Chapter 21 The Young Lady in the Wheelchair 21: Finding Someone
After the weekend, Cheng Zhishu was fully recovered and returned to her normal life.
This exam was Cheng Zhishu's first since transferring schools, and it was very important to her because the final score would determine whether she could receive a scholarship later.
She had excellent grades since childhood, and during her three years of junior high school, she received full scholarships, which covered most of her study materials and living expenses.
However, because her adoptive parents always liked to ask her for money, and would make a scene if she didn't give it to them, Cheng Zhishu had no choice but to give it to them.
In addition, she would occasionally take part-time jobs during winter and summer vacations to save up some tuition fees, which saved her from dropping out of school early and working in a factory.
Before transferring to No. 1 Middle School, Cheng Zhishu had already passed the school's entrance exam and was only allowed to enroll after meeting the standards.
However, she was the only student in that test, so she didn't know her ranking in the whole school and would have to wait and see the results of this exam.
Even though Xi Congshuang now covers all tuition and living expenses, and her food, clothing, housing, and transportation are all in good condition, she no longer needs to live the frugal life she used to. She should enjoy life to the fullest.
But she's gotten used to it and has no intention of changing.
Xi Congshuang saw her efforts but didn't say much, nor did she advise her not to work so hard like Xiao Liu did. She just silently observed her.
In Xi Congshuang's view, Cheng Zhishu was just that kind of person; letting her have free time made her feel uncomfortable.
The observation is that the main characters are indeed like that, never willing to be subordinate to others.
The exam lasted three days, and the atmosphere at Wenhai became quiet, as everyone was afraid of disturbing Cheng Zhishu's studies. Even Xiao Liu's actions of bringing fruit upstairs became more discreet.
This left Xi Congshuang both amused and exasperated. She told Xiao Liu that the room was well soundproofed and there was no need to be so cautious, completely unaware that the atmosphere originated from her.
If Xi Congshuang hadn't told Xiao Liu to pay attention to her diet since Sunday and to find a nutritionist to customize a nutritional diet for Cheng Zhishu, who would have noticed a small monthly exam for a high school student?
The monthly exams ended on Wednesday, and Cheng Zhishu will get out of school earlier today. Xi Congshuang changed her clothes and stayed in the garden from noon onwards.
Cheng Zhishu didn't have her driver pick her up today. She sent a message this morning saying she was going to buy study materials with her classmates and would try to get home early.
Xi Congshuang didn't wait for Cheng Zhishu, who was supposed to leave school early, but instead waited for someone else.
Xi Hanran, who hadn't been seen for a long time, appeared in Wenhai on a weekday and easily found Xi Congshuang reading a book among the flowers.
Xi Hanran walked along the stone-paved path, parted the flowers and peeked out: "I was wondering why I smelled medicine, it really was you here."
Xi Congshuang closed the book and praised, "You have a really good nose."
"You!" Xi Hanran frowned, wanting to retort, but felt that her current posture was not imposing enough, so she shrank back.
A series of hurried footsteps bypassed the flower bushes and came from the other side. Xi Congshuang quickly saw someone coming from the end and finally sat down on the chair on the other side of the wrought iron table without any hesitation.
Xi Hanran glanced at the things on the table: a black-screened notebook, a German book she would never read, and a thermos.
There was still half a cup of warm water left in the white porcelain cup. She looked at it and regretfully discovered that there were traces of lipstick left on the rim of the cup.
Xi Hanran: "Why is there only one cup?"
Xi Congshuang: "I'm all alone, so of course I only have one teacup. But how come you have time to come here and cause trouble?"
"I came here out of kindness to show my concern for you, and you say I'm being difficult?" Xi Hanran didn't want to drink water anymore. "Have you been away from school for too long and suddenly forgotten what respecting the elderly and caring for the young means? I haven't forgotten..."
Xi Congshuang said "Oh," and then asked, "So, what do you want to know about me?"
Xi Hanran choked, suddenly unable to utter a single word from her prepared speech. Then, Xi Congshuang glanced at her and said in a harsh tone, "I heard you went to the hospital for a checkup..."
Xi Congshuang countered, "Who told you that?"
Xi Hanran subconsciously replied, "It's not something I heard, I saw it myself... No, why are you so wary? I didn't follow you."
"oh."
“That day happened to be the day of my physical examination. I looked down from upstairs and saw you entering the elevator and going down to the parking lot, with a little kid holding your hand next to you.”
After talking for so long without getting to the point, Xi Congshuang picked up her teacup, feeling inexplicably irritable.
