A Cold and Aloof Top Student Is Relied Upon - Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Hope

◎The Future◎

The gala didn’t end until around 9:30 PM. Because there was a final group bow and a photo session, they didn’t leave right away but stayed backstage. Some even went to the seats below the stage to watch the final acts.

Backstage was a bit noisy. The performance had finally ended smoothly, and everyone was excited, chatting and laughing freely.

“The way Gu Zhu’s pipa string broke at the end was so brilliant! It was a stroke of genius. It was a mistake that created a ‘god-tier stage’! The broken string symbolizes the fate of the songstress, and the lingering sound represents the continued spirit of resistance. I heard some students in the audience quietly crying. So many people said the actress who played the pipa was amazing!”

“Yeah, if they knew the one playing the pipa was our class’s top student, they’d probably be even more stunned. As expected, the strong just get stronger. They can do everything well. When someone is that powerful, you can’t even feel jealous, only envious!”

“I can’t imagine how happy I’d be if that brain were installed in my head. Gu Zhu, can I borrow your brain for a day? If you say yes, I’ll go to the temple today and pray to Lord Lu Pan for a deal!”

Someone who heard this laughed loudly and started singing the theme song from “Liaozhai.”

Mentioned by name, Gu Zhu, who was sitting in a corner wiping her pipa, didn’t respond for a long time. Perhaps it was because of the rehearsals; these people had slowly gotten to know her, realizing she was a quiet person who didn’t hold grudges, so they felt comfortable teasing her. The person talking didn’t mind and simply continued her conversation.

Her absent-mindedness was too obvious. Bai Tan rested her chin in her hand, silently staring at her for a long time, wondering what exactly was under the VIP section that had caused such a big reaction.

Luo Ning?

That didn’t seem right. This wasn’t the first time Gu Zhu had seen her, so it wouldn’t have startled her like this.

Then who was it? Were there any other special guests tonight? Would Luo Ning know? Tapping her cheek with her little finger, Bai Tan thought she could ask Luo Ning, but she didn’t want to pry into Gu Zhu’s business on her own. Everyone had their private space, and she would only know if Gu Zhu was willing to tell her.

Just then, Li Ruoruo came in from outside. She had to keep an eye on the entire gala stage and help with any issues, so she was still busy. The seventh act was performing outside. Seizing the opportunity, she came in, clapped her hands, and got everyone’s attention. “Everyone, listen up. The supervising teacher just told me that tonight’s sponsors have booked a restaurant. After the gala, everyone can go there for a late-night meal. Please spread the word to anyone who’s not here.”

As Bai Tan listened, a hand suddenly gripped the corner of her shirt. Bai Tan paused, her gaze shifting from Li Ruoruo. She instinctively lowered the hand propping up her chin. “Hm, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to go. Is that okay?” Gu Zhu looked up at her, the warm light in the room making her eyes look like a crystal clear spring, sparkling with an unspeakable vulnerability.

Bai Tan couldn’t handle Gu Zhu’s looks on a regular basis. This mix of pleading and grievance made her heart melt and turn soft. She leaned in, cupped Gu Zhu’s face, and without asking why, she told her gently but firmly, “Of course. When it’s over, I’ll take you away.”

Gu Zhu nodded, leaning into her as if to draw in some warmth. She thought to herself that she was still so timid, only knowing how to hide when she saw Zhu Li.

But this was actually only the second time she had seen Zhu Li. Last year, when she went to a competition, the woman had suddenly appeared and said to her, “You look so much like her.”

That look, seeing someone else through her, made her wake up in a cold sweat on countless nights. It was then that she suddenly realized why Luo Ning always looked at her with such sadness and nostalgia.

She felt like a substitute for someone who had never been a part of her life, a vessel for their memories.

Gu Zhu didn’t want to bear the weight of someone else’s thoughts for no reason. She just wanted to be Gu Baozhi’s daughter, to be a normal kid. She wore thick glasses, hoping to block those prying eyes. She wrapped herself in a cocoon, unwilling to show her face easily.

But she never expected Zhu Li to show up here. Gu Zhu felt a wave of panic, feeling as if a bomb was about to shatter her peaceful life into a million pieces.

After the gala, Bai Tan kept her promise. After they had removed their makeup and changed their clothes, she found an excuse and took Gu Zhu away.

Gu Zhu was still a little dazed as Bai Tan led her out of the school. It was only then that she realized the guard hadn’t stopped them. A helmet was suddenly placed on her head. She stared blankly at Bai Tan, wondering where the young mistress had conjured the electric scooter from.

It was like a magician with a treasure chest, always having unexpected items at hand.

“Let’s go for a ride.”

Hearing her urging, Gu Zhu no longer hesitated. As soon as she sat behind her, her hands were gently taken and wrapped around Bai Tan’s waist. Bai Tan’s back was slender but firm, and her warmth was comforting. Gu Zhu took a light breath, the familiar sweet scent soothing her panicked emotions, giving her a moment of relief.

