46 A Life of Bullying
After the two of them left, the others in Class 2 settled down as well.
Only the two boys in the front row talked to each other in hushed voices.
“Hey, did you speak up because you saw Lu Ning?”
The boy who spoke had a buzz cut. His facial features were well-shaped, and he radiated an irresistible, sun-like warmth.
The boy who was listening to him was engrossed in his writing and did not respond immediately. Gloominess lurked in his eyes, yet when he looked up his handsome and delicate features made people want to steal glances at him.
“I didn’t.”
“Don’t hide it, it’s because you saw her! Shaolin, you like Lu Ning, right? Tell me the truth!”
“No,” Zheng Shaolin said decisively.
Jiang Qiu did not believe him and looked at him impishly. “It feels like Lu Ning’s really getting prettier and prettier. I wonder, how could there be such a difference even though we’re all humans? She looks so beautiful wearing the same school uniform we do, while we simply look old-fashioned.”
Zheng Shaolin frowned, a little irritated; but before he could speak, he continued, “Did you see the wound on Lu Ning’s head just now? It wasn’t there when I saw her in the morning, but she somehow got herself hurt in the afternoon. I’ll say, it’s got to be related to those two just now.”
He finally stopped writing and looked straight at him. “How do you know that?”
Jiang Qiu gave a smug, all-knowing look. “They’re feeling guilty. Didn’t you see how sheepish they were behaving? Besides…” He leaned close to Zheng Shaolin’s ear. “They’re probably trying to please that one. Didn’t you see those gifts? That’s the benefits!”
Zheng Shaolin tightened his eyebrows. “But they aren’t lacking for these things.”
Those two did not come from poor backgrounds; they could get those any time they wanted, so why would they have to suck up to her?
“Tsk, you’re such a dull person. It’s not about whether they’re lacking for them; they simply want to get acquainted with the Lù family through Lù Yue’an.
“The Lù family owns the most prestigious and powerful businesses in A City. Who wouldn’t want to build a relationship with them? To know Lù Yue’an is to know the Lù family, and currying favor with Lù Yue’an meant that one would have plenty of chances to get closer with the Lù family. It’s all pros and no cons, they understand that all too well.”
“So to earn her favor they bullied someone else?”
Jiang Qiu glanced in Lù Yue’an’s direction. “They’ll probably be able to do anything, they’re just afraid that their flattery will fall flat. Before they did it, I’m sure they had felt Lù Yue’an out; if she disliked the idea they definitely won’t do it. But they went ahead and did it anyway, so Lù Yue’an must’ve approved of it one way or another.”
“…”
“This family of aristocrats has deep connections. Lu Ning’s an ordinary person now; if Lù Yue’an despises her, those people won’t let her off just in order to please Lù Yue’an.
“Lu Ning doesn’t have anyone to back her up now—she’s going to suffer a life of bullying!”
“…”
Zheng Shaolin gripped the pen in his hand and turned his gaze towards Lù Yue’an.
——————
When Lu Ning returned to the classroom, the bell rang before Lin Ci could ask her anything.
In no time at all Huo Jinyan marched into the classroom.
Everyone instantly stiffened their backs. They quickly prepared their stationery, as if preparing themselves for a pitched battle.
Huo Jinyan was holding a stack of test papers in his hand. He scanned over the entire class, then casually placed them in the first row.
“Pass them.”
The people in the front row immediately split the paper stacks and passed them to the back.
Everyone looked at the papers in confusion.
The English class representative was a reserved and quiet girl. After some prodding by the classmates around her, she finally mustered up the courage to stand up and ask, “Teacher Huo, are we doing a test for this class?”
Huo Jinyan looked at the girl, who was trembling in fear, and tried to be gentle.
“Yes, let me see how well you understand the material.”
As he finished speaking, he let her sit; then, he glanced in Lu Ning’s direction.