"I suppose if you're looking to discuss something, there’s no need to bring a hanger-on, is there? Are you here to ask for my advice, or are you here to bring me trouble? Do you really take me for a fool?" Wang Qiqi whispered into Jiang Xin’s ear before leaving. She figured that since Jiang Xin was going to deliver a major gift to her, she couldn't exactly let Jiang Xin leave without a gift of her own—you don't just take without giving back.

After saying this, Wang Qiqi swiftly moved away from her, then called out loudly, "Goodbye, Jiang Xin! I’m sure your thesis, following your own line of thought, will turn out excellently. The odds of the top-scoring paper landing in your family's hands are quite high." The last thing Wang Qiqi left Jiang Xin with was a chilling, sly smile that sent a shiver down Jiang Xin’s spine.

Bai Ge really wanted to burst out laughing, but she knew that if she did, all the work they had just put in would be wasted. "Jiang Xin, congratulations! Remember to treat us when you get first place for your paper. Qiqi actually listened to your outline and gave you a pointer or two." Bai Ge pretended to be very close with Jiang Xin, patting her a few times on the shoulder before leaving with Wang Qiqi.

Jiang Xin hadn't expected the two of them to speak such blatant falsehoods. What do you mean, pointing out one or two things? What do you mean her paper would get first place? Wasn't this just setting her up for trouble? At this moment, she finally understood why Wang Qiqi and the others had lowered their voices earlier—they were digging a pit for her! Jiang Xin had meant to dig a pit for Wang Qiqi, but in the end, she was the one who fell into it. This gave Jiang Xin a feeling of hoisting herself by her own petard. What worried her now was when Wang Qiqi would discover this. Yet, Wang Qiqi’s eyes hadn't darted around; this shouldn't have happened.

Wang Qiqi left amidst Jiang Xin's swirling confusion and doubts. Not long after she and Bai Ge had departed, Zhu Rong darted out from a corner. "I ask you, what is the meaning of this?" This was too much! She only looked out for her own business, completely forgetting about me. Didn't she promise she would help me? Look, this isn't helping me at all; she’s completely selfish! I knew it! I knew why they were speaking quietly; it was to keep me out of it. "What a despicable person." How could Zhu Rong not be angry? Jiang Xin had kept claiming her thesis was poor, yet why did Wang Qiqi say that? And even Bai Ge echoed it—there must be something going on.

Jiang Xin knew Wang Qiqi’s words would bring her considerable trouble, and she felt genuinely wronged. She strongly considered just ignoring Zhu Rong and walking away, but she understood the power of gossip. If she left like that, it would look to Zhu Rong like she had something to hide. Given how much Zhu Rong could talk, and considering that Jiang Xin’s thesis outline had already been praised by the professor, she was already a target in the class. Furthermore, to secure good grades, she had put on an air of inadequacy when asked for help by classmates, making a few minor enemies. Only because Wang Qiqi was shielding her had Jiang Xin's life been relatively easy. If Zhu Rong spread Wang Qiqi's words throughout the class, Jiang Xin knew she would immediately become the primary target for everyone.

Jiang Xin wasn't like Wang Qiqi. Even if Qiqi didn't study abroad, she wouldn't have to worry; even if she didn't work, the income from translation alone would be enough to keep her living comfortably. But it wasn't the same for Jiang Xin; networking often began with friends and classmates. "Rongrong, listen to me, I’m truly innocent. She really wasn't discussing her thesis with me just now."

"You think I'd believe that?" Zhu Rong didn't trust any of it. They had talked for quite a while. If they weren't discussing Jiang Xin’s thesis, they could have easily called her over. But she spoke so quietly and gave no signal for her to come out—there was definitely something shady going on. Damn it, just damn it! "Jiang Xin, don't treat everyone like fools. Don't tell me you were chatting about things unrelated to your thesis."

