WBSGVS Chapter 40 V2

Their interaction was clear to everyone watching, and they smiled in goodwill, not thinking much of it. They felt the two must have a good relationship, being from the same Olympiad class.

But from a distance, Pei Xiyue saw it differently.

Whether it was the old Fu Qingli or the current Qingli, she had always been somewhat aloof, even reclusive. During her time at the Pei family, she rarely laughed or talked with others, especially boys.

Yet now, she was openly flirting with a boy on stage?

Pei Xiyue gritted his teeth, feeling a pang of bitterness in his heart, unwilling to look away. She was first in the province, soon to compete at the national level, and her rapid progress was alarming.

If Grandpa knew, getting engaged… might not be impossible, right?

Qing Li initially thought she and the Pei family would maintain a facade of harmony until Lin Heng discovered everything.

However, to her surprise, two days after the results of the provincial math competition were announced, Qing Li received another call from Pei Mingjiang, who brought up the long-avoided topic of an apology once again.

“Kneeling is too much. They’re all adults, after all; they are elders. It would be better just to apologize directly,” Pei Mingjiang said gently, continuing the conversation without a hint of embarrassment for previously avoiding the issue.

Qing Li knew that kneeling was out of the question; she didn’t have enough leverage to force the Pei family into such a loss of dignity. At that time, she had merely intended to silence them.

While it was odd that the Pei family was willing to agree to this absurd request, she wasn’t going to lose anything.

So, Qing Li didn’t dwell on the matter and instead replied, “Oh? Grandpa Pei is still thinking about this? I was almost starting to forget.”

Pei Mingjiang chuckled. “I’ve been thinking about it all along. But you know how adults are—they’re reluctant to apologize to children. Even when they realize their mistakes, they feel embarrassed. Grandpa has been trying to persuade them lately.”

Qing Li couldn’t help but laugh and feigned reluctance. “Alright then, when will this happen?”

“Right now, as it happens, they’re all here.”

Qing Li chuckled lightly. “Okay, then, Grandpa Pei, I’ll get ready and call you on video.”

“Sure,” Pei Mingjiang nodded.

A few seconds later, Qing Li made the video call, and the scene from the Pei household appeared on the screen. In the study, a group of people sat around the sofa, with Pei Mingjiang in the middle, ensuring everyone was visible.

Qing Li also sat on the sofa, casually crossing her legs and leaning back, the camera capturing her relaxed posture. She waved her hand cheerfully, her smile bright as she said, “Alright, let’s get to the apologies.”

As they met through the video, some of the already unwilling participants began to turn pale with anger.

Wen Shi was so furious that she nearly cried, stomping her foot and exclaiming, “Grandpa! Look at her!!!”

Yet no matter how angry they were, since the situation had progressed this far, neither Pei Xiyue’s insistence nor Pei Mingjiang’s expectations would allow them to back down.

After adjusting the camera to ensure that only those who would apologize were in the frame, the apology session officially began.

In the video, following the account book that Qing Li had provided, the person with the least offenses went first. In truth, there weren’t many who had truly bullied the original owner. Those in the family knew the situation well, and Pei Mingjiang was never a genuine philanthropist; those with some intelligence understood the trouble he had brought upon the Pei family.

In particular, those who felt insignificant in Pei Mingjiang’s eyes would only verbally express slight disdain for the original owner.

Some had never even spoken to her.

Thus, these individuals were not among the ones present today.

The first to apologize was Pei Mingjiang’s younger brother’s youngest son, who had taken the original owner’s painstakingly prepared food just once. Now, under his uncle Pei Mingjiang’s pressure, he approached with a flushed face and said, “I’m sorry!”

Then he bowed, as per Qing Li’s request.

However, to apologize to a girl he had once looked down on, especially in front of so many family members, was humiliating. His actions were quick yet half-hearted, and after finishing, he fled.

Qing Li didn’t dwell on this too much; the account book had already been meticulously detailed, and there was no need to be petty about this.

Ultimately, everything would come back to haunt the Pei family.

For now, it was just collecting interest, allowing the original owner to receive an apology for everything she had suffered, though an apology didn’t erase everything.

