Alisha’s face turned ashen, and she gritted her teeth, refusing to utter a word.
The teacher pressed, “Hurry up, do you want me to broadcast your affairs to the world?”
Alisha bit her lip. She would rather die than apologize to Shen Qingqing. She was still soaked in the water, feeling cold and shivering, but she wouldn’t speak.
The teacher glared at her, then turned to Shen Qingqing with a completely contrasting respectful attitude. “Shen Qingqing, I was wrong earlier. I made a conclusion without investigating properly. I apologize to you.”
These students didn’t understand, but she did. The mastermind behind this pigment was the famous King. Rumor had it that this person was incredibly mysterious, and very few people had ever seen him.
However, he held considerable status in various industries, especially in the design world. His works were few, but each one was a masterpiece.
It was said that he had a closed-door disciple, but this disciple was even more mysterious than him, and no one had ever seen them.
Could it be that Shen Qingqing…
No, impossible. If she were truly his disciple, how could she be so low-key?
But Shen Qingqing definitely had some connection with that person.
Alisha glared furiously at the teacher. “Why are you so respectful to her? Do you really believe what she said? She’s a manipulative bitch, she’s just…”
“Shut up!”
The teacher lost patience, looking at Alisha as if she were an idiot. “If you’re wrong, you’re wrong. You need to admit it, or I’ll expel you, and you won’t need to attend any more classes.”
That was absolutely out of the question!
Alisha was participating in a competition; she couldn’t afford to miss classes. But apologizing was also impossible. She took a deep breath and looked at Shen Qingqing. “How much? I’ll compensate you, but don’t expect an apology. I remember today’s incident, and I will get my revenge later!”
With that, she stood up from the water, ignoring the strange glances from others, crossed her arms, and ran off.
The teacher watched her run away helplessly, then turned back to Shen Qingqing, full of apology. “I’m sorry, it was all my fault for not investigating beforehand. I was wrong.”
But the person had already run far away; they couldn’t possibly drag her back.
She hesitated for a moment. “Considering you are all classmates, can we just let this go and not pursue it further? If this escalates, it won’t look good for anyone, especially since we’ll see each other around later.”
“Just compensate me with money. Don’t provoke me in the future, or next time it won’t be this easy to let go.”
The teacher was surprised. She had expected to have to persuade Shen Qingqing at length, but the latter agreed so readily. She immediately smiled. “Okay, don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on her.”
After all this commotion, it was getting late, and there were no more afternoon classes. Shen Qingqing went directly back to the hotel.
As soon as she returned, the children immediately rushed to her with enthusiasm, hugging her tightly. Shen Qingqing, with three little ones clinging to her legs, struggled to move forward.
The children chattered excitedly, asking about her day. Shen Qingqing, not wanting them to worry, didn’t tell them the truth. After a brief explanation, she took them downstairs for dinner.
As they descended the stairs, they saw King approaching.
“Why are you here?”
“Of course, I was worried about you.” King walked over slowly and casually raised his arm as if to put it around her shoulder. However, before he could touch her, his arm was swatted away. He had no choice but to turn and rub his nose. “Let’s go, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
Hearing this, the children’s eyes lit up.
They were truly hungry.
Shen Qingqing didn’t refuse. Her easy acceptance surprised King. “Why are you so obedient today?”
“Someone’s treating, might as well eat,” Shen Qingqing said, leading the children to a table by the window. As she picked up the menu to order, King stood up.
“I’m going to the restroom. You guys order, order whatever you like, it’s on me.”
Shen Qingqing certainly wouldn’t be polite to him. She ordered a table full of dishes and then focused on enjoying the meal with the children.
“The food tastes great.” She was very satisfied.
The children also loved the food and couldn’t stop eating. Just as they were happily eating, a hateful voice suddenly sounded.
“Shen Qingqing, you still have the nerve to eat here? Can you even afford it?”
Without looking up, Shen Qingqing knew who had arrived. “Alisha, are you done yet?”
Alisha slammed the table, startling Xingyao. She sneered, “I never expected you to have children, and three of them at that. And one of them… No wonder you’re resorting to any means necessary to enter the competition, is it for the prize money!”
“Or for fame? Once you’re famous, you can meet many influential people, is that your goal!”
Shen Qingqing couldn’t be bothered to engage with her, completely ignoring her and focusing on comforting Xingyao.
“A blind child like that is worth your attention!”
Alisha, unwilling to be ignored, spoke more viciously. This remark completely angered Shen Qingqing. She patted Xingyao’s back and looked at Alisha with icy eyes.
“One should be mindful of their words. Aren’t you afraid of depleting your virtue in the afterlife?”
“What afterlife? Are you cursing me to die?” Alisha was furious. Her gaze swept over the other two children who hadn’t spoken. “You’re a single mother with three children, and you’re not even being frugal. This hotel’s food is very expensive, can you afford it?”
Shen Qingqing said coldly, “What does it have to do with you?”
Alisha, however, began to laugh smugly. “I will publicize your status as a single mother. I will let everyone know that you are a woman who has been abandoned!”
She lowered her voice, maliciously speculating about Shen Qingqing.
“You were abandoned, and there must be a reason. Let me guess, what is that reason? Malicious intent? Or trying to climb the social ladder? Or perhaps you’re promiscuous?”
“Are you talking about yourself?”
Shen Qingqing calmly retorted.
Alisha gritted her teeth. “Nonsense, I’m not a single mother.”
“What’s wrong with being a single mother? Do single mothers deserve to die?” Shen Qingqing suddenly raised her voice, immediately attracting everyone’s attention.
Although they didn’t know what had happened, hearing someone insult single mothers, everyone couldn’t help but show expressions of anger.
Alisha was furious and about to retort when she saw King slowly walking towards them. This man was tall, with exquisite and handsome features, surpassing any man she had ever met.
It was that person!
When she saw him walking towards them, Alisha almost immediately made a decision. She put on a pitiful act, her eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t mean it like that. Don’t be like this, always slandering me. We got along so well before, why are you treating me like this?”
The crowd was astonished, not expecting the relationship between these two to be so complicated.
King looked at Shen Qingqing with amusement and then casually glanced at Alisha.
As her peripheral vision caught King getting closer and his gaze even lingering on her face, she felt a surge of triumph. Her face became even more aggrieved, tears streaming down her cheeks, making her look pitiful, like a wilting flower in the rain.
“Is it because I’m more outstanding than you?”