Returning to High School to Save My Wife - Chapter 14

Yue Suxin stared at her in disbelief.

“What did you say?”

She even suspected she had heard wrong.

She had laid everything out so clearly; how could this Liang Qi be so lacking in discernment?

“I said, I have no interest in being friends with you,” Liang Qi repeated. She added, “Jiang Yuan is my friend. If you try to frame her, I guarantee that not only will you fail to get your way, but you will also face the retribution you deserve.”

“You—” Yue Suxin’s verbal skills were far inferior to Liang Qi’s. Being rebuffed like this sent her temper flared instantly. “Do you even know what kind of person she is? You help her like this, and yet her attitude toward you is still…”

“I know,” Liang Qi said calmly. “She is a very good person.”

Jiang Yuan would take her home to rest when she had heatstroke, take her to the school doctor when she was unwell, and teach her radio gymnastics after school.

Jiang Yuan would also prepare warm cocoa for her when she got home from work, warm her bed in advance for fear she’d be cold, and even when she had to leave her, remind her to take good care of herself.

But Yue Suxin would not.

Whether it was the Jiang Yuan of her past life or the one in this lifetime, in Liang Qi’s eyes, she was a wonderful person.

And so, she loved her with a stubborn devotion, seeking only to make up for the warmth that had once been missing from Jiang Yuan’s life.

The tone Liang Qi used was starkly different from before, causing Yue Suxin to dither for a moment.

Realizing that further negotiation was impossible, Yue Suxin could only grit her teeth. “You’ll regret helping Jiang Yuan sooner or later.”

Liang Qi raised an eyebrow. “I’d truly regret helping you.”

“You…” Yue Suxin couldn’t outtalk her and didn’t want to waste more breath. Before leaving, she swallowed her pride and added one last barb, “If there ever comes a day you truly regret it, it won’t be too late to come find me.”

If not for necessity, she didn’t want a student like Liang Qi—whose background was every bit as formidable as her own—as a rival. It would only bring unnecessary trouble to her high school years. She and Liang Qi were meant to be on the same side, not targeting each other because of someone like Jiang Yuan.

She didn’t believe for a second that Liang Qi could keep up this one-sided devotion to Jiang Yuan’s cold exterior for long.

Don’t be in such a hurry, she thought. It’s only a matter of time before Liang Qi sees through Jiang Yuan.

Liang Qi watched Yue Suxin leave, pulled her access card from her bag, and swiped into the community.

Upon returning home, Liang Qi set her bag down and saw Ms. Tao Huijuan standing by the living room window on a phone call.

“Mom, I’m home!” Liang Qi called out.

Tao Huijuan finished her call and walked over. “Qiqi, was that girl talking to you outside the gate named Yue Suxin?”

“Huh? Mom, you know her?”

“Her father used to be your father’s subordinate. They live nearby. I heard his daughter was also at Shengjiang No. 1, but I didn’t expect you to know her.”

Liang Qi was taken aback. Yue Suxin’s father actually knew her own?

“Is Dad very close with their family?”

“They used to be quite close. Your father looked after him a lot. But later, it seems he was transferred to another unit due to some professional negligence. Since then, your father hasn’t really kept in touch with them.”

“Oh,” Liang Qi replied. “So, where do they live?”

“Let me think… if they haven’t moved, they should be at No. 13 Fenghuali. It’s quite close to our place.”

Liang Qi thought to herself that her guess had been right.

So Yue Suxin lived at No. 13 Fenghuali, on the same street as her own home. No wonder Yue Suxin was able to find her community.

“Are you on good terms with that girl?” Tao Huijuan asked.

“Not close,” Liang Qi said. “But we’re in the same class.”

Tao Huijuan was slightly surprised. “That girl is in the Rocket Class too? I didn’t expect her grades to be that good.”

“Who knows?” Liang Qi recalled the rumors about Yue Suxin’s family donating buildings to the school and felt a flicker of doubt regarding how she had actually gotten into the class.

“What did she want with you just now?”

“Oh, just asking about homework,” Liang Qi diverted the topic. “Mom, who was on the phone?”

“Your father. He’s on a business trip,” Tao Huijuan explained. “He probably won’t be back for another two weeks.”

“Then I’ve certainly returned at the wrong time; I’m interrupting your long-distance romance!”

“You child, always talking nonsense!” Tao Huijuan’s cheeks flushed slightly as she shooed her toward her room. “Hurry back and do your homework. I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”

“Hehe, got it!”

Liang Qi returned to her room and checked the clock. At this hour, Jiang Yuan should be home too.

With that thought, she sent Jiang Yuan a WeChat message.

Cookie Biscuit: Good desk-mate, are you home yet?

A moment later, she received a reply.

Yuan: I’m home. Is something the matter?

Staring at that brief and somewhat aloof response, Liang Qi couldn’t help but sigh.

She felt like she was knocking on a wall made of solid ice; after knocking for ages, the wall remained unmoved, without even a single crack in sight.

Clearly, she hadn’t reached a stage where she could just chat aimlessly with Jiang Yuan. She needed a valid reason to contact her, otherwise, she would only incur Jiang Yuan’s annoyance.

