Everything was ready—she even bought a cat—but was Gu Lingluo that easy to coax?
Liu Xia rolled up her sleeves, knowing that this time would definitely not be as easy as the first. She had mentally prepared herself and even discussed ten complete backup plans with Hao Yan and Gai Gai. She refused to believe she couldn’t win her over!
Plan 1: Direct Approach.
“You’ve worked so hard these past few days! Thank you for your tireless dedication, for sharing all your knowledge, and for your kindness in helping the weak! To express my gratitude, which is beyond words and reaches up to the highest heaven and down to the deepest spring, I sincerely and earnestly beg and ask you to join me for a casual dinner at my place! Great! Tonight it is! I’ll be waiting for you at home! Don’t be late!”
“I’m not going.”
K.O!
That was a surprisingly quick rejection…
No problem, I still have nine plans!
Plan 2: An Outright Lie.
“I’m telling you, my cat can actually open doors and windows on its own! I saw it with my own eyes. Its little paws were so quick and smooth—it was absolutely amazing! Didn’t you say you wanted to see it last time? Tonight, then. I’ll drive you!”
“I’m not going.”
K.O x 2!
No fear, I still have eight plans!
Plan 3: Playing the Victim.
“Ouch… my foot! I sprained it! Ouch, ouch, ouch! You be careful, too. These library steps are awful, too many and too tall. It’s easy to sprain your ankle… Hiss! It hurts! I can’t bear to put any weight on it. How am I going to cycle home? Maybe you could send…”
Gu Lingluo was already far away.
K.O x 3!
Hehehe. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Is your Granny the type to give up so easily? I still have seven plans left. Bring it on, Patron Mom!
Plan 4…
Plan 5…
After nine consecutive failures, it seemed she had to deploy the ultimate move!
Plan 10: The Final Move, Fatigue Bombardment!
“Lingluo! Gu Lingluo! Considering how sincere I’ve been, please take pity on me and give me a chance to buy you dinner! Lolo ah~ Lolo Lolo Lolo Lolo Lolo Lolo Lolo Lolo Lolo~~ Lolo!”
“Get lost!”
How is it that I feel inexplicably comforted that Patron Mom, who never uses blatant curses, was so enraged that she blurted out “Get lost”?
No, no, no! I’m not an M! That must be a delusion!
The final plan was also… K.O!
“Ahhhhh! I give up! This is too difficult!!! High-mountain flowers are the worst!”
Liu Xia slumped over her dorm desk, teary-eyed. She was, after all, a minor second-generation rich kid, with a harmonious family and loving parents. Even her mischievous younger sister obeyed her every word. When had she ever suffered such vexation?
All the frustrations of her previous life were now focused on Gu Lingluo alone, and the crucial thing was that she still hadn’t won her over!
So exasperating!
Hao Yan sat cross-legged against the wall on the top bunk, blowing on her freshly painted nails.
“Hand me the yogurt.”
Liu Xia didn’t move, a pool of stagnant water, just whimpering. “I don’t have long to live. Do you have the heart to order me around?”
Hao Yan said, “I’m helping you utilize your last bit of residual warmth, making you a person of value, and drawing a beautiful full stop to your decadent life.”
Liu Xia pounded the desk. “Who are you? Joan of Arc? Handing you a yogurt makes me valuable?”
“It’s worth at least six bucks.”
One box of yogurt was six yuan.
Liu Xia complained, “You fake sister! Can’t you just console me?”
Hao Yan leaned over the bed, smiling at her. “Are you sure you need consolation?”
“Definitely and absolutely!”
“Oh~” Hao Yan raised an eyebrow. “Alright then. A good Ji-you gives what’s needed. Since you need consolation, I’ll console you. As for Gu Lingluo, you’ll have to pull your hair out thinking of a countermeasure yourself.”
Liu Xia snapped upright. “Do you have a good idea?”
Hao Yan lazily lowered her arm and dangled it. “The yogurt.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Liu Xia handed over the yogurt. She watched eagerly as Queen Hao slowly drank it, threw the empty container into her hand, and then asked for a cup of water to rinse her mouth. Only then did she finally open her precious mouth.
“I’m warning you, my idea might be a bit harmful to your health. Are you sure you want to hear it?”
Liu Xia nodded, nodded, and nodded again. “Harm to health is better than harm to life. Say whatever you want!”
Hao Yan continued, “Will you follow whatever idea I come up with?”
She continued to nod, nod, and nod. “You are my guiding light and my hope for survival. I’ll do whatever you say!”
Hao Yan nodded in satisfaction and bestowed two words upon her.
