under Cheng Zhishu's expectant gaze, and asked softly, "What?"
It doesn't look like what I remember.
Sure enough, Cheng Zhishu's expectant expression faltered: "You don't remember? It's about treating you to dinner after I get my scholarship money, don't you remember?"
Xi Congshuang: "I remember."
With just two words, Cheng Zhishu recovered immediately.
Raising her hand, Xi Congshuang, who couldn't be restrained even by the seatbelt, earnestly repeated, "I remember. So, where do you suggest we eat? Have Li Mi drive us there."
Cheng Zhishu obediently sat back in her seat: "I'll decide?"
Xi Congshuang: "Wouldn't it be even more of a surprise if you made the decision?"
"It seems...so it is."
After a moment of confusion, Cheng Zhishu was indeed persuaded and lowered her head to fiddle with her phone.
Ni An had taken the time to learn more about Cheng Zhishu in the past few days and was surprised that, despite her young age, Cheng Zhishu had experienced far more ups and downs than Ni An, who was approaching thirty.
Moreover, such people are always more or less insecure and gloomy, but she is not. Not only is she cheerful, lively, and good at fighting, but she also has a terrible sense of direction.
Yes, I learned about the fight from Li Mi.
According to Li Mi's reliable insider information, the girls who tried to block Cheng Zhishu from taking photos were not seriously injured because Cheng Zhishu got lost at the beginning and couldn't find her immediately.
They eventually found them by following the smell of cigarette smoke in a bathroom on the first floor of an abandoned building. They locked the door and started fighting.
This attracted Xi Congshuang and even made her want to return to the company.
But thinking about it carefully, if it were Ni An herself, she would also like to have a younger sister like that.
A few minutes later, Li Mi's phone displayed a new location.
Cheng Zhishu said mysteriously, "Sister Li, please go to this address, but don't say the restaurant name out loud. I want to give you a little surprise."
Li Mi suppressed a laugh: "Okay."
Xi Congshuang, who was looking down at her tablet, also smiled. Cheng Zhishu leaned closer to her and whispered, "Shangguan Yin recommended it to me. She said it was delicious."
Xi Congshuang looked up at Cheng Zhishu, and before she could say anything, Cheng Zhishu interrupted her, saying, "It won't be very expensive, don't worry."
Xi Congshuang raised one eyebrow and said nothing more: "Okay, I will follow your arrangements."
"..."
Previously, Ni An did not believe that anyone could make Xi Congshuang say "I will obey orders," even Chairman Xi often made exceptions.
I never expected to see her in person; she's a teenage girl.
This is a concrete manifestation of the principle that one thing can subdue another, but it's an example of excessive indulgence.
If it weren't for Cheng Zhishu, Ni An would find it hard to imagine that her once extremely strong-willed boss would be willing to appear in front of a stranger.
For nearly a year after the car accident, she heard that her boss rarely left the house, preferring to stay in the Xi residence, hiding himself in the shadows and no longer wanting to see anyone.
Upon arrival, the place turned out to be surprisingly nice, with a tranquil environment.
Before arriving, Cheng Zhishu had set a location on her phone, which was in a corner by the window, where the flower wall partition perfectly blocked most of the view.
The two were led to their seats by a waiter, and melodious music filled the restaurant.
When the waiter in uniform handed the menu to the two of them, Ni An and Li Mi found a seat in the lobby and ordered, intending to have dinner there.
Looking at the menu, it does seem quite good, but that's only true for those who are already working.
Although it was dinner time, the restaurant did not keep them waiting for long, and the dishes they ordered were served one after another.
Cheng Zhishu: "I heard the cream of mushroom soup here is delicious, sister, please try it."
"Recommended by Shangguan Yin again? I'll give it a try." Xi Congshuang picked up the spoon next to the plate, scooped up a shallow spoonful of soup, and brought it to her lips.
