Falling for the Mafia Boss

Humiliation

Finally, the bell rang for recess, and the tension in the air lifted. Most of the students grabbed their lunch boxes and headed to the cafeteria. Li Xiaoxuan was still chatting away, her voice lively and non-stop. Her chatter, though noisy, didn’t annoy Shui Bingrou. For the first time in eight years, Shui Bingrou left the castle and made a good friend, and she felt very happy.

She thought about sharing this joyful feeling with Jue. She wondered what he was doing—reading documents? In a meeting? Scolding subordinates, or perhaps just thinking about her? Hehe… It’s only been a short while since they parted, and she was already thinking about him. She remembered the days at the castle, when Jue would leave for work and she would stay in bed, playing chess with the dream king. When she woke up, Mr. Anderson would notify Jue, and they would start video chatting, just like they were in the same room. Now, with her new poor identity in school, she couldn’t afford such luxuries.

"Xiao Rou, what are you thinking? You’re smiling like a fool, didn’t you hear what I said?" Li Xiaoxuan asked.

"No, you must have misheard. What did you just say?" Shui Bingrou replied.

"I said you go to the cafeteria first. I’ll go get my lunch box from my driver; he’s waiting at the school gate. Ling Xin, you’re coming with me. Don’t say anything bad about me in front of Xiao Rou when I’m not around," Li Xiaoxuan said.

"Okay, you go ahead. I’m not hungry, I’ll skip the cafeteria," Shui Bingrou said. But just after she spoke, her stomach growled loudly, making her blush with embarrassment.

"Hehe… You’re not hungry, huh? Your stomach is protesting! Did you forget your lunch? You can eat mine. I brought plenty; I don’t want it to go to waste," Li Xiaoxuan offered.

"I think someone can’t even afford lunch money," came a mocking voice from the classroom.

"Yeah, if you can’t afford it, just admit it. Don’t come up with such a lousy excuse. How can someone without money be in a prestigious school?" another voice sneered.

"You shouldn’t say it like that. Some people just think they can climb to the top with a little bit of beauty. After all, in a rich school like this, there are so many wealthy young men. Any one of them could give her endless money," a third voice joined in.

"I say, who are you three talking about? With all that money, maybe it’s you who has been kept by someone," Li Xiaoxuan retorted.

"Who else could it be? It’s not like she’s far away. You’re the one who’s been kept by someone! I don’t need to be kept, I’m the daughter of the Lin family!" the girl snapped back.

"Watch your mouth, you want a fight?" Ling Xin said sharply. Immediately, the three girls fell silent, because Ling Xin was a black belt in Taekwondo, and no one dared to provoke her.

The three girls who had just insulted Shui Bingrou were the daughters of small-time business owners, and they also happened to be admirers of An Dong Ni. For a long time, An Dong Ni had never shown particular interest in any girl. When Shui Bingrou broke this routine, it made the three girls feel threatened. They seized the opportunity to humiliate her. But what they didn’t realize was that An Dong Ni was still in the classroom.

"Shut up! Don’t let me hear you say such things again, or I won’t be so polite," An Dong Ni said angrily, glaring at the three girls. He was genuinely furious because, due to his connection with Shui Bingrou, she had been humiliated.

He turned to Shui Bingrou gently, "I’m sorry. It’s my fault for ruining your lunch, giving them the chance to humiliate you. Please, let’s go have lunch together."

At this moment, not only the three girls but even An Dong Ni's closest friends gasped. Everyone knew that An Dong Ni had a strange habit of not eating with strangers. The school had arranged for him and his two friends to dine in a private room on the third floor of the cafeteria, and no girl had ever been allowed in.

"It’s okay, really. I can eat with Xiao Xiaoxuan and the others," Shui Bingrou politely declined. She could easily tell from their expressions that his dining habits were special. After his invitation this morning, someone had already come looking for trouble. If she ate with him, she would become a target for his admirers. She didn’t want to cause unnecessary rumors. She hadn’t forgotten that Jue was the most handsome guy in school, with a wealthy family, and had plenty of admirers. She didn’t want to cause him any more worry.

"Xiao Xiaoxuan, I’ll wait for you in the cafeteria," Shui Bingrou said and walked out of the classroom.

"Okay," Li Xiaoxuan replied.