Chapter 128
“…I told you, she and I were not on a date…”
Zhuang Chi tried her best to explain clearly to Ling Jing, but this person had no intention of understanding her explanation, seeming to have already made up her mind. At this moment, she was still righteously questioning her: “You just said she's a girl you knew before, right?”
“That's right,” Zhuang Chi nodded reluctantly, then quickly added, “but I also just said, she and I haven't been in contact for a long time—”
“But she contacted you the first thing after getting into this city, right?” Ling Jing slapped the table, her eyes shining. “Isn't it obvious that the other party has been waiting for an opportunity to reconnect with you? Maybe she even deliberately aimed to get into the same city as you.”
What a completely unsubstantiated deduction. Zhuang Chi thought that she probably hadn't written in the novel that Ling Jing had this talent for divergent thinking, and replied helplessly: “She just doesn't know anyone here after arriving, and remembered me as someone she knew, so she just wanted me to show her around…”
“That girl is an Omega, right?”
“…Yes. But—”
“Sigh, you Alpha are really unromantic.” Ling Jing shook her head vigorously, looking as if she were disappointed in her for failing to meet expectations. “To that girl, this was definitely a date!”
Zhuang Chi felt that it was useless to say any more; neither of them would be able to convince the other. So she simply closed her mouth, only letting out a few sighs to express her disapproval. The other members of the Presidium were clearly listening with great interest. The Omegas whispered among themselves, and from the looks they cast her way, it seemed they had reached a consensus on the matter. Zhuang Chi was speechless and subconsciously turned her head to look for her only Alpha companion here, hoping to get some support—
“…Gu Ximian?”
But when she turned her head, Zhuang Chi did not see the playful, teasing look she had imagined from Gu Ximian. She only saw her head slightly lowered, her gaze falling aimlessly, staring blankly at nothing, looking as if she were in a daze. It was only after hearing her soft call that she looked up as if waking from a dream.
“…What is it,” she quickly composed herself, and after glancing around, she seemed to roughly understand Zhuang Chi's current predicament. Her lips moved, and she forced a smile. “It doesn't matter if it was a date or not, right? It's just a name, anyway, and it won't change the fact that you're going to accompany her. Could it be that just because they say you're on a date with her, you won't go tomorrow?”
That seemed to make sense. Zhuang Chi shook her head and sighed: “We already made plans, and even decided where I'm taking her tomorrow. Of course I still have to go…”
“…”
Gu Ximian was silent for a long moment, finally saying softly: “…Then go. If it works out, I'll say… congratulations to you then.”
Why was even Gu Ximian like this? Zhuang Chi replied with a wry smile, “I told you it's not what you think, there won't be a situation where you need to congratulate me.” Gu Ximian listened, and the corners of her lips curved up cooperatively, but Zhuang Chi noticed that the smile didn't seem to reach her eyes, like floating ice that had not melted on the water's surface.
It was just that this sense of abnormality was fleeting, as if Gu Ximian herself had noticed it and thought it was an emotion that shouldn't be shown.
Most of the time, Gu Ximian found her colleagues in the Presidium somewhat hard to fathom, easily causing strange incidents, so it was best to keep a personal distance as much as possible.
But at certain times, she would feel that these people were relatively reliable, like now.
“Hurry up and follow, we're about to lose them, aren't we!”
“Isn't this all your fault for insisting on stopping to buy that candied hawthorn from the street vendor just now! What's the point of rushing us now!”
“B-but the candied hawthorn is delicious, and Lou Che bought some too! How come you only pick on me and not him!”
“Probably because I gave An Chen half of my candied hawthorn.”
“Isn't that considered bribery!”
—Retracting my previous statement. Gu Ximian's ears were buzzing from their bickering, and she began to worry if the two people ahead would hear the commotion. Fortunately, there was still a somewhat more reliable person who could help. Gu Ximian saw Olivia next to her pull her hat down, and while keeping her eyes fixed on Zhuang Chi ahead, she whispered, “If you keep arguing, you'll be discovered. Look, they're going into the coffee shop.”
Gu Ximian's gaze followed, and only after the closed shop door blocked her from Zhuang Chi did she retract her gaze, letting out a dull hum.
To put it simply, they were currently tailing Zhuang Chi.
The instigator was Lou Che. After the meeting yesterday, he had created a small group chat without Zhuang Chi, and after @-ing everyone, he said frankly: 【I see everyone is very interested, why don't we follow them tomorrow and see.】
【Let's just consider it helping Zhuang Chi vet the person.】
But Gu Ximian knew at a glance that this person's initial motivation was definitely not this. He probably just found it interesting—even within the Presidium where everyone was hard to fathom and did as they pleased, this genius was the most unpredictable player. Only he could so brazenly propose such a very unethical suggestion, and then follow up by announcing the meeting time and place for tomorrow on his own, regardless of the fact that no one in the group had responded, with an attitude of 'come if you want'.
