A Paranoid Alpha Childhood Friend is Acting Spoiled Again - Chapter 23

Nuo Fanxi wasn’t actually lacking confidence. With an opportunity like this, she naturally hoped to be selected. Even if she didn’t win an award in the end, being able to compete on the same stage as math geniuses from all over the country was a fantastic life experience.

However, hearing Tang Mo say that, Nuo Fanxi played along. “Yeah, I’m just not confident anymore. What should I do? Student Momo, aren’t you going to comfort me? My heart is so heavy.”

Tang Mo didn’t believe for a second that Nuo Fanxi needed comforting. From childhood until now, it had always been Nuo Fanxi comforting others; there was no way she needed someone else to comfort her.

This “bad thing” was definitely setting a trap for her.

“I don’t believe you.”

Nuo Fanxi looked a bit dejected. “Why not?”

Tang Mo leaned against her back and argued logically: “Back when you were being bullied, they even pushed you down, and you didn’t even cry. That proves you don’t need anyone’s comfort at all. So, for something like this, how could you possibly need me to comfort you? Nuo Fanxi, you’re teasing me again, aren’t you?”

Nuo Fanxi felt truly wronged. She didn’t cry when she was bullied because she knew that no matter how big a mistake she made, there would always be people backing her up. Besides, being bullied and losing a competition were two different things; they couldn’t be lumped together.

“Student Momo, that’s where you’re wrong. Not everyone who gets bullied cries. You have to understand, if you cry when you’re bullied, they’ll just bully you even harder. If you don’t cry, they won’t know what you’re thinking, so they won’t dare go too far. Of course, if I ran into someone powerful that I couldn’t beat, I’d fight them to the death anyway. My life isn’t worth much, so they’d definitely be more afraid to die than me.”

“You… stop talking such nonsense!”

“It’s not nonsense, it’s the truth. Adults can’t protect us forever; eventually, we have to rely on ourselves. But don’t worry, Momo, they definitely wouldn’t dare bully you. If they did, I, Uncle Tang, and Godmother would definitely make them pay!”

“…I-I-I will protect you too!”

Nuo Fanxi tried to imagine Tang Mo protecting her in her mind, but she really couldn’t visualize what that would look like. “Alright, if I ever get bullied in the future, you come and protect me.”

Tang Mo showed a look of joy and gave a heavy “Mmh!”

Waiting through the final red light, they turned the corner to the Tang villa.

Nuo Fanxi pedaled her bike to the gate. Several maids were outside watering flowers and trimming stray branches. Seeing Nuo Fanxi bring Tang Mo back, they stopped their work and turned to greet them warmly.

The maids had essentially watched Nuo Fanxi grow up. They knew the child was exceptionally likable—bright, clever, and nothing like a “brat.” Sometimes she would even buy fruit to share with them. Although the Tang family lacked for nothing and the fridge was stuffed with food, no one could help but feel fond of such a sensible gesture.

Especially from a girl who was barely a teenager.

“Xixi, now that you’ve brought the Eldest Miss back, why not stay for dinner? We’ve made a whole table of delicious food. We have your favorite shrimp dumplings—and these are made with lobster.”

Nuo Fanxi’s mouth watered instantly at the mention, and her eyes sparkled. Tang Mo took the opportunity to tug on her sleeve. “Nuo Fanxi, stay and eat with me.”

Like Nuo Fanxi, Tang Mo’s parents were often away on business, only finding time on occasional holidays. Consequently, Tang Mo spent most of her time eating and doing things alone. Her happiest times were during breaks when she could go out with Nuo Fanxi and their classmates.

“But if I stay for dinner, it’ll interfere with your nap. Are you sure that’s okay?”

Perhaps because they had been together since childhood, they did almost everything together. This had led to a certain level of dependency for Tang Mo; she often felt anxious when she had to do things alone.

Tang Mo shook her head. “No, it’s no problem!”

Nuo Fanxi couldn’t win against her, and since she really missed those shrimp dumplings, she agreed.

As expected, when they returned for afternoon classes, Tang Mo was slumped over her desk with a headache, listless and drained. It took several calls from classmates during recess for her to even respond.

Fortunately, Nuo Fanxi knew she had this issue and always carried cooling oil and similar medicines. She applied some to Tang Mo’s temples and the back of her neck. While it wasn’t a miracle cure, it provided some relief to the discomfort.

“Feeling better?”

Tang Mo nodded with a small smile. “Mmh.”

