Chapter 263: Claiming Ownership
Jiang Kekai was quite generous, especially when it came to Xia Yu Little Cutie. She could pretty much give up anything and endure almost anything. But this was one thing she couldn’t stand.
So, Jiang Kekai placed her hand on Xia Yu’s shoulder and asked, with a slightly dark face, “Xia Yu, is this really happening?”
Xia Yu first glared at Jiang Hanhang, the one who had tattled, then weakly looked at her little Ning sister, appearing like a child who had done something wrong: “Little Ning Sister, it wasn’t my intention to get close to them—I was just lying on the desk, and they came over and hugged me.”
“So, you still got close to them?”
Looking up and seeing the fierce expression on Little Ning Sister’s face, Xia Yu didn’t know how to argue. Seeing no response from Xia Yu, Jiang Kekai got her answer. Luckily, her own sister had warned her early on, or else she might have actually been worried about losing her.
Squeezing Xia Yu’s little face, Jiang Kekai sighed, even though she was initially angry: “Considering you don’t understand what’s going on, I won’t punish you this time. But from now on, you need to be more careful, okay?”
“Yeah, okay.”
Despite feeling bossy, Xia Yu dared not disobey and obeyed obediently.
Seeing Xia Yu getting picked on like that, Xia Ling, as an older sister, couldn’t sit back. She slammed the stone table and looked directly at Jiang Kekai: “Hey, Big Bad Guy, aren’t you meddling in who my sister makes friends with?”
“I never said she couldn’t make friends, just not too closely. Chatting and holding hands, those things I can allow, but hugging and stuff…not necessary, right?”
Jiang Kekai stared at Xia Ling fearlessly: “Are you saying you want your sister to find a boyfriend? Make her leave home for good?”
“No way! Don’t jump to conclusions. I won’t interfere with what you do with my sister, but you better not be mean to her, and especially don’t hit her.”
Jiang Kekai laughed, the serious look gone from her face: “Do you think I’m the kind of person to hit Xia Yu?” “No,” Xia Ling immediately replied.
That’s right, Xia Ling had seen how Jiang Kekai interacted with Xia Yu, and if she hadn’t been treating Xia Yu well, Xia Ling would have driven her away long ago.
At the same time, Xia Ling didn’t want things to go that far, so she agreed, “No.”
“So, there you go. I dote on Xia Yu, how could I bully her? So you can rest assured leaving her with me.” With that, Jiang Kekai ruffled Xia Yu’s little head, as if the tense atmosphere never happened.
Right then, the class bell rang.
“Alright, let’s stop here. Go back to class now. Remember what I said – avoid crowded places and the school gate, just in case someone has already snuck in.”
“Okay.”
The three girls chimed in together.
Jiang Kekai nodded in satisfaction, and then headed out first. It was anyone’s guess how she’d handle the situation later.
“All better, the big bad guy left. What’s with you? Don’t tell me you’re actually infatuated with her?”
Noticing Xia Yu staring blankly at Jiang Kekai’s departing figure, Xia Ling couldn’t help but pinch Xia Yu’s cheek to snap her out of it.
Realizing it was Xia Ling who was pinching her and what she had said just now, Xia Yu defended Jiang Kekai: “Actually… Little Ning Sister treats me pretty well.”
“Exactly! My sister is so amazing; Xia Yu, don’t let her down.”
Jiang Hanhang couldn’t help but chime in.
Then, Xia Ling gave her a little knock on her head for good measure.
“What did you do that for?”
Jiang Hanhang pouted, looking resentfully at Xia Ling, not understanding why she kept hitting her. “Didn’t it hurt? You’re the one who started by tattling. You almost got Xia Yu punished by that big bad guy.”
Certainly, Jiang Hanhang wouldn’t easily admit defeat in a verbal spat: “Who made Xia Yu so close to them? I’m thinking of my sister. Is there something wrong with that?”
“Then, I’m thinking of my sister. Is there something wrong with that?”
Xia Ling and Jiang Hanhang faced off again, two silly loli neither backing down. It seemed like electricity was dancing between the two pairs of eyes.
