It was a little too late for Su Yuan to ask Ning Li about her horse-riding skills now.
“I learned it when I worked part-time at the stables as a training assistant earning 120 per day with meals and accommodation provided for.”
The look on Su Yuan’s face froze for a moment when she got the answer. Of course, she knew what a part-time job at the stables meant.
An equestrian club usually had professional trainers teaching equestrianism, and sometimes, there would be an assistant helping out. The assistant’s job revolved mostly around preparing things for the lesson, and their tasks were mostly tiring and dirty.
Su Yuan could not wrap her head around the fact that Ning Li had beaten Cheng Xiangxiang in the horse race. It was then that she realized she understood nothing about Ning Li.
All she knew about her daughter was limited to what she saw on the few pieces of paper. She knew nothing about the real Ning Li.
Therefore, she came to Ning Li and tried to have an intimate conversation with her. She had thought of many possible answers but not this.
Whenever she brought Ye Cheng to equestrian class, she would never spare a glance at the assistants. Now, she found out that her daughter used to work such a tiring and dirty job.
“Y-you…How could you do such a job?” Su Yuan found it difficult to accept.
The curve on Ning Li’s lips gradually flattened. “Because I have to make a living, why else?”
Silenced, Su Yuan’s words were stuck in her throat.
Nevertheless, Ning Li did not care about how Su Yuan reacted as well. “Though I assume it’s much cheaper than Ye Ci and Ye Cheng’s equestrian classes.”
Su Yuan could not stay for a moment longer, so she turned around and left. Every word that Ning Li spoke was like the sharpest blade, cutting her heart and reminding her that she had neglected her daughter.
Ning Li barely reacted, looking away and going back into her room
Cheng Xiangxiang skipped school on Monday, but no one really cared.
The incident at the track was embarrassing, and Cheng Xiangxiang did not want anyone from her school to find out.
Ye Ci knew what happened, but maybe because she had embarrassed herself in front of Ning Li a few times now, she dared not act rashly anymore. She did not even mention a word along the way to school. Instead, she looked weary and somewhat dispirited.
Ning Li had a glance at her but did not say a word.
The first class of the day was English.
“Ye Ci? Ye Ci?”
Kong Rou walked to Ye Ci’s table and knocked on it.
Ye Ci slowly opened her eyes and she realized that she had fallen asleep in class.
Everyone else in the class looked at her. It was normal for a third-year student to lack sleep, but it was a first for Ye Ci to fall asleep during the first class of the day.
Concerned, Kong Rou asked, “Are you feeling okay?”
Ye Ci blushed. “I-I’m fine…Maybe it’s because I couldn’t sleep yesterday. Sorry, Ms. Kong.”
“It’s okay.”
Kong Rou was a lenient teacher, especially to a role model student like Ye Ci who always behaved. Since it was just a tiny and rare offense, she tended to be more caring.
“Come on. Recite the third passage from your textbook. It will keep you awake.”
Ye Ci looked nervous. She finally realized that was the homework from last Friday, and she had slacked over the weekend, so she could only remember so much from the passage.
She stood up awkwardly. She started off fine but started to stutter at the second part.
Everyone knew that she had not memorized the passage at all.
“This is rare. Who’d expect there to be something Ye Ci can’t recite?” He Xiaochen said softly.
Kong Rou also noticed it, then she told Ye Ci to sit down. She sighed and said, “Are you doing okay lately? Is it because of the pressure? You don’t need to be worried. I’ll give you one more day to memorize it.”
Ye Ci lowered her head in embarrassment. She had never been so ashamed before.
“I understand. Thank you, Ms. Kong.”
The bell rang.
Ye Ci sat at her place quietly. She had to relieve herself from the humiliation.
Sitting behind her, Sun Huihui could not help but tap on Ye Ci’s shoulder. “Hey, Lil Ci, what’s wrong with you today?”
Ye Ci shook her head.
It was then that Sun Huihui saw dark circles under her eyes. “Your circles are really dark. Lil Ci, did you sleep yesterday?”
Ye Ci smiled forcefully. “I’m fine. I was just doing some revision last night, and I sort of slept a little late.”
The busybody Lin Zhouyang also came over and after listening to her reasoning. He could not help but say, “How long have you been revising?”
Ye Ci had missed two days of class, but other than literature, she was basically up to speed. Therefore, there was not too much for her to revise. Moreover, it had been a few days, and given Ye Ci’s previous efficiency, she should have finished all the revision by now.
Sun Huihui suddenly thought of something. She rolled her eyes at Lin Zhouyang and said, “Lil Ci is not the same as you. She still has to attend the competitive Physics class.”
After all, the competitive Physics class demanded higher concentration and time.
Lin Zhouyang suddenly realized the truth of the matter. “Oh, I see.”
Alas, it was not that simple.
Ye Ci had attended competitive Physics class for quite some time now. She had been doing fine at the start, but as the classes went on, she found it difficult to keep up.
Each time Zhou Fei finished teaching the class, she would have to spend a lot of time digesting the content. Only then she could understand what he had taught in class.
Despite her efforts, she always ran into dead ends while answering questions. She even had to compare the answers and study them for a long time to be able to understand a single question.
On top of that, Zhou Fei tended to briefly explain a certain question which proved to be a problem for her because she did not even know the steps or formula behind it, so she had to ask others for help.
It was okay once in a while, but as it piled up, it took a toll on her physically and mentally.
Besides, the competitive Physics class progressed faster than normal classes. If she could not understand what Zhou Fei taught now, it would be even more difficult for her to understand the class in the future.
She spent her weekends studying everything from the competitive Physics class, which resulted in her forgetting her English homework. It was so physically demanding that she even fell asleep in class.
Sadly, she just could not tell her friends about it.
“I can’t sleep after a certain hour. I think I will just have to sleep earlier next time.”
Then, a piece of paper was put on her table. She looked up and saw the guy that sat beside her in competitive Physics class.
The guy had more papers in his hand. “This is what Mr. Zhou will teach today. Let’s have a look at it first.”
“Okay.”
Ye Ci rolled the paper up and wanted to put it into the desk while the guy went on distributing the papers to the others.
“Class monitor, here’s your paper.”
“Ning Li, yours.”
The guy had one piece of paper in each hand when he was at Ning Li’s and Pei Song’s spot.
“Oh, Mr. Zhou said to try to finish the paper before class tonight because he wants to use them.”
Pei Song took the paper. “Mm-hmm.”
Ning Li took it and had a glance at it. “Okay, I’ll give it back around noon.”
Ye Ci’s hand froze. She did not know whether she should keep the paper in her desk or take it out and do it right away.