The two sisters were only a year apart in age, yet their personalities were polar opposites. Bright and cheerful, Gu Tinglan had been lovable since childhood, wherever she went, she easily became the center of attention. Meanwhile, Gu Ruoling usually played the role of the quiet, obedient child left in the shadows.
Leaning back in her wheelchair, Gu Ruoling felt a wave of irritation. “I’m tired. Auntie Zhang, take me back to my room.”
She was angry. Zhu Qingjia could sense it.
Before Auntie Zhang could step forward, Zhu Qingjia placed her hand on the wheelchair. “Let me take you up. It’s a good time to go over the schedule for your medication anyway.”
When Zhu Qingjia came out of Gu Ruoling’s room, she was surprised to find Gu Tinglan waiting by the door.
Pausing for a moment, Zhu Qingjia asked politely, “Is something the matter?”
Noticig the dark circles under Zhu Qingjia’s eyes, Gu Tinglan guessed she hadn’t rested well. “Senior, my sister has a very strange temper. If you don’t want to stay here, I can help you.”
“Why would you think that?” Zhu Qingjia smiled slightly. “Her temper isn’t strange. I’m staying here of my own free will.”
Huh?
Gu Tinglan was startled. Her sister’s bad temper wasn’t a recent development, yet her senior didn’t find it strange at all.
“Let’s head downstairs. I’ll see you out.”
Gu Tinglan still had things she wanted to say, so she actively suggested taking the stairs. “I went on a graduation trip, and so much happened in between. I had no idea you and my sister were together, you didn’t even tell me.”
Zhu Qingjia found it a bit amusing, but her tone remained gentle. “You didn’t tell me when you went on your trip either. This just shows we weren’t actually that close to begin with. Now that I’m with your sister, we need to keep our distance even more in the future. Do you understand?”
Zhu Qingjia wanted her to realize that the world didn’t revolve around her.
Gu Tinglan wasn’t used to this side of Zhu Qingjia. Though her attitude was still gentle, she felt entirely unfamiliar.
Distracted by her thoughts, her high heels slipped on a step, and she nearly tumbled down.
Quick and sharp, Zhu Qingjia caught her by pressing the web of her thumb against the root of Gu Tinglan’s palm. As soon as Gu Tinglan regained her balance, Zhu Qingjia immediately let go.
“Thank you, Senior,” Gu Tinglan said, clutching her chest in lingering fear.
After seeing Gu Tinglan out, Zhu Qingjia went back to her room to catch up on sleep.
She didn’t wake up until Auntie Zhang came to call her for lunch. Having slept for only about an hour, her eyelids still felt heavy and uncomfortable.
When she headed downstairs, Gu Ruoling was already seated at the dining table.
During the meal, Gu Ruoling stole glances at her from time to time. Zhu Qingjia looked back and asked, “Got something to say?”
Gu Ruoling shook her head.
“Just say it if you do, while I’m still willing to listen.”
Gu Ruoling set her chopsticks down and pursed her lips. “I saw you holding her hand.”
Zhu Qingjia’s hand froze mid-air, taking a second to process the words.
“My sister is getting engaged soon,” Gu Ruoling added. She had met the fiancé, a match chosen by their parents whose family background and wealth perfectly aligned with the Gu family. It was a strategic alliance destined to satisfy everyone involved.
Zhu Qingjia understood now. Gu Ruoling was talking about how she had supported Gu Tinglan on the stairs earlier.
She was trying to warn her to keep her distance.
“I didn’t hold her hand. Furthermore, whether she gets engaged or not has nothing to do with me.” Zhu Qingjia put down her chopsticks and gently took hold of Gu Ruoling’s slender wrist.
Gu Ruoling struggled slightly to pull back, but she couldn’t break free.
Her bright eyes filled with surprise and confusion.
Wrapped in warmth, her delicate skin felt a tingling numbness that seemed capable of flushing red if held for any longer. The young mistress’s tone turned frantic, “I think you need to remember your status. Since you married me, you should maintain proper distance from other people.”
