A Cold and Aloof Top Student Is Relied Upon - Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Press-ganged

◎Buy One, Get One Free◎

Three class periods, 135 minutes. In the one-on-one practice room, Gu Zhu was studying with her teacher. Typically, Gu Zhu would play, and the teacher would interrupt to correct her on any wrong parts.

During these two-plus hours, the sound of the pipa was constant. Sometimes, Gu Zhu’s gaze would involuntarily drift towards the door. There was a person there, sitting on a small stool. The moment Gu Zhu looked over, she would wave, a brilliant smile on her face, before looking as if she were completely lost in the music.

Gu Zhu was speechless. She silently withdrew her gaze, only hoping that the distress signal she had sent would bring her rescuer.

Ever since Li Ruoruo had heard her play the pipa at the door, she had been clinging to her, her eyes filled with the joy of finding a savior. She pulled Gu Zhu aside and began her pleas, “You absolutely, definitely, and without a doubt must join our stage play. This play is incomplete without you. Please, please, Gu Zhu!”

Gu Zhu’s first reaction was to refuse. She couldn’t dance or act, and on stage, she would be worse than a wooden puppet. How could she possibly agree?

Due to the time constraint, she only managed to say, “I’m sorry, I’m really not suitable,” before following her pipa teacher into the practice room. But when she turned her head, she found Li Ruoruo had also followed, squatting in a corner, not making a sound, just standing guard.

During her break, when she saw Li Ruoruo was still there, Gu Zhu tried to persuade her, but Li Ruoruo was determined and refused to budge.

With no other choice, she pretended not to see her.

When Bai Tan arrived, she found Li Ruoruo hunched over on a little stool like a crazed fan, her eyes glowing as she stared at Gu Zhu practicing the pipa. She rubbed her forehead. Sometimes she really thought that artists had the stubbornness of a bull.

She had come after receiving Gu Zhu’s distress signal. The young mistress had been inspecting a factory but was dumbfounded by the message and rushed over without delay. After all, it was her idea for Li Ruoruo to visit the school, and she never expected that Li Ruoruo would actually find someone—and that person would be Gu Zhu, who was so close all along. Now she had been “caught.”

Bai Tan patted Li Ruoruo’s shoulder, motioning for her to go downstairs with her. Surprised to see her, Li Ruoruo didn’t object and followed her.

Although their footsteps were light as they left, Gu Zhu heard them. Seeing the figure at the door disappear, she let out a sigh of relief, hoping Bai Tan could convince Li Ruoruo for her.

The two went to a convenience store and bought a few bottles of drinks. In the middle of summer, leaving the air-conditioned room made you feel sticky all over, and sugar-free tea was even more popular in this weather. Sitting at a table and chairs in front of the convenience store, Bai Tan spoke first. “Tell me about your concept for the songstress character.”

Li Ruoruo took a few sips of water, and upon hearing her question, she quickly swallowed. “The pipa singer was a street performer since she was little. She witnessed societal changes, both the prosperity and the poverty. She is both clever and perceptive, and she has the earthy charm of a commoner. When the occupied territory falls, she sees her home and family destroyed. To save herself, she joins the youth organizations that are constantly shouting to save the country, starting to perform anti-war plays. In the end, she makes a fearless sacrifice. So she is also resilient and courageous.”

“I see. Now, put Gu Zhu into that role. Do you think she’s really suitable?” Bai Tan asked calmly.

“Uh…” Li Ruoruo imagined it. Gu Zhu’s image was more pure, and her气质 was cold and aloof. She didn’t look like a songstress, but rather a female college student from the Republic of China era. If there was a match, it was probably only in the last scene, where her righteous and fearless demeanor before death would be a perfect fit. She scratched her head, her voice weak. “I guess she doesn’t really fit…”

Bai Tan nodded in agreement. Even she couldn’t imagine Gu Zhu in a charming and seductive way. Her “little bamboo” had her own very distinct style. “So you can’t just see that she can play the pipa. You have to make the whole stage performance harmonious. You have to make some trade-offs and sacrifice what’s needed.”

Li Ruoruo pondered for a moment, nodding with a deep look on her face. “You make a lot of sense…”

Bai Tan thought she had listened to her and nodded in satisfaction. She hadn’t failed Gu Zhu’s trust. Just as she unscrewed her bottle and took a sip of water, she heard the person across from her say:

“But she can play the pipa!”

“Pfft!” Bai Tan choked on a mouthful, nearly spitting out the water. She quickly covered her mouth and coughed several times after swallowing. So much for what she just said! It was all for nothing!

Just then, Gu Zhu finished her class and walked over, following the address Bai Tan had sent her. As soon as she arrived, she saw Bai Tan hunched over, coughing and looking a bit disheveled. She quickly walked over and patted her back. Bai Tan looked up, her eyes watery. Gu Zhu read her expression, and for a moment, she was stunned, not expecting that Bai Tan had also failed to persuade her.

Once Bai Tan had recovered, Gu Zhu sat down next to her, ready to have a proper talk with Li Ruoruo again.

The two girls were about the same height, so the difference wasn’t obvious when they sat together. Gu Zhu was a few centimeters shorter than Bai Tan, a difference that could be made up with slightly higher heels.

They were beautiful in different ways, the collision of bright and sunny with cool and aloof, making it easy for people to stare.

