Chapter 142: 142, Zhou Yuan Chapter 142: 142, Zhou Yuan Seeing Song Yan Ning and the two others heading to the second floor, Yu Xiaoyan made up her mind to join them once she had gotten her meal.
The second floor wasn’t very crowded and was nowhere near as noisy as the first floor.
Ling Yu and Guo Kai took Song Yan Ning to their exclusive spot. “Boss, from now on, come dine here with us.” They sometimes represented the school in basketball tournaments and did not want their boss to endure the discomfort of squeezing in with strangers when they were not around.
“Okay.” Song Yan Ning smiled and nodded.
Fang Ya, carrying her meal tray, reached the second floor and immediately noticed the trio of Song Yan Ning. A flash of surprise crossed her eyes. “They’re here too.” Unlike Yu Xiaoyan, she was well aware of what dining on the second floor signified. If it weren’t for her mother’s good relationship with the principal, she wouldn’t have been allowed to eat there. This area was designated for staff and certain students with special statuses.
“Fang Ya, what are you looking at?” The female classmate who had come up with Fang Ya followed her gaze and brightened upon seeing Ling Yu and Guo Kai. She wasn’t a newcomer and thus was familiar with them.
“Xuxu, do you know them?” Fang Ya gestured towards Ling Yu and Guo Kai with her chin. They were the most handsome boys she had ever seen, and she wondered what their relationship was with Song Yan Ning.
“Yes, they are well-known figures at school; Ling Yu and Guo Kai. Not only are they handsome and from good families, but they are also excellent basketball players. Most of the schoolgirls like them,” Yan Xuxu spoke admiringly. Her family background was decent too, but it paled in comparison to that of the Ling or Guo families.
“Let’s go sit with them,” Fang Ya said, already moving with her meal tray toward where Song Yan Ning and her companions were.
“Fang Ya, don’t go over there,” Yan Xuxu interjected to stop her. Naturally, she wanted to sit with Ling Yu and his group, but she didn’t dare. If Ling Yu and his friends had turned away Zhou Yuan, then they would likely dismiss them too.
Zhou Yuan was considered the beauty queen of the school, and her family background was no less distinguished than the Ling or Guo families. She had openly expressed her crush on Ling Yu, although he had never shown her any warmth.
Fang Ya approached Song Yan Ning and her group. “May I sit with you?” Her mother had told her to make friends with those of the same status at school, and not to lower her own standing by mingling with those less fortunate or prominent. Ling Yu and Guo Kai perfectly met her criteria for friendship.
Ling Yu looked at Song Yan Ning. “Is she from your class?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Song Yan Ning nodded.
“Are you on good terms?” Ling Yu continued to inquire. It didn’t matter to him as long as the boss was happy.
“Not particularly,” Song Yan Ning said with a faint smile.
Ling Yu understood and nodded, then turned to Fang Ya. “You guys should find a different spot to sit.”
“Why?” Fang Ya asked, confused. She was pretty; shouldn’t boys like her?
“We don’t like sharing a table with strangers,” Ling Yu replied, his expression cooling. His patience was reserved for those he cared about.
Fuming, Fang Ya stomped her foot and glared at Song Yan Ning before turning to walk toward another table. In her mind, she blamed Song Yan Ning for this rejection, convinced it was because Song Yan Ning didn’t want her there that Ling Yu had turned her away.
Yan Xuxu had anticipated this outcome, awkwardly greeted Ling Yu and Guo Kai, and followed Fang Ya.
“I’m so furious.” The more Fang Ya thought about it, the angrier she became. When her mother took her out, everyone praised her for being pretty and cute, especially at the amusement park where many boys liked to hang around her. It was always others who sought her attention, not the other way around. No one had ever ignored her like this; it must be because Song Yan Ning didn’t like her that she wasn’t allowed to sit with them.
“Fang Ya, don’t be angry, that’s just their temperament,” Yan Xuxu consoled. Since Fang Ya’s mother was her aunt, and Fang Ya was her cousin, she naturally needed to take good care of her.
“Xuxu, do you think I’m pretty?” Fang Ya asked, puffing up with anger.
Yan Xuxu nodded, “Pretty.” Naturally, Fang Ya had inherited the good features from her mother and uncle.
“Then why won’t they agree to have dinner with me?” Fang Ya felt deeply hurt.
Yan Xuxu was somewhat speechless, “It’s not just you, even Zhou Yuan, our senior, they don’t bother about.” Zhou Yuan was the most beautiful girl she had ever seen, and many boys in school liked her.
“Is Senior Zhou Yuan that pretty?” Fang Ya asked, unconvinced. She hadn’t seen many girls prettier than herself.
“Are you blind?!” Just then, an angry scream came from the staircase.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it, I’ll wipe it off for you,” Yu Xiaoyan apologized as she set down her tray on the stairs and then took out a napkin from her pocket, intending to help the girl she had bumped into to wipe off the juice that splattered on her clothes.
“Don’t touch me with your dirty hands!” Zhou Yuan slapped away Yu Xiaoyan’s hand with a look of disgust.
Yu Xiaoyan shrank back in fear, “I’m sorry! I really didn’t do it on purpose. How about you change your clothes later, and I’ll wash them clean for you?” She really shouldn’t have come to the second floor, or else she wouldn’t have bumped into this beautiful girl.
“Can you wash them clean?” Zhou Yuan snorted disdainfully, sizing Yu Xiaoyan up and down, “You’re a freshman, right?”
“Yes,” Yu Xiaoyan nodded.
“No wonder you’re so clueless. The second floor isn’t meant for people of your status,” Zhou Yuan looked down on Yu Xiaoyan. She had wanted to teach Yu Xiaoyan a lesson, but considering that Ling Yu might be on the second floor, she held back her temper as she didn’t want to leave a bad impression on Ling Yu.
“But my classmate is up there,” Yu Xiaoyan weakly said. Song Yan Ning was also a freshman; if she could go up, why couldn’t she?
Zhou Yuan couldn’t be bothered with Yu Xiaoyan anymore and glared at her before walking towards the second floor. As she passed the tray Yu Xiaoyan had left on the stairs, she deliberately kicked it.
“Crash!” The tray slid down the stairs, scattering the food all over.
Yu Xiaoyan, watching the food spilled everywhere, couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. She didn’t understand why she was always the one being bullied. Was it just because she wasn’t pretty? Was appearance really that important?
Song Yan Ning was fully aware of everything that happened on the stairs, but she was too indifferent to intervene. Yu Xiaoyan being bullied was due to her own nature; she could help her once or twice, but not for a lifetime. If Yu Xiaoyan herself didn’t want to change, no amount of talking from others would be useful. Only when a person became strong on their own were they truly strong.