A Bowl of Wonton Soup

As usual, Li Cheng was early in the class. His face was slightly pale and his hands were damp yet he opened his backpack and took out classmate Qiu's notebook.

Feeling the sudden gazes of the few students from the surroundings, Li Cheng still went through the notebook.

Dringgg!!!

The bell rang and students hurried into their classes. The few gazes that focused on Li Cheng before also scattered.

Li Cheng faced towards classroom's door and saw Qiu Qichen coming in along some other students. But as if there was a vacuum around her, that all of them were at a distance from her.

He couldn't help but smile in gratefulness when he saw her.

Qiu Qichen, who had been wondering what to wish for, had her thoughts thrown away to the back of her head when she saw the smile in front of her.

The puppy Li Cheng didn't look like a poor puppy with drooping ears anymore but a cute happy puppy whose ears were twitching. She felt she might need to go to the infirmary... This image also carried quite an impact.

Seeing that classmate Qiu suddenly stopped and went into a daze, Li Cheng couldn't help but worry a little, "....Classmate Qiu...?"

Fortunately, Qiu Qichen didn't daze much longer and soon found her senses. She nodded towards Li Cheng and sat down at the desk.

"Thank you, classmate Qiu...." A mosquito-like voice came from her right as her textbook was passed to her on the desk.

Nodding she put her notebook into her backpack. "Do you have notes of the science classes yesterday?"

Li Cheng face seemed to zone out in a still as it looked at her.

Qiu Qichen helplessly waved her hand in front of his eyes. "I have!" Puppy Cheng nodded heavily as soon as he recovered.

After receiving the notes, Qiu Qichen started copying them down. She needed to be up to date.

Li Cheng looked at his deskmate whose hair fell on her right from the high ponytail like a waterfall.

Classmate Qiu is getting less gloomy.... Something good happened or was she heavily affected due to what the principal called her for?.. He was getting curious.

Fortunately, there wasn't much that was taught in the science classes yesterday. Qiu Qichen was done copying the notes in 10 minutes only. She passed the notebook back.

"Thanks, Pupp- ..I mean.. classmate Li." She suddenly felt that sweat was oozing from her forehead. She almost yelled out the nickname... Looking at Li Cheng, who seems to have not noticed the tongue slip, she calmed down.

Copying Qiu Qichen, Li Cheng also nodded and put the notebook back in his backpack.

Soon, their class teacher came in.

Once the class was done, teacher Shi called Qiu Qichen away. "Student Qiu, come with me."

Qiu Qichen followed teacher Shi on their way to the staff room. "Teacher Shi?"

"Student Qiu, teacher Ming registered you to participate in the Maths Quiz this time from our school along with Li Cheng of our class and Ling Lan of class 3-B."

"Maths Quiz?"

"Yes, next month on 2nd. Teacher Ming took a leave for today but she left me the study material for the quiz."

"Is she fine?"

"Yes, she has no health issues." Teacher Shi pushed open the door.

"It will be held in our own school this time?"

"Yes, so it's fortunate for you kids." Smiling teacher Shi picked up two thick registers.

Just as Qiu Qichen thought 'this is it' and extended both her hands forward, teacher Shi put those aside and picked up an even thicker stack of papers that were bounded by threads in three parts.

With an apologetic smile that didn't seem apologetic to Qiu Qichen at all, teacher Shi put those papers in her hands.

"...…"

So heavy..... What does teacher Ming and teacher Shi eat?

Bang! Qiu Qichen put the papers on her desk. Li Cheng looked with his eyes wide at the stack of papers that made the noise. "These are....?"

Seeing the big puppy eyes that seemed to be in shock, Qiu Qichen's voice softened, "...Study Material for Maths Quiz." Yet, it didn't have much effect on Li Cheng who felt the crazy thickness of the study material just from seeing.

Taking one part of it, she passed it to Li Cheng. "Here."

When she was done putting away her part away, Qiu Qichen suddenly thought of Lanqiu.

{Lanqiu..?}

[Host! You finally spoke to me~ I have been waiting since night... QAQ]

{.....Ah.. sorry.}

[Since host has apologized, being generous I forgive you~]

{....}

{Anyways, why there's no task related to 'wish points' yet?}

[Host needs to take care of the task object more~ After reaching the required favorability, tasks are issued. Or, if the task object wishes you to do something, it's registered as a task.}

{So, Li Cheng doesn't want anything from me yet.. By the way, how much is the favorability?}

[Favorability of Task Object: 34 (Acquaintance)]

[Host, you need favorability above 40 to be issued a task. Cheer up~ Work hard~]

{How much I raised then? Can you get the past data?}

[3 points.]

{…}

[Host, don't be sad~]

{I see. I will talk to you later then, Lanqiu.}

[Bye, Host~]

It took only 2 minutes for Qiu Qichen to converse with Lanqiu.

Qiu Qichen took a glance at Li Cheng, who had a dejected puppy look as he looked through the study material in his hands. She would have never been able to guess that she wasn't even a friend of this guy after she received the text message yesterday night, if it wasn't for the favorability check.

Li Cheng followed the sense of sight he felt and saw classmate Qiu looking at him as if he had done something unacceptable to her. ".....?"

Qiu Qichen shook her head at him and and turned around to reflect at herself. What was to be done to increase the favorability? She made a difference of 3 points only... This puppy is too difficult to raise.

Just before the bell rang for lunch, Qiu Qichen grabbed the last stack of study material and hurried for class 3-B to find Ling Lan when bell rang.

She speeded up when she saw the class. "Qichen!" A call came from inside the class.

