The dismissal bell rang, signaling the end of the first day’s classes, and Wang Qiqi patted her back and shoulders. The entire afternoon had been back-to-back lessons; it was exhausting. Wang Qiqi picked up three large food containers—these were from Shi Man and Juliana, meaning Qiqi was to take the dinner dishes home, while the girls would handle the rice themselves.

Bai Ge and the others watched Wang Qiqi lining up to get dishes, filling three hefty containers to the brim. "How many people are eating this?" It was just too much food, especially since it was all dishes without any rice, and the containers weren't exactly small.

Wang Qiqi slowly placed the lids on the containers. "How many people? Just three. If there were more, I couldn't carry it."

Three people eating this much? Bai Ge glanced at the three full containers, then at Qiqi’s slender figure, and recalled how much they usually ate at every meal. It seemed about right; Qiqi favored the savory dishes and didn't eat an excessive amount of rice. "Qiqi and her friends are so wealthy; they spent over ten yuan just on groceries," Li Xin commented enviously. And this was just one meal.

"How could they not be wealthy? The other day when I went to the supermarket, I saw Wang Qiqi and her man pushing a cart full of things," Gong Yiying said, feeling a pang of jealousy just thinking about how Qiqi shopped—never looking at the price, only picking the most expensive items. She wished she could snatch Qiqi’s wallet away.

A whole cart full of items? And with a man? Gong Yiying’s muffled words were clear enough for everyone around to understand. Wang Qiqi happened to remember something and turned back to find Bai Ge, catching Gong Yiying’s remark. "That’s right. We went shopping after eating that day, around ten o'clock, I think? You and Deng Zhi were also intimately purchasing items, stocking up a whole cart’s worth. A double supply, right? Oh, speaking of which, you have a make-up exam in a few days. How is your review going?"

Hmph. If you’re going to be that tactless, why shouldn't I speak my mind? "Never mind that. I need to leave now, or Manman and Nana will starve to death," Wang Qiqi retorted pointedly, bringing up the encounter from the other day. Please, as if you’re some pure soul who can judge others before checking your own messy affairs.

Bai Ge had initially been hesitant to speak up for Wang Qiqi, but hearing Gong Yiying badmouthing her actually within earshot prompted her to act. "Oh, Qiqi, since you’re only cooking for three, Gong Yiying was just saying you’re already living with your boyfriend..." Bai Ge didn't hold back, repeating what Gong Yiying had said in the dormitory. She doubted Yiying only spoke such things in private.

Wang Qiqi had expected Gong Yiying to possess some sense, but clearly, she was hopelessly dim-witted—pitiable, really. Qiqi gave a slight look, watching Yiying’s face turn pale. She immediately called out to Gong Yiying, who was trying to slip away. "Gong Yiying, I can’t believe that at such a young age, you’ve developed amnesia. I distinctly remember telling you that Han Tao and the senior computer science students rented a house together so they could discuss tech matters. I even mentioned the seniors' names, didn't I? Why are you still talking about cohabitation? I know you plan to live with Deng Zhi, so don't drag us into your mess. So young, yet..." Qiqi’s words clearly implied that Gong Yiying was morally unsound, spreading rumors despite knowing the truth.

"Gong Yiying, you’re not much different from a common gossip. Spreading lies at your age," Wang Qiqi took a few steps, then suddenly spat out at the crimson-faced Yiying, "Before you go criticizing others’ gossip, think about your own. You can't even manage yourself, yet you want to manage others?"

Wang Qiqi simply dusted off her hands and walked away. As for Gong Yiying, left there in the cafeteria, Qiqi didn't care how the surrounding students would view her. After Qiqi’s statement, although some rumors about herself might persist, she was certain that many more people would now be spreading rumors about Gong Yiying, especially concerning her character. Perhaps some people would talk to Yiying, but who knew what kind of nonsense would spill out of her mouth if they got into a deep conversation?

Gong Yiying lost her appetite. "You—you really live up to being Wang Qiqi's lackey," she thought bitterly. If Bai Ge hadn't blurted out what she said, Yiying wouldn't have been attacked by Qiqi.

"You brought it on yourself," Bai Ge replied, unbothered, happily eating her meal. "The food is good today. Gong Yiying, why don't you eat more? Though, I suppose not; you’re always busy spreading rumors about others, aren’t you? Didn't expect to be caught by the subject herself this time." Hmph, you don’t even sleep in the dorm most nights. "Are you not eating? What will you do if you get hungry tonight?" So much food left over—isn't that wasteful?

Li Xin chimed in coolly from the side, "If she gets hungry, it's fine. Deng Zhi should have food; she has a man who cares for her, so she won’t starve."

Bai Ge agreed. "Yeah, Deng Zhi probably has cooking facilities where he stays. By the way, Gong Yiying, since you don't live in the dorm anymore, you should clear out your things from the common areas. Don't hog so much space when you aren't even staying here..."