It has a smooth and rich flavor, with an initial taste of salty and savory flavor accompanied by milky aroma. After a while, the sweetness of mushrooms slowly spreads from the mouth. It's really good.
Cheng Zhishu stared intently.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly how Xi Congshuang eats compared to others, but she has an inexplicable elegance. Sometimes, Cheng Zhishu can't help but secretly imitate her, as if she could become as mature as Xi Congshuang.
"How is it?" Cheng Zhishu asked expectantly.
Xi Congshuang nodded: "It's delicious."
For some reason, Cheng Zhishu was even happier than if she had eaten something delicious herself.
"I'm so glad my sister likes it."
*
After that, Cheng Zhishu seemed to have tasted the sweetness and always wanted to invite Xi Congshuang to eat other things.
Xi Congshuang occasionally agreed, but more often she refused, telling the other party her thoughts without any concealment.
"You're already great. You don't need to try to prove yourself to me. I just want you to be happy."
This finally made Cheng Zhishu give up, but she couldn't help being happy for several days in a row.
Her emotions were so outwardly expressed that Shangguan Yin couldn't help but ask her what was making her so happy.
With a hint of smugness in her voice, Cheng Zhishu told Shangguan Yin about it.
After hearing this, Shangguan Yin said enviously, "That's so nice. If I were my brother, he would eat me into bankruptcy and wouldn't say anything about being happy or unhappy. It's so much better to have an older sister."
Cheng Zhishu suddenly became unhappy and repeated, "Sister?"
Shangguan Yin didn't understand the "older sister" thing at all, and just nodded enviously: "Yes, I have a friend who also has an older sister who is working, and she is just as good to her."
As she spoke, she counted on her fingers: "I often treat her to meals, buy her new clothes, and bring her gifts every time I go on a business trip. Last summer, after she cooked for her sister for a month, her sister bought her a new computer when school started."
"Just like Miss Xi treats you."
"..."
These were indeed given to her by Xi Congshuang.
Cheng Zhishu lay down and buried her face in her arms, not wanting to listen to Shangguan Yin for the first time.
But Shangguan Yin, oblivious to romance, shook Cheng Zhishu's shoulder and said, "It's good to be young, you can fall asleep as soon as you lie down."
Cheng Zhishu: "..." Just shut up.
Time slips away quietly, summer turns to autumn, the weather is slightly cool, and the next exam is approaching.
The results of each exam at No. 1 Middle School are released the day after they end, and the honor roll is updated on the third day.
This time, even more students gathered in front of the honor roll, each with a clear purpose, instinctively looking towards the first position.
In the last exam, transfer student Cheng Zhishu emerged as a dark horse, surpassing the previous top student by ten points.
However, many people believe that this is just a coincidence, and that with Wen Yan's strength, she will soon return to her familiar position.
However, the reality disappointed some people, as the first place still belonged to Cheng Zhishu.
But this time the difference was no longer ten points, but narrowed to five points. The perennial one-sided scorer was left behind by the top two scorers, and could only smell the exhaust fumes.
Standing before the overflowing honor roll, Wen Yan looked up, sighed softly, and slumped her shoulders.
It's really hard to surpass her.
*
Cheng Zhishu returned home with first place once again and received a warm welcome. Everyone in Wenhai agreed to prepare a big meal to celebrate.
And since the next day was the weekend, we could stay out a little later.
The consequences of indulging in a big meal and staying up late were obvious. The next day, Cheng Zhishu woke up late, and the first thing she did after getting out of bed was to run to the balcony and look down.
Xi Congshuang did not read in the garden downstairs.
Regrettingly pulling her head back, Cheng Zhishu thought that she was either working in the study or being accompanied by Dr. Zheng for rehabilitation training in the rehabilitation room.
Fang Zhishu was unwilling to intrude and disturb Xi Congshuang, so she planned to go downstairs for a walk after changing her clothes.
Strangely enough, this was Cheng Zhishu's first time strolling around Wenhai, as she was not very familiar with the area before.