Until the meeting time, no one other than Lou Che had spoken in the group, but when Gu Ximian arrived at the meeting point on time, everyone else was already there.
It was hard to say whether it was because of her good relationships or because they were genuinely worried about Zhuang Chi. Gu Ximian's feelings were a bit complicated, but in the end, she felt that this should be considered a good thing.
—Thanks to everyone following along, her own concern didn't seem so abrupt.
Their group entered the coffee shop secretively, even going in batches to avoid being noticed. Under Lou Che's guidance, they were scattered around Zhuang Chi's table—it really had the air of a proper stakeout. Gu Ximian's position allowed her to see Zhuang Chi's profile from a distance. After sitting down, she instinctively lowered her head to avoid being discovered, and only sighed after realizing what she was doing. She suddenly had no idea what kind of absurd thing she was doing.
She saw the girl sitting opposite Zhuang Chi. From her hairstyle to her clothes, she was meticulously dressed, a petite and cute Omega. An Chen, who was also peeking from the side, let out a "wow" of admiration, then added, "Anyone would think they were a couple.”
“Right?” Ling Jing was gloating for some reason, but soon frowned. “…But looking closely now, Zhuang Chi doesn't seem very happy… It's a pity this coffee shop is a bit noisy, I can't hear anything.”
“It would be terrible if it were quiet enough to hear clearly. Wouldn't they hear what we're saying then?”
“D-do we have to listen to them talk? I feel like we're doing something not very nice…”
“Ah, Olivia, you're saying this now! We've already followed them all the way here! Let me say this first, if Zhuang Chi finds out later, we have to share the blame together!”
The Omegas started to get noisy again. Gu Ximian didn't want to interrupt and unconsciously focused all her attention on Zhuang Chi's side.
An S-class Alpha's five senses were very keen, and her hearing was no exception. She consciously tried to listen for Zhuang Chi's voice amidst the noisy crowd and could hear some words. She heard Zhuang Chi say, “If you're tired from walking, just take a rest. We'll go when you've had enough rest.” Then she heard Zhuang Chi say, “I don't come to coffee shops much. If you like it, you can come with your classmates in the future.” She also heard Zhuang Chi say, “Studying? University courses rely more on self-discipline. I don't have much experience to share with you… But I have a friend who is very good at studying. In fact, she's amazing at everything she does—What? Oh, she's an Alpha. What's wrong?”
She's probably worried that the person Zhuang Chi is close to is an Omega. Gu Ximian thought. Why not just ask Zhuang Chi directly if she has a partner? Why beat around the bush like this? Isn't it tiring?
…Maybe she already asked? I don't know. I didn't hear it anyway.
How strange. Why did she always seem to, intentionally or not… only listen to Zhuang Chi's voice?
The other stalkers seemed to have gradually relaxed and started to focus on the coffee shop's menu. Ling Jing, while flipping through the menu, made a concluding sigh: “She seems like a very cute girl, and looks very innocent too, not like someone who would play with Zhuang Chi's feelings. That puts my mind at ease.”
How did she come to such a conclusion in just a few short minutes? And she was only watching from a distance, without even having an actual conversation, right? Gu Ximian blinked noncommittally, looking back at Zhuang Chi's table. Her gaze lingered on the girl for a moment, then turned to Zhuang Chi.
She's smiling. Gu Ximian thought.
…What am I doing here?
A sudden wave of indescribable powerlessness washed over her, making Gu Ximian take a deep breath. When she exhaled, it felt incredibly heavy. Rationally, she was very clear—clear that it was none of her business who Zhuang Chi was with or who she talked to. She was also clear that the girl hadn't done anything malicious so far and shouldn't be viewed with such prejudice, as if she were nitpicking. At least from Zhuang Chi's expression, this was not an uncomfortable conversation. The girl could chat with Zhuang Chi, and they already knew each other well. Perhaps this coffee shop was even specially chosen by the girl—the coffee tasted pretty good, not unbearably bitter, leaving only a slightly bitter aftertaste on the tongue.
What am I being so picky about? It has nothing to do with me. Gu Ximian thought. Even if I'm considering it for Zhuang Chi's sake, isn't this person a very suitable candidate?
She couldn't say a word. She was silent for a long time. The liveliness of the coffee shop and the voices from outside the window seemed to come from far away. Gu Ximian sat there quietly, seeming out of place in this space.
If only Zhuang Chi had predicted that they would follow her today. Gu Ximian closed her eyes, thinking silently. If only Zhuang Chi had changed her route because of it, or simply stopped them from this trip altogether.
