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T/N - Whooo. Drama avoided. That’s good, considering I hate bratty kids, and Ye Xiaoxiao was being a genuine brat. This chapter also reminded me of all the BS the MC had to go through because of her, and along with the Divine Staff, she really has no right to throw a temper tantrum at the MC.
"Old Mo, what do you think that woman was thinking? Ending the fight like this leaves me hanging and feeling terrible!"
Returning to the lounge, Ye Xiaoxiao sat beside Ye Mo with a resentful face.
Holding the small dried fish, Meng Li hid inside her bag, put it in her mouth, and crunched it.
Although she won this match and successfully entered the grand finals…
She still felt that something was missing.
This feeling was like...
Going on a date with a boyfriend, and after going through all the proper procedures…
Just as you help him put on a safety helmet, ready to accept his passionate cultivation…
He suddenly says: I'm done.
"I don't know, maybe she has other plans."
Ye Mo looked at Meng Li's performance in the semifinals on the large screen.
Undoubtedly…
This battle was a crushing victory for her.
Under Little Meng Li's violent crushing, her opponent didn't even last five minutes before being instantly killed.
Soon…
The day's semifinal matches…
Ended with the victories of Ye Xiaoxiao and Meng Li.
"Mr. Agent, I'm back... Meow-ah!!"
Meng Li returned to the resting area beaming with happiness, eager to report the good news to Ye Mo.
But as a result, she saw the shriveled, small dried fish packaging bag in Ye Xiaoxiao's hand.
Her sky instantly collapsed!
"Y-y-y... How could you steal someone else's small dried fish!!"
She glared at Ye Xiaoxiao, the ahoge on top of her head instantly exploding as she bared her teeth and hissed at the latter.
"Tch, what kind of stealing is this? It's clearly snatching, okay?"
Ye Xiaoxiao licked her lips disapprovingly.
Not only was she not guilty, but she even provoked Meng Li, taking pride in it.
"Sister, what you did is indeed a bit excessive. Later, buy Meng Li a new pack to apologize."
Seeing this, Ye Mo stood up to uphold justice for Meng Li.
Hearing these words, Ye Xiaoxiao was stunned for a long while and immediately jumped up in anger.
"Old Mo! I'm your sister. How can you side with an outsider?"
"I only stand on the side of truth."
Ye Mo frowned and continued.
"Besides, Meng Li didn't provoke you, so why do you always bully her?"
"If her mind was pure, would I target her!?"
Seeing Ye Mo side with Meng Li, Ye Xiaoxiao suddenly felt a wave of grievance in her heart.
"No? She works overtime conscientiously every day, not even taking holidays. She has made so many contributions to the office, so how is her mind impure? Just with the divine artifact in your hand alone, she deserves part of the credit."
Hearing these words, Ye Xiaoxiao's heart sank, and she almost couldn't hold back her emotions.
Her breathing gradually quickened, and even her hands began to tremble.
Of course, she knew of Meng Li's contributions.
But whenever she heard Meng Li calling him Mr. Agent this and Mr. Agent that, she felt very uncomfortable.
Perhaps because Meng Li looked like a child, Ye Mo didn't have that sense of boundary with her either.
Like patting her head, rubbing her ears, and so on.
The feeling Meng Li gave Ye Xiaoxiao was that the former simply looked more like a sister than she was—the actual sister.
She felt like…
She was being replaced.
It was similar to the thing she cherished the most, being shared by someone else.
That was why she played tricks on Meng Li, using this to smooth over the uneasiness in her heart.
"I understand."
Ye Xiaoxiao tried her best to calm her breathing, and after adjusting her emotions…
She walked slowly in front of Meng Li.
After bowing deeply to her, she murmured.
"I'm sorry."
"Ah? Actually... I didn't care too much about it."
Facing Ye Xiaoxiao's apology, Meng Li was also somewhat at a loss while scratching her face awkwardly.
"Are you satisfied now?"
After apologizing, Ye Xiaoxiao looked at Ye Mo with red eyes.
Looking at the young girl's appearance, Ye Mo was instantly stunned.
