140. Reading—What Good Is It, Anyway? (Six-Plus Imperial Jades)

Seeing the surprise on Lin Xia's face, You Xin felt a gentle, tingling warmth ripple through his heart.

She had always been composed. If the news hadn't completely caught her off guard and if she hadn't held him in her heart, she never would have lost her usual poise.

With this thought, the smile on his face grew even more tender, reaching all the way to the depths of his eyes.

"My parents bought a house in City B long ago and have been urging me to move over there. I couldn't bear to leave this place, and I couldn't bear to leave all of you, which is why I dragged it out until now. But yesterday my father called and issued an ultimatum, so I finally decided to move. As you said yourself, this place is remote and it's hard to achieve much development here; the big cities are undoubtedly better, and my parents naturally have the same considerations."

"Indeed. Water flows downwards, while people strive to go higher. I should have understood that from the beginning." Clutching her glass, Lin Xia's tone carried a hint of wistful desolation.

"There is no banquet in this world that never ends. Didn't you already figure it out when you saw that friend of yours in Xishui Town the other day? You and they are no longer people of the same world. In the future, you will each follow your own life trajectories; why add unnecessary trouble to your mind?"

Lin Xia smiled. "I naturally know that, I just couldn't wrap my head around it for a moment. Thank you for your guidance." With that, she stood up, flipped through the books, and said, "I'll only borrow one of these books for now; I wouldn't finish the rest anyway. Whenever you are leaving, I'll come over and return it to you."

You Xin smiled. "It should be soon, within the next couple of days."

"So soon?"

You Xin nodded. "There isn't much to take anyway. I'll just pack a couple of changes of clothes and bring these books along."

Lin Xia glanced around the room and smiled. "Moving all these books will be quite a massive project. Why not just buy some new ones when you get to City B?"

You Xin chuckled. "It's not really a matter of money. I'm just too used to these books—they have my own notes and thoughts written in the margins. I wouldn't be comfortable using new ones."

Being a book lover herself, Lin Xia nodded upon hearing this. "That is very true."

The two chatted idly for a bit longer. Lin Xia checked the clock on the wall. "It's getting late, I should be heading back."

You Xin nodded. "I'll walk you."

After seeing Lin Xia safely home, You Xin finally sat down with Uncle Lin to discuss the various arrangements for returning to the capital.

Once the details were mostly settled, Uncle Lin looked at You Xin before him and said earnestly, "Young Master, don't blame me for speaking out of turn. Although young Miss Xia Xia is a fine girl, the Old Master is absolutely never going to consent. And then there's the hurdle of the Master and Madam; I hear Madam has already picked out a young lady for you to marry—she's the niece from Madam's side of the family. So you really ought to..."

"I know. Don't pester me about it. Just let me have some peace and quiet."

"Then I'll take my leave first."

Bowing to You Xin, Uncle Lin slowly backed out of the room.

Just as he reached the study door, You Xin's emotionless voice rang out from behind him, "Uncle Lin, I don't want the family to know of Xia Xia's existence. She doesn't know anything about this. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

With You Xin having expressed this stance, Lin Xia found herself accepting Chen Qing's suggestion deep down, leaning more and more toward the idea of moving. Moreover, she was about to start a new web novel, so whenever she chatted with the elderly Lin couple, she occasionally dropped hints to that effect.

For instance, she mentioned how inconvenient it was to sign contracts back and forth, or how subpar the educational standards were around here. Very few students managed to get into Tsinghua or Peking University each year, and she wondered what kind of universities she and Lin Hui would be able to test into in the future.

These words planted seeds of doubt in the minds of Father Lin and Mother Lin. The daughter would probably be fine, but the son's grades were somewhat precarious. He had always hovered outside the top hundred in the school—what on earth would they do when college entrance exams came around? It certainly wasn't right to expect his older sister to support him as a younger brother for the rest of his life.

Yet, they didn't know a single soul in City B. What if they got scammed? And after moving there, they wouldn't even know their way around. What would they rely on for a living? A whole family had to eat and drink, and they couldn't always rely on their daughter to support them, especially since she was only a sixteen-year-old girl.

Lin Xia wanted to move away because Rongcheng was simply too small, and those formidable figures at school might sooner or later cross paths with her again. She had no wish to be dragged into their struggles, which forced her hand regarding the move. However, migrating an entire household was no minor matter; it required long-term planning and couldn't be done on a whim.

Ever since Chen Qing had revealed Yingxue's background to Lin Xia, Xie Xitong, Sun Xiaoxiao, and Zhao Qian had all tacitly avoided mentioning her. Everyone seemed to steer clear of associating with such a figure, almost as if they were deliberately choosing not to speak of her at all.

At first, Lin Xia found it a bit strange, but upon second thought, she understood.

Xie Xitong went without saying—her family had their own sources of information. Sun Xiaoxiao and Zhao Qian naturally had their channels too. This favored daughter of the heavens was simply not someone these local heavyweights could afford to provoke!

A few days later, You Xin indeed departed.

