Sunday.

Song Jinxi and Jiang Shuyi raced down the road on their bicycles.

Due to preparing for the TOEFL, Song Jinxi hadn't been out for a long time, but fortunately, she had finally finished her exam today.

The two rode quickly.

However, Song Jinxi got ahead of Jiang Shuyi and arrived at her home first.

"I won!" Song Jinxi smiled.

"Mm, you won." Jiang Shuyi got off her bicycle, her expression calm.

Song Jinxi felt that Jiang Shuyi was acting a bit unusual.

After all, she had known Jiang Shuyi since childhood and knew that Jiang Shuyi was competitive, like a child who hated to lose.

If she lost, she would always want to win back.

But today, Jiang Shuyi didn't say anything as she walked into Song Jinxi's house, looking very peaceful.

Song Jinxi thought that perhaps it was because she hadn't seen Jiang Shuyi for a long time, which made her feel that Jiang Shuyi's demeanor had changed a bit.

In fact, this change was subtle, not in appearance, but in the overall feeling she gave off.

She felt that this Jiang Shuyi was somewhat unfamiliar.

"Aren't you going to sing?"

"No."

In the past, Jiang Shuyi would never refuse such an invitation, Song Jinxi thought.

"They say you haven't been very accommodating lately."

Recently, Jiang Shuyi had settled down a lot, she no longer went out to fight or hung out with her old crowd.

"It's not about being accommodating, my mom just doesn't let me go."

Jiang Shuyi sat down and casually picked up the guitar in Song Jinxi's room, starting to tune it.

Song Jinxi paused as she opened the fridge.

"Really?"

This was also quite unusual.

Song Jinxi felt that this wasn't something Jiang Shuyi would say.

At least in the past, Jiang Shuyi would never say something like Tang Wenzhen wouldn't let her go, so she wouldn't play.

Tang Wenzhen had often been angry about Jiang Shuyi hanging out with those people, but because Jiang Shuyi had a bad relationship with Tang Wenzhen, every time Tang Wenzhen spoke, it only provoked Jiang Shuyi to do the opposite.

Song Jinxi glanced at Jiang Shuyi.

Jiang Shuyi was still focused on tuning the guitar.

Her soft, long hair fell beside her ears, her eyes slightly squinted, and there was not a hint of a smile on her face; she looked very calm and serious.

Song Jinxi teased, "Are you starting to listen to Aunt Tang? Or has your rebellious phase finally ended?"

She guessed that Jiang Shuyi would definitely retort, but unexpectedly, Jiang Shuyi just lowered her gaze and said lightly:

"I can't always make people worry."

Jiang Shuyi had changed. Song Jinxi felt a slight discomfort with this change in Jiang Shuyi.

It wasn't that this change was bad, after all, people do grow.

It was just a bit unfamiliar, Song Jinxi thought.

---

Monday.

Song Jinxi returned to school.

Jiang Shuyi sat at her desk, bored, staring out the window.

When she heard Wen Yao being called by name, Jiang Shuyi turned her head.

Song Jinxi noticed that Jiang Shuyi's gaze toward Wen Yao looked somewhat pitiful.

Song Jinx didn't know where this feeling was coming from, but when Jiang Shuyi looked at Wen Yao, she resembled a puppy, eyes wide with a clear sense of expectation.

"Did you know you've been staring at the class monitor the whole class?" After class, Song Jinxi looked at Jiang Shuyi in disbelief.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuyi immediately started playing with the pen in her hand, her gaze shifting. "What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I look at her?"

"But—"

Just as Song Jinxi was about to speak, Jiang Shuyi interrupted her with a flustered tone, "What good would it do me to look at her? Who cares about her?"

Song Jinxi couldn't help but pause, noticing Jiang Shuyi's flushed ears.

To be honest, just yesterday, she really thought Jiang Shuyi had matured after leaving her behind, but seeing her like this now, Song Jinxi felt she had been worrying for nothing.

At the mention of Wen Yao, Jiang Shuyi was still as immature as ever.

---

At noon.

"Wen Yao."

Li Roujia waved her hand, calling Wen Yao outside.

Wen Yao walked into the office, and Li Roujia handed her the scholarship application form.

"Just sign your name on this document and send it to Teacher Zou in the school administration office, and the scholarship will be credited to your card as usual."

