Someone approached unexpectedly, and Wen Tingxue immediately took a step back, clutching the candied hawthorn stick like a startled rabbit.
A cold glint flashed in Yu Wenli's eyes as he looked towards the source of the sound.
"It really is you."
Xie Jinye stood at a nearby corner. The dim light made it impossible to discern her expression, but her joyful voice could be heard.
And the smile that bloomed on her face as she trotted over, carrying shopping bags.
Wen Tingxue quietly shrank her head.
Under the light, the girl was beautiful, fair-skinned and delicate, like an expensive doll displayed in a cabinet.
Compared to her, she seemed much less valuable.
"I thought I was seeing things. It's rare to see you out with a girl."
Xie Jinye sized up Wen Tingxue with a smile, her eyes full of curiosity.
She came from a privileged background, exuding an air of wealth. Standing beside Yu Wenli, they looked exceptionally well-matched.
Wen Tingxue felt a pang of insecurity, curved her lips, smiled politely, and remained silent.
Yu Wenli keenly caught her emotional shift. A hint of annoyance flickered across his brows, and he responded with a flat, nasal tone, clearly unwilling to say more.
Xie Jinye had some prior dealings with Yu Wenli and knew his temperament. She quickly averted her gaze and smiled friendly at Wen Tingxue.
"What's your name? Are you hungry? I have some snacks and yogurt I just bought. Have some to tide you over."
Wen Tingxue had never encountered such an enthusiastic girl before, and she flinched back a couple of steps.
Yu Wenli's expression turned even colder, his eyes seeming to be frosted over. Seeing this, Xie Jinye dared not speak and quietly put the items back into her shopping bag.
"Let's go."
Yu Wenli reached out and hooked Wen Tingxue's hoodie, gently tugging it to pull it over her head.
Then, he led her towards the black motorcycle parked not far away.
Xie Jinye stared blankly at their retreating figures, one tall, one short, inexplicably harmonious.
She had been his classmate for six years and known him for three, yet she had never seen him display such patience and gentleness, especially not towards a girl.
He had always disliked excessive contact with girls, finding it troublesome.
Yet now, he could bend down to help that girl with her helmet, his movements so tender.
Xie Jinye felt like lightning had struck her head as she watched the girl get onto the back seat of Yu Wenli's motorcycle.
The very seat many girls longed to sit on, she had occupied as soon as she arrived.
Enviously, Xie Jinye withdrew her gaze and hurried home with her bags full of snacks.
The next day, outside the Yu family's residence.
In front of a low-key and understated BMW M5, Yu Xiuxiu watched her daughter apply scar cream and instructed,
"You have to apply it every day from now on, so you don't get uncomfortable in the winter. Your aunt and I will be leaving now. You two take care of each other at school. If you don't understand anything, remember to ask your brother, do you hear me?"
Due to their work, neither she nor her husband could escort their daughter to school.
They felt guilty about this, but the case was urgent and left no room for delay.
Wen Tingxue nodded obediently, smiling sweetly, "I'm fine. You should go quickly. I'll ask Yu Ge if I need anything."
Although they were in the same grade, she was indeed a year younger than Yu Wenli.
Yu Wenli sat in the back seat, lazily watching the three women in front of the car, feeling a headache coming on.
He knew it would be difficult for the Wen family parents to balance family and work.
He had gone through similar experiences himself, so he could only try to minimize the harm she suffered because of it.
After Wen Tingxue got into the car, before Yu Wenli could offer any words of comfort, she was already engrossed in her book, seemingly unaffected.
Even though it was the first day of school, even though she had only been in Jiangcheng for three days, and even though her parents couldn't accompany her, she didn't seem to mind.
Yu Wenli paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
Who said she was timid? She was quite bold, actually.
She was just too well-behaved, which made people feel sympathetic.
Yu Wenli didn't know that without him by her side, she would truly be at a loss.
The car drove to school. It wasn't heavily congested, but it took a bit longer than usual.
Wen Tingxue looked at the line of luxury cars parked at the school entrance and was a little taken aback.
She had only ever seen the school entrance area filled with bicycles and electric scooters.
...
As soon as she got out of the car, she heard a sharp honk from behind.
Wen Tingxue turned her head. A fiery red sports car, looking aggressive, screeched to a halt by the roadside, appearing more expensive than all the other cars present.
Yu Wenli, with one hand in his pocket and the other resting on the car, waited for Wen Tingxue, glancing up lazily at the sound.
"Yu Ge."
A familiar figure emerged from the car, drawing attention.
Yu Wenli closed the car door, dismissing the driver. Wen Tingxue stood beside him, watching Chi Zerui stride towards them.
Wearing a school uniform, he lost some of his roguish charm, but he still exuded a wild aura.
"Yo, little sister, we meet again."
Chi Zerui greeted Wen Tingxue with familiarity. Wen Tingxue, other than a smile, didn't know what else to say.
He didn't seem to care about her attitude, turning to talk to Yu Wenli on his own.
The three walked towards the school in unison, drawing almost everyone's attention.
They were stopped at the entrance because Wen Tingxue wasn't wearing a school uniform.
Wen Tingxue: "..."
She had just transferred. Where would she get a school uniform?
Chi Zerui stood aside, arms crossed, looking amused like a gatekeeper, acknowledging everyone who greeted him, especially pretty girls. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Jiangcheng First High School's winter uniform was a black down jacket with the school emblem printed on the left chest. It looked sharp on others, but on Yu Wenli, it only conveyed an inexplicable coldness.
It seemed the black amplified his sharpness.
Therefore, when he spoke to the student council members, he exuded an unintentional aura of authority.
"Alright then, I'll mention it to everyone later, to avoid any misunderstandings."
After a few whispered exchanges, the individuals recording names relented.
After all, the name Yu Wenli carried weight in Jiangcheng. Even if he wasn't in the student council, the council members would give him face.
"Come here and fill out a form. I'll put your name down when they make the school uniforms."
The senior who had stopped Wen Tingxue handed her a form.
Wen Tingxue took it and quickly filled it out before returning it.
The senior glanced at it, raised an eyebrow, "You're in the second year? I thought you were in the first."
You look so young.
Wen Tingxue smiled. Yu Wenli and Chi Zerui, however, were surprised.
"Second year?"
Yu Wenli had always assumed she was in her first year. He furrowed his brow slightly, a hunch telling him it had something to do with her grandmother.
Wen Tingxue didn't offer any further explanation, just nodded and said it was time to go, without elaborating further.
-
Jiangcheng First High School had only a few prominent figures, with Yu Wenli and Chi Zerui being the most eye-catching.
Thus, the news of Wen Tingxue entering the school with them quickly spread, along with discussions about the transfer student.
However, no one connected these two events, assuming they were about two different people.
At this moment, in Class 4 of the second year.
"Holy crap! That village girl transferred to our class?! How unlucky!"
"I wanted the little sister next to Big Brother Yu to transfer to our class. She's super cute!"
"She's from the countryside, isn't she a bit sallow and thin?"
"Won't she have a strange smell? I can't stand that!"
"I heard she came from Luocheng Seventh High School."
"Then she must look fierce, right? Isn't Luocheng Seventh High School known for having problem students?"
As the discussion was heating up, the classroom door opened from the outside. Wen Di entered with textbooks, a displeased expression on his face, clearly followed by someone.
Everyone immediately perked up, eager to see what the "country girl" from Luocheng Seventh High School looked like.