The sights along the road went from bustling to quiet. The bustling traffic was left behind. They didn’t think about where to go; they simply met the night breeze head-on. In that moment, Gu Zhu even thought that if Bai Tan could take her to the ends of the earth, she would be willing to wander the world with her.

After riding for a long time, Bai Tan finally stopped. The wide road had few people, but the streetlights were bright. This was the newly built Guangjiao Road, with not many cars yet, but more people walking.

It was a long, gentle slope. Looking down from the sidewalk, you could see the lights of some businesses and residential areas. Being away from the crowded areas gave her a different perspective.

The world seemed both smaller and warmer. On this land, humans had evolved for millions of years to create a continuous civilization. Survival, elimination, evolution… Sometimes Gu Zhu would wonder if she was an evolved person or an eliminated one. Did her existence stem from survival, or from a need?

Was she brought into this world with hope?

No one could give her an answer. Luo Ning couldn’t, Zhu Li couldn’t, not even Gu Baozhi.

“What’s the meaning of our existence in this world?” Gu Zhu asked, leaning on the railing.

Bai Tan also leaned on the railing. She didn’t look at Gu Zhu directly, but her peripheral vision quietly took her in. Hearing her question, she thought for a long time before answering slowly, “Maybe it’s… just to feel the wind, bask in the sun, and see the moon.”

“Nothing has to have a meaning. For me, coming into this world just to meet you is enough.”

Bai Tan suddenly stood up and gently patted the back of Gu Zhu’s head. The silhouette of the mountains was faintly visible in the distance, and the lights of the traffic below flickered on and off. The people she couldn’t see were all striving to live their lives. “Don’t think about such profound questions. If you can’t figure it out, just give it time. The most important thing is to be in the present. Just look forward.”

“Just keep looking forward. If there’s a rock, move it aside. If there’s a river, cross it. If there’s a mountain, climb over it… If you get tired, just rest where you are. When you feel ready, continue.”

The faint sensation of Bai Tan’s gentle pat lingered on the back of her head. Gu Zhu pulled her gaze back from the distance, turning her head to look at the person illuminated by the light. She asked hesitantly, “But what if… I rest for a long time and still can’t go on? If I can’t keep moving forward, and I can’t even tell how far the road ahead is, what should I do?”

“Then you hold on to me. Hold on tight, and we’ll go together.”

The sky was breathtakingly bright for a moment. Someone was setting off fireworks somewhere, and huge bursts of color exploded in the air. Cluster after cluster of dense, vibrant fireworks followed one after another, reaching their most spectacular moment.

Gu Zhu’s hand was held tightly. She looked at Bai Tan’s bright eyes and eyebrows, and in her determined gaze, she seemed to hear her saying:

I will never give up on you.

She squeezed her hand back, like a drowning person who had finally grabbed a rescue pole, and like someone who had been walking alone for a long time who had finally found a companion to go forward with.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn’t. She only knew to look at the person in front of her, to look for a long time, hoping she would know and understand her unspoken feelings.

“Shh, I know.” Bai Tan put a hand to her mouth, then put her arm around her shoulder. Leaning close, she pointed at the fireworks still going off in the distance. “There’s a place with really famous fireworks. They say you can only see the most spectacular and beautiful fireworks there. Let’s go together someday!”

“Oh! And hey! We can make a list of one hundred things we have to do together. By the time we’re done, we might even be old!”

Gu Zhu was moved by her words and couldn’t help but start thinking about things they could do together in the future. She really loved how Bai Tan talked about the future, a future with both of them in it, as if it would arrive very soon.

“I thought of the first thing!”

Bai Tan’s voice was suddenly full of energy. She looked down at her, as if waiting for her to ask. So Gu Zhu played along. “What is it?”

“Next year, after the college entrance exam, let’s go on a graduation trip together! We can go to Suzhou, Xi’an, Beijing, Lhasa, or anywhere else you want!”

The places she mentioned were all popular cities, which reminded Gu Zhu of the online travel ads. She suddenly thought of a place. “Let’s go to Yunnan. It’s a great summer resort, and it’s so beautiful!”

Seeing her perk up and no longer look so listless and downcast, Bai Tan smiled even more brightly. “Yes! I love Yunnan, too. We’ll go together next year!”

“Okay!” Gu Zhu gripped the railing with both hands, a slight smile on her lips. The summer night wind was cool, as if it could carry all her worries away.

They rushed back to school just before the curfew. It was only Wednesday tomorrow, and classes would continue, but the school had canceled morning self-study so they could sleep in a little later.

Gu Zhu glanced at the jasmine plant on her windowsill and, as she climbed into bed, prayed that the jasmine would bloom again.

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