07

It feels good to talk tough for a while, but as soon as I stepped out of school, I regretted it.

I couldn't help but regret it and slap my own head. Why couldn't I have just let it slide and found a chance to beat them up if it really came to that?

Why did I have to outperform them?!

Now it's great. There are still a few months until the final exam, and how could I possibly outperform Qiu Ting? Isn't this a pipe dream?

Pig brain, pig brain, pig brain! I cursed myself.

When I got home, I was still worried about what to do.

If I really went to the school gate and shouted "I'm just a pile of dog crap" three times, I might as well just run into a wall and die!

Just when I was feeling uncomfortable, my mom suddenly came to knock on the door:

"Ru Ru, come out! Your cousin Yin has come!"

I irritably said, "What Yin--"

"Yin Xiu Cheng?!"

I stood up with a thud and startled my mom.

"Don't be rude to your cousin Yin! Go out and talk to him."

This is great!

This is like a pillow coming to me when I'm dozing off!

I rushed out and pushed the door open:

"Cousin Yin! You're here!"

Yin Xiu Cheng was sitting on the couch in my house.

The evening sun shone through the window and onto his tall figure, coating him in a hazy golden edge that looked almost unrealistic.

Hearing the sound, he turned his face and raised his peach blossom eyes slightly with interest:

"The sun is setting in the west. Why didn't you call me that bookworm today?"

My face turned red!

Yin Xiu Cheng is the son of my mom's best friend and has been a legend among us since we were young.

He started skipping grades in elementary school and self-studying high school courses in junior high. Although he's not much older than me, he's already started a combined master's and PhD program at Tsinghua University.

At the time, he had already been accepted to Tsinghua through a special admissions process, but he insisted on taking the college entrance exam and ended up getting in with terrifyingly high scores.

This kind of person isn't even human. The head on their neck isn't a brain, it's a computer. Just listening to them is scary.

I used to hate him when I was a loser. This kind of person who looks good, has good grades, and has a good family background is like the sun in the sky, so bright that it makes me look even more like a muddy mess.

But things are different now!

I need him now. With Xiu-cheng Yin around, what are Qiu-ting Qiu and Shu-hua Jiang but a couple of scrubs?

"Your big brother Xiu-cheng is coming home for a while. It's been a long time since you two saw each other. Come and talk to your big brother Xiu-cheng, I'm going to wash some fruit!"

I forced out a flattering smile:

"Big brother Xiu-cheng, you're back?"

Xiu-cheng Yin looked at me as if he saw something dirty and cautiously moved away.

"Qiao Ru, what's wrong with you?"

My smile froze, and I approached him, straining my voice as I said:

"Big brother Xiu-cheng, I remember you scored 740 on the college entrance exam, right?"

"To be precise, it was 739," Xiu-cheng Yin said softly. "Qiao Ru, no matter what you're thinking, I suggest you give it up."

Dammit, no wonder he still hasn't found a girlfriend. This Xiu-cheng Yin is as hard and stinky as a rock in a pit.

I suppressed my anger and said: "Big brother Xiu-cheng, we've been childhood friends for a long time. Can you bear to see me not get into college in the future?"

"I can bear it."

I was shocked, and pretended I didn't hear him. I directly made my request:

"Big brother Xiu-cheng, can you give me some extra tutoring?"

"Extra tutoring?!!"

Xiu-cheng Yin finally showed some expression. He looked at me uncertainly and said:

"Qiao Ru, are you possessed by something dirty?"

I couldn't take it anymore, and finally lost my cool:

"Xiu-cheng Yin, just say whether you'll give me extra tutoring or not! Can't I reform and become a better person?!!"

"If you don't give me extra tutoring, I'll go tell your mom!"

Xiu-cheng Yin's mom never had a daughter, so she especially loves little girls, especially me.

If she found out that he wouldn't teach me, she could scold him to death.

Sure enough, Xiu-cheng Yin's expression froze, and after a moment, he gritted his teeth and said:

"Qiao Ru, you're really determined to die. What kind of trick are you trying to pull this time?"

I grabbed his arm and earnestly said:

"Big brother, I want to go to Tsinghua University! Please help me get into Tsinghua!

"My boyfriend broke up with me because of a straight-A student, and I bet them that I'll beat their scores on the final exams!"

I thought Xiu-cheng Yin would mock me like everyone else, but to my surprise, he just looked shocked and grabbed his hair in frustration.

"Qiao Ru, have you lost your mind because of love?!

"What's in it for me?"

"You're starting a business, right!" I said excitedly. "I'll give you all of my new year's money!"

Xiu-cheng Yin sneered: "If I were relying on your new year's money, I wouldn't need to work at all. Just study hard, okay?"

He said menacingly: "If you don't study hard, I'll beat you up!"

I quickly figured out why Xiu-cheng Yin didn't think I was crazy.

For someone like him who's like a human computer, going to Tsinghua University probably isn't a difficult thing at all.

I've hit the jackpot!

I looked at him earnestly with big eyes: "Okay, if it doesn't work out, you can beat me up!"