CHAPTER 22: CHAPTER 22: DIRECTOR WANG, ARE YOU OKAY?

Lagging half a step behind Wang Li, Li Jingjing was annoyed that Wang Li had taken the opportunity to offer superior terms first. However, her eyes lit up when she saw Bai Xiaotang, and she waved enthusiastically, "Xiaotang is here? Are you here to pick up Ji Ning?"

"Teacher Li, Director Wang, hello." Bai Xiaotang greeted both of them obediently, quickly walking to Ji Ning’s side and asking in a low voice, "Sister Ning, how did you do on the test?"

Wang Li looked down on Bai Xiaotang for being someone with connections, and her smile immediately vanished. Her tone was not as gentle as when speaking with Ji Ning, and she said stiffly, "Bai Xiaotang, as Ji Ning’s friend, you should wish for her to get better and better, right?"

Bai Xiaotang, unclear about the situation, nodded, "Yes."

She was very afraid of teachers like Wang Li and couldn’t help but hide behind Ji Ning.

Wang Li slightly lowered her head, finally giving Bai Xiaotang a kind expression. "Ji Ning did well on the exam and can enter the Elite Class, but she wants to go to your class instead..."

"Really? Sister Ning, you’re amazing..." Bai Xiaotang instantly forgot her fear and, pulling Ji Ning’s arm, gave her a flurry of compliments, effectively blocking what Wang Li was about to say and turning her face as dark as the bottom of a pot.

It took several severe coughs to bring Bai Xiaotang back to her senses, and she quieted down like a quail.

Wang Li continued, "As her friend, you should persuade her to join the Elite Class instead of dawdling in a regular class for two years."

Bai Xiaotang, however indifferent she might be, could feel Wang Li’s deadly glare and swallowed, sneaking a glance at the back of Ji Ning’s head. After a while, she said softly, "I respect Sister Ning’s choice."

She shrank back behind Ji Ning just as Wang Li was about to get angry.

Ji Ning looked up at her, her cold eyes slowly becoming deep, and said in a somewhat low voice, "I’m in the same class as Bai Xiaotang."

Wang Li paused, swallowing her words once again, and until the two of them left, she did not invite Ji Ning to the Elite Class again.

This left Li Jingjing very surprised, thinking she was suddenly bewitched, even waving a hand in front of her eyes, "Director, you..."

The silent Wang Li glared at her, "What’s the matter?"

"Director Wang, are you okay?"

Wang Li gave her another look, even more annoyed. She knew that forcing things only led to problems and now, with no enrollment yet, it would be a loss if her firmness caused Ji Ning to run away.

Even as she comforted herself, she couldn’t help but jab at Li Jingjing a couple of times: "Since she wants to go to Class 8, make sure to teach her well. If she turns out to be a failure, you won’t be working here anymore."

Li Jingjing quickly nodded, feeling elated. Although she didn’t know why Wang Li suddenly changed her tune, another S-Class student would be joining Class 8.

After Li Jingjing left, Wang Li’s face suddenly turned a bit pale, and her body wobbled, almost losing her balance.

She supported herself against the wall, sweat beading on her forehead.

In that instant of eye contact with Ji Ning, it was as if her body had been drained, her heart seized up, almost stopping her breathing.

The fear that spread from head to toe left her with no will to resist.

Has the school welcomed a Buddha?

Wang Li’s eyes gradually shifted from fear to excitement.

***

On the other side.

After leaving the school building, Bai Xiaotang excitedly called Ye Tong to report on Ji Ning’s exam situation.

No wonder Ji Ning was so impressive, not only passing but also being eagerly sought after by Master Extinction.

Her occasional laughter drew curious looks from passersby.

Bai Xiaotang was something of a little celebrity at school, a transfer student from Beijing who was both pretty and wealthy, with a simple and gullible nature—a typical example of someone easily fooled and lavishly generous.

