Quick Transmigration: Yandere Male Leads? Hand 'Em Over! - Chapter 198

All Xia Chumiao could see were two pairs of spotless, polished shoes.

From the handful of times she had come looking for Xia Chuhe, she had learned one thing—nobles held the poor in contempt.

Otherwise, Xia Chuhe wouldn’t treat her with such disdain.

She knew how hard it was for Xia Chuhe to survive in an elite academy like this, so she’d always kept her distance. She only came by during the holidays to drop off some gifts, not wanting to cause trouble for her.

But this time… Grandma really wasn’t going to make it.

She’d been clinging to her last breath, murmuring Xia Chuhe’s name in a daze, just wishing to see her one last time.

Tears slipped down her lashes, soaking into the dusty pavement beneath her. She wasn’t hoping for forgiveness.

But then—someone handed her a soft, clean tissue.

“Here, wipe your tears. You don’t have to apologize.”

After all, she hadn’t actually bumped into anyone.

Chu Junling looked down at the box of tissues in his hand, but his gaze stayed fixed on Su Ci. His tone held a faint note of grievance.

“Senpai really is so kind and compassionate…”

She’d never even wiped his tears.

Not that he’d ever cried in his life.

Still, like he always said—he could go without, but Senpai had to give. Especially when even some random stranger could get something so easily.

Fine—she didn’t have to wipe his tears. She could wipe… other things too.

“Th-thank you, kind miss…”

Xia Chumiao didn’t dare refuse. She took the tissue with trembling hands. It was exquisitely printed, carrying a faint scent of jasmine tea. She almost couldn’t bear to dirty it.

Only after she wiped her tears and nose did she dare lift her head, stealing a quick glance at Su Ci with her red, swollen eyes before quickly bowing again, too embarrassed to meet her gaze.

Su Ci hadn’t offered the tissue out of some saintly desire to “do good.”

But she couldn’t stand by and do nothing either. She stopped the ragged-looking girl, reached into her backpack, and pulled out a stack of cash.

“Go to the Yun Yun Welfare Center at the entrance of Nansha Alley. The director there is a skilled physician—she’s helped countless people. Take this money, have her treat your grandmother, then buy whatever medicine she needs.”

Su Ci received a monthly stipend of fifty thousand yuan.

But most of it, she donated to the welfare center.

It was the place supporting her in this world’s setting.

Normally, she had very few material desires. What she craved was emotional connection, often in extreme ways. Money, to her, was just a string of digits—something easily earned whenever she wanted it.

In this world, she hadn’t made much yet. She was here to fully experience what it meant to live as a sponsored student.

Xia Chumiao stared blankly at the money, stunned. When she finally came to her senses, she didn’t even know how to thank her. She could only babble helplessly:

“Miss, I—I’ll find a way to repay you…”

Su Ci gave her a faint smile and shook her head.

“I’m not some ‘miss.’ I’m just a regular girl, same as you—came out of the slums too.”

There was no time to waste. Under Su Ci’s urging, Xia Chumiao tucked the cash into her clothes and ran off toward the slums, wiping away tears as she went.

Chu Junling grumbled under his breath.

“So Senpai does have money. You just won’t spend it on me. I only get taken to little hole-in-the-wall restaurants that cost two hundred at most?”

Su Ci flipped open her now-empty backpack to show him.

“No money left. Not even enough for a two-hundred-yuan meal.”

Besides—who was the one earlier who wolfed down three whole bowls of rice and licked the plates clean at that so-called “little restaurant”?

“Ahh, Senpai, you’re so cruel! You really want me to starve to death out here? And what if she’s a scammer pretending to be pitiful? Next time, don’t go handing out your living expenses like that!”

They bickered their way through the school gates.

Behind them, Xia Chuhe stood frozen, chilled to the bone, her unhealed injuries aching even more.

Why?!

Why hadn’t Su Ci held it against Xia Chumiao?

Unless… was Su Ci trying to become the protagonist now? Was that it? Targeting her on purpose—stealing everyone she liked, like Min Yi, like Nan Muye… was that her goal?

Actually, in their past life, Chu Junling had been hers too.

She just hadn’t wanted him, so she didn’t care when Su Ci got close. But Min Yi and the others were perfect. She couldn’t give up any of them.

Even if Min Yi let her suffer without lifting a finger… even if Nan Muye’s horse went berserk and trampled her—

She still had feelings for them.

