Chapter 84: Confrontation
“We still need to verify with a few more teachers this afternoon. The funding applications from the clubs this year are quite substantial, and they’re all requesting additional funds.”
Lu Siyuan held a large stack of documents, flipping through them as he explained to Xia Qian Ge, “Some clubs haven’t even submitted their applications yet. We have to chase them down, which is quite troublesome.”
“Xia Qian Ge? Xia Qian Ge…” Lu Siyuan had been talking for a while, but he noticed that the girl in front of him didn’t seem to be listening. “Are you listening to me?”
“Hmm? I’m sorry, I was spacing out. I probably didn’t sleep well last night.”
Xia Qian Ge snapped back to reality, shaking her head with a smile. She brushed aside the hair on her cheek and looked at the documents. “Could you please explain it again? I’m sorry.”
“But…”
Lu Siyuan hesitated for a moment. He suddenly noticed that Xia Qian Ge’s face was a bit flushed, with the morbid look of someone who had a fever. They had collaborated in the student union several times before, each seeking the other out for work. Although they had first met because of the misunderstanding with Su Yu on the training ground, they had a good relationship now.
He felt that the girl was a very serious person. She looked soft and gentle, but she was very efficient in her work. Lu Siyuan was still worried and advised, “If you’re not feeling well, you can go back and rest. I can handle it myself. You look like you have a fever. You should be more careful now that the seasons are changing.”
“Huh? It’s nothing. I just ran over from the cafeteria. I’m probably just hot.” Xia Qian Ge looked up and smiled. “I’m not made of porcelain. Let’s hurry up. We can talk about it on the way.”
Lu Siyuan asked again, still worried, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m sure. I’m fine. Where are we going first?”
“There are several places. Let me see.” Lu Siyuan murmured to himself as he flipped through the documents, his gaze falling on the name of the Youth Association. “Why don’t we go to the Youth Association first? They haven’t submitted their things yet. Last time at the meeting, they said it was with their advisor.”
“Okay, anything is fine.” Xia Qian Ge smiled and nodded. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the name of the Youth Association. Su Yu was also in the Youth Association, but the thought of An Zhi’s innocent and romantic appearance made her feel inexplicably annoyed.
“Alright, the psychological counseling room… I even know this teacher. It’s Teacher Gu. She actually went to be the advisor for the Youth Association.”
“Teacher Gu?”
“Yeah, Gu Zhi. She’s quite young, a new psychology teacher.”
Xia Qian Ge lowered her long eyelashes, casting a fan-shaped shadow, hiding a fleeting coldness. She said slowly, “Then let’s go there first.”
…
The psychological counseling room was in the office building next to the activity building. They climbed the stairs to the second floor, turned left, and walked to the end of the corridor to see the sign for the psychological counseling room.
These things were always the most tedious during the annual review. They had to personally find the teachers they couldn’t contact directly. Sometimes the advisor wasn’t there, and they had to delay further.
There were basically no students in the office building, and it looked very deserted. The door to the psychological counseling room was closed, as if no one was there. Not many students these days would admit to having serious psychological problems. Unless they were at their wit’s end, most people wouldn’t choose to confide in a strange teacher.
Lu Siyuan knocked on the door. Xia Qian Ge stood not far away, her head lowered, silent. Lu Siyuan was still a little worried about Xia Qian Ge. After all, she was Su Yu’s high school classmate. Although the girl didn’t talk much, her gentle and frail appearance always made people worry.
But Lu Siyuan often saw boys in the student union actively talking to Xia Qian Ge, and they all seemed to be coldly rejected. Xia Qian Ge seemed to be very decisive in this aspect. Perhaps it was a skill she had cultivated since she was young.
Not everyone joined an organization like the student union to train their personal abilities. On the one hand, they wanted to enrich their campus life. On the other hand, it was also to have more social opportunities. Xia Qian Ge was a pretty girl, so it was normal for people to approach her. But Lu Siyuan couldn’t figure out that guy Su Yu’s thoughts. He was so cold to his sought-after high school classmate.
After knocking for a while, the door didn’t open. Lu Siyuan turned to look at Xia Qian Ge and shrugged helplessly. “It seems no one is here. We came for nothing.”
“Then let’s go. It’s okay. The other teachers we need to find are probably in this building.”
“Okay.”
Just as Lu Siyuan and Xia Qian Ge turned to leave and go to the next place, the closed door opened. A gentle and beautiful face appeared behind the door, smiling at them.
“Classmates, are you here to see the teacher for a problem?”
…
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I’ve been so busy these past few days. The application form was filled out long ago, but I forgot to submit it. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
Gu Zhi’s face was full of apology. She took out a filled-out funding application form from her drawer. The elegant handwriting was neatly written on the white paper, looking very detailed.
“It’s okay. After all, you just started, teacher. We understand.” Lu Siyuan said politely. He took the application form and glanced at it, and was startled by the conspicuous amount. “Teacher, did you write the wrong number?”
“Wrong? I don’t think so. I’ve checked it several times.” Gu Zhi took the application form and looked at it again, then smiled. “This is the amount. Just submit it as it is.”
“Teacher, is this your first time being an advisor? Are you not familiar with these things? I don’t think this amount will be approved. We’ll have to rewrite it then, which is very troublesome.”
“I know. Just submit it.”
Gu Zhi smiled and repeated what she had just said. She poured two cups of clear, fragrant tea and gently pushed them in front of them. The tea was very good, with a rich aroma. The room, which already smelled of lemon, was now filled with the fragrance of tea, which was very pleasant.
“Well… okay then. Since you insist, teacher.”
Lu Siyuan put away the application form and took a sip of the tea. “Thank you, teacher.”
“It’s nothing. It must have been hard for you guys to run around like this.”
Gu Zhi shook her head, her gaze shifting to the girl sitting next to Lu Siyuan who had been silent all along. Their eyes met. The girl’s dark pupils were without warmth, and they clashed coldly in the air.
“You seem to have something on your mind… it’s not good to keep it to yourself.”
A curve appeared on Gu Zhi’s lips. She spoke softly to Xia Qian Ge, her voice gentle. “If you can, it would be better to come and see me for a consultation when you have time.”
“Is that so? I’ve been bothered by something these past few days.”
Xia Qian Ge didn’t refuse. She looked at the beautiful, mature woman in front of her and smiled. “But next time…”
“Okay, I’ll always be here.” Gu Zhi didn’t insist and lowered her eyes in agreement.
“Xia Qian Ge, let’s go.” Lu Siyuan stood up and then said to Gu Zhi, “Teacher, we still have things to do, so we’ll be going now.”
“Okay, please help me close the door. Thank you.”
Gu Zhi watched as the two walked to the door and suddenly said, “Um, your name is Xia Qian Ge, right? Qian Ge…”
“Yes, what’s wrong, teacher?” Xia Qian Ge turned to look at Gu Zhi, her eyes still without a ripple.
“Nothing, just making a note. You’re welcome to come for a consultation. It’s quite deserted here.”
“Then we’ll be going now. Goodbye, teacher.”
“Goodbye.”
The lock clicked shut. Gu Zhi narrowed her eyes. She glanced at the untouched cup of tea on the table, her long, narrow eyebrows raised slightly, a hint of coldness destroying the gentle and harmless smile on her face.