Hardly had she taken a few steps when three girls came towards her, wearing the same school uniform as Bai Xiaotang.

The girl walking in the middle had purple-dyed hair, wore mature eye makeup, and walked with both hands in her pockets and her chin slightly lifted, with a very arrogant stride.

The two girls beside her mimicked her style, with hair dyed in similar shades, their dark blue school uniform jackets wide open, revealing white T-shirts underneath. The left chest pocket bore the large characters "Anhe Middle School" and the school emblem.

As if to unify their ensemble, each of them wore a distinctive silver skull pendant around their neck on a black cord.

They stopped five paces away from Bai Xiaotang, forming a half-circle around her.

"Bai Xiaotang, Sister You’s granny is sick, lend us some money for an emergency," said the girl on the far left casually, with no genuine intent of requesting help on her face.

However, Bai Xiaotang showed no dissatisfaction. Instead, she looked worriedly at the girl in the middle, "Ah? What’s wrong? Is it serious?"

As she asked, she began tapping at the Smart Brain on her wrist.

The girl on the left exchanged a glance with the girl on the right, seeing the delight in each other’s eyes, but continued to feign misery, "Very serious, needs surgery."

"How much do you need..." Before finishing her sentence, Bai Xiaotang felt her Smart Brain clasped by a hand.

Turning her head, she saw Ji Ning, who had been following her, now standing beside her.

"Sister Ning... they’re my classmates, You Le, Xu Jiaying, Ma Weiwei, and they’ll be your classmates too," Bai Xiaotang briefly introduced them.

The three girls then noticed Ji Ning.

You Le’s eyes revealed surprise as she cautiously appraised Ji Ning.

When did this person arrive? She hadn’t noticed at all.

Meanwhile, both Xu Jiaying and Ma Weiwei had a flash of amazement in their eyes.

This person is so handsome!

How come the naive rich girl calls her ’sister’?

They quickly suppressed their surprise, nodding slightly in greeting.

Their main target remained Bai Xiaotang, aiming to get money from her.

Their eyes were filled with undisguised motives as they stared at the Smart Brain on Bai Xiaotang’s wrist, urging her, "The surgery costs a lot, just give us seventy, eighty thousand first."

Bai Xiaotang was a bit stunned, having never had anyone borrow such a large sum from her. Ma Weiwei, across from her, assumed she was unwilling to lend, and taunted, "Miss Big Shot from Beijing, don’t tell me you can’t spare that much money?"

"No..."

"No!"

The two voices overlapped, surprising Bai Xiaotang, who looked at Ji Ning.

The three girls’ expressions changed immediately, and Ma Weiwei rudely glared at Ji Ning, the interfering presence, "Who are you? What right do you have to decide for Bai Xiaotang?"

"It’s her money, what’s it got to do with you?"

"Mind your own business, like a dog meddling in others’ affairs, know your status."

Ma Weiwei sneered several jabs in one breath.

Suddenly, Xu Jiaying sarcastically said, "Hey... aren’t you the beggar Bai Xiaotang picked up?"

Ma Weiwei, as if enlightened, eyed Ji Ning with contempt, and even pinched her nose, stepping back two paces, as if Ji Ning were carrying a virus, "Oh, that’s it, today’s the special admissions exam, she really is that beggar."

"Didn’t expect someone looking so decent to have deep motives, Bai Xiaotang, don’t get swindled."

...

Xu Jiaying and Ma Weiwei took turns belittling Ji Ning to the ground, intending to prevent her from interfering again.

But Ji Ning, being scolded, wasn’t as angry or ashamed as they expected. Her expression remained calm, as if they weren’t talking about her, her thick skin unfazed.

Ma Weiwei was quite displeased, feeling like she was punching cotton, with a pent-up frustration.

She even considered striking to shatter the expression on Ji Ning’s face.

"What are you looking at?" Ma Weiwei asked angrily.

Ji Ning glanced at her, playfully saying, "Looking at beggars."