Chapter 182: Thanks and Apology
In just a single class period, “Wei Xiao, the new transfer student from the neighboring Class Two,” had already shot to the top of Class Three’s “Hot Gossip Rankings.”
By the way, this ranking was self-created by Bao Qingsong, compiling all the gossip he’d gathered around school.
Bao Qingsong: [My emotional journey: random handsome guy I don’t know → class monitor’s fan → scumbag using the class monitor as a stepping stone into the student council.]
Song Yi: [At first I thought this guy had good taste—by the end, huh—ptui!]
Yao Shali: [Class monitor, don’t believe that guy. My gut says he’s not a good person.]
Ming Xiaolan: [Feels like a porcupine sneaked into the capybara class.]
Zhan Chuchen: [Don’t insult porcupines.]
Gu Qinghuan had no choice but to step in and clarify:
[Don’t worry, I never believed he was my fan in the first place.]
Everyone still wasn’t reassured. They kept reminding her to be careful, and even privately messaged Bao Qingsong:
Investigate! Thoroughly check what kind of person this Wei Xiao is!
Chief of the Gossip Intelligence Department, Bao Qingsong, immediately thumped his chest and promised: Leave it to me!
After replying to everyone’s concern, Gu Qinghuan opened Lin Zhulu’s message—and was a little surprised.
Other classmates had also told her to be careful, but since they didn’t know much about Wei Xiao, their tone carried some uncertainty.
Lin Zhulu was different. Her tone was extremely firm:
[None of the Wei family are good people. Stay alert.]
She said “Wei family,” not just “Wei Xiao.”
Gu Qinghuan thought for a moment and replied privately:
[What Wei family?]
Lin Zhulu responded quickly:
[Wei Xiao’s family. They just returned from abroad—not to be messed with. Given your family background, you should be careful.]
Oh? Gu Qinghuan raised an eyebrow. Lin Zhulu didn’t say much, but went straight to the point—clearly wanting to warn her without revealing too much.
She rubbed her chin and decided to cheat a little:
[System—]
The system was already used to it:
[What do you want to ask?]
Gu Qinghuan: [Does Lin Zhulu have any connection to the Wei family?]
Having completed three people’s tasks, she had already grasped the system’s pattern—future information couldn’t be disclosed, but past events and basic personal data could be revealed to a limited extent.
After weighing it, the system replied:
[She is the daughter of Wei Yan and Lin Yueji.]
One sentence, and Gu Qinghuan’s brain short-circuited.
She slammed her head onto the desk so hard that the eraser bounced up. Qin Yue turned around in shock.
“Are you okay?!”
Gu Qinghuan straightened up, covering her forehead, her tone world-weary:
“I’m fine… I just realized this whole world is one giant melodrama.”
Qin Yue looked completely confused, but seeing she was okay, he turned back around and continued chatting.
Gu Qinghuan continued asking:
[Lin Yueji is Lin Zhulu’s mother? Wei Yan’s ex-wife?]
System: [Yes.]
[So Lin Zhulu is Wei Xiao’s half-sister?]
System: [Yes.]
[Does Wei Xiao know?]
From Lin Zhulu’s attitude, it was clear she knew about the Wei family—but what about the other way around?
System: [He knows his father has an ex-wife and that she has a daughter, but he doesn’t know their names or appearances.]
Gu Qinghuan curled her lips. So he knew, but never bothered to learn more—clearly didn’t care.
On the other hand, Lin Yueji and Lin Zhulu definitely wanted nothing to do with the Wei family.
She asked one more question:
[Is Lin Zhulu’s most desperate fate related to the Wei family?]
System: [Yes. The Wei family is the main cause of her most desperate fate, but I cannot explain the details.]
That was enough.
Gu Qinghuan pulled out her “Class Three Student Files” notebook, flipped to Lin Zhulu’s page, and started writing rapidly.
At lunchtime, Yu Xin went to Class Twelve to pick up Yu Yuan, while Jiang Chuchu and Qin Yue practically dragged Gu Qinghuan toward the cafeteria with aggressive momentum.
The Wei family was indeed rich—today, Wei Xiao was treating them on the third floor of the cafeteria.
