The bad value system is measuring values.

Chapter 191 Violence

The next day at school, Qiao Xiao was surprised to find Zhang Lingwan watching her from afar. Instead of approaching as usual, Zhang Lingwan gave her a deep look and then turned away, as if she had some unspeakable secret on her mind.

This sudden estrangement left Qiao Xiao feeling slightly disappointed. She had originally planned to face and handle their entanglement herself, but Zhong Huanli's early intervention made the process less dramatic and less turbulent.

The moment Qiao Xiao stepped into the classroom, she immediately sensed an unusual atmosphere, as if all eyes were on her.

She thought to herself, "Hmm? What's going on this time?"

Qiao Xiao calmly walked to her seat, ignoring everything around her. This was what she did best, wasn't it?

Sitting in her seat, her thoughts drifted back to the days of isolation, an experience that still haunted her. Back then, she was weak, helpless, and foolish, relying solely on those who were kind to her as pillars to pull her out of the shadows.

Thinking of this, she missed Zhong Huanli even more.

He's so outstanding. If he really falls for someone else, what right do I have to compete? Do I even have a place in his heart?

Qiao Xiao has no interest in anything else. The only thing she still cares about in this world is Zhong Huanli, not even her father. But Qiao Xiao is genuinely grateful to him, so even if she can't let go, she will never do anything reckless.

Unbeknownst to her, Qiao Xiao wrote Zhong Huanli's name on the page of the book.

At that moment, Lu Zi stepped into the classroom. She went straight to Qiao Xiao's side, threw her backpack onto Qiao Xiao's desk with a "thud," and then held onto the edge of the desk with both hands.

Qiao Xiao was speechless. Oh dear, this problem didn't seem to be solved. She then casually closed the book and sat back down.

"Why haven't you sent me your brother's contact information yet?"

She seemed unaffected by Qiao Xiao's words, firmly believing that she liked Zhong Huanli. After all, who wouldn't fall in love at first sight with such a near-perfect male god? Qiao Xiao's words were so deceptive that she was speechless at the time and didn't know how to refute them.

"He doesn't want to add me, what can I do? Not all siblings are as close as you imagine. Let me reiterate, we never interfere in each other's personal relationships. Besides, my brother has clearly stated that his studies are his priority at this stage, didn't you understand?"

Qiao Xiao was trying her best to suppress her emotions as she spoke.

Lu Zi looked down at Qiao Xiao with disdain in her eyes. "Hmph, very well, you're just afraid I'll steal your brother away, aren't you?" Then, she leaned close to Qiao Xiao's ear and whispered harshly, "Don't you just like incest?"

Qiao Xiao instinctively stepped back, avoiding Lu Zi's approach, and then looked at her blankly, "What are you saying? I don't understand."

"Heh, pretending to be confused, huh? I've already shared your 'masterpiece' with the whole class, do you understand now?" Lu Zi's voice was loud enough to penetrate the crowd, making sure everyone present could hear it clearly.

Qiao Xiao felt a surge of annoyance at Lu Zi's high-pitched voice, which felt like a sharp blade slicing through her ears. She deliberately avoided Lu Zi's gaze, instead leisurely turning the pages of her book and casually asking, "Novel? Which one? Did you write it? Why didn't I receive it?"

"Fine, so you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin, is that it?" Lu Zi was furious.

Qiao Xiao's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Admit what? You've completely confused me."

Lu Zi was completely enraged by Qiao Xiao's indifferent attitude. She grabbed a book and threw it at Qiao Xiao. The pages, like sharp blades, struck Qiao Xiao's cheek hard. Qiao Xiao's originally delicate face instantly swelled up, and a bruise appeared in the center.

Qiao Xiao gently touched her injured cheek, her eyes turning icy cold. She slowly stood up and slapped Lu Zi with all her might, the force of which was no less than Lu Zi's attack. In her heart, she silently thought, "No one can touch the bodies that Zhong Ba and Zhong Huanli have worked so hard to recover from."

Those around were so frightened by the sudden violence that they fell silent, not daring to even breathe.

Qiao Xiao stood up, slightly taller than Lu Zi. She looked at the disheveled Lu Zi and said with a wicked smile, "What are you surprised about? Did you think I wouldn't fight back?"

After saying that, she sat down again, took out some ointment from her bag, and carefully applied it to the wound.

Lu Zi glared at Qiao Xiao and said through gritted teeth, "You'd better remember this!" Then, she picked up her schoolbag and stormed back to her seat.

Qiao Xiao felt a bit tired. She deeply understood the meaning of the word "boring" from Lu Zi's behavior, and a sense of powerlessness rose in her heart. "What a boring NPC."

She uttered these words softly, even surprising herself. Her thoughts drifted back to the moment she first met Zhong Huanli, and she was lost in those memories.

She really couldn't live without him anymore.

When it was time for morning reading, the students filed in, whispering among themselves and sharing everything that had happened that morning.

Soon, the teacher entered the classroom, and with her gentle voice, she announced the passage for today's dictation. Instantly, the whispers were replaced by a unified recitation.

