City A

"Good afternoon, I am Cai Zheng and I will be your economics and math tutor for the incoming entrance exam." Cai Zheng, who is wearing a casual clothes, introduced himself.

The first day Qiao Ning Xi went to the Cai Residence, the three of them had fun playing games, watching movies and befriending the people in the Cai Residence.

The second day, they met their science tutor, which is a top student of No. 1 High School in City A who needs additional pocket money and thus, he applied to be a tutor. He taught them chemistry and biology at the same day. The time schedule for their session is 9 am to 9 pm, 1 hour break during lunch and dinner.

On the third day, once again they met their science tutor, who continued their topic in chemistry and introduced another topic which is physics.

On the fourth day, they met their english tutor which is also a top student of No. 1 High School. She tested the three of them in different methods to know their knowledge and fluency at the subject and she concluded that all of them can, more than above average, pass the written exam but she is not confident that the two boys will pass the one-on-one Q&A easily.

Meanwhile the little girl is fluent at english and can easily pass the Q&A but she is kinda weak at literature that involves quotes or poems that can only be found in a book, if you read it.

Today is the fifth day and they found out that the tutor for their economics and math subject is the big brother that suddenly disappeared on Qiao Ning Xi's first day arrival.

"Big bro!"

Leng Shaoming jumped on his sit and ran to hug his big bro, which is his friend's biological brother. If they didn't know, they will think that Leng Shaoming is Cai Zheng's real biological brother.

Before he could touch him, Cai Zheng slapped Leng Shaoming's hand using a stick that you would usually find in a teacher's hand.

"I'm not your big bro today so call me Teacher Zheng, alright?"

He smiled at them and the boy he just slapped look at him terrified. The boy looked at the terrifying devil-like tutor's real biological brother, asking for help but he just realized now that Cai Zhenghao was quiet ever since he saw his brother.

Cai Zhenghao encountered Leng Shaoming's stare and he replied to him by mouthing, 'He is a devil'.

At first, Qiao Ning Xi and Leng Shaoming didn't understand what he meant by a devil but the moment the session started, they understood it.

Teacher Zheng is not just devil-like teacher but he is a devil when it comes to teaching. He is a strict and fast phased kind of teacher. He didn't let them rest. After discussing a lesson, he gave a test paper for them to answer then after they answered it, another discussion for a new lesson started. Then, the cycle repeated until 9 pm but he still gave them a set of questions to be answered and he will be checking it tomorrow morning.

10 days had past and the cycle for the tutor sessions finally ended. During this week, all they do was to listen to the discussion of the new lessons and review the old lessons and answering test papers and books while stocking the new knowledge in their brain.

The last day of Qiao Ning Xi's stay, the three of them must answer test papers that the tutors especially made for each of them.

Only a few days left before the entrance exam and thus, she had a one day off to spend with Grandpa Qiao before she and the Cai and Leng Family go to City A to take the entrance exam.

Grandpa Qiao decided to let his granddaughter go with Cai Zhenghao and Leng Shaoming to City A since no one will be able to accompany her.

Mother Qiao is at Country K for business purpose. Every since the truth, Mother Qiao focused and buried herself with work to forget it all.

The pain.

The regret.

The betrayal.

Grandpa Qiao couldn't accompany her since his health worsen and Grandma Qiao wouldn't ignore her husband's health for Qiao Ning Xi so she forbid him to go.

No one can take care of her husband better than she do so she refused when her husband asked her to accompany their adopted granddaughter.

Grandpa Qiao had no choice but to asked the Cai Family to accompany and take care of his granddaughter because he knew that even if he asked his son to go with Qiao Ning Xi, he would refuse and if he force him, he don't know what his son might do to her.

*******

"Wow! I miss this city." Leng Shaoming ran around to show his feelings to this city.

Today, they arrived at City A with only 2 days left before the entrance exam.

The moment Qiao Ning Xi stepped out of the plane, she suddenly had a bad feeling that something is gonna happen but she ignored it.

Grandma Cai, Grandma Leng and their husbands stayed at City H while Mother Cai, Mother Leng and Father Cai went to City A to accompany the children and to deal with some business.

Meanwhile, Leng Shaoming's father flew back to Country C for his works. He wanted to stay with his wife and son more but because of work he couldn't but usually he visit his wife and son 2-4 times a month, if he doesn't receive any missions or important works.