"I wasn't!" Jiang Xin argued. "How could I lie to you? Qiqi genuinely wasn't discussing her thesis with me, nor did she share her outline with me..." In short, Jiang Xin kept trying to defend herself. The sentence that made Zhu Rong feel Jiang Xin was deceiving her was what Wang Qiqi and Bai Ge said as they left: "Think about it, if I were deliberately hiding something from you, why would I speak softly before, only to raise my voice for the very last sentence?"

Listening to Jiang Xin’s analysis, Zhu Rong conceded that it made some sense. Yes, if they were trying to hide something, they should have kept their voices low the entire time. But then again, what if they were deep in discussion, and when parting, they simply got excited and spoke up? Moreover, Zhu Rong had noticed Jiang Xin’s eyes flicker away for a split second when looking at her. If she weren't guilty, why avoid her gaze? (Jiang Xin wanted to avoid Zhu Rong’s eyes because she worried Zhu Rong might have overheard her earlier comment about wanting to visit Wang Qiqi’s house for consultation—that was a deeply embarrassing thing to admit.) Thus, the thoughts of trust and distrust rose and fell in Zhu Rong’s mind. Finally, she came up with a plan. "How about this: to prove your innocence, just repeat everything the three of you just said." If it were the truth, she could repeat it quickly and smoothly, and her expression would be normal. If there was the slightest hiccup, it would mean she was lying.

Jiang Xin hadn't expected that after all her explanations, Zhu Rong still didn't trust her and had come up with this tactic. She felt utterly miserable internally. However, she knew that if she repeated everything, Zhu Rong would immediately turn and leave. Helplessly, Jiang Xin only recited part of their previous exchange. Since she didn't want Zhu Rong to know some of the content, she spoke slowly while rehearsing, trying to think up extra details to fill in the silent gaps.

Because Jiang Xin was inventing details as she spoke, there were several inconsistencies in her retelling. Zhu Rong, who already suspected something, grew increasingly certain that Wang Qiqi had indeed given Jiang Xin a hint or two. After all, Wang Qiqi and Jiang Xin used to be close; even when their relationship soured later, didn't Qiqi readily lend her notes when asked? So, even if the guidance wasn't extensive, discussing "one or two things" was highly likely. "Enough! Stop making things up. I see you're just selfish!" Zhu Rong couldn't stand to listen anymore, nor did she want to waste time with someone intent on deceiving her. She decided she would expose this selfish behavior to everyone. Hmph, a person like this—no wonder Wang Qiqi’s relationship with her soured. "Also, if what you claimed earlier is true—that Wang Qiqi and Bai Ge noticed me, which is why they were trying to trick us—then tell me, how did Wang Qiqi and Bai Ge even know I was there? Hmph, didn't you prompt them?" The more deeply she analyzed it, the more wrong Jiang Xin seemed. It was all her scheme.

Jiang Xin hadn't expected Zhu Rong to walk away so quickly without listening to her explanation or her rehearsal, her face full of resentment toward Jiang Xin. This finally infuriated Jiang Xin. "I told you to hide properly! Instead, you just had to let a piece of yourself show. I think you're the one who ruined this plan! If your clothing corner hadn't been seen by those two, would this have happened?"

"Don't be ridiculous! I was standing in a blind spot; how could they have noticed me? Besides, I noticed their eyes never even glanced in my direction." Zhu Rong had actually gotten distracted a few times, looking at people walking past nearby, causing her to miss the moments Wang Qiqi and Bai Ge looked her way. But she would never admit to such a lapse in attention. At this moment, she had to pin the blame squarely on Jiang Xin, making her the public enemy of the entire class. "If they noticed me, then tell me, when did they notice? When did they turn their heads..."

Zhu Rong’s question completely stumped Jiang Xin. Of course, she didn't know when Qiqi and the others spotted Zhu Rong; otherwise, why would she be so cornered now? But admitting defeat to Jiang Xin was impossible. "What, now you're pushing all the responsibility onto me? I noticed you turn your head toward the back once..." Jiang Xin meant to imply that she saw Zhu Rong get distracted earlier, hoping to make her stop her aggressive questioning.

