Chapter 26: The Seed That Grows in the Depths of My Heart

"Exactly! Anyone my master trusts must be someone with good character, someone worth relying on!" Hearing this, Gu Zhenzhi's steps slowed just a little. So it was because she trusted her master...

"Besides, after spending these past two days with you, I can tell you're a great person—gentlemanly, polite, trustworthy. And your looks are exactly my type, straight to my heart!" Ruan Cha spoke as she gazed up at the sky.

She wondered if telling a lie would bring down thunder and lightning.

Ha ha ha...

After Ruan Cha finished, whatever irritation Gu Zhenzhi had felt disappeared like smoke. He quickened his pace, his voice still cool. "Send me the address when you arrive tomorrow. I'll pick you up when it's over."

Ruan Cha's eyes lit up. Sure enough, this trick worked on this dog of a man!

She quickly wrapped her arms around Gu Zhenzhi's waist and replied sweetly, "Okay!"

—

The next day.

When Ruan Cha strolled into school, she immediately sensed that something was different in the classroom.

Just yesterday, her classmates had seemed distant and unfamiliar. But overnight, it was as if everyone suddenly knew everything about her; gossip swirled everywhere. Soon, the entire second-year grade was talking about the new transfer student, Ruan Cha.

Ruan Cha quietly walked up behind three girls and overheard them angrily whispering, "That Ruan Cha is from the countryside, an illegitimate daughter of the Ruan family. Just look at her—she probably takes after her mother, who's nothing but a home-wrecker. Disgusting!"

"Yeah, I have a friend who was at the welcome dinner. She said Ruan Cha was unbelievably rude—she spoke disrespectfully to the elders right there in that formal setting!"

"And she's so jealous of Ruan Wei. I mean, they're both Ruan family kids, but Ruan Wei grew up cherished and spoiled, while Ruan Cha suffered all sorts of hardships. When Nan Youxu showed up, Ruan Cha shamelessly threw herself at him—she nearly embarrassed Ruan Wei to death!"

"Ugh! So uncultured. How vulgar. What a waste of a pretty face. I take back every nice thing I said about her yesterday!"

"Jealous of Ruan Wei? She should look at her own place. If it weren't for Ruan Wei's mother's generosity, that illegitimate girl wouldn't even have the right to return to the Ruan family!"

"…"

Standing just outside their little circle, Ruan Cha's lips curled into a mocking smile.

"Deskmate?" A delicate voice sounded by her ear, and the girls turned, startled, to see the sweet little classmate.

Their gazes then followed hers to where Ruan Cha stood behind them.

Realizing the subject of their gossip was right there, the girls' eyes darted about in embarrassment.

"Yun Yun, let's go to the restroom!"

"Y-yeah..."

The girls fled in a fluster, not daring to spare Ruan Cha another glance.

The sweet classmate scurried over to Ruan Cha, puzzled as she rubbed her head. "Deskmate, why did they run off so fast? Do I look scary?"

She was confused, but soon let it go. "I bought these snacks today. Let's eat them in class together!"

Ruan Cha glanced down at the bag bursting with cookies, chips, and jelly. "These all have lots of additives. Here, have this instead." She pulled out a bag of plain, unbranded snacks from her own bag, wrapped in simple white packaging.

The sweet classmate took the snack without a second thought and linked arms with Ruan Cha as they headed into the classroom.

Inside, many people noticed Ruan Cha's arrival. Their eyes followed her, and she became the target of all sorts of whispered, unfriendly speculation.