Chapter 6 Forced Love
The two walked down the corridor one after the other, while some students who had quickly finished their meals slowly walked back.
When they saw Lian Yi walking ahead, they almost instinctively moved to the side, even though they couldn't touch her at all.
However, upon seeing Xu Qingyao behind Lian Yi, a hint of sympathy immediately appeared on her face.
One was arrogant and walked with a swagger in front, while the other was slender with his head down, walking briskly behind like a little follower.
After passing Lianyi and walking a distance, they quickly started complaining to their classmates.
Although Wanghai is a private school, it has a very strict teaching system. At most, you only occasionally hear news about those at the bottom of Class C who violated school rules and were punished.
But they could only see such blatant bullying in Lian Yi.
Unfortunately, the school administration acted as if they were blind to this, stubbornly ignoring it.
Xu Qingyao is indeed well-liked. She has good grades and is very approachable. She always speaks softly as if she never gets angry, and she will patiently answer any questions asked to her.
Even when rejecting someone's confession, they will sincerely say thank you for your feelings.
Unfortunately, no one had the courage to confront Lian Yi in order to protect her.
Previously, Lian Yi would at most order her around, but recently, for some reason, there seems to be a rumor that Lian Yi hired someone to beat Xu Qingyao up outside of school.
Whether this is true or not is unknown, but some people have indeed seen bruises all over Xu Qingyao's arms, and it is said that there are also bruises on her waist, and they even spread to her back.
It's kind of scary.
Class A5 is in the next teaching building. As Lian Yi walked out of the building, she squinted in the sun. Without turning around to look at the person behind her, she said directly, "You don't need to help me with my homework today."
"yes……"
A girl's soft, timid voice came from behind.
After a moment, she seemed to say with a hint of anticipation and excitement, "Miss Lianyi, will you be my deskmate tomorrow?"
"Um?"
Lian Yi glanced at her, her eyes filled with doubt.
The girl's pale complexion, due to her weak constitution, was tinged with a rosy hue, whether from the sun or from the subtle excitement on her face.
"Didn't you transfer to Class A5?" Xu Qingyao said, "That way, we can be deskmates."
Lian Yi shook her head and chuckled, "If I wanted to be your deskmate, I would have switched over long ago. Tomorrow I will be Xie Ling's deskmate."
"ah……"
The girl pursed her lips, hugged her schoolbag, and quickly followed her, her eyes drooping in disappointment.
"By the way, Miss Lianyi, will Gu Yiyu have noticed anything...?" She recalled the words the red-haired boy had unconsciously uttered earlier.
Although the tone was unpleasant and overly awkward.
But the girl was very perceptive, so how could she not realize that when Gu Yiyu said those words, he wasn't thinking about persuading her to stop enduring Lian Yi's 'humiliation'?
Lian Yi smiled indifferently, "He noticed? With his brain and personality, forget it."
"Besides," she said, her smile fading and her tone turning slightly cold.
"What could he possibly perceive?"
"Was my attitude towards you not contemptuous enough, or do you really not have any bruises or injuries?"
Xu Qingyao pursed her lips and hugged her schoolbag even tighter. "Yes, I know."
Hearing the pitiful voice, Lian Yi nodded slightly in satisfaction. "Go put your schoolbag away. I'll wait for you in the car. You only have five minutes. If you're late, you can take the bus home by yourself."
If we're talking about whether the plans have gone astray over the years, Xu Qingyao can be considered one of the variables.
Otherwise, her retirement plan wouldn't be the current version 4.0.
Lian Yi had almost never been to the school toilet. One day in her third year of junior high, she tried to play a prank on someone but ended up with ink all over her hands. Frustrated, she went to the toilet to wash her hands first.
But they happened to witness a bullying incident.
Back then, Xu Qingyao looked far more pitiful and thin than she does now. Her small face, no bigger than a palm, was wet with water, and her hair was still dripping wet.
A group of girls surrounded her in a very savvy manner, shoving and pushing her around, while some of them pointed their phones at her, laughing and joking.
And then...
Lian Yi noticed that she always had a little tail following her around at school.
