A Cold and Aloof Top Student Is Relied Upon - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Romance

◎Seaside◎

The wind on the sea grew stronger, so they didn’t stay long and returned to the tour boat. When her uncle saw them, he called Chang Xiling back and took them all back.

Chang Yuehua told them to take a shower. Gu Zhu found some of her old clothes she kept there, including a loose pair of shorts from her third year of middle school, which should fit Bai Tan perfectly. Then she found some disposable underwear and, for a bra, she looked in the closet and pulled out a sports bra that had barely been worn.

“Here.”

She led Bai Tan to the bathroom, told her some things to keep in mind, and was about to close the door when Bai Tan grabbed her. “How about we shower together? It’ll be faster.”

Gu Zhu’s room was specially reserved by Chang Yuehua. It had its own bathroom. Even when a lot of relatives came over, she would rather go to a hotel in town than let anyone stay in her room.

Other than for cleaning, the room was kept locked, and even Chang Xiling couldn’t enter and leave as she pleased. Chang Yuehua was always extra careful in this regard, giving her a strong sense of boundaries and security.

The weather was nice and windy, so Gu Zhu’s quick-drying clothes were already almost dry. But the seawater was salty and had a lot of sand on it. She looked at herself, saw Bai Tan staring at her, and quietly closed the door. “No need.”

Bai Tan stared at the closed door, scratching her messy long hair. She swore she had no other intentions. She was just genuinely worried that Gu Zhu would catch a cold, which was why she had asked.

It was also the young lady’s first time inviting someone to shower with her. Maybe her method of invitation was wrong? She shook her head, confused, turned on the shower, and quickly took a bath. When she came out with her hair wrapped in a thick towel, stepping onto the wet floor, Gu Zhu was already outside reading a book.

Oh, oh my God!

She stopped rubbing her hair, momentarily stunned. Can academic aces really study anytime, anywhere?

The snorkeling trip had almost emptied her brain of the knowledge she had painstakingly acquired. Gu Zhu’s actions of flipping through the book seemed to be a constant reminder to her: You idiot, go study!

Gu Zhu noticed her presence and turned to look at her. Seeing her barefoot on the floor, with a trail of wet footprints behind her, she didn’t say anything. She got up and got her a new pair of slippers. Chang Yuehua had given them to her in advance, always preparing extra for when people came over.

“You can get ready. I’m going to take a shower.” She pointed to the hairdryer, picked up her own clothes, and went into the bathroom. Because her hair was short, she was much faster. When she came out, she saw that the person reading the book at her desk had changed.

The book she had brought was a collection of chemistry problems, which wasn’t really suitable for Bai Tan. But the young lady had her head down, calculating very seriously. She would shake her head while reciting the chemical valency formulas to check her answers.

Gu Zhu leaned against the bathroom door, silently observing her. The young lady was wearing her school uniform, which was a little short on her, but still loose. It was the same blue and white as the high school uniform, so it didn’t look out of place. Gu Zhu really liked her hair, which was as winding as seaweed, making her look like a princess.

She was a princess, a bit willful but surprisingly easy to please. She had no pretense and could get along with everyone, fitting into the class faster than anyone else, even more so than the native residents.

Gu Zhu wasn’t jealous, just a little envious of her natural charisma. But she was also very lucky, because she was the person who was most cared for by this charisma.

The young lady actually had a good sense of boundaries and was intimidating when she was serious, but only with her, this intimidation would easily dissolve.

She looked at her scratching her head in frustration, hiding a smile behind the gesture of drying her hair. The young lady, who said she was going to study hard, wasn’t dumb, but she always seemed so clumsy and cute.

Gu Zhu put down the towel and picked up the mop from the bathroom, ready to clean up the water on the floor. Her movements were noticed, and Bai Tan, who was deep in thought, immediately stood up, shuffled over in her slippers, and took the mop from her. “Let me, let me.”

Gu Zhu didn’t fight her for it. Seeing that the young lady was quite familiar with mopping, she left that area, sat back at her desk, and looked at the scratch paper Bai Tan had been using. It was an industrial chemistry problem that tested various chemical reactions to deduce different raw materials and catalysts. Bai Tan had used many formulas and barely got a few right, but it was still very good, proving that she had remembered the formulas she had been memorizing.

The problem was a bit of a leap in topics, but the knowledge was still within the high school curriculum. It was a good test for Bai Tan. She highlighted the hints, preparing to have her redo it, and also to reinforce the “knowledge” that the young lady had thrown into the Mariana Trench.

So when Bai Tan finished mopping and came back, she was “rewarded” with the opportunity to continue doing problems. When she could finally write down all the reactions on the scratch paper, she was finally let off the hook and collapsed on the desk with a long sigh of relief.

As evening approached, Chang Yuehua told them to come over when they were done, as the beach festival was about to start, and she was afraid they would miss it. Gu Zhu found two thin, long-sleeved jackets. Luckily, she had a lot of clothes stored there, otherwise, it would have been hard to find something. She gave the one with a green embroidered pattern to Bai Tan and wore a white sun-protection jacket herself.

