Chapter 8: Wei Qingyu's Broken Pheromones Don't Work On Me!
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The eyes of all the teachers in the office were flashing with surprise. Even Ji Xiao couldn't believe her ears.
The sunlight streaming in through the window poured generously onto Wei Qingyu's body, creating a mint-scented heatwave. Beneath the cascading black hair, half of a pure, fair little face was revealed, with calm turquoise eyes hidden within, tranquil like a pond.
Wei Qingyu calmly walked into the office under everyone's gaze, repeating, "Teachers, I can prove the authenticity of Ji Xiao's results."
Director Liu frowned, surprised that his usually diligent student was willing to testify for this cheating student. "You said you can prove it, how will you prove it?"
"This.”
Saying so, Wei Qingyu placed the paper she held in her hand in front of Director Liu.
It was the math test paper Ji Xiao left in Wei Qingyu's room after running away yesterday. On the second page of the main question, her brief solving steps were still written.
Wei Qingyu: "This is Ji Xiao's math test paper from yesterday. The handwriting here can prove it's her thought process. If it were cheating, there'd be no need to leave traces on a paper she could take away."
Her voice was clear and cold, yet filled with strength.
Ji Xiao's feeling of isolation and helplessness suddenly dissipated, and a few teachers began to feel uneasy looking at the paper in front of them.
"Oh, Director, why release the rankings so soon? Wasn't it agreed we'd discuss it when I arrived at the school?" A man's voice came from the door.
A man with a shirt half-tucked into his pants, wearing a loosely tied tie, lazily leaned against the door frame as he appeared in the office.
He looked a bit unkempt, his hair all disheveled like a bird's nest.
This was Feng Ming, the head teacher of the experimental class where Wei Qingyu was also studying.
"Xiao Feng?" Director Liu was somewhat surprised. "I thought you weren't coming."
"How could that be? I was up late last night contacting teachers to help with this kid's paper, got a bit delayed, and then overslept this morning," said Feng Ming, yawning openly. Strangely, despite his unkempt appearance, there was a faint scent of cologne in the air around him.
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
"Come on, Qingyu, since you brought this paper, go and explain," Feng Ming said.
Wei Qingyu nodded and continued from where Feng Ming had interrupted, saying, "Let's look at the first question of the last problem on the paper. She used this formula first, directly skipped the steps to prove perpendicularity, then substituted these two formulas, directly obtaining the length of this side along with the angle, completely different from the steps found online..."
Wei Qingyu's voice was gentle, methodical, and rational.
Ji Xiao quietly lifted her head to glance at Wei Qingyu, the first time in her presence she hadn't seen vigilance or disdain in Wei Qingyu's eyes.
Her turquoise eyes were filled with focus and seriousness.
Under Director Liu's almost severe scrutiny, Wei Qingyu calmly and rigorously defended her.
A gentle breeze brushed through her hair, carrying a faint scent of mint.
For the first time, Ji Xiao felt how dependable Wei Qingyu truly was.
"Then, Biology. I checked; this kid didn't just hand in a blank paper, she managed to score 7 points. Her answer sheet was filled to the brim," Feng Ming said, even chuckling at his own statement.
Ji Xiao felt as if an invisible knife had pricked her heart twice.
Feng Ming continued, "Last night, I asked Teacher Wang about this, quite interestingly. This kid only provided answers related to the simplest scenarios of male Beta and female Beta in all the essay questions. She didn't mention any other combinations, which led to her scoring only 7 points."
"You can't just rely on remembering the easiest part during review; this year's college entrance exam could be very risky," Feng Ming said, vigorously ruffling Ji Xiao's hair until her ponytail drooped.
Observing the undeniable evidence before him, Director Liu pursed his lips tightly and sat back in his chair, seemingly contemplating something.
Seeing this, Feng Ming added, "Moreover, Director, it's not just Ji Xiao who made significant progress this time. There's also Liu Meina. She moved up from the lower ranks of the grade and jumped to the top 36 in the grade. And her answers were..."
Director Liu, upon hearing Liu Meina's name, hastily interrupted, "I know about her situation. Her mom hired a tutor for her during the summer break, tutoring after Xiao Feng. We still need to trust our students."
Feng Ming looked at Director Liu's expression and understood.
