WWML 54

chapter 54

Chu Xu’s eyes flickered. He reached over and patted the boy beside him, then took out his meal card and handed it to him. “Tell Cheng Yi what drinks you want. It’s on me.”

At his words, the classmates erupted in cheers.

“I want a cola!”
“I want juice!”
…

Gu Qingning ignored the surrounding chatter and buried herself in her meal.

Chu Xu’s gaze swept past the others and landed on the girl who was focused on her food. He raised his voice and asked, “Qingning, what do you want to drink?”

Gu Qingning paused mid-bite, then said, “Thanks, no need.”

Chu Xu raised an eyebrow, glanced at Cheng Yi, and said, “Cheng Yi, you handle it then.”

“All right, wait here.” Cheng Yi called two other boys, and the three of them ran off arm in arm.

Chu Xu rested his chin on one hand and shot an eye signal at Sun QiaoQiao.

Sun QiaoQiao understood immediately and turned to the girl beside her. “Qingning, what’s your WeChat? I’ll add you to the class group.”

Gu Qingning replied, “I don’t have one.”

Silence fell.

Did their ears deceive them, or did she really just say that?
Who doesn’t have WeChat these days?

Sun QiaoQiao asked in disbelief, “Qingning, you don’t have WeChat?”

Gu Qingning nodded.

Sun QiaoQiao continued, “Then you must have a phone, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then download it quickly, and I’ll add you to the group.”

Gu Qingning didn’t even look up, focusing on her meal. “I’ll do it later.”

At that moment, a soft, delicate voice spoke, “Sister, what a coincidence! You’re eating here too.”

Chu Xu looked up and, upon seeing the newcomer, nudged the boy beside him with his elbow.
He lowered his voice teasingly, “Dongzi, your goddess is here.”

On the First High School forum, there was a ranking of students’ looks. Among the many girls, Gu Wanwan stood out: wealthy, talented, and pure-looking, admired by many boys as their ideal first love. Since her arrival at First High, she had been regarded as the school’s beauty.

Yao Dong’s expression brightened a little when he saw Gu Wanwan.

Seeing that Gu Qingning ignored her, Gu Wanwan persistently approached.

She glanced at Gu Qingning’s tray, a trace of disdain in her eyes. “Sister, why are you just eating without any soup? Here, I have a bottle of yogurt—have it first.”

Eating so much and not afraid of getting fat… a country girl through and through, with no sense of refinement.

Gu Qingning lowered her gaze and completely ignored her.

Being treated as invisible in front of everyone made Gu Wanwan a little embarrassed.

Not wanting to see Gu Wanwan left hanging, Yao Dong stepped in. “Wanwan, there’s a seat here. Do you want to sit over here?”

“All right.” Gu Wanwan’s pink lips curved into a smile as she carried her tray over.

Seeing this, Chu Xu glanced at Gu Qingning. His gaze lingered on her delicate profile, and he smacked his lips.

Compared to her, Gu Wanwan seemed ordinary, fading into the background.

“Yo, isn’t this the genius who just aced the accelerated grade exam?”

Another unfriendly voice rang out.

Gu Qingning rolled her eyes inwardly, thinking, Can’t even eat a meal in peace.

Following the voice, people noticed a refined, gentle figure, and all eyes turned to Gu Qingning, their expressions shifting oddly.

Sun QiaoQiao’s expression changed slightly. She hurriedly leaned toward Gu Qingning’s ear and whispered, “Qingning, it’s Duan Yuxuan.”

Ever since Gu Qingning entered First High, rumors about her never stopped. Even when she wasn’t around, her legends spread everywhere.

Apart from the fact that she scored the lowest in the school’s entrance history, there was another rumor that had long been a topic of after-meal chatter:

That Gu Qingning secretly liked the top student of Class S in the senior year—Duan Yuxuan, the school heartthrob.

Talented and handsome, he had many admirers both inside and outside school.a