Chapter 1: Spring is here, not

"Miss Wu, our team have already discussed, and we've concluded that you would no longer be a member of our research team. It was an honour working with someone as young, yet as talented as you. I am sure that you are fully aware of our protocol. Hence, we trust you to keep every information you know confidential."

The voice of the main on the phone call was raspy and stern. It was also cold, cold enough for the room temperature to drop by a few degree.

'Well, I guessed I am officially fired.' Ai Qing said to herself. Even though she saw it coming, Ai Qing still couldn't control her despair.

To herself, she comforted, 'Working with them for almost five years was already a blessing. Not anyone can work at the Top 1 medical research company in the country. It already is an accomplishment; there is no point in getting upset.'

'I need to find a job by the end of this month so that I can pay the house's fee. Ugh... Why did I say that I want to pay for the house fee. Back then, I thought to myself that it was such a mature and logical choice but now that I think of it, I was just being foolish. Thankfully, mum disagreed and had me pay only a third of it.'

On Ai Qing's 13th birthday, her parents bought an apartment under her name because their house was too far away from the region where all the schools and universities gathered. As travelling a long distance every day would be too tiring and time-consuming, Ai Qing moves into the apartment alone as soon as she started high school. Her parents hired a housekeeper to look after her and would often come and visit their daughter now and then.

Ai Qing is the only child so her parents spoil her and cherish her like a princess. However, that doesn't mean that Ai Qing is a spoiled child who is childish, arrogant, and selfish. In contrast, she is way more mature than her peers and is extremely rational. She is not the type who receives gifts from others easily. She always thought of others before herself. When her parent bought that apartment which was half a year's worth of the family earning, she was grateful yet, she also felt really uncomfortable. Although it is natural for parents to want to give their child such thing, she felt like it was too big for her to accept it.

At that time she sat in front of her parents and told them, "Although we have money, there is a limit to our money. Judging from the location, Mum and Dad probably spent a year's worth of dad's total earning just to buy that apartment for me. Since I am the one who lives in it, I should be the one who pays for it."  Of course, her parent immediately denied her proposal. However, after a few more attempts, her parents finally agreed to it. They told her to only pay one-third of the whole price. This is because a teenager like Ai Qing wouldn't be able to earn one and a half of million dollars that easily.

After they reach an agreement, her parents quickly drafted a contract. Ai Qing had expected that they would also have some written agreement of some sort but would never expect that they even contacted a lawyer to made it. 'Well', she thought, 'this is what happened when you make deals with a bussinessman. It does not matter or not if you are their daughter. A proper contarct must be made.' In the contract, Ai Qing was given eight years to completely pay five-hundred thousand dollars to her parent. She has to pay $62 500 every year to be able to completely pay it off.

Thinking about the money again makes her brain a bit fried so she went to the kitchen to eat the leftover cake that she bought this evening. She took out her phone and watch the latest episode of her favourite K-drama and tv shows. Not long after, she no longer felt upset. It's no use crying over spill milk. Ai Qing went back to her room and sat her desk. Then, she bagan to endlessly type something in her laptop for almost three hours before she decided to go to sleep.

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The first day of autumn has arrived, and so is senior year. Ai Qing woke up at 5:30 and start to preparing herself for school. Before leaving, she ate a sandwich, drank a glass of mixed fruit juice that she made for herself the other day and pack her food for her lunch. Ai Qing also took out a bottle of jasmine tea that she made out of the refrigerator. Not much long after that, she finally set out of her apartment.

She left her place precisely at 6:55 everyday to catch the bus to her school. Additionally, she has to walk for 5 kilometer from the bus stop in front of the gate to her class. This makes sense as the school's main building is situated 5 km away from the main entrance. The school's security level is very high therefore allowing a public bus to enter and pass through is a big fat no. Moreover, it was not considered a problem to begin with, as all the students belong to rich families, hence they would have personal drivers who would drive them to the school's building anyway. Walking to school was ridiculous to begin with and that was also why Ai Qing used to be the only one who walks to school.

Yes, was. It was not known when but many students began to walk to school too. As each years went by, the number of students doubled and by the start of this year half of the students in the school are walking to school. Currently, you can spot other students walking to school too and the morning has indeed became more chirpy due to the laughters and talks between the students. In the past, walking to school was very peaceful and healing for her.

Now that autumn is here, the leaves on the trees along the street have begun to change its colour. Strolling along a street with a serene view like this is remarkably therapeutic to Ai Qing. While appreciating the stunning scenic, she took a sip of the chilled jasmine tea she brought. A refreshing, clean autumn's breeze swiftly glides pass her while the warm sunlight kissed her skin. Currently, her favourite songs started to play, which made Ai Qing's spirit boost to the sky. That particular moment, to herself, she believed, she would be rather content to lives a normal and simple life like this.

While walking, her shoelaces were untied. She spots a corner and heads there to ties her shoelaces. She sits on a little stool that happened to be there. As she bent down her to tie her shoelaces, one of the earbuds fell out of her ear. When the music in her left ear fades, she noticed the sounds of the birds chirping and the sounds of the leaves on the tree shuffling.

Not long after, the peaceful mood was broken down by the honking sound of a car. When Ai Qing turned her face towards the direction of the source, she saw a boy with a senior uniform of her school. She saw his head pops out of the window and then he waved at a boy who was walking not so far behind her.

"Hey, Joseph! Why are you walking to school? You could've let your driver dro-" a boy with blonde hair shouted from the back seat of an expensive black car. But, even before the boy could finish, he stopped midway. Through the corner of his eye, he noticed someone staring at him. As he shifted his gaze, he made eye contact with Ai Qing.

The boy completely froze and was totally packing inside while Ai Qing she shifted her face back to the walkways and continued her journey as if nothing has happened. Honestly, nothing did happen, other than the fact that the mood was ruined.

On the other side, the boy blankly stare at his elder brother who was sitting next to him.

With a shocking expression, the boy mumbled to himself, "Our eyes met. I just made eye contact with the Queen.  How could I forgot about that the Queen walks to school? No wonder that idiot Joseph walks to school too."

"Zheng XingFu, what are you mumbling about?" Zheng Zemin said, as he put down his tablet and focused on his silly brother. "When will you stop being silly and focused on your study?"

After hearing that, XingFu quickly gains his consciousness. He looks at his brother and in a spoiled tone, he said, "Brother, studying is not my style. It is just something that I can never be interested in."

"You have no talents, no skills, no strengths, no ambitions, no willpower, nor does you have any interest. I get that you still can't figure out what you want to do, which is why you should study and have a good grade. At least, that could be your insurance."

"There you go again nagging at me. Your nagging is a lot worse than our grandmother and you are only two years older than me. I think I am the one that should be worried. What should I do with this brother of mine? [sigh deeply] I feel bad for all the girls who fall in love with you. They are all betrayed by that handsome look of yours. For god sake brother-"

As Xing Fu was about to finish, he could feel chill at the back of his spine. There were a few seconds of silence, but it felt like decades. He gulped down his saliva under the intense gaze of his brother. It was at this moment that he knew, he f * up. The driver and his brother secretary also know that Xing Fu has gone over the line this time. They didn't dare to say anything but hold their breath. XingFu quickly told the driver to stop the car, and the driver immediately followed his order. In a blink of an eye, XingFu has already gotten off the car. His shadow was nowhere to be seen while the atmosphere is the car continues to drop.

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Author's rambling Section (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

Author: !(•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑ Sometimes in life (*inserted inspirational music) when negative things happen, you just have to look at it positively so that you can move on.

Meanwhile the editor: (＠￣Д￣＠；) [caption: why is she acting like this all of the sudden?]

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