Diagnosis: Friend [Rebirth] - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

As the fourth period ended, Jian Wenxin, well aware of the struggle students faced when rushing for food, deliberately dismissed the class a minute early.

That one-minute head start was precious. In the grand, tumultuous wave of the lunch rush, the physically inept Yang Lei dragged the naturally frail Jiang Qing along, running at the very back of the pack. Fortunately, heaven rewards the diligent; the canteen line wasn’t too long, and before long, they were sitting down with their meal trays.

After finishing her meal, Yang Lei looked at the dense crowd nearby and asked Jiang Qing, who was sipping soup in small mouthfuls, “Are you going back to the dorm for a nap this noon?”

Jiang Qing shook her head.

The monthly exams were only a few days away. She wanted to head back to the classroom to read for a bit; a nap propped up on her desk during the break would suffice.

Yang Lei nodded, and the two parted ways outside the canteen. The classroom was sparsely populated with only a few students. Jiang Qing walked to her seat and cracked the window open slightly; the cold wind hit her face, dispersing some of her drowsiness.

In a six-person dormitory, Gu Yining sat on the edge of her bed, greeting every new roommate who walked in. A box of chocolates sat on the table; the girls chatted and introduced themselves while snacking. Gu Yining bit into a piece with a snap but didn’t chew, letting it melt slowly in her mouth.

She hadn’t managed to get into Jiang Qing’s dorm. The school rules were rigid—assignments were strictly by class.

The dark chocolate stained the girl’s lips with a distinct tint. She pursed them, fished another box of chocolates from her bedding, and asked her roommates with a smile: “Do you guys know where the Class 1 dorms are?”

Too much time had passed; she couldn’t quite remember Jiang Qing’s dorm number. Once she got the address from her roommates, Gu Yining smiled lightly. “I have a friend in Class 1. I want to go see her.”

She set the chocolate box down for a moment. Standing before the washbasin, she tilted her head to examine her reflection. She loosened her hair tie, letting her ponytail fall to just below her shoulders. Re-combing it, she teased the stray hairs at her temples and pursed her lips in the mirror, still feeling like something was missing.

She turned to her roommates: “Do any of you have lipstick?”

After a brief silence, a wave of light laughter erupted. One of the roommates, Sun Yiyi, looked enlightened. “Oh~ so when you asked about Class 1 earlier, did you mean the boys’ dorms?”

Based on Gu Yining’s sudden grooming, the girls automatically filled in a youth campus drama plot, teasing her: “Which guy in Class 1? You didn’t transfer here just for him, did you?”

Though they had just met, girls are always keen on gossip. One even dug out a classic-shade lipstick hidden in her wardrobe and handed it over enthusiastically: “Here, use this—a real ‘man-killer’ shade.”

Gu Yining took the lipstick and applied it to her lips. “It’s a girl. My friend, Jiang Qing from Class 1. You should know her.”

She pressed her lips together and looked again; the beautiful red blended naturally, making her look stunning.

“Oh…” The roommates instantly lost interest, ducking into their bed curtains to prepare for their naps.

Gu Yining, clutching the box of chocolates, headed toward Jiang Qing’s dorm. Luckily, she had just entered the school today and hadn’t received her uniform yet, so she didn’t have to wear that ugly suit to see Jiang Qing. This was her first formal meeting with Jiang Qing in a conscious state since her rebirth.

Jiang Qing liked pretty things, and being pretty herself would certainly earn her extra points. She wanted to leave a good impression to facilitate their future friendship.

The closer she got to that door, the faster her heart beat. The corridor was flanked by dorms and poorly lit; the white lights in the corners of the ceiling did very little. Gu Yining stopped before the door. She took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock—

The door opened before she could touch it. The girl in the school uniform inside paused, her eyes instinctively scanning Gu Yining’s face. “Who are you looking for?”

Gu Yining: “Jiang Qing.”

Yang Lei replied, “Jiang Qing didn’t come back to the dorm. She’s in the classroom. If it’s urgent, go find her there.”

It wasn’t exactly urgent; she just really wanted to see her. This was the person who had been out of reach for ten barren years. Gu Yining clutched the chocolate box and stepped back to let the girl out. “Oh, thank you.”

Her heartbeat didn’t slow down. She carried the chocolates to the teaching building and, following the room numbers, finally found Jiang Qing’s class. The classroom door was closed. Fortunately, there was a small rectangular glass pane on the door. Gu Yining guessed it was for the Dean to check in without alerting the students, but now it served her perfectly.

She leaned in close to the glass and looked inside. Outside the classroom window, the bare branches of the plane trees swayed gently. Books and workbooks were piled mountain-high on the desks. The girl was leaning on the desk, her soft hair scattered somewhat messily across her cheeks. Her eyes were closed tight, her brow slightly furrowed, and her cheek rested on her crossed arms.

She was napping.

Jiang Qing wasn’t sleeping soundly. She seemed to feel the chill even in her sleep, as she instinctively tugged at the uniform jacket draped over her and adjusted her posture, turning her face toward the window. Now Gu Yining couldn’t see her face anymore—only the back of her head.

Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder. “Excuse me, coming through.”

The chocolates in her arms felt like they were burning. It took her a second to realize what the person meant, and she moved away from the door. Somewhere, a window and a door had been left open; a draft rushed through the corridor, making Gu Yining shiver.

She decided to go back to her own classroom and wait. Walking toward the Class 8 room, her eyes swept over the smooth wall tiles. The reflection showed a girl in a black uniform skirt, hair loose on her shoulders. Her face was indistinct, but the silhouette was clearly that of a beauty. The girl smiled and, feeling playful, tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

As she walked forward with her head held high, she suddenly felt a ghostly gaze piercing her from ahead. At the end of the corridor, a window was wide open. A girl stood there, leaning back casually with her arm on the sill, watching her with a mocking smile.

Gu Yining walked forward. As the girl’s features became clear, she found the gloomy expression familiar but couldn’t place it immediately. The girl’s smile faded as she saw Gu Yining’s “who are you?” look. Delayed anger took over, and she sneered, “Seems that brick really did break your brain.”

Gu Yining stopped. She tilted her head. “Tan Baozhu?”

She remembered her now. She also remembered that in her previous life, Tan Baozhu had never transferred to No. 2 Middle School.

“Remembered me?” Tan Baozhu tilted her head, stealing Gu Yining’s line. “Why do you keep haunting me?”

Gu Yining frowned at her. Unlike at No. 9, Tan Baozhu wasn’t wearing her black dress or leather shoes; her hair was tied back neatly and she wore a school jacket—the image of an obedient student. Only her pupils remained large and black; meeting them felt like falling into a black hole.

Gu Yining had nothing to say to her. She turned to enter her classroom but was suddenly called back by Tan Baozhu. She turned, expressionless. “What?”

Tan Baozhu pointed to the box Gu Yining was holding. “Give me a piece.”

The girl huffed, ignored her, and headed for the classroom. Tan Baozhu didn’t get angry; her gaze drifted back to where Gu Yining had come from. At the end of the corridor, the pale light reflected on the floor. Tan Baozhu looked down, suddenly wanting a cigarette, but her pockets were empty.

The next second, a piece of chocolate sat in a beautiful palm, appearing abruptly before Tan Baozhu’s eyes.

She looked up at Gu Yining, who had returned. Gu Yining was smiling sweetly:

“Can I borrow your school jacket?”