Chapter 19

Because of Su Xiaoxiao, Jin Qishan’s popularity in class improved quite a lot. Every day after class, some boys would invite him to go to the bathroom with them.
At first, Jin Qishan was a bit flustered and even went along with them.
But gradually, he realized they were just trying to pry about Su Xiaoxiao, so he refused to go with them anymore.
Curious, Su Xiaoxiao asked, “They want to hang out with you, why don’t you go?”
Jin Qishan kept his eyes on his book. “I don’t want to.”
Su Xiaoxiao started coaxing him earnestly, urging him to make more friends and not always brood alone.
Jin Qishan ignored her, even blocking his ears with his hands.
Seeing how Jin Qishan spent every break reading so diligently, Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but feel curious.
She moved his hand away. “You study so hard, so why aren’t your grades good?”
Su Xiaoxiao swore she wasn’t mocking him, she was only voicing her curiosity. After all, the elementary school material wasn’t difficult; if one studied seriously, poor grades were impossible.
Jin Qishan put down his book and looked at Su Xiaoxiao helplessly. Sure enough, he had initially suspected she was subtly showing off.
His poor grades weren’t his fault; before, Dong Xiaohong always troubled him. He had no time to study at night, couldn’t sleep well, and dozed off in class during the day.
Now that Jin Yongzhong was home, he didn’t have to work at night and had time to do homework. He no longer fell asleep in class. And seeing how excellent Su Xiaoxiao’s grades were, he wanted to improve as well.
Still, he didn’t want to explain all this to Su Xiaoxiao, so he returned to his book.
Jin Qishan read, and Su Xiaoxiao leaned on her desk watching him. Right now, he didn’t look very appealing: plain features, yellow and dry skin, prominent cheekbones due to his thinness, and sunken cheeks.
Su Xiaoxiao thought, what will he look like when he grows up? When writing her stories, she often described him as “thin,” “gloomy,” and “taciturn.” Using these words meant he probably wouldn’t look good as an adult either.
But Jin Yongzhong was so handsome and tall, why hadn’t Jin Qishan inherited any of that? Could it be Dong Xiaohong’s fault, leaving Jin Qishan malnourished during his youth and stunting his development?
“You, what are you looking at?” Jin Qishan’s cheeks flushed slightly.
“Looking at you,” Su Xiaoxiao replied.
His face turned even redder. Stammering, he said, “There, there’s nothing to look at.”
“You’re not good-looking.” Su Xiaoxiao shook her head honestly. “You’re too skinny. You need to eat more. Also, drink more milk, how will you grow taller otherwise? And…”
Jin Qishan had enough and stood up.
“Where are you going?” Su Xiaoxiao asked.
“To the bathroom.”
“But, Liu Ming just called you there and you didn’t go.”
He ignored her, walking faster.
With Jin Qishan gone, Feng Zihao finally got a chance to talk to Su Xiaoxiao.
“Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao.”
Su Xiaoxiao turned around. “What’s up?”
Feng Zihao looked pitiful. “What do you always talk about with Jin Qishan?”
“We’re discussing schoolwork,” Su Xiaoxiao said thoughtfully.
Feng Zihao looked even more aggrieved. “Then why don’t you discuss with me?”
Smiling, Su Xiaoxiao said, “Don’t you already have Luo Zhi?”
“I don’t!” Feng Zihao cried.
Luo Zhi pushed him away disdainfully. “I don’t want him.”
Jin Qishan came in from behind, seeing Su Xiaoxiao laughing like a flower as she talked to Feng Zihao and the others.
Frowning, Jin Qishan sat down and started noisily organizing the textbooks for the next class.
Su Xiaoxiao felt a chill and gradually stopped smiling. She knew Jin Qishan didn’t like Feng Zihao, since he had bullied him before.
At first, Su Xiaoxiao didn’t like Feng Zihao either, but over time, she realized he wasn’t that bad. More importantly, he treated her well, always thinking of her first when there was something nice. And he had promised not to bully Jin Qishan again.
At that moment, Cai Meng turned back. “Jin Qishan, I forgot my eraser. Can you lend me yours?”
Jin Qishan nodded, handing her a brand-new eraser. “Here, I have more.”
Now that Jin Qishan had money, he could buy his own stationery, even erasers were nicely done.
“Really?” Cai Meng was delighted.
Jin Qishan nodded. “Yeah.”
Su Xiaoxiao clicked her tongue softly. “You treat Cai Meng so well, giving her a new eraser while you use an old one.”
Jin Qishan glared at her and snapped his pencil case shut.
“Oh, shy now?” Su Xiaoxiao teased. “It’s okay, I’ve been there, I know how it is!”
Though Jin Qishan didn’t understand what she meant by “been there,” he knew she definitely didn’t.
Because he wasn’t shy, he was angry. Very angry.
Soon, the final exams approached, and the exam atmosphere grew tense.
Grades directly determined how well the year would go, so everyone took it seriously.
The third-grade material was still easy for Su Xiaoxiao, so while others studied frantically, she often found herself with nothing to do, most enjoying explaining problems to others.
Jin Qishan’s grades had improved and were now around the class average.
After Su Xiaoxiao finished explaining a problem to Feng Zihao, she asked, “Qishan, do you want me to explain it to you too?”
Jin Qishan felt annoyed for no reason. “No need,” he said gloomily.
He thought, if she explains it to Feng Zihao, she shouldn’t explain it to me. If she explains it to me, she shouldn’t explain it to Feng Zihao. Not just Feng Zihao, Luo Zhi too.
He sulked over the problems, wanting to ask Su Xiaoxiao if she wanted to choose him or Feng Zihao or Luo Zhi.
But out of pride, he didn’t say it. Saying it would make him look petty, so he took out his frustration on the exercises.
Meanwhile, Feng Zihao and Luo Zhi were teasing Su Xiaoxiao into going to the shop to buy instant noodles.
“Let’s go, I’ll treat you.” Feng Zihao said.
“Too far, don’t really want to.” Su Xiaoxiao replied.
“I’ll go with you.” Luo Zhi offered.
Feng Zihao sighed. “Fine, forget it, not going.”
Understanding, Luo Zhi quickly coaxed Su Xiaoxiao. “Come on, Xiaoxiao, there’s a new kind of crispy noodles with little cards inside, they’re delicious,”
After a long speech, Su Xiaoxiao relented.
She held up her hand. “Enough, enough. I’ll go, okay?”
Luo Zhi cheered. “Yay!”
“Jin Qishan, you coming?” Su Xiaoxiao asked.
He wrote, “No.”
“Do you want me to bring you anything?”
“No.”
“Xiaoxiao, hurry or we’ll be late for class,” Feng Zihao called.
“Coming, coming. Stop nagging.”
After that, Su Xiaoxiao didn’t know what she had done to offend Jin Qishan, he didn’t speak to her for several days.