A Cold and Aloof Top Student Is Relied Upon - Chapter 56.2

Chapter 56.2: Birthday

◎The Gift◎

The commotion in the class was truly not within Gu Zhu’s scope of concern. Her original intention for making study notes was for Bai Tan, and then it was at the request

from the friends in dorm 512, who had asked for them. After careful consideration, Gu Zhu had proactively approached Su Li.

Su Li seemed much better, at least she was no longer in a daze. She just occasionally leaned against the corridor wall, staring blankly at the sky.

When Gu Zhu handed her the notebook, she was a bit surprised. She opened it to find different colored pens neatly organized, standing out at a glance. You could tell that the owner of the handwriting had put a lot of thought into it.

Su Li carefully held the notebook. For someone like her, a true underdog, to have someone willing to help her was touching. But more than that, she felt lost, confused about where she was going and what her future held. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, “Doesn’t this feel like a waste of your time and energy, taking away from your own studies?” No one should be so selfless, even if, in everyone’s eyes, she was so exceptional and brilliant.

Gu Zhu touched the calluses on her fingertips, a result of years of holding a pen. Hearing her question, she paused. This wasn’t the first time someone had asked her this, but her answer remained the same: “The college entrance exam is designed for the majority of people. Going over the material again is a form of revision for me. I can’t just practice the hard problems and forget the basics. I know what I’m doing.”

She truly believed this. Within her abilities, this kind of multi-purpose task didn’t bring her pain or anxiety. Instead, it made her feel more at ease and secure: it was another way for her to confirm her own strength.

“Well, thank you.” Su Li let out a soft breath and smiled as she thanked her. Just as Gu Zhu nodded and prepared to leave, she suddenly called out to her again.

Gu Zhu turned back, her eyes questioning.

After a long pause, while the other person stood there patiently, Su Li finally spoke. “Are we friends?”

She didn’t know why Su Li asked this. The cold wind, which was dropping in temperature, blew Su Li’s long hair over her face, hiding her expression. Gu Zhu brushed her own hair aside and, without hesitation, nodded. “Yes.”

Su Li seemed to relax and smiled again. Holding the notebook she had been given, she waved to her. “Thank you, Bamboo.”

Hearing her use the nickname, Gu Zhu also smiled, a very faint smile that was still dazzling. She waved back and walked toward the other person waiting for her at the stairwell.

…

As soon as she got close, she was pulled forward. Once they entered the dorm room, she was pressed against the back of the door. The person who had performed this series of actions smoothly, now with her brows lowered, spoke with an undisguised hint of jealousy. “Friends? What kind of friends? Friends like me?”

Gu Zhu looked at her, her eyes gentle and with a clear smile on her face. Her gaze had a piercing quality that made Bai Tan look away for a moment. Then, with a blustering expression, she looked back. “What are you smiling at? Confess honestly.”

She knew Gu Zhu’s urgency. Her legal coming-of-age was less than five days away.

Bai Tan wanted a real title, at least a modifier for “friend” that only she could have.

“What kind of friend are you?” Gu Zhu, who had been spoiled by her, also had a bit of a mischievous streak. Her feigned confusion was enough to break Bai Tan’s composure.

“You’ll see!” The person pressing her against the door sneered. Bai Tan was provoked by Gu Zhu’s innocent expression. “On that day, I hope you can handle it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. By then, it will be too late to say anything.”

Gu Zhu’s heart started to beat faster at her words. She lowered her head, letting her hair hide her flushed and burning ears. What’s with this “handling it” business? I have no idea what she’s talking about.

“Did you hear me clearly?”

But the other person had to have an answer. She pinched Gu Zhu’s chin and scratched it a few times, like teasing a cat. Gu Zhu had no choice but to lift her head to get away from her playful hand. She turned and escaped the danger zone, only letting out a soft “Mm” as she passed by.

…

December 6th. It happened to be a Sunday, and the second cold snap officially arrived. The wind was even more biting than the first, suggesting there was a real chance of winter this time.

When she had a holiday, Gu Zhu always went home. Using the excuse of celebrating with a classmate, she left around noon, promising to be back before dinner.

Gu Baozhi probably guessed what was happening. She didn’t say anything but instead slipped a few hundred yuan into her pocket. “Don’t be frugal. Have a good time today.”

They had a tacit understanding that they never celebrated birthdays at home.

Gu Zhu nodded. “Thank you, Mom.”

Before leaving, she also received two deliveries. The notes on both packages wished her a happy birthday.

She could guess who they were from. Gu Zhu pursed her lips, signed for them without making a fuss, and threw the bags into a cupboard in her room.

She put on the glasses Bai Tan had first given her, clipped a crystal hairpin on the side of her hair, and finally put on a warm trench coat. Her outfit looked quite grown-up, and because of her height, she carried it well.

After getting ready, she said goodbye to Gu Baozhi and went out with an umbrella, just in case it suddenly rained.

The person at the corner, as soon as she saw her figure, immediately got out of the car. In a short jacket, gray jeans, and short boots, she looked sharp and stunning.

