Chapter 006: Not Daring

  "It's all over, Mu You. I suddenly realized that having a handsome guy by my side isn't necessarily a good thing either. Now Ling Ran is sitting behind me and I'm feeling really awkward!"

  In the next class, Cheng Ling couldn't sit still and started whispering to Mu You. When she first came to school, she was puzzled that there was an extra desk behind her seat even though no one was sitting there. Who would have thought it would be a transfer student's seat? But this transfer student was someone she particularly disliked, making her extremely anxious, afraid of losing face in front of Ling Ran by doing something wrong. This was absolutely not allowed!

  Mu You looked at her actions with a mixture of laughter and tears, she never thought that the usually carefree and casual Cheng Ling would be so nervous around boys.

  "Cheng Ling, that's where you're wrong!" Mu You said solemnly, not wanting her friend to be someone who loses their mind just because of someone else's appearance.

  "First of all, you need to understand that in interpersonal relationships, everything is important except appearance! Think about it, why are you nervous around him? You've only known Ling Ran for the length of one class so far, and apart from his slightly better looks, what else have you seen? Nothing! From another perspective, if the person sitting behind you today was an ordinary boy, would you still be so nervous? No! And how do you know that Ling Ran isn't a wolf in sheep's clothing?"

  As she said this, Mu You's tone couldn't help but rise a lot. After finishing speaking, she only then realized that Ling Yan was right behind her, and suddenly felt a bit embarrassed as she turned around to look back. Only when she saw Ling Yan quietly flipping through her textbook without noticing anything did she quietly let out a breath and turn her head to continue lecturing.

  She didn't notice that at the moment she turned her head, Ling Ran, who was still carefully flipping through his textbook, stopped moving, and a hint of interest flashed in his eyes behind his glasses.

  Turning around, she saw Cheng Ling's face full of admiration.

  "Mu You, your thoughts are a bit too mature, aren't they? Hearing you say that, I really think there's no need to be so tense and hesitant, it just makes people look down on you!"

  "Hmph, Cheng Ling, don't you think someone looks up to you now?"

  Cheng Ling's words had just fallen when a cold voice rang out, and Mu You's eyes narrowed as she looked towards the source of the sound. It was indeed Zhao Hong!

  Cheng Ling's face turned pale for a moment, but she didn't retort back. She just glared at her angrily. Mu You knew that it was because Cheng Ling was considering Zhao Hong's family background and didn't dare to offend her casually. Her own family was just a small business, and they still had to rely on the Zhao family in many ways.

  But...

  "Oh? Miss Zhao, I take it that you're implying you're a more noble existence than Cheng Ling?" Holding Cheng Ling's hand in reassurance, Mu Yu's face broke into a faint smile, but the amusement didn't quite reach her eyes. The air around her seemed to vibrate with an intensity that left Cheng Ling staring in awe.

  Is this Mu Yu? Shouldn't Mu Yu be a gentle and elegant person? Why does she now exude a hint of danger?

  Zhaohong, however, had not yet realized anything and only felt that the words spoken by Muyou were extremely piercing. She immediately retorted: "What do you mean by saying she's more noble than Chengling? Don't compare me to her! She's not even worthy! She's just the daughter of a bankrupt company owner! In my eyes, she's nothing but a weed! How can she be compared to me?"

  Zhao Hong's sharp and piercing words made Cheng Ling's face look even more unsightly, and the hand held by Mu You was also trembling uncontrollably.

  It's clear that she was making a strenuous effort to suppress the anger in her heart, fearing that she might do something to bring trouble to her family's company.

  Even Ling Ran frowned in dissatisfaction when he heard this, and glanced at Zhao Hong with a disdainful look.

  The classmates around were either silent or watching with a look of amusement. It was clear that such insults had not happened for the first time, but what was I doing before? When my friends were insulted, was I also one of them, silently watching from the corner?

  Reborn once, she only discovered that her original self was so weak! But Cheng Ling still helped herself to the end...

  She was really wrong in the past! Forbearance will only make others think you are weak and can be bullied!

  "What's more?" Calmed down, Mu You's smile became thicker, her tone softer, but with an almost imperceptible chill.

  This time, even Zhao Hong noticed a hint of something not quite right, and looked at her with suspicious eyes. What she saw was her kind expression, but she didn't continue speaking.

  "Hmm!" Seeing that she didn't say anything more, Mu Yu chuckled softly and looked at her with a hint of teasing in his eyes, saying gently: "So, you think that a person's value is determined by their family background, is that what you mean?"

  The feeling of unease grew thicker, but once the words were out of her mouth, she would absolutely never take them back.

  "Yes! Some people always say that the poorer you are, the more backbone you have. In my opinion, all of that is nonsense! Even if they finally turn their fortunes around, what's the point? They still can't change their inherent poverty and lowliness! A chicken coop will never produce a bird that can fly - Bang!"

  A crisp slap landed squarely on her face, Zhao Hong's eyes widened in shock as she covered her face with her hands, staring at her in utter disbelief.

  She actually hit her in front of so many people? Isn't she afraid of being punished? Isn't she afraid of being ostracized by the class?

  Cheng Ling was also stunned, she had already lost count of how many times she had asked herself today: Is this Mu Yu? Is this the former Mu Yu who only knew how to comfort himself after things happened? Is this the Mu Yu who never made things difficult for others with a gentle appearance?

  What's even more shocking is that the classmates in the class, one by one, were stunned and motionless, with one boy even rubbing his eyes uncontrollably... This can't be blamed on him, who in the class doesn't know that when it comes to gentleness and kindness, Yu Rou is absolutely unmatched! But just such a girl, who in their hearts is as gentle as a little white rabbit, actually hit the thorny rose Zhao Hong today?

  Behind Mu You's back, Ling Ran's mouth corners were hooked into a playful smile...

  It was as if he hadn't seen Zhao Hong's shock, and Mu You still had a calm expression, even the smile on his face hadn't changed, but at this moment, that smile seemed to have an added chill!

  "Just as you said, family background determines everything. Since Cheng Ling's family background is not as good as yours, you can insult her and she can't talk back. But...” Mu You paused for a moment, meeting Zhao Hong's angry gaze with a faint smile, but with an icy coldness in his eyes, “You're not even a blade of grass in my eyes, yet coincidentally, your family background is also inferior to mine. So what if I slap you? Or, can you fight back? But... do you dare?"

  The last sentence, Mu You deliberately raised his voice, so that almost everyone present could hear.

  Zhao Hong had never thought she would have such a humiliating day, her hands were trembling, and at this moment she really wanted to slap back hard to clear the shame she suffered. But she also understood that she couldn't do so, if she was an ordinary person, she could easily slap back, but behind her was the Zhao family, with the family background she relied on! And as for the Mu family, they were not someone they could afford to offend!

  At this time, Zhao Hong finally understood how Cheng Ling felt when she humiliated her, but she didn't regret it. Instead, she was resentful and unwilling to accept that she didn't have the same good fortune as Yu Rou, with such a prestigious family background!

  After a hundred turns and a thousand laps, under the gaze of many classmates' astonishment, Zhao Hong took a deep breath, and in a low voice, spat out three words from between his teeth: "I don't dare..."