The school beauty is aloof? Whatever, she has a younger sister.

Chapter 163 You are really good at judging people

Xu Qing looked at the question mark Xu Ranxi sent and couldn't help but smile softly. She tapped the screen with her fingertips and replied: [Your mom is someone who watches videos, reads novels, and knows how to use the internet.]

Then she added: "By the way, I've been following a novel lately, it's quite interesting."

However, Xu Ranxi ignored Xu Qing's words and instead changed the subject with gossip: "Mom, did you meet your uncle from the North when you came back?"

Xu Qing: [I saw her; she's still the same as always, hasn't changed much.]

This weekend I'm planning to treat your uncle from the North and Aunt Mei to a meal.

Xu Ranxi: [Mom, please say hello to my uncle and aunt for me.]

Xu Qing smiled slightly and replied: [You can say hello in person when you get back.]

[Xixi, it doesn't really matter if you don't finish your courses in the US. You might as well come back to China sooner.]

Xu Ranxi: [Mom, don't worry about it.]

That short sentence carried the girl's usual stubbornness.

Xu Qing looked at the screen and sighed softly.

She understood Xu Ranxi's temperament. This girl might say she didn't care, but deep down she had already wavered. She was just being stubborn and sulking.

"Xixi, don't take too long."

If you like someone, you like them; if you want to get closer to someone, you should reach out and grab them as soon as possible.

Xu Qing could only silently remind her daughter in her heart.

Her gaze slowly moved up to the wall, where the newly bought calendar sat quietly.

The calendar has been turned to the last page.

After tonight, it will be a brand new December.

Time never stops, and seasons change.

Xu Qing's greatest wish is for Xixi to be able to love bravely at the best age and do what she herself couldn't do back then.

……

On a December night, a cold wind howled outside the classroom, and the windowpanes trembled slightly.

The classroom was well-heated, filled with a warm atmosphere.

After the last evening self-study session, it's time to relax and enjoy the weekend.

Zhang Muchen had just finished a math test and was quite satisfied with the less-than-impressive score of 60 on the paper.

"Hey deskmate, do you think I can get over 100 if I try harder?" Zhang Muchen asked with a grin.

As Chu Jiuli wrote annotations and problem-solving strategies on his test paper with a red pen, she replied, "Well, it's still worth trying before the final exam. There's some hope."

Zhang Muchen sensed the tactlessness in Chu Jiuli's words and felt somewhat helpless: "Classmate, just tell me directly. Is it because my foundation is too weak?"

Chu Jiuli paused, seemingly considering her words, before finally nodding: "Yes, it is a little... weak in the basics."

She pointed to a multiple-choice question: "You chose C, you just guessed, didn't you?"

Zhang Muchen honestly admitted, "Yes, of the three short ones and one long one, we chose the longest one."

Chu Jiuli paused for a moment: "But... all four options for this question are numbers."

Zhang Muchen: "Then I'll just pick the one that looks good to me."

Chu Jiuli was silent for three seconds, then put a red question mark before the question, and then added a "-5" to the right of 60 points.

"Hey, hey, hey? I answered correctly and you still deducted points from my score?" Zhang Muchen said anxiously.

Chu Jiuli: "Guessing doesn't count."

She paused, then looked up and asked seriously, "Which ones were guessed?"

Zhang Muchen swallowed hard and pointed with difficulty to the other three questions.

Chu Jiuli silently added red question marks next to those three questions, and then changed the "-5" after the score to "-20".

"Classmate, you're so strict..." Zhang Muchen pouted. "Don't my lucky guesses count?"

Chu Jiuli raised her head seriously: "It doesn't count in my eyes."

"."

Zhang Muchen was speechless.

He rested his chin on his hand, silently watching Chu Jiuli as she graded the papers.

She didn't tie her hair up today; strands fell gently down her side, and she occasionally tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

I must say, this little gesture is rather charming.

Zhang Muchen muttered to himself, then turned his gaze, only to be dazzled by the striking "60-20" on the test paper.

【40 minutes】

He sighed deeply and leaned back in his chair.

"Math is fucking hard... At least with English, you can improve by memorizing vocabulary, but with math, if you don't know how, you can only write out a solution."

"If only I had used that memory potion on learning math last time."

He suddenly remembered the memory potion that the system had previously rewarded him with.

After drinking one bottle, I memorized three professional books the thickness of the Oxford Dictionary, as if they were printed in my brain.

In the end, it was completely useless. He only showed off in front of Wang Shishi's father, Wang Rulong, and it didn't help his studies at all.

"I should have saved it for math," Zhang Muchen said, rubbing his forehead in regret.

He looked up and silently reached out to poke Wang Shishi's back in the row in front of him.

Wang Shishi turned around, looking puzzled: "Dude, what's wrong?"

