After Becoming Roommates with an Obnoxious Wealthy Heiress - Chapter 8

Teased, played with—when will these days finally come to an end?

In the very next instant, before Zhu Lingyi could even carefully examine the features and expression on her face, Qin Shuyue seemed to recognize her.

She pushed Zhu Lingyi away with sudden force.

She herself nearly fell due to the momentum.

Too stinky.

Her body was a medley of soy milk, grease, and the smell of steamed buns. They mingled together, invading Zhu Lingyi’s nasal cavity and irritating her sense of smell.

Zhu Lingyi lowered her gaze to look at the girl’s ever-changing expression. Unable to help herself, she reached out and tapped the center of Qin Shuyue’s forehead.

In a rare move, a smile appeared on her face. “What are you thinking about? Your little face looks so bitter. Did someone bully you?”

Qin Shuyue snapped her head up.

But Zhu Lingyi’s smile flashed for only a second before vanishing. What Qin Shuyue saw was merely the fading shadow of a grin. A ray of perfect sunlight danced for a moment upon that fleeting smile, before following a slightly sticky, sweltering breeze as it drifted away.

Zhu Lingyi had a high bridge to her nose and very three-dimensional features. While other girls’ faces might be filled with charming or cute expressions—cheeks pink and innocent—she was different.

Her jawline was sharp, as clear and defined as a knife’s edge. This meant she could never look “adorably innocent” like other girls. Instead, it added an air of cold detachment, a sense of being unapproachable and naturally authoritative. It made people feel she was extremely difficult to get along with, possessing an innate aura of noble arrogance that required no effort to maintain.

It had been a long time since Qin Shuyue had looked at someone so closely. Well, not truly “closely,” because she didn’t actually stare at the other’s face to study it in detail. But based on the tone and attitude of their first encounter, along with that one nonchalant remark, Qin Shuyue’s first impression of her was firmly set.

“Not speaking?”

Zhu Lingyi frowned—or seemed to—so slightly that no one noticed. She turned and gave the male manager a look; he understood immediately and turned to leave.

Qin Shuyue kept her head lowered, bowing to her as if they were strangers to apologize. “I’m sorry, fellow student. I accidentally bumped into you just now. Did I hurt you?”

The words were formal, delivered in a highly programmed tone. Neither too concerned nor too cold. Everything was “just right.”

But to Zhu Lingyi’s ears, it sounded wrong. She had always loathed this kind of hypocrisy.

Her brow furrowed instantly, her voice deepening. “Is that so? ‘Fellow student’? It seems you haven’t yet remembered what our relationship is.”

“Pardon?”

“My new roommate.”

Wherever Zhu Lingyi went, she became the center of attention. Even at the entrance of a cafeteria that was nearly empty, she could draw a crowd. Students whose schedules weren’t too rushed, those who admired Zhu Lingyi, and those just looking for drama stopped in their tracks, watching Qin Shuyue’s direction with curious eyes.

Noticing Zhu Lingyi’s displeased scowl, some nudged their friends with their elbows.

“Hey,” one whispered gloatingly, “do you know what happened to the last person who offended Sister Zhu?”

The friend beside them, equally eager for drama, replied, “I think they dropped out and went home. In any decent company, who doesn’t have to check Sister Zhu’s mood before acting? I heard they haven’t even found a good job yet.”

“Probably working as a waiter now.”

“A student from a prestigious university working as a waiter?” Someone gasped.

Others sneered. “That’s what happens when you’re blind enough to offend the wrong person. In the real world, you wouldn’t even know how you died. Some people just have a death wish, sticking to Sister Zhu like a stone fly. Well, here comes the retribution!”

“Haha, how do you think this one will ‘die’?”

Eyes burned like torches, fixed on the figure huddled in front of Zhu Lingyi. “Courting death.”

Zhu Lingyi ignored the voices. It had been this way since she was a child—she was always the superstar in the crowd, the radiant light, the one at the very top. She was long accustomed to these sounds.

But to Qin Shuyue’s ears, they were like bolts of thunder, making her vision go dark again and again. She could not afford to offend someone with such immense power. Her mother was still in the ICU waiting for her.

“Not speaking? Are you a mute?”

Zhu Lingyi crossed her arms, her chin tilted slightly upward as the intensity in her gaze deepened.

Gao Yin, who had grown up with Zhu Lingyi, knew this meant her patience had reached its limit. Any longer, and she would snap. He stepped in to “remind” her: “Miss Qin, Miss Zhu is asking you a question. You don’t need to be so nervous. Just answer truthfully.”

Qin Shuyue desperately did not want to offend this powerful figure. However, her self-respect wouldn’t allow her to simply submit.