"Fine! So you admit you shifted your gaze toward me! Listen to what you just said. Maybe it was that single moment your eyes swept toward me that made them realize something!" Jiang Xin had intended to tell Zhu Rong that she noticed her zoning out, but instead, Zhu Rong turned the tables, throwing Jiang Xin into disarray. Zhu Rong pressed her advantage, leaving Jiang Xin speechless.

As the two were busy trading accusations, Wang Qiqi and Bai Ge, who were supposed to have left long ago, quietly retreated, muffling their laughter. Once they were far enough away, Bai Ge lowered her hand from her mouth, laughing heartily. "Qiqi, did you see them just now? It was like dog-eat-dog!" Both of them were at fault, but neither was willing to admit it, and the resulting commotion made a spectacle, with one slip-up costing Jiang Xin the upper hand.

"Zhu Rong’s intuition was correct. It was because Jiang Xin’s eyes drifted in that direction several times that I realized something was amiss," Wang Qiqi thought. She was grateful to the other woman; otherwise, she might have been fooled completely. "Now we can just sit back and watch the show. And we don't have to worry about a thing when we go to the library anymore."

Zhu Rong, feeling thoroughly deceived, would surely expose Jiang Xin’s supposed 'ugly face' once she returned. Jiang Xin would undoubtedly become a hot topic. Wang Qiqi was curious to see what Jiang Xin would do next to protect her reputation—would she offer guidance to other classmates, or would she focus on appeasing Zhu Rong by meticulously guiding her paper? Wang Qiqi was looking forward to it, though she suspected the latter was more likely. While it would be exhausting, guiding one person was better than setting up a dozen competitors.

Events unfolded exactly as Wang Qiqi had predicted. To prevent Zhu Rong from exaggerating the situation, Jiang Xin had to agree to numerous conditions. Most importantly, she promised to help Zhu Rong refine her thesis outline and even complete the main body of the paper. While these demands were steep, the worst part was that Zhu Rong expected to receive a good grade. Knowing a bit about Zhu Rong’s outline, Jiang Xin nearly choked to death. She mentally put this entire debt onto Wang Qiqi’s ledger, knowing that if Wang Qiqi hadn't set her up in the end, she wouldn't be in such a miserable situation.

And when Jiang Xin finally got Zhu Rong's outline, her anger skyrocketed. She had initially thought she would only act as a supervisory check, believing that Zhu Rong, as the author, would at least write the paper herself. But the moment Zhu Rong handed the paper over, she completely washed her hands of it. If Jiang Xin hadn't asked about the progress every three days, she would have thought the paper was entirely her own work.

Bai Ge spent a long time discreetly asking around the class to verify Wang Qiqi’s claims. Aside from the usual rumors disparaging Wang Qiqi, there were no whispers involving Jiang Xin or Zhu Rong. "Qiqi, you were right! Jiang Xin really did manage to calm Zhu Rong down." Bai Ge mused that Jiang Xin was quite calculating to placate even an enraged Zhu Rong, but the price she paid must have been significant.

"Yes," Wang Qiqi replied, looking down as she continued flipping through her materials. Two days ago, she submitted her latest revised outline to the professor, and last night, the professor approved it. However, the professor’s exact words were that it was slightly better than the previous submission but still not satisfactory, expressing hope for an even stronger main body. Wang Qiqi felt immense pressure, but at least the outline was approved, bringing her a huge sigh of relief. Among the entire class, everyone except Wang Qiqi had their outlines approved, and some of the faster students were likely halfway done with their papers. Han Tao, whose graduation thesis Wang Qiqi believed would earn half its credit from the professor, had also passed the initial review; he would now focus on polishing the paper further, a task unrelated to his previous major assignments. Han Tao had successfully completed the second-to-last crucial task before graduation.

Bai Ge intended to return to her own paper, but then she spotted someone aggressively approaching their table. "Qiqi, someone’s here to settle a score!" The demeanor suggested to Bai Ge that perhaps Jiang Xin used to be a gangster, otherwise, her bearing wouldn't feel so natural.

