No Joke

Shu Lanzhou's decision to withdraw from the team had unintentionally triggered the professors and seniors who still had some affection for her to want to retain her.

Lin Muyao felt a surge of frustration. She knew that the plagiarism incident was actually a scheme of her own to frame Shu Lanzhou. While Shu Lanzhou appeared to apologize on the surface, Lin Muyao was sure that she must have harbored deep hatred toward her.

If Shu Lanzhou took control over her staying in the team, whether it was the seniors or the professors, they would quickly forget about the slander, and Shu Lanzhou would regain their favor.

After all, human nature often leaned toward favoring the one who sought their approval. The Shu Lanzhou who actively tried to please them was more cherished than the one they had to retain.

Lin Muyao gritted her teeth. She absolutely could not let that happen. If Shu Lanzhou wanted to stay, there was no way she was getting in. Since she wanted to leave the team, then she should go as far as she could!

"You're talking nonsense!" Luo Jialin was hurt by Lin Muyao's words.

Lin Muyao was beautiful, and when she cried, she looked especially pitiful. The number of men who chased after her could circle around the boys' dorm several times.

But this girl had always maintained her dignity, focusing entirely on her studies, never messing around with male classmates. That was why she had been chosen as the pure campus beauty every year.

A pretty girl with ambition always won people's affection, especially when she was so thoughtful.

How could they bear to see her upset?

"There's no reason for her to leave. I'll go talk to Shu Lanzhou. If she's really determined to leave, then I'll let her be!!"

Luo Jialin clenched his teeth, clearly angered.

"I'll go!" Fang Ruoshi stood up. "We've been in this team for so many years, and I don't want her to make this mistake."

"I'll go with you," Du Yifan stood up too. "She wouldn't have passed the professional exam without my help. I need to ask her—what's all this about giving up? What does that make everything I've done for her?"

The two of them left, and no one felt like eating anymore.

Lin Muyao watched as the group of men left, a smug satisfaction rising in her chest. "So it's Shu Lanzhou's fault. She's not even here, and she's still ruining my meal. What a joke!"

She looked at Luo Jialin with a pitiful expression.

"I'm sorry, Jialin ge. You kindly treated us to a meal, but now it's all ruined. It's my fault. If I hadn't had that falling-out with Senior, you wouldn't be caught in the middle like this."

"It's not your fault." Guo Jialiang grumbled. "If you ask me, this is still Shu Lanzhou's fault. I used to think she was considerate, but now look at her."

"Junior, you're beautiful, and you have strong professional skills. Why can't she stand you? Does she think everyone should revolve around her?"

Tian Hua chuckled awkwardly. "This time, Junior is indeed right. It's just that women's jealousy can be so terrifying, right, Senior Luo?"

Everyone knew that Shu Lanzhou had a crush on Luo Jialin, but Luo Jialin only treated her as a junior, with no romantic interest.

It wasn't a big deal before, but now, with Lin Muyao joining the team, and spending so much time with Luo Jialin, rumors about the two of them being together were rampant on the school forums.

Previously, things had been fine. But now, with Lin Muyao's presence, Luo Jialin had completely sided with her during the slander incident, making Shu Lanzhou naturally resentful.

"Right? Stop talking and eat your food!" Luo Jialin shot Lin Muyao a glance.

"Don't listen to Tian Hua. You're all my juniors. I treat you all equally. I never thought Lanzhou would dislike you because of this. If that's the case, I owe you an apology!"

Lin Muyao quickly waved her hands. "No, no, no. It's not your fault, Jialin ge. If Senior really dislikes me because of this, I'll explain it to her. I want her to know that Jialin ge and I have nothing going on!"

"No need to explain!" Luo Jialin's face darkened.

"I can be close to whoever I want. She has no right to control that. If she truly dislikes me over something so trivial, it will only make me dislike her more. It's better if she leaves the team sooner. Less trouble."

Lin Muyao secretly rejoiced. Luo Jialin was hers, and Shu Lanzhou could forget about trying to compete for him.

After a peaceful sleep, Shu Lanzhou woke up, staring at the ceiling, still not quite believing it.

She was alive again!

No longer that pitiful girl locked in a prison, suffering from depression, unable to sleep for nights on end, occasionally wishing to slam her head against a wall.

No longer that naive Shu Lanzhou who fantasized about who would come to get her out of prison, hoping for forgiveness from the seniors, wishing to make the professors proud—how foolish she had been!

"Awake?" A hand appeared before her, and He Sixin's smiling face leaned over from the upper bunk. "Where's your phone? Let's add each other as friends. I'll send you the consultation materials later."

Shu Lanzhou got up, tidied herself, and took her phone.

Twenty-one missed calls. Apart from Guo Jialiang, the other four had all called. Her phone's WeChat was flooded with messages—her group of seven, plus private messages from Fang Ruoshi and the others.

In the past, she would have eagerly replied to each one, but now, she only glanced at them briefly, then opened the QR code to add He Sixin's WeChat.

"Did you finish the task Professor Mu gave yesterday? She'll randomly check on us, and if we haven't completed it, there might be punishment, so be mentally prepared."

He Sixin yawned as she reminded her.

"By the way, you don't have your own set of silver needles, do you? Let's have Mu Side take you to get a custom set. We all prefer using our own!"

"Okay." Shu Lanzhou nodded obediently. "Thank you, Senior."

He Sixin smiled as she ruffled her hair. "You're so obedient, it makes me want to pinch you. Haha... Don't be so polite with me. We don't have many juniors in our field, and I've always wanted some. I'm really happy you're here."

Shu Lanzhou smiled back. "I'm happy too."

"Quickly get ready. We'll see Professor Mu soon." He Sixin went to the washroom, and Shu Lanzhou glanced at the messages in the group.

Everyone knew about her withdrawal, but no one believed it. They all thought she was throwing a tantrum, waiting for them to coax her back.

Shu Lanzhou sneered and typed a few words in the group: I'm really leaving the team. No joke!

After sending the message, she immediately left the group and switched her phone to silent mode.

Professor Mu's consultation was at 10:00 AM, and they arrived at the clinic at 9:00 AM.

He Sixin wasn't lying—before the consultation, Professor Mu planned to give them an assessment.

"Mu Side, come here first. There's a mannequin over there. Move it over and show the acupuncture techniques we learned yesterday," Professor Mu pointed to the mannequin.

Upon hearing this, Shu Lanzhou let out a small sigh of relief.

When Professor Mu taught Mu Side acupuncture yesterday, she hadn't tried to hide it from Shu Lanzhou and He Sixin. Since Shu Lanzhou had a good memory, she had basically memorized everything just by listening.

The mannequin had the acupoints marked on it, so performing the acupuncture wasn't difficult.

But as Mu Side started needling, Shu Lanzhou realized once again how naïve she had been—Professor Mu, who was as well-known as Professor Han, would never go easy on her few students during assessments!

By the time Mu Side finished the last needle, Shu Lanzhou realized she hadn't remembered a single technique.

In just fifteen seconds, Mu Side had inserted needles into twenty-one acupoints, carefully following the order of the front, back, left, and right. This wasn't just about memory—it required days and nights of practice to do it flawlessly.

As Mu Side finished, Professor Mu looked at Shu Lanzhou.

"Anything you'd like to say?"