A Cold and Aloof Top Student Is Relied Upon - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Habits

◎Your Habits◎

Gu Zhu couldn’t understand what she meant. Her face was held in someone’s hands, forcing her to look up and lock eyes with them. But Bai Tan’s gaze was too fiery. In her eyes, Gu Zhu could clearly see her own reflection, her own un-obscured eyes. The way she looked without her glasses sometimes even felt unfamiliar to herself.

She turned her face away, lowered her gaze, and used her hands to push away the person holding her, with some force. “Stop being crazy.”

Bai Tan was pushed back, taking half a step away. She watched as Gu Zhu put her glasses back on. The large frames covered a good part of her face, hiding her beautiful eyes. Gu Zhu’s pursed lips were pressed into a straight line, and without even a glance back, she walked forward.

Bai Tan stood there for a few seconds, only belatedly realizing that Gu Zhu seemed angry.

It was only her first day of being a good friend, and she had already made the person angry.

Bai Tan gently curled her fingers, clenching her hands by her sides. She just really disliked the way Lin Ye had looked at her. Lin Ye was talking to her, but her eyes kept intentionally and unintentionally glancing at Gu Zhu next to her. Even when she left, she had to show off her presence.

Bai Tan was all too familiar with that kind of look. It wasn’t the kind of look that normal classmates shared. It was a mix of attention, provocation, and deep concern—a desperate desire for the other person to see them. More terrifying than a hidden crush was an unacknowledged affection.

She had seen people like that before—with a terrible attitude and clumsy methods. Because their pride prevented them from humbling themselves, it was easier for them to turn their affection into harm.

Bai Tan admitted she was a little over-sensitive, but wasn’t it understandable for her to care about her good friend?

But, but… she lamented inwardly. She shouldn’t have been so tactless, making her concern sound like a scolding. Now, Gu Zhu was angry. The first day, which should have been a day to remember, was about to become a day of mourning because of her!

She lowered her eyes sadly. She knew how difficult Gu Zhu was to get close to. Just when she had finally closed the distance, she had kicked it all away again. She blamed the damn Lin Ye.

What cousin? She’s a walking jinx!

She stood there for so long that the people ahead, after entering the school, realized there were two people missing. They looked back and saw only Gu Zhu, walking slowly by herself, but Bai Tan was nowhere to be seen.

“Hey, where’s the young lady?” Luo Minmin asked, confused.

It was then that Gu Zhu realized Bai Tan hadn’t caught up. She paused and also looked back. The school path was full of people, but there was no sign of the young lady.

“You guys go on ahead. I’ll go check.” She said, waving to them, and walked back out of the school.

“Don’t you guys think these two are a little strange?” You Lili took Qin Tian’ai’s hand with one hand and Luo Minmin’s with the other, a strange light flashing in her eyes. “The top student and the transfer student. Aloofness and cheerfulness. And they’re both so good-looking. Doesn’t that feel a bit shippable?”

Luo Minmin and Qin Tian’ai simultaneously shook her hands off, pretending to shiver. “Shipping everything will only harm you. Our Zhu Zi is a super top student, a model student in the eyes of the dean and all the teachers. There’s no way she would fall in love in high school.”

“Besides, they’re two girls. Being good sisters is fine, but being lovers… I think that’s really strange.”

Qin Tian’ai nodded in agreement. “I can’t really accept that either.”

“Well, love that isn’t accepted by society is what’s truly compelling. You people who don’t ship couples wouldn’t understand. Right, Xiaoxi and Xiaojuan?”

Gu Xiaoxi and Gu Xiaojuan nodded. “So many couples on the basketball team are so shippable. When they have practice, we can all go watch!”

“Hey, I want to see how many heretics are in here. Luna, Ruoruo, Tingxi, what about you guys?”

“I’m staying neutral,” Luna said, holding up her hands, refusing to participate in their “struggle.” The other two giggled and automatically moved to You Lili’s side.

Qin Tian’ai rolled her eyes. “So the whole dorm has ganged up on me. Tell me, have you guys secretly formed a group chat without me?”

“Caring for our homophobic straight girl is what we should do as roommates. You’re welcome!”

…

While they were messing around, Gu Zhu had already left the school gate again. Turning a corner, she saw the young lady leaning against a bridge pier, looking dejected.

As the best high school in the county, Sanhai High School had a great environment. The school was nestled among lush greenery, and outside the road was a city-spanning river. The two banks were connected by several bridge corridors. In recent years, environmental protection had become a priority, and the river water had become clear.

Gu Zhu went to the small shop next door and bought two chocolates. She got a dark chocolate for herself and a hazelnut-filled one for the young lady. She walked over to her and silently handed it to her.

She knew her emotions had been a little off just now, and she hadn’t wanted to drag Bai Tan into it.

Bai Tan took the chocolate, looking a little dazed by Gu Zhu’s return. She was trying to figure out how to apologize to Gu Zhu so she wouldn’t be angry, but it seemed the situation had been reversed and she was being comforted.

