Chapter 10: Making Amends
Making friendly overtures
Qing Tian carried her plate and walked towards the empty seats around, but at this time, the crowd was dense, and since she arrived late, there were basically no seats left.
Looking left and right, there were scattered people sitting around. In the distance, a person in white clothes was waving at her. When she saw clearly, her heart skipped a beat. After leaving with Xia Yang that day, was he very angry?
She heard him call her: “Qing Tian, over here….”
Feeling guilty, she pretended not to see him and continued to look around.
The moment she turned her head, Ji Xiangyu’s heart was lightly cut by a knife, hurting him unintentionally! It wasn’t the first time she had rejected him.
She walked haphazardly to another corner of the canteen, which was mostly full. The only empty seat was occupied by Xia Yang’s group.
Seeing Qing Tian standing there, he smirked and said to his subordinate: “Still not clearing a seat!”
The subordinates quickly cleared the seat next to Xia Yang and respectfully said to Qing Tian: “Sister-in-law, please sit!”
Everyone else chimed in: “Hello, Sister-in-law!”
This shout attracted the attention of the students eating, and upon hearing the term “Sister-in-law,” Qing Tian raised an eyebrow and called out to Xia Yang: “Big Brother….”
This one word, “Big Brother,” almost choked the subordinates. The one with short hair, Huzi, awkwardly said: “When did Big Brother recognize Qing Tian as his sister?”
Xia Yang pointed to the seat next to him, signaling Qing Tian to sit down. Qing Tian obeyed and sat next to him, starting to eat!
Huzi and his group were still standing nearby, looking at Qing Tian, who was eating calmly, with disbelief!
How could their Big Brother have a sister without them knowing?
Xia Yang said in a good mood: “Why are you standing around? Aren’t you eating?”
Everyone else finally reacted, looking at Qing Tian and Xia Yang with expressions full of things to say!
Xia Yang’s words of protection for Qing Tian from last time still echoed in their ears!
As Xia Yang was finishing his meal, he said: “From now on, Qing Tian is my person, Xia Yang’s. If any of you bully her, it’s equivalent to bullying me. You don’t need me to tell you the consequences of bullying me, right?”
Huzi, not being sensible, asked: “Big Brother, that, isn’t she a sister?”
Qing Tian smiled as she ate, a faint smile. But when she looked up, she saw Ji Xiangyu, who was clearing his tray. He happened to look over too. Their eyes met, and Qing Tian guiltily lowered her head, swallowing the words she wanted to say!
She ate her meal listlessly! The atmosphere suddenly became strange.
The subordinates, seeing a woman next to their Big Brother, were all excited and asked her many questions!
All their questions were met with Qing Tian’s silence.
Xia Yang then said with satisfaction: “Whether it’s sister or sister-in-law, Qing Tian is one of us from now on, understand?”
Huzi, being gossipy, asked: “So is she a sister-in-law or a sister, or both?”
After he finished speaking, everyone laughed. Qing Tian, sitting next to Xia Yang, looked up and said to Xia Yang: “Big Brother, I’m done eating, I’m going back first!”
Xia Yang also stood up, took Qing Tian’s hand, and said to his subordinates: “Clean up!”
With that, he broke away from the others and swaggered out of the canteen with Qing Tian!
The women in the canteen looked at Qing Tian with envious and resentful eyes.
Qin Hailan, sitting not far away, clenched her chopsticks tightly. If she had applied any more force, the chopsticks would have undoubtedly broken!
Her good sister, Haimei, said angrily: “Isn’t this woman too arrogant? Everyone knows that Xia Yang is the one Sister Lan has her eyes on!”
Er Niu, standing beside them, also asked indignantly: “Why don’t we teach her a lesson? How dare she try to steal our Sister Lan’s man!”
Haimei also egged her on, saying: “Sister Lan, your sisters will deal with that slut!”
Qin Hailan raised her chopsticks and stopped them, saying: “Don’t get angry. This woman isn’t suitable for a direct approach….” She then looked meaningfully in the direction Qing Tian and Xia Yang had just left!
The sisters beside her said, somewhat understanding but not fully: “Oh…..”
The third period in the afternoon was physical education. Qing Tian sat under the shade of the trees by the football field, watching others play. It was such a pleasant moment, but an unwelcome guest arrived.
Qin Hailan, with three sisters, carrying beverages, sat down next to her. Qing Tian pretended not to see them and got up to leave! Since they wanted to occupy her spot, she would just leave!
Qin Hailan shouted loudly: “Qing Tian, don’t go too far!”
Qing Tian looked at Qin Hailan questioningly and asked: “How have I gone too far? If you want to stay here, I’ll give it to you!”
Qin Hailan took a deep breath, her lips curling up dismissively. She stiffly pushed the beverage in her hand into Qing Tian’s hand, her eyes sharp as she looked at Qing Tian, and her tone laced with a hint of a smile as she spoke into Qing Tian’s ear: “Do you know what I like most about you?”
Qing Tian’s eyes widened, her gaze unfocused as she looked at Qin Hailan, waiting for an answer!
Qin Hailan said with self-mockery: “You’re cold enough!”
Qing Tian seemed to disagree, raising an eyebrow and asking: “How would you know?”
Seeing that Qing Tian was finally willing to talk to her, Qin Hailan pressed her advantage: “That’s not entirely true. Anyway, I’m warning you, you and Xia Yang both have cold hearts. You two are only suitable as friends, not as lovers. Moreover, Xia Yang will only be my man, Qin Hailan’s, in this life! In terms of family background, he and I are well-matched…..”
Qing Tian directly interrupted Qin Hailan and continued: “Miss Qin, I won’t fight for him, and I don’t need to use any methods. Xia Yang is right there. Who he sees in his eyes, I don’t think you can control that, can you?”
Qin Hailan bit her lip, suppressing the emotion about to erupt. She clenched her fist and pointed her index finger straight at Qing Tian, gritting her teeth: “You’ve got guts!”
With that, she left with the others, turning back to give Qing Tian a fierce look before leaving!
Qing Tian continued to sit under the shade of the trees, unaffected!
A moment later, Song Shishi ran up to her and said: “Sister Qing, it’s bad, it’s bad….”
Qing Tian asked in confusion: “What’s wrong?”
Song Shishi said, out of breath: “Grandfather, Grandfather, Grandfather he….he……..”
Hearing that it was about her grandfather, Qing Tian became anxious: “Speak properly, take your time!”
Song Shishi’s sister also ran up to them and spoke for Song Shishi: “Sister Qing, Grandpa Song is hospitalized!”
Upon hearing this, Qing Tian immediately grabbed Song Shishi and ran towards the main entrance!
As they reached the doorway, they saw Xia Yang and another student waiting on a motorcycle. Seeing Qing Tian come out, he said: “Get on!”
Qing Tian looked at Song Shishi, who was still stunned, and immediately pushed her, saying: “Hurry up and get on!”
Then she got on behind Xia Yang. The moment he hit the throttle, they were gone!
Song Shishi said with a face full of questions: “What’s going on?”
Huzi chuckled and said: “Miss Song, hurry up and get on!”
Song Shishi looked at Huzi with disgust, and reluctantly got on the motorcycle. Before she could even get settled, the motorcycle sped off!
