Chapter 207

On the way back, Xiao Qi was not bothered at all. Going from a part-time job through the work-study program to becoming an equestrian with a higher salary made her very happy. Now she could openly ride horses and even participate in competitions to win prize money.

The allure of prize money was strong.

Although Xiao Qi had a progress system that gave her money every day, she still felt uneasy about where that money came from. It was hard to explain.

She didn't dare to spend lavishly even though she had a lot of money.

No matter how much money one has, the peasant mindset instilled from her upbringing in the countryside was hard to shake off in a short time. After all, that environment shaped who she was from birth.

Just as she was thinking about this, her phone suddenly rang. She picked it up and saw it was a call from home.

Xiao Qi quickly answered.

"My daughter, today your dad went to town to sell bamboo baskets, and he deposited money for you. He said he saw over 20,000 yuan in your bank account. What have you been up to?" Shen Juanhua's slightly anxious voice came through over the phone.

When Su Youfu came home at noon, she had wanted to call but her husband stopped her, worried it would affect their child's studies in case she was in class.

Finally when it was evening, thinking she should be free now, Shen Juanhua called.

At home, the parents were worried their daughter didn't have enough money, but upon seeing she had more, they became even more concerned. A young girl outside alone could easily be tricked.

Xiao Qi had forgotten to tell her parents about winning the singing contest prize, so she explained it to them over the phone.

Neither Shen Juanhua nor Su Youfu doubted her. They felt their daughter was very honest ever since she was little.

However, upon hearing it was a singing competition, Su Youfu sounded somewhat smug. His voice came over the phone, "The child takes after me. I was really good at singing. I even went on stage to sing during village events in the past."

"It's just that you have thick skin. The key is that our daughter looks like me."

Xiao Qi held the phone listening to her parents bickering on the other end, and couldn't help laughing too.

In reality, she didn't inherit her dad's singing talent at all. He loved to sing, but she was just average.

In looks, she did take after her mother more, and was quite pretty. But Su Youfu still asked, "Why is there so much money?" 20,000 yuan really was a huge sum. Even in a good year, villagers in Gumu Village may not be able to save that much.

Xiao Qi explained again that it was a private aristocratic school, so they had money.

She also mentioned about her part-time job.

Neither Shen Juanhua nor Su Youfu really understood, just vaguely knowing it was working with animals, which seemed unsanitary. But 200 yuan was truly not a small amount. The strong laborers in their mountain village got that much for chopping bamboo for others all day. Older folks possibly only got 150. Let alone their daughter said it was just a few hours after school.

If it were in the past, they would have been more surprised, thinking it impossible. But recently, Su Youfu's bamboo crafts had been selling better and better. Those who came to place orders gave more money, making Su Youfu and Shen Juanhua feel the outside world really was incomprehensible. Bamboo items, how could they be so coveted, that some would be willing to pay so much to buy?

Weren't factory-made ones more sturdy?

After chatting with her parents about her current circumstances, she also talked about her roommates, saying they were all great people.

Listening over the phone, Shen Juanhua and Su Youfu felt reassured hearing their daughter was quite happy, much more cheerful than in high school. Previously their daughter didn't talk about school matters much. Now with her growing up some, they felt relieved.

Before hanging up, Su Youfu loudly stated, "Buy whatever you need, don't skimp on money. Your dad can earn."

Shen Juanhua also quickly added, "It's getting cold. Buy warm clothes, don't catch a cold."

After Xiao Qi hung up, she felt her parents really... It was good she had a clear sense of right and wrong. If she heard words like this every day and bought anything she saw, she probably would have become the rich second generation from a poor family, appearing wealthy despite their poverty.

She had returned quite late, so Xiao Qi took a bath then directly went to the classroom for evening self-study after dinner.

Coincidentally today, all four roommates were present in the dorm.

Mi'er didn't go to her club activities or the student council either, busy catching up on assignments.

Even Yunshu, who always read novels, was doing homework.

There really was a lot of homework in the first year of university.

Moreover, girls cared about face, too embarrassed to not hand in homework, let alone when their roommate was the study committee member. They had to lead by example and not make things difficult for Xiao Qi.

Unexpectedly, Li Weijin who never came actually went to evening self-study today. And he sat behind Chu Yu...

