Chapter 15: The Fake Heiress of the Wealthy Family (Part 15)

Shen Ke cried until she grew a little tired. Her sobs gradually softened until they became faint whimpers.

They came in intermittent bursts, reaching the ears.

Yue Lingqing’s eyelashes trembled lightly. She stopped her gentle pecks, released Shen Ke, and took out a tissue to wipe her cheeks.

Gazing into those reddened eyes, Yue Lingqing felt her heart pounding fiercely, as if she’d been poisoned.

Yue Lingqing pursed her lips, straightened up, and asked, “Where are you living now? If you don’t have a place, I’ll rent you an apartment outside.” She didn’t even consider that Shen Ke might be staying in the dorms.

Dorms were crowded—nothing convenient there. And with Shen Ke’s bad temper, her delicate nature, and how she bullied the weak while fearing the strong, she’d probably end up bullied and hiding in the bathroom to cry her eyes out.

Shen Ke’s brows stayed furrowed in grievance, her big watery eyes full of resentment.

The moment the news broke, she’d nearly lost her mind from anger.

The strange looks from her classmates made it even worse.

She wanted to trample all those people underfoot, but without the Shen Family’s backing, she was powerless.

She could only hide in a surveillance-free spot like the bathroom to cry quietly after hearing their vicious words.

She refused to let those who mocked her see her tears—they’d only laugh even louder.

Hearing Yue Lingqing’s question, Shen Ke shook her head. She rubbed her eyes and rasped, “No, I-I’m staying at Shi Xu’s home.”

Her red lips glistened from the tears, drawing Yue Lingqing’s gaze for a moment before she quickly shifted it back to Shen Ke’s eyes.

Once she’d fully processed Shen Ke’s words, Yue Lingqing frowned. “Shi Xu?” She remembered Shen Ke had broken up with her. How had they gotten tangled up again?

No sooner had she spoken than the bathroom door burst open. Fortunately, the stall was spacious, or Yue Lingqing might have been hurt by the sudden swing.

A frantic shout rang out. “Shen Ke!” Before Yue Lingqing could turn, her arm was grabbed, and she was yanked away.

Her body slammed into the partition with a dull thud. The pain darkened Yue Lingqing’s expression.

She looked over to see a tall, slender figure scooping Shen Ke up into a full embrace.

From this angle, Yue Lingqing could see Shen Ke’s upturned face, her chin resting on the person’s shoulder. She looked shocked but not angry at the sudden hug.

Yue Lingqing withdrew her hand, which had been about to intervene, and stood aside with an inscrutable expression.

Tears still clung to the corners of Shen Ke’s eyes. Her eyes and nose were red from crying, her fair skin flushed pink—a rosy glow that stirred the blood.

She bit her lip and said softly, “Shi Xu, you’re hugging me too tight.”

“Your sweat’s getting on my neck. It’s so dirty.” Her voice was soft and hoarse, yet coquettish, melting the heart like butter.

Shi Xu took a deep breath and released Shen Ke. She cupped Shen Ke’s cheeks, scanning her face with undisguised worry. “Baby, are you okay? Those people went too far.”

“I was worried sick. I searched everywhere for you. Thank goodness I found you.” Her breathing was still ragged—she’d run the whole way.

As Shi Xu opened her arms to pull Shen Ke back in, someone gripped her arm, stopping her.

Shi Xu’s eyes darkened for a split second, but she hid it perfectly when Shen Ke looked over.

She turned to the person restraining her and forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Oh, you haven’t left yet.” What an eyesore.

Yue Lingqing tightened her grip, her face turning cold. Shi Xu, that bitch—utterly annoying.

She’d already been irritating when clinging to Yue Lingqing earlier, prying about Shen Ke.

That smug black face, calling her “my Shen Ke” this and “my Shen Ke” that.

It bred nothing but disgust.

They’d broken up, so why butt in? Yue Lingqing wanted to jab at her, but she wasn’t that tactless.

Right now, Shen Ke was the priority. Her focus should be on Shen Ke.

Yue Lingqing let go of Shi Xu and looked past her shoulder into Shen Ke’s wet, round eyes. The upturned corners gave them an unwitting allure.

The reddened edges made them even more beautiful.

Ignoring Shi Xu entirely, Yue Lingqing said to Shen Ke, “Shen Ke, do you still feel bad?”

Yue Lingqing’s features were refined—slender brows, phoenix eyes, pupils a shade lighter that conveyed deep sincerity with the slightest emotion.

Shen Ke pouted. Now that her crying jag was over, she realized how embarrassing her earlier behavior had been. Before she could speak, Shi Xu beat her to it. “What’s it to you? You’ve always hated my Baby, haven’t you? Are you here to kick her when she’s down and bully her?”

That rubbed Shen Ke the wrong way. She puffed out her cheeks, grabbed Shi Xu’s ears with both hands, twisted them, and yelled fiercely, “Shut up! Yue Lingqing isn’t like that at all!” Yue Lingqing had been the first to comfort her.

She’d always given Shen Ke cold shoulders before, yet chose to stand by her now.

