Feigned Pity - CH 29

Qi Yue and Shen Chen Chen came up behind Gu Jing Yuan and followed his line of sight.

Shen Chen Chen asked, “So who is that?”

“Chen Ze, you should’ve heard of him before.”

“He’s that legendary study god? He’s not bad looking at all, quite matching with Sister Yi Xi actually.”

Qi Yue could not comprehend, “Why does everyone like to pair them together?”

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“Duh, outstanding people would be attracted to one another, okay? Otherwise, did you think she would be paired together with trash like you?”

“Shen Chen Chen, what’s with the personal attack?!”

“I’m just stating the truth.”

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“That, you’re thinking too much. Brother Yuan simply doesn’t like you.”

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“Qi Yue, are you trying to seek death?!”

Shen Chen Chen’s melancholy mood was immediately broken. She chased after him trying to beat him up.

At any one point in time, sorrow and joy experienced by all would always be different; and this joy only belonged to them alone.

**

After playing the last round of basketball and classes ended, Qi Yue packed up his things but saw Brother Yuan remaining seated.

“Brother Yuan, aren’t you leaving?”

“Waiting for someone.”

“Waiting for Sister Yi Xi?”

“Yes, she forgot to bring her schoolbag.”

She was too engrossed in doing her practice questions just now. Hence, when the bell signaling the end of lesson rang, she hurriedly carried her book and rush for her make up class. Until now, she had yet to return, it looked like their class was held back.

“Okay. My granny’s birthday is today, so I’m heading off first.”

“En.” He sat quietly and waited while playing on his phone. There was not the slightest show of temper to be seen.

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Previously the one that tried his hardest to run away had now became one that took the initiative to stay back and silently wait for the person he tried so hard to get away from.

Qi Yue sighed, shook his head, and left.

He waited and waited, until the only ones remaining were the classmates tasked to stay back to do clean up and lock up of the classroom.

They timidly called out, “Erm, Brother Yuan?”

Gu Jing Yuan raised his head. His eyes were dark and profound, and his expressionless face looked proud and arrogant.

Recalling the rumors about him, they swallowed.

“Brother Yuan, the school is closing soon. Are you leaving?”

“No.”

The two students exchanged glances. Neither dared to ask the school delinquent to leave.

Gu Jing Yuan glanced at them, “Do you need something?”

“About that, we’re in charge of locking up today.”

“Oh, give me a moment.”

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He haphazardly threw his belongings into his school bag before zipping it up.

However, when he got to her things, his speed of packing slowed. He copied her actions in slotting them one by one into the schoolbag, ensuring that the book corners would not fold over and crinkle.

Troublesome… no wonder she’s always so slow.

The two classmates stared in astonishment at the contrasting actions of the school delinquent. Did they actually witness a moment of tenderness from him?

Gu Jing Yuan casually lifted his schoolbag and carried the other one in his hand, “Done, you can lock up now.”

“Okay, okay. Thank you Brother Yuan! Take care Brother Yuan!”

**

The make up class for the upcoming mathematics competition lasted for two and a half hours. After the teacher finished going through the test paper, he invited the teacher who set the previous competition questions over to give a talk as well. This opportunity was precious so no one voiced out for the class to be dismissed.

By the time class ended, the sun had already set. More or less, everyone showed some degree of fatigue.

Tao Yi Xi took a glance at the clock. At this hour, the classrooms should be locked already.

Looks like there was no hope of retrieving her schoolbag today.

As they were seated at the back. They waited until the ones in front have left before they got up to do the same.

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There were still some points that Tao Yi Xi did not quite grasp. As they left the classroom together, they continued their conversation. It could be said that they have become closer since yesterday.

“Student Chen Ze, I see that you’re always reading different kinds of books. Do you have any to recommend?”

Chen Ze paused and took out an unwanted piece of paper from his schoolbag. He neatly jotted down something with his pen. He showed no intention of withholding any information.

“The difficulty level of these books is listed in ascending order. You can pick from the selection.”

“Have you read all of them?”

