A Chance Encounter

Mo Li thought about it before finally nodded. Mo Li in the novel had a bad end because she got estranged from her family so to spare herself the same fate, Mo Li decided to maintain a good relationship with the Mo Family. "Since dad and brother are so supportive of me, Prof. Tao, I'll have to infringe on your time until the competition."

Mo Li has really changed! Mo Yun looked at his little sister and felt so comforted. Her sudden love for study probably has to do with the week that she was grounded! Looks like I'll have to increase Han Xu's pay and get him to come tutor Mo Li more often!

"Then it's decided. Mo Li will stay after school every day to complete some mathematical exercises with me. She'll return later than normal but the school will provide extra security, so Father Mo, Brother Mo, please do not worry about that."

Mo Yi nodded. He had confidence in the school's security. Since Mo Li had finally shown the interest in academic, of course, as parents, he would provide his greatest support. He didn't mind even if Mo Li didn't get a good result at the IMO as long as she was serious about her studies.

After Mo Li agreed to participate in the IMO, her life revolved around only 3 places, Tao Wen's office, her class and her home. But there was a good thing about this too. She was so busy that she didn't have the time to check the brainless comments on the school forum.

"If you ask me, Mo Family must have bribed Old Man Tao, or else why he only gives Mo Li special treatment but not Qiao Qing and Ding Yi."

"But Mo Li has done really well in the mock exam this time."

"You're too naive. As long as there's money, you can score any points you want in a test."

"The real victim here is Qiao Qing. No matter how hard she works, she can't beat the pure power of cold hard cash."

"The bitch is truly disgusting."

"She is a psychopath. She attempted to murder her own brother and now had her family bride Old Man Tao for the sake of fame and glory."

"Why does she want to be in the limelight so badly?"

...

As rumors were prone to, the online comments were straying further and further away from the truth, you'd think someone was purposely directing them down that direction. Either way, Mo Li was too busy having a life to care about them.

Mo Li did stay after school to practice for the IMO with Prof. Tao but she underestimated the old man's cunningness. These questions are beyond IMO's level! The questions he had her solved were at a research university level that even Mo Li had to process them before she could come to the solution.

But Tao Wen did hold up his end of the bargain, he would instantly let Mo Li whenever she was done with the set of questions he had for the day as if worried that he might push her to renege on her promise.

And that was how Mo Li managed to cross path with someone that she normally wouldn't be able to. It was another schoolmate of hers, from the class with the worst result.

...

Mo Li sighed as she left Tao Wen's office. She still had to conduct experiments when she returned home, when she was done, it would be midnight already. That day Mo Li did not return home immediately but she made a pit stop at a stationery shop near to her school. It was connected to the school via a small alley. 

Even though the shop was not new, the shop always had the latest stock and due to the proximity to the school, its business was always booming.

Over the past few days, Mo Li burnt through so many exercise books and pens that even the boss got to know her well. "Wait, haven't you come by to buy a thick exercise book from me 2 days earlier? You're already done with it? Girl, you're not eating the paper as lunch, are you?"

Mo Li smiled and shook her head. "Nah, it's just that the teacher has been giving a lot of exercises lately." She picked a sketchbook, it was perfect for writing down equations and formulas.

Suddenly Mo Li heard commotion coming from outside the store.

"Yo, isn't this our Sister Fei? Are we visiting the stationery store? But why? With your result, it doesn't matter how hard you study!"

"Even a pig likes to study, we better call Guinness Books of Records!"

"Don't waste your money on the stationery! They are of no use to you!"

Even though the insults were not directed at her, Mo Li felt goosebumps. Since her transmigration, she couldn't help but wonder how could people so young be so cruel these days.

Mo Li turned and watched a girl walk into the store. She had on the school uniform and a pair of white shoes. She was not tall, her hair was quite oily and she had a black-rimmed glasses sitting on her nose. She entered the store and focused on her purchase as if she couldn't hear the insults.

Mo Li recognized this girl. She was Lin Fei, a girl from her school. In the past, their lives wouldn't have crossed. Mo Li was the school bully and the thorn in many teachers' side. If not for Mo Family, Mo Li would have been expelled already.

Even though Lin Fei was not good at her studies, she was obedient and quiet. Most of the teachers had no issue with her. In fact, her presence was so unfelt in class that most of the teachers and the students forgot that Lin Fei even existed.

Mo Li wasn't one to mind other people's business so she turned back to the boss, "How much are these?"

Lin Fei carried some snacks and stationery as she lined up behind Mo Li. Her eyes strayed involuntarily towards Mo Li, as if captivated by her presence.

"Yo, we have another rare guest here today. Is it raining frogs?" The voice sounded familiar. Mo Li thought it was Zhou Xi but she lifted her head and saw it was just Zhou Xi's two lackeys. "Someone surely has changed after they scored the top marks. They even knew to visit the stationery shop these days." 

Mo Li already tried her best to ignore these people but they kept on appearing in her path like festering mushroom. Mo Li swept a glance over them and showed no reaction to their stinging words.

She picked up her paid items and then told the duo who blocked the shop exit. "Move out of my way."