Ji Xiao also keenly sensed that this disturbance somehow seemed related to this Liu Meina.
Director Liu, Liu Meina...
These two seemed to have some kind of connection...
Thinking about this, Ji Xiao couldn't help but let out a cold laugh without hiding her disdain.
Just as Director Liu was about to react to the sound, Feng Ming followed up on his earlier words, saying, "Since Director said we should trust our students, why not end it here?"
Director Liu pursed his lips, glanced at Ji Xiao's paper in front of him, and nodded sternly.
"Alright then," Feng Ming said, taking Ji Xiao and Wei Qingyu out of the office.
The bright sunlight poured generously onto the corridor, making people feel uplifted.
Feng Ming yawned, saying to Ji Xiao, "You two go to the new class; I'll head back to the office for a nap. I stayed up all night for you yesterday. Behave well in my class from now on."
Grateful for Feng Ming's defense just now, Ji Xiao readily nodded and said, "Teacher, don't worry."
Feng Ming nodded and headed toward the other end of the corridor, leaving Ji Xiao and Wei Qingyu alone.
A gentle breeze wafted through the corridor, ruffling Wei Qingyu's long hair. She still maintained her aloof and distant demeanor, her eyes fixed straight ahead as she gradually distanced herself from Ji Xiao.
Observing the widening gap between them, Ji Xiao's emotions grew complicated.
Though she didn't understand why Wei Qingyu came to help her, she knew that Wei Qingyu still harbored resentment toward her. The scars from the abuse and torment wouldn't simply heal with a few moments of indifference and protection.
Ji Xiao lightly pursed her lips, watching Wei Qingyu, who was about to leave, and with the original owner’s inherent arrogance, uttered a rushed yet ethereal "Hey, thank you."
The words were urgent yet delicate like a dandelion suddenly blown into the air.
However, in Wei Qingyu's ears, those words caused her steps to visibly falter for a moment.
A girl as arrogant and indulgent as Ji Xiao unexpectedly says "Thank you."
Wei Qingyu blinked, suddenly finding it hard to understand the person standing before her.
Ji Xiao keenly sensed that her slightly off-character behavior had made Wei Qingyu suspicious.
She slid her hand into her pocket, raised her chin, and retorted, "What? I thank you, and you're still not satisfied?"
Wei Qingyu slightly furrowed her brow. "You don't need to thank me. I was simply returning the favor for your help yesterday."
Her voice was cold and indifferent, devoid of any connection to Ji Xiao.
She swiftly dismantled any nonexistent friendly relationship between them.
Ji Xiao paused at Wei Qingyu's words.
Sure enough, Wei Qingyu had noticed her assistance in helping her escape from Ji Qingyun yesterday.
Was she this perceptive?
Ji Xiao had a sensation that if she continued to stay with Wei Qingyu, she would eventually be seen through. With a dismissive wave and a muttered "Suit yourself," she briskly walked away.
Wei Qingyu watched Ji Xiao's retreating figure, her expression obscure.
She merely didn't want to owe Ji Xiao anything and didn't want yesterday's favor to become an excuse for Ji Xiao to later threaten and torment her. That's why, upon hearing Feng Ming mention the incident, she immediately took the test paper to the administration office.
But was it really just that?
A sudden voice emerged in Wei Qingyu's heart and then disappeared with the wind.
Ji Xiao looked for the class number for the experimental class located on the first floor. Just as she arrived at the room number, she saw Qi Qi and Fang Yiming followed by three Alpha male students carrying books, walking toward the back door of the classroom.
"Why are you here?" Ji Xiao was a little surprised.
"To help you change classrooms," Qi Qi said. "Both of us firmly believe that you earned this grade yourself, so we decided to take action first."
Fang Yiming added, "Yes, even if Director Liu doesn't acknowledge your grades, we'll definitely stay in this experimental class!"
"And also, the two of us reasonably suspect that bastard Liu Meina definitely added fuel and vinegar to tell her uncle something. Director Liu is famously strict with others but lenient with himself. Do you know, right under your name is Liu Meina? Although she's not as bad as you, usually she's in the middle to lower tier," reasoned Qi Qi. "I think it's because they did it themselves that they suspect you did the same!"