One was intelligent and cool, the other was vibrant and bold. Standing together, they were a sight to behold.

They were both amazed by each other’s outfits, which were so different from their usual attire.

“Please get in, my princess.”

Gu Zhu pushed up her glasses to hide her slight awkwardness. Under Bai Tan’s focused and smiling gaze, she pretended to be calm and got into the car.

The seat next to her was quickly filled. Her trench coat was placed to the side. The thin, frilled knit top outlined her slender shoulders and neck. The sliver of skin below her jawline made one want to touch it.

Bai Tan only restrained herself and caressed her cheek. She didn’t take her anywhere but back to her own house.

This was the first time Gu Zhu had set foot in Bai Tan’s place here. The three-story Western-style house was spacious. As soon as you walked in, the living room had a set of shiny, expensive-looking mahogany furniture.

“That’s my dad’s taste. The second floor is my territory.”

Unlike the first floor, the sofas on the second floor were leather. She didn’t know what kind of leather, but it was probably not ordinary. When you sat down, it was very supportive and didn’t sag, much more comfortable than the wooden sofa.

“Let’s eat first, and then open the presents. In the meantime, you can guess what I got you. If you guess right, the punishment I mentioned last time will be canceled. If you guess wrong, well, you’re out of luck. You’ll just have to deal with my demands.”

Who gives someone a birthday present and immediately starts threatening them? Gu Zhu was speechless. She remembered which time she was referring to and turned her head to avoid the look in Bai Tan’s eyes, which was as aggressive as a physical touch. “You have to give me some hints, right?” Since she couldn’t resist, she might as well try to salvage the situation.

“Don’t worry, I’m not a cold-blooded capitalist who only knows how to exploit people.”

An auntie had made the meal and left afterward, so the whole house was just the two of them. At the dining table, her tall glass was two-thirds full of a clear, shimmering liquid. A gentle sniff brought a sweet, fruity scent of grapes.

“It’s a dry white wine. The alcohol content is low. You can try it.”

At eighteen, it was an age where drinking in moderation was allowed. Without refusing, she raised her glass and clinked it with the person opposite her.

“To our little friend Gu Zhu, happy birthday!”

“Thank you.”

It wasn’t spicy, but fragrant. A slight sweetness lingered on her tongue, and the aftertaste was pleasant. It was a wine that someone drinking for the first time could accept, even enjoy.

At the dinner table, Gu Zhu was well taken care of. The meal was a mix of Western and Chinese food. The steak, curry-baked shrimp, and a bowl of stomach-warming soup were all portioned perfectly. It wasn’t extravagant, but it was plentiful and delicious.

After dinner came a short time to let the food settle, just the length of a short film. When the birthday cake was brought out, she was still immersed in the heartwarming end credits music of the movie.

With the blackout curtains drawn, the room was dim. The person carefully holding the small cake sang the birthday song.

Gu Zhu’s gaze was drawn to her and couldn’t look away.

“Happy birthday. Make a wish.”

The slightly rough frosting hinted at who had made the cake. The two hand-drawn figures on top had the same color scheme as their outfits today, suggesting they were the handiwork of the person who had left earlier.

She knew Bai Tan could draw.

People who can draw are amazing.

With Bai Tan recording on her phone, Gu Zhu put on a birthday crown, closed her eyes, and made a wish while listening to the birthday song being sung again.

“All right.” She blew out the candle. With the light back on, the hand that was about to cut the cake was stopped.

“Did you forget? First, guess my present. I gave you a lot of hints at the dinner table.”

The so-called hints were vague, like “one-of-a-kind” and “related to a person.”

Under Bai Tan’s clearly mischievous gaze, Gu Zhu pursed her lips and cautiously made her first guess. “A piece of jewelry with a name engraved on it?”

“Wrong. You have two chances left.” Bai Tan shook her head, bending one of her three fingers.

“A pair of custom-made dolls?”

“Not that either. Last chance now, so think carefully.”

She didn’t need to be reminded. Gu Zhu would be as careful as she could be. Both of her first two guesses were wrong, so what could it be? “One-of-a-kind” definitely meant it was custom. “Related to a person” likely meant herself or Bai Tan. She thought hard but couldn’t come up with a good idea.

This was the first time she had celebrated her birthday so seriously and received a gift. Gu Zhu’s imagination for gifts was lacking, so she finally had to take another wild guess. “Is it a sketchbook you drew?”

Phew. These were all things Bai Tan had considered at first but later rejected. Proud of her wit, she took Gu Zhu’s hand and held the plastic knife with her to cut the first slice of cake. Just as Gu Zhu thought she had the right answer, Bai Tan smiled. “Congratulations, you got them all wrong.”

“So, the game is over. The punishment officially begins.”

The hand holding the knife froze. Gu Zhu bit into the cake that was offered to her. The soft, sweet flavor spread through her mouth, and the person next to her extended a crimson, soft tongue to the spot she had just bitten, watching as she swallowed it bit by bit.

In that moment, she felt like she was the cake in Bai Tan’s hand, easily molded and shaped with a little pressure.

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