He opened his mouth wanting to say something, but for a moment, he was somewhat speechless.
His brain seemed to go blank; he couldn’t think up any words.
After a few seconds of silence, seeing Ye Mo frozen in place, not speaking, Ye Xiaoxiao turned her head and ran away.
With a ‘bang’, she closed the door of the resting area.
"Sigh~ You shouldn't have interfered in the matter between the two of them. Once the person involved interferes, then the balance is broken."
Watching Ye Xiaoxiao run away, Zhou Minjun sighed helplessly.
"I'll go help you comfort Ye Xiaoxiao on her side."
She patted Ye Mo's shoulder and also walked away.
"Sigh~ Committing a sin…"
Ye Mo rubbed his temples and sat down with a somewhat aching head.
"Mr. Agent, did I... did I do something wrong?"
Meng Li walked over with a sad face.
Although she was angry at Ye Xiaoxiao just now, she didn't want it to end up like this.
If she knew this would happen, she might as well not have said anything.
"It has nothing to do with you. Zhou Minjun’s right. It was indeed me who was inconsiderate."
On the other side.
By the quiet lakeside.
Ye Xiaoxiao hugged her calves with both hands, burying her head in her knees despondently.
Recalling Ye Mo's appearance while protecting Meng Li in her mind, she suddenly felt a wave of heartache.
Her slim figure by the lakeside looked slightly lonely.
"Do you feel like your position has been replaced by someone else?"
A familiar voice sounded from beside her.
Ye Xiaoxiao subconsciously turned her head to look and found that Zhou Minjun had already sat beside her, looking at her with a kind smile.
She stared blankly at the lake surface, sniffled her red nose, and said…
"A little bit."
"Then why don't you try to think from his standpoint?
Your brother is the boss of the office, Meng Li’s a capable old employee, and you’re his sister.
On the surface, he definitely has to stand on the employee's side, the so-called helping reason over relatives.
A company that doesn't distinguish right from wrong and helps relatives won't last long, and can't win people's hearts that way."
She handed Ye Xiaoxiao a pack of tissues while advising and comforting her earnestly.
"I understand all these principles, but I… just can't help it."
Ye Xiaoxiao wiped her tears while still feeling aggrieved in her heart.
"You shouldn't fuss over immediate gains and losses. Instead, think about what he has done for you.
If I guessed correctly, your brother should still be carrying a loan, right?"
Zhou Minjun looked at Ye Xiaoxiao and asked.
"En."
Ye Xiaoxiao nodded.
"Forging a divine artifact isn’t easy. Although I don't know where he got the main material from…
But just the auxiliary materials are of considerable value!
He didn't think of paying off his debt first, but he instead forged a divine artifact for you. This shows that he has always had you in his heart.
No! Rather, he cares about you far more than he cares about himself.
With such a dedicated and responsible person paving the way for you wholeheartedly, even if you suffer a little grievance, what does it matter?"
Hearing this, the depression at the bottom of Ye Xiaoxiao's heart instantly lessened a lot.
'That's right, previously I obstinately wanted to pursue higher education…'
'Even my parents stopped supporting me due to the immense pressure.'
'Only Ye Mo silently supported me.'
'Not only did he give me living expenses and carry the loan for me…'
'But he didn’t even hesitate to sacrifice his body to be Jiang Linyue's cauldron.'
'He has silently done so much and carried such great pressure for me.'
'What right do I have to feel wronged over this small grievance?'
"Instructor Zhou, you’re right. I was indeed too willful. I roughly know what to do now."
After listening to Zhou Minjun's words, Ye Xiaoxiao was suddenly enlightened.
"That's right! If you want to prove yourself to others, you don't do it by throwing a temper tantrum. You do it by defeating the opponent with your ability. Use your strength to tell her…
You… are the number one in his heart!"
Seeing Ye Xiaoxiao's mood recover, Zhou Minjun took the opportunity to encourage her.
"I will!"
Ye Xiaoxiao clenched her fists, raging, fighting spirit burning in her eyes!
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