Picked Up the Female Lead When She Was Young (GL) - Chapter 32

The phrase “Do you drink green tea?” quickly became popular in Class 1 and then spread throughout the entire grade. Students from Class 1 would greet friends from other classes with the question.

“Did your class buy green tea wholesale?” Zhao Tianhang asked, confused. He had heard the words “green tea” multiple times already in the hallway today. Class 1 students would ask everyone if they wanted green tea, followed by a mysterious whisper and a knowing smile.

“Hahahaha, I’m dying! Shuangshuang, how did you even come up with that? Hahahaha! Other classes are asking why it’s green tea, not black tea, or flower tea, or Oolong tea.” Lin Qiushui was laughing so hard his head was spinning; he’d been chuckling all morning because of that phrase.

“It just slipped out,” Xia Wanshuang said. She wasn’t entirely sure why they called them ‘green tea bitches’ either, maybe because green tea seemed fresh and pleasant.

“Did Shuangshuang say that?”

“Yeah, let me tell you what happened. It was during the sports meet sign-up this morning…” Lin Qiushui recounted the entire story, heavily emphasizing Zhou Ying’s facial expressions and reactions. He was so expressive he could’ve been a comedian.

“Masterful.” Zhao Tianhang gave her a thumbs-up. Typical Xia Wanshuang.

“Sister is just too good-tempered.” Zhou Qinglang laughed along, then her face turned serious.

“Don’t worry, she won’t try anything. If she does, it means she doesn’t respect me.” Lin Qiushui, who fancied himself the school bully of No. 1 Middle School, declared. Since he was in the same class as Xia Wanshuang, he could easily protect her.

“Girls’ matters should naturally be handled by girls.” Zhou Qinglang leaned against Xia Wanshuang, inhaling her scent. It’s strange, she thought. I use the same shampoo, the same shower gel, and the same laundry detergent as my sister, so why does she have a uniquely wonderful smell?

“Langlang, the matter is already resolved, so don’t go looking for her, okay?” Xia Wanshuang was worried Zhou Qinglang would secretly go and warn someone again. As long as Zhou Ying didn’t try anything else, the incident was over. Besides, Zhou Ying was the sports rep, trained in sports, and even taller than Zhou Qinglang. If Zhou Qinglang went looking for a fight, it was hard to say who would suffer.

“I know, I’ll listen to Sister.” Zhou Qinglang answered obediently, looking incredibly docile.

••••

Zhou Qinglang hadn’t planned on causing trouble, but she didn’t expect someone to provoke her first. On her way back to the classroom after buying water for Xia Wanshuang, she ran into the student athletes, including Zhou Ying, walking from the basketball court toward the track.

The athletes were easy to spot as they weren’t wearing school uniforms but athletic gear.

“Hey, Zhou Ying, isn’t that your Class Monitor’s little sister?” Someone nudged Zhou Ying’s arm. The campus goddess was easy to recognize, and the good-looking Zhou Qinglang beside her was also memorable; pretty people just stood out.

Zhou Ying bristled at the mention of “Class Monitor.” She had never been ridiculed like that before. Xia Wanshuang had insulted her and then acted innocent, a total hypocrite. The teachers favored her, too. Zhou Ying felt those people must be blind, deceived by Xia Wanshuang’s appearance, praising her kindness when she was clearly a manipulative girl. Zhou Ying resented Xia Wanshuang, and she resented Zhou Qinglang, the manipulative girl’s ‘watchdog.’

“What sister? My friend told me she used to be classmates with your Class Monitor. Your Class Monitor is truly a kind-hearted goddess, picking up a little beggar and taking her home, getting a loyal watchdog for cheap. How smart is that?” The girl next to Zhou Ying gossiped, her voice completely unmasked.

The talkative girl was Pang Lei, one of the few female athletes, like Zhou Ying. Unlike Zhou Ying’s dislike of Xia Wanshuang, Pang Lei mostly disliked Zhou Qinglang. She’s good at basketball, so what? I can play too. Why do the boys I like only have eyes for Zhou Qinglang and not me? And Zhou Qinglang had good grades and even skipped a grade. How can one person command so much attention? She had only learned the story from a friend yesterday and couldn’t wait to gossip about it today, but before she could start, people kept asking her if she wanted green tea.

