How could she be so wonderful?

It was Monday at Pluto Academy.

Jiang Nian had just gotten out of the car when she spotted Tong Chuhe heading through the gates.

"Chu He!"

She pattered over to Tong Chuhe, and they walked into school together.

"Did you get some good rest?"

Tong Chuhe asked Jiang Nian with concern.

So much had happened at the Shen Family's banquet yesterday. With everything involving Fu Zhenzhen and Shen Lei colliding at once, Jiang Nian had been caught in the middle and really hit the jackpot.

The bad-luck kind.

But Tong Chuhe had been elsewhere at the time and couldn't help. In the end, Jiang Nian had handled everything on her own.

"Of course I'm fine! One good night's sleep, and I'm fit as a fiddle!"

Jiang Nian raised her arm to show off her mighty muscles, only for someone to latch onto it the very next second.

"Good morning, Jiang Nian!"

Fang Qiu, who had hooked her arm through Jiang Nian's, greeted her with a grin, then said hello to Tong Chuhe beside her.

Jiang Nian didn't pull away from Fang Qiu, either, and simply started chatting with her.

The two were so chummy that no one would have guessed they'd ever fallen out.

That left Tong Chuhe and everyone nearby who knew about their relationship staring at them in bewilderment.

When had Jiang Nian and Fang Qiu gotten so close?

Only when they reached their classrooms did Fang Qiu reluctantly part with Jiang Nian and enter Class 1.

As Tong Chuhe walked into Class 2 with Jiang Nian, she asked:

"Weren't you two at each other's throats at dinner last night? How come you're suddenly besties this morning?"

Then she looked at Jiang Nian with feigned displeasure.

"Just how many sweet little sisters do you have?"

Jiang Nian wrapped her arms around Tong Chuhe with a beaming smile.

"We chatted after we got home last night and cleared things up. She's just a little conflicted. She's actually all right, and talking it out fixed everything."

"Besides, you're my only sweet little sister. Nobody else matters. Mwah."

With that, she raised both hands and formed a huge heart for Tong Chuhe, showing her beloved big sister Chu He just how sincere she was.

Tong Chuhe shook her head with a laugh and pulled her back to their seats.

Song Jici stood to let Jiang Nian pass. She had barely sat down when Shen Hui teased her from behind.

"What, confessing your love to your big sister Chu He again?"

Jiang Nian turned around proudly. "Of course! My big sister Chu He is beautiful and kind. Even ten thousand declarations of love a day wouldn't be too many."

Looking constipated, Tan Xuguang asked, "You don't... actually feel that way about Tong Chuhe, do you?"

She was his future sister-in-law!

Jiang Nian rolled up a book and smacked him over the head, ignoring his grimacing and yelping. "Get your mind out of the gutter. Ours is pure sisterly love."

Tan Xuguang pursed his lips. Who on earth acted like that over sisterly love?

Remembering last night's chaos, Jiang Nian turned to Shen Hui. "How's your old man doing?"

He didn't actually get so angry that something happened to him, did he?

Shen Hui propped his chin on one hand. Recalling that bristling, glaring figure, he gave a mocking laugh. "Don't worry. He's perfectly healthy."

At least he was still breathing. His anger hadn't killed him.

"What about Shen Lei?"

Shen Hui raised an eyebrow, remembering Shen Lei's sorry state. "He got a thorough dressing-down and was kicked out. Their living allowance was cut off, too."

He just didn't know how long his father and grandfather would take to forgive Shen Lei this time. After all, Shen Lei had thoroughly disgraced the Shen Family.

Jiang Nian curled her lip. "He got off easy."

That bastard definitely wouldn't stay out of trouble.

Seeing Jiang Nian's indignant expression, Shen Hui gestured for her to come closer.

Jiang Nian leaned down toward him and asked in an excited whisper, "What is it? What is it? A secret?"

Shen Hui nodded and leaned toward her ear.

"After Shen Lei got kicked out, Ji Ci and the others helped me throw a sack over his head and beat him up. We deliberately went for his face, too. He probably won't be able to show himself for quite a while."

"Actually, it doesn't matter whether he goes out. I also sent the banquet videos to all his teachers, friends, and neighbors."

"And Fu Zhenzhen, who pushed you into that room? We locked her up with Shen Lei overnight. Shen Lei thought she was the one who'd beaten him, and Fu Zhenzhen thought he was the one who'd locked her up. They spent most of the night beating each other up."

Jiang Nian's eyes lit up, and she reached out to high-five Shen Hui. "Nicely done!"

You're the sneakier one after all, Shen Hui.

No wonder Fu Zhenzhen hadn't come to school today. She probably couldn't show her face for now.

That ought to keep them quiet for a good while, at least.

Shen Hui naturally returned her high five. Only after Jiang Nian turned back around did he rub his fingertips together, savoring the warmth that lingered.

Then he lay on his desk, gazing blankly at Jiang Nian's back.

When Fang Qiu had come to see him yesterday, he'd been somewhat at a loss.

After all these years, he had long since let it go, but Fang Qiu seemed to have remained hung up on what had happened back then.

She'd misunderstood him because Shen Lei had deceived her. That hadn't been her fault, but she couldn't get past it and had kept looking for ways to make it up to him.

He hadn't paid much attention to her so-called attempts to make amends. If it eased her guilt, she could do whatever she wanted, as long as she didn't hurt anyone.

Except for the last time she'd slandered Jiang Nian, when he'd been unable to stand it and caused some trouble for the Fang family, he'd turned a blind eye whenever her behavior hadn't crossed the line.

Then, last night, Fang Qiu had formally apologized to him for the first time. She'd openly admitted her mistakes and reflected on all those years of self-congratulatory gestures, as well as the inconvenience she'd caused him.

Along with his surprise, he'd felt relieved.

It was better for both of them if Fang Qiu could let go.

He'd also wondered why she'd finally worked things out, until Fang Qiu told him about her conversation with Jiang Nian.

Only then had he learned what Jiang Nian thought.

Watching Jiang Nian laugh and horse around with Tan Xuguang, Shen Hui's smile grew wider and wider. How could Jiang Nian be so wonderful?

Only when the bell rang and Li Qing walked in with an icy expression did Jiang Nian settle obediently into her chair.

During class, Li Qing lavished praise on the top students as usual, then glanced at Liu Chaoshu and the others whose grades had slipped a little. She "kindly" reminded them that their grades were their only redeeming quality, and that they shouldn't lose their sole advantage.

Jiang Nian curled her lip as she watched the poor students being scolded until they couldn't lift their heads.

Ah, the old witch's tongue is as venomous as ever today.

Everyone around her nodded in heartfelt agreement.

Shen Hui had only just emerged from his own little world and nodded a beat late.

Yes, he agreed.

How could Jiang Nian be so wonderful? She always spoke the truth.