Qing Li didn’t stop the boy from leaving, allowing those who resisted the situation to breathe a little easier. The next person to step forward to apologize was slightly more relaxed.

“I’m sorry!”

Each apology was followed by a bow, and as the numbers increased, they all rushed out after apologizing.

The number of people in the room dwindled.

Finally, it was Pei Qi’s turn.

Her husband wasn’t present. As a man who could disguise himself, he wouldn’t bully the weak within the Pei family, which led to the original owner having a fairly good impression of him. This was also why the original owner remembered him in her previous life.

With a flushed face, Pei Qi stepped forward. Only Pei Mingjiang’s branch remained in the room, and with no one there to mock her, her embarrassment was slightly less. She awkwardly said, “I’m sorry!”

Then she bowed repeatedly according to the account Qing Li had given her.

It was so humiliating!

Pei Qi felt as if her entire body was being roasted over a fire. The only comfort was that her husband wasn’t there; otherwise, he would surely criticize her.

But with each bow, Pei Qi secretly cursed Pei Xiyue.

The more she had doted on this nephew in the past, the more she hated him now.

Because of his demands, she had to endure this humiliation!

After finishing her fifteen bows, Pei Qi felt great relief and ran off crying, neglecting her daughter behind her.

Just then, Wen Shi was next.

Seeing her mother flee, Wen Shi’s spirit crumbled, and she broke down in tears, shouting, “Wah wah wah—Fu Qing Li, you’re so mean!”

After having said something at the beginning, Qing Li hadn’t spoken again, but now she said, “I don’t think I can compete with you.”

Wen Shi paused her crying, recalling her past actions. She looked at the camera, where Fu Qing Li was waiting for her to bow more than fifty times, and cried out again, “Wah—” and burst into tears.

She felt so miserable!

Now she truly regretted it!

Previously, when she had been beaten, she had only hated Fu Qing Li. The only regret was that she couldn’t match her father in making her submit completely.

Qing Li could hear her cries, frowning slightly. “Are you still going to apologize? I don’t want to hear you cry.”

“…” Wen Shi twitched her face, looking at her with snot and tears, about to stall for time again when Pei Mingjiang softly said, “Shi Shi, be good!”

Pei Mingjiang frightened her, especially after the previous incidents where he hadn’t stood up for her. He even forced her not to trouble Fu Qing Li again. She wiped her tears and stuttered, “S-sorry!”

Then she hurriedly tried to finish the fifty bows as quickly as possible.

But with so many, her transgressions were numerous; there was no way to finish in a short time.

Her count was greater than everyone else’s before her, and she took the longest.

In the end, Wen Shi was exhausted and still hadn’t finished, so she cried even harder, bowing while sobbing, making everyone feel a twinge of sympathy.

Finally, Wen Shi’s apology concluded, and she ran off amidst her thunderous crying.

Qing Li secretly let out a sigh of relief; it had been too noisy.

After Wen Shi, it was Pei Xiyue’s turn.

He was the calmest and most sincere among them, walking up to the camera. Looking at Qing Li on the screen, his handsome face was serious, and his voice carried a note of earnestness. “I’m sorry, I was wrong before.”

Qing Li, who hadn’t spoken a word during anyone else’s apologies, said, “What did you do wrong?”

Hearing her voice, Pei Xiyue’s eyes brightened, and he wasn’t angry at all. “I was wrong to treat you that way back then. Even if I didn’t like you, I should have been more polite.”

Qing Li lowered her eyes and smiled. “You’re right, but there’s one more thing. Do you think a child around ten years old has the autonomy to agree or break off an engagement?”

Pei Xiyue was taken aback, his heart sinking as he shook his head. “No?”

Qing Li didn’t speak further but gestured for him to continue.

Pei Xiyue pressed his lips together, bowing seriously. Each bow was a full ninety degrees, and by the time he finished, it felt like a long time had passed. Finally, he stood up, smiling. “Can we consider this matter over now?”

Qing Li smiled noncommittally.

Pei Xiyue’s expression darkened slightly, but there was still a hint of hope as he glanced at his grandfather one last time before turning to leave.