Li Ruoruo, like a director casting actors, eyed them with what looked like laser beams. She suddenly slapped the table and stood up. “I’ve got it! I’ve had an idea!”

Gu Zhu and Bai Tan were stunned by her excited actions. Before they could ask, Li Ruoruo was already squatting in front of them, grabbing one of each of their hands and stacking them together. “My songstresses, would you please be in my stage play?”

“Please don’t refuse me. I really, really need you. Please, please, okay?”

Li Ruoruo lived up to her role as the Art Minister and stage actress. In just two sentences, her eyes welled up with tears, as if they would start flowing if they didn’t agree.

The two girls looked at each other, unable to say no. They had seen all of Li Ruoruo’s efforts lately. She was also their classmate and roommate, and she was always willing to help when they needed it. As friends, they should help each other in return. They simply couldn’t refuse and had to nod.

“Let’s be clear, if the effect isn’t good, we’ll stop.” Bai Tan touched her nose, setting a precondition.

Gu Zhu nodded in agreement after she spoke.

“As long as you agree, you can leave the rest to me!” Seeing them agree, Li Ruoruo’s tragic expression immediately blossomed into a flower-like smile. “This is so great! Thank you so much, I’m so happy!”

Their hands, stacked on top of each other, were squeezed firmly. Gu Zhu turned to see Bai Tan winking at her and smiled a little herself. This time, she not only failed to save herself but also got a “buy one, get one free” deal.

Still, being able to help a friend was a happy thing, wasn’t it?

Li Ruoruo was a woman of action. After they agreed, and with their consent, she immediately dragged them back to the school’s dance studio and got to work.

The first thing she did was test their body flexibility to determine the difficulty of the dance moves. Fortunately, both of them were quite flexible. When she found out that Bai Tan had practiced martial arts and had no problem with rolls, splits, or aerial jumps, she became even more excited.

She picked up her sketchbook, and various stick-figure movements came to life on the paper. Inspiration fluttered through her mind like pages in a book, scene by scene.

While Li Ruoruo was immersed in her creative process, the two girls in front of the mirror were not idle. After stretching their legs, Bai Tan led Gu Zhu through a few warm-ups, claiming it was a chance to teach her a few self-defense moves.

“If one day you’re in danger and I’m not around, at least you’ll have a chance to escape.” She was like a person who, having found a treasure, started to worry about its safety. The mere thought of that possibility made Bai Tan shake her head fiercely, trying to get rid of the idea. “Just in case, just in case,” she stressed with a serious face.

Being looked at with such focused and worried eyes, that warm feeling of being cherished and protected expanded within Gu Zhu. She instinctively stepped forward, reaching out to touch Bai Tan’s cheek. Just before her hand made contact, she moved it away, pretending to tidy her scattered hair. “Yes, I’ll protect myself well, and I’ll wait for you to show up and give you back a complete me.”

“Good, you have to keep your word!” Bai Tan’s eyes held a gentle smile. Then, she took Gu Zhu’s hand and placed it on her own neck, her gaze never leaving her. “If someone chokes you, there are three ways to escape…” She gently moved Gu Zhu’s fingers along her joints and ribs, then pointed to her lower body in the air. “These three places are the most painful spots on the human body. When you move, you must be quick and use all your strength.”

“Now, it’s your turn to practice on me.”

Gu Zhu was cornered against the wall. Bai Tan didn’t actually put her hands on her neck but only pressed her palms to the middle of her collarbone, her fingers lightly touching the arteries on either side of her neck. The feeling of having her pressure points touched was strange. Her spine shivered slightly, and a tingling, itching sensation crept up on her.

Striking joints was a move Gu Zhu was good at. The arrangement of the human skeleton was clearly visible in her mind. She put force into her strike on Bai Tan’s elbow joint, then released it as she got close. In the instant Bai Tan was dazed, she pushed her away. Looking at Bai Tan stumbling backward, her gaze lowered.

It was the look of a predator watching its prey.

Because she was certain she wouldn’t be harmed, a slight counterattack was enough to reverse the roles, turning the hunter into the prey.

Bai Tan sat on the floor, looking up at Gu Zhu who was looming over her, momentarily stunned by her unexpected move. The girl in front of her had a pure face with no expression, and even her eyes seemed cold. Like a captured prey, her heart couldn’t help but race.

It was exciting and thrilling. She wanted to know what unexpected move she would make next.

But Gu Zhu just walked over slowly, squatted down, and in Bai Tan’s gaze, took her hand, preparing to pull her up.

Gu Zhu’s lips were pursed, a little embarrassed in retrospect. She didn’t know why she had suddenly made such a move. That impulse that suddenly arose—the desire to see her surprised expression as she was taken control of—had made her brain act without thinking.

Instead of pulling Bai Tan up, she was unpreparedly pulled down. Her eyes widened. She instinctively braced herself with her hands, preventing herself from falling completely on top of her.

Their eyes met. Gu Zhu’s mouth was slightly agape, her heart pounding as if it would jump out of her chest. For a moment, she couldn’t speak or move.

The air was momentarily silent, with only the sound of their intertwined breaths. Time seemed to stop, not allowing their locked gazes to separate.

Until a figure quietly approached, a stack of drafts in her hand. She squatted down and said softly:

“Excellent. It looks like you’ve already found a divine understanding!”

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