The day after Wang Qiqi returned home, an uninvited guest showed up. After greeting Wang Rui, Wang Rui voluntarily slipped into a pair of slippers and entered the house she herself once had the chance to inhabit. Even though she hadn't visited often in the past year, Wang Rui noticed that almost nothing here had changed.

Wang Qiqi didn't dwell on Wang Rui's almost nostalgic behavior. She figured the girl was just reminiscing about the better days she used to have, or perhaps attempting to leverage what she perceived as familial obligation to persuade Qiqi into letting their family manage, or even occupy, this apartment.

Wang Qiqi was busy packing up her reference books. "Are you really planning to take the sciences?"

Wang Rui hummed in assent. "The humanities are too exhausting." Who would want to spend so much time constantly rote-memorizing history and geography? That's just too tiring. "Didn't you know that already?"

Wang Qiqi thought to herself that of course she knew; she was just double-checking. "Since you're going into sciences, I'll be giving away my review materials." Science and humanities materials were entirely different; even if Wang Rui wanted them, they would just be a waste.

Hearing Wang Qiqi say that reminded Wang Rui of something. "Qiqi, since I'm preparing for the sciences, could you ask Han Tao for his review materials on my behalf?" Wang Rui had heard that Han Tao's study guides were incredibly well-organized. Anyone who wasn't completely dense could improve their grades just by looking at Han Tao's notes. Wang Rui thought she'd just have Wang Qiqi ask Han Tao; after all, any favor owed was Qiqi's debt, not hers.

Han Tao's materials, for Wang Rui? Wang Qiqi wondered if the girl lacked a brain or something. "How am I supposed to ask Han Tao? Am I supposed to say, 'Excuse me, Han Tao, Wang Rui is switching to sciences, could you possibly give me your materials?'"

Wang Rui had initially meant to nod—that was exactly how it should be—but on second thought, that wouldn't do. If she phrased it that way, wouldn't she end up owing a favor? "So, Han Tao won't give the materials to me?"

"I'm going to university too; why would I ask for them?" Wang Qiqi thought. You feel too awkward to ask, so I should do the asking? Hmph, dream on. "Besides, Han Tao is tutoring; his review guides are highly sought after. I doubt anyone would refuse them."

Wang Rui’s lips moved slightly. "But I'm your sister."

"You're my sister, but I'm not Han Tao's sister," Wang Qiqi retorted. "In Han Tao's eyes, you and I are the same. If you want them, ask him yourself. And anyway, didn't you say you were close with Gao Kai? Ask him for his notes."

Asking Gao Kai, Wang Rui had certainly considered it. But the problem was that Gao Kai's notes weren't detailed, and worse, he had already promised them to a junior high student. By the time Wang Rui found out, Gao Kai had already agreed. How could she possibly ask him now? Throw a tantrum and snatch the notes back? Absolutely not; that would ruin the impression she had built up in Gao Kai's mind.

"Gao Kai didn't save any for you?" Wang Qiqi thought that if he had agreed to keep any for Wang Rui, she would have been flaunting it around already. The fact that she was so quiet now indicated Gao Kai hadn't set any aside for Wang Rui. "Look, even with your supposed closeness to Gao Kai, you couldn't get his materials. Why would Han Tao leave his for you?"

Wang Qiqi shot Wang Rui a look of undisguised mockery. All that talk about being close with Gao Kai, yet she couldn't even secure some study guides.

Wang Qiqi’s undisguised sneer registered with Wang Rui, stinging her pride, but what could she do? The reality was that Gao Kai hadn't given her the notes. "Once the college entrance exam results are out, I'm going to QD to hang out, with Gao Kai. Qiqi, do you want to come?"

Asking if she wanted to go to QD? QD was a place Wang Qiqi desperately wanted to visit, but, "Unfortunately, I went last year." Even if she hadn't gone last year, there was no way she’d travel with the likes of Wang Rui and Gao Kai. Seeing beautiful scenery alongside such wretched company would surely dim its splendor.

It was only then that Wang Rui remembered Qiqi had gone out with Shi Man and the others last year, even bringing back some local specialties for the family. But at the time, Wang Rui was so absorbed in the joy of potentially traveling with Gao Kai that she hadn't spared a thought for Wang Qiqi's plans. "Oh, you went last year. So you won't be going this year?"

Wang Qiqi nodded. "Yeah, I won't be going. Besides, I plan to wander around properly with Shi Man." Until she received her acceptance letter, Wang Qiqi wasn't going to reveal which city she would be attending school in.

Wang Rui sighed inwardly, looking at the relaxed Wang Qiqi. It was better for Qiqi; the exams were over, and she could go wherever she pleased for vacation. As for herself, she wouldn't be so lucky—a trip to Shencheng would be the extent of it. "I envy you."

