Chapter 9

Lin Miaomiao, Ye Bai, Jiang Tianhao, and Deng Xiaoqi started walking to the cafeteria.

Lin Miaomiao started questioning Jiang Tianhao: "That deaf dog, is he popular?"

Jiang Tianhao: "Who? Qian Sanyi?" 

"Of course!" Deng Xiaoqi answered excitedly. "He is the celebrity of our school; he is paid by the school just to study here." 

Jiang Tianhao became jealous of how enthusiastic Deng Xiaoqi was about Qian Sanyi's accomplishments.

Lin Miaomiao: "Why is he a celebrity?"

Deng Xiaoqi: "He was the top scorer of the entrance examination in our area."

Lin Miaomiao: "So that's it." She looked at Ye Bai. "Xiaobai, you need to work hard and overtake Qian Sanyi's score."

Ye Bai, who is minding his business, hears Lin Miaomiao's words and raises his eyebrows: "Why me?"

Deng Xiaoqi and Jiang Tianhao were also curious about why Lin Miaomiao said it.

"You said that you would overtake the top scorer yesterday while we were in the finance office." 

Ye Bai now remembers what he said and nods. "Yeah, if I'm not lazy, I will do it."

Jiang Tianhao was shocked and hugged Ye Bai's shoulder. "Brother, can you really do it? What is your score?"

Ye Bai answers coolly, "I'm just 10 points behind Qian Sanyi's score."

Deng Xiaoqi glances at Ye Bai and hugs Miaomiao's arms. She realizes that this handsome guy is not just handsome in appearance but also excels in academics. But what she appreciates about Ye Bai is his 'Star Aura'. 

Ye Bai unconsciously shows his celebrity aura. He was a film student, and this celebrity etiquette was already imprinted on his mind.

Lin Miaomiao: "If ever you overtake Qian Sanyi's rank, you will be the prime comparing material of my mother every day." 

Ye Bai put his hand over Miaomiao's shoulder and said, "Then I will tutor you when that time comes and help you excel in your studies."

Lin Miaomiao takes Ye Bai's hands off her shoulder and says, "You will become my mother at that time, saying, 'Study here, study there.' Just thinking of it, I feel tired already."

Lin Miaomiao points out Ye Bai: "Those who are smart are the enemy of us not-so-smart students. You guys are the 'next-door kids' that parents will bring up when comparing and will squash our confidence."

"So true!" Jiang Tianhao approves. 

Ye Bai whispered to Lin Miaomiao, "It's better for me than Qian Sanyi."

Lin Miaomiao agrees: "I think so too. But you are narcissistic."

Jiang Tianhao: "Let's go to the canteen, my treat."

Deng Xiaoqi rejected the offer: "I want to take a bath; maybe next time."

Lin Miaomiao: "Let's go. Don't take back your words. You said it's your treat." 

Jiang Tianhao scratched his head because this offer was really to get to know Deng Xiaoqi more, but the person you want to treat is gone. "I didn't say anything," and he started walking faster. 

Lin Miaomiao follows Jiang Tianhao. "Hey, I heard it. Ye Bai, you hear it too, right?"

Jiang Tianhao remembers his brother, Ye Bai. He accepts that this is his treat, especially the way Ye Bai helped him a while ago. "Okay, okay, let's go; you are so lively."

... 

Lin Miaomiao compared her serving to Jiang Tianhao and Ye Bai. "Wow, how come your serving is way too much than mine?"

Jiang Tianhao: "Because I was a long-time student here, the staff treats me like family."

Lin Miaomiao expressed her dissatisfaction: "The staff hands who serve me rice keep shaking. The full scoop I ordered ended up half scoop. I think even Deng Xiaoqi's beautiful appearance will not work to her hand. And how about you, Ye Bai? What's the trick? Why are you serving much more than us?"

Jiang Tianhao also compares his serving to Ye Bai's, and it's much better than his. "What is your secret?"

"You guys can't imitate my tricks," Ye Bai told them in a confident tone. 