Cookie Biscuit: Good desk-mate, did you take a photo of today’s homework? I forgot to do it. If you have it, could you send it to me?

As expected, Jiang Yuan didn’t refuse such a practical request. She quickly sent the photos of the assignments.

Liang Qi decided to keep the conversation going.

Cookie Biscuit: Do you have a plan for the election speech tomorrow?

This topic successfully opened the floodgates.

Yuan: To be honest, I’m not confident.

After all, at Shengjiang No. 1, Yue Suxin was famous, and her status as a wealthy young miss was well-known. Jiang Yuan didn’t have much public speaking experience and truly didn’t have much of an advantage by comparison.

Cookie Biscuit: I actually have some tips.

Yuan: Oh?

Cookie Biscuit: In a class committee election, people don’t necessarily vote for the most brilliant speaker, but for the one who seems most beneficial to them. Although Yue Suxin is the school beauty with fame and wealth, she is arrogant and dismissive of others. Many people might not actually want her as Class Monitor.

Yuan: I see what you mean.

Cookie Biscuit: Also, you must be calm and confident during the speech. If you can add a bit of humor, even better. I’m good at speeches; if you’re free after homework tonight, I can give you a demonstration.

Public speaking was indeed Liang Qi’s forte.

She had been extroverted since childhood with countless friends. In university, she participated in many debates, and after entering the workforce, she often represented her company in bidding meetings with a nearly perfect track record. A mere class monitor election was something she could organize in her head in a heartbeat.

Yuan: Thank you for the advice. But I’m curious—since you have so many ideas, why didn’t you run yourself?

Cookie Biscuit: I’m the one ranked last, good desk-mate. If I ran for Class Monitor, do you think anyone would follow me?

Yuan: Since you put it that way, I’m even more curious. Why are you helping me run for Class Monitor?

Cookie Biscuit: Because I want to earn a favor from you.

Yuan: A favor?

Cookie Biscuit: Rather than having Yue Suxin as Monitor, if you’re the one in charge, at least you won’t make things too difficult for me.

This reason was so pragmatically realistic that Jiang Yuan didn’t ask further.

Yuan: In any case, thank you for the advice.

Cookie Biscuit: Heehee, good friends should help each other out.

After sending that last message, Liang Qi didn’t receive a reply for a long time. The “is typing…” indicator appeared several times on WeChat, only to disappear again.

Just as Liang Qi thought Jiang Yuan wouldn’t reply, she heard the notification tone.

Yuan: Thank you.

Liang Qi twirled her pen, her eyes lingering on those two repeated words. Her heart felt like a sky cleared of dark clouds, containing a secret bit of joy.

It was a good start.

The next morning began with He Wei’s class.

As the daughter of a translator, Yue Suxin was very confident in her expressive abilities. She was determined to win the Class Monitor position and didn’t take Jiang Yuan as a serious rival at all.

If Liang Qi had been the one competing, she might have felt a sense of crisis, but against Jiang Yuan, she felt that even preparing was redundant.

Since Yue Suxin had been the first to sign up, her speech came before Jiang Yuan’s.

Yue Suxin’s speech was indeed exceptionally good.

She was beautiful, her voice was pleasant, and she spoke clearly and logically. Every word was saturated with deep confidence. In five short minutes, she covered all her strengths and the various awards she had won.

“Therefore, I am absolutely capable of serving as Class Monitor, and I believe I am the most suitable candidate. I hope everyone will vote for me. Thank you!”

As her speech ended, loud applause rang out from the podium.

In the back row, Hang Jiao gave Yue Suxin a thumbs-up. Yue Suxin didn’t even look at her, instead glancing triumphantly toward Jiang Yuan’s seat with a look of clear provocation.

Jiang Yuan ignored it, straightened her uniform, and walked up to the podium.

She looked at Yue Suxin’s back, a calm smile blooming on her lips.

“Thank you, Student Yue, for that wonderful speech.”

“Next, I hope everyone will listen carefully to my reasons for running.”

“If I am elected Class Monitor, I will strive to balance the relationship between the teachers and us students. While challenging myself, I also promise to progress together with all of you…”

Compared to Yue Suxin’s speech, which bled arrogance at every turn, Jiang Yuan’s was more poised, gracious, and approachable. She was confident yet elegant, without giving off a sense of superiority. While introducing her advantages, she also made the other students feel that she would sincerely consider the class’s interests. Every word and action was full of charm.

“It is an honor to deliver this speech to you today. Thank you for your support.”

Jiang Yuan bowed deeply and walked down the podium with quiet dignity.

Applause rang out once more, even more enthusiastically than after Yue Suxin’s speech. Students began whispering in their seats.

“Jiang Yuan spoke so well just now!”

“I kind of want to vote for Jiang Yuan. I think she spoke even better than Yue Suxin.”

“The difference isn’t small.”

“Don’t you think Yue Suxin loves the spotlight too much? If she becomes Monitor, will she constantly tattle to the teachers?”

“Let’s vote for Jiang Yuan. She’s clearly more suited for the role!”

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