“But I run fast.” Usually, Qin Muye would run whenever she could. She would rather run than walk.
This ability came in handy at present.
“If you can’t run anymore, just leave it to me. I will run to the stationery store and buy it for you.” Qin Muye dragged Tan Mo along as she ran. “And you said that the teacher will not keep you from taking the exam just because you’re a little bit late. This isn’t the high school entrance examination or the college admissions test. Thus, the rules aren’t that strict.”
Tan Mo was very touched. “You really are a good friend, Muye!”
“Don’t be too formal with me, or else I will be angry.” Qin Muye pulled Tan Mo. “Stop talking and run.”
The two of them ran with their short legs to the stationery store.
As soon as Tan Mo left with Qin Muye, Qin Muxiao got up and warned the five people in the classroom, “Don’t you dare say a word to Tan Mo about what happened! Whoever does so will be dead meat!”
The five people quietly lowered their heads. They did not dare to disagree with Qin Muxiao.
*
“Where are you two going? Why are you in a hurry? The exam is about to start.” Tan Mo and Qin Muye were halfway to the store when they bumped into Wei Zhiqian.
The examinations for the high school department were scheduled in two weeks after the elementary school’s. Thus, Wei Zhiqian didn’t have an exam today.
“All my writing tools are broken. I have nothing to use for the test. I have to go to the stationery store to buy new pens and pencils,” Tan Mo hurriedly explained.
She had to stop to answer Wei Zhiqian’s question.
Doing so consumed time.
“With your short legs, it would take you half an hour to go back and forth.” Wei Zhiqian checked the time on his watch. “What are you going to buy? Tell me, and I will get it for you. You two should go back to your classrooms first to prepare for the test.”
“Really?” Tan Mo’s eyes widened. She was pleasantly surprised.
With Wei Zhiqian’s long legs, he walked faster than them running.
Tan Mo thought that she would have peace of mind if she returned to the classroom.
“Would I lie to you?” Wei Zhiqian raised his eyebrows and said, “Tell me what to buy.”
Tan Mo took out her stationery box from her backpack and handed it to Wei Zhiqian. “Except for the ruler and the eraser, buy one of each item.”
Wei Zhiqian opened the stationery box and frowned. Then he asked, “Why are all these broken?”
“Someone broke them.” Wei Zhiqian furrowed his brows when he heard this. Tan Mo was no longer in a hurry, so she explained what happened to Wei Zhiqian, “Before I left home, I had already checked all my stuff meticulously since I would be taking a test today. When I got to the classroom, I checked my stuff again. Then I went out of the classroom to look for Muye. When I got back, I found that all the pens and refills were broken.”
Qin Muye chimed in, “Mo Mo was tricked. I did not ask Mo Mo to come and see me, but a classmate told her that I was looking for her, so she went to my class. While she was away, someone ruined her stationery.”
Although Qin Muye had no proof, she was quite certain that Qin Muxiao did it. She was the only one in their class who held a grudge against Tan Mo.
However, she did not dare say it since, after all, she had no evidence.
“I see.” Wei Zhiqian nodded. “Now you two should go back and take the exam. We will talk about everything later.”
Wei Zhiqian said to Tan Mo, “Focus on the exam. Don’t think of anything else while answering the questions.”
“Alright.” Tan Mo nodded. “My priority is the exam. Then, Little Uncle, I will have to bother you to buy the stationery.”
Tan Mo made a fist, bent her elbow, then bent her knees a little, and cheered, “Little Uncle, go!”
Wei Zhiqian: “…”
‘It was just a small favor. Why does she make it seem like I was about to take part in a competition?’
Wei Zhiqian did not waste time. He turned around and ran to the stationery shop.
Tan Mo and Qin Muye rushed back, but when they returned to their respective classrooms, they were still 10 minutes late.
The two then part ways, and Qin Muye entered her classroom without a fuss.
The teacher only reminded her that she was 10 minutes late, so she had to answer the questions as quickly as possible.
“Teacher, I’m sorry, my stationery was broken, so I went to buy new ones.” Although it was winter, Tan Mo was sweating profusely.
Her hair was a bit messy, and some loose strands were stuck to her face. Her small face was red from the cold wind.
The cold wind blew on her as she ran. Currently, she was panting, trying to catch her breath as she spoke.
Instead of Homeroom Teacher Huang, an invigilator was randomly assigned to their class.
The invigilator said sternly, “Go and sit down. Don’t make noise and interrupt other students who are taking the test.”
As soon as the invigilator finished speaking, Qin Muxiao suddenly objected, “Teacher, Tan Mo was 10 minutes late, which violated the test rules. I think she should not be allowed to take the test.”
“Those rules are not set in stone. Besides, she has only been late for 10 minutes. She can still take the test. No need to be strict,” Ming Yeqing said.
Qin Muxiao glared at Ming Yeqing.
‘Why does he always go against me?’ she wondered. She was annoyed at him, but she kept her temper.
Ming Yeqing stood up and looked at the invigilator earnestly. “Teacher, this matter concerns a student’s test scores, so please be cautious.”
The invigilator did not want to prevent Tan Mo from taking the exam for this reason.
He was about to let Tan Mo go to her seat when Qin Muxiao spoke again, “Teacher, she said that she went to buy stationery… Then where is her stationery?”
Qin Muxiao calculated the time. The time from which Tan Mo went out and returned was not enough for her to reach the stationery shop.
She saw Tan Mo rushing to the shop with her own eyes. Wei Keli’s classroom was upstairs, and the two had not been together since the last commotion.
So, she was pretty sure that Tan Mo had not bought stationery.
Qin Muxiao thought that Tan Mo realized that she did not have enough time, so she went back instead.
She probably wanted to take the opportunity to file a complaint to a teacher or something of the sort.
It was precisely because of this that Qin Muxiao could not let Tan Mo succeed.
“Tan Mo, where is your stationery? Take it out.” Qin Muxiao raised an eyebrow as she spoke. “Stop making excuses. You probably went out to play. That’s why you were late.”
“Teacher,” Qin Muxiao went on, facing the invigilator, “if Tan Mo was late because she went out to play and not because she bought stationery, then I don’t think she should be allowed to take the exam. And if she is lying, the problem will become more serious. Lying means she has a bad character!” Qin Muxiao said loudly.
Tan Mo was not worried at all about not being able to take the exam.
Wei Zhiqian was the one who went to buy her stationery.
Soon, Wei Zhiqian would come to bring the stationery over. With Wei Zhiqian there, would she still be unable to take the test?
Tan Mo did not mind using this time to use some green tea techniques against Qin Muxiao.
“Qin Muxiao, it’s okay if you don’t want me to take the exam, but you are interrupting our classmates who are currently taking the test. They can’t concentrate because of your bickering.” Tan Mo held her school bag pitifully. She deliberately did so to give the appearance that she was still patient and kind despite being bullied by Qin Muxiao.
Tan Mo continued, “I will not take the test just so you stop kicking up a fuss and interrupting our classmates. I would stay outside and wait so our classmates can focus on the exam.”
Qin Muxiao, take this cup of green tea!
‘Let’s see how you will counter this cup of green tea.’