As the morning reading session came to an end, Qiao Xiao quickly found a secluded corner, pressed the call button on her electronic watch, and reconnected with Zhong Huanli.

The call was answered instantly. "What's wrong, Xiaoxiao?"

"Brother, where are you going for lunch today?"

You wanted to come find me?

"Yeah, I want to stay with you. Lu Zi acted a bit crazy this morning, and I'm a little scared."

"Okay, I'll come to your place at noon, and we'll keep in touch by phone."

"it is good."

"Call me immediately if anything happens."

"Okay, I'm hanging up now, class is about to start."

Qiao Xiao's worries were not unfounded. Although she was mentally invincible, she was not so physically capable. She had only recently recovered and had only started physical training recently.

However, the pressure of high school studies is great, and she doesn't have enough time to exercise, so her self-protection ability is still insufficient.

Lu Zi didn't make any other moves all morning, which made Qiao Xiao breathe a sigh of relief.

Finally, noon arrived, and Qiao Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. She slowly stood up and prepared to leave the classroom.

Just as she was about to step out of the classroom, she caught a glimpse of a small group out of the corner of her eye. It was Lu Zi leading a group of girls, and they were standing right at the bottom of the stairs.

Qiao Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition welled up in her heart. She tried her best to remain calm and walked towards the stairwell as if nothing had happened.

When she walked up to the group of girls, she could feel their gazes on her back, but she still gritted her teeth and continued to walk forward, one step, two steps... Finally, she successfully walked across the stairwell without being stopped.

Qiao Xiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but she didn't dare to turn around, afraid that Lu Zi and the others would notice her nervousness. She quickened her pace and hurried downstairs, only slowing down slightly after she had left the teaching building.

Finally reaching the school gate, Qiao Xiao stopped and took out her phone to make a call. Just then, she seemed to hear the same phone ringing from the other side of the street. She looked up and saw a figure standing on the street corner, wearing a baseball cap and looking very inconspicuous.

Despite the distance, Qiao Xiao recognized the person at a glance—it was Zhong Huanli. He was tall, and even with a hat on, his handsomeness was undeniable.

Qiao Xiao tidied her hair a little, deliberately using a few strands to cover her injured area, and then walked quickly toward Zhong Huanli.

Zhong Huanli kept his head down. When Qiao Xiao walked up to him, he could tell it was her just by looking at her lower body. Without saying a word, he took her hand and quickly left the school gate.

They strolled hand in hand down the street, as if time itself stood still for them. Zhong Huanli stood beside Qiao Xiao, positioned precisely on the side where she wasn't injured. He would occasionally raise his head slightly, gazing at Qiao Xiao with gentle, watery eyes, and softly ask her how her day had been.

Finally, they arrived at a restaurant. Zhong Huanli went straight to the counter to order, while Qiao Xiao chose a relatively secluded corner to sit down and quietly waited for him to return.

Not long after, Zhong Huanli came over with a tray. He walked to his seat, quickly took off his baseball cap, and his handsome face was displayed to Qiao Xiao without reservation, like sunlight breaking through the clouds.

However, in that instant, Zhong Huanli's smile suddenly froze. His gaze fell on Qiao Xiao's face, and the extremely obvious red mark made his expression instantly turn extremely gloomy.

"What happened to you!" He stood up abruptly, his eyes trembling as he stared at the injuries on Qiao Xiao's face, his voice shaking as he questioned, "Who did this!"

His face was filled with shock, heartache, and self-blame, as if he had inflicted the wound himself.

Zhong Huanli, who usually speaks softly, completely lost control of his voice at this moment. His roar echoed in the restaurant, attracting the attention of those around him.

His eyes gradually welled up with tears, the red hue seeming to reflect the burning pain deep within his heart. He stared intently at her, tears welling in his eyes as if they might spill over at any moment.

With trembling hands, he gently placed the baseball cap on her head, as if the cap could shield her from all her sorrow and pain.

His voice choked with emotion as he said, "I'm sorry, my eyes are ruined, I only just noticed... Let's go somewhere else, let's not stay here, I'll have the manager pack it up right now."

Zhong Huanli silently wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, trying his best to look less disheveled. He slowly walked to the front desk and said to the owner in a calm tone, "Could you please pack this up for us?"

Qiao Xiao kept her head down, not daring to look at Zhong Huanli. Her mental defenses completely collapsed at this moment. She could have dodged Lu Zi's attack, but she didn't. Her purpose was to let Zhong Huanli see the injury on her face, to let him know everything, and to make him hate Lu Zi.

But, but, it was because of me that he cried.

Qiao Xiao's tears fell uncontrollably, and a wave of guilt surged through her heart. "I am such a selfish person. I never think from his perspective. I always forget that my actions cause him pain. I am the most deserving person in the world."

In less than a minute, Zhong Huanli, carrying their lunch, quickly walked to Qiao Xiao's side, gently took her hand, and tenderly led her away from where she stood.