"Thank you~" The delighted girl leaned in and planted a loud kiss on the little girl's cheek, then left excitedly with the item in her hand.
"No need to rush, there's enough for everyone..." What Qu Ningmeng held were strands of amethyst bracelets. Judging from the clarity of the crystals, they were the extremely expensive kind.
Yet she seemed completely indifferent to such things, handing them out to the girls who had originally gathered around chatting with her, instantly filling them with joy. It was an unexpected windfall.
They had already been fond of her, and now that she did this, the girls felt as if they were about to fall for her completely.
Compared to her, those boys were nothing but trash. Aside from Chu Lian, they had never met anyone more attractive.
However, Chu Lian's current status was far too special. Combined with other factors, it made them hesitate.
Although she looked the same as before, the girls' own sense of inferiority made them afraid to approach her.
This transfer student, though new, carried an aura similar to Chu Lian's—something pitiable and irresistibly endearing, making people want to get close. At first sight, she evoked goodwill, drawing them toward her without realizing it.
They never expected that their approach would be rewarded so generously. Even though they had not intended to gain anything, they truly loved the gift.
Sure, the price was a kiss on the cheek—but for a bracelet so beautiful and so desirable, what did one kiss matter?
The reason Chu Lian had heard the exclamations earlier was precisely because Qu Ningmeng had taken out those bracelets and gifted them to the girls. Essentially, it was no different from buying hearts.
"Damn rich girl..." Chu Lian scanned the amethyst bracelets in her hand with the system. When the price came back as 138,800 US dollars each, her mood instantly darkened.
She was still working hard to earn money, while this girl was already tossing it around like dirt. The gap between them was enough to make anyone sigh helplessly.
Though her own family background would allow her to do the same, spending money that wasn't hers felt meaningless.
Unable to express this suffocating gloom in her heart, she could only grit her teeth and mutter the words softly.
"Wrong, wrong, wrong. I'm not a rich girl~" As if she had heard Chu Lian—or perhaps answering someone else—Qu Ningmeng waved her hand, denying the accusation.
"Damn rich girl..." Having traveled widely, Chu Chu's eye for such things was far sharper than Chu Lian's. Though she could not scan and obtain an exact figure, she could still estimate their value. She could not help but echo the same lament.
"Well~" Spreading her hands, after giving away the remaining bracelets, Qu Ningmeng collected more than a dozen kisses from the girls and looked utterly satisfied, paying little attention to Chu Chu's words.
"Damn rich girl..." This time even Liu Yanran and Cai Ya could not resist complaining. Of course, with their family backgrounds, achieving the same would not be difficult.
The problem was that they were not yet adults. While their families treated them generously, they also imposed strict requirements for their upbringing.
Before turning eighteen, they were not allowed to waste large sums of money freely.
So even though they possessed the financial strength, they lacked the authority. Seeing someone younger than them spending so extravagantly, it was only natural they felt unwilling.
First establish the image of a wasteful rich girl. Be a little arrogant. That way, they'll be misled.
Outwardly, the little girl appeared carefree, but inwardly she was exceptionally calm.
Having just arrived here, she needed a persona to shield herself and deceive others. After careful thought, she decided that the protective layer she had in America was the most suitable. If anyone investigated in the future, there would at least be supporting evidence.
She had many things to accomplish and could not allow anyone to hinder her. Even knowing that some of the girls around her might see through her disguise, she had to maintain it.
After all, she was well aware of how powerful her innate ability was. If she was careless, those men who despised her might take action against her. With the protection of girls around her, she could at least secure a period of peace.
Ding-ling-ling~ Soon after the girls returned to their seats, the class bell rang. First period—art class. It was also time to hand in their assignments.
The beautiful female teacher, dressed in a purple gown and wearing a gentle smile, stood at the podium with both hands resting on the desk, looking at the students below.
"This should be the first art class after returning from the school trip. I know you experienced a thrilling and rather legendary journey."
"But assignments that were given still need to be completed. Our school isn't like ordinary ones that force students excessively. However, if you didn't do it, you'd better think carefully. If the teacher isn't happy~"
She smiled sweetly without stating the consequences. Yet everyone below knew that if they truly failed to submit their work, this famously black-bellied teacher would make their lives miserable.
"Chu Chu and the new student don't need to submit theirs." Fortunately, the teacher remembered that two students had not received the assignment.
"That won't do, teacher. Since I'm your student, how can I not hand in homework?"
Qu Ningmeng accepted the suggestion, but Chu Chu refused. She stood up, holding a rolled painting, walked to the podium, and handed it over.