Her legs, which she couldn't control, reminded her that she wasn't in her familiar world.
She doesn't need to be so vigilant and wary of everyone, and no one will inform on her; the possibility of hidden surveillance in her living area is extremely low.
Xi Congshuang put down her teacup and said in a calm tone, "Then don't worry, there's almost no chance of recovery, and the possibility of standing up is extremely slim."
That was the truth the doctor told her; Xi Hanran could have gotten the answer simply by asking Dr. Xu.
She felt her subtext was quite clear; Xi Hanran understood it and wouldn't waste any more time coming here, going to great lengths to guard against this and that.
Moreover, Xi Congshuang felt that she didn't have the energy to deal with so many people; Cheng Zhishu was enough.
Xi Hanran was furious and abruptly stood up: "What can I trust if you can't even recover?"
Xi Congshuang: "?"
She looked up and stared at the other person strangely.
Xi Hanran sat back down uncomfortably, her tone stiff: "But as an elder, I watched you grow up, so I have a responsibility to take care of you. I really can't stand seeing you like this."
Xi Congshuang held up two fingers: "Excuse me for interrupting, but you're only two years older than me."
With such a small age difference, it's impossible for them to watch each other grow up. Instead, they always end up in the same school by chance, and then secretly compete for rankings and grades in different grades.
After I grew up and joined the company, the situation became even more intense. Sometimes, when things got heated, the two sides almost came to blows, and it was only thanks to Chairman Xi that they were able to keep things under control.
This relationship is clearly one of mutual loathing, with both sides wishing the other could be eliminated as soon as possible.
The appeasement policy didn't work on her. She didn't want to get involved in the Xi family's affairs. Once her mission was complete, she would move on to the next world. No matter how much wealth she had, she wouldn't have time to enjoy it.
Xi Hanran: "Can't you just not say things that upset people?"
Xi Congshuang withdrew two fingers: "Okay."
After a long silence, Xi Hanran asked again, "Is the chance really so slim?"
Xi Congshuang nodded: "Really."
Xi Hanran: "I don't believe it."
“There’s nothing we can do if you don’t believe me. Dr. Xu really said the chances are slim…” Xi Congshuang continued to tell the truth, then took out her phone and waved it in front of Xi Hanran, “I’m going to take a call in a bit.”
The contact name on the phone flashed by, revealing the three large characters "Cheng Zhishu".
Xi Hanran, who was planning to search for doctors all over the country and even the world, said: "Hey!"
Xi Congshuang swiped to answer the call and held the phone to her ear: "Hello? Zhishu?"
"..."
It was obvious he didn't want to talk to her. Xi Hanran was already thirsty, and now her mouth was even drier. She was angry.
I don't know where Xi Congshuang got such a good mood lately. Not only did she stop acting crazy, but she also stopped caring about whether she could go back to the company. Instead, she changed her focus to raising her child.
At first, Xi Hanran thought that she was just trying to amuse herself and that she would lose interest in the relationship after a few days. However, as time went on, she realized that she was serious.
Immersing themselves in these unnecessary things, and with no intention of returning to the company, is truly spineless.
Just as she was thinking this to herself, Xi Hanran heard Xi Congshuang beside her say in a deep voice, "You're not Zhi Shu, who are you? What are you doing with her phone?"
The other party seemed silent for a few seconds, then Xi Congshuang impatiently urged, "Speak."
Not to mention the person on the other end of the phone, Xi Hanran, who was just a table away from her, also felt a chill run down her spine.
She rubbed her arms. It wasn't like she hadn't argued with Xi Congshuang before, so why was her tone so frightening this time?
*
At the school gate, someone was pacing anxiously back and forth, occasionally looking up into the distance.
Today was the last day of exams, and school ended relatively early. In just over ten minutes, the campus gradually emptied out.
Shangguan Yin held two cell phones in her hands and had another schoolbag hanging on her arm. It was Cheng Zhishu's schoolbag, but the owner of the schoolbag was missing, and had disappeared at school.
"She was perfectly fine, how could she just disappear like that?" Shangguan Yin walked to the security booth again. "I just wanted to check my classmate's entry and exit records to see if she had left the school, why is it so difficult?"
No. 1 High School is a public school, where money and power are not as readily available or easily used as in private schools; otherwise, Shangguan Yin would be considered a second-generation rich kid by birth.
But the matter couldn't be left like that. She had already called the homeroom teacher, who was on leave from school today but was on his way.
