Huo Yao was busy studying. Having said thanks to Min Yu, she put her phone away. After she received this new message from Min Yu, Huo Yao fell into contemplation.

A moment later, she typed in her response: [I bought it online from a random store. I can send you the link if you want.]

Huo Yao opened a shopping app, fumbled through the 'Favorites' folder, and found a store. She copied the link and sent it to Min Yu on WeChat.

Min Yu looked up the store the link to which Huo Yao had sent him.

The store had three crowns as its rating and sold a variety of goods. This was not a store specializing in incense products. But the sandalwood and agilawood incense were in boxes that did appear to be similar to the box which he gave to Grandma Yang. The price was cheap, around two hundred for a box.

Min Yu did not find the same kind of incense in the store. But, he was sure that the nerve-soothing incense sticks had most likely been bought from this store.

If those incense sticks were indeed that unique and special, why would they be sold in this online store at such a low price?

Min Yu closed the app. A disappointed smile played on his lips, and the glow in his eyes dimmed. There might be something else that he was feeling other than despair at this moment.

***

It had been half a month since Huo Yao enrolled in No.1 Middle School.

She behaved in a carefree manner and rarely communicated with her classmates. She never participated in any school events. To her teachers, her quietness was a representation of her cleverness and good behavior. However, her classmates interpreted this as proof that she was a piece of icy eye candy.

Her classmates did not know about her academic record. Moreover, her beauty was breathtaking. Therefore, she began to be widely acknowledged as the icy eye candy.

At the same time, because of doubts about her academic records, a rumor that, 'the icy eye candy only got into the school because she bribed someone' started flying around in the class.

Since Huo Yao was oblivious to the outside world, this rumor naturally escaped her attention.

On the contrary, her deskmate, Meng Ying, was enraged after she heard this gossip. In a fit of rage, she almost went to argue with others. At the same time, Huo Yao was busy reading books and studying both, during classes and breaks. Meng Ying had to finally admire Huo Yao's composure.

Meng Ying rested her chin on her hands and gazed at Huo Yao with a serious face. Finally, she spoke up, "They are all wrong about you. You are not a piece of icy eye candy."

Huo Yao closed the book which she was reading and cast her sight on Meng Ying. Huo Yao raised her eyebrows. "And?"

Meng Ying found Huo Yao's casual bearing quite enticing. She gulped before she answered with indignation. "You are clearly a bookworm!"

Huo Yan played with the corner of her book and gave a meaningful answer. "The only way to improve one's intelligence is by studying."

Meng Ying heaved a sigh. "I have a feeling that you are implying I am stupid, but I have no proof for this."

Huo Yao smiled but said nothing more. Her phone began to vibrate all of a sudden, and the screen lit up. Two new messages of money transfers popped out.

Huo Yao was starting to get a headache on a daily basis now.

This again. It had been almost half a month. Her parents would transfer her some money at exactly the same time, every single day. It was as if her parents had more money than they could spend.

Meng Ying just happened to see her phone through the corner of her eye. Staring at the two messages, Meng Ying could not help but say, "Today is another day that my eyes have been blinded!"

Huo Yao, "..."

That was right. It had been several days since Meng Ying discovered that her deskmate received a large amount of money every day. Ever since then, her initial shock had given way to numbness.