Settle a score? Wang Qiqi quickly realized that in school, the only person who could make Bai Ge say that was Jiang Xin. "Has your thesis outline been approved?" Jiang Xin had finally cornered Wang Qiqi and desperately wanted to ask why she had framed her. However, being in the library, she knew that if she lost control of her emotions, the matter she had just managed to suppress might escalate again. Resignedly, Jiang Xin lowered her voice.

"It passed. The last one in the class to pass," Wang Qiqi pouted. "Sorry to disappoint you; you didn't get to see me make a fool of myself."

See a joke? Jiang Xin’s eyes, fixed on Wang Qiqi, were filled with mockery. She truly wanted to punch that irritatingly handsome face—to punish her for bullying her, for standing above her, for blocking her path to success. "How could I dare to laugh at you? I really must thank you for your guidance that day." Jiang Xin heavily emphasized the word 'guidance.'

Wang Qiqi smiled back sweetly. "Then I must thank you for discussing things with me that day. If it weren't for you, how could I have gotten the professor to approve my outline?" Wang Qiqi's meaning was clear: Just because you can trip me up doesn't mean I have to sit here passively. "You handled things pretty well yourself, too," she added, referring to the fact that there were currently no negative topics about Jiang Xin circulating in the class. Wang Qiqi knew exactly why Jiang Xin was confronting her, but she insisted on provoking her. In Wang Qiqi's view, if someone was going to be unreasonable and provoke her, she certainly wouldn't just sit there meekly.

Seeing Wang Qiqi’s smug look infuriated Jiang Xin. She glanced around; it was nearing dinnertime, and there weren't many people around, so she felt she didn't need to hold back much longer. "Cut the act. You knew exactly what price I had to pay. All of this is because of you." Seeing Wang Qiqi smiling like a blooming flower, Jiang Xin desperately wanted to tear her face off—to see how she would attract Han Tao then. But she knew that was just wishful thinking. Even if she had the nerve, she lacked the power to carry it out; ending up with a disciplinary record going into her file was a price too high to pay. Moreover, she knew that Wang Qiqi could be ruthless when necessary.

"You think it's me?" Wang Qiqi looked at the person shifting the blame. "You sought me out first! I never provoked you. If you hadn't wanted to see a joke, would you have been so easily instigated by her? Don't you understand yet? We were putting on a show for someone else. And you must have paid quite a hefty price, right? Regardless of whether I guided her or not, she over-delivered." Wang Qiqi admitted she was redirecting blame slightly, but she was speaking the blunt truth.

Jiang Xin knew Wang Qiqi was trying to change the subject, but what she said held merit. Wang Qiqi had suffered a minor embarrassment, while Jiang Xin had not only been embarrassed but had also lost a great deal—especially since she couldn't even spread the news of Wang Qiqi's failure, wasting a perfect opportunity. Regarding Zhu Rong, Jiang Xin hated her too, but Wang Qiqi ranked highest on her list of grievances. However, Zhu Rong represented the most direct conflict with her interests.

"Do you think saying that will drive a wedge between Zhu Rong and me?" Jiang Xin quickly stabilized her stance and retorted. Hmph, she wants to see a conflict between me and Zhu Rong? Does she take me for a fool? I acted impulsively once; I won't repeat that mistake. "Don't worry, this time I will definitely write a thesis better than yours." Even if she had to help Zhu Rong write her paper, Jiang Xin was confident. Wang Qiqi might have extensive theoretical knowledge, but she hadn't done an internship yet. What good was theoretical knowledge without practical experience? Any paper she produced would likely just be dismissed by the professor as textbook material, and the grade wouldn't be high. Thinking this, Jiang Xin felt much more confident in her chances.

Wang Qiqi actually harbored a tiny bit of that thought. "Oh, you finally figured that out? Too bad you saw through it," Wang Qiqi said with a look of mock regret. Since the other person had said it, why hide it? It was better to state her intentions clearly. "I won't talk anymore; I need to look up research materials."

