C3.2
Shi Tingting’s expression was slightly ugly, and she turned around to look at Zhao Yinqing, who was obediently listening to the teacher. What kind of situation was this? She herself wasn’t even able to solve that question, so how was Zhao Yinqing able to solve it? Her brain obviously wasn’t even half as good as her own.
After class, Zhao Yinqing constantly turned around to glance at Dou Na.
Finally deciding to reward her, Dou Na looked up from her studying and asked, “What is it?”
Zhao Yinqing smiled and quietly said, “It’s nothing, thanks for earlier.”
Dou Na pursed her lips. Although she knew that Zhao Yinqing’s grades were bad, and that before she’d been the kind of person that laid about all day not studying, recently she’d actually been rather focused and hardworking. She couldn’t say anything about the results of that studying, but Dou Na had recognised that bout of determination.
If her seatmate felt like learning properly, then it wasn’t wrong of her to help out a little, wasn’t it?
Dou Na replied, “If you don’t know anything from now on just ask me. When I have time I’ll teach you.”
Surprised, Zhao Yinqing widened her eyes before rushing to thank her.
Afterwards, Zhao Yinqing and Dou Na got along pretty well. Nevertheless, the two weren’t very familiar, and when Dou Na was busy with her own things, she wouldn’t bother her.
Like this, the clock quickly fast forwarded to the time of the monthly examination. The exam rooms were arranged according to their previous results, so Zhao Yinqing was placed in Classroom 8, and there were only a bunch of layabouts around her.
Before, their entire group of future school dropouts had gotten along really well, but now it felt more like she was opposing them.
She was sitting alone as though she were being quarantined, but it was alright, this body of hers had a 26 year-old soul that could care less about getting along with them.
“Wei, Zhao Yinqing, what ranking are you aiming for this time?”
Someone else said, “Is your goal to enter the top ten?”
Some people couldn’t help but laugh at this, and another joked, “What’s so funny about that? This person has already started hanging around all those good students, it’d be pretty normal for her to rise a bit in the rankings.”
Only Shi Tingting knew that this person was still that dumb flower vase of before, but she still pretended to be nice and said, “What are all of you talking about? Yinqing has been studying till late at night at home, would you be able to say the same about yourselves?”
“Wah! Studying till so late ah, my god, it’s not just the top ten, maybe it’ll be the top three!” Everyone laughed.
Zhao Yinqing was memorising words with a small notebook that she could carry around. In a flash, she pocketed the little book and got up to walk towards the group, her gaze meaningful.
Stopping beside Shi Tingting, she leaned down next to her ear and said, “Do you want to start relying on somebody else’s charity to live again? I don’t mind sweeping the two of you out of my house.”
Shi Tingting’s face stiffened, and there was obvious panic and fear in her eyes. How could she have forgotten? Zhao Zhengyang spoiled his daughter very much, and she herself was reliant on this Zhao family to survive, but now she’d actually gone and insulted the precious little miss of that family.
A burst of cold sweat appeared on her back.
Zhao Yinqing stood back up, eyes cold, and said to her, “Next time, don’t meddle in my business.”
Then, she left the classroom to go to the toilet.
The circle of students was quiet for a while, before someone spoke up disdainfully. “Che, what nonsense. Tingting, what did she say to you, did she threaten you?”
Shi Tingting turned her head with an ugly expression, saying, “Never mind, leave her alone. Let’s think about how to conquer this exam instead.”
At night, seeing her bad expression, Zhuo Zhiying called Shi Tingting over to ask about what had happened. Hearing her recount the day’s events, Zhuo Zhiying’s face dropped and she snorted coldly. “Heng, relying on other people’s charity? I’ll make her experience what it’s truly like to be living on someone else’s goodwill.”
“Our last names are also not Zhao, so it’s not like she was wrong.”
Zhuo Zhiying turned and looked at her only daughter’s wronged expression, before she lightly stroked her face, warmly saying, “Remember. Even if we aren’t surnamed Zhao, everything in this house will eventually be ours. This will happen sooner or later.”
Later, in the luxurious master bedroom.
