Chapter Three

  Ji Xiaowan was sent to the infirmary, where the school nurse applied some medicine to her, blue liquid and red liquid, making a mess on her face, hands and legs.

  The PE teacher joked with her and said, "This time you can finally skip physical education class openly and honestly."

  Ye Hai smiled slightly as he listened.

  Ji Xiaowan did not express any opinion and had no special expression. She was staring at her wound in a daze, with a faint look on her face.

  Ji Xiaowan knew that Luo Meiyue had pushed her, which was why she fell so hard. But if she said it out loud, Yi Ling and Ye Haiwei would never believe her. Just looking at the way Yi Ling held Luo Meiyue in his arms made it clear: Luo Meiyue was their treasure, a sacred and inviolable goddess, while Ji Xiaowan was nothing. Their help to her was just a casual act of charity, like when she and Luo Meiyue fell down at the same time, Yi Ling rushed to pick up the unharmed Luo Meiyue instead of the seriously injured Ji Xiaowan.

  So this matter, Ji Xiaowan knew herself was good, she wouldn't foolishly say it out loud, and fantasize about destroying Luo Mei Yue's goddess status in Yi Ling and Ye Hai Wei's hearts.

  But this matter also gave Ji Xiaowan a lesson, that is, she must stay far away from Yi Ling and Ye Haiwei, the farther the better, but she thought so in her heart, but heaven did not let her have her way.

  The next day, after the second class in the afternoon, because the third class was physical education, Ji Xiaowen's foot injury had not healed yet, so the teacher allowed her to be free and did not need to report. Ji Xiaowen didn't want to stay in the classroom, so she went to sit on that old broken fence bench on the school's scenic path after the next class.

  She held a book in her hand and had earbuds plugged into her ears.

  This book was a birthday gift from that person when she was nine years old, and she loved it. Since he left, she has treasured it like a precious thing.

  This book has a history of several years and has been read by her countless times, but the book is still like new, without any creases.

  Ji Xiaowan sat on the long bench, staring blankly at a row of green trees across from her. In front of the trees was a small garden made of brick, but there were no flowers in the garden, only pebbles. Because it had been neglected for years, the garden had accumulated a lot of rainwater that couldn't drain out, and the water was as deep as 20-30 cm. The rainwater in the garden was very dirty, but if you didn't stir up the water, it still looked relatively clear.

  Ji Xiaowan listened to the music, her mood was still quite comfortable, and as she continued to appreciate the swaying light and shadow of the green leaves, for a moment it gave her some illusions. She felt that person standing behind her back, so she couldn't turn around, she was afraid to look back, only to get lost.

  As she listened on and on, Ji Xiaowan closed her eyes.

  "Yi Gege, I want a drink of water." Not far away, Luo Mei Yue said to Yi Ling with force, making a request.

  Yi Ling and Ye Haiwei did not see Ji Xiaowan sitting behind them, but Luo Meiyue saw her. She also saw the book in Ji Xiaowan's arms, and she knew that this book was a treasure that she had always held close to her heart.

  Lu Mei Yue saw Ji Xiao Wan and then pulled Yi Ling, saying she wanted a drink.

  Yi Ling fondled her hair and said, "I'll go buy some drinks, don't wander off."

  Yi Ling walked away for a while, and Luo Mei Yue pulled Ye Hai Wei's arm again, saying, "I forgot to tell Yi Gege, I want to drink water peach tea. And also want to eat popsicles."

  Ye Haiwei also smiled and rubbed her hair, saying, "Then I'll go buy you a lollipop, wait for me, don't run around."

  Ye Haiwei finished speaking and followed Yi Ling's footsteps to the store.

  The store is not far away, and it takes only a few minutes to go there and come back.

  Lu Mei Yue watched them leave, then turned around and walked towards Ji Xiao Wan. Ji Xiao Wan was sitting with her back to her, eyes closed, listening to music, unaware of someone approaching from behind.

  Suddenly——

  Ji Xiaowan's book was snatched away, Ji Xiaowan opened her eyes and saw Luo Mei Yue holding her book high up, standing by the pool in the garden, then gave her a sweet smile.

  Ji Xiaowan's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly chased after him to try to retrieve her book. However, she was one step too late, and she watched in horror as Luo Mei Yue tossed her book into the pond.

