“I’d love to try your cooking.”
Qin Shu pulled out a chair and sat down. Just as she was about to dig in, she saw Bo Ye making his way down the stairs. He was wearing his favourite shirt and pants.
“Bo Ye, come and join us. Ye Xue’s made breakfast.”
Bo Ye paused mid-step glancing at the food laid out on the table.
Ye Xue had heard from Qin Shu that there was a man living in the apartment with them. He seemed… cold. He did not come across as an overly friendly or sociable person.
“I-I made it myself. It probably isn’t as good as the food you can buy outside… You’re welcome to try some…” Ye Xue twirled a lock of her hair nervously. She was not sure how Bo Ye would react to her invitation.
Bo Ye’s first instinct was to reject her but on second thought, he decided not to. Placing his bag on the empty chair beside him, he sat down and joined the two women for breakfast.
Ye Xue picked up an empty bowl and filled it with porridge before passing it over to him.
Bo Ye nodded in thanks. A quick survey of the spread was enough for him to identify them. They were all common dishes – nothing out of the ordinary for a simple Chinese breakfast. He sampled a bit of each and was pleasantly surprised by the taste of the food. It was not half bad for a home-cooked meal.
“It’s pretty good,” he praised.
“E-eat as much as you’d like! There’s m-more than enough food for three people.” Humming happily to herself, Ye Xue picked up her own chopsticks and tucked in. It was the best day of the school term yet. She was particularly relieved to have such a reasonable roommate, unlike Lu Yan.
Bo Ye did not eat much. He only had that one bowl of porridge before setting his cutlery down. “The porridge was delicious. Thank you for letting me have a bowl.” Bo Ye thanked her politely.
“Ye Xue’s cooking is fantastic. It’s much better than anything sold outside.” Qin Shu offered her wholehearted praise for Ye Xue’s delightful cooking.
Listening to the praise being heaped on her, Ye Xue felt both happy and abashed. It was rare for anyone to praise her like this. “I-If it’s alright, I-I’ll continue preparing breakfast. We can have other things too! M-maybe some flour for p-pancakes? I-I’ll go and buy some later.”
“Then I’ll be off. I’ve got a lecture to attend.”
Bo Ye slung his bag over his shoulder and strode out.
Ye Xue stared at Bo Ye wordlessly. Was he always so abrupt?
“Don’t mind him. He’s always like that. He isn’t one for small talk. I’m definitely looking forward to breakfast tomorrow so make enough for me, please!”
Qin Shu was used to Bo Ye. Having lived in the same apartment for some time now, she knew not to be offended by his aloof demeanour – it was just the way he was.
“O-okay! I’ll remember to prepare a little more tomorrow.” Ye Xue continued ladling spoonfuls of porridge into her mouth. Perhaps she ought to cook up a meal for Jiang Yu and Fu Tingyan too? It was the least she could do to thank them for their help.
“That sounds good,” Qin Shu replied in between mouthfuls of porridge.
Suddenly, the door to the apartment was thrust open from the outside and several men barged in.
Qin Shu frowned. Some people really were lacking in manners. Did not they know to knock before entering?
“I suppose one of you must be Qin Shu and the other, Ye Xue. I’ve come to inform you both of your expulsions. Pack up your things and leave. The university does not welcome hoodlums like either of you. The lecturer swaggered towards them with an air of condescension. “Don’t take this the wrong way. I’m just here to settle the score.”
Ye Xue paled in fright. Things were happening so quickly that she barely had the time to process them. She was expelled. She had gotten them both expelled. It was her fault for getting them in trouble.
“It’s my fault. The things that happened yesterday have nothing to do with Qin Shu. Expel me but not her.”
The lecturer eyed Ye Xue with disdain. She had not suffered even one-tenth of the injury his niece had. “Expulsion is too lenient a punishment for students like you. The university will not have its good name dragged through the mud because of bad apples like you. You are to blame for your own actions.”
Qin Shu finished the last mouthful of porridge in her bowl and dabbed her mouth clean with a paper napkin. “Don’t you know, sir, that knocking on the door before entering is the most basic of courtesies? You should be ashamed of yourself for lacking even that small decency.”
Her words were sharp and they cut deeply. It left the lecturer speechless. He had come to settle a grudge sown by these villainous women. There was no need for him to listen to their treacherous words.
Harrumphing in displeasure, Qin Shu hissed coldly, “If I hadn’t arrived sooner, Ye Xue might have died! Lu Yan and her compatriots were ready to bully her to death. She should be expelled for all the grief she has caused!”