The things their table ordered were brought over by the waiter at this moment. Gu Ximian took her coffee and sipped it quietly, bit by bit.
By the time it had grown completely cold, she had just finished it.
Zhuang Chi felt that Gu Ximian had been a bit strange lately.
Whether you'd call it preoccupied or absent-minded, the number of times she had seen this person zone out in the past week was probably more than in the entire year she had known Gu Ximian. It was obvious that she wasn't all there.
Zhuang Chi was a little worried that some strange plot had occurred somewhere she didn't know about, causing Gu Ximian to be like this. But after thinking hard about it several times, she couldn't come up with anything, so she just asked Gu Ximian directly: “…Did something happen recently? You don't seem to be in a very good mood.”
Gu Ximian, who had been holding a book for over ten minutes without turning a single page despite having agreed to study together in the library for the upcoming finals, flickered her eyes, as if finally snapping out of her daze. She glanced at Zhuang Chi quickly and then looked away, her reply sounding somewhat cold: “No talking in the library.”
…She'd been rebuffed, though not harshly. At least she knew Gu Ximian was really in a bad mood. Zhuang Chi blinked blankly and obediently shut her mouth. But after two minutes of silence, it was Gu Ximian who couldn't sit still first. Zhuang Chi heard a slightly exasperated sigh from beside her, and then her shoulder was lightly poked.
“Want to go out for some fresh air?” Gu Ximian suggested, her gaze falling away awkwardly. “…I can't focus on studying anyway.”
So Zhuang Chi followed Gu Ximian out of the library to a lounge area where they could talk freely. She felt that Gu Ximian had probably invited her out because she had something to say, and was a bit bewildered the whole way. But when they reached the spot and stood there for five minutes, all she saw was Gu Ximian hesitating, unable to utter a single word for a long time, which made Zhuang Chi laugh: “What's wrong? This is the first time I've seen you so hesitant. Could it be that you've done something to wrong me and that's why it's so hard to say?”
“…”
She was joking, but she didn't expect Gu Ximian to actually stiffen for a moment—a very obvious sign of guilt. Zhuang Chi was stunned, and before she could ask for details, she saw Gu Ximian close her eyes tightly and finally speak: “…When you were on a date with that girl before, I saw you.”
“—Ah, huh?” Completely unprepared for it to be related to this matter, Zhuang Chi was utterly bewildered. “N-no, I told you it wasn't a date… You saw me? Where? Then why didn't you just call out to me then?”
Besides, she just saw her, why did Gu Ximian sound so grave—before her question was even finished, she heard Gu Ximian confess bluntly: “Because I deliberately followed you in secret.”
“?!”
Zhuang Chi was greatly surprised, feeling a bit confused. But Gu Ximian didn't leave her time to question her, and immediately followed up with a question: “What's the situation between you and her now? Has she confessed to you already?”
“Th-this…”
“Looks like she's already confessed.”
Caught off guard, Zhuang Chi's subconscious reaction gave Gu Ximian an opening. She looked at Gu Ximian, who had come to her own conclusion and lowered her eyes. More than feeling shy, she felt at a loss, not knowing where to start asking questions. After being stuck for a long time, she could only helplessly add, “…If you're interested in the result, I actually already rejected her… What is wrong with you?”
“…” Gu Ximian suddenly looked at her again, the emotions in her eyes very complex. She looked at her like this for a long time before gently shaking her head. “…I'm sorry, because I was really concerned before…”
“…Speaking of which, why did you reject her?”
She clearly hadn't finished her first sentence, and just cut to the next one very abruptly. Zhuang Chi frowned in confusion, but still answered first: “Because I feel like we're not that close yet… After all, it has been a long time since we've been in contact. Even if she suddenly confessed, I…”
To put it tactfully, when she was confessed to, the emotion of surprise was still predominant. Even though the other person said she had liked her since long ago, Zhuang Chi only felt some pity for her nervousness, but nothing more than that.
Zhuang Chi had no experience with love, nor did she feel any urgent need for it. It wasn't that she was against it, but her view on love was relatively simple and traditional—both parties had to understand each other well enough. So she chose to refuse. And although she hadn't said these thoughts out loud yet, Gu Ximian seemed to have understood, nodding in agreement, and then said: “I thought you didn't like girls.”
It was a question she would have hardly heard in her original world. Zhuang Chi couldn't help but smile. She hadn't thought about it before, but now she felt she had no aversion to it. So, under Gu Ximian's gaze, she shook her head: “No, girls are great.”
Gu Ximian blinked once, and as if it were a natural progression, she asked further: “What about other requirements? Looks? Height? Do you have any preferences?”
