Chapter 85: 85. The Trampled School Bully (Complete)

To get someone to finally touch her ears, Jiang Yusheng—who was already studying plenty hard—threw herself into her books with even greater fervor.

Time flies by for anyone immersed in a single pursuit, slipping away like the pages of a book flipped in an instant.

Over the past two years, Jiang Yusheng’s grades had climbed steadily, but she was still a fair distance from qualifying for Rongcheng University, the school Bai Qian was all but guaranteed to attend.

She never gave up, gritting her teeth and pushing on until the final, make-or-break exam was behind her. Only then did she truly let herself relax.

When Ms. Zhao Lanzhao asked how she’d done, Jiang Yusheng didn’t go into details. Instead, she repeated what she’d said back then.

“If I don’t get into Rongcheng, I’ll repeat the year and make sure to go with Qianqian next year.”

The woman sighed deeply. “See? Your mom was right. You never know how things will turn out until the very last moment. Alright, I know you gave it your all. If you want to give it another shot, then go for it.”

Jiang Yusheng had braced herself for the worst—which would also be a kind of silver lining. If she didn’t make it, she’d just become Bai Qian’s classmate.

But to her surprise, Little Rabbit pulled off a miracle that time. She scraped by with the last spot in her major and successfully crossed the threshold into Rongcheng University.

~~~

Xu Zhiyu and Lin Erxing had spent the last two years studying alongside Jiang Yusheng, and their hard work paid off in the end. Both got the results they’d hoped for.

Since all their schools were in Rong City, it was easy enough to meet up whenever they wanted.

Still, a graduation called for some ceremony.

Without inviting anyone else, the three of them went out for a meal together.

After dinner, they hit up a KTV.

Now that they were graduates, a bit of celebratory booze was in order. Lin Erxing, though, was a lightweight—half a can in, and she was done. She didn’t touch another drop.

In the end, Xu Zhiyu and Jiang Yusheng were the ones who got truly sloshed, each drunker than the last.

Lin Erxing tried to help Jiang Yusheng out, but the inebriated little rabbit wouldn’t let her anywhere near. All she kept mumbling were two words.

“Qianqian.”

With no other choice, Lin Erxing called Bai Qian.

The girl arrived twenty minutes later.

Lin Erxing finally breathed a sigh of relief and left with Xu Zhiyu.

The little rabbit, who had been sprawled bonelessly on the sofa, perked up like a puppy scenting something familiar. Half-lidded eyes cracking open, she lunged the moment Bai Qian leaned in to pull her up, wrapping her arms around her tight.

Then, nuzzling close, she cooed Bai Qian’s name into her ear again and again, her voice sweet as honey.

Bai Qian let her cling, struggling with considerable effort to coax the unusually pliant little rabbit downstairs.

Zhao Lanzhao was waiting in the car and hopped out to lend a hand when she saw them emerge.

As the car pulled away, the woman glanced back through the rearview mirror. “How much did she drink? Her face is red as a baboon’s butt.”

Bai Qian had no chance to reply. The little rabbit, unsatisfied with mere cuddles, had pinned her against the car window.

She was leaning in for a kiss when Bai Qian lifted a hand to block her lips.

Instantly aggrieved, the little rabbit’s eyes rimmed red, tears threatening to spill at any second.

With a sigh, Bai Qian kissed her instead.

The little rabbit’s soft whimpers were thoroughly silenced.

Up front, Ms. Zhao Lanzhao just tsked to herself. Young love, huh.

~~~

The drunkard couldn’t bathe herself, so Bai Qian had no choice but to step in.

Little Rabbit was far from cooperative, lunging at her repeatedly throughout.

Her snowy skin was bewitchingly alluring, darkening Bai Qian’s gaze despite herself.

Fortunately, Bai Qian’s self-control held firm. She endured the teasing, tended to the troublesome girl, and at last tucked her into bed.

Bai Qian herself had broken out in a sheen of hot sweat from the provocation. After a quick shower in the bathroom, she emerged to find the little rabbit—who had been lying flat—now curled on her side, the blanket she’d been covered with kicked clean off.

Bai Qian switched off the light before remaking the bed and sliding in.

Usually, it was Jiang Yusheng who held her as they slept. This time, with Bai Qian taking the initiative to cuddle her close, the girl in her arms stayed docile for only a moment before starting to squirm.

Thinking she must be uncomfortable, Bai Qian started to loosen her hold. But then the one in her embrace began nuzzling her head against her.

Bai Qian’s instincts told her something was off. Sure enough, the spot on her chin where she was being rubbed began to itch in an unusual way.

She looked down.

Ears.

Jiang Yusheng had been good these past two years.

Every susceptible period, she’d dutifully taken her inhibitor.

