After Dumping the Student Council President, I Got Held Back - Chapter 9

Ling Xiang was on the bus home when she received the transfer notification.

To be honest, seeing the ten thousand yuan made her speechless, and a little amused.

Has my image in Ruan Qingcheng’s eyes really sunk this low? she thought. A complete gold digger, someone who can be bought off with money for any problem.

Well, Ling Xiang reflected on her past actions, and she had to admit they could easily give Ruan Qingcheng that impression.

But she did need the money.

She wasn’t some selfless philanthropist. Since Ruan Qingcheng had gained emotional value from her, it was only right and proper to ask for compensation.

Still, she knew this arrangement was temporary. Even if Ruan Qingcheng didn’t end it herself today, she’d eventually grow tired of her. And judging by recent developments, that day was coming sooner rather than later.

Ruan Qingcheng was already growing resentful of her.

Since it was bound to end one way or another, graduation would be the perfect opportunity to end things.

Ling Xiang thought for a moment, then blocked Ruan Qingcheng’s contact and blacklisted her.

She hadn’t blocked her earlier, thinking that after spending half a year together, it would be good to see this through and see what Ruan Qingcheng had to say. But the money transfer she sent completely extinguished any desire Ling Xiang had left to talk to her.

That’s it then. Good riddance. You go your way, I’ll go mine.

Ling Xiang couldn’t help but laugh at how she had actually held onto unrealistic hopes and fantasies about Ruan Qingcheng when they first got together.

In a way, she should thank Ruan Qingcheng’s ex-girlfriend, who had gone out of her way to tell her she was just a stand-in. That had shattered her illusions and forced her to face reality.

Just as she was about to put her phone away, a message from Jiang Zhili popped up: Hey Ling Xiang, are you still at school? We didn’t finish our meal last time because it got interrupted. When should we meet up again?

Ling Xiang replied: Probably only when I come back to get my diploma. But yeah, let’s definitely meet up when I have time.

Ling Xiang still felt a bit guilty toward Jiang Zhili. After Ruan Qingcheng’s stunt in the cafeteria, the forum had been abuzz with drama. It didn’t bother her much, since she was graduating soon and leaving the school anyway, but Senior Jiang was still pursuing her master’s there and was bound to be affected by the public scrutiny.

Yet she couldn’t post anything to clarify things, it would only make matters worse.

Jiang Zhili replied quickly: I’m free. How about next weekend?

Ling Xiang hesitated for a moment.

Lately, Senior Jiang had been showing her an almost bewildering level of enthusiasm.

Still, since her own issues had caused trouble for Jiang Zhili, Ling Xiang felt it was right to treat her to dinner: Sure, Senior. My treat.

Jiang Zhili didn’t refuse, simply replying: Looking forward to it.

Putting away her phone, Ling Xiang leaned back against the seat, feeling weary and hollow inside.

Ruan Qingcheng’s arrogant, flamboyant face kept flashing in her mind.

Stop it, stop it.

That girl has nothing to do with you anymore.

She’s like a blinding light, even if it shone on you for a few seconds, it was never yours to keep.

You’d prepared yourself for this long ago, hadn’t you?

Slowly, the bus left the bustling city center and entered the old neighborhood.

The skyscrapers gave way to aging residential buildings, and the streets became wrinkled. As the wheels rolled over the asphalt, the ride grew slightly bumpy and sluggish.

The shop signs around them were no longer flashy, colorful digital screens. Most were faded canvas banners, with missing strokes in the characters: “Lao Luo’s Barber,” “Liqun Store,” “Fumin Grain and Oil.” The lettering above the shops all carried a distinctly mid-20th-century feel, out of place in the modern era.

This was the place where Ling Xiang had grown up.

The bus finally came to a complete stop at a corner. The road ahead narrowed further, and power lines crisscrossed overhead like a vast, tattered net, trapping this pocket of time.

Through the gaps in the net, the sky showed the twilight glow of late afternoon, the sun sinking low.

Ling Xiang got off the bus and took a deep breath of the cool, crisp air.

The exhaust fumes mingled with the scent of woodsmoke, old cotton, clean earth, and the cloying sweetness of cheap hair oil.

Several elderly women sat on bamboo chairs in front of a grocery store, their eyes slowly following Ling Xiang’s movements. After staring for a long moment, they suddenly seemed to remember which family the familiar young girl belonged to.

“It’s Aunt Ling’s granddaughter. I heard she’s going to college in the city and is doing incredibly well in her studies…”

Ling Xiang politely greeted the grandmothers and aunts, then hurried away from this “hotbed of gossip.”

Every time she came home and passed by this “information hub,” Ling Xiang’s scalp prickled. She was afraid that if she lingered any longer, the conversation would inevitably turn to when she should find a job, get married, or have children.

After turning a few corners, she finally reached the door of her family home—a low-rise house with a small courtyard.

The walls of the house were mottled and peeling, showing their age of several decades. This was her Grandma’s house, and where Ling Xiang had grown up.

Inside, Ling Xiang set down her backpack and headed straight for the room at the back.

An elderly woman with white hair leaned against the headboard, her cloudy eyes staring out the window. The back of her wrinkled hand was covered in swollen needle marks, with a strip of white tape stuck diagonally across it.

