Chapter 364

On the way back, Xiao Qi could not help but smile foolishly.

Su Li thought the student council member was really thick-skinned. When she saw her display the grades for her aunt to see, Su Li's heart leapt to her throat, and she wanted to shout, "Student council member, wake up! The person in front of you is the great demon king. Don't provoke her, don't..."

But then she noticed that in addition to the student council member's grades, there were also those of Li Weijin, the pea-brained peacock. Li Weijin had passed the level 4 exam, and he had also passed the computer level 2 certification, albeit just passing. Amazingly, he had even passed the Japanese level 4 exam.

Where did he find the time to study all that?

During the preparatory course, his grades were much worse than hers.

Had he cheated somehow?

Following the student council member in studying just one additional language had left her feeling exhausted.

Could being bald really make one incredibly smart? Should she shave her head too?

Su Li was perplexed. She couldn't help but admire Li Weijin a little.

She was conflicted. Why should grades matter more than liking someone?

How tragic.

How arduous.

Xiao Qi did not notice Su Li's inner turmoil. Through their time together, she realized that although Su Li appeared tough on the surface, she was actually a gentle girl. She wasn't good at greeting others with a smile, but once you got to know her, she would open up her heart and be very pleasant to be around.

Despite being busy with her studies recently, Xiao Qi had not neglected her painting.

In fact, her inspiration was overflowing, and she would paint a new piece almost every other day.

This was probably related to Zaizai's recent state as well.

She calmly studied together with Li Weijin, sometimes even eating meals together, and had even visited Li Weijin's home.

Xiao Qi found it very pleasant.

Yes, previously she had studied diligently according to a routine, always under pressure, feeling that since she came from an ordinary background with a low starting point and poor conditions, she had to work harder than others, as if she had wound up a spring inside herself.

Every day, she would periodically tighten that inner spring, urging herself to keep working hard.

After being with Li Weijin, it seemed like she had long forgotten to tighten that spring, yet she was still working hard, and happily so.

Xiao Qi felt that she had made progress, advancing to a different state where she did not need prompting, did not need constant reminders, did not need any spiritual sustenance, yet she could naturally study diligently. It was very comfortable and relaxed. She felt that her studying had reached a natural state, without any sense of urgency, yet she was learning better and more at ease.

Perhaps it was because she had gained confidence from being with Zaizai.

Most people called him "Young Master," but Xiao Qi preferred the nickname "Zaizai."

As for the nickname "Zhi Zhi," she had heard his parents call him that, and hearing it once could make one laugh for a year...

Zaizai was very good-looking, and even more so with his shaved head, possessing a fresh and otherworldly handsomeness. He dressed very properly, like a dashing gentleman. Or perhaps because he knew of Xiao Qi's aesthetic preferences, Zaizai had been dressing in a more ethereal style recently, shedding the rough edges from before. His attire lately appeared slightly more modest, though only compared to his previous outfits: when compared to others, it was still exceptionally glamorous.

Just yesterday, Zaizai had worn a robe-like outfit, somewhat resembling a Taoist priest's robe, in a rich blue color. While other Taoists' robes gave off an aura of poverty, Zaizai's robe had a true silk-like quality, making him look devastatingly handsome... As he walked over, he resembled the most dashing elder martial brother of the Wudang sect. He looked incredibly good.

Yet such a good-looking guy was stern towards everyone else, only revealing a smile when he approached you, as if the sun had suddenly pierced through a cloudy sky, bathing everything in golden light.

Whenever Xiao Qi saw that smile, she would be dazed for a few seconds.

She could suddenly understand why people liked to read melodramatic romance novels, with descriptions of arrogant CEOs like: "His deep, dark eyes held unfathomable depths; his low, powerful masculine voice carried an innate arrogance and coldness; his chiseled, handsome face exuded aloofness..." Previously, she had found such portrayals exaggerated and embarrassing.

But when she looked at Zaizai, she would be struck breathless by his beauty every time, feeling motivated without any need for encouragement. She wanted to study hard and work even harder.

This was probably reflected most in the progress of her paintings.

The system would periodically notify her that Xiao Qi's painting skills had improved, and she was now at the "Expert+" level.

Xiao Qi had painted many portraits: the gentle Aizhen teacher, the formidable Mrs. Su, the lively Mier, the shy Wei Cheng, the lazy Yun Shu, the bald Li Weijin, as well as bashful, arrogant, serious, blushing, smiling versions of Li Weijin. Recently, she had enjoyed painting portraits, finding them very rich, with each person's character being different, reflected in her depictions of them, which also varied based on her mood at the time.

In addition to painting from live models, she had also painted Yamamoto sensei, her father, her mother, and her aunt from memory. However, painting from memory was much more difficult, leaving her mentally exhausted, as she would repeatedly recall the most vivid details of the subject in her mind, straining her emotionally.

Especially when painting her parents, Xiao Qi would sometimes have tears in her eyes, reminiscing about the various scenes from her time spent with them.

