Chapter 1222 — Shen Yushu's False Accusation

Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu knew the truth as well, and naturally played along with Feng Xiaoxiao's charade.

"I see — then it's a relief that nothing's wrong." Gu Mengyao nodded. "Shall we order more blood-nourishing dishes today, then?"

"Mm... let's drop it. Shall we talk about something else?" Feng Xiaoxiao did not want the conversation drifting toward her illness; that would make her a little unhappy.

During class Wei Zhao had already slipped a text message to Tang Yun, Gu Mengyao, and Shen Yushu, telling them of Feng Xiaoxiao's wish. So Gu Mengyao, without a moment's hesitation, steered the talk toward the star Xu Shilan.

"I hear Xu Shilan has put out a new single?" Gu Mengyao asked, feigning casualness.

"Oh, I think so — the entertainment channel ran something on it yesterday." Shen Yushu thought a moment and replied.

"Is that so? I hadn't heard. I was busy all day yesterday and never got round to the television." Tang Yun turned instead to Feng Xiaoxiao. "Xiaoxiao, come to think of it — do you like Xu Shilan?"

"Like her? Of course I do!" The moment the topic turned to Xu Shilan, Feng Xiaoxiao came alive. "I'm her fan — I own every single album she's ever released!"

"Really? Little Shu and I feel the same!" Gu Mengyao said happily. "So have you joined Xu Shilan's fan club?"

"No. The fan club runs its events only in the big cities — never anything out here — and joining would just mean throwing the membership fee away." Feng Xiaoxiao shook her head.

"That's true. Xu Shilan has never held an event or a concert in Songshan City — it really is a bit of a shame." Tang Yun nodded.

"Yes. I've always wanted to see her in concert, but I've never had the chance." Feng Xiaoxiao too sounded a little disappointed.

"Why don't we go to another city the next time Xu Shilan puts on a concert? Travel is easy enough these days — a short flight and we're there before you know it." Gu Mengyao suggested.

"That's right — we can call it a trip, and have Brother Arrow come along with us!" Shen Yushu echoed.

"That..." Feng Xiaoxiao's heart wavered. In truth she very much wanted to go, but she had her misgivings. "I wouldn't mind — I'm not expecting to do well in my studies anyway. But you all have to study! The college entrance exam is right around the corner; if we go off travelling now, you'll fall behind on your work!"

Feng Xiaoxiao's misgivings were not without reason. She did not know how many days she had left, so whether she could get into university was the last thing she cared about. Tang Yun, Gu Mengyao, and Shen Yushu, however, were another matter. It was plain to see how hard they worked at their studies; they surely meant to get into a good university. To drag them off to a concert at a time like this — would that not be ruining them?

"Oh, a little homework is nothing to a genius like Shu — and anyway, you have to balance study with rest!" Shen Yushu said, not caring in the least. "Isn't that right, Sister Yaoyao?"

"Mm..." Gu Mengyao smiled ruefully. "If it really comes to that, and my exam results aren't good enough, I'll just have to let my father pull a few strings." Given the Gu family's present wealth and influence, that would be no great difficulty — but it would be a very different feeling from getting in on her own.

Still, Gu Mengyao felt no regret. Human life was the most precious thing of all. Feng Xiaoxiao might be gone at any moment, and she could not let her leave this world carrying a regret — that was precisely why Gu Mengyao had made the suggestion.

"I don't care either way. If I don't get into university, I'll just make Wei Zhao pay for it — he's a big boss now." Tang Yun cracked a joke to lighten the mood.

"Exactly! If we don't get in, we'll be depending entirely on Brother Arrow! You too, Xiaoxiao — you'll have to rely on him!" Shen Yushu said.

"All right then — it's settled!" Feng Xiaoxiao nodded. Everyone had said as much; if she kept being coy now, she would seem ungrateful.

By now Feng Xiaoxiao had sensed something. Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu had both been acting strangely today, as though deliberately going along with her. Had they learned the truth as well? It was possible — perhaps Wei Zhao or Tang Yun had already told them, and they simply had not said it outright.

At this thought, Feng Xiaoxiao was overcome with emotion. To have such good friends in the days she had left to live — what a stroke of luck!

The food arrived in no time. At this hour the cafeteria cooks had nothing left to do — the great vats of food had been ready for ages — and so the dishes the young ladies had ordered were prepared and sent over at once.

"Sister Yaoyao, those children at the orphanage are so pitiful. We get to eat dishes like this every day, while they have to count out every mouthful of potato and cabbage..." Looking at the fine fare on the table, Shen Yushu sighed with feeling.

"Yes, Little Shu. Didn't you say you wanted to hold a fundraising rally? How is the planning going?" Gu Mengyao, too, cared deeply about the children at the orphanage.

"What's this about? What orphanage children?" Tang Yun and Feng Xiaoxiao both started at once. They had not gone to the orphanage with Wei Zhao the day before, and naturally knew nothing of the matter.

"It's a long story..." The affair could not be explained in a few words, so Wei Zhao simply began at the very beginning — with the time Er Goudan first came and borrowed money from Yu Xiaoke — and recounted the whole thing exactly as it had happened.

There were no outsiders present, so Wei Zhao held nothing back; he even told them how he had first come to know Yu Xiaoke.

"So that's how it was!" Neither Gu Mengyao nor Shen Yushu knew much about Yu Xiaoke, but after hearing Wei Zhao's account they were just as stunned as Tang Yun and Feng Xiaoxiao.

"Yu Xiaoke has it so hard, scrambling to keep the orphanage fed. A thief she may be, but she's worth a dozen of those sanctimonious hypocrites!" Gu Mengyao sighed.

"Exactly! That vixen Qiu Lingshan is positively hateful — she actually hurt Yu Xiaoke! If Yu Xiaoke hadn't met Brother Arrow and something terrible had happened to her, what would become of the children in the orphanage?" Shen Yushu said indignantly.

"You can't quite put it that way. Catching thieves is what the police are for, and Officer Song was only doing her duty. Yu Xiaoke may be a thief, but she is a good thief." Tang Yun's judgment was rather more evenhanded.

"Sister Yunyun, how can you be so silly? You're speaking up for that vixen Qiu Lingshan — she's your romantic rival, you know!" Shen Yushu cried, flustered.

"What? My rival?" Tang Yun could not help but stare. Since when had Qiu Lingshan become her rival?

"Qiu Lingshan has the hots for Brother Arrow — she was even giving him a handjob in the hospital!" Shen Yushu declared, `"framing"` Qiu Lingshan with characteristic bluntness. Of course, Shen Yushu did not think of it as framing at all.

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