“Our Class Monitor is just naive, kind, and pure, I guess.” Zhou Ying shrugged, her words vaguely supportive but positioned so she could detach herself anytime.

“Maybe that’s not nice to say. Let’s go, we need to train.” The girl who had first spoken, who was in Zhou Qinglang’s class, stepped in. She knew Zhou Qinglang had a bad temper and didn’t find the gossip funny at all.

“Let’s go. I don’t want to have to look at certain people.” Pang Lei scoffed, lifting her leg to walk away.

“Barking and then running off. Only daring to talk trash behind people’s backs. What a coward.” Zhou Qinglang, holding the bottle of water, watched Pang Lei’s direction with an air of composure.

Pang Lei’s words didn’t truly bother her. On the contrary, if Pang Lei spread the story, Zhou Qinglang would be delighted. It would let everyone know how close she was to her sister and how important her sister was to her. But spreading the news was one thing; Pang Lei’s malice was another.

Zhou Qinglang’s voice wasn’t quiet, making sure Pang Lei, who wasn’t far away, heard everything and instantly flared up.

“Who are you talking about?”

“Whichever dog answers is who I’m talking about. Looks like you, the loose-lipped gossip, have a pretty good sense of self-awareness.” Zhou Qinglang curved her lips, but the smile held no warmth.

“By the way, do you want to drink this?” Zhou Qinglang held up the bottle of green tea she had bought for Xia Wanshuang, shaking it toward Zhou Ying. As if afraid Zhou Ying wouldn’t see clearly, Zhou Qinglang emphasized: “It’s green tea.”

Now Zhou Ying was also angry; the words “green tea” immediately soured her mood. She was the sports rep, and after storming out this morning, the class teacher had talked to her, telling her to be more tactful and not overthink things. The conversation clearly favored Xia Wanshuang, but Zhou Ying inwardly scoffed and paid no mind.

“Are you sick? If you want to drink green tea, go drink it yourself.”

Zhou Qinglang raised an eyebrow at the vulgar insult, placed one bottle of green tea on the ground (she had bought two), unscrewed and then resealed the other bottle she held. She put her free hand in her school uniform pocket and walked toward Zhou Ying.

Zhou Qinglang usually had a commanding presence. Her eyes were sharp, her raised brow formed a mocking arc, and her lips turned down when she wasn’t smiling, making her look cold and inherently arrogant. As Zhou Qinglang approached, the hairs on Zhou Ying’s body instinctively bristled, but her pride rooted her to the spot. She maintained a look of disdain on her face, refusing to show fear.

Zhou Qinglang smiled at Zhou Ying. While Zhou Ying was momentarily stunned, Zhou Qinglang quickly pulled her right hand from her pocket and punched Zhou Ying hard in the stomach. Zhou Ying doubled over in pain, was tripped by Zhou Qinglang, and fell to the ground. Zhou Qinglang grabbed her collar, opened the green tea bottle, and poured it into Zhou Ying’s mouth. Zhou Ying choked and coughed violently, clearly rattled.

It all happened in an instant. Before Pang Lei could react, Zhou Ying was already coughing and clutching her chest. As Zhou Ying tried to fight back, Zhou Qinglang stood up, evaded her punch, and picked up the green tea bottle cap.

“Looks like green tea really suits you. You even got a ‘Get Another Bottle’ cap. Lucky you.” Zhou Qinglang resealed the cap and tossed it in front of Zhou Ying.

Zhou Ying’s clothes were soaked in a large patch. She glared at Zhou Qinglang, her fists clenched.

“If you want to drink it, you can have that extra bottle. You two are a great match.” Zhou Qinglang’s gaze shifted to Pang Lei, with blatant mockery.

Zhou Qinglang had originally planned to deal with Pang Lei as well, but two against one was clearly not rational, especially since they were at school. She didn’t want to upset Xia Wanshuang. She had intended to confront Pang Lei first, but considering Zhou Ying had insulted her sister, Zhou Qinglang’s feelings of being personally insulted mattered far less in comparison.

“You’re going too far!” Zhou Ying kicked the bottle away and rushed furiously at Zhou Qinglang, raising her hand to hit her, but Zhou Qinglang easily dodged.