Chu Yu felt somewhat happy in a contrary way, unable to resist turning back to chat with Li Weijin.

But she discovered Li Weijin's gaze didn't seem to be looking at her, but rather at the spot to her left front... Su Xiaoqi's seat...

Chu Yu overthought things in a flash, and figured it out. Why Li Weijin went to the painting club, and she heard he went on stage to deliver flowers when Su Xiaoqi made the Top 10 Singers list. Although it was just a bouquet he randomly pulled from the entrance, with Li Weijin's temperament, why would he deliver flowers?

And why Li Weijin sat behind her - because it was a male student's spot, also closest to Su Xiaoqi without being too awkward.

Connecting so many points at once, Chu Yu's face instantly flushed red. She felt especially wronged, having fought fiercely with Su Li over this, unjustly making Su Xiaoqi a scapegoat.

She didn't expect Su Xiaoqi to be so scheming despite appearing aloof. She really was scheming. Before, it was because she disliked Su Xiaoqi, nitpicking her in every way, deliberately leaving some words to make her overthink.

She didn't expect she really wasn't smearing Su Xiaoqi's name. Su Xiaoqi was precisely this kind of person.

Shameless.

Chu Yu's thoughts had already wandered very far...

Whereas Xiao Qi remained oblivious, still diligently doing practice problems.

During the break, Xiao Qi told Wei Cheng about the equestrian club. As soon as Wei Cheng heard the chairman asked her to be an equestrian coach, her face lit up excitedly. "That's so great! Xiao Qi, you're so amazing."

Xiao Qi felt relieved. She felt Wei Cheng was really good, very frank and honest. They went together, and it was Wei Cheng who introduced her, yet when Xiao Qi got a promotion, she was happy for her right away, not thinking anything else.

"The chairman said they would still recruit more people to help. You probably won't be too tired. In the future I can ride horses, and when you're free, I can teach you."

Hearing she could learn to ride horses, Wei Cheng's eyes curved happily. "That's so great!"

The other dormmates were also quite envious hearing Xiao Qi could ride horses. Mi'er was especially excited, chattering about how next time she also wanted to go play.

Xiao Qi said, "I can ask the chairman. If he agrees, next time our dorm of four can go together."

Not only was Mi'er not disappointed hearing she'd ask the chairman, she was even more excited instead. She felt Xiao Qi would surely succeed going on her behalf. Very reliable. And she could get close contact with the student council chairman. Although she had gone to the student council several times herself, she only got a minor staff position by sucking up. She still hadn't seen the chairman himself in the student council.

Gu Yunshu simply felt going to the equestrian club together with roommates would probably be quite fun. She was an introvert, but willing to play together with familiar people.

When the bell rang for next period, Xiao Qi still dragged Mi'er back to her own seat to keep studying, reviewing the Japanese they learned yesterday. Although the Japanese teacher only taught simple hiragana and katakana, she said a lot of sentences. Being able to remember all of them would actually help learn.

Xiao Qi felt she should turn on voice recording on her phone next class. That way reviewing would be more efficient, since she didn't fully grasp some of Teacher Yamamoto's speech.

Mi'er still wanted to chat, but seeing her deskmate start studying, she could only obediently study as well.

The next morning when Xiao Qi came to class, Mi'er's fellow townsman Chen Hanhe leaned over sneakily to chat. "Study committee member, I heard you got first place in the Top 10 Singers contest. How come you didn't treat people to a meal or something? Too stingy."

Before Xiao Qi could speak, Mi'er already scolded him. "Who said she didn't treat us? Last weekend Xiao Qi treated us to eat in town already. Do I need to report this to you? You're a guy, how are you such a gossiper, chattering on every day."

Chen Hanhe quickly said, "I'm joking, just rambling randomly. But study committee member, you have so much money now, do you still need to do work-study? I heard the young master is also an equestrian club member. Do you get to see him often?"

Another male student beside him, Liu Xiao, meaningfully stated, "A drunkard's intention is not in the wine."

Su Xiaoqi: ...

What's with guys speaking so cryptically too.

She responded in a frank manner: "The prize money I won by my own ability and the money I earned, I have a clear conscience about them. Have I gotten in anyone's way?"