Since moving here, I've been very busy with my studies. In order to catch up with the school's progress, I've been working hard, burning the midnight oil, and sacrificing my weekends to study. I haven't had time to properly look at the place I've lived in for several months.
so……
The girl stopped, put her hands on her hips, and looked up at the treetop. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves, and golden spots of light fell on her face, making her squint.
She asked, bewildered, as someone with no sense of direction: "Where am I? Where have I ended up?"
Thinking that she couldn't stay lost in her own home forever, Cheng Zhishu insisted on figuring out the surrounding area herself, determined not to call Xiao Li for help to take her back.
As she walked, she got lost again. Not far away was a small white villa with an antique style and moon-shaped streetlights installed on the doorposts.
Cheng Zhishu stood at the door looking around, saw the words on the doorplate, and remembered where she was.
That building used to be the residence of Xi Congshuang's parents, and it was called Wenyue.
Since the car accident, the place has been empty; no one has moved in.
Xiao Liu also said that Miss has been quite independent since she was a child. She moved to Wenhai when she was around ten years old. She lived in a more spacious house than everyone else. Chairman Xi really likes her.
After standing there for a while, Cheng Zhishu turned and left, continuing her search for the way back to Wenhai.
Cheng Zhishu didn't know if she hadn't checked the almanac before going out today, but she ran into Wang Ya.
Compared to before, Wang Ya has changed a lot, like the jewel-encrusted lady I used to see in the office.
She was wearing high heels she'd never had time to wear before, and an elegant Chanel-style suit. She looked displeased, as if she'd just had an unpleasant conversation with someone.
After only a glance from afar, Cheng Zhishu instinctively wanted to avoid it.
But Wang Ya stopped him: "Cheng Zhishu, you stop right there!"
Cheng Zhishu could have left, but she didn't. She slowly turned around and watched Wang Ya walk over.
Wang Ya, clapping in her high heels, said aggressively, "I'm asking you, did you deliberately steal her first place in these two exams? Do you know how much you've hurt Xiaoyan? She studies so hard..."
"Mom, this is the last time I'll call you Mom." Cheng Zhishu interrupted Wang Ya for the first time.
Wang Ya was taken aback.
She suddenly noticed that Cheng Zhishu had stopped having bangs at some point; her long hair was tucked back, revealing her smooth forehead and upright posture, making her seem quite unfamiliar.
Cheng Zhishu raised her eyes and looked at the woman in front of her. Her makeup was exquisite, and she could smell the rich perfume on her body.
She had seen Wang Ya at her most exhausted. She used to feel sorry for Wang Ya because she was so busy with work, supporting her lazy husband and maintaining the family.
Even if it's tough and tiring, she has to keep the house clean so that no one looks down on her. She thinks Wang Ya works very hard.
At that time, Cheng Zhishu thought that if she could be more comfortable and less stressed, she could tolerate being criticized.
Cheng Zhishu: "I've already left your life, haven't I?"
"You no longer need to worry that my existence will ruin your reputation, make others doubt you, or make you feel like you have a bone stuck in your throat."
“Wen Yan looks a lot like you. When you stand together, no one will doubt your blood relationship anymore. She has also fulfilled your expectations.”
"She is well-behaved, studies well, always smiles, and has many friends, completely different from me who always has a sour face."
"If you want to say that I deliberately targeted Wen Yan, I can tell you that I didn't. I have never bothered to do such a thing."
“I don’t want to make concessions for anyone anymore, to prove my worth to another person just like I did to you before.”
Wang Ya was speechless.
"Cheng..." Wang Ya hesitated, then a girl's reproachful voice came from afar, "Mom! What are you doing!"
My words were interrupted by Wen Yan, who came to stay over the weekend.
She ran over, grabbed Wang Ya's arm, and said in a reproachful tone, "I already told you that my bad mood has nothing to do with my exam ranking."
