C15 The Same White Dress!

Yem Xi ascended the stairs.

She set her backpack down and pulled out the study materials Jing Cheng had given her, her brow furrowed in concentration.

It was a gift, after all, and discarding it would seem incredibly impolite.

Yet, keeping it... she knew she didn't have the patience to tackle those exercises.

For the first time in her life, Yem Xi felt utterly bewildered by academic materials.

As she puzzled over what to do, Lin Xiao's voice call came through.

Yem Xi glanced at Lin Xiao's profile picture—a tearful, fierce tiger—and inspiration struck.

She picked up the call.

"Ms Xi, are you back home?"

"Yes."

The sound of car horns filtered through from Lin Xiao's end.

"I've spoken with Du Yanheng. He's quite skilled at painting, but I believe your guidance would enhance his work even more."

Lin Xiao had witnessed Yem Xi's artwork earlier that day, and anyone would be convinced it was the work of a master.

After a moment's consideration, Yem Xi agreed, "Sure, just set up a time. By the way, I'll be attending a tutoring class tomorrow with Jiang Shuyao... so I need to ask a favor of you."

Lin Xiao, still fixated on the earlier part of the conversation, sounded utterly astonished, "You... you're attending a tutoring class?"

"Yes."

"Wow... you need a tutoring class?" Lin Xiao was flabbergasted.

Without further explanation, Yem Xi got straight to the point, "I have something for you. Come by tomorrow to pick it up."

Still reeling from the news, Lin Xiao responded mechanically, "Oh, okay."

After ending the call, Yem Xi breathed a sigh of relief.

She tapped the hefty pile of papers, "I've found a suitable place for you."

...

The following day, at six in the morning.

Yem Xi had just woken up when a series of knocks sounded at her door.

Jiang Shuyao's soft voice called out, "Xi, it's me."

Yem Xi arched an eyebrow, anticipating that history was about to repeat itself.

She rose and opened the door.

Immediately, her eyes landed on the white dress Jiang Shuyao was holding.

It was a replay of her past life: the same time, the same white dress, and the same script about to unfold.

"Xi, last night Dad mentioned you're also joining the tutoring class. I've been meaning to get you some new clothes these past few days but forgot, so for now, wear this one," Jiang Shuyao said, a touch of embarrassment in her voice. "You know how it is—if you don't dress nicely, people tend to look down on you."

It was ridiculous how she had once fallen for Jiang Shuyao's nonsense.

Wearing the haute couture dress that Jiang Shuyao had once worn to a competition, she felt like a monkey on display.

Someone had recognized the dress from that event and ridiculed her for being pretentious. How had Jiang Shuyao handled it? With vague excuses that only reinforced the reputation of being inexperienced and fond of luxury goods for show.

After class, someone even doused her with water when she was in the restroom, turning the white dress into a see-through spectacle...

Reflecting on those awkward moments, a cryptic smile slowly formed on Yem Xi's lips.

Just when Jiang Shuyao awkwardly assumed Yem Xi would refuse the offer, she accepted the dress the next second.

Jiang Shuyao appeared to breathe a sigh of relief, her smile warm and benign. "Xi, we're leaving at seven, so I'll head downstairs now."

Yem Xi nodded.

After closing the door, she nonchalantly tossed the dress onto the bed.

Half an hour later, Yem Xi descended the stairs, dressed in her own clothes—a pair of denim shorts, a plain white tee, and simple canvas shoes. Despite the unassuming outfit, she exuded an aura that demanded a second glance.

Her well-proportioned figure, along with her naturally beautiful face, made her an undeniable presence.

Jiang Shuyao, seated at the dining table, clenched her hand under the table as she watched the girl approach.

Jiang Yifan, hearing the footsteps, turned to look. His face lit up with an impressed smile, and he called out warmly, "Xi, come have breakfast."

Yem Xi took a seat across from Jiang Shuyao.

Jiang Shuyao composed herself, her smile sweet but laced with a tinge of sadness. "Xi, why aren't you wearing the dress I gave you? Don't you like it?"

Jiang Yifan was heartened to see that Jiang Shuyao was not only accepting of Yem Xi but was also extending her kindness. He glanced over at Yem Xi.

Yem Xi paused mid-bite with her fork and spoke up calmly, "I'm just going to a tutoring class. Wearing your designer dress wouldn't be appropriate."

Jiang Shuyao's face tensed, revealing a touch of embarrassment. The dress she had given Yem Xi was indeed not suitable for a tutoring school setting. But how did Yem Xi, seemingly a girl from the countryside, come to understand such things? Shouldn't she be overjoyed and eager to wear it?

Jiang Yifan stepped in to smooth things over, "We should thank Yao Yao for the reminder. Xi, I'll have someone pick out some clothes you'll like later. Yao Yao has a fondness for those lovely dresses."

Yem Xi offered a smile and chose not to comment further.

After the meal, the driver took Jiang Shuyao and Yem Xi to their tutoring class. Yem Xi turned to gaze out the window. The roads were wide, lined with lush trees—everything felt as it had in her previous life, yet everything was different.

Jiang Shuyao watched the back of Yem Xi's head, her eyes dropping for a moment before she spoke up cheerfully, "Xi, I'll introduce you to the teacher later. You can join my class."

Yem Xi remained noncommittal.

The tutoring center catered specifically to the children of affluent and influential families, offering both public classes and individualized tutoring. The public classes were conducted with groups of over thirty students, while the one-on-one tutoring was customized to each student's abilities.

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