"Come closer, I have something to whisper to you."

Wang Shishi was skeptical, but she still obediently leaned her head closer.

Then—Ah! Wang Shishi covered her forehead, looking aggrieved: "Waaah, buddy, why did you hit me on the head..."

"It's nothing, go back. I just wanted to knock on your phone."

"Waaaaah, Jiu Li, my bro bullied me again." Wang Shishi pouted.

Chu Jiuli pretended not to hear and continued writing annotations on the test paper.

She didn't want to talk to Wang Shishi during evening self-study. Once that girl started talking, she would chatter on and on all night.

Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, Wang Shishi pouted and turned to look at her phone.

Just then, a system notification popped up: 【"The Scoundrel and the School Beauty" updated, inviting you to watch it first!】

"Author, I hope you can write something sweeter to soothe my sorrow."

During a break from evening self-study, Zhang Muchen took out his phone and sent a message to Xiaoyouzi: "Come to Teacher Liu's house tomorrow, I'll send you my location."

Chu Youting replied quickly: 【Are you really going...?】

Zhang Muchen: [You absolutely have to come, just you and me. I'll give you individual tutoring.]

Chu Youting: [One-on-one tutoring... or maybe we should ask my older sister to come along...]

Zhang Muchen: [?]

Chu Youting: [One-on-one tutoring is quite good...]

Zhang Muchen: [Yes, that's more like it. Aren't you going to thank Teacher Zhang?]

Chu Youting: [Th...thank you]

Gee tut.

Zhang Muchen smiled contentedly.

I'll be waiting for you at Teacher Liu's house tomorrow, Little Yuzu!

Chu Youting: [Oh...]

……

Tianyuan Residential Area, 1702.

"Ding-dong-"

Liu Wuyang opened the door, and Zhang Muchen grinned at her, carrying a bag of steaming hot things.

"You even brought midnight snacks?" Liu Wuyang raised her eyebrows slightly, her gaze falling on the handfuls of metal skewers peeking out from the plastic bag.

"I always bother Sister Yang, and I feel a little uneasy about it." Zhang Muchen shook the bag. "It's nothing, just a small token of my appreciation."

Liu Wuyang turned and walked inside, opening the door a little as she did so: "You brat, you do have some manners. Come in."

As Zhang Muchen changed her shoes, she took a breath. The room still smelled of that familiar perfume, cool yet sweet.

"Sister Yang, come and have a taste." He deftly unpacked the skewers and laid out the wrapping paper on the coffee table.

Liu Wuyang walked over in her slippers, glancing at the spread on the coffee table: pork belly, lean meat, chicken wings, and chives.

and also……

kidney?

Liu Wuyang stared at the skewers of grilled, glistening kidneys, her gaze pausing slightly.

"I bought ten skewers of kidneys, Sister Yang, you should eat some to nourish yourself," Zhang Muchen chuckled.

Liu Wuyang glanced at him expressionlessly: "It smells fishy and gamey, I won't eat it."

"Tsk, then I won't be polite."

Zhang Muchen immediately picked up a skewer, opened his mouth, and took a bite. The juicy kidneys were so delicious that they filled the air with their aroma.

Liu Wuyang, who was leaning back on the sofa, suddenly raised an eyebrow and subconsciously put her right hand on the back of her waist.

I've been indulging myself a bit these past few days, and it seems... I really need to make up for it...

She paused for two seconds: "Give me a skewer."

Zhang Muchen paused, raising an eyebrow: "Didn't you say it had a muttony smell?"

"Stop talking nonsense and give it to me."

Pshaw, woman.

Zhang Muchen snorted inwardly, picked out the biggest and fattest kidney on a skewer and handed it over: "Sister Yang, enjoy."

Liu Wuyang took it, lowered her eyes, and took a bite. The crispy, caramelized crust was coated in oil, soft yet chewy.

Surprisingly... it's actually quite delicious.

"Oh, right, Sister Yang, bring some more chives, let's nourish ourselves together." Zhang Muchen handed them over with a smile.

Liu Wuyang glanced at him, said nothing, and silently picked up a piece of chives with her chopsticks.

The taste of chives mingled with the aroma of oil in her mouth. She took another bite of the kidney, a trace of oil still clinging to the corner of her lips. She looked less aloof than usual.

"By the way, Sister Yang, what time are you leaving tomorrow?" Zhang Muchen asked.

"7:30 in the morning."

"Then why don't you leave the key with me?"

"Don't lose it in the entryway."

Zhang Muchen was about to respond with a smile when Liu Wuyang suddenly looked up at him, her eyes revealing an indescribable meaning: "You didn't bring any girl here while I was away, did you?"

She narrowed her eyes.

Zhang Muchen: "..."

Sister Yang, you have a really good eye for people...

……

(End of this chapter)