Gu Zhu broke off a piece of chocolate and let the bitter taste of the pure chocolate spread in her mouth. She looked at the flowing river, its bed uneven, the pebbles washed smooth.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m so sorry!”

They spoke in unison, both stopping to look at each other.

Bai Tan saw that Gu Zhu’s expression was calm, and from her action of coming back, she could roughly guess that Gu Zhu wasn’t going to break up their friendship. She sighed with relief and cautiously sidled over, their shoulders touching. “I’m sorry. I took off your glasses without your permission and said some weird things. I promise I’ll never do it again. Can you please forgive me?” she said, looking at her pitifully.

Gu Zhu saw her pitiful expression, and her eyes blinked. From Bai Tan’s words, she finally figured out the reason for her dejection. She thought it was because she had pushed her away for no reason, but it turned out the young lady was afraid that she was angry?

Bai Tan seemed to care about her even more than she had imagined. The young lady’s enthusiasm was inexplicable yet incredibly intense. Gu Zhu was a little confused. Besides being good at school, what about her could have attracted the young lady?

She sized Bai Tan up. The young lady who always complimented her on her looks had a very outstanding face herself. Gu Zhu could now remember all of Bai Tan’s expressions—her playful, laughing face, her smug, triumphant face, and she could even recall the expressionless look from their very first meeting.

She had seen Bai Tan looking a bit flustered, which made her feel that it was okay that Bai Tan had seen her lose control for a moment.

In just half a month, Bai Tan had entered Gu Zhu’s life in an incredibly assertive way.

The dark chocolate slowly melted in her mouth, its bitterness making her assess the situation with clarity. She had nothing to give the young lady. But if what the young lady wanted was her true heart, perhaps she could slowly take it out.

Gu Zhu took off her glasses, exposing her eyes to Bai Tan. People always said that eyes were the window to the soul. She couldn’t be as passionate and direct as Bai Tan, so she had to add a little something. “I’m not angry. You don’t need to apologize.”

“I’m just not used to other people looking at my eyes. But if it’s you, I can try to get used to it.” Gu Zhu held the glasses that served only as a decoration. In her memory, there was always a blurred figure who praised her eyes for being pretty and similar to someone else’s. That lingering, murmuring tone made her feel a sense of revulsion and discomfort, which was why she always wore her glasses.

For many years, as the behavior became a habit, she would subconsciously resist looking directly at her own eyes.

Gu Zhu didn’t want to be anyone’s shadow. She just realized at this moment that she had unknowingly shackled herself, which was the very thing she wanted to avoid the most.

Bai Tan had simply unintentionally touched the chains, and the tug had pulled at her nerves, leaving her at a loss.

“This is my first time being a good friend. I’m still learning. If you don’t mind, you can teach me.”

Bai Tan was speechless. Gu Zhu’s words had stunned her. Her heart was beating violently in her chest. Being looked at so seriously by Gu Zhu’s beautiful and captivating eyes, no words seemed enough to express her feelings at that moment.

“I don’t mind. I super, super don’t mind.” She rushed over and hugged Gu Zhu once more. “Whatever habits you have, I can get used to them. Being good friends means I’ll accept any and all of your habits!”

Bai Tan didn’t think there was anything bad about Gu Zhu. She bought chocolate to comfort her and made an effort to open up to her. Every simple word she said sounded a hundred times better than any love confession. Nothing else was important. What mattered was that every time she tried to get closer, she got a response. She hadn’t even had time to give anything yet, and she had already received a sincere heart.

She had found an incredible treasure and wanted to hide it away so that no one else who secretly coveted it could even get a glimpse.

Gu Zhu was once again embraced in the same way. She felt the strength of Bai Tan’s arms around her. After a long moment, she slowly raised her hands, placed them on Bai Tan’s shoulders, and hugged her back.

She could clearly smell the scent of the other girl—a fragrant, warm scent that filled her senses.

The air was quiet and still. Even the birds returning to their nests in the trees were unusually silent.

The embrace didn’t last too long. The sky was getting dark, and curfew was approaching. They looked at each other and, with a silent understanding, quickened their pace. Amidst the urging from the security guard, they crossed the school gate together.

Back in her dorm, Gu Zhu placed the jasmine plant she had brought from home on the windowsill. She leaned against the window, enjoying the night breeze, and looked at her reflection in the glass, her face without glasses.

For a very long time, she would unconsciously avoid looking directly into her own eyes. She cupped her face, the echo of Bai Tan’s compliments ringing in her mind.

These were beautiful eyes, purely her own. They didn’t have to carry anyone else’s feelings or thoughts.

She was Gu Baozhi’s daughter, a student in Class 3, Year 2 of Sanhai High School, Luo Minmin’s deskmate, and now, she had another identity:

She was also Bai Tan’s good friend.

Support A Cold and Aloof Top Student Is Relied Upon