Wen Yao: "......" 

Wen Yao nodded and skillfully signed her name on the document.

"Wen Yao." Li Roujia placed her hands in front of her.

Wen Yao looked up at Teacher Li.

"If there's anything you need to tell me, don't keep it bottled up inside, okay?"

"I understand." Wen Yao nodded, lowering her gaze and not saying more.

"Is there still no news from your family?" Li Roujia asked, looking at her.

Wen Yao shook her head.

Li Roujia glanced at the class's application forms. "You haven't submitted your application yet. Are you worried about the guardian issue?"

"No," Wen Yao shook her head. "I just haven't decided which university to go to."

"Is that so?" Li Roujia looked at Wen Yao helplessly.

"Your grades are excellent, there's no problem in any subject," Li Roujia patted her shoulder. "As long as you continue studying as you are now, there won't be any issues. Don't overthink it..."

"I believe that with your abilities, getting a full scholarship after being accepted into a university should be completely feasible."

"Still, the biggest issue for you isn't studying. it's learning to rely on others, Wen Yao."

"Don't keep everything to yourself, and don't bear everything alone."

"What one person can do is ultimately limited." Li Roujia said earnestly.

"Thank you, Teacher Li," Wen Yao politely nodded, interrupting Li Roujia. "I understand."

Li Roujia sighed as she watched Wen Yao leave.

After so many years of teaching, she could tell at a glance whether a student was listening or not.

It seemed that this was the one thing that Wen Yao could never fully grasp.

---

After leaving Li Roujia's office, Wen Yao planned to go to the administration building.

Li Roujia's office was on the third floor, one floor higher than their classroom, and Wen Yao quietly walked down the stairs.

But after just a few steps, she heard the voices on the stairs.

"Jiang Shuyi, why aren't you sitting with the class monitor anymore?" Song Jinxi asked with some concern.

Wen Yao stopped in her tracks and caught sight of the familiar Alpha through the gaps in the stair railing.

Jiang Shuyi was opening a bottle of mineral water she had just bought. Before she could answer, a boy walking behind them chimed in smoothly.

"What's so strange about it? She must have been unable to stand Wen Yao's personality."

"I couldn't stand sitting with someone like Wen Yao for a day, let alone Miss Yi." The boy laughed, thinking he was clever.

"I've always thought that Omega is just pretending to be high and mighty. She thinks her grades are good, so she acts all important. It's really uncomfortable."

"Li Hangxiao, you're just bitter because Wen Yao rejected you when you confessed in public, aren't you?" Song Jinxi shot back, unable to tolerate him "If you can't speak properly, then don't say anything."

Li Hangxiao was hit where it hurt by Song Jinxi's words and scoffed disdainfully. "She rejected me, I don't care about her!"

"She's cold and boring, has a terrible attitude, and gives everyone a hard time. Even if she agreed to go out with me, I'd still dump her!"

He said angrily, "And look at that person, she doesn't have any friends, right? Doesn't that just prove she has personality issues—"

Before he could finish, Jiang Shuyi shot him a cold glance. "Shut up."

Li Hangxiao, taken aback by Jiang Shuyi's gaze, froze in place.

He was a bit dazed, not knowing where he had offended Jiang Shuyi.

"Don't talk nonsense if you don't understand anything," Jiang Shuyi warned.

The others fell silent.

But Li Hangxiao felt that he had lost face and looked at Jiang Shuyi with some annoyance.

"Isn't what I said the truth?!"

"Oh? Has she let you taste her pheromones? Otherwise, why are you defending her so much?!"

Jiang Shuyi was momentarily stunned by this remark.

Seeing her reaction, Li Hangxiao became more excited. "Ha, is that true? I thought she was so clean, turns out she's just like everyone else—"

Hearing this, Jiang Shuyi was completely enraged.

She directly kicked toward the Alpha's kneecap, and her fist landed unhesitatingly on his head.

Li Hangxiao pressed his forehead where he had been hit, retreating timidly to the wall, swallowing hard.

Jiang Shuyi looked at his pitiful state, threw the mineral water bottle against the wall, and stormed down the stairs.

Wen Yao watched Jiang Shuyi descend the stairs and silently followed her.

---

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