Chapter Three: A Clear and Unequivocal Break

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Xiang Yu ignored her, turning back around and continuing to read English aloud with a loud voice. Ye Nuanxin felt a flicker of anger and pushed Xiang Yu, saying, “What are you doing, acting all serious? How long has that old witch been gone?”

Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but the English teacher standing behind Ye Nuanxin heard every word clearly.

Raising her hand, the bamboo ruler snapped sharply against Ye Nuanxin’s back.

Exactly three strikes.

The blows made Ye Nuanxin burst into tears immediately.

The classroom instantly fell silent as if a needle had dropped.

The English teacher was furious. “You’re like a rotten apple spoiling the whole barrel! The high school entrance exam is just around the corner, yet you still sleep in late and come to class tardy. Now you disturb others and even dare to insult your teacher? Get to the back and stand there reading. Later, I’ll find your homeroom teacher and see how he deals with you!”

Ye Nuanxin felt humiliated and wronged, but she didn’t dare defy the teacher. Tears streaming, she took her book and went to stand at the back of the classroom.

The room once again filled with the sound of reading, no one paying any pity to Ye Nuanxin; everyone read even more intently.

After all, they were all teenagers of fifteen, sixteen, or seventeen—no one wanted to risk the misfortune of getting hit by the ruler.

The English teacher finally calmed down, hands behind her back, walking toward the residential building where she lived. As usual, she wouldn’t return for another twenty minutes or so.

Xiang Yu didn’t need to look back to feel Ye Nuanxin’s gaze burning into her—an almost tangible hatred.

A smirk curled at her lips; she felt an unparalleled sense of satisfaction.

In her previous life, Ye Nuanxin never spared her, not even in death. Now, she would do the same. Seeing Ye Nuanxin suffer gave her a sense of pleasure!

Two minutes before morning self-study, the homeroom teacher and the English teacher appeared together on the podium.

The homeroom teacher, Mr. Zhang, having once been an English teacher himself, it was clear that Ye Nuanxin’s punishment would not be lenient.

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As expected, Mr. Zhang, now in middle age, spoke sternly, “Ye Nuanxin, you have violated discipline, disturbed others, and insulted your teacher. After class, you will run twenty laps on the playground, write a 5,000-word self-criticism, and clean the classroom for a week.”

The smile on Xiang Yu’s face nearly broke through.

As soon as class ended, she walked straight to the cafeteria with her lunchbox, eyes fixed ahead.

From a distance, she saw Ye Nuanxin lying on her desk, crying sorrowfully.

After finishing her meal, Xiang Yu slowly washed her lunchbox and returned to the classroom with a light step.

The idea of saving her own meal quota to buy an extra portion for someone else was out of the question!

The foolish mistakes she made in her previous life—being blind to the truth—would never happen again.

Chen Ze was sitting in the seat of a classmate in front, comforting Ye Nuanxin. Ye Nuanxin looked much calmer, though her eyes were still red-rimmed.

Xiang Yu sneered inside; so at times like this, they were close friends.

She coldly returned to her own seat, treating the two as if they were invisible.

Sooner or later, she would change seats. Sitting alone by the trash can was better than sharing a desk with Ye Nuanxin.

Ye Nuanxin looked at Xiang Yu returning with an empty lunchbox; the hatred in her eyes gathered once again.

Before, no matter why Xiang Yu didn’t eat breakfast, Ye Nuanxin would finish hers quickly and squeeze out her meal money to bring one back for Xiang Yu.

She couldn’t help but glare hatefully at Xiang Yu, gritting her teeth, “Xiang Yu, you’re deliberately ruining me. I swear we will never be friends again!”

In the past, if Ye Nuanxin was unhappy, Xiang Yu would have started making amends immediately. She had truly valued Ye Nuanxin, treating her as both family and friend.

But this time, Xiang Yu neither denied it nor hid the cold sharpness in her eyes.

She was determined to clearly sever ties with Ye Nuanxin and not let her take advantage of her again.

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Chen Ze’s eyes flickered; he hadn’t expected Xiang Yu to have such an attitude. When Ye Nuanxin earlier said Xiang Yu had deliberately not woken her up, he had been skeptical, but now it seemed true.

It was likely that Ye Nuanxin had done something that crossed Xiang Yu’s bottom line. Otherwise, with Xiang Yu’s usually gentle and kind temperament and their friendship centered around Ye Nuanxin, her attitude wouldn’t have been so cold and harsh.

Xiang Yu was more reserved and introverted; most of Chen Ze’s connection with her was through Ye Nuanxin. He still hoped the two wouldn’t fall out.

So he spoke up, “You two are best friends. This is really hurting your friendship. If Nuanxin did something wrong, Xiang Yu, you can say it out loud. I can help you analyze it.”

Ye Nuanxin said nothing, tears welling up more deeply, her expression full of grievance.

This only made Xiang Yu seem even colder and more heartless. Several classmates eavesdropping nearby looked at her with disapproval.

The school beauty was indeed pretty, but her character was terrible. If a friend offended her even slightly, she would retaliate mercilessly and break off the friendship without hesitation. People like her were dangerous to be close to.

Xiang Yu had endured far worse online bullying in her previous life; a little childish drama didn’t faze her at all.

She sneered at Chen Ze, “What are you playing at, acting like a big deal? Want to be a peacemaker? Do you even have the qualifications? Do you and I even know each other?”

Chen Ze’s face turned pale and flushed repeatedly.

He never expected Xiang Yu to suddenly become so sharp-tongued and caustic.

Ye Nuanxin couldn’t stand seeing her crush being insulted by Xiang Yu and rose indignantly, “Xiang Yu, how dare you speak to Chen Ze like that? He’s the one you like—you told me yourself. Are you liking someone else now, that’s why you’re treating Chen Ze like this?”

Half true, half false words, spoken with full emotion and expression.

In the past life, gentle and obedient Xiang Yu would never have been a match for this. The blame for being fickle and heartless would have fallen squarely on her!