“…” It sounded like she was about to set her up with someone. Zhuang Chi didn't know how the topic had turned here, but she still obediently thought about it. “…Preferences… nothing special, really. As long as we click…”
“What a vague concept.”
Although she heard Gu Ximian mutter this as if dissatisfied, she soon looked at Zhuang Chi again, her gaze inexplicably seeming heavier than before, and asked softly: “Gender?”
Her first reaction was “didn't we just talk about gender,” and the next moment she realized she was talking about the ABO genders of this world. Zhuang Chi tilted her head. She hadn't thought about it carefully, but there was no suspense in this matter, so she answered frankly: “An Alpha's partner is generally a Beta or an Omega, right?”
Gu Ximian was silent for a moment, then lowered her head and let out a soft laugh: “…That's right.”
Zhuang Chi couldn't see her expression, but Gu Ximian's voice grew faint, making her feel a little uneasy. Gu Ximian really wasn't herself today. Zhuang Chi couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?" She started to turn and look, but Gu Ximian had already raised her head, her expression back to normal as she said calmly, "Is there anyone you're interested in right now? The other members of the presidium, for example. They're all Omegas, and you've known them for a long time... By the way, when Olivia suddenly went into her susceptible period in the presidium office, didn't she ask you for a temporary mark? She must like you."
…The topic was jumping around so fast, it felt like she could clearly sense Gu Ximian's unspoken message of not wanting to be questioned further.
“…Seriously, Gu Ximian, what's wrong with you today? You seem very concerned about my love life.” In the end, she didn't continue to follow Gu Ximian's lead. Zhuang Chi asked directly, then looked at Gu Ximian. “Besides, when that happened back then, wasn't it you who told me 'people's rationality is weaker during their susceptible period, a qualified adult shouldn't take what they hear at that time too seriously'? An Chen and the others also came back with the suppressant in time, so I didn't give a temporary mark… Why are you suddenly bringing it up now?”
“…”
Gu Ximian didn't respond. She just stood there quietly, her gaze lowered to the ground, without sorrow or joy, empty of emotion.
“That's right.”
She said softly. The person who was always used to standing straight and tall anywhere suddenly seemed to lean back against the wall tiredly, showing a rare touch of vulnerability. And for some reason, when she spoke again, Gu Ximian's tone seemed to carry a hint of a sarcastic smile, muttering as if to herself.
“…Ever since then, I've wanted to stop you.”
It had indeed been a while since that happened.
At that time, Olivia had entered her susceptible period without any warning in the meeting room. It was Gu Ximian who had noticed it first. With her superior perception, she had smelled the increasingly strong scent in the air, stood up abruptly, pulled up the still clueless Zhuang Chi, and quickly walked to the meeting room door to open it. Only then did she turn to the others and explain: ‘Olivia's susceptible period has started. Does anyone have an Omega suppressant?’
As it turned out, unfortunately, none of the few people who had thought they were just coming for a meeting and going back had brought a suppressant. And Olivia's susceptible period had come on quickly, making it impossible for her to leave. In the end, they could only have Lou Che and An Chen run to get a suppressant, leaving Ling Jing in the meeting room to temporarily look after Olivia, while Gu Ximian and Zhuang Chi, the two Alphas, left the meeting room and stood far away, responsible for stopping any other students attracted by the scent.
But not long after, the meeting room door was pushed open a little, and Ling Jing stuck her head out and waved at them, saying helplessly: ‘Olivia's susceptible period is burning a bit fiercely this time, she looks very uncomfortable… Zhuang Chi, she just said she wants to ask you for help with a temporary mark. What do you… what do you think?’
‘Of course not.’
This response, however, was not from Zhuang Chi, but from Gu Ximian, who had rejected it flatly, without a second thought. She herself only thought after the words came out, and after composing herself, she explained to the two who were looking at her: ‘…It won't take long for Lou Che and the others to get the suppressant from the dorm. They'll probably be back soon. There's no need to create extra complications by giving a temporary mark. Besides…’
Her “besides” clearly should have been followed by more, but Gu Ximian was suddenly stuck, suddenly not knowing how to explain the resistance in her heart, as if she couldn't find a reason herself. She only continued after a moment's pause: ‘…Besides, Zhuang Chi has never given a temporary mark before, right? This kind of thing is somewhat dangerous. Unless it's absolutely necessary, it's better not to act recklessly.’
Gu Ximian's words convinced them. She and Zhuang Chi returned to their spots and fell silent. She still couldn't pinpoint the source of the strange feeling in her heart. Gu Ximian subconsciously glanced at Zhuang Chi. The Alpha, who had just missed a chance to deepen her relationship with Olivia, didn't seem the least bit disappointed, looking as oblivious as ever. Gu Ximian couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart. She simply stared straight ahead and said in a calm, business-like tone, "People are less rational during their susceptible period. A mature adult shouldn't take anything said at that time too seriously. Olivia herself probably won't remember it clearly once she's herself again. Let's just keep what happened a secret and not tell anyone else."