The teacher knows your skill well. In school, she may be your teacher—but in painting, you're the one who could teach her. There are barely anyone in the country who surpass you, let alone someone qualified to instruct you.
She very much wanted to say that aloud but held back. It was rather embarrassing.
As a teacher, having one's student be among the nation's top masters of painting—while being half her age—was no small blow.
In this aspect, the two simply could not be compared.
"Let me see..." When she unrolled the painting, her gaze froze instantly. Even her breathing softened, as though afraid of disturbing the figure within the artwork. Her eyes shimmered brilliantly.
It was the look of someone beholding her most treasured gem—like a diamond radiating beneath the light.
"It's... so beautiful..." After staring for a long time, when the students had grown increasingly curious about what she was seeing, she finally murmured softly.
Her only thought was: How can something this beautiful not be shared with others? This is a true treasure.
With that in mind, she carefully turned the painting around, holding it gently with both hands, and presented its front to the students.
In the faint twilight, a beautiful and delicate girl sat on the balcony in a white dress, her slender legs bare.
Beneath the slanting rays of the setting sun, a faint smile bloomed at the corner of her lips. The breeze lifted her waterfall-like hair, making the scene feel like poetry—like a dream.
Her left hand was raised, lightly brushing her hair, while her right hand supported her from behind against the balcony. Though still within the quiet painting, she gave the unmistakable impression of being alive.
Upon closer inspection, one could see half the figure of a white-haired girl leaning against the doorway, her pretty face cold and distant.
She stood facing the black-haired girl. It seemed as though they were looking at one another—yet also as if lost in their own thoughts, impossible to discern.
Pulling the view farther back, the city below lay in ruins. Countless figures bustled amid the wreckage, adding a trace of vitality to the devastated landscape.
Beyond that stretched the coastline, faintly rippling—silent, motionless, boundless.
The vast sea, which should have been a captivating azure, was now a lifeless black.
Even the glow of the setting sun falling upon its surface failed to gild it with brilliance. It appeared desolate beyond words.
The strange beauty of the ruined city, the lingering crimson of the sinking sun, the deep sea that concealed everything, and the solitary girl standing apart from the world—together they formed a painting filled with irresistible allure.
This portrait of a beauty amid ruins unfolded before them, causing the hearts of the boys and girls who had lived through that moment to fall silent, their thoughts drifting back to that day.
To the city ruled by fear and helplessness. To the being that had shattered their understanding of the world's mysteries. To the battle that surpassed all imagination. And to the lingering joy of survival that had yet to fade.
"Chu Chu..." Chu Lian's gaze grew distant as she remembered that city, that enemy, that longest of days.
This depicted the moment after the dragon had been slain, when she returned to the Qingping Grand Hotel to sleep—her conversation with Kurosaki Satsuki upon waking.
Of course, reality had not unfolded exactly like this. But that did not prevent Chu Chu from using her vivid imagination to reshape the scene into this form.
It was the moment when she and the others had broken free from the shadow of death. When she awoke, this was the most beautiful image she had seen.
It was also the emotion Chu Chu had always longed to capture in her painting.
It symbolized hope and rebirth after destruction...
Well, it was also possible that at that time she had finally achieved her long-cherished wish—breaking through the taboo set by Li Mingxue and obtaining the power to protect big sister. With her heart's desire fulfilled, she preserved these scenes as one of her most precious memories.
As for why she chose this particular moment to paint, it was likely because the events preceding it were either too unbelievable to reveal or involved matters that could not be exposed to the public. So she selected a scene rich in symbolism and rendered it onto canvas.
"Truly a perfect beauty..." Having grown up in America, Qu Ningmeng, though ethnically Chinese, knew something about the world-shaking Miami dragon Incident.
Moreover, in order to gather detailed information about the girl, she had personally researched reports and remaining footage from that event.
Privately, she had also uncovered much useful information. Thus, she was not unfamiliar with what the painting portrayed.
What astonished her was Chu Lian's breathtaking beauty—not merely in appearance, but in the aura that radiated from her soul.
This was the kind of girl she needed to strive to become. Though in terms of attracting women she stood on equal footing with her, in other aspects she fell far short. If she wished to accomplish what she sought, she would have to work harder—starting by integrating herself into their lives.
"Big Sis, are you satisfied?"
When Chu Lian turned to look at Chu Chu, she saw her cherry lips moving as if speaking.
Having lived together for so long, they understood each other intimately. From the shape of her mouth alone, Chu Lian knew what she was saying.
With a soft laugh, she nodded—an acknowledgment of her little sister's efforts. At the very least, she had always tried to show her best side.
How could she not understand this yearning for an elder sister's approval? So she responded to the girl's feelings and offered her encouragement.
This was the girl's heart...