The Return Day of Ning Qingcheng

"Here, your new backpack."

Lin Mo handed over a brand-new pink backpack. A charmingly naive little rabbit pendant hung from the zipper, swaying back and forth.

"I stuffed all your stationery and stuff inside. Whether you can become the best leading lady of your school depends entirely on how you act out your script."

With that, he pulled a crisp hundred-yuan bill from his pocket and stuffed it into Ning Qingcheng's school uniform pocket without leaving room for argument.

"Pocket money. Take it."

Today was the twenty-ninth, Ning Qingcheng's back-to-school day.

Guangba's back-to-school day was tomorrow. Xie Yuling had clamored to come along and join the fun, but Lin Mo had shut that down.

Some things were better said by him alone.

Ning Qingcheng pinched the still-stiff banknote in her pocket, neither accepting nor rejecting it out loud.

Lin Mo looked at her acting like a little adult and couldn't help but laugh. "It's just going to school, don't act like you're heading to a battlefield. If you run into anything at school that you can't solve yourself, remember to tell me immediately."

Ning Qingcheng looked up, her clear eyes fixed on him. "How would you solve it?"

"There are many ways."

Lin Mo held up two fingers. "The conventional method: I go have tea with your teachers and principal. The unconventional method... I guarantee you'll go to school happily, while others will be crying as they transfer to another school."

He spoke casually, but his words carried an undeniable tone of absolute certainty.

Ning Qingcheng had seen her senior brother's methods before. She pursed her lips and confirmed, "But the final decision is in my hands, right?"

"Not entirely."

Lin Mo shook his head, his expression growing a bit more serious. "I strictly forbid you from using your own abilities to handle these trivial matters. That would be like using a nuclear bomb to hit a mosquito—a waste of talent, and it would only attract trouble."

But Lin Mo didn't intend to truly seal away Ning Qingcheng's abilities. After all, that would strip away her sense of security, which would defeat the purpose.

He tapped Ning Qingcheng on the head.

"In school, your most powerful weapon is your report card. If you rank first in your grade, the teachers will treat you like a treasure, the school will see you as their future living signboard, and even the school rules will give you a green light. That is the perfect talisman."

So spoke Lin Mo, the number one student.

Watching Lin Mo speak with such assurance, the curiosity in Ning Qingcheng's eyes deepened. "Are you like this at school too, Senior Brother? But I heard from Sister Yuling that you aren't just ranked first in academics, but you're also famous for your physical strength."

Lin Mo stroked his chin and nodded righteously:

"Boys and girls are different. Just having good grades only saves you from the teachers giving you a hard time, but it won't stop the provocations of your classmates.

However, good grades combined with great strength and stamina makes for perfection. Both brain and brawn—who would dare mess with that?"

Right now at Guangba, indeed no one would take the initiative to provoke him. Those who had their faces thoroughly slapped by him in the past were already cowering in their own classrooms.

Ning Qingcheng silently observed her senior brother.

She had actually discovered long ago that her senior brother was, at his core, someone with a heavy playful streak who deeply pursued perfection and control.

Like playing a game, he didn't just want to win; he wanted to win beautifully. Not a single step could go wrong.

"Then I just need to study well, right?"

Ning Qingcheng asked softly. Although she was much more mature than her peers, in front of Lin Mo, that disguised maturity would always unconsciously slip away.

"Not completely. It's not just about studying; you have to play too. Play like a normal person, enjoy your youth. Do you understand what youth is?"

"Senior Brother, you act more like a delusional teenager than I do."

"Haven't you heard? Men remain boys until the day they die."

Lin Mo's tone softened.

"As for those abnormal people and things, leave them to your senior brother to handle."

He reached out his hand, placed it on top of Ning Qingcheng's head, and rubbed vigorously a few times, instantly messing up the hair she had painstakingly combed neat.

Ning—Best Leading Lady—Qingcheng's exquisite hairstyle for the day, dead.

She puffed out her cheeks but didn't dodge, simply letting that hand wreak havoc on her head.

Yangcheng City No. 45 Middle School.

A public school that only enrolled junior high students. The gilded characters at the school gate were somewhat mottled in the morning light, revealing a bit of age.

Given Ning Qingcheng's age of fourteen, she was perfectly suited to transfer into the second year of junior high.

Xia Zhi had already arranged everything properly. From her student status to her class assignment, along with requests for extra care, the school had been notified in advance.

All Lin Mo needed to do was drop her off.

Parents in Eastern Guangdong were quite relaxed. The area around the school was mostly school-district housing. Students traveled in groups of three or five, riding their bikes or walking to and from school on their own, creating a bustling scene at the school gate.

Just as Lin Mo led Ning Qingcheng to the gate, he saw several middle-aged men in white shirts standing next to the guard room, craning their necks to look around.

They were all school leaders.

The leading man, who had a balding haircut, instantly lit up upon seeing Ning Qingcheng and Lin Mo. He hurriedly adjusted his collar and walked quickly to greet them, his face filled with an enthusiastic smile.

"You must be Ning Qingcheng's guardian, Mr. Lin? I am Principal Zhang Chengde. We've been eagerly waiting for you."

He kept his posture very low, even showing an easily discernible hint of flattery.

Lin Mo nodded faintly. "Hello, Principal Zhang."

His gaze swept over the constrained-looking directors behind the principal before he continued, "You should all be clear about Qingcheng's situation."

Principal Zhang nodded frantically, hastily promising, "We are clear, we are clear. We will definitely take good care of student Ning. We've already spoken with the teachers of all subjects, so please rest assured!"

Lin Mo remained noncommittal and turned to look at Ning Qingcheng, who was clutching her backpack straps beside him.

Has the performance started?

He chuckled softly and lowered his voice.

"Your adventure is about to begin. Do you want me to accompany you?"

Seeing the teasing look in Lin Mo's eyes, she knew he was definitely holding back something mischievous. If she let him accompany her, he would definitely laugh at her.

So Ning Qingcheng raised her head, revealing a timid little face. A layer of mist seemed to swirl in her eyes, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito, carrying an almost imperceptible tremble.

"There's no need to trouble you, brother. I... I have to face this myself eventually."

That pitiful, delicate appearance almost melted the hearts of Principal Zhang and the dean of students standing nearby. They instantly imagined a tragic drama of a young lady from a wealthy family being sent away to endure hardships.

What a strong and heartbreakingly pitiful child!

Lin Mo almost couldn't hold back his laughter.

This girl, it truly was a waste of talent for her not to go to Hollywood and win an acting award.

Those aggrieved little eyes, that slightly trembling voice—who wouldn't feel a surge of protectiveness upon seeing that?

"Alright, very ambitious."

Lin Mo raised his hand and familiarly rubbed the soft top of her hair again, his movements affectionate and natural.

"Well then, your Sister Yuling and I will come pick you up after school."

Lin Mo looked up at Principal Zhang.

"Since that's the case, I will leave Ning Qingcheng in your hands. Her situation is rather special, which I believe someone has already mentioned, so I hope the school will be accommodating."

Lin Mo spoke these words with an indifferent tone, causing Principal Zhang and the others to nod and bow profusely. Only after he finished speaking did Lin Mo finally turn around and walk away. Seeing him leave, Principal Zhang and the rest collectively breathed a sigh of relief.