RYEY -Chapter 304 The Bed Assignment Dispute

“Yes, Auntie. I understand. We’re family.”

Zhao Qijun came back. Her hair was a complete mess, her clothes were torn in places as if someone had ripped them, and she was even missing one shoe. She looked utterly disheveled.

“What happened to you? How did you end up like this?”

Qin Yue was startled and quickly pulled her into the room. At the same time, frightening images flashed through her mind—this child couldn’t have been…?

“Mom, I never imagined that fighting over a cotton quilt could be this insane. My shoe got squeezed off, my wallet was stolen, and I didn’t manage to buy anything.”

Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Qijun burst into loud sobs. In the chaos, she didn’t even know who had taken advantage of her. By the time she tried to see clearly, she had already been pushed outside again.

Cheng Qiao’s expression changed. She clearly saw the black handprint on Zhao Qijun’s backside, as well as several dark marks around her waist and chest. But since her cousin didn’t say anything, she couldn’t expose it.

“Cousin, I still have two quilts here. You can take them to school with you.”

“No, if I take them, what will you use?”

“My master should still have some. At worst, I’ll borrow one for now. When we manage to buy cotton quilts later, I’ll return it to my master. Oh right—Qian Longkun and Qian Longxin, the brother and sister, both got into Peking University too.”

“What? Qian Longkun got in as well?”

They had studied at the same school before, so of course she recognized the name. It was just that they hadn’t seen each other for many years and had grown distant. Zhao Qijun’s foul mood was soothed by the news.

“Qian Longkun, I’m coming—let’s see how you fulfill your promise.”

“Promise? What promise?”

“I’m not telling you. Come on, go with me to get the quilt. Mom, I’ll stay at Uncle Ye’s place tonight and go straight to register tomorrow.”

“Hey, eat first before you go.”

“No need. I’ll help Uncle Ye cook. If I take someone else’s quilt, I should at least contribute something. Otherwise, what kind of person would I be?”

Qin Yue shook her head, worry rising in her heart for Ye Jun. She wondered whether the food this girl cooked would suit his taste. Maybe she should go along too.

The three women quickly packed Zhao Qijun’s belongings and bustled over to Ye Jun’s house. Ye Jun hadn’t gotten off work yet. Cheng Qiao first took out a brand-new quilt from the room, then went into the kitchen.

Half an hour later, children’s voices sounded at the door. It turned out Ye Jun had returned with the three kids. Only Xiao Nuan’s eyes were swollen.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? You cried so much your eyes are all puffy—so not pretty.”

Li Xiao Nuan froze for a moment, then held out her hands to Cheng Qiao for the little mirror. Cheng Qiao took it from her pocket and handed it over. When Xiao Nuan saw her reflection, her mouth puckered and she almost cried again.

“No more crying, okay? Otherwise your eyes will swell even more.”

“Mom, I don’t want to go to daycare.”

“Why?”

“The other kids pulled my hair. It hurt.”

“Did the teacher see it?”

“She did, but that kid wouldn’t admit it. She’s a liar.”

“So you cried?”

“I didn’t cry because my hair was pulled, I cried because…”

Li Xiao Nuan glanced at Ye Jing and suddenly realized that if she continued, she’d be selling her brother out.

“I slapped Yu Yue and pulled out a few strands of her hair. Then the teacher punished me. My little sister couldn’t bear to see me being punished, so she kept crying. She only stopped when the teacher let me go back to my seat.”

Cheng Qiao: “…”

Ye Jun laughed and patted Ye Jing’s head. “Well done. Absolutely right. If your little sister is bullied, how can an older brother not stand up for her? Even if you get punished, it doesn’t matter.

Xiao Nuan did well too—she just cried too genuinely. Next time, learn to cry fake. What’s fake crying? Shout louder than the teacher, but don’t let the tears actually fall. You can’t really drop those “golden beans.””

The two children’s eyes lit up at Ye Jun’s words. Qin Yue and Zhao Qijun looked at each other, unsure whether this kind of education was acceptable.

Catching the questioning looks from mother and daughter, Cheng Qiao nodded resolutely.

“If others don’t offend me, I won’t offend them. If they do, I will definitely strike back.”

Tomorrow was the last day for school registration.

Cheng Qiao slept on the large heated kang with the two children. The warmth made the three of them so comfortable they almost wanted to moan.

“Mom, I miss Dad—and Grandma and Auntie, and Big Brother too.”

Xiao Nuan held Cheng Qiao’s warm hand, speaking drowsily. Cheng Qiao nodded. She missed her family too and wondered how Li Huan and the others were doing.

Thinking about it like that, she drifted off to sleep. It wasn’t until Ye Jun came knocking that they realized they had overslept. Fortunately, Qin Yue had gotten up early and made breakfast. Otherwise, the three children would definitely have been late.

Qin Yue helped Ye Jun send the kids off—those going to school went to school, those going to daycare went to daycare. Then she slowly made her way to the storefront. Starting today, they would have people begin renovating the shop.

Meanwhile, Cheng Qiao and Zhao Qijun each headed to their own schools to register. As soon as Cheng Qiao entered the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, she was warmly welcomed by students who had arrived a few days earlier.

“Cheng Qiao, right? Your dormitory has already been arranged—Building Two, second floor, Room 202, Bed One.”

Cheng Qiao handed over her admission notice and letter of introduction. In exchange, she received the dorm key and a simple campus map. Though basic, the map clearly marked the dorms, academic areas, and cafeteria.

“Thank you.”

“No problem at all.”

The student helping her with the procedures felt secretly delighted. Cheng Qiao was Dean Ye’s apprentice! It would be good to stay in close contact—maybe after graduation, she could even get assigned to a decent position.

Carrying her luggage, Cheng Qiao went to the second floor of Building Two and found Room 202. The room was mostly full. One person was making her bed and folding quilts, while the other female students sat together chatting quietly.

When the door opened and a pretty young girl walked in, a student sitting by the window stood up.

“Welcome, new roommate. You must be Cheng Qiao, right?”

“Yes, I’m Cheng Qiao.”

“My name is Ni Lulu. I’m in Bed Four. She’s Hong Fen, in Bed Five.”

“Oh, I’m Bed One. Look, this is the allocation slip from the school.”

When everyone heard “Bed One,” their eyes all turned toward the girl who was making the bed. That girl stiffened slightly, then slowly turned around to look at Cheng Qiao.

With just one glance, she found Cheng Qiao extremely annoying. Studying medicine was one thing, but why did she have to be so good-looking? Still, she wasn’t stupid enough to voice those thoughts.

“Student Cheng Qiao, it’s like this—I’m afraid of heights, so I wanted to switch with you.”

“You’re my upper bunk.”

“Yes.”

“But I’m afraid of heights too. I’m not switching.”

“How can you be like this? You’re not friendly at all, and you don’t care about your classmates.”

“That’s right, I’m exactly this kind of person. Toward someone like you who privately occupies another person’s bed, there’s no need for friendliness, and even less for concern. Remove your mattress. Otherwise, I’ll throw it out.”

“You—you wouldn’t dare…”

“I’ll give you five minutes. Move your mattress back to your own bed. I’m going to organize my wardrobe.”