Lin Miaomiao and Jiang Tianhao didn't believe what he said. 

"I'm just more good-looking, that's all."

"Narcissist!" Lin Miaomiao and Jiang Tianhao whispered mutually. 

... 

They found a seat and started eating together. Jiang Tianhao tells Lin Miaomiao how he is great in sports. Lin Miaomiao is easy to amuse. She was laughing loudly. Suddenly, Jiang Tianhao was nudged by Ye Bai and pointed to Wang Hongying. They stand up in unison and sit behind the table where they sit. 

Lin Miaomiao was shocked by the way these two acted together. "What?"

Suddenly Wang Honying came to shout Jiang Tianhao. "Why don't you sit here again on this table?" she pointed to where they sat a while ago. 

Lin Miaomiao looks at them, and Wang Hongying glances at her. "Just eat your meal there."

Wang Hongying focuses on Jiang Tianhao. "You're an old student; you should be the one who follows the rules first."

Ye Bai began to apologize first by lowering his head: "Sorry, teacher, I'm the one who encouraged them to sit together because it's the first time we met as classmates." 

Wang Hongying looked at Ye Bai and felt he didn't mean what happened. Because he is more pleasing to the eye she also calmed down. "Don't repeat it next time." 

Jiang Tianhao takes a deep breath. 

Lin Miaomiao asked them, "What is that?"

Jiang Tianhao responded panicky: "Turn around; don't look at us." Lin Miaomiao followed what he said. 

Ye Bai answered her question: "Here, boy and girl can't eat at the same table."

"What? Really? It's just eating." She was shocked and looked at Wang Hongying and found that she was looking at her. She quickly turned around and started eating. 

Lin Miaomiao started to stab the chicken drumstick: "Such strict rules for a small place. So restricting!"

Ye Bai whispered, "Just bear with it."

Lin Miaomiao looked at her table, and she was alone. "I can't." 

She turned around, holding her plate, and tapped Jiang Tianhao. "I thought you didn't want a chicken drumstick. Give it to me."

"Here, take it." 

She also stares at Ye Bai's drumstick. And he also obliged Lin Miaomiao's request.

"Hehe!" Lin Miaomiao giggled. 

... 

At Lin Miaomiao's house, her mother has already missed her daughter. 

Lin Dawei just came from work, and he looked around the house. When he saw his wife, he asked, "What are you doing?"

"Staring at the sunset." staring blankly at the window, Wang Shenan answered. 

Lin Dawei: "You didn't even cook?"

"Should I cook already? The kids aren't here, and why should I cook? Let's just make noodles." Wang Shengnan is like a puppet that doesn't have a string. 

"We didn't have any proper meals these past few days, and all of them were bland. I can't take this anymore." Lin Dawei was tortured these past few days; it's been different when Miaomiao was here; the food was always delicious.

Lin Dawei: "Did she already call you?"

Wang Shengnan dropped the towel she was holding. "What if there's something bad happen to Miaomiao?"

"Ask Tang Yuanming," Lin Dawei suggests. 

... 

Wang Shengnan was tidying the bed when her phone rang, and when she heard Miaomiao's voice, her mood changed instantly. "Miaomiao, why didn't you call? I was worried."

Lin Miaomiao answered quickly. "The teacher confiscated our phone, and I just borrowed the telephone card of my classmate."

Wang Shengnan asked, "Did you sleep well in the dorm?"

"Nope. Mom, I need to hang up. I just borrowed the telephone card of my classmate. Also, I'm a Labor Committee Vice-Monitor. Bye!" and she hangs up. She gives the telephone to her classmate and thanks her so much. 

Lin Dawei questioned her wife, "What did she say?"

Wang Shengnan: "She hangs up. Lin Dawei buys some telephone cards."

Lin Dawei looked at her with disbelief and said, "Where do you think I can buy a telephone card this time? Tomorrow I will buy one."

"She was a monitor; this is the first time she became a monitor in class." Wang Shengnan smiles proudly at her daughter Miaomiao. 

That night, Wang Shangnan slept very well. 

...