8 Chapter 8: Unfair Teachers (1/2)

”Wow! That's amazing!”

TianYu looks at me with amazement.

\t”Ah- it's nothing…”

\t”TianYu, QiLing, do me a favor and please stand outside the classroom today.”

\tI could see the teacher's fake smile. She was definitely bribed by the nobles, but we comply, with nothing else to do. The same went on for the rest of the classes as we got the worst things or even nothing in each class.

TianYu pouts, ”I can't believe this; I thought everything is supposed to be fair!”

”It's fine, TianYu, don't let it get to you.”

The Prince arrives in the garden for the cooking trials, and I recognize the guard beside him. It's XiaoLong's fellow guard that we met before going into the training grounds! I look around desperately for XiaoLong, but I don't find him in sight. His mask and outfit… I know I will recognize it once I see it, but I don't see it at all. I sigh.

I sneakily pull out the vial of poison and I add eight drops this time. I add one more drop each day to the amount I add. I stir it in and serve it.

At night, XiaoLong and I spar while I think of a plan to allow the teachers to teach TianYu and I again. I think and think… I suddenly slip on a patch of wet grass.

”Aaahhh-”

I extend my arm to catch myself before I hit the ground, but XiaoLong grabs me. I haul myself up and put my arms around his neck.

I lie to him, ”I'm tired.”

I stay in that position while thinking about what I should do… no Mayor Chun doesn't have that much money… no, that'll just be doing what they want…

Before I realized, XiaoLong carried me to the bench on the side.

”What's wrong?” he asks.

”Hmmm…” I realize that he asked me and I explain, ”Well, you see, my friend and I are sorta shunned out of class so I'm trying to think of a way to … get back in…”

\t”Oh, so that's the matter. Want me to help?”

”No, it's fine I can do it by myself.”

I ponder a bit more.