Du Xiaoxian felt something wrong when entering the cla.s.sroom, as almost everyone was looking at her.

Contempt and disdain were all over their faces, which Du Xiaoxian had been used to since childhood. She didn't care much about it and sat on her seat quietly.

She a.s.sumed that they looked at her this way because of the incident yesterday. Even the headmaster was bothered after all.

Yang Liying was not in her seat. She was chattering in a low voice with some girls. She snorted contemptuously at Du Xiaoxian and asked a girl in whisper, “Are you sure about what you saw yesterday?”

“Of course. She got on a bus and sat by the window and then got off and walked. I followed her all the way. n.o.body came to pick her up.”

“What happened afterwards?”

“She was on foot while I rode in a car. It's hard to follow, so I left then.”

“What a pity,” said Yang Liying, “If you followed her home, you would find out whether her family is rich or poor.”

“Rich? Are you kidding me?”

The girl curled her lips into a sneer, “Look at her. Cowering and wretched, certainly a b.u.mpkin. And her weird name, Xiaoxian. How could she be a fairy like that!”

Yang Liying was bewildered, “But why was such a hick admitted by our school?”

Someone said, “Probably an exchange student. Our school has several top students exchanged from other schools.”

“Is she good at study?”

Yang Liying was more bewildered, “She seems to know nothing about math or physics.

And she doesn't listen attentively in cla.s.s but drawing.”

Everyone was silent. If she wasn't an exchange student, they couldn't figure it out. How could a poor girl who took bus to school be enrolled at an elite school?

“Forget it,” said Yang Liying with a snaky smile, “I've been fed up with her. It's no harm to try her.”

“Let's do it this way…” They gathered together and made a secret plan to bully Du Xiaoxian.

The school bell rang, so Yang Liying returned to her seat and smiled at Du Xiaoxian.

Du Xiaoxian didn't expect such a smile from her deskmate and thus managed to smile back after a while of loss. That smile still looked timid somehow.

Yang Liying kept her countenance to conceal her disdain. She was absolutely a b.u.mpkin, without the least bit of a rich girl. She made up her mind to bully her.

Du Xiaoxian buried her head like an ostrich to ignore all the hostile sights around her.

She survived the whole morning with superior endurance.

But lunchtime was even more torturous. In the big dining hall, students gathered in groups, talking and laughing happily.

She was alone, however, like a square peg in a round hole.

But today she got companions, unexpectedly three of them.

Du Xiaoxian raised her head and beheld the bright smile of Yang Liying, “Du Xiaoxian, can we sit here?”

“Yes, of course.”

Du Xiaoxian moved her lunchbox aside at once.

Following Yang Liying were her two besties.

One was w.a.n.g Qian, and the other was Liu Tiantian.

Both of them were from middle-cla.s.s families, so they curried favor with Yang Liying, the daughter of a wealthy family, from the first day at school.

The three girls sat down and gave each other meaningful glances.

w.a.n.g Qian took the lead, putting pork fat of her lunch in the lunchbox of Du Xiaoxian, “Du Xiaoxian, this is for you.”

Du Xiaoxian surprisingly stared at the fat.

The girls exchanged smug smiles, expecting her to burst.

As long as she dared to throw a fit, they would teach her a good lesson.

However, things grew out of their expectation. Du Xiaoxian stopped for a second and then said softly with an embarra.s.sed smile, “Thank you.”

And she put that pork fat into her mouth.

She chewed on it and then swallowed. Seeing this, the clique gazed at each other blankly. w.a.n.g Qian asked with a frown, “Du Xiaoxian, don't you hate fat?”

“I'm not a picky eater,” Du Xiaoxian smiled at her, “I can eat anything.”

Looking at the streaky pork in her lunchbox, Liu Tiantian felt speechless. They all disliked fat and thus deliberately brought it here to make fun of Du Xiaoxian. It seemed that the method was useless.

She picked out the pork fat and threw it on the table. Du Xiaoxian tried to hold it back but failed. In her mind, no one should ever waste food. So even if they were unfamiliar, she summoned her courage to utter, “Don't you like meat? Could you…could you please give it to me?”

Liu Tiantian rolled her eyes up and gave her the rest of the fat streaky pork.

Seeing Du Xiaoxian eat with relish, Yang Liying knew that they couldn't bully her with food anymore.

She could eat what they eat, and also what they don't eat.

With a roll of eyes, she came up with a new idea. She took out a bill and said to Du Xiaoxian, “Xiaoxian, can you buy me a cup of coffee?”

“OK.” She agreed quickly and naturally, without the least bit of reluctance.

When she left, Yang Liying whispered her plan to w.a.n.g Qian and Liu Tiantian. The other two covered their mouths and giggled, nodding of approval.

As soon as Du Xiaoxian came back with the coffee and sat down, Liu Tiantian took out a bill and gave it to her, “Can you also buy me a cup of coffee, please?”

