Irreversible - Chapter 38

Chapter 38: A Pitiful Scoundrel (Part 3)

For as long as Su Zhiyi interned at that company, Gu Xizhou delivered afternoon tea.

Her “pursuit” was not aggressive; it was like spring rain, moistening things silently and without sound. Whenever Su Zhiyi felt the distance was becoming inappropriate, Gu Xizhou would pull back slightly, giving the other girl enough comfortable space.

This ambiguous attitude—neither too far nor too close, and without a clear declaration—left Su Zhiyi in a difficult position. She felt that Gu Xizhou didn’t like her in that way, yet these actions seemed like “courting.” However, to abruptly reject a “pursuit” that hadn’t even been voiced would make her seem incredibly self-important.

Eventually, Su Zhiyi simply stopped trying to guess Gu Xizhou’s intentions and let things develop naturally.

Su Zhiyi had a heavy academic load; her weekends were filled with business-related online courses and a mountain of assignments. Gu Xizhou was also studying law, spending her weekends at the library. From club group discussions to traveling together for speeches, by the second semester of their freshman year, the two were together almost every day.

Over time, Su Zhiyi’s roommates all knew she had a “little girlfriend” who wasn’t very tall but was very cool and beautiful. Once, meeting Su Zhiyi’s roommate Wang Tiantian at the library, the latter teased them in surprise: “It’s a big weekend and you guys aren’t out playing? Are you two on a library date?”

Su Zhiyi was about to object, but Gu Xizhou spoke first: “We aren’t on a date. Zhiyi and I are here to look up some materials.” She was smiling, without any ambiguous or inappropriate romantic undertones.

Wang Tiantian blinked. “Oh, I see.”

She walked away with her books. That night, when Su Zhiyi returned to the dorm, Wang Tiantian caught her and asked, “So, that Gu Xizhou isn’t your girlfriend?”

Su Zhiyi placed her books on her desk, rubbed her neck, and nodded. “No.” They weren’t dating.

Wang Tiantian looked shocked. “If she’s not, why are you out with her every single day?”

Su Zhiyi explained, “Next year we’re both minoring in the same subject, and we’re in the same club. There’s a lot of material we need to use. It’s faster if two people look things up, so we go to the library every night.”

Wang Tiantian remained suspicious. “Isn’t Song Nan in the same major as you? Why don’t you go with her? Zhiyi, do you really not like Gu Xizhou?”

Su Zhiyi didn’t answer directly, steering the conversation away: “Gu Xizhou is a high school friend of my sister’s. We’re just quite familiar with each other.” Even though they had only met in college, after half a year of such experiences, they could certainly be called close.

Soon, the other roommates returned and began discussing the fact that “Gu Xizhou, who everyone thought was Su Zhiyi’s girlfriend, actually isn’t.”

Wang Tiantian lamented, “But you’re so tall; being with Gu Xizhou is a bit of a waste. Finding a taller Alpha would probably be a better match for you.”

Su Zhiyi felt this was an unfair way to put it and replied without thinking, “How can matters of the heart be judged solely by appearance? As long as there is love, age, height, and gender aren’t big issues. Besides, Gu Xizhou is quite good.”

Not just “quite good,” but very good. She knew when to advance and when to retreat, she wasn’t presumptuous, she was very tactful, and she was both attentive and serious.

Just then, Song Nan, who was in the same major, walked in and nodded in agreement: “Gu Xizhou is quite good.”

Wang Tiantian leaned off her bed to look at Song Nan. Seeing her with her long wavy hair down, wearing a camisole dress that showed off her full chest and looking charming and elegant, Wang Tiantian was startled: “Song Nan, why are you saying that too? Even if Gu Xizhou has a pretty face, she’s only about 165cm; she’s not even as tall as me. An Alpha of that height… doesn’t it feel like there’s no sense of security?”

Song Nan said dismissively, “An Alpha doesn’t have to be tall to make someone feel secure. Gu Xizhou is very impressive; you guys shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.”

Wang Tiantian was curious. “You haven’t really interacted with her. How do you know she’s impressive?” Su Zhiyi also looked up at Song Nan, appearing very curious.

Song Nan glanced at Su Zhiyi, casually pulled out her desk chair, and said softly, “Who said I haven’t seen her? Remember when a senior had a birthday and invited people from our club to a party…?”

Song Nan sat down and told her roommates a story. A group of young college students had gone to a bar for the novelty and ended up encountering an old Alpha creep harassing an Omega. Under the pheromone intimidation, the Alphas present didn’t dare to do anything drastic. It happened that the senior knew Gu Xizhou, and she was there. When the conflict flared up, Gu Xizhou grabbed a wine bottle and smashed it onto the table with a thud.

Amidst the sound of shattering glass and flying shards, Gu Xizhou sat in the center of the sofa, looking up with a ruthless expression: “If you know what’s good for you, stay away from us.”

Hearing this, Wang Tiantian’s eyes sparkled. “She’s that daring? And then? Did they get into a fight?”