“Homework.”
Liu Xia was instantly enlightened!
“You’re a lifesaver! I love you to death!”
She hugged Hao Yan and gave her a kiss!
Hao Yan grimaced and wiped her face.
Homework! How could she have forgotten it?
German homework was submitted by the group representative on Thursday evening, and the group representative would take it to the office first thing Friday morning. If one person didn’t hand it in, both would lose points on their regular grade.
It had to be said that Mr. Seider was truly wise. Even those ‘salted fish’ who just wanted to waste time, get credit, and were too lazy to do homework had to grit their teeth and do it so as not to drag down their group members.
For the past two months, Liu Xia had handed everything in on time. This time… maybe it was time to be lazy for once?
After classes ended on Thursday afternoon, Gu Lingluo left the teaching building. Ever since Liu Xia paid back the fifty thousand yuan, that noisy senior had been squatting by the door, waiting to submit the homework with her. Today…
She quickly scanned the area from the corner of her eye.
No one?
Perhaps she had something to do.
When she reached the dorm to submit the assignment, the class representative joked, “Did you two have another fight? How come Liu Xia isn’t with you?”
Gu Lingluo smiled vaguely and turned to leave. As she opened the door, Hao Yan and Gai Gai were also coming to hand in their homework.
Gai Gai’s eyes lit up. “Running into you is perfect! I was just worried I couldn’t reach you!”
“Something wrong?”
Gai Gai sighed and shook her head. “Alas! Our Xia’er took the day off today. I don’t know if she’s lovesick, but she’s been throwing up, having diarrhea, and running a fever. She’s lying alone at home right now, with no one to take care of her. She’s so pitiful.”
“Oh.”
Gu Lingluo stepped out of the dorm door.
Gai Gai quickly shoved her homework to Hao Yan and ran after her.
“Hey! I’m talking to you! Liu Xia is really seriously ill!”
Gu Lingluo turned back, her brow cold and her eyes indifferent. Even her voice betrayed her lack of concern. “Then go to the hospital. What good is telling me?”
“She…”
Hao Yan put a hand on Gai Gai. “Don’t exaggerate. Liu Xia is just feeling a little unwell. She’s already taken medicine. Her health isn’t the key thing; the problem is the homework. Gai Gai and I both have tutoring tonight, so we can’t go. Look, if you have time, could you take the trouble to run over there?”
“I don’t have time.”
With other people, Gu Lingluo would at least maintain some courtesy, but with Liu Xia and her two friends, she couldn’t explain why, but she simply couldn’t remain calm and composed.
Gai Gai was displeased. “You’re in the same group! Her house isn’t far. It’s just one trip! You…”
Hao Yan interrupted. “What are you saying? Just because we have plans, does that mean others can’t? Do you understand the meaning of ‘do not judge others by your own standards’?”
Gai Gai bit her lip. Under Hao Yan’s prompting gaze, she mumbled unwillingly to Gu Lingluo, “I’m sorry. I’m just worried about her. I just thought that if you went, she would be very happy.”
Gu Lingluo said no more and turned to walk away.
Hao Yan took out her phone.
“Hello? Feeling better? We ran into Gu Lingluo. She doesn’t have time either. How about I go find you after my tutoring session? What? You’ll come and drop it off yourself? Don’t be ridiculous! The fever just broke. You shouldn’t be exposed to the wind! Don’t run around, you hear?!”
Gai Gai snatched the phone. “I’m telling you, you’re worried about dragging her down, but she doesn’t care about you at all! You just stay home honestly! You won’t die if you miss one homework submission!”
Gu Lingluo hated her acute senses for the first time. Although she had already walked past the corner and was far away, their voices were still clearly audible, word for word. She could even vaguely hear the voice on the other end of the phone.
A hoarse voice, and a cough, too.
She’s really sick?
Even if she was sick, what did it have to do with her? Even if she risked her health to bring the homework, it wasn’t entirely for her; she’d lose points on her regular grade if she didn’t submit it.
Even if it was all for her, so what? Not dragging others down was the most basic rule of being a person. If it were her, she wouldn’t want to drag anyone else down either.
Gu Lingluo turned and entered the women’s restroom. Just as she was about to teleport home, two girls were washing clothes and chatting in the outer area.
“The flu is back again. I saw on the news that the hospitals are full. I forgot if this is Type A or Type B virus, but they said it mutated into H3N2. It’s pretty serious.”
“Right? It’s easy to get sick during the change of seasons. We both need to be careful.”
Gu Lingluo stood quietly, her hands unconsciously clenching at her sides.