A tall, dark brown haired boy, who had half rim eyeglasses resting at his nose, waved at her. He didn't match the nickname at all..

"Little Bai." Qiu Qichen smiled and tried her best to wave while holding the papers. "Ling Lan?" Her eyebrow raised as she gestured at the papers in her hand.

"Second last bench, middle row." Luo Bai pointed out Ling Lan, who was still writing in her notebook.

Seeing the shadow on her notebook, Ling Lan raised her head and found Qiu Qichen, through her black-rimmed round eyeglasses, in front of her. She was shook a little then calmed down. "...?"

"Study Material for Maths Quiz." Qiu Qichen put down the papers on the desk. "2nd of next month." Then she went out. Luo Bai followed behind.

Ling Lan processed what happened just now and then realised that classmate Qiu... seems to be milder since being scolded by the principal as per the rumors.

"What to eat?"

"A bowl of wonton soup and cheese sandwich. You?" Qiu Qichen glanced at Luo Bai beside her as they walked towards the canteen.

"Wonton soup only."

"Fine."

Qiu Qichen savored the soup she got while taking a small bit of her sandwich now and then. Raising her head, she noticed Luo Bai dilly dallying.

"Something?"

"No, ah-" Luo Bai shook his head but then paused, "...I heard you got scolded."

Qiu Qichen raised her eyebrow in reply. "..?"

"Everyone's saying that... you got scolded by the principal."

"I wasn't scolded-, never mind, I may transfer to another school next month."

The Qiu family is in City S, not in City K. A two hour distance.. It would be difficult to raise Puppy Cheng.

Just as Qiu Qichen was gonna take a bite of the sandwich, her hand shook and the sandwich almost hit her nose as Luo Bai grabbed both her shoulders and shook her back and forth. "What?! Why?!!"

"Calm Down!!" She yelled as she tried her best not to lose the grip of her sandwich.

Once Luo Bai calmed, he sat like a good student with his back upright and ample attention towards Qiu Qichen, waiting for her to speak.

"I might move to City S... but I will try to apply for dormitory." Qiu Qichen finished her sandwich.

"Ah.... what about Kang Zhen and the others then?"

"Legal action. If I move away, they might start jumping again." Better to collect evidence of their activities and send them to jail. Even if they stay there for a short while, they might either really get their senses right or will be destroyed in the society.

"You gonna hire a detective?"

"Otherwise? Send someone undercover?" Saying sarcastically, Qiu Qichen finally finished her wontons.

"Then what?" Luo Bai followed Qiu Qichen's line of sight and saw his own bowl of wontons. "Hey! Stop eyeing these. You already ate your fill!!"

He hurriedly covered his bowl with his body almost lying down on the table on his stomach.

"..." Qiu Qichen wished to wash her eyes. "You are overreacting..."

"Let me constantly eye your wontons and then you will know." He slowly straightened up still protecting the bowl with his hands.

Qiu Qichen gently moved her empty bowl in front of him. "Proceed."

"...." Luo Bai looked at Qiu Qichen, who smiled back while moving her bowl a little more towards him.

"Ain't giving you a single piece.." He looked at the growing smile on her face, "Here. Only one! No more!!" And put a wonton in the empty bowl.

"You should have done this sooner. Less mental harm." Qiu Qichen smilingly took her bowl back.

Luo Bai snorted when he saw her eat the wonton. "You must pay for the meal next time. Compensation for the mental harm."

"Fine."

".....As for what to do that after, we will see then." When done eating, Qiu Qichen whispered as she waved goodbye to Luo Bai.

Seeing Qiu Qichen go away, Luo Bai sighed. "She has been changing since they passed away..."

Does she regret not spending time with them... or not being able to appear as an obedient daughter to them?

Shaking his head, Luo Bai finished the last wonton. "Next time, I will had her buy two bowls for me. Hum!"

When the lunch was over, Qiu Qichen headed back to her class. Since teacher Ming was on leave, it was self-study time.

She started doing the calculations in her rough notebook as per the study material that she was given.

Li Cheng who was stuck at a question, raised his head and saw Qiu Qichen beside him moving on to the next question.

Gathering his courage, Li Cheng spoke in a small voice. "Ahem, classmate Qiu, can you tell me how you integrated in the 27th question?"

"Ah..?" Qiu Qichen wondered where the voice came from and turned to look at Li Cheng who looked very eager. "Okay."

Moving her notebook towards Li Cheng, she started explaining.

With a notebook in between, Li Cheng and Qiu Qichen were much closer now. Anyone who would look at them now would feel that they are nice pair of students. So beautiful and cute.

Unknowingly, Li Cheng took advice in several more questions when he got rid of his hesitation against Qiu Qichen.

The rest of the school time, their relationship took a progress. Asking each other questions and sharing small things about their lives such as their likes and dislikes.

Dringgg!!! The bell rang and all the students started packing up.

Just as Qiu Qichen passed the door of the class, she heard Li Cheng calling her. "Qiu Qichen.."

Though they stopped calling each other classmate Qiu and classmate Li, they still weren't on a first name basis.

Turning Qiu Qichen looked at Li Cheng who hurried behind her.

"Huff... huff... may I ask you for a favor?" Li Cheng took two deep breaths and asked her.

Qiu Qichen nodded.

"Can we form a study group with you...." Li Cheng looked at Qiu Qichen whose face was getting confused and hurriedly added, "Just for the Maths Quiz?"

Little did he know... it wasn't that she was confused with his question, but just surprised at the info she received.

[Ding! Task: Form a Study Group with Task Object and Help Him Prepare for the Maths Quiz!]