Shi Ai lay awake until late at night wondering at the sudden unexpected change in her life.Another guardian for her.She did not know whether to laugh or cry at this fate.Some time back she had been hoping to find someone to act as her guardian so that her problems would be solved but now this was going to add a new set of problems.A new family.
Finally,she fell asleep still unable to make a decision.And maybe because she was unable to decide for herself,a decision was made for her.
The next morning Shi Ai made her way towards the school in a hurry.She was almost late and had to skip breakfast.She was tired from thinking too much.She felt that her brain was going to explode soon.Her tired and stooped walk along with her panda eyes told the story of her lack of sleep.
Today was the career camp that the school had organized.Thoglugh she was the youngest in her class,she was set to go for her scholastic ability test first.This was actually a mock test in preparation for their college entrance tests to be held next year.
As Shi Ai entered the classroom,she felt a strange atmosphere but chose to ignore it.Shi Ai was not the most loved girl in class but neither the most hated.She was what you would call a silent wall flower.Her only friend Yao Yao was noisy enough for the two of them.
As Shi Ai took her seat next to Yao Yao,she came to know the reason for the strange atmosphere.
It seems the school's most handsome and senior brother had come to their class for some reason. Nobody knew who he was here to see and why but the gossip was rampant and all the girls were trying to look their best to catch his attention.
Shi Ai shook her head at this childishness and opened her books to concentrate on her studied. Seeing her action and behavior as if she was above them all,Yao Yao and many other girls felt enraged.Yao Yao wanted to scoff at Shi Ai as well but she couldn't otherwise these other catty girls might tell her fiance.Of course the other girls had no qualms about telling her off.To make her feel inferior,one girl said to the other,"Look at Shi Ai, she is so much more wiser than us,she is not interested in boys at all."
Another girl replied,"She is a very virtuous girl.Or maybe she likes girls.Maybe she is a lesbian.."
The third girl did not want to be left behind in taunting and said,"Of course she isn't.She is a poor orphan girl.She needs a sugar daddy not a young boy.I am sure once the results for the test are out,everyone is going to know that she is only fit to be a mistress!"
Everyone laughed at this.Even Yao Yao almost lost her control and laughed out loud.But to prove that she was a good girl,Yao Yao was about to scold then when somebody else said in an icy and condescending voice,"Or maybe she doesn't need to look at boys here because they are all inferior to her?"
The girls were all stunned to see their idol senior brother standing there with barely controlled fury.They wanted to explain themselves so that he would not misunderstand them but his glare robbed them of their power of speech.Only Yao Yao retained her wits about her and said,"You are right senior brother,I was about to scold them for bullying Shi Ai.You are so kind!"
The icy glare turned on Yao yao for a second and he said in the same tone,"Yes.I saw how angry you were at their bullying."
But Yao Yao was not very self aware and nodded along without realizing that he was being sarcastic.
Everybody in the class was looking at the spectacle except one person.The victim!
She had not even heard a word said to insult her or to protect her. Shi Ai had spent many years in the orphanage and then the recuperation center and knew how to study when everyone else was panicking.So she had shut her ears to the world.
Finally there was silence in the class when a boy dared to stand up to break the tension and asked,"Senior Brother Min.Did you find the person you were looking for?"
The senior brother's face softened and he told the boy,"Yes.I found her."
With that Zhang Min put his hand on Shi Ai's wrist and said,"Little cousin,come outside."
Everyone in the class was shocked.But no one was more shocked than Shi Ai whose hand had suddenly been grabbed!