The lecturer’s face took on an ugly shade of red. “Truly, the wicked remain unrepentant and unwilling to admit their wrongs. Not only did you break Lu Yan’s hand but also slapped her black and blue. If she is disfigured for life, can you bear the responsibility for the suffering she will face? I insist that you pay for whatever medical fees the three girls incur in the process of receiving their treatments. It is only fair and just.”
Ye Xue hurriedly explained, “Lu Yan was only h-hurt because she r-refused to let go of me. Qin Shu was just trying to s-save me.”
Qin Shu ushered Ye Xue behind her, shielding her from view. With an arched brow, she retorted, “I am not like Ye Xue and I won’t be so easily cowed into submission. I dislike violence as much as any other person but I’m not about to sit back and allow someone to walk all over me. If they hit me once, I’ll return them their dues ten-fold. What Lu Yan suffered was only the tip of the iceberg – a score I settled on Ye Xue’s behalf. As for those medical fees, I certainly agree. Lu Yan should be held responsible for her actions and compensation should be given to Ye Xue. That is what I think is fair and just.”
“You hit someone but you find excuses to exempt yourself of liability. Don’t you think you’re being too much?”
Furious, the lecturer reached out and made a grabbing motion in Qin Shu’s direction.
Qin Shu spun to the side and kicked the lecturer in his abdomen. She had put her whole weight behind that kick. Thus, she was quite shocked when the lecturer recovered so quickly. Most people would not have had the strength to stand up let alone swipe at her in retaliation.
Fortunately, the lecturer missed her. Judging from the way he was clutching his stomach, it seemed her kick had been effective after all. The lecturer tipped over as he lost his balance, landing face-first on the ground with a thud. His face was twisted in a grim spectre of pain.
Hearing the commotion, campus security, who had been waiting outside, rushed in to help the lecturer off the ground.
The lecturer was in so much pain that he shook like a leaf caught in a strong wind. Gasping for air, he shouted angrily, “What are you all standing around for? Escort this barbaric woman to the Public Security Bureau!”
Security moved to detain Qin Shu.
“Who dares?”
A voice sounded in the living room carrying with it an air of imperious authority.
The security personnel stopped in their tracks as they noticed Jun Li’s slender figure strolling lazily towards them.
Qin Shu looked over her shoulder and saw Jun Li approaching with an insulated box in hand. In all likelihood, the box contained more soup for her to drink.
It was at this time that Bo Ye reappeared. He did not dawdle at the door. Instead, he made for the couch with a single-minded purpose and sat down.
Bo Ye must have seen the lecturer storming towards her apartment aggressively and had returned posthaste.
The lecturer turned around and caught sight of the third young master. Puzzled, he could not help but wonder what the director of the university was doing here.
Jun Li casually strolled into the kitchen and placed the insulated box of food on the table. His purple eyes swept over the security personnel and the lecturer. “What’s going on here?”
The lecturer bit back his pained groan and explained, “Third young master, we’ve come to apprehend these two women for their violent acts against three other students of the university. All three of the victims are in hospital with one of them suffering serious injuries to her face. She’ll likely bear some form of disfigurement for life.”
The lecturer sucked in a deep breath before continuing, “The dean has seen fit to expel them for their actions. I am here merely as his spokesperson. They need to be held accountable for the medical fees incurred by those three students.”
Tears welled up in Ye Xue’s eyes as she listened to the lecturer pervert the events to his advantage. “I-It’s not true! He’s lying! It was Lu Yan and her cronies who were bullying me. Qin Shu only intervened to save me!”
Jun Li regarded Ye Xue quietly. Her cheeks were red and puffy, lined with palm prints on either side of her face. She looked like she was about to cry. Shaking his head with a sigh, he opened the insulated box and fished out a pot of scalding soup for Qin Shu to drink.
The lecturer and campus security looked on with stunned faces. What was going on?
A bad premonition wormed its way into their hearts.
Ye Xue mirrored the expressions of their uninvited guests. What was Professor Jun up to?
Jun Li filled a bowl with the soup and placed it on the table for her. His eyes shone with deep, loving affection. “Drink up while it’s still hot. I’ll handle this mess for you.”
Qin Shu smiled and nodded gratefully. “Okay.” She sat back down and picked up her spoon to drink the soup.
It was a scene that shattered everyone’s expectations.