Du Xiaoxian nodded and ran to the coffee shop with the money.

“Isn't she too obedient?” said w.a.n.g Qian.

Yang Liying snorted, “It's only the second time. Wait and see. I don't believe she can endure much longer.”

When she came back again, w.a.n.g Qian took out money and asked her to buy coffee. Du Xiaoxian still went with a smile.

The three of them took another turn and made Du Xiaoxian ran back and forth six times in total. w.a.n.g Qian asked her, “Du Xiaoxian, do you enjoy running errands for others?”

Du Xiaoxian smiled bashfully and said, “It's not a big deal. Not far anyway.”

It was certainly not far, but wouldn't she feel annoyed or angry? Why was she so good-tempered? The three girls growing up in affluent families couldn't understand her.

Du Xiaoxian pursed her lips and said, “And you treat me well.”

The three girls felt speechless again. Are you insane? We are trying to bully you, not treating you well.

Liu Tiantian pinched the empty coffee cup and threw it on the table. Du Xiaoxian looked at her and asked, “Do you want more? I can buy it for you.”

Liu Tiantian immediately shook her head. Her stomach was starting to bloat. She couldn't even think of a third cup.

Silently, the three of them sat there looking at each other with frustration.

During this time, Du Xiaoxian ate all of her food quietly and quickly without a single grain of rice left.

The three girls looked at their lunchboxes with more than half food left, and then took another look at Du Xiaoxian's lunchbox, which was so clean as if it had been wiped. They were stuck in a complicated mood.

The result was obvious. A complete defeat, although three vs. one.

They had made a perfect plan, but Du Xiaoxian had her lunch with pleasure and took them as nice cla.s.smates.

On the contrary, with unfinished meals, what they had was two cups of coffee and an undoubted defeat.

In the afternoon, Yang Liying thought it through after a long time. It's good to have such an honest and obedient person around her.

It happened to be her group's turn to be on duty this week. When cla.s.ses were over, she made an excuse of hand pain and asked Du Xiaoxian to cover her s.h.i.+ft.

Although well prepared for her reply, she was still slightly shocked by her prompt acceptance. Was this girl a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t? Why did she enjoy working for others so much?

Du Xiaoxian went to get the broom joyfully.

Cleaning was simply a piece of cake for her. This was what she did for a job!

She was happy because someone needed her, making her feel useful, and this could be considered making friends, right? The young master will be very happy to know about this.

While Du Xiaoxian was doing the cleaning happily, Gu Nianbin was sitting in his office gazing at the clock on the wall. The clock ticking was clear in the quiet room.

He was counting the time. The school was over at 4:30 p.m. and it took an hour for her to get back. She should be home by 5:30 p.m.

This morning he stood behind the window watching her leaving for school. In the morning light, her little figure was perfectly straight and her steps were light, rendering a vigorous and lively impression. He suddenly felt a little bit relieved. Weak and reserved from the arrival, she was now changing and trying to touch the outside world.

This was a good start.

He wished she could walk into the society and become an independent person. What then? He never thought about it.

It would be in a far future and had nothing to do with him.

But at this moment, he started to worry again. Did she get to school safely in the morning? Is she on the way home now? She's a.s.sumed to be safe at school because he had already talked with the headmaster.

He lit a cigarette and glanced over the sofa. Usually at this time, Du Xiaoxian would sit there doing her homework or watching videos on the laptop.

He had been used to handle business quietly while keeping an eye on her. Today the sofa was empty, and he felt his heart was as empty as that sofa.

She made no noise in his office, as quiet as the air. Once in a while she might chuckle but very softly, intending not to disturb him.

She was very thoughtful, trying not to bother others but caring others all the time. Gu Nianbin sometimes felt that she was so thoughtful that he should cherish her more.

He thought of that day. When berated by the traffic police, she trembled with fear, but still managed to open her arms to protect him. Both the traffic policeman and Gu Nianbin were shocked. At that moment, all of his anger disappeared.

He had no idea of the origin of her courage or the reason why she wanted to protect him. Why did she have such ridiculous ideas? In fact, she was the one that needed protection most.

Gu Nianbin curled his lips and put out the cigarette in the crystal ashtray. The clock on the wall showed that it was 5:35 p.m. She should have been home by now. He hesitated when touching the cellphone and finally called home. Butler Xiao answered the phone and told him that Du Xiaoxian was not home yet.

Gu Nianbin frowned. It had been five minutes past the normal time. Why hadn't she arrived yet? Did anything happen on the way? He was, however, not that anxious as last time and asked butler Xiao to call back if Du Xiaoxian came home.

He sat there impatiently, unable to do anything.

It was almost six o'clock when Xiao Bonian finally called and said that Du Xiaoxian had returned home.

Only then did Gu Nianbin feel relieved with a long breath.