“A teacher is coming.” Zhou Qinglang grabbed Zhou Ying’s arm, tightening her grip. “If you want to continue fighting, I don’t mind telling the teacher you tried to commit school violence against me.” Zhou Qinglang pushed Zhou Ying away, creating distance.

Zhou Ying stumbled and did see a teacher walking toward them. Her face showed reluctance, but she gave up the fight.

“You’re a bad student, and I’m a good student. Who do you think the teacher will believe? Don’t think you’re the only one who can complain first. I can’t be bothered teaching people like you a lesson.” Zhou Qinglang spoke in a voice only they could hear, pulling out a tissue and meticulously wiping her fingers, as if she had touched something dirty.

“Stay away from my sister, or next time it won’t be green tea I’m offering. How does girls’ restroom water sound?” Zhou Qinglang tossed the tissue into a nearby trash can—a perfect three-pointer.

“How dare you threaten me?” Zhou Ying was tense, radiating a low-pressure atmosphere.

“How could I dare to threaten you? You’re a student athlete, and I’m just a little elementary schooler who skipped a grade.” Zhou Qinglang shrugged. She leaned closer to Zhou Ying, her eyes glinting with cold menace. “You’d better be sensible. School violence can lead to expulsion and a mark on your permanent record. You know my sister picked me up. I’ll do anything for her.”

Zhou Qinglang’s expression softened at the thought of Xia Wanshuang, but to Zhou Ying, it sent chills down her spine. Zhou Ying could feel that Zhou Qinglang was serious. A psycho. Insane.

She silently watched Zhou Qinglang pick up the water and walk away, clenching and unclenching her fists.

“That girl is too arrogant! Too much! Should we mess with her?” Pang Lei hadn’t heard what Zhou Qinglang and Zhou Ying said, but she knew the tension between them was palpable. Perfect. She had disliked Zhou Qinglang for a while and had been looking for a chance to get back at her.

“If you want to go, go yourself.” Zhou Ying’s face was pale. She glared at Pang Lei. This girl was the one who started talking, so why did Zhou Qinglang hit her but not Pang Lei?

“What? Zhou Ying, are you scared? She humiliated you like that, and you’re not fighting back? Did one bottle of green tea really knock the fight out of you?” Pang Lei widened her eyes, thinking Zhou Ying was a huge coward for enduring the assault.

“You want to use me as your pawn? Do you think I’m stupid?” Zhou Ying scoffed, realizing Pang Lei was trying to manipulate her to deal with Zhou Qinglang. She was angry at Xia Wanshuang, and now she resented Zhou Qinglang, but she remembered Zhou Qinglang’s expression and her heart sank. She walked away stiffly.

Another girl quickly followed, leaving Pang Lei grinding her teeth in frustration.

••••

As Pang Lei was about to leave, she ran into a teacher coming her way.

“Student, don’t litter. If it’s not yours, please pick it up and protect the environment.” The teacher said, picking up the green tea bottle. The cap was loose. The teacher habitually looked at the bottle cap.

“Oh, student, you’re lucky. ‘Get Another Bottle!'” Pang Lei was reminded of Zhou Qinglang’s humiliating words, her face cycling between green and red, and she stormed off angrily.

Because of the delay, the class bell had already rung by the time Zhou Qinglang rushed back to the academic building. Class 1 was at the very front of the hallway. Since it wasn’t yet winter, both the front and back doors of the classroom were open.

Zhou Qinglang crouched low, darting quickly past the door of Class 1. The teacher was eloquently lecturing about the beginning of modern history and didn’t notice the fleeting figure.

A student in Class 1 sitting against the back wall, right next to the door, was secretly reading a novel, covering it with a textbook and pretending to listen attentively. When someone poked his back, he nearly jumped out of his skin. He imagined the hundred ways the teacher could punish him—confiscating the book, calling his parents, writing a self-criticism—but when he turned around, he saw the person crouching there and was immensely relieved.

“For my sister.” Zhou Qinglang mouthed, handing over the green tea.

The student nearly laughed when he saw the green tea. He gave her an ‘OK’ sign and poked the person in front of him. Xia Wanshuang’s seat was in the front row of the middle group, so it took a moment to pass the bottle forward.

Zhou Qinglang left Class 1 and headed back to Class 4.

