A mobile phone, the latest version, rose gold color, large screen, stylish design.

She knew without opening it that it would already be loaded with multiple social media apps as well as shopping and gaming apps. After all, Gu Xuejiao had received such gifts every year in the past.

Xue Jiao looked up at the couple in front of her.

“What’s wrong?” Gu Jingxu paused, “Are you too happy seeing Aunt Wanjun’s gift? You used to love Aunt Wanjun’s gifts the most.”

Xue Jiao just stared at them steadily, with a half-smile, “Dad, do you think I’m happy?”

“Didn’t you used to love Aunt Wanjun’s gifts the most?”

Xue Jiao closed the box lid and said with a smile, “Dad, Uncle Cheng has already bought me a phone. I don’t lack these things.”

Gu Jingxu’s eyes widened, “What Uncle Cheng? You have a father! Whatever you need, your father will buy for you!”

Xue Jiao blinked her eyes, “I was foolish before. Recently, I made a bet with Cheng Mingjiao from the Cheng family. I must beat her in academic performance!”

“Academics?” Gu Jingxu was stunned again, looking at the girl before him with suspicion.

With Gu Shiyun as a comparison, even though he didn’t care much about this child’s studies, he knew the girl in front of him had always been at the bottom of her class.

“Yes, I must win against her. I can’t let her look down on me! Dad, will you give me whatever gift I want?”

“Of course!”

“I was foolish before, only asking for things unrelated to studying. Now I want to work hard, so…” She handed the two boxes back to Wu Wanjun, then looked at Gu Shiyun, “I want the same gift as Gu Shiyun… an apartment near our school.”

“What?! Impossible!” Wu Wanjun’s eyes widened as her voice suddenly rose.

Seventh Middle School was a well-known high school. The housing prices in the neighborhood right next to it were comparable to downtown. Buying something like what Gu Shiyun had would cost several million. Gu Jingxu and Wu Wanjun, as a couple, couldn’t bear to spend that much.

“Jiaojiao, what do you want a house for?” Gu Jingxu’s face darkened slightly.

“The same as Gu Shiyun, just for resting at noon.”

Wu Wanjun couldn’t help saying, “Jiaojiao, you don’t need to buy a house just to rest at noon…”

“But didn’t Gu Shiyun get one just so she could rest better at noon? Didn’t Dad say he would buy me whatever I wanted?” Xue Jiao lowered her head slightly, looking somewhat hurt.

Wu Wanjun felt a lump in her throat. She wanted to say: Look at Shiyun’s grades, and look at yours. Her good rest is for the college entrance exam, but what about you?

But she couldn’t say these words; they remained stuck in her throat.

“It’s hard to buy apartments in that neighborhood. If you want to stay there, you can go to Shiyun’s place to rest at noon!” Gu Jingxu could only say this. He wasn’t wealthy enough to casually gift an apartment.

“No!” The objection came from the gentle-looking girl in the car. Her face turned unpleasant for a moment before quickly composing herself, still appearing characteristically mild, “Sister might not be comfortable living with me. Sometimes I don’t rest at noon but recite lessons. If sister comes to my place, she might be better off resting in the classroom.”

She would have to be crazy to let Gu Xuejiao live with her!

“That’s right, and resting somewhere at noon is for proper rest, for their future college entrance exams. Shiyun sometimes brings friends back to play, which might disturb Jiaojiao.” Wu Wanjun also said with a smile. Her gaze went to Gu Jingxu; while her words suggested Gu Shiyun would disturb Gu Xuejiao, in reality…

Sure enough, Gu Jingxu immediately thought of Gu Xuejiao’s “friends” who behaved like delinquents. If they influenced Shiyun, whose grades were so good…

“You’re right, it’s better if the two children don’t live together.”

Xue Jiao suddenly looked up, “So Dad, are you going to buy me an apartment?”

“Well…” Gu Jingxu’s face turned unpleasant again, but just for a few seconds before he immediately put on a stern face, “Jiaojiao, why are you being so disobedient!”

“You said you’d buy me whatever I wanted! Dad, you’re not good to me at all. You only buy things that affect my studies. You treat Gu Shiyun much better than me! I just want the same treatment as Gu Shiyun, and you refuse. Dad, don’t come looking for me anymore!”

After this heartfelt speech, Xue Jiao immediately turned and ran.

“Jiaojiao—” Gu Jingxu was about to chase after her but was held back by Wu Wanjun.

“Jingxu, Jiaojiao is angry right now. If you can’t satisfy her, chasing after her will only lead to an argument.”

Gu Jingxu stopped in his tracks, pondering for a moment before suddenly saying, “Jiaojiao said we only buy her things that affect her studies…”

His eyes showed a hint of doubt. Wu Wanjun’s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately took his arm, making a pained face, “Being a stepmother is difficult, especially now that Jiaojiao has gone to live with her birth mother and stepfather. I don’t dare discipline her much, I can only give her gifts she likes…”

Seeing Gu Jingxu’s gaze soften somewhat, Wu Wanjun continued, “Why don’t I check if there are any apartments for sale or rent in that neighborhood…”

“No need. She just needs to take a noon nap. Why would she need to buy a house!”

Wu Wanjun’s eyes flashed with delight.

Gu Jingxu looked in the direction Gu Xuejiao had left and suddenly said, “Let’s give Jiaojiao a key to Shiyun’s apartment. She’ll just go there at noon. Shiyun, you can close your door; she won’t disturb you.”

Anger flashed through Gu Shiyun’s eyes, but she still smiled and said, “Alright. Jiaojiao’s grades aren’t good, and she’s made a bet with Cheng Mingjiao. This is perfect; I can tutor her at noon.”