“Yes.”

Tao Yi Xi skimmed through the list. How she wished she could split a minute into ten.

“Do you know if our school library carries all of these books?”

“There’s a few that the school doesn’t have. But you’ll be able to find them in the library downtown.”

“Alright, thank you.”

“It’s no problem.”

“Tao Yi Xi.” A familiar male’s voice called out her name, breaking up the conversation between the two.

Looking in the direction of where the voice came from, she spotted him stepping out from the shadows.

“Ge-ge?”

Gu Jing Yuan strode towards her, carrying her schoolbag in his hand.

He quickly examined Chen Ze from head to toe. He straightened his back. En… he was more muscular and taller than Chen Ze.

Chen Ze, “???”

“All this time, have you been waiting for me here?” Tao Yi Xi asked in astonishment.

“You forgot your schoolbag.”

He must have waited for at least two hours.

Tao Yi Xi withdrew her surprised expression and took the schoolbag from him, “Thank you, Ge-ge.”

“Let’s go.”

He turned to leave, thinking that she would follow along only to hear her softly biding the other person ‘good-bye’.

Gu Jing Yuan stopped in his tracks. With his tongue pressing tightly again his clenched teeth he managed to spit out, “Tao Yi Xi, are you coming or not?”

“Coming.”

He looked back at Chen Ze. His icy gaze carried a hint of malice as his murderous aura shot towards Chen Ze.

Chen Ze, “???”

Seated in the car, he pursed his thin lips and stiffly asked her, “Do you like Chen Ze?”

Tao Yi Xi was stunned by his sudden question, “Why do you ask that?”

“The school forum is filled with the CP of both of you.” He turned towards the car window. He could see her faint silhouette reflected on the tinted glass, “You two looked like you were having a good time chatting.”

His tone could not sound sourer…

She curled her lips and lowered her eyes. She deliberately paused for a while giving the impression of thinking about it before she said, “It’s not bad. But currently, I don’t have such thoughts.”

‘Currently’ held many different meanings.

It would be too obvious if he continued questioning her. It would show that he cared too much about it.

His back tensed, “A friendly reminder, puppy love can affect one’s studies.”

Tao Yi Xi raised her eyebrows. This rebellious teenager was urging others to concentrate on their studies?

With a chuckle, she replied, “I understand. But Ge-ge should worry more about yourself.”

“Humph…” How blunt, expression turning uglier.

Tao Yi Xi did not coax him. She lifted her schoolbag, preparing to put her book inside.

Based on his usual habits, she already expected the inside of her bag to be a mess.

Yet, reality proved her otherwise. The inside of her schoolbag was unexpectedly neat. The books were arranged by size, the exact same way she would have packed them herself.

She lowered her eyes. Her thick eyelashes covered the fleeting sense of absentmindedness.

Tao Yi Xi reached out to tug at the corner of his shirt. Gu Jing Yuan turned his head with an indifferent expression.

“Thank you, Ge-ge.”

There she went again.

She dropped her ridicule and lowered her sweet voice. Every word was like honeyed silk wrapping around him, making it impossible to escape.

He pursed his lips as his Adam’s apple rolled. The irritation within dissipated as his eyes became a little softer.

He did not reply but turned back to stare at the faint reflection on the window.

A sense of disappointment welled up from within when the weight on the corner of his shirt disappeared.

From the reflection, Gu Jing Yuan saw that she was looking at the piece of paper Chen Ze passed to her. He pouted.

“Are you free this weekend?”

She raised her head, “What?”

“Ah Zhao invited you to go out together.”

Tao Yi Xi shook her head decisively, recalling the unpleasant experience last round.

“I won’t be going. I need to visit the library this weekend.”

“You only know how to study every day. Be careful or you’ll study yourself into becoming a fool.”

“Studying can stimulate the cerebral cortex and an active brain will only get smarter and smarter. It is impossible to become a fool this way.” She looked at him and added, “however, for people who don’t like to stimulate their brains, it’s easy to become a fool.”

Gu Jing Yuan: I suspect that you are referring to me.