That's what she had said to Zhuang Chi at the time. Gu Ximian still remembered it very clearly to this day.
Even though she didn't know at all back then whether Omegas really would have a fuzzy memory of things during the heat of their susceptible period.
Thinking back now, she had been a bit off since then. Gu Ximian thought. It was just that this “off-ness” hadn't reached a pressing point yet, so she had deceived herself, pretending not to see it even though she had noticed, and continued their relationship by papering over the cracks.
She thought she wasn't asking for much.
Now that things have come to this. Gu Ximian recited silently in her heart. But now that things have come to this…
Deceiving oneself is the most useless thing in this world. Gu Ximian prided herself on being a reasonably smart person and had never done useless things in the past, but now she was shocked to realize that she seemed to have been doing this for a long time. This experience was still too new for her, all of it filled with unfamiliar, unprecedented emotions, clawing at her entire being. The S-class Alpha, for the first time in her life, encountered such a difficult problem that she didn't know how to deal with.
How strange. Did I get something wrong somewhere? Gu Ximian thought. Zhuang Chi is her friend, the person who shares the secret of being able to predict the future with her. The time they've known each other isn't short, but in the grand scheme of their lives, it's not that long either. She can't even compare to the girl who confessed to Zhuang Chi and was rejected. What complicated problems is she thinking about here? She's not even qualified.
But why doesn't Zhuang Chi consider an Alpha? When she clearly has no other requirements for a partner.
The logic before and after her thoughts didn't connect, but Gu Ximian had to admit that after hearing Zhuang Chi's answer at that time, she was a little sad.
And Gu Ximian gradually came to understand that this sadness could not be alleviated by anyone else—not even herself—through doing anything.
She was helpless against this emotion. Even an S-class was still just a mortal. Gu Ximian instinctively wanted to ask for help, or to escape. Perhaps if she continued to pretend she hadn't noticed, she could return to her usual routine. But Gu Ximian didn't want to choose this path at all. The feeling of resistance was unprecedentedly high, and her heart was in a mess, making her feel wronged even when facing Zhuang Chi. She had to use a great deal of effort to maintain a calm surface, so that Zhuang Chi wouldn't see through her.
It was just that her attitude inevitably seemed hot and cold due to the emotional turmoil. Gu Ximian often reflected after returning home, feeling that Zhuang Chi, who had done nothing wrong, was very innocent. Then she would turn to think, had she done something wrong herself? But how on earth should this emotion be controlled? If the antidote was right in front of her, should she risk shattering the fragile glass bottle by reaching for it…
Tonight, as usual, she couldn't figure anything out. But unlike usual, Gu Ximian received a phone call.
—Zhuang Chi had been in a car accident.
What a full set of drama.
Lying in the hospital bed, Zhuang Chi stared at the ceiling with a lifeless expression, having lost even the will to sigh. Her mind was filled with only the thought that after this, the old-fashioned plots would have pretty much all been played out.
She had just finished a full-body check-up and was in a daze for a while when she heard hurried footsteps outside the door. Then the ward door was suddenly pushed open. Zhuang Chi saw Gu Ximian rush straight to her bedside, her breath unsteady as she anxiously checked on her. When she spoke, her voice was hoarse: “You…”
She stopped after just one word, the end of it trembling. Zhuang Chi watched as Gu Ximian's eyes slowly reddened, which scared her so much that she propped herself up on the bed to sit up: “I-it's fine, I'm perfectly fine, nothing major at all, just some bumps and bruises!”
She had never seen Gu Ximian cry, nor did she want to. Her speech quickened a little, and it took a lot of effort to calm the other person down. Gu Ximian shook her head to show that she was fine, and then pushed Zhuang Chi back down onto the bed, telling her not to move around anymore. Her expression looked much better, but when she took a deep breath, there was still a faint, soft sob, as if she had been truly frightened. Zhuang Chi felt guilty watching her, and her voice became soft and gentle when she spoke to her: “You came so fast. Do you know about the situation with the car accident?”
She had thought that with Gu Ximian's meticulousness, she would have already figured it out. Who knew that she would see Gu Ximian shake her head: “…I don't know, I couldn't really take it in on the phone…”
Zhuang Chi understood, feeling even more heartache. She thought about where to start explaining the situation to Gu Ximian, and finally decided to start with the most serious matter at hand.
“The one who's hurt isn't me, it's Ling Jing.” Zhuang Chi paused for a moment, then said concisely, “…She has amnesia.”
—In a word, it was a plot from her novel.