He left in such a hurry that even Xie Xitong and the others had no idea. They only found out when Uncle Lin came to the school to process his withdrawal procedures and pack up his desk.

Although Lin Xia didn't know the exact day he was leaving, she had been given a heads-up beforehand, so she wasn't as shocked as the other three girls.

Because of his hurried departure, that book ultimately hadn't been returned to him.

When she offered to hand it over to Uncle Lin, he merely told her that all the books from the study had already been shipped away, and she could simply return this one to You Xin in person whenever she eventually moved to City B, adding that Ah Xin wasn't in any rush to use it right now.

Classes resumed at two in the afternoon. That day, just as Lin Xia and Xie Xitong reached the hallway, they heard a commotion coming from inside the classroom.

"You'd better pack your things and get out of my sight right now—no, take this damn disgusting desk of yours with you too! I can't stay here for even another second. Get your ass to the back row," a tall male student with a somewhat wretched appearance roared furiously at the female student beside him.

"Are you even a girl at all? You're filthy day in and day out! If you don't have money to buy clothes, don't you even have water to wash them? For God's sake, you've worn the exact same outfit for a whole week. I seriously can't take it anymore. I'd rather share a desk with a prehistoric monster than sit next to you. Talk about hitting the ultimate streak of bad luck."

Seated slightly ahead and to the side, a petite female student was squatting on the floor, picking up her scattered books. Her long, greasy, and yellowish hair obscured her face, making her features indistinguishable.

Hearing the boy shout that she hadn't changed her clothes in a full week, the entire class erupted into a murmur of shock.

Although the weather had turned somewhat chilly, people still took a daily shower to wake themselves up; otherwise, they would constantly feel sticky and grimy.

As for why no one else had noticed that the girl hadn't changed her clothes, the credit had to go to the school itself. The pressure in the elite classes was far greater than in the regular classes; who had the idle time to mind other people's business?

When Lin Xia and Xie Xitong walked back to their seats, Xie Xitong leaned over and whispered, "Hey, what's her name? She looks so unfamiliar. Do we really have someone like that in our class?"

"Her name is Wang Fang. She rarely speaks, so she doesn't have much of a presence. Her grades are quite good, though—consistently in the top five of the class," Lin Xia whispered back into her ear.

"Should we go help her? She looks rather pathetic."

Lin Xia held her back. "Let's observe for a moment. Wait and see."

She had seen too many people overflowing with gratitude when receiving charity in their hour of need, only to turn around and prove ungrateful once the crisis had passed. What was more, Wang Fang came from an impoverished background. As the saying went, poverty breeds a fragile pride; the poorer people were, the stronger their self-esteem tended to be.

You might think you were kindly helping her, but she wouldn't see it as help. Instead, she might feel that you were pitying her from a position of condescension, making you even more detestable than those standing by to watch the spectacle and mock her. People of this sort were the typical villains or brainless side characters often found in novels, and getting close to them only invited being bitten back later.

Look at how many people were in the classroom. Not a single person had stepped forward to fight her battles—why should they stick their necks out as targets?

Wang Fang finished gathering her books and sat back down in her seat.

She kept her head lowered, hiding her expression from view. But for any girl, being treated this way by a male classmate had to be unbearable.

Seeing that the boy treated his words as mere wind past his ears, his anger flared even higher. With a sweep of his long arm, he gave her neatly stacked pile of books another slap, sending them crashing to the floor once more. "I'm talking to you, you dead dinosaur! What absolute garbage luck I've had to end up stuck with you."

Everyone else was watching the show, yet not a single soul was willing to stand up for the girl. It was clear the boy had issues, but the girl was probably no prize either.

Otherwise, how could there not even be one person willing to speak up on her behalf?

Wang Fang still didn't say a word, keeping her head stubbornly bowed and offering no resistance.

Seeing that the guy was about to throw another fit, the newly appointed vice monitor, Zhao Qiang, tried to play the peacemaker. "Zhao Guofu, let it go. What's the point of losing your temper with a girl? It's beneath a guy's dignity."

"Pah! People are practically suffocating from the stench, and you're talking about dignity? If you care so much about dignity, let's swap seats. You can sit with her! Anyway, I don't want to stay in the same space as her for another second. She's sour and stinking—I honestly can't wrap my head around how she manages to stay alive," Zhao Guofu retorted angrily.

As soon as Zhao Guofu finished speaking, those who had intended to act as peacemakers but couldn't stand the thought any longer promptly shut their mouths and fell silent. The truth was that Wang Fang's personal hygiene was simply atrocious. On such a warm day, sitting right next to her meant no one would have any energy left to study!

Hearing their exchange, Wang Fang's body gave a visible shudder, stiffening up instantly, though she still kept her head down. With her sharp eyes, Lin Xia caught sight of a droplet slipping down from the front of Wang Fang's shirt—it was a tear.

"Whoever is willing to swap seats with me, I'll treat them to dinner tonight." Seeing that everyone fell silent, and realizing that bullying such a helpless girl was getting him nowhere—plus, it hadn't been his original intention anyway, as he merely wanted a new seat—Zhao Guofu rolled his eyes and shouted out.