"But these past few days..."
"I'm just a little tired. Even if I don't do as well as I used to, it has nothing to do with anyone else. What you're doing makes me feel very embarrassed."
Wang Ya subconsciously apologized: "Mom didn't mean it, I didn't say anything, I was just chatting with her."
Wen Yan didn't know whether she believed her or not: "Then promise me you won't do this again next time?"
Wang Ya nodded without hesitation, her attitude no different from when she spoke to Xiao Yao: "Mom promises you."
"..." Cheng Zhishu's turbulent emotions instantly subsided, leaving only the damp sand.
No wonder her parents both like Wen Yan; she can act coquettishly and has the ability to make people want to grant her any request.
Cheng Zhishu planned to leave first. It turned out that she had unknowingly walked near Wen Can and just wanted to get back as soon as possible.
"Wait a minute." Wang Ya suddenly spoke up as Wen Yan took her arm.
Cheng Zhishu seemed to know what she was going to say and replied, "Yes, I'm doing very well with my sister."
Having said that, he didn't linger any longer and walked away quickly.
*
After finishing her rehabilitation training and taking a shower, Xi Congshuang did not work in her study today, but read on the balcony.
She didn't have a deep understanding of the world, and writing was a good way for her to acquire knowledge.
Whenever she had free time, she would read books. She read almost all the books in the study, gradually comparing them with the rules of her original world, and forming her own plan in her mind.
As Xi Congshuang turned a page of her book, she picked up her teacup with her other hand to drink some water, when there was a knock on the door.
Thinking it was Xiao Liu who had come to clean, she said without turning her head, "Come in."
With a click, the door opened and someone walked in. Judging from the footsteps, it didn't sound like Xiao Liu.
Xi Congshuang turned around and saw Cheng Zhishu walking over unhappily. For the first time, he didn't carefully ask if it was okay, but sat down on the ground and lay on her lap.
This wasn't the first time Cheng Zhishu had lain on her lap. Looking back now, Xi Congshuang had forgotten why she had agreed to let Cheng Zhishu lie on her lap in this dependent posture several times.
Xi Congshuang gently nudged her shoulder: "The ground is cold."
Cheng Zhishu lowered her head, her voice muffled: "There's a carpet, it won't be cold."
Xi Congshuang added, "This chair is very long; you can sit with me."
Cheng Zhishu: "I don't want it to be this way."
"……"All right.
Xi Congshuang continued reading, holding the book with both hands, raising it slightly to avoid hitting her head.
She didn't ask any more questions, and the balcony became quiet, which actually made Cheng Zhishu feel better.
Not everything can be easily confided. Everyone has one or two things they are unwilling to say, preferring to let them fester in their hearts rather than speak of them.
Whether it's about saving face at all costs or deceiving yourself into thinking it's not that bad, all these miscellaneous thoughts can be condensed into one sentence: That's it.
Xi Congshuang had just finished showering, and her fragrance was even more pronounced than usual. Taking advantage of this, Cheng Zhishu buried herself in the blanket and took a deep breath.
"Sister, what do you take me for?" Cheng Zhishu asked, looking up at her. "A pitiful little sister, or a girl?"
Xi Congshuang patted her head: "Why would Zhishu ask me this question?"
Cheng Zhishu: "I was just asking."
She lay back down on Xi Congshuang's lap, while Xi Congshuang looked up into the distance, seemingly still pondering the question.
After a long while, she stroked Cheng Zhishu's head and said, "Zhishu, how about I get rid of the person who's making you unhappy?"
The person lying on Xi Congshuang's lap did not speak.
Xi Congshuang bent down and peeked over; the woman lying on her lap had her eyes closed and was asleep.
————————
Snowflake: Very introverted, good at cleaning up household garbage
Just a heads up, tomorrow is Saturday and I'll be taking over the webcam, so updates will be moved to 11 PM that night! [Applause]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com