C17 A Heart of Gratitude

Xue Ning suddenly relaxed, finding an unexpected sense of peace in that moment. Life still held hope, didn’t it?

Just then, a large group of girls noisily gathered around, quickly surrounding the small stand until it was packed.

“This place has the best food.”

“I’ll take one order—no, make that two, with less spice.”

“Haha, I’ll get three orders to take back to the dorm so those pigs can try it too.”

“Four orders!”

Xue Ning exchanged a glance with Aunt Wang, both seeing excitement and joy in each other’s eyes. The once quiet spot had suddenly become lively.

Xue Ning handled the cooking while Aunt Wang passed things along and helped out, both of them bustling around in a blur. People love a good crowd, and more and more folks came over, buying two or three orders each. Some packed theirs to take back to the dorm, while others started eating right there.

As the number of orders sold increased, notifications kept popping up.

[Earned 20 points...]

[Earned 50 points...]

[Earned 100 points...]

The system had mentioned that the more praise received, the more points would be earned.

Meanwhile, across the college town, Xue Ya finished her ballet class and returned to her dorm. She took a quick shower and changed into an elegant white dress before heading out to pick up the gourmet food her family had specially sent over.

Feeling guilty, Xue Ya’s parents spared no expense on her, providing her with luxury brands for both food and clothing. Her dorm was the most comfortable four-person room available, and every so often, a driver was sent to bring her home.

Zhou Shuhui suggested just giving up the dorm to avoid the hassle of sharing space with others.

Xue Ya disagreed, "School is demanding, and if I don't put in the effort now, how will I earn a living and support my parents in the future? Living on campus is more convenient and saves you from worrying about me at home."

Her words tugged at Zhou Shuhui's heart, and she affectionately called her "sweetheart" while taking her out to buy a whole new wardrobe.

The truth, however, was that Xue Ya didn't want to live at home because she wanted to show off her current lifestyle. Before she was found by the Xue family, she was washing dishes and doing odd jobs at a restaurant to pay for her tuition and living expenses. She wore cheap clothes from street vendors and ate plain food, which made her seem poor. Her dorm mates looked down on her, gossiped behind her back, and didn't even invite her to group dinners.

Living in the dorm was her way of letting everyone know she was now a bona fide heiress.

Xue Ya took the food box from the housekeeper, carried it back to the dorm, and flashed a sweet smile as she warmly greeted her two dorm mates. "My mom is unbelievable. I told her not to have the housekeeper bring food, but she insisted. She was worried the newly arrived premium caviar would spoil, so she sent it for me to share with you all."

"With so much food here, I have a small appetite and definitely can't finish it all. Could you help me out a bit?"

Xue Ya's words seemed humble on the surface, but there was a hint of showing off underneath. Yet, people really bought into it, treating Xue Ya like a treasure. Her past of being mistreated by her adoptive parents had left a strong impression on her teachers and classmates, painting her as a resilient and positive figure.

Sure enough, the other two girls happily jumped off their beds and gathered around Xue Ya, showering her with compliments about her beauty and kindness.

"Ya Ya, you're just too good, always thinking of us."

"Someone as kind as you was meant to be born into a wealthy family, living like a carefree princess."

"That fake sister of yours isn't even worthy of your little toe. She doesn't deserve to shine your shoes. It's awful how she took over your parents for so many years without a hint of gratitude."