Gu Qiu was estimating the distance, planning to muster all his strength and slip around Qin Zhiyi in one go.
But the moment he heard her words, his body stiffened, and disbelief flooded his eyes.
Was she confessing to him?
And so directly?
Seeing Gu Qiu’s bewildered expression, Qin Zhiyi couldn’t help but burst out laughing, then stepped half a pace closer.
She blinked her bright, star-like eyes and asked softly, “Is that okay?”
Gu Qiu’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. Luckily, he still had enough presence of mind to turn his face away from her gaze.
He took a deep breath and advised her, “Ah Yi, your talent shouldn’t be buried here. Go back to Hangcheng. That’s where you can truly make a name for yourself. I believe you’ll meet the right person for you in the future, and as for me…”
“And you are the person I want most!”
Qin Zhiyi cut him off and added, “What do you mean, ‘you’ll meet the right person in the future’? I only know that the future is too far away. What’s in front of me right now is the best!”
“And besides, we haven’t even tried. How do you know we aren’t right for each other?”
Hearing that, Gu Qiu curled his lip and muttered inwardly, “Haven’t tried?”
“We tried in our last life until our hearts went cold and we split up!”
Maybe by some strange telepathic connection, Qin Zhiyi realized it too.
In her previous life, Gu Qiu had quit his job because of her one sentence, “Can we not do a long-distance relationship?” He had gone to Hangcheng to be with her. Later, he settled there, endured all kinds of pressure and hardship from her parents before marriage, and after marriage he resolutely supported her work, helped her, and guided her… Everything he did was to become the person who suited her best!
By contrast, she herself had failed to become someone who matched Gu Qiu.
Thinking of this, Qin Zhiyi looked guilty, but her gaze only grew firmer.
“A-Qiu, I will definitely become the person most suited for you!”
Seeing how determined she was, Gu Qiu didn’t keep persuading her and merely let out a soft sigh.
“Do whatever you want.”
The corners of Qin Zhiyi’s lips lifted in a gentle smile.
“Then I’ll take that as your agreement!”
Gu Qiu gave no reply and instead asked, “Can you let me through now?”
Given the way they were standing, if someone happened to walk in and see them, the rumor would probably spread throughout the entire school before nightfall. Then he really would be unable to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River!
Fortunately, Qin Zhiyi knew that pursuing Gu Qiu couldn’t be rushed, so she didn’t tease him any further.
She stepped back twice and opened a path for him.
Gu Qiu picked up the rag draped over the back of the chair, quickly slipped past her, and walked straight to the door.
A moment later, he tossed the washed rag onto Qin Zhiyi’s desk, grabbed his computer bag, and left again without looking back.
After taking only a few steps, he heard Qin Zhiyi’s amused voice coming from behind him.
“A-Qiu, do you like my surprise?”
Gu Qiu froze for a moment, then snapped back irritably, “A scare would be more like it!”
With that, he hurried off.
Qin Zhiyi pressed her lips together in a smile, watching Gu Qiu’s back until it disappeared from sight.
Suddenly, the phone in her bag rang.
She took it out to check. When she saw the string of digits, saved without a name yet still familiar, a hint of coldness seeped into her gentle eyes, and she hung up without hesitation.
…
Evening.
Teacher’s apartment.
A slanting ray of sunset slipped through the glass window and sneaked into the dim room.
The room wasn’t very large, but it was exceptionally clean.
Gu Qiu, lying on the sofa, slowly woke up. He turned his head to glance at the sky outside, then covered his eyes with his arm.
The school didn’t require teachers to stay in the office at all times, but Gu Qiu usually remained behind. First, he had a strong sense of responsibility and worried that students might come looking for him with questions and not be able to find him. Second, his qualifications were still shallow, and he was afraid people would gossip.
But today, Qin Zhiyi had come on strong, and he was somewhat worn out from dealing with her. Afraid she might stir up even more trouble, he had slipped back here.
He had intended to lie down and rest for a while, but before long, the sun was already about to set!
After dawdling for a few more minutes, Gu Qiu finally climbed up.
He stretched a little, got to his feet, and switched on the light.
He took a can of cola from the fridge in the corner, opened it, and took a small sip.
Then he went straight into the bathroom.
The mirror above the sink reflected a handsome, refined face with sharp, well-defined features, topped by short, tousled hair. His figure, shaped by the black shirt, looked slightly tall and straight, giving him an overall impression of maturity and steadiness.