"Maybe this time, they wanted to enter this experimental class, but you intercepted it, so they're causing trouble for you," added Fang Yiming. "Don't worry, my uncle is the head teacher of the experimental class. If necessary, I'll go find him and ask him to let you stay."
Ji Xiao increasingly felt that the name Liu Meina sounded familiar, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't recall who this person was.
Moreover, seeing Qi Qi and Fang Yiming sharing the same hatred against a common enemy, she couldn't help but feel warm inside, dismissing the need to bother about Liu Meina.
Ji Xiao put her arm around Fang Yiming's neck and smiled, saying, "Thank you!"
"Come on, let's bring the books in," Ji Xiao said as she entered the classroom.
Disregarding the curious gazes of all the students in the experimental class, she pointed directly to the vacant seat in the last row by the window, saying, "Over there."
"Why are you sitting in this corner? Did Director Liu actually remove you from the experimental class?" Qi Qi asked nervously.
"Put your heart back in your stomach*; I'm now a bona fide member of the experimental class," Ji Xiao patted Qi Qi's shoulder. “This spot is where the main character in anime often sits.”
She urgently needs this spot's halo to survive.
*把你的心放回肚子里" (bǎ nǐ de xīn fàng huí dùzi lǐ) - be at ease/ do not worry
The classmates in the class began discussing after hearing this, and Fang Yiming's face showed a mix of surprise and delight. She grabbed Ji Xiao and asked, "Hey, tell us what happened? How did Director Liu believe you?"
Ji Xiao rearranged the books on the desk, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed.
Glancing at the classmates in her class who were stealing glances at her, Ji Xiao realized that even the gossipy nature of the experimental class hadn't disappeared.
Ji Xiao: "Let's talk outside."
The three walked outside the classroom, and Ji Xiao recounted what had just happened to Qi Qi and Fang Yiming. Qi Qi and Fang Yiming were instantly shocked, their eyes expressing surprise.
"What! Wei Qingyu?!"
Fang Yiming: "Is she insane? If it were me, I'd rather have you get a severe reprimand from Director Liu and get expelled from school."
Qi Qi: "Tell us! What exactly happened between you and Wei Qingyu?"
Ji Xiao sighed bitterly, "I wish I knew what happened between me and Wei Qingyu for her to hate me this much."
Fang Yiming, thinking that Ji Xiao was pretending not to remember, began counting on her fingers, “I wonder who, last semester, broke someone's 2B pencil deliberately and knocked over the meal they had prepared.”
Qi Qi continued to add, “Also, locking someone in the restroom and splashing cold water on them, hiding someone's white down jacket from the classroom in the snowy playground, and then…”
"Okay, okay, stop it." Ji Xiao felt frightened and felt a dull pain in the back of her neck.
Stop talking, my heart won't be able to bear it anymore.
In this way, Wei Qingyu is still willing to testify for me today. She is really a kind person!
Qi Qi looked at the regretful expression on Ji Xiao's face and joked: "Why do you feel so bad? Did you realize that what you did in the past wasn't very humane?"
"Did something really happen between you two during the summer break? I've heard that Omegas can change their attitude towards Alphas because of being obsessed with their pheromones," Fang Yiming tossed Ji Xiao an ambiguous look.
Ji Xiao: "..."
Obsessed with the pheromones of an Alpha?
Infatuated to the extent of almost biting one to death?
"Hey, I haven't asked you about this yet. What's going on here?" Qi Qi pointed to the gauze covering Ji Xiao's neck. "During the summer break, did you and her—"
Ji Xiao's heart skipped a beat and she quickly covered the wound on her neck that hadn't completely healed. "It's not her, she didn't do it. Don't talk nonsense!”
If they found the bite mark, she would be completely unable to clear her name.
"Tsk tsk tsk, which 'her' are you talking about~"
"Did her pheromones also captivate you~"
"Nonsense!" Ji Xiao denied it outright.
Her hand tightly clasped her neck, pretending with a disdainful tone, "Wei Qingyu's broken pheromones don't work on me at all!
Suddenly, Ji Xiao felt a rush of cool wind behind her, and the penetrating scent of mint closely pressed against the glands on the back of her neck. Wei Qingyu walked over from the corridor, standing expressionless behind the three, her expression even colder than when she spoke to Ji Xiao earlier.
Author's Note:
It will work from now on, -V-