When Gu Ximian was a sophomore, Ling Jing did seem to have a scene with amnesia, but Zhuang Chi had no way of judging which day this would specifically happen, so she hadn't been on guard—and originally, this was supposed to happen after Ling Jing and Gu Ximian had a fight. But from the current situation, these two were basically no longer in a relationship where they could fight, so Zhuang Chi had originally thought this plot wouldn't happen. Who knew that not only did it happen, but it also involved her, who happened to be in Ling Jing's car.
Fortunately, Ling Jing had just gotten her driver's license and didn't dare to drive very fast. The speed was so slow that Zhuang Chi, who was accompanying her on a test drive, even got a little sleepy. But in the end, she was still unexpectedly hit by a car that ran a red light. Perhaps it was also thanks to their slow speed that Zhuang Chi didn't suffer any major injuries in this car accident. But Ling Jing in the driver's seat had somehow hit her head. She wasn't unconscious for long, but after waking up, she didn't recognize anyone, as if her memory had reverted to before she started university.
A car accident plus amnesia, what a standard combo.
Watching the bewildered and helpless look on the faces of the people who had rushed over to visit and were driven out by the amnesiac Ling Jing, Zhuang Chi's guilt reached its peak. She felt that she had really messed up this time. But thankfully, in the novel, Ling Jing did recover her memory later. She remembered it was after…
Zhuang Chi looked at Gu Ximian, who was sitting by her bed without saying a word, and then at Olivia, who was frowning with her friends at the doorway.
…It was after witnessing Olivia confess to Gu Ximian that Ling Jing recovered her memory due to the shock.
…But when would that happen? Zhuang Chi thought. Or rather, would it really happen? It didn't feel like Olivia was that attached to Gu Ximian? So it felt like… at least she hadn't reached the point of wanting to confess to her yet?
Isn't this terrible? If she really has to wait until then to recover… The more Zhuang Chi thought about it, the more she felt that waiting was definitely not a good idea. She was frowning, unable to think of a solution. And Gu Ximian probably noticed her expression, and comforted her softly: “Don't worry, we've already scheduled a very good doctor to treat Ling Jing. We'll see after the examination results come out. And I heard her amnesia seems to be temporary. It's possible she might suddenly recover after seeing something, you never know. Don't be anxious yet, you need to rest and recover too.”
Suddenly recovering after seeing something… That itself is correct, but the problem is that “seeing something” is a bit difficult to achieve—
…No, wait a minute, seeing? A thought flashed in Zhuang Chi's mind, and an idea suddenly popped up: if the condition is just to see that scene—then would it be enough for Olivia and Gu Ximian to act out a scene in front of Ling Jing?
It seems worth a try. But then again, even if it's acting, it seems difficult to find a reasonable explanation… especially to Olivia. Zhuang Chi thought. Although Gu Ximian's emotions have been a bit unstable lately, she's very calm in major matters like this. She could probably convince her by saying she had foreseen the future, but on Olivia's side…
Her thoughts were at a bit of a standstill, but Zhuang Chi didn't want to give up this possibility, and went on to consider a new approach.
…Thinking about it carefully, in the novel, Ling Jing was mainly stimulated by the scene of someone else confessing to Gu Ximian. It doesn't seem to have much to do with Olivia.
Zhuang Chi thought silently for a long time, and finally made up her mind before falling asleep.
“…Say that again, I didn't understand.”
Finding the content of what she had just heard hard to believe, Gu Ximian said so, crossing her arms to look at Zhuang Chi on the hospital bed. This person really didn't seem to have any major injuries, but she was worried that something might happen, so she insisted that Zhuang Chi stay in the hospital for another night. But what she was saying now was really incredible, and Zhuang Chi looked scared, but still said it again: “It's just… I foresaw that Ling Jing will recover her memory when she sees someone confess to you.”
She really repeated it exactly as it was. Gu Ximian had to accept that Zhuang Chi was being serious, but the content of this premonition was really too unreliable compared to the past, which made her unable to help but ask one more question: “…Why?”
“Th-this, I…” Zhuang Chi stammered, looking like she was about to sweat. “Maybe it just stimulated her memory…”
Her behavior was a bit suspicious. Gu Ximian looked at her a few times, thought about it, and decided to let this patient off the hook. She then asked helplessly, “But where am I going to find someone who likes me to confess to me in front of Ling Jing on purpose?”
“…” Zhuang Chi was silent for a long moment, then answered in a small voice, “…About this matter, I have a proposal I'd like to discuss with you.”
She seems very nervous. Gu Ximian blinked her eyes, signaling her to continue. Then she saw Zhuang Chi slowly take a deep breath, and as if she had burned her bridges, she bowed her head to her: “Can we act out a scene together and see?”
