Ch 8: After My Mother Returned to the Rich Family

In Class Ten, the students exchanged puzzled and bewildered glances, as if everyone’s ears had collectively malfunctioned in the same instant.

“Ren Qingqing got struck by lightning???” Xie Chang’an stiffly turned his head to look at Ruan Cha, his trembling hand pointing upstairs. He swallowed hard, asking, “Did I mishear that?”

Ruan Cha, equally shaken, shook her head. “Unless we both misheard it.”

“What the—!”

“Seriously, what the—!”

The classmates, finally reacting, were left exclaiming in shock. Apart from stunned exclamations, they were utterly at a loss for words.

Not only Class Ten, but the entire floor erupted into chaos as soon as they heard the scream from the third floor. A massive wave of students surged toward Class Two. Struck by lightning inside a classroom? What are the odds of that?!

Ruan Cha politely declined Xie Chang’an’s invitation to join the commotion upstairs. Sitting alone at her desk, she tried to calm herself and piece together the sequence of the two tasks so far.

The first task had required her to write correct words on the blackboard. By finishing slightly faster, even though Ren Qingqing also got everything right, Ruan Cha had caused her to fail and lose points.

In the second task—the physics problem—Ruan Cha had written the answer in under a minute. Based on Xie Chang’an’s earlier remarks, even someone like Fu Chen, who usually scored perfectly in sciences, had taken five minutes to solve it. Ren Qingqing, at her fastest, likely needed the same amount of time.

Because the five-minute gap was so large, Ren Qingqing not only failed but also suffered a lightning punishment from the system.

An actual, literal lightning strike?

Tapping the remnants of a pencil on the desk, Ruan Cha felt a glimmer of hope break through the dark clouds in her mind. A shaft of golden light seemed to illuminate her thoughts.

Had she discovered a way to counter the system and Ren Qingqing?

It was no longer just passive defense or obstruction but proactive offense—completing the tasks first. If she studied thoroughly and mastered a broad range of topics, she could strive to complete tasks quickly in the future. If successful, Ren Qingqing might be penalized so severely by the system that she’d no longer dare to choose Task B.

Ruan Cha set the pencil down with a decisive thud. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with determination, unyielding and bright. “Hopefully, the lightning knocked some sense into Ren Qingqing and she’ll switch to Task A.”

If Ren Qingqing stubbornly stuck to Task B, Ruan Cha wouldn’t hold back. A salted fish that doesn’t flip gets trampled all over!

She would crush her.

——

By the next day, the topic #RenQingqingStruckByLightning# was still widely discussed across Second High. It had even made the list of the school’s Eight Most Bizarre Events.

Speculations about how a student could be struck by lightning under clear blue skies while sitting in a classroom ranged from astronomical phenomena to karmic retribution. Somehow, each student managed to sound entirely credible.

Meanwhile, in the equestrian arena’s locker room…

The Class Ten monitor, Huang Jiajia, was changing into her equestrian attire while gossiping with the girls from her class. “I know someone from Class Two who said that when it happened, all three windows were open. But the lightning, like it had eyes, avoided all the students sitting by the windows and struck Ren Qingqing directly.”

Hearing this, someone immediately chimed in, “And she just got struck yesterday but is already back at school today. What kind of constitution does she have?”

“Maybe she’s got a legendary Thunder Spirit Root,” another joked, laughing.

Huang Jiajia chuckled, then turned to ask Ruan Cha, “What do you think, Ruan Cha? They’re all saying Ren Qingqing must’ve done something bad and karma got her.”

As she spoke, Huang Jiajia noticed that Ruan Cha had put on her equestrian uniform and gear perfectly without any mistakes, which puzzled her.

Do students from small towns actually know how to ride horses?

Huang Jiajia had always been at odds with Lin Ling. To her and her group, Lin Ling’s clique was arrogant and unruly, completely ruining the class atmosphere. Of course, gossiping behind people’s backs wasn’t exactly virtuous either, but indulging in gossip was just human nature.

As the saying goes, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Since Ruan Cha had been targeted by Lin Ling, she naturally fell into Huang Jiajia’s alliance. Besides, yesterday, their shared crush, Fu Chen, had publicly said he regarded Ruan Cha as a younger sister. Her male idol’s sister deserved nothing less than good treatment!

“Who can say? Whether someone’s done wrong, they know in their own heart,” Ruan Cha replied coolly, finishing up her equestrian outfit swiftly and efficiently. Her tone grew noticeably colder at the mention of Ren Qingqing.

As they chatted, Lin Ling, Song Mengyu, and a few other girls emerged from the adjacent changing room. Noticing that Ruan Cha was already fully dressed, Song Mengyu forced a smile. “Cha Cha, I was a bit slow changing and forgot to help you. Who helped you put everything on? I’ll teach you properly when we get home, okay?”