Gu Jingxu immediately broke into a smile, patting Gu Shiyun’s head, “You’re truly Dad’s good daughter. If she disturbs you, just tell Dad!”

“Mm!”

This meeting ended with Wu Wanjun and Gu Shiyun’s black faces.

Live with Gu Xuejiao? What if her identity was exposed?!

Gu Shiyun regretted calling Gu Jingxu. It truly was a case of losing more than she gained!

——

Xue Jiao didn’t want to live with Gu Shiyun either. She just didn’t want to see these annoying people again and had given herself an excuse to refuse future meetings.

Not having to eat with these three unpleasant people put her in a better mood.

She didn’t want to return to that familiar yet strange home now. With light steps and earphones in, she walked down the street.

“Oh?” Xue Jiao’s eyes widened as she looked at the claw machines inside.

A row of claw machines lined up, and in the second one on the right were a bunch of cute panda dolls. One holding bamboo faced directly toward Xue Jiao.

After hesitating for just a few seconds, Xue Jiao ran inside and exchanged ten coins.

Anyone who has played claw machines knows that those in shopping malls are not easy to win, especially in the evening.

Xue Jiao failed on her first try, so she tried again.

“Ah—” She watched as the claw grabbed the panda’s head but still dropped it. Xue Jiao’s excited face immediately fell.

“The claw inside is very loose. If you don’t aim at the right position, you’ll fail.” A voice came from beside her.

Xue Jiao looked up and froze.

Probably no one could forget that face once they’d seen it. Not only did she remember his face, but she even remembered his name.

Lin Zhihua. Peach blossoms in full bloom, brilliant in splendor.

“It’s you…”

“Hello, we meet again?” Lin Zhihua’s mouth opened slightly.

He wore a tailored suit, looking very formal and completely… out of place in this environment.

Xue Jiao noticed that this man rarely showed expressions. Even while talking to her, his face remained serious, almost motionless.

“Hello…”

Lin Zhihua shifted his foot and leaned down slightly, “Please continue.”

“Oh…” Xue Jiao, somewhat bewildered, tossed a few game coins in.

Deep breath, aim, press.

Failure.

She glanced at the man beside her and threw in two more game coins: “One more time! This time I’ll aim better!”

Move, aim, press.

Failure.

Xue Jiao’s ears turned slightly red as she gritted her teeth at the panda that was still looking at her.

“You were three centimeters too far to the right just now.” Lin Zhihua still maintained his serious expression, slightly frowning as he looked inside.

Three centimeters?

Xue Jiao was surprised. Could his eyes measure so precisely?

Looking at his calm face, Xue Jiao tentatively said, “Sir… would you like to try?”

“…” Three seconds of silence. “Alright.”

Xue Jiao tossed in two coins, immediately moved aside, and watched Lin Zhihua expectantly.

Lin Zhihua raised his hand and undid his cuff. A handsome man in a suit stood in front of the pink claw machine, so eye-catching that passersby kept looking at them.

Lin Zhihua acted as if no one else was there.

He extended his hand and gripped the handle. Those hands were very slender—perhaps the most beautiful hands Xue Jiao had ever seen.

She watched as this man quickly moved the handle, stopping decisively at a position directly above the panda’s head.

Then he pressed.

The claw went straight toward the panda, indeed directly from above!

It immediately grabbed the panda!

The loose claw held the panda and moved upward, slowly—and then slipped off the panda.

Lin Zhihua’s fingers, which had been buttoning his cuff, froze for an instant, and his expression showed a hint of bewilderment.

“Pfft hahaha—” Xue Jiao burst out laughing.

Lin Zhihua’s rigid face became even more rigid. He didn’t dare look over. After a while, in a hoarse voice: “One more try.”

Xue Jiao wiped away tears of laughter: “Forget it, I can see now that this machine can’t be won. No matter what, it’s impossible to win!”

Lin Zhihua fell silent.

Xue Jiao glanced at her watch: “I should go now. Sir, see you again.”

She turned and walked a few steps, then suddenly stopped: “Um… can we add each other as friends?”

“Yes, we can.” He responded without any hesitation and took out his phone.

His slender fingers slid across the phone, revealing a QR code. Xue Jiao scanned it, smiled, waved goodbye, and left.

The friend request she sent was approved immediately, with surprising speed.

Xue Jiao smiled and put her phone away.

It seemed this person had improved her mood.

Thinking of the books in her backpack, Xue Jiao quickened her pace.

Just as she walked out of the mall entrance, Chen Yan and Tan Qi quickly approached Lin Zhihua, who was watching her leave.

“Boss.”

When Xue Jiao’s figure was no longer visible, Lin Zhihua turned around and looked at the pink claw machine: “Who’s in charge of this mall?”

“Branch manager Wang Qunguang.”

“Have him come to headquarters on Monday to explain what kind of sales philosophy it is to completely fail to satisfy consumer desires.”

“Huh?” Chen Yan was stunned for a moment, then immediately replied, “Yes!”

Lin Zhihua turned and took a step, then stopped, “Take it back.”

“Yes.”

Lin Zhihua quickly left. Assistant Tan Qi pulled Chen Yan aside, “Secretary Chen, did the boss say to take the claw machine? Take it where?”

“Yes. Home.” After saying this, he hurried to catch up with the boss.

Tan Qi’s mouth hung open in astonishment.

Author’s note: Branch manager (anxiously): The big boss is looking for me, a branch manager!! I’m so scared! Secretary Chen, may I ask what I didn’t do well? Is future planning unreasonable? Is the boss dissatisfied with the net profit growth? Or… does the big boss have a new strategic direction???

Secretary Chen: …You guess.