Nuo Fanxi stuffed the entire bottle of cooling oil into Tang Mo’s hand. “I told you to sleep, but you wouldn’t listen. Now look at you, suffering.”

Tang Mo was too miserable to talk, and with Nuo Fanxi nagging like a monk chanting a sutra, she could only protest with her eyes.

However, the “evil god” Nuo Fanxi continued her lecture. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. As the saying goes: if you don’t listen to your elders, you’ll suffer right before your eyes.”

“I’m not an ‘elder’?” Nuo Fanxi noticed the seat next to her was empty and sat down to argue. “It was just a figure of speech—the meaning is the same. You just had to insist on chatting with me, and now look how much it hurts!”

Tang Mo really wanted to sew her mouth shut. They both had mouths, so why was Nuo Fanxi so much better at talking?

“If you didn’t speak, no one would think you were mute.” Tang Mo couldn’t win the argument, and since this was indeed her own fault, she could only admit defeat.

After applying the medicine, her head did feel a bit better. She managed to endure the next two classes without too much pain.

They usually went home together after school, but considering Tang Mo’s headache and the fact that Nuo Fanxi had cleaning duty today, she told Tang Mo to call Uncle Chen and take the car home first.

But Tang Mo refused to leave. While Nuo Fanxi cleaned, she sat huddled at her desk waiting. Chu Tongtong and Little Fatty saw she was in a bad mood and, knowing it was a headache from the lack of a nap, offered her some mints.

However, it was a headache, not drowsiness, so she declined.

“Momo, just have one. Maybe your head will stop hurting.” Little Fatty had brought a lot of spicy strips to school, and seeing she didn’t want mints, he offered those instead.

The moment he put them on the desk, Nuo Fanxi snatched them away. “Momo isn’t feeling well. If you give her that to eat, won’t it make her feel worse?”

Little Fatty scratched his head awkwardly. “Sorry, Momo! I didn’t mean it. My parents just say that if someone is in a bad mood, giving them food will make them jump for joy instantly!”

“But Little Fatty, Momo is physically unwell. No matter how much good food she eats, she won’t be jumping around,” Chu Tongtong said, sounding exasperated. “Not everyone is like you, where every problem can be solved with food, okay?”

“Oh, okay then.”

Nuo Fanxi returned the spicy strips to him and suggested Tang Mo go to the corridor to get some fresh air, which would be better than slumped over her desk.

Tang Mo shook her head. She just wanted to watch Nuo Fanxi clean; she didn’t want to go anywhere.

“Then just sit here and wait for me. I’ll be done soon.”

“Okay.”

The cleanup after school took longer than the noon session. Nuo Fanxi and Little Fatty finished the stairs and took the trash down to the bins. Chu Tongtong and three others swept the classroom. On Mondays, the duty was always the worst because the weekend’s dust had settled. They had to sweep and mop, making Monday the “unlucky” day for duty.

Fortunately, their classroom wasn’t near the stairs, so they only had to sweep.

Half an hour later, the cleaning was finished. Nuo Fanxi packed her books and homework for the night and called for Tang Mo to leave.

Chu Tongtong and Little Fatty also biked to school. They hadn’t waited at noon, but in the afternoon, they weren’t in a rush and decided to ride home together since they lived in the same direction.

“Hey, Momo, why didn’t you have your uncle drive to pick you up today? Doesn’t he usually come at noon?” Chu Tongtong asked.

Tang Mo couldn’t say she was moping because Nuo Fanxi was going to a national math competition and had stayed behind just to talk to her. She stammered out a lie: “Uncle Chen was busy at noon and couldn’t come.”

Little Fatty, riding alongside, asked confusedly, “If Uncle Chen was busy, couldn’t someone else from your house come? Are they all busy?”

Because of this, everyone in class knew Tang Mo’s family did “big business” and that her status was special.

Little Fatty’s question left her lie exposed. She stammered but couldn’t think of another excuse. She didn’t want to explain the real reason, so she reached out and gently tugged on Nuo Fanxi’s sleeve.

Nuo Fanxi understood immediately and switched the topic. “Do you two want to hang out this weekend?”

Mentioning a hangout made Chu Tongtong and Little Fatty forget what they were asking. They raised their hands and shouted in unison, “Definitely!”

Time flew by, and the day arrived for the head teacher to confirm Nuo Fanxi’s slot for the National Junior Mathematical Olympiad.

