207 Interrupted
He Jing was very popular. She received a basket of love letters every day. She did not know where the boys from the nearby schools had gotten their information. When free, they would climb the wall and peep into the school.
The boys from Yin High School were even more enthusiastic. There were even some who skipped class just to try and catch her eye, causing a scene outside her classroom. They were all caught, of course, and made to stand in the hallway as punishment. The more shameless few even said, "Teacher, please let us stand in the hallway outside of Grade Two Class Three."
How infuriating.
The boys were not even this frantic when she was crowned the school belle. Now, they were acting as if they had lost their minds.
When questioned, several of them likened the phenomenon to meeting a famous female celebrity in the entertainment industry. It was the difference between a movie queen and a small beauty pageant.
He Jing had always been beautiful. The only thing she lacked was a certain presence in the minds of her peers. Now that she had found a niche in the hearts of her male counterparts, her every action had become an aphrodisiac, drugging those she passed with the memory of that murderous gaze.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtPerhaps more ridiculous than the boys ogling her were the girls who trailed her like an entourage of imperial maids serving an empress. They all wanted to emulate He Jing.
Whether this was a blessing or a curse was up for debate. None of the girls were in the mood for love. All they wanted was to pester He Jing with questions, hoping to learn a few tips and tricks of the trade.
With He Jing's sharp uptick in popularity, the school awarded her the scholarship earlier than they had intended. It was safe to say that He Jing had created waves. The school hoped the student population would learn from her example. Indeed, the students descended into a huge learning craze with He Jing as the mascot.
It was a wonderful bonus.
Inspiring people in the way He Jing had was not something that money could buy.
The music video attracted plenty of investors for Yin High School. The funds they accumulated were immediately put to use, with the school drawing up plans to build a few more teaching buildings.
...
The next day, He Jing returned home from school to find many new appliances: an air conditioner, a refrigerator, and a new television.
He Xiaoguo was overjoyed. Enraptured by the cartoon playing on television, he stared, refusing to do his homework.
He Zhou was on the sofa. When He Jing returned, he sniffed disdainfully. What was so great about the new washing machine? Cheng Yi missed them so much that she bought them stuff.
"I'm back," He Jing said as she eyed the brand-new appliances one by one.
He Sui, who thought He Jing was unhappy, murmured, "We didn't ask her to buy them."
It went without saying who she referred to.
He Jing did not think much of it. Cheng Yi's choices were hers and hers alone. It was nice, however, to save some money. Changing the topic, she asked, "Where's Second Brother?"
He Sui pointed at the kitchen with the glass door closed.
Two figures were standing within.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHe did not know what they were talking about. He Sui grumbled unhappily, "They've been talking for over half an hour and are still not done. What a drag."
He Jing could already see it. A light seemed to shine above the secondary male lead and the actual female lead, their relationship rapidly advancing. "Fourth Brother, shall we go and listen in on their conversation?" she asked.
He Sui's mouth gaped, and he mumbled, "Wouldn't Second Brother get angry with us?"
He Jing returned the look and strode towards the kitchen, looking like a picture of calm.
He Zhou watched from where he sat, his expression clouding. However, he knew how close He Ning and Cheng Yi were and did not see a need to intervene. Heh, He Jing was asking to be humiliated!
Hence, He Jing arrived at the kitchen door uncontested and knocked. "Second Brother, are you done yet?" she asked. "It's my turn to cook today."
With He Jing's interruption, He Ning and Cheng Yi fell silent, making the atmosphere inside the kitchen awkward.
Cheng Yi clenched her fists, resentful but conscious enough not to show it. Why did He Jing have to appear now? Why not earlier or later? Why did she have to ruin everything? She was so close to swaying He Ning to her side!
He Ning shook free from the constraints of the strange atmosphere, quickly becoming conscious of their situation. He rubbed the space between his brows and answered, "Yes, we'll be out in a moment."
"Cheng Yi, since you have someone you like, you can't rely on Second Brother anymore. After all, we're not actually siblings. You should get your crush to help you move those electrical appliances back. The He family is poor, and we can't afford such luxuries."