Immediately, someone chimed in with a tease: "Guofu, a single meal probably won't cut it."

"Yeah, at least a whole week's worth of meals."

The boys started hooting and hollering, while the girls began pointing and whispering with amused smiles.

"What are you all making such a racket for?" An abrupt, pampered voice rang out sharply from the doorway. Everyone spun around in unison to see Qin Yingxue standing at the entrance, her attire bright and immaculate, frowning as she looked inside. "Class is about to start, and instead of previewing your lessons properly, you're all gathered here making a spectacle of yourselves—what kind of behavior is that? And as for you lot, when a classmate is in trouble, instead of stepping up to help, you stand around taking pleasure in others' misfortune and watching from the sidelines. Is that how you act as classmates? Get back to your seats right now."

Striking first with her words, she left everyone present completely speechless.

She radiated authority, truly possessing the aura of a queen. No wonder she had managed to serve as class monitor from childhood up until now; what kind of man could possibly tame a woman like this in the future?

Looking at Qin Yingxue—wearing a light blue striped blouse, khaki slim-fit casual trousers, and a pair of low-heeled shoes—Lin Xia thought to herself with a hint of boredom.

Qin Yingxue cast a dissatisfied glance at the vice monitor, Zhao Qiang, before turning to the standing Zhao Guofu. "Pack up your things. I'm swapping with you."

Seeing that exquisite face, Zhao Guofu's broad square face flushed crimson. He stammered, "How could I possibly... She, no, this Wang Fang has such a strong smell on her, I'm afraid it might offend you, Madam Monitor."

Qin Yingxue shot him a chilling glance. "I said we're swapping. Do I need to repeat myself a second time?"

Zhao Guofu shuddered and fawned, "I'll pack right now, I'll pack right now."

While the two of them were talking, Lin Xia looked over at Wang Fang, who was sitting quietly with her head lowered. Her hair was dry and yellowish, and through the gaps where her hair fell forward, her complexion could be seen—pale and sallow, clearly the result of long-term malnutrition.

Her pale hands were clenched tightly into fists, trembling slightly every now and then.

She wore an outer jacket; sitting too far away, Lin Xia couldn't catch the strange odor Zhao Guofu had complained about, but the cuffs of her jacket were polished smooth to a shine, clearly the result of not having been washed for a very long time.

When Lin Hui's jacket went unwashed for a week, it looked just like that.

During one's student days, it was far too easy to judge people by their appearance. Those shining, glamorous individuals were the objects of everyone's adoration, even if their words were arrogant and their personalities domineering.

Hadn't she, in her past life, been just like Wang Fang—forever cowering in a corner, silently watching everyone else?

No, she had perhaps been even worse off than Wang Fang.

At the very least, Wang Fang was willing to work hard, to strive, and to study diligently.

Zhao Guofu finished packing his belongings, and with the help of her desk-mate, Qin Yingxue's things were also gathered up. The two of them swapped seats.

Lin Xia distinctly noticed that as Qin Yingxue walked past Wang Fang's desk, her pristine brow wrinkled unconsciously.

It seemed that odor really was quite extraordinary indeed!

Having the male student in front help move her books onto the desk, Qin Yingxue didn't sit down immediately; instead, she tapped her fingers against Wang Fang's desktop and said, "You, come outside with me for a moment."

Qin Yingxue was the class monitor, and her words could not be ignored. Wang Fang kept her head down, her shoulders slumped as she followed behind Qin Yingxue and walked out.

No one knew what the two of them discussed, but by the time afternoon dismissal rolled around, neither of them had returned to class, and the subject teachers hadn't pressed the matter either.

The next day, everyone was astonished to find that Wang Fang had changed into a completely new set of clothes. She looked much neater and more refreshed, and most crucially, her outfit looked superior to what the majority of the class wore.

This secretly stirred a sense of resentment among the other girls in the class—who knew what kind of blind luck this dinosaur had stumbled into, causing the class monitor to help her out to this extent?

Clothes make the man, and saddles make the horse. Once she changed her attire, everyone was amazed to discover that Wang Fang wasn't actually ugly at all; in fact, she looked quite delicate.

With a small, palm-sized face, skin whiter than that of ordinary girls, a quiet demeanor, and top-tier grades, once she cleaned up her appearance, everyone began treating her with much greater kindness.

Having been sensitive since childhood, Wang Fang naturally sensed these shifts in attitude.

Looking at Qin Yingxue's otherworldly face, a complex storm brewed within her heart. She had studied bitterly for more than a decade, working part-time and studying through scorching summers and freezing winters without rest, yet she couldn't match the casual weight of a few words from someone else.

Heaven was truly unfair, gathering all good things into a single person.

What meaning was there for people like them to go on living?

She couldn't help recalling a joke Lin Xia had once told Xie Xitong. Sitting too far away, she hadn't caught the details. In truth, even if she had managed to hear it, she wouldn't have spared the time to listen—she simply didn't have the luxury of such time.

She only remembered the final remark that had later spread like wildfire through the entire class: "Studying is utterly useless."