Nuo Lin and Tao Wanqing were naturally overjoyed—especially Tao Wanqing, for whom it felt like a dream.

In school, she had been a poor student—specifically, a math disaster. On a 150-point scale, she could only manage an 80 or 90. On a 120-point scale, she’d barely get half. Her grades hadn’t just been bad; they were unwatchable.

She never expected that a “math dreg” like herself would give birth to such a talented daughter. It was like buying a lottery ticket for the first time and hitting the jackpot.

That day, Tao Wanqing hugged Nuo Fanxi and kissed her for over a minute, then excitedly called Bai Xiaozhu at work to brag.

Unsurprisingly, Bai Xiaozhu shut her down.

“I know.”

“What? When did you find out?”

“Xixi called me as soon as the slot was confirmed. Meaning, as her Godmother, I was the first to know. You’re second. Now?”

“…”

Tao Wanqing instantly turned into a black-and-white stone statue, slowly cracking apart.

She wasn’t the first to know.

She wasn’t the first to know!

Bai Xiaozhu continued the blow: “Besides, Xixi being amazing is Xixi’s business. What does it have to do with a ‘math dreg’ like you? No matter how good she is, it doesn’t change the fact that you were terrible at math.”

Tao Wanqing’s heart was bleeding. Fearing Bai Xiaozhu would say something even more painful, she hung up the phone.

“What did Godmother say?” Nuo Fanxi asked, seeing Tao Wanqing slumped on the sofa looking like she had lost her soul.

Tao Wanqing wailed with watery eyes, “Your Godmother is too mean! She’s bullying me! You have to stand up for your mom!”

Nuo Fanxi thought her mom was being far too childish, but she held the thought back. “So what did she actually say?”

Tao Wanqing clutched her chest as if in physical pain. “She insulted me! She said you being smart has nothing to do with your ‘math dreg’ mom.”

“But it really doesn’t.”

“…………”

Sitting nearby, Nuo Lin was laughing so hard at the mother-daughter exchange that he was slapping the sofa. But he got too carried away; a sharp glare from Tao Wanqing made him shut his mouth instantly.

“When did your teacher say the competition starts?” Tao Wanqing was actually a bit worried and wanted to find time to go with her.

“The teacher said the 16th of next month.”

“Have you told Momo?”

Tao Wanqing understood that child. She and Nuo Fanxi had been together since birth, doing everything as a pair. They had never been separated. With Nuo Fanxi leaving for such a long time, she wondered if the girl would cry.

—The answer was obvious.

Two days before Nuo Fanxi was set to leave with the team, Tang Mo’s mood was terrible. She didn’t want to eat and had no energy. Since it was the weekend, she just locked herself in her room.

When the maid called her for dinner, her voice was muffled and dull. When she finally came out, her eyes were red; it was obvious she had been crying in secret.

Bai Xiaozhu understood, but seeing her cry like that made her heart ache as a mother. She comforted her helplessly: “Momo, Xixi is just going to a competition. She’ll be back as soon as it’s over.”

Tang Mo sat on her bed hugging her knees, her head buried in her arms. “B-but… Tongtong said if Xixi wins, she’ll be recruited to high school early. She won’t be with me.”

“She won’t.”

Bai Xiaozhu had watched Nuo Fanxi grow up and understood her well. “Didn’t you tell me Xixi told you the news very early? Then you must have asked her about this already, right?”

Tang Mo didn’t speak, but she nodded her head.

“I’m guessing Xixi’s answer was the same as mine, right?”

“…Mmh.”

Bai Xiaozhu gently stroked her head. “Then that’s it. If Xixi told you that, she’ll definitely do it. She’ll come back after the competition and you’ll see her again. If you miss her too much, you can always call her.”

Tang Mo’s mood finally improved slightly, and she nodded with a smile.

The day Nuo Fanxi left was a Monday—a school day. Tang Mo had planned to have Uncle Chen take her to the airport to see her off if it were a holiday. But since it was a Monday and the teachers wouldn’t allow a leave of absence, Tang Mo could only call Nuo Fanxi on her smartwatch during recess.

However, just as the call went through, Nuo Fanxi was boarding the plane with the team, so they had to hang up quickly.

In the following days, Tang Mo’s biggest highlight was calling Nuo Fanxi. But Nuo Fanxi was practicing most of the time; they couldn’t talk for more than a few sentences before having to hang up. To avoid distracting her from her problems, Tang Mo eventually started waiting for Nuo Fanxi to call her.

