Yan Yuan’s eyelids twitched. He stepped forward to explain, “You misunderstood. I was asking Uncle how to teach students. He used you as an example and said that teaching should be tailored to the individual and the treatment suited to the illness.”
Linlin was only half-convinced, but since she hadn’t done anything wrong, she let the matter go.
With his brother’s hand clamped over his mouth, Su Li’s eyes darted around.
Su Lang gave his son a meaningful look. Sure enough, he really was a Loudspeaker Spirit—the moment he opened his mouth, he just had to blab and blab.
Lin Zhilan and Linlin left with their arms linked. Su Lang led his son along behind them at a distance and praised Yan Yuan, “Not bad, kid. You managed to think on your feet and come up with a lie. You’re pretty good at it!”
Jiang Chengzhou also patted him on the shoulder. “Not bad, not bad. You don’t even blush or bat an eye. You tell lies like a professional.”
The uncle and nephew were only joking.
Yan Yuan couldn’t bring himself to laugh.
Was being good at lying really something to be proud of?
He was probably just digging a hole for himself.
Linlin had already spent one night sleeping in the school dormitory, so she wasn’t as nervous as she had been on the first day. In front of her parents, she could even offer them a few words of comfort.
Lin Zhilan and Su Lang truly had no more leave left, and Su Li had to return to school as well, so they had to take the train home the next morning.
Everyone escorted Linlin to school before heading back.
Linlin didn’t dare look back. It wasn’t until she entered the dormitory building that her eyes reddened with tears.
When she returned to the dorm, everyone was chatting.
The moment Linlin walked in, the room fell silent.
Military training would begin the next day. It was their first time, and everyone was both excited and nervous. After a brief silence, they resumed their previous conversations.
Linlin didn’t join in. She took her toiletries and went to the bathhouse.
Everyone could tell that she seemed unhappy, but no one dared to ask her about it.
Sun Lina raised her brows and spoke even more loudly.
Dong Xiaomin had put down her book as soon as Linlin returned. She hadn’t joined the others’ discussion either.
She was introverted and soft-spoken, and wherever she went, she carried a book in her hands.
Everyone had only just arrived at school and wanted to find someone to keep them company. Dong Xiaomin dressed plainly and was far too quiet and reserved, making it easy for her to be left out.
Of the eight girls in the dormitory, everyone except Dong Xiaomin and Linlin had already paired off.
After taking her bath, Linlin sat on the edge of her bed and combed her hair.
Dong Xiaomin hesitated for a long while before walking over to her. “Did you see the notice downstairs? We have to gather at the empty space on the athletic field tomorrow morning for roll call.”
“Mm-hmm, I saw it.” Linlin patted the seat beside her. “Come sit here.”
Dong Xiaomin came from a rural village in a drought-stricken region, where people had to conserve water. She usually went several days between baths.
Su Li often called his older sister a bookworm, but in truth, Dong Xiaomin was even more of one.
She had never cared about what other people did, nor had she paid attention to how often they bathed or washed their hair.
But she had noticed Linlin.
On her first day, Linlin had worn a white dress, and even her nightgown was white. She was clean and neat, with a faint, pleasant fragrance about her.
What was more, even though she had only worn the nightgown for one night, Linlin had washed it again the next morning.
Because her friend valued cleanliness, Dong Xiaomin had started paying more attention to her own hygiene as well.
She had just taken a bath that day, and her clothes and trousers were clean too. Only then did she feel comfortable enough to sit beside Linlin when Linlin invited her over.
Linlin had no interest in talking because her parents had returned to the island.
Sun Lina and the others were discussing military training.
The capital was muggy during the day but cool in the mornings and evenings, and the sun was out every day.
They were talking about how afraid they were of getting tanned and discussing whether they should go buy Snowflake Cream and Clam Oil together.
Sun Lina said, “I don’t need any of that stuff. I buy Pechoin and Xiefei at the department store. My skin feels uncomfortable if I use anything else.”
The others exchanged glances but didn’t make fun of her.
Dong Xiaomin gathered her courage and finally found a topic to bring up. “Did you buy any Snowflake Cream? Your skin is so delicate. You’ll definitely get sunburned.”
Linlin nodded obediently. “I have some, but I didn’t buy it. My mother made it for me.”
Sun Lina let out a mocking laugh. “You made it yourself? That’s hilarious. What if it ruins your face? By then, it’ll be too late to cry.”
Linlin pretended not to hear her and took Dong Xiaomin’s hand. “My mother prepared a whole jar for me. Would you like to use it together?”
“Dong Xiaomin, don’t listen to her. Who’s going to take responsibility if that unbranded stuff ruins your face?”
Sun Lina came from a dual-income household and had a fairly comfortable family life. On top of that, she had done well on the college entrance examination, which had instantly elevated her standing in the family.
With her parents and relatives treating her with newfound importance, along with all the praise from the neighbors, Sun Lina had become somewhat conceited after the exam.
She also constantly took pride in being a native of the capital and felt superior to everyone else. After suffering one setback after another at Linlin’s hands, she made a point of taking jabs at Linlin whenever she could.
The more Linlin ignored her, the angrier she became.
Dong Xiaomin was a stubborn girl too. Since Linlin ignored Sun Lina, she did the same.
After learning that the cream had been made by Linlin’s mother rather than bought from a store, Dong Xiaomin felt less uneasy. She looked at Linlin seriously and said, “Don’t pay attention to her. I’ll use it with you. I believe you.”
Only then did Linlin smile.
Dong Xiaomin asked softly, “Weren’t you out having fun today? Why do you look unhappy?”
Linlin bit her lip, looking aggrieved for a moment. “My parents went back to our hometown. I miss them.”
Dong Xiaomin couldn’t really understand that feeling and could only offer a stiff sort of comfort. “It’s all right. You can go home once the New Year comes.”
Linlin nodded, her gaze slightly vacant.
Dong Xiaomin didn’t know how to comfort her. Then, struck by an idea, she pulled out one of her books. “There’s a problem I can’t solve. Could you take a look at it for me?”
Linlin immediately perked up and began discussing it with her.
Sun Lina felt as if she had thrown another punch into a pile of cotton. She was furious.
Early the next morning, all the new students gathered at the open area of the school’s athletic field for roll call.
The counselor checked each student’s admission notice, recorded the attendance, and counted all the freshmen in the class.
Because Linlin had ranked first in her major, the counselor selected her to serve as temporary class monitor.
After the mobilization meeting, Linlin had to accompany the counselor to distribute the military training supplies.
On the very first day, everyone in the class learned that they had a super-beautiful girl among them. Not only was she gorgeous, she was also the top scorer in her grade.
Looking at the students whose faces had all turned red with excitement, the counselor shook her head.
With a girl like Linlin in the class, these boys clearly had no thoughts left for studying. Who knew whether that was a good thing or a bad one?
After collecting their supplies, the students had to follow the instructor back to the dormitory to learn how to organize their belongings.
Linlin had been raised in a military family. Her father was a soldier and her mother a military doctor. Although she was doted on at home, her ability to take care of herself was excellent.
She didn’t need to learn how to fold the “tofu blocks” the instructors demanded; she could make them perfectly on her own.
Even the instructor praised her for being so capable.
After making her own bed, Linlin also went to help Dong Xiaomin organize hers.
When the others asked her to help them too, Linlin didn’t do it for them. She only pointed out a few tricks.