He was waiting at the entrance. When he saw the three of them, he greeted them with a smile and led them upstairs while chatting.
Inside the elevator, Gu Qinghuan was still calculating how to make Wei Xiao “bleed” a little at lunch.
But as soon as the doors opened, before they even took a few steps, they heard a familiar voice:
“Good afternoon.”
She looked up—it was Bai Hanshan and Xia He.
Wei Xiao, walking at the front, froze.
He wouldn’t believe this was a coincidence—it was obvious Bai Hanshan and Xia He were waiting for him.
He put on a polite smile. “Xia—”
“Gu Qinghuan!” Xia He, smiling brightly, stepped past Wei Xiao. “Want to have lunch together?”
Gu Qinghuan was speechless for a moment. She had clearly heard Wei Xiao say “Xia”—he had been addressing Xia He.
She had long suspected Xia He’s background wasn’t simple. Now, seeing Wei Xiao—someone the Wei family valued so much—treat Xia He with such caution, it was clear he was far beyond just “not simple.”
Earlier, she had messaged Bai Hanshan. Although the reply came from the president, Bai Hanshan must have known.
And since Bai Hanshan had previously brought her to the third floor before, if Wei Xiao had booked lunch here in advance, Bai Hanshan could easily have found out.
So Bai Hanshan was definitely here on purpose.
As for Xia He…
Gu Qinghuan stared at him. He looked completely innocent.
Forget it. Deal with Wei Xiao first.
Jiang Chuchu and Qin Yue were already numb at the sight of Xia He.
Jiang Chuchu tried to signal him: Why are you here? Didn’t you not want Qinghuan to know your identity?
Xia He pretended not to see.
Qin Yue, on the other hand, had asked Qin Min about Xia He during the winter break and finally learned the truth.
Honestly, he was even more afraid of Xia He now.
A kid who had struggled abroad at such a young age, came back and dominated everything—and yet acted like a harmless younger brother in front of Gu Qinghuan.
Qin Yue only had one thought about someone like that: avoid at all costs.
“Wei Xiao, do you mind treating two more people?” Gu Qinghuan asked.
“This is Bai Hanshan, vice president of the student council, and this is Xia He…”
She paused, unsure how to introduce him, but Wei Xiao smoothly took over:
“Of course not.”
He immediately contacted the staff to switch to a larger private room and adjusted the menu.
Once he left the room, everyone relaxed a little.
Gu Qinghuan stared at Xia He. “You explain.”
Xia He raised both hands in surrender, still smiling.
“Fine, I’ll explain. First—I’m the student council president.”
Gu Qinghuan pressed her temples.
“Second—I’m from the Xia family. My grandfather is the current head, and I’m the next one.”
Bai Hanshan glanced at him: Not even “probably me” or “likely me”—just straight certainty? If Xia Nanzhi heard that, he’d probably need blood pressure meds again.
Gu Qinghuan pinched the bridge of her nose and turned to Jiang Chuchu:
“What level is the Xia family?”
Jiang Chuchu said blankly, “That’s the wrong way to ask. If levels existed, the Xia family would be the ones defining them.”
Gu Qinghuan immediately gave up thinking.
No wonder the world had chosen Xia He—not just because of his “self-destructive” tendencies, but also because of the Xia family’s power.
Xia He looked at her. “Are you mad?”
“No,” Gu Qinghuan raised her head again. “I just figured something out.”
Xia He gestured for her to continue.
“It turns out you’ve been my backer all along,” she said seriously. “I don’t know how much you’ve helped me, openly or secretly—but thank you.”
Xia He paused, his expression softening.
“No need. I only stepped in because I found it interesting.”
“However—” Gu Qinghuan changed tone, “gratitude is one thing. Being kept in the dark this long still makes me unhappy. It feels like I’ve been played. So—you also owe me an apology.”
Xia He immediately said,
“I never meant to play you. I’m sorry.”
Wei Xiao, who had just walked into the private room, froze when he heard that.
Did he hear wrong?
Xia He… apologizing to Gu Qinghuan?
Had the world gone crazy?
