Chapter 13

The moment they heard she’d tell the teacher, the boys instantly released Qiu Li and bolted for the door, terrified of being caught and tattled on to their parents.
Chen Yao wanted to run too, but with Qiu Li still sitting on top of him, he couldn’t move. The thought of his father finding out and beating him, combined with the humiliation of being overpowered, made him burst into loud, ugly sobs.
So in the end, it wasn’t the one being bullied who cried, it was the bully.
Yan Xiao stared at the scene in utter disbelief.
Chen Yao was wailing miserably, while Qiu Li just stood there with a blank face, those dark eyes shadowed beneath long lashes so she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. But that cold expression, paired with his silence, looked incredibly cool in her eyes.
Okay, she thought to herself, guess I’ll go back to calling him “the villain boss.”
“Little villain” just doesn’t fit anymore.
Still…
She hesitated, glancing at the boy who hadn’t moved or spoken, and at the one bawling on the floor. Then she softly called out, “Qiu Li?”
His small hand, still clutching Chen Yao’s collar, tightened again.
After a long pause, he finally let go of the tear-and-snot-covered Chen Yao and stood up.
He didn’t want to fight in front of her, it would scare her.
The moment he released him, Chen Yao scrambled up and fled the bathroom, crying all the way down the hall.
Yan Xiao watched the kid run off, then looked back at Qiu Li.
He didn’t seem scared, just angry.
Remembering what those boys had said earlier, her frown deepened. Kids’ words could be cruel, and she couldn’t let them take up space in his heart, or steal any of her disgust points.
So she said quickly, “They were just talking nonsense. Don’t listen to them, okay?”
Qiu Li, who had been staring at the floor, suddenly looked up. His eyes lit up like stars.
Seeing that, Yan Xiao pressed her advantage. “Just ignore them from now on!”
(And only pay attention to me, hate me and no one else!)
He’d been afraid that she’d heard those words too, and would start avoiding him, just like Qiao Qiao from middle class, who’d once played happily with him but stopped talking to him altogether after learning about his family.
But now, Yan Xiao was telling him they were wrong, and that he shouldn’t care.
He thought that made perfect sense.
“Mm.” He nodded hard.
Seeing he wasn’t bothered anymore, Yan Xiao’s mood brightened immediately.
When Qiu Li went to wash his hands, she followed him out of the bathroom, ready to lecture him about why he hadn’t told the teacher. But as soon as she looked up, she noticed a red scrape on his right cheek.
“You’re hurt?” she asked, frowning. Those little brats had gone too far, no wonder she hadn’t gotten any points lately!
Qiu Li raised a hand and touched it. “It’s nothing.”
He’d already seen it in the mirror, just a bit of scraped skin.
“Let’s go to the nurse’s office,” Yan Xiao said, grabbing his wrist to pull him along. “The school nurse can clean it up for you.”
But he didn’t budge.
Standing stiffly in place, Qiu Li frowned, his whole face resistant. “I don’t want to go.”
The nurse always looked down on him.
Yan Xiao: “?”
He doesn’t want to go?
Her mood suddenly soared.
She’d only meant to offer a bit of humanitarian concern for the poor, misunderstood little villain…but she’d just stumbled upon a perfect new opportunity!
If he didn’t want to go, even better!
Without a second thought, she grabbed both his wrists and started dragging him toward the infirmary.
“You’re going, you’re going!” she huffed, straining with all her tiny might. “If you don’t treat it, it’ll get infected, your face will rot off!”
But no matter how hard she pulled, she was only three years old. Qiu Li might still be a child, but he was six, and a boy at that. Even with her little pigtails bouncing from effort, she couldn’t move him an inch.
Feeling embarrassed, she glared up at him. “Hurry up and walk already!”
Qiu Li truly didn’t want to go, not even to step across the infirmary threshold.
At first, it was pure resistance. But after a while, watching her tug and pull with all her might, her face red and her little body straining like a determined kitten, he suddenly found it funny.
So he decided to play along, turned it into a quiet game of tug-of-war.
Especially when she looked up at him with those flushed cheeks and angry eyes, she was ridiculously cute.
She, meanwhile, hadn’t gotten any points in two weeks. Finally, by accident, she’d hit upon a chance to earn some. No way was she giving up now!
Seeing him still unmoved, she grew more anxious, her eyes even started to well up.
Qiu Li had originally planned to tease her a bit longer, but the moment he saw her about to cry, he quickly said, “Okay, fine.”
Okay?
Okay!
So reluctant!
Sweeping away her earlier embarrassment, Yan Xiao’s heart instantly soared.
To stop him from changing his mind halfway, she clutched his wrist tight and marched him straight toward the infirmary.