When the bottle of green tea finally reached Xia Wanshuang, she was a little surprised. After class, Langlang had come to ask her what she wanted to drink and left to buy it, but by the time class started, the water hadn’t arrived. Xia Wanshuang figured the trip took too long, and Langlang rushed back to her own class. She was prepared to wait until after class, but the water suddenly appeared, giving her an unexpected sense of joy.

Lin Qiushui, Xia Wanshuang’s desk-mate, grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a note with three big, bold exclamation points for Xia Wanshuang to read.

“Why didn’t she bring one for me too?” Lin Qiushui whispered, looking indignant.

That awful little sister, Zhou Qinglang, has only ever cared about Xia Wanshuang since they were children. She never bought anything for the others. Lin Qiushui tried to remember and realized it wasn’t entirely true, but it was rare. What a cold-hearted little sister.

“Lin Qiushui, stand up and answer this question.” The teacher tossed a piece of chalk that landed on Lin Qiushui’s head. Speaking so openly in the front row.

“Teacher, the answer is C.” Lin Qiushui answered loudly, sounding certain.

“I asked you about the impact of the Opium War! Where is the C for you to choose? Go stand at the back.” Lin Qiushui gave Xia Wanshuang a look of sorrow, grabbed his book, and walked to the back row, singing A Spray of Plum Blossoms as he went.

“A spray of plum blossoms stands proudly in the frost and snow, only to fade for the sake of the one she loves…”

The whole class burst into laughter. The history teacher’s mouth twitched. He tried his best to look serious but couldn’t help but smile.

As soon as class ended, Zhou Qinglang rushed to Class 1. Lin Qiushui had just returned to his seat, slumping dramatically on his desk to complain about Zhou Qinglang.

“I’m dying of thirst too! Why didn’t you bring me a bottle of water?”

“You didn’t ask.”

“You didn’t ask!”

“If you had asked, I would have told you!”

“If you had told me, I would have asked!”

“Qiushui, when Langlang asked, you were in the restroom.” Xia Wanshuang pulled Zhou Qinglang out of the argument, took a sip of the green tea, and set it aside.

Zhou Qinglang naturally picked up the bottle and took a sip, not mentioning what had happened during the break to Xia Wanshuang.

“Shoot! The restroom! I went with Zhao Tianhang. It’s all his fault! I’m going to get a bottle of water from him.” Lin Qiushui stormed off to Zhao Tianhang’s classroom. Zhou Qinglang immediately took Lin Qiushui’s seat next to Xia Wanshuang, shoulder-to-shoulder. If only I were her desk-mate. Zhou Qinglang had thought this more than once since the classes were reassigned in the eighth grade. That’s why Zhou Qinglang was super jealous of Lin Qiushui. Bringing him water? Never.

“Sister, did you sign up for anything for the sports meet in the end?”

“No, the teacher asked me to read the announcements at the broadcast station.” As a Chinese teacher, Xia Wanshuang’s Mandarin was excellent. Even their current teacher spoke with a slight local accent, so Xia Wanshuang’s perfect Mandarin was highly favored by the faculty.

“I signed up for the 4×100 meter relay and the 3,000 meters.”

“The 3,000 meters?” Xia Wanshuang knew Zhou Qinglang was an explosive runner, best suited for short distances. Why would she sign up for the 3,000 meters?

“Yeah, our class didn’t have anyone left. The other athlete is a sprinter too, and she’s already signed up for three events.”

“Then I’ll cheer you on.” Xia Wanshuang smoothed the stray hairs from Zhou Qinglang’s forehead, checked the length of her hair, and adjusted her school uniform collar.

“Your hair looks quite long. Should we keep it short or let it grow?”

“Cut it short. It’s inconvenient for sports if it’s too long.”

“Okay, let’s go to the barbershop this afternoon.”

After Zhou Qinglang left, the studies committee member, who sat behind Xia Wanshuang and had a good relationship with her, leaned over to talk.

“Class Monitor, I swear you’re raising a sister like she’s your own daughter.” The committee member was just teasing, but from an outsider’s perspective, it was true, especially the moment with the hair and the uniform. It was a perfect recreation of what she did with her own mother.

If the System were awake, it would definitely agree with the committee member.

Xia Wanshuang’s lips curved upward. A daughter when I was little, a sister when I grew up. A joy that others couldn’t imagine.