Song Nan thought for a moment. “No, that group just left grumbling.” The farce ended with Gu Xizhou taking charge and escorting all the Omegas back one by one.

Song Nan concluded, “So, what’s the point of looking at an Alpha’s height? A tall person can still act like a quail when trouble hits. Being responsible, having a sense of duty, and a sense of justice—those are the primary things.”

Su Zhiyi nodded in agreement. “Mhm.”

After speaking, Song Nan turned to Su Zhiyi and asked pointedly, “Su Zhiyi, you aren’t dating Gu Xizhou, right?”

Su Zhiyi blinked and answered honestly, “No, I’m not.”

Song Nan raised an eyebrow and smiled triumphantly. “Then you won’t mind if someone else pursues her, right?”

Su Zhiyi froze for a second, then a smile slowly bloomed on her lips. “I don’t mind.” Gu Xizhou was single and they weren’t in a relationship, so what did it matter if someone pursued her?

A few days later, Song Nan happened to run into Gu Xizhou in a public lecture and asked for her contact information. Gu Xizhou knew exactly what was happening but deliberately sent Su Zhiyi a message: “Do you have a roommate named Song Nan?”

At the time, Su Zhiyi was in class. Her phone vibrated, and seeing it was a message from Gu Xizhou, she replied promptly: “Yes, why?”

Gu Xizhou said: “She asked for my contact info today. She said if she ever needs to reach you and can’t find you, she can contact me.”

Su Zhiyi: “???”

You actually believe that nonsense? Are Alphas all idiots?

Su Zhiyi bit her lip, typing and deleting several times before finally replying: “I don’t think that’s it. Have you considered that she might want to pursue you?”

Gu Xizhou’s reply came quickly: “Understood.”

Understood? What kind of answer is that? What kind of reaction?

Su Zhiyi tried to guess but couldn’t come up with anything, so she simply stopped thinking about it. She didn’t like making simple things complicated or overthinking emotions. She was very much like her late mother, possessing an artist’s natural casualness and lack of constraint. Rather than focusing too much on others and affecting her own pure energy, it was better to focus on self-improvement.

After class, she put the thought of “Gu Xizhou being pursued and possibly dating” out of her mind.

However, the following evening, when Su Zhiyi and Gu Xizhou met at the library, she received a bouquet of flowers. It was May, the season of blooming flowers. Gu Xizhou stood under a streetlight, clutching a bouquet of yellow roses, waiting for Su Zhiyi. When she approached, Gu Xizhou took her backpack and handed over the flowers: “New part-time job, the flower shop at the school entrance. Only one bouquet; the boss taught me how to make it. For you.”

Su Zhiyi looked down at the three yellow roses surrounded by baby’s breath and felt a surge of happiness. She pursed her lips, hesitating for a long time before speaking: “Why suddenly give me flowers?”

Gu Xizhou looked casual, saying dismissively, “The weather is nice, and I felt like it.” She tucked the flowers into Su Zhiyi’s hand and said calmly, “Alright, take them. Go back and find a vase for them. I’ll bring you more tomorrow.”

Su Zhiyi didn’t take them right away. Gu Xizhou looked at her hesitantly, her gaze turning anxious. “Do you not like flowers? Nanfeng said you liked them.”

Nanfeng… Su Nanfeng… It seemed that every time Gu Xizhou was nice to her, it was related to her sister. They ate cake together, got tattoos together, Gu Xizhou didn’t dislike same-sex relationships, and she was so good to her… Her eyes were clean, entirely devoid of the ulterior motives typical of other Alphas, with no greasy offensiveness when she looked at her.

So what exactly is her relationship with Su Nanfeng?

Su Zhiyi thought it over, took the flowers, and said sincerely, “Thank you, I like them very much. I’ll take them back and take good care of them.”

Forget it, stop thinking, she told herself. Anyway, she didn’t hate the flowers.

Every day after that, Gu Xizhou sent Su Zhiyi flowers, regardless of wind or rain. She made no declaration, but Su Zhiyi’s roommates came to a realization about Gu Xizhou’s attitude. So she is one of the suitors after all.

Faced with their teasing, Su Zhiyi didn’t know what to say. In her heart, she felt that Gu Xizhou didn’t actually like her. Gu Xizhou’s kindness felt more like the care of an older sister. She probably liked someone else. At least, that’s what Su Zhiyi thought. If that were the case, everything made sense. Same-sex love was difficult in this world, but if Gu Xizhou was sincere, wouldn’t it be okay for her to help her out?

Based on this beautiful misunderstanding, Su Zhiyi never entertained any other thoughts.

For the next two years, Gu Xizhou sent flowers to Su Zhiyi every single day, yet she still hadn’t managed to make the young heiress realize the truth. But since Su Zhiyi didn’t seem to reject her, Gu Xizhou could only suppress her impatience, gradually eroding Su Zhiyi’s comfortable boundaries while waiting for the right moment to make things clear.

In the summer of her junior year, she finally found the opportunity she wanted.