The sports curriculum at Second High was diverse, and equestrian classes were one of the highlights. Song Mengyu had been ready to watch Ruan Cha embarrass herself.

After all, even some big-city high schools didn’t offer horseback riding. How could someone from a small town possibly have learned it?

Song Mengyu had always presented herself as the sole “little princess” of the Liang family. But now, another “little princess” had appeared, immediately winning favor with both Grandpa and Fu Chen. How could she not feel resentful?

Adding to her frustration was the incident during yesterday’s English class. Every glance at Ruan Cha now only deepened her annoyance.

But Ruan Cha gave Song Mengyu no chance to show off. With a quick glance at her, Ruan Cha didn’t even bother to greet her. She picked up her helmet and walked straight out without a word.

Song Mengyu’s face turned pale with anger. This hillbilly who grew up in a small town—what right does she have to act like she fears nothing in the world?!

Huang Jiajia and her group exchanged glances before hurriedly following Ruan Cha out, some in front and others behind.

“Don’t be afraid; horses are very gentle by nature. Take your time if you’re nervous.”

The equestrian instructor, whose face appeared stern but temperamentally was exceptionally gentle and patient, repeated the instructions tirelessly, ensuring every student felt reassured.

However, the students of Class Ten, who had already taken equestrian classes in their first year, were used to hopping onto horses and galloping off without much fuss. Few of them had the patience to sit through the instructor’s detailed reminders.

Lin Ling squinted at Ruan Cha, smirking as she led her white horse forward. “Ruan Cha, you’re paying such close attention. Interested in a little competition?”

Seated on a sleek black horse, Ruan Cha kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, shoulders relaxed, and the reins held just the right amount of slack in her palms. She waited until the instructor finished speaking before nodding earnestly, “Thank you, sir. I’ll be careful.”

She then turned her head to look at Lin Ling, her lips curling into a smile. “Horse riding is about enjoying yourself. Don’t you think it’s a bit childish and awkward for high schoolers to keep throwing around ‘let’s compete’ like kindergarteners?”

Lin Ling, already having suffered multiple setbacks with Ruan Cha, could not contain her temper, which had been spoiled since childhood. “You’re just a country bumpkin riding for the first time, and you dare call others childish? If you can’t do it, just walk your horse. Play happily? Can you even manage that?”

Before Lin Ling could finish, a loud whinny cut through the air. The black horse beneath Ruan Cha had already bolted forward, with Ruan Cha effortlessly controlling the reins. Her movements were fluid and graceful, exuding a carefree elegance that captivated everyone watching.

After a moment of stunned silence, the equestrian instructor shook his head with a smile. “She listened so intently, and it turns out she’s already quite skilled.”

Ruan Cha genuinely loved horseback riding—the feeling of wind rushing past her and the sense of freedom and ease atop a galloping horse allowed her to momentarily forget her troubles.

For three entire laps, her equestrian techniques were varied and seamless, each move more breathtaking and daring than the last.

“Whoa! Incredible!” shouted Xie Chang’an, his eyes shining as he cupped his hands around his mouth to amplify his cheer. “Ruan Cha, you’re amazing!”

Encouraged by Xie Chang’an, several other students joined in with admiring applause. No one had expected a girl supposedly from a small town to exhibit such astonishing elegance and skill on horseback.

Song Mengyu, who had mocked Ruan Cha earlier for not knowing how to wear equestrian gear properly, and Lin Ling, who had challenged her to a competition, both stared at Ruan Cha on the field with sour expressions. Her dazzling presence on horseback made their jealousy burn even hotter—they wished they could drag her down from the saddle right then and there.

Meanwhile, Xu Shen, who had been lounging idly in a chair, felt his blood stir as he watched Ruan Cha’s impressive display of horsemanship.

Honestly, Xu Shen found Ruan Cha’s appearance to be quite his type, though her personality wasn’t exactly to his liking, and her connection to Fu Chen made him a bit uneasy. But now, his interest was piqued. Without another word, he mounted a horse and rode straight to block Ruan Cha’s path as she returned.

Raising an eyebrow, exuding his usual rebellious arrogance, he challenged, “Ruan Cha, let’s have a match!”

His words instantly drew the attention of everyone around.

Ruan Cha tugged her horse to a halt, stepping back slightly with an obvious look of disinterest. “Sorry, I’m a descendant of Chiyou. If I’m not riding pandas, I just can’t perform well. Could you fetch me one?”

Xu Shen: “???”

(T/N: Chiyou is a god of war in Chinese mythology.)