Even though she impatiently stated that what she did was no different from what those perpetrators did, except that the targets were them.
Xu Qingyao, wearing a school uniform a size too big, just blinked at her, seemingly not listening at all.
This was the first time Lian Yi had been so persistent; neither coldness nor sarcasm could drive her away, leaving her at a loss.
Fortunately, the villainous female supporting character has a little follower who is constantly bullied by her side, which can be considered a standard configuration. Lian Yi simply revised her retirement plan and added a new arrangement to cultivate a little follower.
Xu Qingyao certainly lived up to the effort she put in.
The girl who used to be a bit drab and huddled in a corner is now shining with her own brilliance.
Of course, she would inevitably be targeted and bullied by her own vicious female supporting character, which would only highlight Xu Qingyao's need to be protected.
After the incident at the club last week, Lian Yi arranged for Xu Qingyao to attend fitness and boxing classes the very next day.
She still needs Xu Qingyao's help, so naturally she can't let her really be a fragile, delicate flower.
Sitting in the car, Lian Yi rubbed her temples. Although she only eats, drinks, and has fun all day, unlike Xiao Hao who works so hard.
But what is the reality?
It was also very hard work.
She looked out the car window at the school gate. Dusk was falling, and the streetlights were coming on one by one. Scattered students and faculty members were entering and leaving the school.
Xu Qingyao rushed out of the school. As she got closer, she didn't notice the figure hurrying out from the side of the school gate because she was in a hurry and had less than five minutes to spare.
"hiss--"
She quickly apologized. The other person was very tall, but not as strong and powerful as she had imagined. When they bumped into each other, they both took a few steps back, but thankfully neither of them fell.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, classmate..."
"It's nothing, I wasn't paying attention either," the boy's clear voice rang out, as if he was in a hurry to leave.
But Xu Qingyao, who was apologizing as she walked out, got out of the school gate before him, only pausing slightly when she saw his appearance.
Upon hearing the car start, he quickly ran to the car door, and before he could catch his breath, he opened the door, bent down slightly, and tried to explain in a low voice.
"Stop talking nonsense and get in the car." Lian Yi's gaze fell through the car window onto the face of the boy whose gaze seemed to be directed at them as well.
In the hazy light, I couldn't make out the other person's expression.
Xu Qingyao nodded, closed the car door, and then opened the passenger door. She leaned against the back of the seat to catch her breath and quietly looked out the window.
She had just noticed that Lian Yi was looking out of the car at the person who was now driving away.
It was Lian Yi who said it; her new deskmate was Xie Ling.
Xu Qingyao rested her head on the leather seat and gently scratched out dents with her neatly trimmed nails.
Such a frail person... what makes them so special?
-
When Xie Ling rushed to the hospital ward, she stopped at the door. Her hand, which was about to push the door open, paused as she heard the voices coming from inside.
"Old Xie, regardless of whether this is true or not, what money do we have left that would be worth being scammed out of?"
"Can you afford to wait? The surgery will cost hundreds of thousands!"
The middle-aged man, lying on the hospital bed with pale lips and gray hair, said weakly, "In this world, who knows how a liar will deceive people? Even if I really die, you and Xie Ling can still live well."
"I wouldn't dare gamble. In this world, there's no such thing as a free lunch."
The woman sitting in front of the hospital bed had obvious wrinkles around her eyes and between her brows. She wiped away her tears and raised her hand to hit the man who had said such discouraging words, but when she touched his skin-and-bones wrist with the IV needle in it, her movement became gentle.
"Don't talk nonsense. When our son comes, let him make the decision too."
“He’s smart, he knows more than the two of us. You’re not allowed to say those things later. This child is stubborn. If you refuse to treat him, he might give up his studies for money.”
The man sighed, nodded slowly, and closed his eyes wearily.
After a long pause, he said in a deep voice, filled with self-reproach.
"...I'm the one who's dragging you down, and the children too."
Xie Ling's slender fingers, which were pressed against the door, slowly curled up, and she gently let the door close automatically.
After school, he was called to the teacher's office. His mother had called and asked the teacher to tell him that his father had been placed in the ward. His mother hadn't originally planned to tell him this.