Envy me? Wang Qiqi let out a short laugh. "No, I envy you. Regardless of anything else, your parents are here."

What good were parents being here? Wang Rui thought. They had no money, and even if they did, they were too stingy to spend it. "Well, yes. When I'm upset, I have someone to care for me when I return home, and someone waits for me outside the examination hall."

Wang Qiqi wasn't a fool and could clearly detect the boastfulness in the other girl's words. This kind of person was truly an indestructible cockroach; despite being at a disadvantage in the past, they had to pull back a point to feel satisfied. "Yes, you are a blessed child; you have people monitoring your studies." Right, someone waits outside the exam hall for you, but didn't your grades still end up pretty terrible?

"That’s because I wasn't taking it seriously," Wang Rui countered. She had actually spent time reflecting on why her grades hadn't improved, even though she had specifically asked Gao Kai for help with the problems she didn't understand. "Once I concentrate on studying, you'll see my grades will be better than yours."

Wang Qiqi responded with a drawn-out "Oh." "If your grades are good, that's good. Besides, those are your grades. You don't need to promise me anything. You should tell your aunt—your mother—that you will work hard next semester and strive to get into the top two hundred in the grade."

With those scores, Wang Rui wouldn't even enter the advanced class. Moreover, Wang Qiqi doubted Wang Rui's scores would jump dramatically even if she studied diligently. Wang Rui’s focus was entirely on Gao Kai; only if he ceased to be her target, or if his perceived halo faded, would Wang Rui give up on him and find a new object of affection.

Two hundred? Wang Rui’s hopes soared. "Your grades in the second semester of your eleventh grade weren't even in the top one hundred and fifty." You always boasted about your good grades, but you were only around 150th then. What right do you have to demand I get into the top two hundred?

Wang Qiqi admitted that point readily. "But the question is, out of the top two hundred, how many choose sciences and how many choose humanities? With my score back then, I still managed to secure a spot in the top humanities class." If it hadn't been for math, physics, and chemistry dragging her down, her scores would have been even better, allowing her a seat in the elite humanities class despite her weak math scores. "And the sciences are harder than humanities. Whether to choose one or the other is up to personal choice."

Wang Qiqi thought she had been sufficiently sisterly. But Wang Rui never took Wang Qiqi’s advice to heart; in her mind, she had to contradict everything Qiqi said. "Oh, yes. Smart people choose sciences; idiots choose humanities."

Wang Qiqi just shrugged at Wang Rui’s blunt counterattack. Yes, those weak in logical thinking often chose humanities. But for someone who knew their logic was poor yet insisted on taking the sciences, Wang Qiqi really didn't know how to offer an evaluation. She continued organizing her things. As for lunch, Wang Qiqi had been feeling lazy lately; cooking a pot of congee in the morning served as both breakfast and lunch. "Stay for lunch?"

"Sure." Wang Rui thought that she was sick of eating plain porridge at home and welcomed a change of flavor.

"I made red bean congee today; it's good for nourishing the body." Although Wang Qiqi was alone and Han Tao rarely came back, she often prepared red bean soup or white fungus soup—both great for one's health and quite inexpensive.

Red bean congee? While it had red beans, the main issue was that it was still congee. "Why are we eating this? It’s such a downgrade from the meals we used to have." Wang Rui complained. When she had stayed over a few days previously, she had noticed how lavish their dinners were. There was no reason the food should be this poor now.

Poor meals? "That was because Shi Man's parents would send food over. Otherwise, how could I afford such things?" Wang Qiqi thought Wang Rui didn't assume she was still eating like that. "I have to ration everything now. Even my current dinner standard is less than one-tenth of what it used to be."

Wang Rui sneered upon hearing this. "Qiqi, you're being too stingy. It’s not like you have no money."

Wang Qiqi shook her head. "Having money doesn't mean you can't be frugal. If you think my food is bad, you can go home and eat. I won't mind." Hmph, I even offer you red bean congee, and you're complaining? I shouldn't have bothered. "I can't spend all my money, or your mother will definitely say that a spendthrift mother breeds a spendthrift daughter. To prevent your mother from gossiping about my family, I better save up a little." And your mother always claimed we were big spenders, so I’ll be frugal for a while. Besides, one has a poor appetite in this heat; we should stick to light foods.

Wang Rui was momentarily speechless. Her mother often complained at home about how much Uncle's family spent, saying they left so little money behind. She never expected those words to be turned around as Wang Qiqi’s defense. She managed a strained smile. What could she say to refute that her mother hadn't said such things? Impossible. Many neighbors had heard her mother utter those exact words. (To be continued)