Zhao Zhengyang laid on the bed, with Zhuo Zhiying resting on his chest, half covered by the blanket. The atmosphere was faintly ambiguous, and the air was filled with the scent of love.
The best time to strike was exactly after these kinds of bedroom activities.
Zhuo Zhiying glanced at Zhao Zhengyang, whose face was filled with satisfaction, and opened her mouth. “Tingting hasn’t been feeling very good these days.”
Zhao Zhengyang let out an “en”, and casually took the bait. “What’s wrong?”
“It seems that the two girls quarrelled. Before this they’ve always been going in and out together, and got along quite well.”
Zhao Zhengyang replied, “Isn’t it still the same now?”
“Now they still go in and out in the same car, but Tingting said that she’s tried to talk to Yinqing many times, but Yinqing keeps on ignoring her. I don’t know how Tingting managed to offend her. Although we’re staying here, and I don’t mind feeling a little wronged, but I don’t want Tingting to feel like this, after all she’s my only daughter.” The more she said, the more wronged Zhuo Zhiying seemed, as though she were about to cry. “I owe her far too much, I can’t not even be able to give her the most basic kind of lifestyle.”
Zhao Zhengyang patted her on the shoulder and coaxed her. “You’re thinking too much, maybe you’re actually wrong. Don’t think too much about the children’s affairs, they could suddenly become best friends again tomorrow.”
Zhuo Zhiying bit her lip and looked at his expression, before cautiously going on. “You’re always helping your daughter out.” Saying this, she started getting up to wash up.
Zhao Zhengyang stopped her. “Okay, okay, I get it. I’ll go and find her tomorrow to talk to her, and get her to lower her temper.”
Then, he lowered his head to kiss her shoulder, whispering, “You’re satisfied now?”
“Heng!”
“These days the project has been going well, I’ll give you some more money tomorrow to go find your friends and play so that you can feel better.”
It was only at this that Zhuo Zhiying finally showed a smile.
After the end of the monthly exams, the results would be released the next day along with the rankings.
Zhao Yinqing started at the bottom to find her own name. This time, she’d finally gotten out of the bottom ten, and was now above the eleventh-last name.
She’d managed to achieve some progress, although it wasn’t big, but it was still enough to make her satisfied. Face full of smiles, she then went to find Dou Na’s name, and of course managed to find her in the top three.
It was pretty normal, after all Dou Na was a top student.
Turning to her, she said, “Congratulations, you’re placed second.”
Dou Na frowned, her expression unhappy as she replied. “Why’s your ranking so low?”
“I think it’s still alright, after all I’ve improved, as long as I work harder it’ll get better.”
“With the amount of work you’ve been putting in, you should’ve at least risen by ten places.”
Zhao Yinqing hadn’t even opened her mouth to reply before someone laughed.
“Wah, Zhao Yinqing studied so hard, yet she’s rank 41.”
“Maybe now we can continue to play peacefully without worrying ah.”
“Hahaha, if I were half as hardworking as her, maybe not the top three, but at least I’d still be in the top half.”
“Yeah, I didn’t even do any work at all yet I still scored better than her.”
“Ah, the brain really works differently for every person.”
These cynics were all friends with Shi Tingting. Before, they’d also gotten along pretty well with Zhao Yinqing, and at that time she’d also found them alright, but now that she took another look at them, she realised that they were really just trash.
Dou Na frowned and glanced at her.
Zhao Yinqing only said, “It’s alright, let’s go, I need to memorise more words.”
TL Notes:
I feel like grade progression this time is. Very realistic. I mean, as a recently graduated student, I think with my current level of knowledge I also wouldn’t do too well in exams because I’m so out of practice (especially for maths. Ugh.) Much less someone who hasn’t studied high school knowledge for 10 years.
Recently I’ve been rewatching San Sheng San Shi (Eternal Love) on netflix and it’s just as good as usual. I am a total Ye Hua (post Susu-death) simp. My favs will always be Fengjiu and Donghua Dijun though so I’ll be watching Pillow Book after I finish this.
Stitchie Translators 
Her progress is realistic. Unless she was a super genius transmigrated into her current body. People improve bit by bit
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