Shi Xu frowned, incredulous. Shen Ke was yelling at her—for Yue Lingqing? She whined pitifully, “Baby, you’ve always hated Yue Lingqing. You used to tell me all the time how much you disliked her.” Shen Ke could hit her, yell at her—but defending someone else? That sparked all kinds of thoughts.

Yue Lingqing’s lips curved into a smile. She rarely felt this spark of pleasure, but Shen Ke’s defense lifted her mood instantly.

The good mood didn’t last. Shen Ke yelled on, “She’s my good friend now! You can’t talk bad about her!”

Yue Lingqing: …

Fuck—she’d even kissed her, and “just friends”? Nice one, Shen Ke. Real nice.

Yue Lingqing’s face fell, anger bubbling up. But she knew Shen Ke was dense. Even if fingers went in, she’d probably just cry and say, “We’re good friends. How could you do this?”

Intentionally or not, Yue Lingqing knew: every one of Shen Ke’s exes said she wasn’t looking for girlfriends—she wanted friends.

No sex was one thing, but not even kissing?

Kids these days matured fast—plenty hooked up before adulthood.

So she wasn’t surprised by the talk of bedding.

What shocked her was how pure Shen Ke was.

But too pure had downsides, like now.

Shi Xu fanned the flames from the side. “Got it. So she’s Baby’s good friend. Sorry, I misspoke. Go ahead and hit me, Baby.” She emphasized “good friend” heavily.

Shen Ke didn’t realize anything wrong with her words. In her mind, cheek kisses were nothing—good friends kissed cheeks all the time!

Her crying spell over and with both of them comforting her, she wasn’t so heartbroken anymore. Her little face perked up with its usual spoiled air. “I was just a little upset, not that upset. Neither of you can tell anyone I cried.”

“And those people mocking me? Hmph, I don’t care about them.” Her little mouth opened and closed, eye corners lifting, beautiful eyes brimming with disdain—like a hissing, clawing kitten.

Damn—too cute.

Shi Xu drew a deep breath, her gaze heating up. She grasped the hand Shen Ke had used on her ear and murmured lowly, “Baby, don’t do that. You’re too cute.”

“I want you.” The last words were barely a whisper, but Shen Ke was close enough to read her lips and eyes.

Shen Ke bit her lower lip, yanked her hand back, and kicked Shi Xu’s shin without a word. “Dead Pervert!”

With Shi Xu around, she couldn’t stay upset!

Fuming, she shoved Shi Xu aside. She glanced at her new good friend nearby, wrinkled her nose—Yue Lingqing’s gaze was a bit scary. Instinct screamed to get out of there.

Shen Ke walked out, leaving Shi Xu and Yue Lingqing alone in the stall.

Shi Xu arched a brow, her expression dripping sarcasm. “Good friend, don’t cross the line.” As if she didn’t know what Yue Lingqing was after.

Whenever Shi Xu mentioned Shen Ke before, Yue Lingqing always looked displeased, hostile even.

Refusing to share any info on Shen Ke.

Yue Lingqing smiled coldly, chill radiating from her. “You always used to grill me about Shen Ke. Now I’ll tell you.”

“She never goes back to old things.”

“Especially ones she dumped herself.”

She had to admit Feng Jian was right—she liked Shen Ke, and had for a long time.

She just hadn’t wanted to face it, masking affection with disgust.

But piercing that thin veil took only one look from Shen Ke.

That pitiful, aggrieved gaze.

“Heh.” Shi Xu glared darkly at Yue Lingqing, nearly grinding her teeth. “If not for you, Shen Ke never would’ve broken up with me.”

With that, Shi Xu stormed out. The bell rang, signaling the end of class.

Students flooded in.

Noisy chatter filled the air.

“Look, that’s Shen Ke. Tsk, eyes all puffy—she must’ve bawled hard.”

“Heh, serves her right. Always so arrogant. Without the Shen Family, she’s nothing.”

“Never thought she’d do something like that—to a living person, just shoving them off. Terrifying. And she’s so pretty too. You know what they say: can’t judge a book by its cover.”

“Not content with stealing someone else’s life, she tries to kill the real deal. No wonder they expelled her. And she’s a lesbian too—disgusting.”

“Thick-skinned. If it were me, I’d have left ages ago.”

School was a microcosm of society—gossip as deadly as any out there.

In the distance, Shen Ke’s slender figure stood alone, a wide berth around her. No one dared approach.

Malicious stares everywhere.

Shi Xu clenched her fists. She wasn’t Shen Ke, but these words enraged her, turning her stomach.

If it were her, she’d have snapped and started swinging.

But the usually hot-tempered Shen Ke just hid to cry it out.

After a bit, she acted like nothing happened. Shen Ke was tougher than all of them.

Catching up, Shi Xu gripped her wrist tightly. Words sometimes fell short.

“They’re awful,” Shi Xu said softly.

Shen Ke kept her head down, glancing at her captured wrist. Shi Xu’s hand was hot, warmth seeping through.

Shen Ke looked up, face defiant. “I don’t care what they say.”