—Act out a scene together.
Gu Ximian understood her meaning in an instant, but her thoughts seemed to suddenly freeze, which made her still ask out loud: “…What acting?”
“It's just…” Zhuang Chi paused, her fair face gradually turning red, and she said shyly in a small voice, “…I'll play the role of the one confessing to you.”
And then act it out for Ling Jing to see, and see if it can help her recover her memory. Gu Ximian thought. No matter how you listen to it, it sounds like a bad idea from a desperate person.
…No matter from which angle you consider it, it should be a bad idea.
“—Sure.”
But Gu Ximian heard her own voice, her tone calm and steady, as if her heart was calm and had not been stirred by this proposal in the slightest: “It's just a try, there's no harm in it.”
As if in a dream.
Just like that, she and Zhuang Chi came to Ling Jing's hospital room. Ling Jing already knew about her amnesia and had re-acquainted herself with the two of them. Seeing them come over, she just thought they were here to visit, and mumbled for them to sit wherever, looking a little uncomfortable. But Zhuang Chi looked both nervous and at a loss, and didn't sit down, looking like she didn't know where to start. She directly began to stammer an explanation to Ling Jing, saying things like “we're going to do something next, you don't have to take it to heart, just watch,” which sounded very confusing.
Gu Ximian waited quietly for her to finish explaining, then reached out and tugged on Zhuang Chi's sleeve.
“Let's just start.” she said softly, “No matter how much you explain, it won't be clear.”
Yes, it's because I don't want to waste time, that's why I'm rushing her. Gu Ximian thought. Not because she can't wait.
How strange, deceiving herself is clearly the most useless thing in the world, yet she always can't help but do it.
Gu Ximian watched Zhuang Chi turn towards her, her movements stiff, her ears bright red, her usually frank and bright eyes now shyly half-closed, her gaze darting around, not daring to look at her.
—So this is what Zhuang Chi looks like when she confesses to someone.
Gu Ximian looked at her, and found that she couldn't tear her eyes away.
Zhuang Chi took a few deep breaths. It seemed that even though she knew she was acting, she was still extremely nervous. The deep breaths didn't help, only making her more and more shy. Gu Ximian watched her hold her breath in desperation, and when she spoke, her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible: “…I like you.”
Four words as soft as a mosquito's buzz. Gu Ximian could only hear them because of the close distance. Over there, Ling Jing had a bewildered look on her face, clearly having heard nothing. Gu Ximian, with her thoughts almost grinding to a halt, managed to give a "normal" suggestion: “Your voice is too soft.”
Zhuang Chi closed her eyes in frustration. When she spoke again, her voice was louder and more fluent, more like a confession: “I like you.”
This time, Ling Jing must have heard it. Gu Ximian heard a gasp of astonishment from Ling Jing's side. At first, she mumbled things like “what are you two doing in someone else's hospital room,” but it soon came to an abrupt halt. But she had no time to pay attention to whether that person had recovered her memory or what. It was as if the freedom to look away had been unreasonably taken away. She could only look at Zhuang Chi. Time at this moment was as viscous and slow as if it had been sealed in molten amber. Gu Ximian regained the ability to speak when she grabbed Zhuang Chi's hand, her voice muffled as if stuck in her throat: “…Say it again.”
Zhuang Chi was just about to look at Ling Jing's condition when she was grabbed. She looked a little at a loss at this moment, but she had always been very willing to fulfill any of Gu Ximian's wishes. So Gu Ximian heard the third confession that shouldn't have existed after the end of this play: “Gu Ximian, I like you.”
Gu Ximian had never known before that the power of words was so great, that it could make one momentarily dizzy. She closed her eyes, then released her hand before Zhuang Chi became suspicious. She soon heard Zhuang Chi and Ling Jing talking, and it seemed that she had really successfully recovered her memory. Gu Ximian said in a low voice, “I'll go get the doctor,” and quickly left the hospital room. She told the first nurse she met about the situation, and then went to an empty corner of the stairs by herself, took a deep breath, and then exhaled.
She shouldn't have acted in this play. She thought. She should have known earlier…
A person with a clear conscience is not afraid of anything. A person with a guilty conscience is of course different. Gu Ximian felt that everything was in a mess, whether it was her ambiguous emotions or her entire future life. The only S-class Alpha in the world, with millions of people in this world, if she fell in love with any Omega, they would become a couple blessed and praised by the whole world. Even a Beta would be fine, it's a common pairing. Even if there were some murmurs, it would only be a small part of the population, and there would always be a way to suppress them—
But she just had to fall in love with an Alpha.
