Chapter 488 - 168: ’80s Drama Queen, Forced to Become a Top Student (3)

Chapter 488: Chapter 168: ’80s Drama Queen, Forced to Become a Top Student (3)

She took out two bills and handed them to the old lady.

The old lady smiled, waved her hand, and pushed them back. "Silly child, I didn’t buy that much. I was just making an excuse to get you some spending money."

"You’re still young, so you should focus on eating proper meals. Even with spending money, make sure you use it wisely. I know you’re a sensible, good girl, which is why I came up with this idea for you."

"They say money isn’t everything, but you can’t do anything without it."

"There’s another saying: ’Even a hero can be stumped by a single coin.’"

"This is all the help Grandma can give you. I hope your life is smooth and peaceful from now on, little one. Try to be more open-minded and don’t dwell on things too much."

"Study hard. Once you get into university, you won’t have to live at the mercy of others anymore!"

Sheng Leyun clenched her fists, nodded with a soft smile, and said, "I’m lucky to have met you, Grandma."

"Haha, most people just see me as a stuffy old woman," the old lady said with a happy laugh. "But today, for some reason, I just couldn’t stand by and watch a sweet, sensible girl like you get bullied by those two schemers."

"I don’t know if my interfering today will be a good or a bad thing for you."

One hundred and sixty yuan was a huge sum for a young girl, but it was really just sixteen ten-yuan bills, which weren’t too thick when folded.

The dress she was wearing had no pockets. The original owner’s few belongings were with Ren Xingchen, leaving her with almost nowhere to hide the money.

Right then, everyone was busy buying food, getting hot water, or washing their meal boxes. The train car was bustling with people, each minding their own business.

Using Li’s large frame as a screen, Sheng Leyun undid the braid she had mussed up earlier. Without hiding it from the old lady, she set aside two of the ten-yuan bills, rolled up the rest, and tucked them against her scalp, securing them tightly with a hair tie to form a ponytail.

She shook her head from side to side.

The old lady watched her closely, then nodded with a smile and leaned in to whisper, "You’ve hidden it well; I can’t see a thing. But the stations are crowded. Aren’t you worried someone will jostle your hair loose?"

Sheng Leyun smiled and pointed to the hat beside her. "I have this as a second line of defense."

The original owner had adored her father. With almost no mementos left of him, she had come to cherish anything related to the military.

On a rare occasion, trying to get on her good side, Xiao Xuezhen had even worn a hat with a red star, just like this one.

After washing her hands, Sheng Leyun started on her meal: braised pork and green beans over rice. The rice was mushy and lacked bite, the green beans were a bit old and stringy, and the pork was lean and dry.

The man called Li, however, was cradling his meal box and eating with gusto, as were the others, all with their heads buried in their food.

It was as if they were eating a completely different meal.

But even though Sheng Leyun’s palate was picky from having tasted the cuisines of a hundred lifetimes, this body was desperately starved for oil and sustenance. It was still growing, and her stomach felt like a ravenous beast, wanting to devour the meal box and all.

After finishing the entire box of food, Sheng Leyun let out a faint sigh. She drank some corn porridge, feeling herself come back to life.

She got up to wash her meal box and saw Ren Xingchen stand up as well. She smiled at the old lady and said, "Grandma, he doesn’t need to follow me. My mom probably has something to say to me."

The old lady nodded. "Go on, then. Remember not to hit a stone with an egg—don’t try to test which is harder. You’re still young, and you need them for a roof over your head and for food and clothes. Don’t make things too hostile." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Sheng Leyun hummed in agreement, picked up her meal box, and walked off as if she hadn’t even seen Ren Xingchen.

"Sheng Leyun," Ren Xingchen hissed when she saw her daughter ignoring her and focusing on washing the meal box. "Haven’t you made enough of a scene? Your father is gone, and we need a man to support and protect us."

"If it weren’t Mr. Xiao, it would be someone else. You should learn to be content!"

Sheng Leyun was small and thin. With Ren Xingchen standing in front of her, she was almost completely hidden from view.

She raised an eyebrow, a defiant and thoroughly infuriating smile playing on her lips. "But your choice happens to be Mr. Xiao, the very man who cost me my father."

"Not only are you not treating me with incredible kindness, but you also want me to be a servant to the young master and young miss in the Capital City?"

"If you two aren’t afraid of being poisoned, go ahead and treat me like a slave. After all, I’m just a child. With a mother who cozies up to the rich and powerful, who gave birth to me but doesn’t want to raise me, how upright and kind do you expect me to become?"

"At worst, I’ll get locked up for a few days and sent to a lecture. But when I get back, your new family had better be ready to be so shamed they can no longer hold their heads up in public!"

Ren Xingchen stared at Sheng Leyun in disbelief, her whole body trembling with rage.