But now, smack in the middle of another one, with alcohol clouding her senses, the little rabbit was whining for help.

“My ears itch… wuwu, they itch so bad. Touch them… please, touch them for me.”

This time, Bai Qian finally stopped refusing.

~~~

Slender hands gently caressed the pair of soft floppy ears.

They felt like two puffs of cloud, so fluffy and addictive that she couldn’t get enough.

The little rabbit in her arms let out soft hums and huffs—utterly adorable.

After enough petting, the ears tucked away.

The little rabbit finally settled down completely, nestling in her embrace and drifting off to sleep with her eyes closed.

Bai Qian used the same hand that had stroked those ears to ruffle the other girl’s warm, soft hair.

Her rabbit was hers now, truly and completely.

~~~

“New World transfer complete. Welcome, Guardian, to the New World. Objective: Change the tragic fate of the Female Protagonist whose reputation lies in ruins.”

~~~

Did They Make Up Today? was a new variety show debuting on Strawberry Channel.

The program team would invite three pairs of celebrities—each pair with relatively high fame and some unresolved personal grudge—to live together for a full month in a fixed live-stream location.

The goal was for these guests to spend that time in close quarters, gaining a fuller understanding of one another, letting go of past grievances, and ultimately shaking hands in reconciliation.

It sounded like a heartwarming show on paper. But the gossip-loving public knew better: toss two women with beef into the mix, and things would never stay cozy. It was bound to deliver epic showdowns and tear-jerking drama.

The 24/7 live-stream format sealed the deal—no more worrying about shady post-production edits to stir up trouble. Viewers could spam comments to interact with the stars in real time, ramping up that immersive variety-show vibe.

Clearly, this was a guilt-free melon-eating extravaganza tailored for the masses.

This teaser post on Weibo—without even naming the guests—shot straight to the top of the hot search trends in under five minutes.

As the buzz climbed, so did the follower count.

Black fans, CP stans, soloists, and casual gossipers flooded the comments, speculating wildly on the six mystery guests.

【YouHuaCPDidTheyHEtoday: Heard Xia Hengtao asked her stream fans for a month’s break. Betting she’s doing this show.】

【jsnsjxd replying to @YouHuaCPDidTheyHEtoday: No official announcement from the program team, so don’t drag my Taotao into this. My Taotao is gorgeous inside and out, never holds grudges—why would she join a show like that?】

【StealMyBlueBuffStepOnDogShitTomorrow replying to @jsnsjxd: Anyone calling Xia Hengtao gorgeous and kind-hearted must be a newbie fan. Everyone knows she was exposed two years ago, pre-fame, for acting all high-and-mighty and giving fans attitude. I’ve still got that video on my feed.】

【DidChiHuaTrendAgainToday: Betting on Chi Hua. If she’s not in the lineup, I’m doomed to stay single this year.】

【HuaHuasBestMom replying to @DidChiHuaTrendAgainToday: Can the haters just leave? Checked your profile—you’re a He Nianyou stan. Instead of gambling with our baby Hua, tell your fave to work on her vocals. Enough with the ‘heavenly voice’ hype already.】

【DidChiHuaTrendAgainToday replying to @HuaHuasBestMom: If your ears are busted, drop your account number—I’ll Venmo you for treatment! Check my profile for exclusive concert footage of our Youyou. Straight shots, stunning looks, sweet timbre, heavenly voice—He Nianyou, invest now, no regrets~】

The program team was thrilled to watch the netizens hype the tags organically and held off on revealing the guest list.

Gossip hounds and fan armies turned the comments into a battlefield, propelling related trends up the charts one after another.

HeNianyouOffKey

ChiHuaMarketingFail

HeNianyouFansSelectiveDeafness

YuJingqingGirlfriend

YuJingqingBreakup

XiaHengtaoBlackFaceVideo

BaiQianDrama

Just as every star’s skeletons were about to get dragged into the light, one blogger finally cracked and dropped a Weibo post, narrowing the feast for the masses.

【MyIdiotBossRantingAgain today: Did They Make Up Today? guest list—aloof flower Shen XX who stays drama-free, skips the hype, and just acts seriously; drama queen Bai X whom even her own fans beg to quit acting and just be a pretty vase in peace; He XX, whose fans rave about her heavenly voice while her pitch-corrector rakes in seven figures a year; annual Weibo marketing champ Chi X, whose earnings all go to buying trends; Golden Orange Award Film Empress Yu XX, whose pro skills are matched only by her girlfriend-swapping speed; and station streamer Xia XX, once caught spending seven days and nights in a hotel with a certain Film Empress.】

That day, the tag #CPHypeOrCatfightWatchparty# exploded.

Amid the roaring anticipation of millions, Did They Make Up Today? went live.