The morning's examination concluded, officially marking the end of the competition. The results would be released within half a month, and the top three contestants would represent Country Z at the finals in Northern Europe.
Xia Qingyu maintained a calm demeanor. With Xia Qingtian accompanying her, the outcome was no longer the most important factor; the process itself was the most memorable part for her.
Li Xiaozhong and Nie Qingkong also seemed unfazed by the matter, their attitudes equally peaceful.
Despite this, some students who performed poorly looked dejected after leaving the examination hall, with a few even breaking down in tears.
However, only Liao Tingting seemed to have reached such a point of collapse.
Even the people from the Beijing competition zone were taken aback by her hair, which was a mess of blue and green.
Liao Tingting took in everyone's strange expressions, a surge of satisfying revenge washing over her.
Before boarding the bus after the exam, Xia Qingyu met with Lei Xirui.
The young girl seemed to have performed well, chatting and laughing with Xia Qingyu, appearing quite happy.
As they were about to board, Xia Qingyu saw Liao Tingting walk past her. After a moment's hesitation, she turned to Lei Xirui and said, "Let's talk on the bus later. I'm going to check on her."
"Okay," Lei Xirui replied, then couldn't help but add, "Be careful, though."
That Liao Tingting looked a bit frightening. Xia Qingyu wasn't sure if she might do something drastic in her state of breakdown.
"Alright," Xia Qingyu smiled faintly and nodded before catching up to Liao Tingting.
Meanwhile, Nie Qingkong, having noticed Xia Qingyu's movement, quietly followed.
Xia Qingyu quickly caught up to Liao Tingting. "Wait a moment."
Hearing Xia Qingyu's voice, Liao Tingting stopped in her tracks, turned, and glared at Xia Qingyu ominously. "What do you want? Are you here to brag about how well you did?"
Xia Qingyu really wanted to say she wasn't that bored, but looking at Liao Tingting's disheveled hair, she couldn't. After a moment of silence, she finally spoke, "If anything my sister said yesterday offended you, I apologize on her behalf. I'm sorry."
Liao Tingting seemed surprised to hear Xia Qingyu say that.
"My sister didn't mean any harm. I hope you can forgive her." Xia Qingyu knew that Liao Tingting had been the one to provoke them yesterday, and Xia Qingtian had only retaliated. But this outcome was something neither of them had anticipated.
Although Xia Qingyu didn't feel Xia Qingtian was truly at fault, Xia Qingtian was a public figure, and the past cyberbullying had always been a sore spot for Xia Qingyu.
She didn't want Xia Qingtian to suffer any more harm.
Rather than letting ill-intentioned people seize on this and stir up trouble for Xia Qingtian online, Xia Qingyu preferred to reach a reconciliation with Liao Tingting and resolve the matter before any problems arose.
"Stop being so fake!" Liao Tingting's emotions were quite agitated. "I've looked into it. Xia Qingtian is a star, right? You're not even her real sister. What kind of sisterly affection are you trying to show me? You're just trying to butter her up, aren't you? Trying to gain acceptance from the Xia family by flattering her, right?
Yesterday you said I was pathetic?
Who is pathetic?
I have parents, I have a complete family, unlike you!
You need to fawn over people to get recognition, what are you worth?
Just a freeloader, and you dare to act so high and mighty towards me? Huh?
Aren't you going to put on a show of sisterly affection?
Fine!
Kneel for me! If you kneel, I'll forgive you!
Kneel!" Liao Tingting's sharp voice attracted the attention of everyone around.
Xia Qingyu hadn't expected Liao Tingting to lose control like this. Of course, she wouldn't kneel for Liao Tingting. Even Xia Qingtian wouldn't allow her to do something so disgraceful to the Xia family.
"What? Scared?" Liao Tingting sneered. "Stop acting like sisters in front of me, it's disgusting! You're just a freeloader, you don't even count as a member of the Xia family!"
After saying this, Liao Tingting felt a sense of catharsis as she saw Xia Qingyu fall completely silent. She forcefully pushed Xia Qingyu away and then arrogantly boarded the returning bus.
Hearing Liao Tingting's words, the people around looked at Xia Qingyu with strange expressions, accompanied by whispers.
"Xia Qingyu..." Lei Xirui walked over to Xia Qingyu and said softly, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Xia Qingyu took a deep breath and shook her head.
This was nothing.
She had endured much worse bullying at the Municipal First High School.
Now, she had only encountered a minor setback.
She would deal with what she could resolve, and if she couldn't, she wouldn't.
Xia Qingyu knew how good Xia Qingtian was to her and wouldn't fall into self-doubt because of Liao Tingting's few provocative words.
However, Xia Qingyu could sense that Liao Tingting was indeed breaking down, but the reason for her breakdown wasn't because of her and Xia Qingtian.
Since it had nothing to do with them, Xia Qingyu felt relieved and secretly let out a sigh of ease.
Giving Lei Xirui a faint smile, Xia Qingyu boarded the bus with her.
Nie Qingkong watched Xia Qingyu's retreating figure, his brow furrowed, his hand clenched into a fist at his side.
He had conducted extensive investigations into Xia Qingyu.
He knew that Xia Qingyu had married into the Xia family with Aunt Liu, and initially, she had faced rejection and humiliation from Xia Qingtian. However, after Xia Qingtian's college entrance exams, this situation had completely disappeared.
But had it truly disappeared?
Nie Qingkong didn't believe that a person's attitude could change so drastically and without reason.
Whether this was Xia Qingtian's pretense or Xia Qingyu's enduring hardship, Nie Qingkong didn't know.
It was just that...
Looking at Xia Qingyu like this made Nie Qingkong feel an uncomfortable sensation in his heart.
He knew that Xia Qingyu made his thoughts become chaotic.
He had also considered two ways to resolve this problem.
One was to see Xia Qingyu in her most unbearable state, making himself thoroughly disgusted with her.
The other was simpler: kill Xia Qingyu, and sever all his lingering thoughts.
Nie Qingkong believed he could do it.
But just as he was contemplating whether to choose the first or the second method, this incident occurred.
A new thought began to grow wildly in Nie Qingkong's mind.
To take Xia Qingyu away, to imprison her by his side forever, to make it impossible for the entire world to find her whereabouts, and to make her his exclusive possession forever.
Once this thought appeared, it instantly overwhelmed the previous two options with its decisive force.
Nie Qingkong's gaze deepened.
In the time that followed, he would watch Xia Qingyu closely. If her status in the Xia family was as unbearable and awkward as he suspected, he would not hesitate to take her away.
To hide her in a place only he could find.
Only then could he rest assured.