But Zhu Yaya still wasn't quite reassured. She frantically called out to the system in her mind again, repeating her request to withdraw cash.
"Withdrawal complete."
Then, Zhu Yaya saw the middle-aged man who had just walked away turn back.
"What lovely weather! My hundred yuan is simply too much for me," he said with a beaming smile, stuffing another one hundred RMB into Zhu Yaya's hand.
Zhu Yaya: !!!
So, that's how the withdrawal works!
Zhu Yaya regained her previous high spirits, feeling full of fighting energy. She thought about Xu Chun, Murong Beichen, and Ling Yiming who had followed them to the infirmary. With two guys and one girl, there was bound to be a conflict, a conflict meant unlocking a gossip-watching task, and completing a task meant money.
Carrying her fruit box with the few remaining pieces of watermelon, she rushed excitedly towards the infirmary.
Just as she reached the door, she saw Shen Wandan storming out of the infirmary, barely suppressing her fury.
Murong Beichen followed her out: "Shen Purple Glass Mourning Jasmine Wandan, how could you treat such a delicate creature like Chun'er this way?"
Zhu Yaya, hiding to the side: ???
What did she miss?
Shen Wandan's eyes flashed with anger and tears. She lifted her chin high, striving to maintain her noble demeanor. "Please address me as Shen Liyingshang Angelina Yingxue Wandan!"
"Fine! Shen Liyingshang Angelina Yingxue Wandan, why did you scheme to make my delicate Chun'er run that dreadful 3000-meter race? Is that a distance fit for humans? You are utterly malicious!"
Zhu Yaya, who had not long ago won first place in the senior high women's 3000-meter race, felt personally offended.
"Oh no, Brother Chen! How could you call me malicious!" Shen Wandan clutched her chest, her face a picture of disbelief, as if deeply wounded by Murong Beichen. "After all these years growing up together, you still don't trust me? Am I the kind of person who, out of jealousy for someone stealing the person I like, would resort to any means and desperately try to break them apart? Am I the kind of wicked woman who would use money and feminine wiles to seduce the sports committee member of Class 27, Grade 11, and have him secretly sign Xu Chun up for the 3000-meter race just to frame her?"
Zhu Yaya from a reader's perspective: ... Aren't you exactly that kind of person?
She looked at Shen Wandan's head with pity, wanting to crack it open to see what was inside.
Silly child, why did you just confess the entire process of secretly signing Xu Chun up for the 3000-meter race behind her back? Isn't that a classic case of "protesting too much"? Only a pig would believe you!
Murong Pig Beichen believed her.
His face filled with remorse as he looked at the heartbroken Shen Wandan, he apologized: "Shen Liyingshang Angelina Yingxue Wandan, I'm sorry! I was wrong. I shouldn't have doubted you. Please don't be sad."
Zhu Yaya stared with dead-fish eyes, really wanting to rush up and douse Murong Beichen with a bucket of cold water to sober him up.
She finally understood why the emotional development between the male and female leads was always so tortuous. It wasn't because the supporting female character's schemes were so brilliant, but because the male lead's brain was purely decorative!
Poor Xu Chun!
Zhu Yaya watched as Shen Wandan's tears turned to smiles because of Murong Beichen's apology. It was a literal "tears turning to smiles"! She could even see Shen Wandan's snot.
Zhu Yaya: Heh.
She wondered what her loyal admirer Li Hao would think upon seeing this scene. So, she took out her phone, secretly snapped a photo of Shen Wandan's tear-streaked, smiling face, zoomed in for good measure, and sent the picture to Li Hao via QQ.
Li Hao sent back a row of exclamation marks.
Zhu Yaya smiled smugly. She had saved another poor soul persecuted by the plot.
But then, Li Hao sent this message: "Ahhhh! How can my goddess be this adorable! I feel my love for her deepening! Tell me, where did you see my Dan Dan goddess? I'm coming right now to begin my 841st confession!"
Zhu Yaya: ...
Kid, do you have a lot of question marks right now?!
However, for the sake of Li Hao's healthy development, she refused his earnest request.
She lingered at the door a while longer, until Xu Chun had rested and recovered, but the system notification still didn't sound. She sighed, somewhat unwillingly, and left.
She didn't return to her own class. Instead, she sat next to Yan Heng in the bleachers of Class 27, Grade 11. Beside her, Li Hao was staring at her gloomily, his eyes full of resentment.
Under Li Hao's gaze, Zhu Yaya could feel his prickly stare and couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy.
She explained to Li Hao, "I didn't tell you where Shen Wandan was for your own good."
"Really?" The resentment in Li Hao's eyes didn't diminish.
Zhu Yaya kept a straight face and started spinning a tale. "Of course! Look, you've confessed 840 times without success. It's obvious you've been using the wrong method to pursue Shen Wandan all along."
Zhu Yaya continued, "When chasing a girl, you can't just keep shamelessly confessing your feelings. You need to learn the art of playing hard to get. Do you understand 'playing hard to get'?"
The resentment in Li Hao's eyes faded, replaced now by curiosity. He shook his head. "No, I don't!"
Zhu Yaya gave a tactical fake cough, adopting the air of a master.
Li Hao grew anxious. "Junior, please continue!" He even turned and shooed away a few boys who had quietly leaned in to eavesdrop.
Zhu Yaya guided him patiently. "Look, how many admirers does Shen Wandan have? She has so many devoted followers; you're just the most ordinary one among them. You've confessed so many times, it's possible she hasn't even noticed you at all!"
"Then what should I do?" He was getting desperate.
"You can play hard to get! From now on, when other guys crowd around her, you ignore her. When you see her, wipe that lovesick grin off your face and give her a cold sneer or a mocking laugh. This way, after a while, she's guaranteed to notice you. She might even start talking to you!" Zhu Yaya said with full confidence.
This was the rich experience she had gained from reading countless cheesy romance novels over the years.
"Oh! I get it now." Li Hao slapped his forehead. "Thank you, junior!"
"Don't mention it, it's nothing!"
Yan Heng watched Zhu Yaya teasing Li Hao and couldn't help but be amused. She really was a clever little imp!
From then on, Li Hao began implementing the "playing hard to get" pursuit tactic taught by Zhu Yaya. Whenever he saw Shen Wandan, he would give her a disdainful, mocking laugh. To amplify the effect, he even added some sarcastic remarks. Back and forth like this, it became hard for Shen Wandan not to notice him.
Shen Wandan, accustomed to being fawned over, narrowed her eyes at this peculiar boy. Finally, she couldn't resist any longer and approached Li Hao to ask him about it.
Li Hao was thrilled to his core, but on the surface, he maintained that mocking smile and let out a cold snort, imitating Yan Heng's usual demeanor.
Shen Wandan had never been treated this way. Furious, she slapped him across the face. After Shen Wandan left, Li Hao covered his swollen cheek with a look of utter rapture.
She touched me! She touched me!
Her hand is so soft! Mwah!
Thus, Li Hao henceforth completely enshrined Zhu Yaya's words as gospel truth and resolutely implemented them to the letter.
Shen Wandan fumed inwardly. Why had her charm diminished? Why were there fewer suitors pursuing her? It must be that Zhu Yaya's fault! She would get her revenge!
But that was a matter for later.