After staring at the mirror for a couple of seconds, Gu Qiu leaned down, cupped some water in his hands, and splashed it onto his face.
After that, he felt much more awake. He picked up his cola and sat back down on the sofa.
Glancing sideways at the afterglow lingering on the horizon, his mood inevitably turned complicated.
“Could it be that I’ve transmigrated into a parallel world?”
“Even at the closest point in our last life, Qin Zhiyi was never this proactive and clingy, was she?”
“Qin Zhiyi pursuing me… that sounds pretty novel. Should I give it a try?”
But the instant that thought arose, Gu Qiu quickly shook his head.
After taking a sip of cola to calm himself down, he muttered in self-reproach, “Gu Qiu, oh Gu Qiu, haven’t you suffered enough? You want to go and repeat the same mistake again!”
“Right, I can’t let that woman get her way. I need to find a way to shake her off!”
Just as he was speaking, the phone on the table suddenly rang.
“The clock that travels through the scenes of time.”
“Moving in the opposite direction.”
“Returning to the time and space where I once loved you…”
Gu Qiu picked it up on the spot, and when he saw the note reading 『A-Long』, he paused.
A-Long’s real name was Zhao Yulong. He had grown up with Gu Qiu in the same orphanage, and the two were as close as brothers, like real siblings.
In his previous life, when he had been diagnosed with cancer and had nowhere to go, it was A-Long who found him and took care of him through the final half year of his life.
On the very first day after transmigrating, Gu Qiu had called A-Long, but the other side had been busy at the time, so they hadn’t talked much.
For the past half month, he had been adapting to life and had planned to contact the other man after a while, never expecting A-Long to call him first!
Gu Qiu didn’t think any further and hurriedly pressed answer and speakerphone.
A moment later, a rather bold voice came through.
“I specifically picked the time after school to call you, and you still answered this slowly?”
“I just saw it.”
Gu Qiu smiled and made up an excuse on the spot.
Then Zhao Yulong complained, “You’ve been pretty busy lately, huh? Ever since you went off on that crazy tangent last time, you haven’t said a word.”
“Last time you were saying stuff like ‘it’s fine’ and ‘I’m back.’ I forgot to ask… what good thing happened to you?”
Gu Qiu raised his brows slightly.
Last time they had talked on the phone, he had been far too excited. Although he hadn’t directly said that he had transmigrated, what he said basically meant that.
Fortunately, A-Long hadn’t taken it seriously and had simply thought he was losing it.
Thinking about it now, he had indeed been too impulsive.
Such an absurd thing was better kept from others for the time being!
Returning to the topic, when he thought of what had happened, Qin Zhiyi came to mind again, and he let out a soft sigh.
“What good thing? More like a headache.”
Unexpectedly, the moment he said that, Zhao Yulong’s voice turned serious.
“What headache?”
“Someone bullying you?”
“Tell your brother. I’ll go help you deal with him!”
Gu Qiu’s mouth twitched, but he knew Zhao Yulong’s word was law when he said he’d do something, so he quickly replied, “It’s nothing. I can handle it myself.”
“Cut the crap. If you don’t tell me, I’m coming over right now!”
Hearing that, Gu Qiu smiled helplessly.
This guy was still as overbearing as ever!
He lifted his eyes and thought for a moment before saying, “It’s just that there’s someone at school I don’t want to see.”
“Then that still needs dealing with. Wait there. I’m bringing people over right now.”
“Cough, calm down. I don’t have any serious conflict with her. It’s just that she keeps pestering me, and I don’t want to get involved with her.”
After hearing Gu Qiu’s words, the other end fell silent for a moment, then came a surprised cry of understanding.
“Oh~”
“A girl is pestering you?”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. That’s not a bad thing. You look like a decent human being… no, scratch that, you’re handsome and elegant. You should have found someone long ago!”
Gu Qiu took a sip of cola and replied unhappily, “Tsk, I’m talking seriously here!”
Zhao Yulong gave two hearty laughs and then said, “What, you didn’t take a fancy to the girl?”
“Well, if you didn’t click, that really is pretty annoying.”
“How about you switch schools, or just quit altogether, and come be my assistant?”
Hearing that, Gu Qiu fell into a brief daze.
“Quit?”