The security guard in the booth, looking like an old man, lay down on a recliner with a thermos cup in his hand: "Without the signature of the school leaders, you can't just pull up the surveillance footage."
He didn't care about Shangguan Yin's angry expression, and just waved his hand and said, "These are all rules. If I let everyone see them, would I still have a job? Call your classmate and see if she went out first without taking her bag."
"There are internet cafes right behind the school. Where are you going to find her? There's nobody on campus right now."
No. 1 High School is a key high school in the city with abundant teaching resources and a top-ranking rate of students admitted to key universities.
But there are always people who are good for nothing, even at No. 1 Middle School. It is clear that the security guard categorized the classmate Shangguan Yin mentioned as one of them.
Shangguan Yin showed her phone: "I already told you she didn't take her phone, how could she have left early?"
The security guard didn't recognize the phone brand; he just thought it was brand new. "You students are afraid the teachers will confiscate your phones, so you often bring two phones. Do you think I don't know?"
In short, the attitude is: no, we're not responsible, wait for the signature.
This is also what angered Shangguan Yin.
Starting last week, school leaders have been away attending meetings, and the principal was not present for the routine speech this Monday, which was delivered by the dean of teaching affairs.
If it weren't for the fact that today was a school-wide teachers' assembly, she would have already knocked on the principal's door, grabbed the autograph, and slammed it in front of the security guard.
She went there and found no one there before remembering that today was a day when school leaders were out attending a meeting and there was also a school-wide conference. The other offices were also almost completely empty.
She wouldn't dare to barge into the meeting room; students are naturally afraid of their teachers.
Having no other option, she had to call for help and wait anxiously at the school gate.
"What bad luck! Everyone's in a meeting, and now I can't find anyone..."
Just as Shangguan Yin was persuading the security guard, a Mercedes-Benz G-Class pulled up in front of the school gate, executed a clean drift, and lay prone in the parking space like a giant beast.
By this time, we had basically finished exploring the school. The once bustling campus was unusually quiet, so much so that even the slightest noise could attract a lot of attention.
The security guard sat up straight and looked outside.
Shangguan Yin glanced at the car, unsure if Xi Congshuang was inside.
Because this car's style is really not like Xi Congshuang's; it's arrogant and unrestrained, and its presence is very strong.
The driver's side door opened, and a long leg clad in black ankle boots stepped out. She landed and stood still, glancing at Shangguan Yin, who was standing dumbfounded at the school gate, her eyes narrowing.
"..."
Shangguan Yin felt that this person looked familiar, and she should have seen him before, but she was a little nervous being stared at, so she gripped the two phones in her hands tightly.
“The height and build don’t match, it’s not Cheng Zhishu.” Xi Hanran’s nearsightedness flared up, and she couldn’t see clearly. She turned and walked towards the trunk.
She took a wheelchair and a pair of crutches from the trunk, pushed them to the right back seat, and opened the car door: "We're here. Do you need me to help you?"
A pale, white wrist emerged from the car, its wrist bone slightly protruding and covered by a dark green cuff. Just as Shangguan Yin was wondering who would wear long sleeves in the summer when air conditioning was unbearable, she saw that the wrist snatch the cane from Xi Hanran's hand.
It's unclear whether the other person answered Xi Hanran's question, but they probably did, because Xi Hanran clicked her tongue, obediently bent down, and reached out to help the person down.
Her face was extremely displeased. As she followed behind Xi Congshuang's wheelchair, she put her hands in her pockets and said, "Am I like your nanny? Why don't you call me 'aunt' a few more times to repay me?"
Xi Congshuang didn't answer because she could hold her phone in her other hand, the screen was lit up, and she was on a call.
Glancing at the figure in the wheelchair, Xi Hanran couldn't help but say, "Don't go too fast, the wheels are practically shooting sparks."
The security guard watched as the person approached, observing the person's extremely strong aura of authority, yet also noticing that the person looked familiar. He couldn't be sure if this was a guest he had previously helped the principal entertain.
Xi Congshuang was too lazy to waste words, so she raised her phone and showed the number on it: "I want to check the surveillance footage. As for the signature of permission, you can talk to the principal yourself."
The phone was on speakerphone. As soon as Xi Congshuang finished speaking, a familiar voice came from the other end—it was the principal, who should have been in a meeting.
The principal said, "How could you be so careless about the students' safety? Didn't we tell you in the previous training that in an emergency, you should prioritize the students' safety? Hurry up and pull up all the surveillance footage for Ms. Xi to see."
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Snowflake: Hello? 110? A school is eating children.
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