Zhu Qingjia guided her palm to show her, explaining patiently, “This isn’t holding hands.” Her fingertips then slid across Gu Ruoling’s soft palm, weaving firmly into the spaces between her fingers with an unyielding strength until their fingers were tightly intertwined. “This is.”
Gu Ruoling’s heart skipped a beat. She could almost feel the pulse throbbing right through their fingertips.
Beat after beat, it was a completely foreign sensation.
“Why is your face turning red? Have you never held hands before?” Zhu Qingjia reached out to touch her flushed cheek, but Gu Ruoling tilted her head away to block her.
Gu Ruoling forcefully wrenched her hand free, using the table for leverage to stand up. “I’m full. I’m going upstairs.”
Flustered and in too much of a hurry, she tripped over her chair leg and nearly fell.
Zhu Qingjia caught her by the arm, pulling her into her embrace. With a helpless sigh, she bent down and scooped her up into her arms. “Don’t squirm, or you’ll fall to the floor.”
Sure enough, Gu Ruoling stopped moving, staying quietly in her arms.
While riding the elevator, Gu Ruoling suddenly asked, “Have you held hands like that with others too?”
“Interlocking fingers? No.”
“Oh.”
Zhu Qingjia carried her back into her room, letting out a soft chuckle. “Why do you sound so disappointed?”
Gu Ruoling buried her face against Zhu Qingjia’s shoulder, murmuring a quiet complaint, “I don’t. You are really offensive.”
Zhu Qingjia looked down at the mop of hair nestled against her shoulder. “We are wives. Is this level of touch not allowed?”
The elevator doors opened. Gu Ruoling wrapped her arms around Zhu Qingjia’s neck, her eyelashes casting long shadows as she whispered softly, “No one has ever held me like this before. I… need time to adjust.”
Ever since they started living together, Zhu Qingjia had carried her almost every day. It was a solid, warm embrace, carrying a faint scent that felt incredibly peaceful and soothing.
Zhu Qingjia pushed open the bedroom door and laid her gently on the bed. “Did I hurt you? If you feel uncomfortable, you can tell me.”
“No.” Gu Ruoling pulled her knees up, hugging her legs closely.
Zhu Qingjia felt a pang of worry. The girl looked so frail, like a delicate butterfly that could easily be crushed if one applied just a little too much force.
“You might not know this, but I’ve practiced martial arts before. My strength is a bit greater than the average person.”
“Huh?” Gu Ruoling looked astonished. “When did you learn martial arts?”
With such a calm demeanor and refined features, she looked every bit like an ordinary college student. It was impossible to associate her with aggressive, fighting moves.
Zhu Qingjia instantly regretted bringing it up, unsure of how to explain it. Before transmigrating into this book, she had indeed practiced martial arts, having trained since childhood.
Gu Ruoling blinked. “Was it taught in your college physical education class?”
“Uh, yes!” Zhu Qingjia nodded hastily. “I learned it during PE class.”
Gu Ruoling lifted the blanket. “I’m sleepy. I want to rest for a bit.”
Zhu Qingjia helped tuck her in. “Go ahead and sleep. I’ll leave after you drift off.”
Gu Ruoling turned over, facing away from her to close her eyes and rest.
While waiting for her to fall asleep, Zhu Qingjia checked her class schedule and group chats. She had a class later this afternoon, meaning she needed to head back to campus.
Catching sight of some square-shaped colored origami paper on the nightstand, she noticed the pack was open and casually pulled out a few sheets.
A moment later, a bright yellow origami star sat quietly on the nightstand.
By the time Gu Ruoling woke up, Zhu Qingjia was long gone. Aside from the newly folded paper star, the room was empty.
After finishing her afternoon class, Zhu Qingjia walked back to the dorms with her backpack on, her roommate Yinzi slinking an arm around her shoulder with a sly grin. “So, how did things go last night? Was she okay after that?”
“She’s fine. She took her medication in time.”
Xiaotong linked arms with Yinzi on the other side, diving into the gossip. “We talked it over last night, and we bet Ruoling isn’t actually married. She probably just said that to shut us up.” Lowering her voice, she glanced around at their surroundings. “Besides, her target is definitely you.”