If she asks, do I have to answer? Who does she think she is? And what am I?

Why did they get to look down on her with such arrogance and condescension, as if she were an ant? As if she were a toy used to pass their idle time—to be played with however they pleased!

She bit her lower lip hard. Her hands clenched into fists.

“I am sorry, Miss Zhu. I do not know you. Though, I do hear your name often around the school.”

That was it. How could she “know” someone she had only seen once or twice and barely spoken to? As for being roommates—how could someone of her lowly status dare to claim any connection to her? That would be the real offense.

Hearing her so hungrily distance herself—as if Zhu Lingyi were some hot potato to be discarded—Zhu Lingyi noted the contrast. The girl’s subservient posture and quiet, polite words were filled with apparent submission and respect.

Yet, in her heart, she probably didn’t feel a shred of the respect she performed on the surface.

Zhu Lingyi scoffed inwardly. This little girl really has the look of a pure, harmless white rabbit down pat.

It must be said that Zhu Lingyi’s ability to see through people was uncanny; she seemed to pierce right through to Qin Shuyue’s inner thoughts. Her eyes narrowed, the gaze that could see through souls darkening.

Zhu Lingyi uncrossed her arms and said coldly, “It better stay that way.”

With that, she gave Qin Shuyue’s unchanging, humble expression one last look, let out a moderate snort of contempt from her nose, and walked straight past her.

After a few steps, Zhu Lingyi suddenly paused. She tilted her head slightly and said to Qin Shuyue: “Also, you really do smell terrible.”

Qin Shuyue’s body went rigid.

Zhu Lingyi left, and Gao Yin followed. Seeing that Zhu Lingyi hadn’t caused trouble for the girl on the spot, he felt a momentary pang of pity for her.

Heh, girl, you’re in trouble.

Sister Zhu usually settled her grudges immediately. The last person she left behind without saying a word now had “grave grass three feet high”—metaphorically speaking, of course.

But Qin Shuyue didn’t realize the impending crisis. She breathed a sigh of relief and walked away amidst the gossip of the onlookers.

“Sister Zhu didn’t give her a hard time? That’s a miracle.”

“Do you remember Leyu Entertainment?”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“There was a news report. After they refused Sister Zhu’s acquisition, she left just like that—without a word. Three days later, Leyu declared bankruptcy. Every executive, from top to bottom, ended up behind bars.”

“Hiss…” The person beside him shuddered. “Then what about her? What will happen to her?”

“When it comes to business, Sister Zhu is ruthless. But when it comes to people… well, I wouldn’t know.”

Unfortunately, Qin Shuyue didn’t hear a word of their conversation. She was already gone.

Because of the dispute and the “joke” of the accident, Qin Shuyue clutched her canvas bag and rushed toward the teaching building. The campus was huge; it took a full thirty minutes to walk from the dormitory to the building where her class was held. She had already wasted too much time. If she didn’t hurry, she would be late. That would affect her participation grade, which would in turn affect her scholarship.

On the way, many images flashed through her mind—the once warm, laughter-filled home that had long since shattered. Why do I always keep reminiscing? Growing up meant learning to stand alone.

She felt dazed throughout the walk, but luckily, she reached the classroom two minutes before the bell.

The lecture hall was vast, enough to hold 250 students, though not that many actually showed up. She hurried to the first row, neatly took out her books and pens, and opened her textbook to prepare for the lesson.

The podium at the front was also large. A microphone stood tall on the wooden lectern, which had plenty of space for the teacher’s pens, books, and materials.

As class was about to start, most students had found their seats. Curiously, regardless of the teacher or the subject, the first three rows were always empty. Qin Shuyue wondered why, but she never looked back to see what the others were actually doing during class. However, hearing the suppressed whispers and laughter coming from behind her, she was certain they weren’t listening.

This was perhaps one reason she didn’t fit in. When everyone else was “rotting” and ignoring the lecture, her individual seriousness and effort became a joke in their eyes. A form of disdain.

Qin Shuyue never paid attention to the finger-pointing behind her back, but it still hurt when she overheard nasty comments.

“Alright, students, today is our first class of the term. Please turn to page one, let’s look at the preface…”

The teacher’s powerful, authoritative voice pulled Qin Shuyue’s thoughts back to the lesson. She took notes diligently, savoring every word the teacher said.

At some point, she heard a rustling sound behind her, followed by malicious laughter. Having been teased so many times, she knew without looking that the malice was directed at her.

Sure enough!

The group had written something on a piece of paper, crumpled it into a ball, and hurled it forcefully at Qin Shuyue’s back.

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