The area where Que You was was noisy, but his anxious words were hard to hide.
"Shang Ziqian has started investigating the little girl's background information. Given that scoundrel's nature, there will likely be some movement in the next couple of days."
Yu Wenli's lips were pressed into a straight line, his dark eyes becoming inscrutable in the late night.
It wasn't that Que You was being overly nervous; Shang Ziqian couldn't exactly be considered a student anymore.
From the moment he entered vocational school, he had already half-stepped into society.
He was surrounded by ruthless thugs.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have had Uncle Chi Zerui keep an eye on him.
Que You walked to a quiet spot. "I suspect Yu Yahe is involved in this."
"Ah Rui just asked someone close to her. They said she contacted Shang Ziqian right after you guys went to the zoo."
Que You added, his tone laced with ferocity.
He couldn't understand it, what had the little girl done to provoke her? Did she have to wish her dead?
They were both girls, how could someone be so venomous!
Why didn't she just fall to her death!
Yu Wenli silently smoked, only speaking in a hoarse voice when the cigarette tip had burned out.
"Keep an eye on him. Call me if anything happens."
His voice was very soft, lacking any trace of threat.
But Que You shivered. He remembered the last time Yu Wenli spoke like this, he had nearly sent Shang Ziqian to the ICU.
What was it about that time?
Oh, he remembered.
Eleven-year-old Ah Rui had been thrown into the river by Shang Ziqian and nearly drowned.
-
Monday morning, Wen Tingxue came downstairs after tidying herself up.
After two days of rest, her injuries had mostly healed.
However, there was still a sharp pain in her knee when she went downstairs, and she still couldn't hold a pen with her right hand.
But, it was already better than she had expected.
She wasn't greedy.
"Yiyi..."
Yu Xiuxiu and Wen Zhongen stood at the foot of the stairs, looking at their daughter with troubled expressions.
The little girl was startled for a moment, then her gaze fell upon the suitcase by their hands, and she understood.
They were going on a business trip.
Although she was reluctant, the little girl still put on a sweet smile and said softly:
"Dad, Mom, you can go to work with peace of mind. Aunt Fang will take good care of me."
"Yiyi..."
Yu Xiuxiu's eyes were red as she held her daughter's hand, tears welling up.
"Mom and Dad are so sorry..."
They were too busy with work, they couldn't even squeeze out time to take care of their child.
Even though their daughter's hands and legs were injured and needed someone to look after her, they couldn't get away.
And now, they had to go on a business trip to a neighboring city. They didn't know how many days they would be gone.
There was still no resolution to their daughter's school issues. Last time their daughter was injured, she had cursed out the Yu family's boy.
But it was of no use. The root of the problem wasn't with the Yu family's boy.
Their daughter was too stubborn. No matter how she hinted or even asked directly, the girl would just smile and avoid the topic of school.
Let alone complain.
Yu Xiuxiu was anxious, always worried that her daughter would be hurt again.
Wen Tingxue held her mother's hand in return, gently squeezing it.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of myself. You and Dad can go to work with peace of mind. I'll call you if anything happens."
Yu Xiuxiu felt worse the more she heard. She blurted out, "Why don't Mom stay, and you..."
The little girl's eyes widened in surprise.
Wen Zhongen interrupted, "I'll stay. They're rushing you over there. I'll talk to Mr. Mu; they can send someone else."
Listening to them argue.
The little girl quickly refused. She didn't want to be a burden to her parents.
No matter what, she wouldn't let them stay.
Seeing their daughter's firm insistence, Yu Xiuxiu and Wen Zhongen gave up the idea.
"Yiyi, here."
Wen Zhongen wasn't good with words, but his actions always followed.
He took out over a thousand yuan in cash and a card from his wallet.
"If it's not enough, tell Dad. The card's password is your birthday. Buy whatever you like. Dad and Mom earn money to spend on you, so don't ever feel wronged."
Wen Zhongen pressed the items into his daughter's hand without further ado.
The man's large palm, with its obvious calluses, was surprisingly comforting when placed on hers.
The little girl nodded with slightly reddened eyes, her face beaming with a full smile.
She liked the feeling of interacting with her father. Although he didn't talk much, she could feel his love.
-
After breakfast, she went to school in the same car as Yu Wenli.
In the car, they discussed the matter of his social media. The young man playfully teased her with a smile.
"Brother knows, but Brother just wants to put Yiyi on his social media. Is Yiyi unhappy?"
"Then I apologize. Brother won't change."
His few words made the little girl's face turn bright red.
Her good mood ended during the second class.
Although Yu Yahe was injured and not at school, her clique of friends wasn't much calmer.
During English class, the teacher asked for someone to read the text. Those people clamored for Wen Tingxue's name.
The English teacher didn't know her personally but had heard of her.
After all, Yu Wenli was quite famous in Jiangcheng.
The girl who was always with him naturally caught everyone's attention.
"Then Wen Tingxue it is," the English teacher surveyed the room and finally landed on the little girl.
He asked gently, "Can you read?"
Wen Tingxue's English wasn't bad, so she wasn't afraid of these tricks and nodded with a blush.
She was shy and always blushed whenever she had to read in front of everyone.
The English teacher found her well-behaved and cute, his tone becoming even gentler. "It's okay, don't be nervous."
"Okay."
The little girl calmed herself slightly, then picked up her book and stood up.
Fluent English flowed from her red lips, and within moments, it drew uproarious laughter.
The little girl instantly stumbled, her face turning as red as a cooked shrimp.
She almost couldn't recognize the words on the book.
The English teacher frowned displeasedly. "What are you all laughing at?!"
"Teacher, she reads so funny. Her accent is really strange."
The long-haired girl who often followed Yu Yahe exclaimed loudly.
Soon, others chimed in.
"Yeah, yeah, I almost couldn't understand what she was reading."
"It's not that we're doing it on purpose, I've never heard anyone read like that."
"As expected of someone from a small town; everything she reads has a provincial air."
The jeers from all sides, like a tide, washed over her, nearly drowning Wen Tingxue.
The textbook in her hands was clutched tightly, her palm numb with pain.
"Enough!"
The English teacher raised his hand and tapped his pointer twice, reprimanding sternly:
"Do you think this is funny?!"
The English teacher's sharp gaze swept over those who were egging her on, and he sneered, "I think you are even more ridiculous.
"Relying on your privileged background, relying on your standard pronunciation training since childhood, to mock those less fortunate than you only makes you seem petty!"
The classroom fell silent. Those who had spoken earlier rolled their eyes defiantly.
Xie Jinxi, unable to tolerate it any longer, said, "Roll your eyes for what! Are you really picking on her because of her accent?!
"Bullshit! You're just jealous! If you don't dare to say it directly, you use these despicable methods!"
"Xie Jinxi."
The English teacher, after waiting for her to finish her outburst, spoke a few words in a calm tone.
Then, with a gentle smile, he said to Wen Tingxue, "Tingxue, continue reading. Don't mind those unnecessary noises."
"...Okay."
The little girl responded nervously.
But she was eventually affected, and didn't read the rest of the text well.
As a result, after class, those people mocked her even more fiercely.
The little girl was protected by Xie Jinxi, her mind in a daze as she listened to her curse at those people.
Occasionally, she could hear Xuè Kěxīn's support, but it was quickly drowned out.
At this moment, no one noticed that a tall, slender, and upright young man was standing at the door of Class Four.