The ceremony ended, and everyone dispersed in an orderly manner.
Jiang Fuyue found Xiao Shan, who was just about to leave from below the stage—
“Do you have a bag? A big one.”
“What?”
“A bag. I need to put the trophy and certificate inside.” Jiang Fuyue shook the items in her hand.
The trophy was heavy, already making her wrist sore.
The certificate was big like carrying around a whole file folder.
Jiang Fuyue wanted to find a bag to put both inside. If Xiao Shan could help her carry it back to school, even better.
“No.” Xiao Shan shook his head honestly.
He never had the habit of carrying bags. At most, he kept a wallet in his pocket.
Jiang Fuyue: “…”
“Um, excuse me,” Principal Li who had enjoyed a very one-sided conversation with Xiao Shan earlier at the entrance suddenly appeared, smiling kindly. “I have a supermarket plastic bag here. Student Jiang, would you like it?”
As he spoke, he took out a crumpled plastic bag from his briefcase, shook it open, and handed it to her.
Jiang Fuyue thanked him and casually tossed the trophy and certificate inside.
Her movements were no different from throwing in a handful of vegetables or a slab of pork.
Xiao Shan’s mouth twitched violently.
Principal Li’s eyes widened.
Meanwhile, Jiang Fuyue had only one thought—
This bag is pretty big. And it holds a lot.
She handed it to Xiao Shan so he could bring it back to school for her. Then she clapped her hands and walked away.
Principal Li swallowed hard. “Student J-Jiang seems… different from what I imagined?”
Xiao Shan looked at the heavy plastic bag in his hand and said earnestly, “Don’t think about it. Thinking too much will shatter your illusions.”
“…Huh?”
Xiao Shan patted his shoulder with his free hand. “Actually, you shouldn’t have taken out the bag.”
Principal Li: “?”
“No, wait,” Xiao Shan shook his head, correcting himself. “It’s good you took it out. Otherwise she might’ve made me carry these things in my hands all the way back. It’s actually easier being able to put them in a plastic bag.”
After saying that, he nodded firmly. “Mm! Yes! Exactly!”
Through repeated self-affirmation, he completed his own self-deception and self-comfort.
Then, he happily walked off.
Principal Li looked at his calm departing figure, then at the plastic bag holding the trophy and certificate: “?”
Could the rumors be true? That from top to bottom, Ming University, president to students, was full of… “weirdos”?
“Stop right there!”
Jiang Fuyue had just walked out the main gate when Mo Shiran called out to her coldly.
She paused and turned around, her gaze naturally dropping to Mo Shiran’s foot. “Not going to see a doctor? If you’re sick, go get treated. Calling me won’t help…”
“You clearly saw it. Why did you still step on me?” Mo Shiran gritted her teeth, limping over with the help of her friend.
Jiang Fuyue laughed. “Why wouldn’t I? You stuck your foot out. Isn’t that just an invitation to get stepped on?”
“You—”
“Or what? Should I have not stepped on it, then fallen, so certain people could get exactly what they wanted?”
Mo Shiran froze all over, pupils contracting. “H-how did you know…”
Impossible!
They had never met before this. By all logic, Jiang Fuyue shouldn’t have been on guard against her.
“Classmate, next time you try to play dirty tricks, please first hide that ambition in your eyes. And don’t stare at your target without blinking. Because honestly? It’s stupid. Makes you easy to read.”
From the moment Jiang sat beside her, she could feel those faint glances from the side.
At first, she didn’t think much of it, just assumed the girl was curious.
Until she got on stage, and that faint glance turned into a blatant stare. Mo Shiran openly stared at her from the audience, eyes carrying a hint of icy hostility.
That was when Jiang had to take it seriously.
Then came that sudden foot-stretching “trap” on stage…
Heh. She thought it was going to be some big move. Turns out it was just this.
“Do I have some grudge against you?” Jiang Fuyue looked her over from top to bottom and confirmed she had no recollection of this person.
Mo Shiran clenched her jaw, angry and frustrated. It felt like treating someone as a mortal enemy only to find out they don’t even know who you are.
Just as Jiang Fuyue was about to leave, Mo Shiran finally spoke—
“Lin Zhaodong likes you.”
It took Jiang Fuyue a couple seconds to remember Lin Zhaodong was the yellow hair kid. “That’s why you tried to trip me? Because you like him?”
Mo Shiran’s lips tightened.
“So because he doesn’t like you and likes me… you targeted me. Is that the logic?”
Mo Shiran paused. Yes, that seemed right, but something about it felt wrong.
Jiang Fuyue’s eyes suddenly turned cold. “If today you’d stuck your foot out to trip Lin Zhaodong, I’d actually respect your courage. But instead, you aimed at another girl. Why?”
