Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Its Time to Pay Back What I Owe Them

A couple of days later, the results of the city competition were announced.

The teacher announced the competition results in a small group chat.

In past years at their university, Xiao Yu was the only one selected for the national competition and the only one to win an award, but this time was different—Ji Yuqiao had been added.

Her score ranked exactly tenth in the city, right at the cutoff for selection, allowing her to represent their school in the national mathematics competition.

The teacher, thinking of the additional achievement he had gained this year, was visibly delighted.

On the day Xiao Yu and Ji Yuqiao went to receive their certificates, he shook with excitement, his smile so broad it wouldn’t fit in his mouth.

Xiao Yu glanced at Ji Yuqiao next to him, who was taking pictures of her certificate with her phone, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of her lips, her eyes glistening.

His expression turned slightly bewildered.

Previously, Xiao Yu’s impression of Ji Yuqiao was that of a capricious and troublesome young lady, with mediocre grades, who seemed not to do well academically and had even failed some subjects.

But now, she seemed to have completely changed. She appeared to have lost interest in the frivolous pursuits of a young lady; she no longer pestered him, her studies became serious, and with her always intelligent mind, her grades had improved dramatically.

Even earning a spot to compete in the national mathematics competition.

Xiao Yu realized that she had truly changed a lot during this time.

“Xiao Yu, what are you thinking about?”

The teacher patted Xiao Yu’s shoulder, and he snapped back to reality, a flash of annoyance crossing his eyes.

“Nothing, do you need something, teacher?” Xiao Yu asked.

After Ji Yuqiao finished sending the photo to Lin Xu, she looked up to find Xiao Yu and saw that he was talking with the teacher, stopping in her tracks and kicking the floor in disappointment.

“Ji Yuqiao.” Someone called her from behind.

Ji Yuqiao turned around and was surprised to see Zhao Jiayan, her lips parting in surprise.

But then she remembered something Ji Tingyang had mentioned, that his academic performance was very good, and he was smart.

So, his coming here to pick up the certificate wasn’t so unexpected after all.

“Rein in the surprise in your eyes. My image can’t be that bad, right?” Zhao Jiayan laughed.

“No, not bad at all, really good,” Ji Yuqiao quickly shook her head and then sneakily peeked at his certificate, very curious about his rank.

Zhao Jiayan chuckled softly, openly unfolding his certificate for her to see.

Upon seeing the bolded print “First Place” on the certificate, Ji Yuqiao was genuinely shocked.

If it had been before, Ji Yuqiao wouldn’t have thought much of it, preferring to bother Xiao Yu a bit more since she might get to talk to him.

But after some time immersed in studying, Ji Yuqiao was acutely aware of how much larger the gap was between her tenth place and the first place. She couldn’t help but admire him for a moment, “If only I could become that amazing.”

“Do you need me to tutor you?” Zhao Jiayan asked, a smile playing on his gentle and soft features.

“No need, our schools are different, it would be too troublesome to run back and forth,” Ji Yuqiao declined with a shake of her head.

“Haven’t you forgotten we can also communicate via WeChat? If you have any questions, you can message me. I can answer them when I’m free. As for the fee, a meal will do,” Zhao Jiayan said.

After being reminded, Ji Yuqiao suddenly remembered the existence of the WeChat app, and quickly took out her phone, “Quick, add me as a friend.”

The smile on Zhao Jiayan’s face was tinged with a trace of bitterness, “Just release me from your blacklist and that’ll do.”

Blacklist?

How could he possibly be in her blacklist?

Ji Yuqiao dubiously scrolled through her blacklist, only to indeed find his contact—her memory abruptly raced back.

On the day they met, Ji Tingyang had forced them both to add each other on WeChat, but at the time, she only had eyes for Xiao Yu, and had no interest in keeping other guys in her WeChat, so she put him in the blacklist as soon as she got home.

Now, facing the person himself, her expression became somewhat embarrassed. While she removed him from the blacklist, she feigned ignorance, “Huh? How strange, how could you be on the blacklist, it must be a system bug!”

Zhao Jiayan just smiled.

Even though they hadn’t said much, Ji Yuqiao felt her face and ears redden under the influence of his low laughter, as if she’d been seen through and was feeling a little guilty.

“Do you have time later?” Ji Yuqiao asked.

“What for?”

“Didn’t we agree that your tutoring fee would be a meal? I want to invite you to a big dinner later, so I’m checking your availability.”

“Of course, I have time.”

“Then later we will…”

Before Ji Yuqiao could finish, Xiao Yu came over, interrupting her.

“Student Ji, there are still classes tonight.”

“It’s only morning now; there’s a long time until evening.” Zhao Jiayan’s lips curled up slightly as he looked at Xiao Yu, “I assure you I’ll have her back at school before tonight’s class.”

“She…”

Before Xiao Yu could finish, Zhao Jiayan had already led Ji Yuqiao away.

He watched their departing figures, his brows furrowing slightly.

Zhao Jiayan’s car was parked outside. As soon as they got in, he asked Ji Yuqiao what she wanted to eat.

Ji Yuqiao: “I’m fine with anything. It’s my treat, so you pick whatever you like.”

He thought for a moment, “How about Flaming Lily Restaurant?”

Ji Yuqiao: “No way!”

She hadn’t forgotten the grudge from last time she worked part-time there, when the manager yelled at her.

She definitely didn’t want to go there to eat.

Zhao Jiayan: “Then, how about Hunan cuisine?”

Ji Yuqiao nodded: “That works.”

Even though she had just said they should go with Zhao Jiayan’s preference, in the end, they chose according to Ji Yuqiao’s tastes, but he didn’t seem to mind.

On the way to the Hunan restaurant, they passed by the Ji Group building.

Zhao Jiayan even asked, “Do you want to stop by and say hi to your brother?”

Ji Yuqiao pursed her lips, showing clear reluctance, “I don’t want to go!”

“Are you still fighting with your brother?” Zhao Jiayan laughed.

“He doesn’t deserve to fight with me,” Ji Yuqiao muttered under her breath, yet her gaze inadvertently drifted towards the Ji Group building.

Unexpectedly, at the main entrance, she saw Ji Tingyang’s figure.

He had a gentle demeanor, discussing something with the man next to him.

At first, Ji Yuqiao didn’t think much of it, but when she got a clear view of the man’s face, rage immediately flared in her eyes.

Wasn’t that bastard Wu Yanghui?!

Why was her brother with him, and why was he being so polite?!

If it weren’t for the fact they were on a moving road where it was inconvenient to stop the car, Ji Yuqiao would have certainly gotten out and run over to confront Ji Tingyang.

She could not confront him face-to-face, but she had her phone.

Without a second thought, she dialed Ji Tingyang’s number.

The first question she asked was, “Why are you with Wu Yanghui?”

Ji Tingyang was taken aback, “How do you know…”

“Never mind how I know. Have you forgotten how he used to treat us?”@@novelbin@@

“I haven’t forgotten,” Ji Tingyang’s eyes darkened.

The debts owed to them should be repaid in kind.