Xia Yu felt honored, but she didn’t want them getting into a fight here. Knowing they were still at school, Xia Yu softly spoke out: “Well… isn’t it time we head back to class?”
This snapped the two bickering loli back to reality. Right, the class bell had rung. Considering the distance to the classroom, there was no way they could make it back. They decided to stay put.
On their way back, Xia Yu had some questions: “Hanhang, Little Ning Sister said those people came looking for me during the holidays? Do you know why?”
“I don’t know, but I think it’s about some body experiment stuff. They probably wanted you to cooperate, but you shouldn’t be fooled, okay? Just stay with my sister; she’ll take care of you.”
Xia Yu thought this sounded odd. After all, she used to be a strong boy, and should be the one to protect Little Ning Sister. Of course, Xia Yu only dared think this, not dare say it aloud.
Just as expected, once Jiang Kekai, Xia Ling, and Xia Yu returned to the classroom, their substitute teacher was already lecturing. She wasn’t very nice.
“Report~”
“Come in.”
The English teacher, having received instructions from He Gongxing, didn’t give them any trouble and waved them in directly.
So, under everyone’s watchful eyes, Xia Ling and Jiang Kekai returned to their seats, and Xia Yu went back to hers, sighing in relief.
“Why did it take so long? Where were you just now?”
Sure enough, the one daring to talk to Xia Yu was the inquisitive Gao Xiaotian, who, if he directed his curiosity toward studying, Xia Yu found it hard to believe he wouldn’t be number one in his year.
“Not much. Little Ning Sister just wanted to chat.”
“Oh, so the rumors about you and Jiang Kekai are true? I didn’t know until Hanhang mentioned it.”
What nonsense was this? Xia Yu wasn’t obligated to answer every question, so she simply shrugged off the comment and played with her doll. Surprisingly, playing with a doll was pretty entertaining.
With zero English foundation, Xia Yu didn’t understand a word of English they were talking about. It was all gibberish. When the English teacher left after class, Xia Yu couldn’t help but doze off. She didn’t know why she felt the urge to lie on her desk.
Every time she lay there, someone would disturb her…
“Xia Yu, spill some tea—what’s the story with you and Miss Jiang Kekai? What did she say?”
“Yeah, come on, tell us. We’re curious.”
Xia Yu refused to speak and wouldn’t change her mind even if Li Jia and Guo Yao asked her. “Curiosity killed the cat. Please don’t be curious.”
“Fine, Xia Yu, if you don’t want to talk, fine. But I didn’t expect you to have such a relationship with her. No wonder she and her sister care so much about you.”
“Sure, Xia Yu even has a sweetheart. But I support you as well.” Guo Yao smiled.
High Xiaotian had already tried asking during class, so he had nothing to say during break. He took out his phone and played around, knowing he was winning seconds.
Occasionally, friends related to Li Jia and Guo Yao came to ask them, but with little success.
Thus, Xia Yu endured until lunchtime.
“Xia Yu, want to grab lunch together? I’ll treat you.”
As soon as school ended, Li Jia and Guo Yao turned and invited Xia Yu. Though they had known her for a while, they had never eaten together before.
Previously, thinking Xia Yu was a boy, they didn’t think to invite her. But now things were different. They knew Xia Yu was also a girl, and Jiang Hanhang had told them about some secrets they shouldn’t have known, didn’t she?
That made Xia Yu seem even more like a girl to them, and Xia Yu stubbornly refused to acknowledge it. They weren’t going to force her to admit it.
After all, sometimes, what matters is knowing in your heart, not digging up everything.
“No.”
Xia Yu answered lazily, her voice sounding more and more mature.
“What, give me face. Haven’t we ever gone out for a meal together? I’ll add a drumstick to your meal. How about that?” Li Jia tried to persuade her.
“Thanks, but no thanks. Xia Yu is my sister’s, so naturally, she will go out with me. Whatever Xia Yu wants to eat, my sister will buy.”
As she spoke, Jiang Hanhang and Xia Ling walked over: “So, go eat with them. We won’t be eating in the cafeteria.”