She was stunned into silence.
Jiang Fuyue answered for her: “Because between me and Lin Zhaodong, you think I’m the weaker one. In other words, I’m easier to bully. You don’t dare go after him, so you go after me. Isn’t that it?”
She sneered. “So you’re not only dumb and malicious, you’re also a coward who bullies the soft and fears the strong.”
Mo Shiran flushed bright red. “I—I’m not afraid of Lin Zhaodong!”
She tried to maintain her dignity, but her voice clearly lacked confidence.
Jiang Fuyue responded with a half-hearted “Oh,” the tone saying: Sure, keep lying to yourself.
She turned to leave.
Mo Shiran felt she was being dismissed. That half-fake acknowledgment was somehow worse than denial.
Her stubborn streak flared. She hobbled after her: “You stop! I really am not afraid of Lin Zhaodong! What is he, some monster? Why would I be scared? And you shouldn’t just comment on people or things without knowing the situation, that’s improper!”
“What are you trying to prove?” Jiang Fuyue suddenly asked.
“?”
“You chased after me to say all this… to prove what? If you were truly as calm and fearless as you say, then no matter how I evaluate you, you should be unaffected. Instead, you’re desperately trying to save face.”
“I…”
Jiang Fuyue didn’t give her the chance to finish: “As girls, shouldn’t we understand each other more? Shouldn’t we empathize and treat each other kindly? Ask yourself, between me and Lin Zhaodong, who is actually the root of the conflict? Don’t just lash out at other girls because you can’t confront the boy.”
With that, she walked away.
This time, Mo Shiran didn’t chase. She stood rooted in place, dazed.
That line—“As girls, shouldn’t we understand each other and treat each other kindly?”—hit her like a hammer, shaking her to her core.
Her friend Little You couldn’t help nodding. “Ranran… honestly, I think she… kind of has a point.”
“There’s a saying, right? ‘Why make things hard for other women?’ Lin Zhaodong liking her isn’t her fault. Targeting her makes no sense. You might as well just trip him, or beat him up!”
Mo Shiran looked at her friend, then in the direction Jiang Fuyue left. Deep in thought.
She probably didn’t even notice, her once resentful gaze was gradually calming, becoming clearer.
With her friend accompanying her, Mo Shiran went to the hospital first. The doctor said it was just a sprain, gave her medication, and told her to rest.
When they came out, the family driver was already waiting at the entrance. “Little You, thank you today. I’m heading home first.”
“Okay. Remember to apply the medicine on time!”
When she arrived home and hadn’t even changed her shoes yet, Ji Junru came rushing over worriedly: “What happened? How did you sprain your foot?”
“I slipped.”
“You… always so careless. On such an important day too. Hurry, let Mom see your trophy and certificate!”
Mo Shiran smiled and had the driver bring them over.
Ji Junru carefully looked over the certificate word by word, then took the trophy, admiring it with growing excitement.
“Look at this! A ‘Top Ten Students’ certificate really is different, so much bigger than the regular ones! And the trophy is heavy, full of weight! Our precious daughter is amazing. All of the capital only awarded twenty-one of these!”
As they chatted, the sound of a car engine came from outside.
Ji Junru said, “That must be your father.”
Sure enough, a moment later, Mo Zigang came in wearing a suit.
Ji Junru immediately put down the certificate and trophy, went forward to take her husband’s coat and briefcase, set them aside, then smiled and said: “Dear, our Ranran won an award!”
“Oh? What award?” The man walked straight to the living room, sat on the sofa, and while making tea, casually asked.
Ji Junru: “Top Ten University Students!”
Mo Zigang was a bit surprised, not because his daughter won something, but because—
“The one with only twenty-one spots in all of the Imperial Capital?”
“Yes! That one! Our Ranran is really ama—”
“That newly acknowledged granddaughter of the Han family also received that award, and she was even selected first. Look…” Mo Zigang handed her his phone.
Ji Junru took it skeptically. Impossible.
This award wasn’t some cabbage anyone could grab. In the circle of socialites in the capital, she believed no young lady could outshine her daughter whether in appearance or grades.
But right on the WeChat Moments post, not only was there an identical certificate and trophy, there was also a winners list. “Jiang Fuyue” was right at the top, while “Mo Shiran” was near the bottom: plain, unremarkable, blending in with the masses.
The post was from Old Master Han Qishan.
He even personally went to Ming University to get the certificate and trophy from Xiao Shan.
Then spent half an hour arranging the photos and writing a caption.
Finally posting:
【Top Ten University Students of the Imperial Capital, selected first. Well… not bad, I guess.】
An old grandmaster of humble-bragging indeed.
Ji Junru put the phone down: “This is… that young lady from the Han family’s birthday banquet last time?”