“Grandma,” Ling Xiang said, sitting on the edge of the bed and gently taking the old woman’s hand. “Did you go to the hospital for your injection again yesterday?”

The old woman turned her head slowly, staring at Ling Xiang for a long moment before suddenly smiling. Her voice was hoarse but affectionate, “Xiang Xiang’s home from school? Grandma made you a bowl of noodles in the kitchen, with a poached egg. Go eat them quickly.”

Ling Xiang’s heart ached. “Okay, Grandma. I’ll eat right away.”

It seemed Grandma had mistaken her for her elementary school self again.

The elderly woman, suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, often got stuck in the past. Every time Ling Xiang visited, Grandma would treat her like the little girl she used to be. Back then, she was young and growing, always hungry after school. Grandma would often make her a bowl of noodles topped with a poached egg.

This simple bowl of clear broth and egg noodles was Ling Xiang’s warmest memory.

Playing along, Ling Xiang chatted with her grandmother about everything and nothing, just like she used to. As the conversation wound down, the old woman grew tired and leaned against the headboard, drifting off to sleep.

Ling Xiang carefully adjusted her grandmother’s position, tucked her in, and let out a soft sigh.

Her grandmother’s condition seemed to be worsening.

As she left the room, a woman was just opening the door to enter.

Though in her early thirties, she looked worn and weary. Her delicate face couldn’t hide her exhaustion, and fine lines had already appeared at the corners of her eyes.

“You’re back?” Ling Nian asked, still in her blue work uniform, covered in dust. “I’ll start dinner.”

“Stop working,” Ling Xiang said, taking the bag and pulling out a few food containers. “I got some food from the school cafeteria. We can heat it up later.”

“That works,” Ling Nian replied, taking the containers and heading into the kitchen. She quickly heated the dishes and set them on the table, handing Ling Xiang a pair of chopsticks. “Are you graduating soon?”

“Yeah, my thesis got approved, and I don’t have any more classes. I should get my diploma by the end of the month,” Ling Xiang nodded. “I won’t need to go to school much this month, so I can stay home and take care of Grandma.”

This way, her sister wouldn’t have to run back and forth between the factory and home, juggling work and caring for their grandmother.

“I’ve got Grandma covered,” Ling Nian said, taking a mouthful of rice. “You just focus on your own stuff. Don’t worry about things here.”

Ling Xiang looked at her sister, whose shoulders and neck were stooped under the weight of her life.

She had never known their parents, who had died young. From the time she could remember, it had just been Grandma and her sister. When they were little, Grandma had supported them both by carrying poles to sell soy milk.

As Grandma’s health declined, Ling Nian abandoned her university plans. After graduating from high school, she went straight to work in a factory, taking over the family’s responsibilities. She supported Ling Xiang through middle school, high school, and even university.

“Did Grandma go to the hospital for treatment yesterday?” Ling Xiang asked, avoiding the argument about who would care for her. “What did the doctors say? Is she any better?”

“Grandma…” Ling Nian’s expression grew somber. “Her heart and lungs are failing, and her kidneys are starting to shut down. At her age, every part of her body is giving out.”

Continuing treatment now was like throwing money into a bottomless pit, with no real hope of improvement.

“I have some money here,” Ling Xiang said, pulling out her phone to transfer funds. “I’ll send it to you. It should cover Grandma’s medical expenses for the next few months…”

“Ling Xiang,” Ling Nian said, putting down her chopsticks and covering Ling Xiang’s hand. Her gaze was complex. “Are you sure this scholarship is giving you this much money? Over the past six months, you’ve sent home nearly a hundred thousand yuan in total. What kind of scholarship pays so much?”

“Sis,” Ling Xiang said, her face calm as she easily spun another lie, “I’ve told you so many times, I have a part-time job”

“Do you think your sister is some kind of fool who hasn’t read much?” Ling Nian shot her a skeptical glance. “I work ten hours a day and barely make a few thousand a month. What part-time job could possibly pay that much?”

The more she thought about it, the more suspicious she became. “You haven’t gotten into some kind of trouble, have you? Like taking out online loans?”

“Sis, you’re overthinking it,” Ling Xiang said, serving her more food. She continued her fabrication, “Of course I’m using my knowledge to earn money. I found a tutoring job with a really high hourly rate—rich kids whose families have plenty of money.”

In a way, she wasn’t entirely wrong. Ruan Qingcheng was indeed a child from a wealthy family.

The only difference was the nature of the “tutoring.”

Ling Nian gave her a half-skeptical look but didn’t press further. “Well, as long as you know what’s right and wrong as a college student, that’s what matters.”

“I do,” Ling Xiang said, exhaling in relief.

After dinner, seeing that Ling Xiang was home to care for Grandma, Ling Nian felt reassured and left to work overtime at the factory.

Ling Xiang helped Grandma dry off and tidy up the bed, then quietly closed the door and returned to her room.

Since she was rarely home, her room was the smallest, barely large enough to hold a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk.

She lay down and pulled out her phone, habitually opening her WeChat chat window.

Seeing the empty top of her chat list, she suddenly remembered.

Right, she had already blocked Ruan Qingcheng.

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