Zhu Qingjia frowned. “Ruoling? Calling her so intimately doesn’t seem appropriate, does it?”
Yinzi looked over at Xiaotong, a knowing glint in her eye. “She definitely feels something too. Look at her, focusing on the wrong detail entirely.”
Xiaotong nodded vigorously. “Exactly, exactly! She won’t even let us call her by her name.”
With a faint smile, Zhu Qingjia brushed the arm off her shoulder and reminded them, “If I recall correctly, I just treated you both to dinner yesterday.”
“Fine, fine, we’ll drop it,” Xiaotong said, waving her hand. “But does she study at the neighboring Academy of Fine Arts? Her vibe is incredibly artistic. I looked up the dress she wore yesterday, it’s a limited-edition collaboration with an international artist. The dress looks quite ugly on its own, but how did she manage to look so ethereal in it?”
“You don’t get it, a pretty face is the ultimate gear. Someone who looks like that probably has zero worries in life,” Yinzi lamented wistfully.
Zhu Qingjia didn’t reply immediately, walking quite a distance before speaking up, “If you see her again in the future, don’t bring up this topic, and don’t ask her where she goes to school.”
Yinzi caught on instantly. “No way, did my guess actually hit the mark?”
Last night, Gu Ruoling had suddenly fallen ill, claimed she had medicine at home, and looked entirely fragile and prone to sickness, yet she had been so resistant to going to a hospital. Combine that with her expensive clothing, she certainly didn’t look like someone lacking money.
The roommates quietly fell silent, sharing a tacit understanding.
Zhu Qingjia returned to the dorm first to finish up what homework she could. Unable to make progress on her short essay, she decided to pull out her phone and look up pheromone therapy instead.
The further down she scrolled, the harder she bit her thumb. Had the development of ABO civilization really become this advanced?
She had initially thought that simply releasing pheromones would suffice, but looking at it now, a much deeper level of intimacy seemed to be required.
Prior to this, Zhu Qingjia had never been in a relationship and knew absolutely nothing about these matters. Fortunately, there were text tutorials available. She read through them, understanding bits and pieces, though everything still felt a bit vague.
Something like this couldn’t possibly require Gu Ruoling to take the initiative; that would be far too bizarre.
As she was pondering, Jingjing suddenly tapped her shoulder. “Let’s grab food! What are you daydreaming about?”
Only then did Zhu Qingjia realize it was already dinner time. “I found a new part time job, so I won’t be joining you guys. I’ll head out first.”
Yinzi, who had just changed her shoes, chimed in, “I’ll walk out with you. I need to head toward the school gate anyway.”
As they moved away from the dormitory building, her phone automatically disconnected from the campus Wi-Fi, halting incoming messages.
As Yinzi walked with her past the campus lake, several plump white ducks floated gracefully beneath the weeping willow branches in the shimmering water.
Suddenly, Zhu Qingjia felt a nudge on her arm as Yinzi pulled at her sleeve, dragging her behind a large tree.
“What’s wrong?” Zhu Qingjia asked, bewildered.
“Shh, keep your voice down.” Yinzi pointed behind the massive willow tree. Zhu Qingjia looked over to a path about five or six meters away, a detour route that rarely saw foot traffic.
If her eyes weren’t deceiving her, there were two figures silhouetted behind it.
They were standing incredibly close, wrapped in an embrace, seemingly locked in a kiss.
Yinzi watched with excitement. “I truly feel bad for Jingjing. Luckily, she was drawn away by the second cafeteria’s new menu items today.”
Zhu Qingjia stood up straight, failing to see why they needed to hide like secret agents. “Is one of them her crush?”
“Yeah, the one with the wavy hair,” Yinzi sighed.
Before Zhu Qingjia could respond, a voice called out from not far behind them.
“What are you two doing?”
Nothing was more awkward than being caught red-handed while snooping.
Zhu Qingjia was relatively composed, having averted her eyes without catching a clear view.
Yinzi, however, began fidgeting nervously.
Turning around, they found Gu Ruoling watching them with an expression full of curiosity.