Min Yi was just too focused on his studies to realize Chu Junling had planned to break her limbs. And Nan Muye—his horse always had a bad temper. He apologized, didn’t he?

She could forgive their mistakes.

But not Su Ci.

Su Ci was beautiful and mean—always standing against her, even going so far as to give away her scholarship money to help that useless, unrelated Xia Chumiao!

While her thoughts spiraled, the two walked right past her—treating her like she was completely invisible.

“Ah Ling? Is this your new secretary?”

A warm, refined man stepped forward with a smile. “I forgot to introduce myself—Su Ci, I’m Shen Sichen, senior year class president. Nice to meet you.”

He extended his right hand.

Chu Junling casually slapped it away.

“We’ve known each other long enough. No need to play formal.”

Shen Sichen blinked. “…I wasn’t trying to shake your hand.”

“Then count it as me wanting to shake yours, alright?”

In short—nobody was allowed to shake Senpai’s hand.

Su Ci didn’t seem inclined to touch anyone either. She followed behind Chu Junling, polite but distant, like an emotionless little assistant robot.

“Nice to meet you, Class President Shen.”

Shen Sichen awkwardly lowered his hand, catching a subtle look from Chu Junling that told him to back off. He gave a small nod and walked toward the school gate.

“I’ve got something to take care of. I’ll head out first.”

Hearing the familiar name, Xia Chuhe’s blood ran cold. She worried he might’ve overheard what had happened just now.

And yet… a small part of her felt secretly pleased.

The first person she wanted to seek out after returning to school had been Shen Sichen—the one upperclassman known for his patience and compassion toward special scholarship students.

Unlike Min Yi, who was icy and distant, or Nan Muye, who was arrogant and wild, Shen Sichen was both brilliant and gentle.

And—he didn’t have some aristocratic fiancée.

“Shen Xuezhang, I’ve… I’ve run into a little trouble lately. You might’ve heard about it already. I’m not trying to blame anyone—Young Master Nan didn’t do it on purpose…”

“I… I’ve fallen behind on some medical bills. Could you help me out? Not much, just… just two hundred thousand yuan. I want to get scar treatment…”

What kind of medical bill costs two hundred thousand?

Shen Sichen’s brows furrowed, his tone sharper than usual.

“Why not ask Nan Muye? And how dare you say those things to that girl just now—with that face?”

He’d been watching from behind the whole time.

The girl hadn’t even asked for money. All she wanted was for Xia Chuhe to go home and see her dying grandmother one last time. But Xia Chuhe had called her a filthy, greedy leech.

Yet this same girl had often told him that her stipend from the Feng family wasn’t enough to cover expenses—that she had a sickly grandmother and a useless little sister to support.

Shen Sichen had transferred money to her regularly. Whenever the school had work-study opportunities, he always reserved spots for her—but she never showed up.

If he hadn’t caught her red-handed today, he never would’ve known.

All that money… she hadn’t sent a cent to her grandma or sister.

She kept it all for herself.

Tears welled up in Xia Chuhe’s eyes. Her voice trembled with pitiful grievance.

“Young Master Nan wouldn’t give me anything. I really can’t afford food anymore, Shen Xuezhang…”

Shen Sichen shoved her aside in disgust.

“Don’t come to me again. And if Feng Jiming doesn’t cut off your funding, I will. That’s the last bit of patience and mercy I have for you.”

Before Xia Chuhe could stop him, she was hit with a blast of exhaust. She could only watch as Shen Sichen drove off—pulling over to let Xia Chumiao into the back seat.

But she didn’t blame Shen Sichen.

She blamed Su Ci.

It had to be because Su Ci helped Xia Chumiao. That’s why Shen Sichen was suddenly bending over backward. Otherwise, why would he even notice a girl like her?

A storm of hatred churned in Xia Chuhe’s eyes. Her fingernails dug into her palms as she made a silent vow.

…

That afternoon was designated for free time. After finishing a group activity with Min You and the others, Su Ci—now officially out of pocket money—headed out to find a part-time job.

She took out her phone, planning to check “Period Guy’s” messages for a bit of entertainment.

Instead, she saw a bank notification.

[Dear Ms. Su Ci, your account ending in 8714 received a salary deposit of 500,000 yuan on June 6th at 15:37. Please verify accordingly.]