Quan Xinya took a peek at Shen Xia before bowing her head and politely saying: "It is a pleasure to meet you, Madam Shen, Master."
Zi Shu nodded her head in approval of the girl's greeting, she seemed very humble. Shen Xia, on the other hand, felt a little uncomfortable. "Umm… Xinya, was it? Can you not call me master? Just call me Xiaxia like everyone else, please, and I will call you Xinya or whatever you prefer."
"If that is what Ma… Xiaxia wants, then I will comply." Quan Xinya replied with a smile.
Shen Xia was actually a little excited, mainly because she never had someone to speak to at school. She hoped that Quan Xinya would eventually become good friends with her. "I should probably head to class. Grandma, I will see you after school."
"Yes, Xiaxia, take care of yourself and be careful. If anyone dares bullies you, just give them a good slap." Zi Shu hugged Shen Xia before sending her off.
As Shen Xia and Quan Xinya walked out of the office, Quan Xinya let out a loud sigh. "Oh My God! That old man is so uptight!"
"Pfft..." Shen Xia looked at Quan Xinya. For some reason, she had expected this.
"Wha!? Don't laugh! You have no idea! At home, it is the same thing everyone is so strict! I am just glad you are not like them. Otherwise, I would end up dying before I reached the age of twenty! Ahh, but don't get me wrong, I will do everything in my power to protect you." Quan Xinya stopped her steps and turned to Shen Xia, and reached her right hand out to her: "Anyway, let me introduce myself again. My name is Quan Xinya. You can call me Xinya."
Shen Xia smiled and shook her hand: "Shen Xia, call me Xiaxia."
"Then Xiaxia, I have heard that you were very gloomy and unsociable at school." Quan Xinya said as she looked Shen Xia up and down. "Well, with this current getup, I could say you are, but I guess there is nothing you can do about that."
"It's not like I wish to be, as you said, gloomy and unsociable. I have no choice. Shen Bai, my cousin, has it out for me. Instead of going to first high school, she came to third high school just to make my life miserable." Shen Xia let out a sigh. She could only hide away like a hermit while at school just so she would not get bullied.
"Humph! I would like to see her bully you while I am around!" Quan Xinya said while pumping her fists up and down. She found that Shen Xia was far from the rumors. Sadly there were many rumors about Shen Xia that she probably didn't even know about. Quan Xinya decided she would try to squash as many rumors as she could so Shen Xia didn't get affected by them. But she was happy to find out that Shen Xia was actually very friendly and easygoing.
---
"Master, you called?" A girl around twenty years of age walked into a large office filled with books. She kept her head lowered, not daring to look at the handsome man standing in front of her.
"I will be putting you by my queen's side. I am sure I do not need to tell you what will happen if anything happens to her." Kable's excreted a large amount of killing intent causing the girl to break out into a cold sweat.
"I will be sure to protect the queen with my life!" The girl answered, lowering her head even more.
"Good, go to third high. I already arranged for you to be in all of her classes."
---
"Oh? What is this?" Currently, Shen Xia and Quan Xinya were stopped in the hall leading to Shen Xia's class by Shen Bai and her lackeys. "Shen Xia, what is with your clothes? Why are you not wearing the school uniform? Don't tell me… Did you leave it somewhere?"
Shen Bai's tone was as if she was trying to suggest something. It was enough for those listening to have all kinds of thoughts run through their mind. Shen Bai's followers were also quick to catch on as they began to gossip in 'low' voices. "Didn't I see Shen Xia walking out of a hotel last night? If I am not wrong, she was wearing only a man's shirt."
"No way!? Ast such an age!? She is still in high school!"
"She has to pay her tuition somehow. I had been wondering how she was able to continue to come here when she was chased out of the Shen family. Plus, hasn't she been absent lately?"
Shen Xia clenched her fist and gritted her teeth. She could feel the mocking stares from those who stopped to watch the show. She has never done anything to Shen Bai, but she would not leave her alone no matter what! "Shen Bai!"
"What? I didn't say anything. Why are you yelling at me? I was just being concerned for my dear sister. It's not like I can control the mouths of those around me. But sister, if they are all saying such things, maybe they have a bit of truth to them?" Shen Bai acted as if she was wronged. She then turned to look at her followers and asked: "Did you really see my sister in such a place?"
"Of course! How could we lie about such a thing?"
"Humph!" Quan Xinya snorted as she stepped in front of Shen Xia and stared coldly at the girl who was slandering Shen Xia with her arms crossed across her chest. "Can I ask when you saw Xiaxia? What day was it? What time? What color clothes did she have on? Her hairstyle at that time? Can you answer all these things?"
The girl was flustered by the barrage of questions coming from Quan Xinya. "I… Uh… I..."
"What? Can't answer them? As far as I can tell, you are talking out of your ass trying to slander Xiaxia. What has she done to you? Did she kill your parents or steal your man? Or is it because someone else has put up to this?" Quan Xinya's eyes fell on Shen Bai as she gave her a mocking smile and said: "I guess it is true when they say birds of a feather flock together. Cheap people will always hang out with cheap people."