But the doctor found her in the afternoon and told her about an upcoming exchange program with a hospital. If the patient agreed, he could arrange the surgery as one of the demonstrations for the exchange.
Naturally, they will bear the costs.
The incredible good news almost made Xie's mother faint. She was so excited that she wanted to agree on the spot, but the doctor insisted that she inform the patient and family members before signing the various agreements.
After all, it is necessary to consult the patient and their immediate family members before proceeding with any further matters.
Xie Ling's parents were not highly educated. After the initial shock and surprise, they began to worry that there might be some kind of trap involved.
They weren't afraid of being affected themselves, but they were worried that their son, who was about to take the college entrance exam, would be implicated.
The young man's body, hidden beneath his blue and white shirt, appeared even thinner at that moment. The light shone down on his face from above, casting shadows across his already aloof appearance.
Xie Ling knocked on the door of the doctor's office and entered after receiving permission.
Xie's father's attending physician was deeply impressed by this young man.
In the past, it was because it was indeed rare to see someone with such a striking appearance. Now, he put aside his wild guesses, coughed lightly, and stood up.
"Xiao Xie, right? Your mother should have talked to you about this. Do you need me to explain it to you in detail again?"
Xie Ling nodded and sat down in the chair the doctor had pulled out for him. "Thank you, Dr. Zhao, for your help."
"Yes...that's how it is..."
Dr. Zhao opened the drawer, took out a folder, and placed the documents in black and white in front of Xie Ling, telling him the name of the hospital involved in this exchange and cooperation.
Although it is a private hospital, it is very well-known in Pingze City. The relevant agreements on cooperation and exchange between the two hospitals bear the official seals of both parties.
He briefly explained the purpose and reasons for this exchange and cooperation to Xie Ling.
As Xie Ling flipped through the pages, her heart gradually calmed down.
No wonder the parents were worried there might be a trap. The hospital's terms were incredibly kind to the patient, including free surgery and covering all medical expenses.
Even postoperative care, hospitalization costs, and so on were listed out one by one, indicating that the hospital would be responsible for them.
Dr. Zhao smiled easily at the end, "If you sign the agreement, this surgery will be performed by my teacher, who is quite famous in this field. You can look him up online."
Xie Ling frowned almost imperceptibly. "After signing this agreement, is there really nothing more we need to do?"
"Um……"
Dr. Zhao hesitated for a moment, and as soon as he raised his eyes, he met the boy's clear and calm eyes. The all-knowing emotion in his eyes made the words he had prepared get stuck in his throat.
"Ahem." He tried to keep his expression natural, and then took out an agreement and a piece of paper with a string of phone numbers written on it.
"Let me tell you this in a personal capacity: this agreement is indeed fine. After you sign it, the surgeon will be my teacher, and you won't have to pay any of the expenses."
Dr. Zhao straightened his expression, softened his voice, and pushed the piece of paper with the phone number written on it towards Xie Ling.
"But you need to make a call to this number before signing the agreement."
Xie Ling's gaze fell on the paper, and some thoughts gradually became clear in his mind, even though they felt utterly absurd to him.
"Okay, I understand."
He stood up, his gaze still slightly lowered on the paper.
"Excuse me, I'll go out and think about it for a bit."
Dr. Zhao could understand the boy's emotions at that moment, and he himself was amazed. No wonder they say that most rich people are psychologically disturbed? Targeting a child this young... sigh.
But who can withstand such a cunning and underhanded scheme?
As Xie Ling stepped out of the office, her pace quickened. The wind blew her blue and white shirt against her body, revealing the curves of her slender waist as it cascaded down her chest.
He took out the knock-off phone that his mother had bought for him for over two hundred yuan when he was a boarding student in his second year of high school, pressed the buttons repeatedly, and finally quickly dialed all the numbers.
The time spent waiting for the call to connect felt like an eternity to the boy.
The faint noise faded away, leaving only the occasional chirping of insects in the grass.
beep--
"Hello?" A man's voice came from the other end of the phone.
Xie Ling's pupils contracted slightly.
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