  With a thud——

  Her heart also drowned with a thud.

  "My book..." Ji Xiaowan muttered subconsciously, staring blankly as the birthday gift she had treasured for six years was swallowed up by the murky rainwater.

  In an instant, her anger burst forth, and a strong murderous intent flashed through her mind.

  She glared at Luo Mei Yue fiercely, her eyes filled with intense murderous intent.

  Ji Xiaowan raised her palm high and slapped her face hard.

  "Bang——"

  The applause was very loud and echoed in the originally quiet surroundings.

  Lu Mei Yue, who had been slapped, covered her injured mouth corner with a disbelieving gaze at Ji Xiao Wan, and then she burst into tears.

  Along with the sound of uploading came a few loud crashes, which was the sound of the thermos falling to the ground.

  Yi Ling and Ye Haiwei returned from the store with good things, and as soon as they came over, they saw Ji Xiaowan slap Luo Mei Yue's ear, and it was very forceful.

  Yi Ling suddenly burst into flames, pulling his leg to rush over and grab Xue Xiaojuan's arm. He pulled very hard, hurting Xue Xiaojuan so much that her face turned white.

  But Ji Xiaowan didn't make a sound, nor did she cast her gaze at Yi Ling, but instead kept glaring furiously at Luo Mei Yue.

  Ye Hai walked over with a stiff body, his tightly pursed lips revealing his discontent.

  They had pampered her since she was a little princess, and hadn't dared to scold or hit her even once. How dare that servant girl raise her hand against her? And with such force, too - just look at Little Qiao's mouth, it's all bruised and swollen.

  Lu Mei Yue cried very hard, then rushed into Ye Hai Wei's arms and said, "I didn't do it on purpose! I really didn't do it on purpose! I wanted to apologize to Xiao Wan, but no matter what I say, she won't listen to me. I know she hates me, she must hate me for pushing her yesterday. I just wanted to make up with her, so I played a joke on her and snatched her book, but accidentally dropped it into the water. I really didn't do it on purpose."

  Lu Mei Yue said that, Yi Ling got even angrier, and pulled Ji Xiao Wan's arm with more force.

  Ji Xiaowan endured the severe pain in her arm and coldly said to Luo Mei Yue, "Pick up the book for me! Now!"

  Ji Xiaowan said, Luo Meiyue seemed to be frightened by her fierce words, and then immediately pushed away Ye Haiwei, muttering a few sentences, "I'll pick it up right away, I'll pick it up right away!"

  "Don't pick it up. The water is very dirty..." Ye Haiwei spoke out to stop him, but it was too late.

  Lu Mei Yue didn't even roll up her sleeves, and with both hands, she reached into the pool and picked up the book, handing it to Ji Xiao Wan.

  Ji Xiaowan's hands trembled as she took over the book that had become soft and limp after getting soaked, her heart aching unbearably.

  Is this the only birthday gift she has ever received in her life, and now it's been ruined like this? How can she not be heartbroken?

  But even more heart-wrenching, there were no tears on her face, because she knew that her tearful eyes would not get any sympathy from anyone, and the people in front of her were not worth crying for.

  It's just her book, her most treasured book...

  Ji Xiaowan shifted her gaze to Yi Ling and said coldly, "Let go."

  Yi Ling was stunned by her piercing gaze for a moment, and before he knew it, she had shaken him off. Ji Xiaowan turned to leave, but Yi Ling walked over again, grabbing her arm once more with even greater force, causing Ji Xiaowan to let out a soft cry of pain.

  "Let go." Ji Xiaowan said through gritted teeth.

  "Apologize to me! Apologize to Xiao Guai!" Yi Ling fiercely yelled at her.

  Ye Haiwei held Luo Meiyue in his arms and comforted her back, while looking at Ji Xiaowan with the same cold eyes. He said calmly, "As long as you apologize sincerely to Xiao Jie, we'll consider today's incident as if it never happened. You and Xiao Jie can still be friends in the future."

  Lu Mei Yue hid in Ye Hai Wei's arms, crying non-stop and saying, "Don't blame Xiao Wan, it was my fault, I was wrong! I shouldn't have thrown her book into the dirty water. I should be the one apologizing, don't blame Xiao Wan."

  Lu Mei Yue said that, Yi Ling's heart was even more furious, waiting for Ji Xiao Wan's eyes, it could almost spit out fire.