But Nuo Fanxi was clearly not very free; she usually only called once every week or two. Although Tang Mo was sad, she knew it couldn’t be helped, so she focused on her studies while waiting for the phone to ring.

In the blink of an eye, three months passed.

One day, the head teacher stood excitedly on the podium, unable to contain his joy as he announced to the class that Nuo Fanxi had won second place in the National Junior Mathematical Olympiad.

Liao Ling was even happier than if she had won it herself. She grabbed Tang Mo and shook her vigorously, shouting excitedly, “Momo! The Vice Monitor got second place! Second place! She’s amazing! I declare she’s my number one idol from now on!”

Tang Mo was also excited, but she was more restrained. Her smile was much brighter than usual, and it was clear her mood had transformed.

“Mmh, she’s amazing!”

On the day the news was announced, Nuo Fanxi flew back with her teachers and teammates. When Tang Mo returned home after school that afternoon, she saw Nuo Fanxi sitting on the sofa in the living room, eating desserts the maids had bought.

“Momo, I’m back!” Nuo Fanxi turned her head, saw Tang Mo, and immediately put down her food to stand up and wave frantically.

Tang Mo’s eyes lit up instantly. Her heart was pounding with excitement as she ran into the living room without even taking off her backpack.

“You came back today! Why didn’t you call me?”

Nuo Fanxi grinned. “Because I wanted to give you a surprise! Well? Are you surprised?!”

“Mmh!”

“Am I amazing or what?”

Tang Mo said sincerely, “I knew you’d win!”

Nuo Fanxi saw she was still wearing her bag and helped her take it off, placing it on the sofa. “Momo, let me tell you, I met a really interesting friend at the competition. He’s the same age as us, just from a different school.”

Tang Mo wasn’t very happy to hear that, but she followed Nuo Fanxi’s lead. “Did he win an award too?”

Nuo Fanxi shook her head. “He missed it by one point, otherwise he would have gotten third.”

“Then he’s not as good as you.”

“I’m still the best, right?”

Tang Mo agreed: “Xixi is the best!”

Since she had won an award, the next issue was early recruitment.

The head teacher called Tao Wanqing that night to ask for her and Nuo Lin’s opinion. It was a rare opportunity; winning meant Nuo Fanxi was qualified to skip grades and go straight to high school to study advanced material.

However, Tao Wanqing and Nuo Lin respected Nuo Fanxi’s wishes. She chose not to skip grades but to graduate normally. The head teacher couldn’t force it and hung up after some pleasantries.

Even so, Nuo Fanxi was already on the admission list for the top key high school in City B; she just had to take the admission letter and register when the time came. It was only a year away, so there was no rush.

However, Nuo Fanxi never ended up attending that top high school.

During their first year of high school, Nuo Lin and Tao Wanqing ran into trouble with their business. They were betrayed by their closest partner, leading to several high-risk accidents on their projects that resulted in fatalities. Furthermore, because the company was involved in massive fraud, Nuo Lin and Tao Wanqing were suspected of illegal activities and taken away by the police.

When the police came to the house, Nuo Fanxi had just returned from Tang Mo’s. From a distance, she saw Tao Wanqing and Nuo Lin being escorted into a police car. Before she could even shout “Mom” or “Dad,” she was left all alone.

Because of this incident, Nuo Fanxi now had a criminal record in her family files. Since the school that had accepted her was a top-tier key high school, the principal declared that they would not allow anyone with a family criminal record to enter. Ultimately, her admission letter was returned, and she could only apply to other high schools based on her entrance exam scores.

During those days, Bai Xiaozhu worried Nuo Fanxi might do something drastic and suggested she move in with Tang Mo, but Nuo Fanxi refused.

She didn’t want to be a burden to Bai Xiaozhu.

Furthermore, as she grew older, Nuo Fanxi understood more clearly that Tang Mo’s relatives actually hated how close they were. Many had whispered behind her back that Tang Mo was also an Alpha and should be looking to marry an Omega from another powerful family, rather than hanging around with another Alpha like Nuo Fanxi. It was “unseemly.”

Nuo Fanxi felt bitter, but she knew some things were beyond her control. If she couldn’t stay away, she’d only make things difficult for Tang Cheng and Bai Xiaozhu. So, she declined the offer.

“Xixi, Mommy said your enrollment paperwork is all done. We can go to school together tomorrow.”

Nuo Fanxi’s face was expressionless. As Tang Mo spoke beside her, she only gave a cold reply: “I know.”