The math teacher, hearing the commotion, looked over and asked, "What happened?"
Everyone pretended to be confused, especially those who had scrambled for the papers, and none dared to meet Song Yitang's gaze.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, those who had assumed she would fly off the handle breathed a sigh of relief when they saw her shake her head indicating that nothing was wrong.
This was an affirmation of her academic achievements, and Song Yitang valued this test paper highly.
Song Yitang calmed herself, smoothed out the test paper, and said in a lowered voice, "I know it was you. If you don't confess to your accomplice before the end of evening self-study, I will report your misconduct to our homeroom teacher."
Su Meimei was pale-skinned with an oval face and a pair of big, watery eyes that made her particularly likable.
Despite growing up in the countryside and doing farm work all year long, her skin was better than any other girl in the class.
Moreover, she was skilled at acting spoiled, rarely did chores at home, and always had her brother help her out.
Women who act spoiled lead the best lives, and as a result, Su Meimei was involved with several boys in unclear relationships.
Su Meimei's heart pounded upon hearing this, but she pretended not to hear and didn't respond at all.
Song Yitang's gaze was indifferent.
She didn't say it was okay because she would find a way to make Su Meimei confess on her own.
[Congratulations host on completing the task. Please check the space in time for your reward.]
Song Yitang's attention was immediately attracted by the system's message.
The reward wasn't clearly stated this time?
When the evening self-study bell rang, Song Yitang packed up and prepared to head back to the dormitory, since there were still things waiting for her in the space.
"Tangtang, wait for me!" Su Meimei called out to Song Yitang.
The previously noisy classroom became silent in an instant.
"It's all Xu Xiao's fault; she's the one who wanted to snatch the test paper, and that's why we accidentally tore yours."
"I didn't mean to, you won't be mad at me, right Tangtang?" Su Meimei's eyes reddened as her voice choked up.
Anyone unaware of the situation would think she had suffered a great injustice.
Her emotions changed so quickly that Song Yitang hardly had a chance to react before Su Meimei's tears started falling heavily.
Some boys in the class couldn't stand it and began to criticize Song Yitang, "We are all classmates; do you really need to be so petty?"
Those who had been involved echoed the sentiment.
"Yeah, it's just a test paper after all, who knows if that score was real or fake."
"Exactly, Su Meimei has already apologized; what more do you want?"
"Right, you're unforgiving even when you're in the right. How come I never realized you were like this before?"
Listening to this, anger simmered within Song Yitang as she slowly scanned over everyone present.
Song Yitang approached and glared at Su Meimei, "Crying doesn't necessarily make you right. You tore my test paper, that's a fact; you must apologize to me!"
Others wanted to speak up for her, but Song Yitang silenced them with a sharp look.
"Are you implying that I cheated by saying that?"
Song Yitang walked over to the ones who had just questioned her, so angry she felt like laughing, "So tell me, who in our class could I possibly cheat from?"
"From you? Someone whose total score is less than half of mine?"
Song Yitang let out a sneer, full of scorn in her eyes for him.
"You!" The boy's face turned red with anger, but he had no comeback.
Indeed, Song Yitang's score had created a gap in the class standings.
"Don't get too proud, Song Yitang; it's just that your ancestors' graves are puffing out green smoke, giving you a stroke of dumb luck!" A girl in the class couldn't hold back her anger.
Song Yitang didn't want to entangle with them any longer and was eager to go back and check her reward.
Song Yitang retorted, "What, your family doesn't have ancestral graves?"
"You bitch, watch as I tear your mouth apart!"
The crowd began to pull them apart, but Song Yitang didn't want to waste any more time.
"Su Meimei, if you don't want those things to be exposed by me, then you will apologize to me in front of the whole class."
"Also, those who rummaged through my things without my consent, next time I'll go to the class teacher and report it to the public security."
"After all, I've 'fostered' a nest of thieves, and I want to warn the society in advance. I'll have it officially recorded and register your illustrious names."
After finishing, Song Yitang left the classroom boldly, not caring at all about how the people inside discussed her.
When she returned to the dormitory, taking advantage of their absence, she entered her space first.
After a quick check, she hurriedly exited, only to find that the reward this time was an expansion of the space and a bottle of Whitening Pills.
Song Yitang looked at the pink medicine pill in her hand, deep in thought.
Could this really make her skin whiter? The next second she twisted the cap off and swallowed two pills.
She had just put everything away when the others returned to the dormitory.
The atmosphere in the dorm dropped to freezing point, Su Meimei was too frightened to apologize, afraid that Song Yitang would spill the beans.
Xu Xiao was also not having an easy time, equally tormented.
The next day, the announcement of the grades proclaimed that Song Yitang ranked eighth in the entire year, and everybody in the grade knew about it.
Upon hearing the news, Song Chenghao from Class 1 kept his composure, but he couldn't help but grip his pen tighter, his knuckles turning white.
"Song Yitang is your sister, right? She's really impressive!"
Song Chenghao didn't respond to his classmate, instead looking down at his book, his thoughts drifting far away.
Zhang Rui also got the news and bought breakfast early, waiting at the entrance of the girls' dormitory for Song Yitang.
On the first day of school, his mother Li Ping and his sister Zhang Ting had warned him to stay away from Song Yitang, the "white-eyed wolf."
But he didn't care; after all, Li Ping had been nagging at home for a long time for Song Yitang to become his bride, and under that subtle influence, Zhang Rui had long decided that Song Yitang would be his future wife!
"Tangtang, this is the steamed bun I bought for you, take it."
"I don't want it!"
Song Yitang frowned and walked straight past Zhang Rui, afraid that if she didn't leave soon, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from tearing him apart with her hands.
"Tangtang, why are you ignoring me now?"
Zhang Rui felt somewhat wronged, "Didn't I save you during the New Year?"
"Zhang Rui, I don't need you to save me, not in the past, not now!"
Being saved by him would be ten thousand times more unbearable than death for Song Yitang!
"And stop bothering me."
Song Yitang strode away, fearful that Zhang Rui would follow her.
Zhang Rui, watching Song Yitang's resolute back, was plunged into confusion.
After a night of inner struggle, Su Meimei gave in.
She apologized to Song Yitang loudly and sincerely in front of the whole class.
Xu Xiao apologized as well, but as soon as Su Meimei's voice fell, she began to sob on her desk.
Cry, cry, cry, always crying.
All day long, losing a few cat tears to win a man's pity, can't you come up with anything new?
Song Yitang couldn't help but roll her eyes, looking down on her inwardly.
From then on, Song Yitang was solitary, and although people in the class didn't like her, she was the darling of the office of the senior three classrooms. The subject teachers loved to call her to the office for no reason just to give Song Yitang special attention.
This move made countless people jealous.
During the self-study class, Su Meimei was indignant, unable to comprehend how Song Yitang had improved so much during the winter break.
As far as she knew about her family, as soon as Song Yitang had a holiday, there would be endless chores waiting for her, leaving no time for review.
Su Meimei was at a loss for an answer, but soon a person popped into her mind.
Song Chenghao!
Intuition told her that Song Chenghao must have what she wanted.
She was already eager to know the answer, anxiously waiting for the bell signaling the end of the class to ring.
Before the class bell had finished ringing, Su Meimei was the first one to dash out of the classroom, heading straight for Class 1.