They were both tall and slender, with long legs that were particularly eye-catching. The moment they stepped onto the beach, people couldn’t help but look over.

At this time, the sun was about to set, like an orange-red salted egg yolk falling into the sea. Many people cheered and took out their cameras, ready to record the beautiful moment. They stood on the steps, shoulder to shoulder, silent and still, watching without blinking as the sunset disappeared below the horizon. When the last ray of golden light vanished, the sea turned a hazy blue, and the crescent moon shone brilliantly alone.

The sun and the moon, always on their own watch. The world had many legends about them, and people were always powerless against romantic things.

It was a rare sight of the sun and moon shining together. Even Gu Zhu couldn’t help but close her eyes and make a wish. She opened her eyes and looked at Bai Tan, and she was doing the same, closing her eyes devoutly.

Bai Tan’s long hair was flying behind her in the sea breeze, and a few strands fell on Gu Zhu’s shoulder. The familiar scent of her shampoo was there. It felt as if they were merging in the night. In that second, she suddenly remembered the question Bai Tan had asked on the reef.

Her answer had always been because of her. Of course, she liked it.

Just liking it… She touched her heart and looked out at the sea. It’s okay to just like her as a friend, right?

“I’m done making my wish! Let’s go!”

A cheerful voice brought her back to her senses. Under the moonlight, her expression was gentle. “Okay, let’s go.”

They went to Chang Yuehua’s creative arts shop. It was more of a “shop” in name only. It was just a small, fairytale-decorated pushcart. The cart was filled with various large seashells holding necklaces, bracelets, fridge magnets, and other items, as well as various sea stones carved into trinkets.

The cart was equipped with beautiful magnesium lights, which made all the products shine and sparkle. Bai Tan probably knew where Gu Zhu’s ability to find gemstones while diving came from. It seemed that Chang Yuehua herself was also very skilled.

At that moment, the cart was surrounded by many people, mostly girls. Chang Yuehua was a good talker, and her prices were not expensive, so she sold a lot. When she saw Gu Zhu and Bai Tan, she immediately called them over and put two crystal necklaces on them, one on each. She then said to a hesitant customer, “You can see the effect when you wear them. My two girls have different heights and builds—one has a slightly larger frame, and the other is a bit more petite—but they both look good wearing them. They make their wrists look fair and elegant, and they really bring out their natural charm and elegance.”

She then asked them to model the items. Gu Zhu’s temperament was cool, and her movements were deliberate. Her modeling was the same. Just a casual wave of her hand made the purple and blue crystal bracelet look even more elegant and dazzling.

Bai Tan was more lively. Her features were beautiful, and her smiling eyebrows were sweet. She wore a pink and yellow crystal bracelet, which made her look even more bright and pure.

The two of them were a huge success, winning over the customer. Bai Tan seemed inspired. She put on a bunch of bracelets of all colors, took the payment QR code and the price list, and started weaving into the crowd to promote the products.

“That little friend of yours is quite interesting. She’s very bold,” Chang Yuehua said. Gu Zhu didn’t follow her. She stayed at the stall, but her eyes never left her. When her aunt talked about her, she softly said, “Mhm, she’s very good.”

“It’s rare to see you bring a friend. I was a little surprised at first, but seeing her like this, I’m not that surprised anymore. You’re just too much of a loner. It’s good to have someone lively around you. It’ll make you smile more,” Chang Yuehua said, smiling and glancing at her as the customers left and the crowd thinned. “But how did your mom let you come out this time?”

“Mom was afraid I was too tired from studying, so she let me relax for a bit.” Gu Zhu helped her, occasionally looking up to catch the person who had run off happily. Her business seemed to be good. She often had to stop and talk to people, showing off her bracelets.

“You’re just speaking up for her. It’s not like I don’t know her. Your aunt-in-law isn’t a bad person; she’s just too careful. Even though you’re not my biological daughter, I still love you. It’s one thing that she never comes, but now she won’t even let you come,” Chang Yuehua said, her tone not complaining but a little sighing. “Your aunt-in-law has it rough, Zhu Zi. You should try to understand your mom more, okay?”

“Auntie, I know,” she replied softly, looking out at the endless sea. It wasn’t as clear at night as it was during the day. Only the sound of waves crashing from the sea breeze could be heard. The moon was a light crescent, casting its glow only on one side, as if merging with the lights here. A firework suddenly shot up, blossoming into countless sparks.

Bai Tan ran back at some point, grabbed Gu Zhu, and pulled her forward, waving to Chang Yuehua. “Auntie, I’m borrowing her for a bit! We’ll be back soon!”

The lights were bright, and the passionate sound of a drum set suddenly rang out. A band had taken the stage at some point, beginning the prelude to tonight’s carnival.

Bai Tan pulled her to the front and held up her hand to wave along. The crowd was drawn in by the music and also started to gather. Gu Zhu’s body was stiff, like a puppet being manipulated by her.

“Relax, just sway with the music!” Bai Tan laughed softly. She held on to her hand and didn’t let go. When the band sang the first line, she sang along:

—Waiting for a naturally sunny day, I want to take you to the seaside.

They were already at the seaside, with a romantic person.

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