She practically skipped the whole way, her little pigtails bouncing happily, anyone watching would’ve thought she’d just won the lottery.
A brand-new round of points was waiting! Beaming so hard her eyes turned into crescents, she didn’t even notice the faint smile flickering in Qiu Li’s eyes as he looked at her delighted face.
When they reached the infirmary, Yan Xiao didn’t bring him in, she pushed him in.
Didn’t like doctors? Didn’t like the infirmary? Didn’t like medicine or bandages?
Too bad. I insist.
The faint smile in Qiu Li’s eyes disappeared the moment he stepped through the door. Especially when the school nurse’s eyes flashed with that familiar trace of disdain, his expression went cold instantly.
“Miss Nurse,” Yan Xiao called out loudly from behind him, pushing him forward, “he scraped his face! Hurry and disinfect it!”
The nurse, who had looked utterly indifferent a second ago, suddenly brightened up the moment she saw Yan Xiao’s little head peek out from behind him, her smile turning gentle and sweet.
Yan Xiao, oblivious, saw only Qiu Li’s dark expression and stiff posture. The more he looked unhappy, the wider her grin grew.
The scrape wasn’t serious; the nurse dabbed it with iodine.
“All done,” she said, dusting off her hands and smiling at Yan Xiao.
Yan Xiao took a look. She knew the injury wasn’t bad, but still,
“Shouldn’t you put on a bandage?” she asked, pointing at Qiu Li’s cheek.
The nurse chuckled. “No need, it’ll heal in a couple of days.”
Yan Xiao hesitated, then pressed, “But you could, right?”
The nurse couldn’t resist her big serious eyes and tilted head, so adorable it melted her heart. She pinched Yan Xiao’s soft little cheek. “You could, yes, but there’s really no need.”
Yan Xiao nodded, satisfied. Could was good enough. Heh.
As they left the infirmary, she glanced over and saw Qiu Li still sulking, and burst into a fit of muffled laughter.
Once they were far enough away, his mood eased a bit. The tension on his face relaxed. He glanced sideways at the giggling little girl beside him, shoulders shaking with laughter. “You’re that happy, huh?”
To him, it was a simple question. But to Yan Xiao’s ears, it sounded exactly like,
Oh, so you’re that thrilled about forcing me into the infirmary?
Her eyes gleamed mischievously. “Of course! If you’re hurt, you have to see the nurse. Refusing is wrong! Even the younger class kids aren’t scared of doctors, you’re way too timid!”
She knew perfectly well he hated being told what to do, hated being corrected, and she did it anyway.
Sure enough, his expression cooled immediately.
He opened his mouth to explain himself, but before he could speak, the school bell rang.
“It’s class time,” Yan Xiao said, glancing toward her room, then back at him. “I’ve got to go.”
“Mm.”
She turned to leave, but then stopped. “Wait…”
Lowering her head, she rummaged through her tiny bag for a long moment before finally pulling out two band-aids. “The nurse said it’s fine, and I happen to have some. Here.”
Seeing those familiar pastel-colored sheep-patterned band-aids in her hand, Qiu Li went speechless.
“No-” he started.
Before he could finish, Yan Xiao had already ripped one open. “I’ll stick it on for you!”
He hated flashy, girly things the most, especially having them stuck on him. The idea of wearing one on his face? Unbearable.
Which only made Yan Xiao work faster.
Once it was in place, she leaned back to admire her handiwork.
Hmm. The villain boss was far too handsome, but with the band-aid, his cold, distant aura softened, replaced by something unexpectedly cute.
She could already imagine how he’d react when he saw himself in the mirror later. He’d be so thrilled.
“This one’s for you too.” Yan Xiao’s eyes curved into crescents again as she stuffed the second band-aid into his pocket. “Put it on tomorrow!”
Afraid he’d refuse, she turned and sprinted away before he could protest.
Watching her cheerful little figure bounce off in the sunlight, Qiu Li reached up to touch the band-aid on his cheek, the corners of his lips curling slightly.
[Ding! Current value: 19 points!]
Before she even reached the classroom, the long-lost system notification chimed in her mind.
Nineteen! This time, she’d gained three whole points!
Yes!
Yan Xiao pumped her tiny fists triumphantly in the air.
Meanwhile, Qiu Li, who had just taken the spare band-aid from his jacket pocket and carefully tucked it into the inner one near his heart, caught sight of her gesture and blinked in surprise before smiling, too.

Author’s Note:
Little Qiu Li: She stuck it on herself. I’m so happy (#^.^#)
Xiao-xiao: I got points! I finally got points again, yes! (＾－＾)V
System: emmm…