  Ji Xiaowan's heart flashed a cold smile, but her mouth corners never moved once.

  "Apologize? Ah, yes, I really should apologize to you all." Ji Xiaowan seemed to be muttering to herself, but her words were directed at the three of them. "From the very beginning, I should have made it clear to you that Luo Mei Yue is not my friend. The little girl you're protecting with your lives is not my friend, nor is she my enemy. To me, she's just a stranger. So I sincerely apologize for letting you all misunderstand that Luo Xiao Ke and I are friends. Now I can formally tell you, she, Luo Xiao Ke, has nothing to do with me from start to finish."

  "Hey!" Yi Linghuo's temper flared up, "What did our little Qiao do to wrong you? How dare you say such things to hurt her?"

  "This is the truth." Ji Xiaowan said coldly, "The little darling in your palm is the treasure in your heart. My book is also the treasure in my heart. In this world, there is no one and nothing that can harm the treasures in your heart, but the treasures in others' hearts can be trampled on by anyone, bullied by anyone, right?"

  "It's a book, Xiao Qi is a person." Ye Haiwei's voice became even colder, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

  How can this girl be so unreasonable? Today she slapped Xiaogui, if it were someone else, they wouldn't bother talking to her and would torture her until she's helpless. But they're willing to give her a chance, as long as she apologizes, they can forgive her. But this girl is stubbornly unrepentant, wasting their good intentions.

  Ji Xiaowan's gaze swept past Ye Haiwei, her icy stare even sharper than his, devoid of any emotion. When Ye Haiwei saw the gaze she directed at him, his heart was clearly hurt by her.

  "The little darling in your hands, to me, is not even worth my book. She dares to throw my book into the water, now I have the heart to kill her. Hitting her once would be letting her off easy."

  Yi Ling grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to himself, his movements rough. "You stupid girl."

  "Hmm—" Ji Xiaowan let out a low hum, beads of sweat had already appeared on her forehead, and the corners of her mouth were slowly turning white, it was clear that her arm was in a lot of pain right now.

  But she was in pain, and in their eyes, it was nothing worth mentioning. She cried out louder, but it was no match for the stifled sobs of the woman in their arms.

  Lu Mei Yue stood in Ye Hai Wei's arms, still muttering to herself, "Don't blame Xiao Wan, it's my fault, really my fault."

  Ye Haiyuan took a step back in his heart after seeing Ji Xiaowan's pale face, and he said lightly, "We will compensate you for your book, no matter how many copies you want, ten times or a hundred times. But you must apologize to Xiao Jiao."

  Ji Xiaowan's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery, "What can you use to compensate? This was my ninth birthday gift, given by my lover. Even if I took the lives of all three of you, it wouldn't be enough to make up for it."

  Lover?

  Ji Xiaowan had just uttered those two words when both men simultaneously froze for a moment.

  They never thought that the little girl would have a boyfriend at the age of nine? And his position in her heart is no longer just a simple boyfriend, but a lover!

  Boyfriend can be replaced constantly, while lover implies that the other party has already given his position.

  When the words "my love" came out of Ji Xiaowan's mouth, they knew that the man was absolutely inviolable in her heart.

  Who is Ji Xiaowan's lover? Who can be the lover in the heart of a girl who has never had a smile on her face?

  They were guessing, but no matter how they guessed, they all knew one fact: none of them was the love in Ji Xiaowen's heart.

  This fact made them even more furious than when Luo Mei Yue was slapped by Ji Xiao Wan.

  Ji Xiaowan shook off his hand again when Yi Ling was stunned, and this time, after Ji Xiaowan left, they didn't stop her again.

  They stood there, seemingly having suffered a great shock, until Luo Mei Yue raised her crying voice, and only then did they come back to their senses.

  Ye Haiwei let out a deep breath and said to Yi Ling, "Little Qi's clothes are dirty, take her back to change into some clean clothes before coming back to school. I'll go ask the teacher for leave on her behalf."

  "Got it." Yi Ling's face was stiff as she said a sentence, then took Luo Mei Yue from Ye Hai Wei's arms and walked away with her arm around her.

  Ye Hai only thought of turning around and walking towards the teacher's building, when suddenly his eyes caught sight of a dirty pool, where a photo was lying.