Mo Zigang nodded. “Mm.”
She forced a stiff smile: “Didn’t expect her to be so outstanding.”
Mo Shiran sensed something was off. “Mom, what are you talking about with Dad? I heard ‘Han family’, is it the Han family who invited us to the birthday banquet?”
“Mm. You were preparing for the overseas competition then, so we didn’t bring you. Your dad and I went.”
“What does that have to do with the Top Ten University Students?”
“That young lady from the Han family, she is the one who ranked first in this year’s selection.”
Mo Shiran’s eyes widened, her voice cracked sharply: “It’s Jiang Fuyue?!”
“You know her?”
Mo Shiran muttered, “How could it be her? Didn’t the internet say her family runs a restaurant? How could she be related to the Han family?”
The Han family held a higher status than the Mo family. They had business ties, mutually beneficial on the surface, but the Mo family still depended more on the Han family.
Ji Junru didn’t notice her daughter’s unusual reaction and just sighed: “Didn’t expect the Han family’s young lady to not only be pretty but also so exceptional. Eh? Ranran? Dinner is almost ready, why are you going upstairs?”
Mo Shiran walked away while shaking her head: “Mom, don’t bother me. I want to be alone for a while…”
“What’s wrong with this child?”
…
At night, Mo Shiran finally came out of her room.
Her expression was no longer dazed, her eyes clear, her state exceptionally good.
“Mom, I’m hungry.”
“You! Skipped dinner earlier and now you’re hungry? Serves you right!” Despite the scolding, she immediately told the kitchen to prepare Shiran’s favorite dishes.
Just then, Mo Zigang spoke: “Ranran, come here.”
“Dad?” She walked over. “What is it?”
“Keep next Monday open.”
Next Monday…
Just a few days away.
“Why? Something happening? I have classes that day.”
“Cancel them.”
Ji Junru overheard this: “Is something important going on?”
“Mm. The Lou family sent an invitation, asking us to attend a private reception. They specifically named Ranran to attend as well.”
“The Lou family?” Ji Junru inhaled sharply. “You mean that Lou family, the Lou Group?”
“Who else could it be?”
Her brows furrowed: “The Lou family is a giant far above us. We’ve never been close, only polite acquaintances. Why would they send us an invitation, and even specifically ask for Ranran?”
Mo Zigang shook his head. “No idea.”
“Did anyone else receive invitations?”
“Zhang family, Li family, Zhou family, Wu family… also received.”
“All minor or mid-level families like us. Some even have less connection to the Lou family than we do like the Wu family. Strange.”
“Yes. Who knows what the Lou family is planning.”
Ji Junru frowned. “Then are we still going?”
“Why not? They invited us. Not going would be disrespectful. Even if we’re not close, we’ve never had conflict. Refusing might create one.”
“That’s true… Ranran, clear your schedule.”
Mo Shiran nodded without thinking much. She often accompanied her parents to such events, she was used to it.
…
At the same time, the Han family.
“What the heck is this?” Han Ke frowned at the thing handed to him.
Han Shen: “Open it and see.”
“Tch, just say it. Why act mysterious?” He opened it casually.
“…The Lou family? An invitation?”
Han Shen: “Mm. It arrived this noon.”
Han Ke: “If I remember correctly, we have no real connection with the Lou family, right? Why send us this? And there’s no explanation, just tells us to attend.”
Back when Lou Mingxin was still CEO of Lou Group, Han Shen found her unimpressive: average ability, big ego, slow decision-making. Even though the Lou Group was huge, he never tried to initiate cooperation.
Because sometimes… success depends on the person.
If the person is wrong, everything goes wrong.
The only good thing about Lou Mingxin was the twenty-year development plan she had created, remarkably farsighted. Almost unbelievable compared to how she behaved in real life.
Sometimes Han Shen wondered if the person who drafted that brilliant plan and the person running the company were even the same individual.
Maybe she had split personalities?
In any case, very strange.
A year ago, Lou Mingxin was imprisoned. The Lou Group was unstable for months.
The board of directors, unable to hold things together, brought in her younger brother, Lou Mingshen, to take over as CEO.
This man was far more capable, stepped over the board to rise, then immediately turned around and cut them down to establish authority.
The whole circle knew about it; there was no need for investigation.
And he truly managed to tame that group of stubborn old men: ruthless, decisive, far superior to his sister.
Rumor said he had the same aura as the previous Lou family master, the legendary figure of the Imperial Capital.
Half the same blood, after all.
Han Ke: “Huh? The invitation also specifically asks for Yueyue to attend? What’s going on?”
“According to others who received invitations, their daughters were also requested to come.”
“Hmm… what is this Lou Mingshen up to?”
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