Cai Zheng went back to City S, where his boss is currently staying.

All of them stayed at Cai Manor in City A, the Cai Family's main residence. Grandma Cai have two children so her other child's family are living there but when they arrive, the family is out for vacation to celebrate their anniversary.

The Leng family have their own manor but they feel more comfortable with others than just the two of them.

"Hao Hao, Shaoming, the two boys from the Han and Mu called. They heard that you two are back and they want to meet you boys today or else, they said, they will come here." Mother Cai said, interrupting their game.

"What? No way!" Leng Shaoming shouted out of frustration, at the same time, Cai Zhenghao frowned remembering those two boys.

"Should I tell them to meet you guys at some other time?" Mother Cai thinks that the two boys doesn't want to meet their friends for now.

"No, we'll meet them." Cai Zhenghao decided and glanced at Qiao Ning Xi, who's listening to them quietly.

"Do you want to come with us?" He asked her, expecting her to agree but was disappointed when she didn't hesitate to say no.

Qiao Ning Xi remembered the two boys with the surname of Han and Mu. They are Cai Zhenghao's and Leng Shaoming's childhood friends based on her previous life.

She thought that it was better for her to give them time to meet their friends, of course, without her.

"Do we really need to?" Leng Shaoming sighed. It's true that they were childhood friends but the older they get, the more annoying they become. Much annoying than Cai Zhenghao, he thought.

"Then do you want them to come here?"

Leng Shaoming clenched his hands thinking back the time when those bastards, who's older than them, visited. It was one of his humiliating moments in his life. Oh right, don't forget about Cai Zhenghao.

It's not like they humiliated them in front of their family but they revealed all of their secrets, well, not all but only those secrets that they remembered.

Those secrets were secrets that you don't tell your parents but tell to your close friends.

Some secrets are embarrassing, humiliating, mild, malicious and trouble-bringer.

And unfortunately, the secrets that those two boys remembered were the humiliating ones and one secret brought them trouble and a lot of nagging.

He remembered that they were grounded for a month, their allowance were confiscated and their cards were frozen for half a year.

There's no way they are going to let them visit here again. That's also the reason why they transferred in a school in City H, also to let them accompany their elders.

*******

"Remember to message me and you must go home before 7 pm, alright?" Mother Leng and Mother Cai reminded Qiao Ning Xi, once again.

She nodded.

Mother Leng doesn't feel assured and asked again, "Do you really want to go by yourself? What if something happens to you? What are we going to tell your grandfather?"

"Auntie, I know you're worrying but I can take care of myself. I have my phone and I already turned on my GPS so if something happens, which I wish doesn't, you can find me." She reminded them by shaking the phone in front of them.

"I'll be back before dinner don't worry Auntie Leng, Auntie Cai."

"Alright." They had no choice but to admit defeat against her stubbornness.

What can they do? Their sons left to meet their friends and Ning Xi didn't want to go with them. They just didn't expect her to ask them to go out..

By herself.

The little girl is new to this city, completely unaware of dangers and strangers. They really couldn't help but to worry about her and thus, they ordered someone to follow her, without letting her know.

Opposite of what they thought, Qiao Ning Xi is very familiar of this city. She lived here for 3 years and currently, she decided to visit a small lake under a bridge.

She already went to an arcade and the mall but the bad feeling that she had been feeling since earlier is still inside her.

That's why she decided to visit the small lake to soothe this feeling.

It is the same bridge where Leng Shaoming's and Qiao Ning Xi's friendship started.

She usually go under the bridge, observing the calm water go rough then calm itself again. The water reminded her of her emotions and thus, when she was sad or emotional and when she needed to calm herself down, she went there.

She arrived there and sat under the bridge.

Qiao Ning Xi was reminiscing about her past when she heard a gun shot.

She was distracted with her own thought that she didn't notice the people in the bridge until someone fired a gun.

She was so shocked and scared that she held her breath and tried to hide herself completely under the bridge so no one can notice her.

Luckily, the sun had already set and thus, it was dim under the bridge.

Continuous gun shot were fired, Qiao Ning Xi was afraid so she closed her eyes trying to calm herself.

The noises of gun shot suddenly stopped, she thought it was because she calmed herself until..

Instead of gun shot, this time she heard a big splash of water.