Jiang Xin had intended to leave, but seeing Wang Qiqi and Bai Ge sitting by the window, diligently reading their books, she decided to stay. She hoped to deduce the general direction of Wang Qiqi's thesis by observing the books she was reading.

Wang Qiqi hadn't expected Jiang Xin, who clearly only intended to borrow books and leave, to stay behind. She found it surprising. However, since this was the library, a public space, Wang Qiqi couldn't ask her why she wasn't leaving, but she knew that her staying meant nothing good would follow.

Even though Wang Qiqi and Bai Ge knew Jiang Xin wasn't staying for noble reasons, they couldn't dedicate much time to watching her. They each flipped through the books they had borrowed, taking notes on anything relevant to their own theses. As Wang Qiqi and Bai Ge copied information onto their pads, Jiang Xin's eyes darted restlessly. Although Bai Ge didn't look up, the uncomfortable sensation of being watched made her deeply annoyed.

Wang Qiqi completely understood Jiang Xin’s reason for staying, but she wasn't worried at all. Let her look. The materials and papers she and Bai Ge had checked out today were only tangentially related to her actual thesis—or perhaps they were just general, versatile books. Jiang Xin couldn't possibly find the direction of Wang Qiqi's paper by looking at these. So, she generously showed Jiang Xin the titles of the books she was reading and openly displayed the page numbers she was copying, though only Wang Qiqi knew how much of that copied material was genuinely useful.

Jiang Xin couldn't help but feel suspicious when Wang Qiqi was so liberal with showing her research materials. If Wang Qiqi had shown even a slight hint of reservation or evasion, Jiang Xin might have been more curious, wondering if the books were related to the thesis. But Wang Qiqi's brazen openness made her suspicious. Still, she knew these books had been borrowed by Wang Qiqi and Bai Ge before she arrived, so they absolutely must be related to the thesis.

Wang Qiqi quickly finished transcribing the useful parts of the book in her hand, set it aside, and then reached over the pile of books beside her, grabbing one from the stack near Bai Ge. She flipped through it quickly and began transcribing the relevant content.

Jiang Xin hadn't expected that she and Bai Ge would end up taking books from each other's doorsteps; she found it utterly bizarre. Was it possible their thesis topics were similar? Otherwise, why would they be looking at the books the other had borrowed? But that didn't seem right either; Bai Ge’s grades weren't that good. If she were Bai Ge, she certainly wouldn't have chosen a thesis topic identical to Wang Qiqi’s; doing so wouldn't guarantee a high score.

Bai Ge reached over and took a book from near Wang Qiqi, noticing the surprised and puzzled look in the corner of someone's eye. She chuckled inwardly. Several of the books she had borrowed were ones Wang Qiqi wanted to examine. As for the books Qiqi had borrowed, well, embarrassingly, not a single one was something Bai Ge wished to consult. But since Wang Qiqi had made the move, Bai Ge decided to do the same to deliberately confuse the other person, even diligently turning pages and taking copious notes.

Now Jiang Xin was utterly perplexed. Were they working on the same thesis subject? Or perhaps topics that were quite close? If so, it seemed Wang Qiqi must have changed the topic she originally intended. After all, someone had already spoken aloud about Bai Ge's thesis subject. If that were the case... Jiang Xin suddenly felt she had grasped Wang Qiqi’s thesis theme. Although it required further verification, Jiang Xin thought the possibility was quite high. Having learned what she wanted to know, Jiang Xin certainly wouldn't linger any longer. "Qiqi, I’m leaving now."

Watching Jiang Xin float away smugly, Bai Ge pouted with disdain. "Looks like she figured out our baseline."

"That's her capability," Wang Qiqi sighed in great relief after Jiang Xin had gone. Having a wary gaze wandering nearby was truly draining; one couldn't afford to relax mentally, always needing to maintain a heightened state of alert. "Alright, we can get back to our books."