The comment read:
"Lin: Humans are higher-level creatures who instinctively seek benefits and avoid disadvantages. It's easier to remember someone's flaws than their virtues. Instead of worrying about making a good impression on others, focus on being your best self. The more you care, the worse things appear. If you don't care, there's no such thing as a bad thing."
Xuejiao took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, feeling an unprecedented sense of calm wash over her.
A smile curved her lips as she typed, "I didn't think you were the motivational speech kind of person."
She put her phone down, and within a few minutes, drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
On Monday, Uncle Xing drove them to school.
Xuejiao sat on the left side of the backseat, while Cheng Mingze sat on the right. One looked out the left window and the other out the right, both remaining silent.
"Today's the day you get your monthly exam results, right?" Uncle Xing asked suddenly.
"Yes," they both replied in unison, briefly stunned, before falling back into silence.
Cheng Mingze stared at the scenery passing by the window, lost in thought. He couldn't quite understand Gu Xuejiao's sudden transformation. In the past, she never cared about studying. Her textbooks were always brand-new, untouched.
She spent her days dressed in wild outfits, quarreling with Li Sitong, or running off to who knows where. At the time, Cheng Mingze found her so annoying that even looking at her felt like a burden.
But ever since that day at the Cheng family's old house, when she declared she wanted to change, it was as if she had become a completely different person. She attended school diligently, spent hours studying at her desk, and kept to herself.
He glanced at her now, sitting quietly with her headphones in, and an inexplicable feeling stirred in his chest.
It was uncomfortable being stared at, especially when the gaze carried suspicion.
"What's the matter?" Xuejiao turned her head slightly, pulling out one earphone, her tone indifferent.
Hearing her cold voice, Cheng Mingze felt a surge of irritation and blurted out, "Gu Xuejiao, aren't you tired of this act? What exactly are you trying to do?"
Xuejiao blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?"
His voice grew sharper, a mix of impatience and discomfort. "I said, what's with this act of being so well-behaved all the time?"
Xuejiao couldn't help but laugh, her voice tinged with sarcasm. "And what do you think I'm trying to do?"
"You'd better not have any bad intentions!"
The car slowed as they approached the school gates. Xuejiao opened the door and stepped out, but Cheng Mingze hesitated before following her.
He reached out to stop her when a voice called out from the side.
"Jiejie! Mingze-ge!"
Both Xuejiao and Cheng Mingze turned to see Gu Shiyun approaching with a gentle smile.
"It's you," Cheng Mingze greeted, his voice carrying familiarity.
Xuejiao felt a pang of annoyance. As expected, no matter the circumstances, some connections were inevitable.
Gu Shiyun's smile softened further as she looked at Xuejiao. "Jiejie," she greeted.
"Don't call me that," Xuejiao replied bluntly, showing no intention of giving her face.
An awkward expression crossed Gu Shiyun's face, but she quickly composed herself. "The issues of the previous generation have nothing to do with us. I've always seen you as my sister," she said, her voice gentle and far-fetched.
Cheng Mingze, instinctively siding with her, spoke up. "Gu Xuejiao, you don't have to—"
"Cheng Mingze," Xuejiao interrupted sharply, her tone firm. She looked directly at him, then turned her gaze to Gu Shiyun. "The issues of the previous generation may have nothing to do with her, but her mother was a mistress for years. She hurt my mother deeply. I don't hate her, but if I were to act like a good sister with her, how would my mother feel? Wouldn't that upset her?"
At the word "mistress," Gu Shiyun's face visibly darkened, while Cheng Mingze appeared momentarily stunned, lost in thought.
Xuejiao continued, her gaze steady. "You just asked me what I'm doing, but now I want to ask you—what are you thinking? When I wasn't good, you found me an eyesore and wanted me gone. Now that I'm trying to improve myself, you think I have ulterior motives. So tell me, what do you want me to do?"
With that, she turned and walked away without looking back. Cheng Mingze stood frozen, staring at her retreating figure, lost in thought.
Gu Shiyun inhaled deeply, tugging on his sleeve to bring him back to the present. "Mingze-ge, you've been busy with your studies recently, haven't you?" she asked, blinking up at him.
Cheng Mingze snapped out of his daze and forced a smile. "It's been fine. Class is about to start; let's head in."
He walked away quickly, his steps hurried as if chasing after something, leaving Gu Shiyun standing there with a dark expression.
Gu Shiyun's mind whirled. Gu Xuejiao had changed. Twice now, she had been humiliated by her. First with the house fiasco, and now this.
But today, the monthly exam results would be released. No matter how much Gu Xuejiao had changed, her academic performance couldn't compare.
When Xuejiao entered the classroom, she felt the tense atmosphere. She had barely sat down when Xi Junyang came over and plopped down in front of her.
"Hey, do you know? Our class lost to the one next door in total scores this time! Their Chu Sheng got first place, Gu Shiyun was second, and Shang Zhiyuan from our class came in third," he whispered dramatically.
"So?" Xuejiao asked, confused.
Before he could respond, a chair scraped loudly as someone sat down next to them. Yi Tianyu crossed his legs and smirked. "So, us laggards are going to face the abbess's wrath today."
Xuejiao tilted her head, puzzled. "What are you talking about?"
At that moment, Yin Fang stormed into the room, her expression thunderous. "What's the matter? Everyone, back to your seats!"
Yi Tianyu tilted his head and whispered, "Nerd, are you scared?"
"Are you?" Xuejiao asked without looking up.
"Me? Scared of her? Never!" Yi Tianyu declared confidently, leaning back in his chair.
"Yi Tianyu!" Yin Fang snapped suddenly.
"Yes?" Yi Tianyu replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Stand at the back of the classroom during class!"
"Why?" Yi Tianyu protested.
"Because you only passed two subjects! Such simple questions, and you came in last place! Stand there and reflect!" she shouted.
Yi Tianyu froze. "..."
Xuejiao stifled a laugh, her shoulders shaking slightly. Noticing this, Yi Tianyu scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
By the end of the morning, all the exam papers had been handed back, and the total scores were posted outside. Xuejiao took a glance at the board before silently returning to her seat.
The top scores were impressive: Chu Sheng had 729, Gu Shiyun 721, and Shang Zhiyuan 718. Xuejiao's scores were modest in comparison, placing her in the middle of the grade.
But she didn't care. This was just the beginning.
Yi Tianyu stared at her paper in disbelief. "What's this?" he muttered, glancing between Xuejiao and the scores.
Chinese: 91.
Mathematics: 90.
English: 90.
Science: 180.
Total: 451.
"You said you'd just pass... and you really meant it!" Yi Tianyu exclaimed, dumbfounded.
Xuejiao ignored him, pulling out her notes to start studying again.