Hmph, calling us lackeys? Bai Ge wasn't angry, but dealing with Yiying was beneath her. However, dealing with Gong Yiying wasn't hard, especially since she stayed out all night without renting a place. "And stop sneaking back into the dorm first thing in the morning! Every time you come back, you make such a ruckus, disturbing our sleep."

"Exactly!" Feng Yanjie added fiercely. "Staying out all night and then sneaking back early—what's she trying to prove?"

Zhang Yan and the others didn't speak, but their expressions were unanimous. Gong Yiying originally wanted to accuse Bai Ge of going too far by repeating her words, but she hadn't expected Bai Ge to retaliate so fiercely, exposing all her daily little secrets. Yiying knew she shouldn't be staying at Deng Zhi’s place every night, but once you tasted something, it was hard to let go. Yet, she valued her reputation. That’s why she returned to the dorm early every morning, to show everyone that even though Deng Zhi rented a place outside, she remained self-respecting and still lived in the dorm. To have Bai Ge tear down her facade in front of so many people—Gong Yiying didn't dare look around, but she could imagine the expressions on everyone’s faces.

As Gong Yiying realized she was about to become the center of unwanted attention, especially after just the morning lecture where she scorned Wang Qiqi for 'living with a man at such a young age' and moral decay, the situation suddenly flipped. "Oh, didn't someone earlier say it was unsightly and morally corrupt for Wang Qiqi to live with a man so young?" A female voice drifted over lightly. "Turns out she’s been cohabiting for ages." Everyone present was thinking the same thing, but they lacked the nerve to say it to Gong Yiying's face.

With someone having broken the ice, the pointing and murmuring increased, filled with all sorts of comments. Gong Yiying burst into tears and fled, confusing those who didn't know the background, leading them to inquire about the situation. As a result, Gong Yiying became infamous. Not only did everyone in the Finance department know her name, but other departments did too. More significantly, even Wang Qiqi gained notoriety—though Qiqi’s reputation suffered slightly, Gong Yiying’s name was truly ruined. Slandering others was a serious offense, especially when one’s own foundations were shaky.

At that moment, Gong Yiying had no idea her crying fit cemented her notoriety. All she could think about was finding Deng Zhi to discuss what to do next. When Deng Zhi heard the details of Gong Yiying's weeping fit in the room, he secretly rejoiced that she was finally facing consequences. However, he didn't fully agree with her claim of complete cohabitation. Whatever he said to persuade her, no one knew. Bai Ge and the others assumed that after such a major incident, Gong Yiying would move out of the dorm entirely to live with Deng Zhi. To their surprise, she only occasionally stayed out, which left Bai Ge and the others quite astonished.

Wang Qiqi used to look forward to seeing Gong Yiying make a fool of herself, but now she just wanted to keep a significant distance from the woman—she was an annoyingly resilient pest one couldn't afford to provoke. Even if fighting with such 'quality' people could hone her skills, Wang Qiqi was genuinely fed up. But the problem was that Gong Yiying was like an unkillable cockroach that constantly buzzed around Qiqi.

As Wang Qiqi walked into the classroom, Gong Yiying suddenly called out loudly, "Qiqi, when are you going to treat us to that meal?" Hmph, you promised to treat everyone, and there’s still no sign of it. You’re too stingy.

Wang Qiqi sat down, ignoring Gong Yiying’s remark. She couldn't possibly pretend to be fine and chat happily with someone she’d just had a major fallout with. If she let this attitude slide, wouldn't anyone be able to walk all over her later?

Seeing Wang Qiqi engrossed in conversation with Bai Ge and the others and ignoring her, Gong Yiying muttered acidly from the back, "Rich people are different; they don't bother acknowledging others..."

Wang Qiqi hadn't intended to engage, but the other woman was being relentlessly difficult, and Bai Ge warned that if Qiqi didn't address her, Yiying would likely continue her tirade. With a sigh, Wang Qiqi remained seated. Naturally, she didn't look toward the woman nestled in the back, acting overly affectionate with Deng Zhi.

"This isn't about whether I respect someone or not; it's because some people are so shameless. They want to be both the whore and the monument builder, and on top of that, they throw mud at me! How can you engage with someone like that? Who knows what sentence or scene might prompt them to cause trouble again," Wang Qiqi said bluntly. Hmph, you asked for it; this isn't about bullying.

Deng Zhi glanced at Gong Yiying huddled beside him. He truly didn't understand. After several confrontations, she was always the one defeated, so why did she keep challenging Qiqi? It seemed this woman really wasn't very kind-hearted. She had previously manipulated events from behind Han Meina to stir up conflict between her and Wang Qiqi, and now she was fighting on the front lines herself. He couldn't fathom what possessed her.

Gong Yiying saw Deng Zhi’s look of disapproval and assumed he was still preoccupied with Wang Qiqi. She knew that if not for a series of unfortunate events, he wouldn't have been so quick to affirm her position. All these humiliations were brought on by Wang Qiqi. Thinking of this filled Gong Yiying with rage, which explained why she couldn't stand Wang Qiqi even now. (To be continued)