Chapter 22: I Have My Own Way

"Useless, what's there to be afraid of?" Zhou Ruidan cursed at her, then turned to Qiao Xi with disdain. "Hmph, all bluff. I doubt she'll dare follow us. Let's go." With that, she led the group down a quiet side path. After all, they had six people—four girls and two boys—how could they possibly fear Qiao Xi?

Qiao Xi followed at a leisurely pace.

Within minutes she was out again, found a restaurant, packed lunch, and went to look for Chou Chou.

Dan Chou Chou's injuries were mostly superficial, though the bruises were unsightly and made it difficult to face anyone.

"So you taught them a lesson where no one was around? That's way too low-key. But what if they go to the school and report you?"

"You could just insist it was them."

"That's true, but getting them punished by the school isn't worth it. You shouldn't have gone after them yourself."

"It wasn't for them—it was for you." So there's no question of whether it's worth it or not. It simply had to be done.

Dan Chou Chou paused, her eyes suddenly stinging. She recalled how Qiao Xi used to stand up for Sister Xin back at Maple Sun, but those days felt so distant now. Ever since Qiao Xi decided to transfer schools, everything had changed.

"Qiao Xi, I really don't understand. Were you ever truly happier at Yingran than at Maple Sun?"

Qiao Xi didn't answer. The truth was obvious.

"So, the four girls and two boys didn't even get a chance to fight back before she knocked them all down?" Xu Jia'er asked, her adorable face full of curiosity.

Zhou Ruidan, though unwilling to admit it, couldn't deny the facts.

"We could report her to the school, get her punished. If we do it enough times, maybe the school will expel her."

"You've got some nerve. Aren't you afraid of making a laughingstock of yourself? And do you know why she waited until no one was around before making a move? You can report her, but she can just as easily get Dan Chou Chou to report you all. No witnesses, everyone insists their own story—do you really think the school would only listen to you and ignore Dan Chou Chou? In the end, you'll probably be expelled before she is."

"So what should we do?" Zhou Ruidan was bitterly unwilling to let it go.

Xu Jia'er smiled, her sweet face brimming with confidence. "I have my ways."

Although none of them brought the matter to the school, the six of them all bore visible injuries. Word spread, and everyone knew it must be connected to Qiao Xi and Dan Chou Chou. That afternoon, they were all summoned to the principal's office. Dan Chou Chou was on leave and couldn't attend.

When questioned, they wanted nothing more than to expose Qiao Xi, but they knew she could just as easily accuse them of bullying Dan Chou Chou. In the end, they had to swallow their anger.

"We fell."

"All six of you? You must have exceptional coordination."

"I fell, and the others were following too closely. One after another, they all tripped and got hurt."

It was a flimsy excuse, but the principal grudgingly accepted it, gave them a verbal warning, and sent them out. Qiao Xi was kept behind.

Yingran High had always enjoyed a good reputation. Though Ji Niansheng, known for fighting, had affected the school somewhat, it was never serious. But lately, trouble had multiplied, all thanks to the transfer students. The principal had to intervene, lest the school's reputation suffer.

"You transferred here for a better environment, so you should cherish the opportunity. You'll be a senior soon. Studying hard and getting into a good university is what you should be focused on."

"I will."

After leaving the principal's office, Qiao Xi closed the door carefully. As she turned around, she saw Ouya waiting for her.