How can there be such an unreasonable thing? Gu Ximian thought. The person she fell in love with can predict the future. Has Zhuang Chi seen her future? Is she in her future? Can they be together forever? She wants to have a "future" hand in hand with Zhuang Chi, but even the "present" she has now has to rely on despicable selfishness to hear a single "I like you".
The flower in the mirror is hard to pick, and what's laughable is this feeling of reaching for it.
Successfully helping Ling Jing regain her memory, Zhuang Chi was discharged from the hospital, feeling a great sense of relief.
The following plot should not have such major physical incidents, she thought. It's best not to have a situation where she needs to drag Gu Ximian to act in that kind of play again… it's not good for her mental state.
After that day, whenever Zhuang Chi saw Gu Ximian again, she couldn't help but think of that incident, which led to blushing and a racing heart. Her attitude when interacting with her became unnatural. It was as if some superfluous consciousness had sprouted, which was annoying and there was nothing she could do about it.
I don't know whether to say it's a good thing, but in any case, Gu Ximian seemed to have the same awareness, and had rarely met with her in these few days—she was probably being avoided, Zhuang Chi thought, and then felt that this was also good, giving each other a time to cool down. Otherwise, continuing like this might affect their normal interactions in the future.
But how should I put it, my heart feels a little empty.
Thinking about such things, she was absent-mindedly studying alone in the library. This time, it was even worse than when they studied together before; she really couldn't get a single word in. Just as Zhuang Chi was thinking that continuing to study would just be a waste of time and it would be better to go back to the dormitory, her shoulder was suddenly poked lightly.
Zhuang Chi's heart skipped a beat. When she turned her head, she saw Gu Ximian as expected.
They came to the lounge where they had chatted before. Zhuang Chi was a little nervous, but Gu Ximian's state looked surprisingly relaxed. Her beautiful brows, which had been furrowed for the past period of time, were now smoothed out, as if she had figured out something that had been troubling her for a long time.
Zhuang Chi looked at her inquiringly and was quickly caught in her gaze. Gu Ximian smiled at her, like a beautiful flower, and when she spoke, the words she threw out were in a completely unexpected direction: “Have you tried to predict my future?”
If I had to say, I've actually "predicted" it many times in the past. Zhuang Chi blinked in confusion and heard Gu Ximian add: “Mainly in the aspect of love. Can you predict whether I will end up with the person I like?”
“…” Zhuang Chi was stunned for a long moment, then suddenly reacted and said in shock, “You… you have someone you like now?”
Gu Ximian silently curved her eyebrows, which was a tacit admission, and then asked again: “Can you predict it? Will I be with her?”
Zhuang Chi was speechless. She thought that in her novel, Gu Ximian shouldn't have anyone she liked at this age. Could it be that some changes had occurred after the gender swap? Who was that lucky person? She kind of wanted to ask, but it felt very impolite…
How was she supposed to predict this? It was a situation that had completely deviated from the original plot. Zhuang Chi thought. If Gu Ximian had fallen for a character in the novel, then according to the normal plot development, it seemed that it wouldn't work out, but…
“…You will.”
As if possessed, Zhuang Chi said so: “Of course you will be with the person you like. You will be very happy in the future, and your whole life will be smooth.”
She said this with great sincerity, but for some reason, there was a dull pain in her chest. Zhuang Chi pressed it, not knowing why, not sure if it was a side effect of the car accident.
And Gu Ximian seemed very satisfied with her answer, and continued to ask: “I also want to know, does she like me back now?”
Really, it's like she's completely using her "predicting the future" as fortune-telling. Zhuang Chi couldn't help but smile wryly, but since they had already come this far, she nodded seriously: “Yes, the person you like must like you very much too.”
Of course, this is her female protagonist, it's not an exaggeration to say that the whole world revolves around her. How could there be a situation where Gu Ximian likes someone but doesn't get a response—
The moment it happened was very sudden and fast, too fast to make any reaction. Or perhaps it was because an S-class Alpha, when wanting to make a surprise attack, doesn't leave any reaction time for people. In any case, Zhuang Chi couldn't dodge it. Her lips were suddenly kissed, and it was over in a flash, cool and soft.
Gu Ximian had suddenly kissed her.
Her thoughts completely shut down. Zhuang Chi stared blankly as Gu Ximian took half a step back, and then gave her a faint smile, which seemed to carry a hint of sadness.
“…What a shame. The prediction failed, didn't it?”
Gu Ximian was an S-class Alpha.
She was born with a life of splendor and admiration, a smooth path as far as the eye could see. There was probably nothing in the world she couldn't get—it should have been so.
And at the age of eighteen, she came to St. Blaisedon, and when she later became successful and famous, she would always tell others that she had met the person she “couldn't get” there.
Every time she said it, she looked very sad, so much so that even her partner would sigh and say, “How dangerous. It's a good thing you kissed me back then.”
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