Tao Yi Xi laughed aloud. To infer but not bluntly say it, she was a skilled talker.

The strange atmosphere dissipated with her teasing, and he slowly breathed a sigh of relief.

**

Weekend.

It was rare that Gu Jing Yuan woke up early, but she was already no longer home.

It was only half past eight. She left so early?

She did not even rest on the weekend. Sooner or later she would burn herself out.

When he took out the milk, he counted the remaining bottles of coffee. It seemed that her consummation rate was faster than he had estimated.

Did she treat this as water?

Recalling how he ‘proactively’ chose to study that night, he was still traumatized by that experience. He would never drink this crap again!

He made a call before informing a maid, “I have a delivery coming in later today. When it arrives, remember to put them in the refrigerator.”

“Understood, Young Master.”

After he finished with his instructions, he had the chauffeur drive him to the KTV lounge.

When Ah Zhao saw Gu Jing Yuan coming, he kept looking behind Gu Jing Yuan. It was evident who he was looking for.

“Stop looking, she didn’t come. She went to the library.”

“Ah?”

Everyone was disappointed, who did not want to see the beautiful sister?

“So hardworking, to go to the library during the weekends as well.”

“Regardless of what one does, it is never an easy path.”

Although a few of them were still students, they had already gone through a wave of social tempering.

It was fun playing games. But when it became a profession, faced with the high-intensity training day after day, it was no longer just ‘playing games’. It was tiring and difficult. Coupled with the mounting pressure from competitions, few could stand it.

In eSports, only the number one mattered.

“Brothers, let’s give a toast!”

Everyone gathered together, and the group of young adults raised their glasses to toast Ah Zhao’s victory. It gave way to the beginning of the alcoholic games.

A few boys sat together to chat. Their conversation topics ranged from ball games, and of course, girls.

As they chit-chatted, they naturally talked about Tao Yi Xi. She was the prettiest girl they had ever met, and she soon became the center of their conversation.

Some people could not help but wonder, “What kind of guys do you think will be together with Sister Yi Xi in the future?”

“Beautiful ladies are paired with outstanding gentlemen. Maybe after I win the championship, I’ll stand a chance! Ha ha ha…”

Qi Yue splashed cold water onto him, “You toads don’t even dream about eating swan meat1! Our Sister Yi Xi is top in grade this time around. Can you even comprehend what this means?”

Everyone shook their heads.

“Guaranteed admission to Qing Bei!”

“Damn! So powerful!”

The university’s reputation could stun everyone. Only the top talents from each province and city were able to get admitted.

Ah Zhao gave a bitter laugh, “I’ve woken from my dream.”

Even if he won the championship, she was still thousands of miles away.

She was the true creme la de creme, there was a gap between them.

“She is beautiful, has good grades, and a gentle personality. What kind of man would be worthy of her?”

“Sister Yi Xi did mention before that she wanted a guy that scored better grades than her.”

“That’s no doubt. But dammit. Just this one condition, all of us are already disqualified.”

Among their group, even those that did better in studies were still a far cry from being able to get admission to Qing Bei.

“With Sister Yi Xi’s appearance, the guy has to also be handsome. If he’s only good at studying but not good-looking enough, I wouldn’t know how to describe my mood then.”

Chen Ze’s indifferent face was the first thing that popped into Qi Yue’s head.

“Don’t be so quick to shoot it down. In our school, there really is one with good grades and looks. Before Sister Yi Xi came, he was the undefeated first in level.”

Gu Jing Yuan had been silently drinking his alcohol.

After listening to Qi Yue’s words, his pupils dilated. He knew who Qi Yue was referring to.

One of them teased, “Are you for real? How is he compared to Brother Yuan? The brother-in-law has to at least be better looking than the brother.”

Gu Jing Yuan emptied his glass. Lowered his hand and placed the glass back onto the marble table. The contact created a harsh thud.

Poor Chen Ze, didn’t even know what he did wrong to be suffering from Jing Yuan’s wrath.

━(゜∀゜)━