Chapter 356: Rejection
Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Rejection
Li Huan laughed in exasperation at Zhao Xiaohui’s words. "Get it straight. She intentionally hurt someone. Who just ’makes’ a mistake like that?"
"Exactly," Chen Meizhen sneered. "If someone ’made’ a mistake like that to you one day, I hope you’d still be able to say the same thing."
"Hey, why are you cursing me?" Zhao Xiaohui immediately retorted, unhappy.
"What? When it happens to someone else, we’re ’refusing to let it go,’ but when it’s about you, it’s a ’curse’? Seriously, Zhao Xiaohui, do you even hear yourself right now?" Liu Juan said, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, Zhao Xiaohui, why the double standard?" some classmates couldn’t help but laugh and say to her.
Zhao Xiaohui’s face instantly turned beet red. Song Yufang, standing to the side, saw this and inwardly cursed, ’What an idiot.’
Just as Song Yufang was mentally complaining about Zhao Xiaohui’s incompetence, Su Qing’s words made her jump. "Song Yufang, I don’t care how you act weak to get sympathy, but don’t you dare pull that act in front of us. Otherwise, I don’t mind knocking some sense into you. Also, let me remind you: I gave your family five days. Today is the third day. If your family hasn’t paid up by midnight the day after tomorrow, this matter won’t be as simple as just handling it within the school. You were there that day; you should understand the Li family’s stance. No payment, and we’ll see you at the police station!"
Song Yufang gritted her teeth, staring at Su Qing with immense hatred. If it weren’t for that medicinal powder Su Qing had, her family wouldn’t have been on the hook for an extra three thousand yuan, and she certainly wouldn’t have been raked over the coals by her two older brothers.
The more she thought about it, the angrier Song Yufang became.
But she was in no position to argue right now. She absolutely did not want to go to the police station. She immediately said, "Don’t worry. My family will definitely pay on time."
"Good." Su Qing smiled, but in Song Yufang’s eyes, that smile was no different from a demon’s. "Once your family pays up, this matter will be over. And in the future, don’t come around here looking for trouble. Otherwise, for every time you start something, I’ll beat you up. Worst case, I just pay for it, right? Let me tell you, I’ve got more than enough money. If you’re not afraid of the pain, then go ahead and try me."
"You..." Song Yufang was taken aback by the ruthlessness in Su Qing’s words. At the same time, she grew even more furious. ’She isn’t short on money, yet she’s still forcing our family to pay so much. This Su Qing is doing it on purpose!’
Song Yufang’s heart was still pounding when the teacher entered the classroom. She had to admit, Su Qing had scared her.
Throughout the entire class, Song Yufang was on edge. She didn’t hear a single word the teacher said, her mind replaying the look in Su Qing’s eyes from earlier.
When class let out for lunch, everyone was pairing up to head to the cafeteria when someone at the classroom door shouted, "Su Qing! Su Qing, someone’s here for you!"
Su Qing was laughing and talking with Li Huan and the others. Hearing someone was looking for her, she felt a little puzzled, wondering who it could be.
"Who’s looking for you, Qingqing?" Li Huan asked, also curious.
"I don’t know. Let’s go see."
When she got outside the classroom and saw who it was, Su Qing couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow slightly. It was Xu Xianhui.
When Xu Xianhui saw Su Qing, she smiled brightly and handed her a small package. "Su Qing, this is for you."
Su Qing glanced at the little bundle but didn’t take it. She simply said, "Thank you, but I can’t accept a gift for no reason. We’re not that close."
Xu Xianhui hadn’t expected Su Qing to be so direct. She froze for a moment, then quickly said, "We’re both from the same village. Even if we didn’t interact much back there, we’re still from the same hometown. My family sent me some meat sauce that my mom made herself. It’s really good, so I wanted to bring you some to try."
"Then I have even less reason to accept it," Su Qing said. "This is a token of your mother’s love for you. Besides, meat is so expensive these days. This gift is too valuable. I really can’t accept it."
"It’s nothing," Xu Xianhui said hurriedly. "We’re from the same hometown; we should support each other. Besides, my mom just made it herself. It’s just a small token."
Su Qing gave a faint smile. "I appreciate the thought, but I can’t accept the gift. You should take it back. After all, your mother worked hard to make it for you."
Without waiting for Xu Xianhui to say anything else, Su Qing left for the cafeteria with Li Huan and their friends.
Xu Xianhui stood there, watching Su Qing’s retreating figure, and pursed her lips in frustration.
A few days ago, she hadn’t dared to stay at school because debt collectors were pressing her hard. She was afraid they would come looking for her on campus. If they exposed her debts, she wouldn’t be able to face anyone. So, she had specifically requested a leave of absence from her advisor and fled home for a few days. Her family lived in the suburbs of Beijing. She lied and said her class had organized a spring outing that she didn’t attend, so her family didn’t ask too many questions. After a few days, she figured the debt collectors had probably given up, so she quietly returned to school.
She had pestered her mom to make this meat sauce, hoping to use it as an opportunity to get close to Su Qing. But upon her return, not only had she heard about the incident with Su Qing and her cousin, but Su Qing had completely rejected her gesture of goodwill.
Xu Xianhui sighed. ’This Su Qing seems different from before.’ She had only learned after coming back that Su Qing had found her relatives in Beijing. That girl, Li Huan, was Su Qing’s cousin, and by the looks of it, her family was extremely well-off.
Thinking about her own debts, she had already borrowed from everyone she possibly could and couldn’t pay any of them back. She couldn’t find anyone else to lend her money. Now, Su Qing was her only hope.
’But how can I get Su Qing to lend me money?’
From the look of things, it was obvious Su Qing didn’t want to get too involved with her.
Xu Xianhui stood rooted to the spot, lost in thought. Unexpectedly, the words of two girls passing by caught her attention. Feigning nonchalance, she began walking behind them, secretly eavesdropping.
"Yu Fang, you should probably just stop dealing with Su Qing and her friends. I don’t think they’re good people to be around, especially that Su Qing. Did you hear the things she said?" The speaker was Zhao Xiaohui.
Zhao Xiaohui had now decided that Song Yufang was the weaker party and felt she ought to help her out.
"To be honest, what Su Qing said today... I was actually a little scared." Although Song Yufang was dissatisfied with Zhao Xiaohui’s lack of fighting spirit, she needed an ally right now, so on the surface, she naturally had to stay on good terms with her.
"I know, right? What kind of things does she say? Shamelessly bragging about how much money she has. That’s the attitude of a pampered capitalist missy," Zhao Xiaohui said with a huff. "Look at her. Does having money make her so great?"
"What can you do? Her family members are high-ranking officials. Of course they have money," Song Yufang said sourly.