Fortunately, the winter break was coming soon, so she could return home to see her parents. Just thinking about it filled her with joy. She had changed so much this semester that her parents would probably be quite surprised when they saw her.

The only downside was that she would have to spend her birthday in the city this year, unable to enjoy the longevity noodles and pastries her mother would make for her. Her birthday was on December 29th, right at the end of the year.

It would be her first time celebrating her birthday away from home, and Xiao Qi felt a bit unsettled.

Her roommates were quite enthusiastic about it, as they had previously celebrated Yun Shu's and Mier's birthdays at school, exchanging gifts. The girls placed importance on reciprocity, so they remembered everyone's birthdays: Xiao Qi's was in late December, while Wei Cheng's was in April.

Over the past few days, Xiao Qi kept overhearing her roommates discussing what gift to give her for her birthday. Although she kept saying it wasn't necessary, deep down she still looked forward to it with anticipation.

As for Li Weijin, her boyfriend, it seemed like he hadn't made any arrangements. Xiao Qi didn't know why: she was both hopeful yet apprehensive. Surely he wouldn't actually not give her a gift? Her roommates must have mentioned it to him.

Young girls, especially those in relationships, all shared a common quirk: "I know what I want, but I won't say it. Let's see if you can figure it out and give it to me..." In other words, they played coy.

Even the diligent and levelheaded Xiao Qi was no exception.

December 29th, Sunday.

That weekend, Li Weijin had gone home... Although he usually went home every weekend, this time felt different, leaving Xiao Qi feeling a bit disappointed.

She got up early and went for a run, covering over 10,000 steps. After stretching, she planned to return to the dorm, shower, and then head to the library. Although running had improved her mood, she still felt a tinge of disappointment deep down. Xiao Qi realized this was one of the downsides of being in a relationship: she cared too much, becoming insecure and uneasy if things didn't go as expected. It was overly melodramatic.

Her former self would have decisively rejected Zaizai and clearly expressed her feelings. Now that they were together, she couldn't seem to articulate them anymore.

How melodramatic!

As she walked back to the dorm, Xiao Qi felt it would be just fine to celebrate with her roommates. She couldn't prioritize her relationship over her friends.

But when she arrived at the dorm, her roommates had also gotten up, which was rare. On weekends, Mier and Yun Shu usually loved to sleep in.

Today, they had even gotten dressed.

"Xiao Qi, hurry! It's your birthday today. Let's all go to the city and eat something delicious," Mier greeted her with a wide smile.

Even the shy Wei Cheng was wearing her new windbreaker, smiling as she said, "Happy birthday. You're 18 now, how wonderful."

Yun Shu wore a pink corduroy dress, sent by her mother, from the brand Miu Miu, extremely expensive. Unaware of its cost, she looked rather cute wearing it.

No one asked Xiao Qi for help with makeup this semester. After learning from her, they had picked up quite a bit and could do it themselves.

Xiao Qi: "..."

"You're all so serious about this, even doing makeup."

"Of course, you need to put on makeup too. We're going out together, we must look gorgeous," Mier said with a smile as she applied whitening cream on her face.

Infected by her roommates' enthusiasm, the last hint of melancholy dissipated from Xiao Qi's mind. She felt she needed some self-reflection. No wonder people say being in love makes you silly - she was showing signs of silliness herself. Wouldn't it be nice to join her roommates?

They happily showered and changed clothes.

In the past, Xiao Qi's clothes were mainly black, white, and gray, but now she gradually developed a liking for bright colors that made her feel vibrant and cheerful, reflecting her more confident and outgoing personality.

Xiao Qi showered and put on a pair of blue flared jeans, a short-sleeved bubble blouse with little blue flowers and a square neckline that revealed her collarbones. The top just barely covered her waist, making her legs look two meters long and full of energy. With her short hair tied in a little ponytail, she looked especially fresh and pretty.

It was Xiao Qi's birthday, so instead of squeezing into a bus, Yun Shu called a car. Xiao Qi got in and chatted animatedly with her roommates for a while. Seeing Mier dozing off again, she took out her phone, put on earphones, and started listening to her French audio course.

Xiao Qi found that studying whenever and wherever possible was the most efficient way, with outstanding results. It felt like she had gained several times more time than others, which was very worthwhile.

Immersed in her studies, Xiao Qi didn't notice the scenery outside. The journey today seemed unusually long.

As she listened to the elegant French, Xiao Qi started to doze off towards the end, so she switched to French songs and leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes to rest.

It was Mier shaking her awake. "We're here, we're here, time to get out."

Even with her eyes closed, Xiao Qi could feel Mier's excitement - just for going into the city, how thrilling.

She opened her eyes, got out of the car, and was stunned.

In front of her was an enormous egg-shaped exhibition hall, with a large screen in front displaying various paintings, and an enormous poster that read 'Su Xiaoqi Art Exhibition'.

And under the massive poster stood a bald young man, dressed in a stylish white suit that would normally look drab, but his shaved head made him look lively, creating an eye-catching contrast.

Seeing this scene, Xiao Qi didn't just feel her heart flutter - she felt she had fallen, and fallen hard.