Chapter 45: Neroli
“How long has it been since we’ve seen each other?”
“Six years. Teacher, you’re as beautiful as ever.”
Two cups of hot black coffee sat on the table between them, the steam blurring their vision, obscuring each other’s outlines.
“Is that so? Still as beautiful as before?”
The corners of her long, narrow eyes curved into a gentle arc. Gu Zhi pursed her bright red lips, a smile melting into her eyes, breathtakingly beautiful.
Gu Zhi’s speech always gave people a warm, spring-like feeling, but she had upturned eyes, the long corners of her eyes slightly raised, like a bewitching white fox, captivating and soul-snatching, yet also with a hint of contradictory coldness.
“But I’m almost at the age where I’ll be called ‘auntie.’ Not like Xiao Yu. Six years, you’ve grown so tall, and you’ve become more and more… beautiful.”
Gu Zhi squinted slightly, as if studying Su Yu’s appearance, her slender fingertips gently brushing the mole beneath her eye, a single tear spreading on her fingertip.
“How embarrassing, I’m crying. I always miss the days when I taught you in elementary school. So much time has passed in the blink of an eye.”
Gu Zhi seemed very happy, a smile always in her eyes. It was unclear whether it was because she had seen Su Yu, or because she was reminiscing about the past. She tilted her long neck, her waterfall-like hair falling down, the slightly curled ends resting on the edge of the table. “Xiao Yu… have you ever thought of me?”
“I…”
Su Yu hesitated. He looked at Gu Zhi, the warm, yellow light of the coffee shop casting a glow on the walls. Gu Zhi sat in the shadows of the curtains, a serene smile on her face. It was so familiar… just like the first time he had met Gu Zhi. This elegant and dignified grace was enough to make anyone lower their guard.
“Did Gu Chuan say something to you?”
Gu Zhi frowned slightly, her tone turning cold. “Did he say… you should stay away from me?”
“No, Gu Chuan was just worried about me. He said your family is fighting for power and he’s afraid I’ll get involved. He didn’t mean anything else.”
Su Yu shook his head and still explained the reason. He was happy to see Gu Zhi, genuinely happy. The woman had been very good to him back then, truly good. If he had any regrets before his death, not being able to see Gu Zhi and thank her was one of them.
“Is that so…” Gu Zhi murmured softly, as if to herself. “Xiao Yu, why do you think I left back then?”
“Because of family matters?”
“Heh… yes, family matters.” Her long, curled eyelashes lowered, a hint of ruthlessness hidden in her eyes. “They said they wanted me to go back and take over, but they forced me to get married, to be a pawn on the gambling table.”
“Teacher, you…”
“Don’t call me teacher. Can you call me what you used to? Call me ‘sister.’ I like it when you call me that. It sounds closer.”
“Okay, sister.”
“Haha, so good.”
Gu Zhi smiled brightly, but seeing the slight reservation in Su Yu’s expression, the joy in her heart faded. “Xiao Yu, don’t worry. I’m not married yet. No one in the Gu family dares to control me now. You don’t have to avoid me.”
A faint blush appeared on Su Yu’s face. He quickly shook his head and explained, “I didn’t mean that. I just think it must have been hard for you all these years, being away from home, all alone at school.”
“That’s good. I was worried you would complain that I left so suddenly, without saying a proper goodbye.”
“How could I? I was still young back then. And… everything got better after junior high. I made a lot of friends.”
“I’m so happy for you. No wonder Xiao Yu is so popular now, surrounded by so many pretty girls.”
Gu Zhi’s lips curved, her tone teasing, like she was teasing a shy younger brother. But the end of her words was unconsciously emphasized, with a hint of barely perceptible coldness.
“Not at all. They’re just new friends I made in college.”
Su Yu smiled and replied, naturally taking it as a joke. He glanced at the time on his phone and suddenly remembered the friend request. He was almost certain that the woman in the bar was Gu Zhi. It was just that the bar was dark, and Gu Zhi’s makeup was completely different from her usual style. And they had been apart for so long, he hadn’t recognized her.
“A few days ago, sister, did you go to that bar near the school?”
“Of course I did. I was in a bad mood that day and had a little to drink.”
Gu Zhi’s answer was almost immediate. She gently slid open her phone on the table, found Su Yu in her contacts, and a tremor of a smile appeared in her eyes.
“Xiao Yu has changed so much, I didn’t even recognize you that day. I was going to contact you first, but then I worried that Xiao Yu might have completely forgotten me, so I thought it would be better to find you directly.”
“I’ve never seen you like that, sister. It just feels…” Su Yu searched for the right words in his mind, then paused before continuing, “An indescribable feeling. Cold… like a different person.”
“Is that so? So… Xiao Yu didn’t recognize me, and was asking other girls for their contact information? Naughty boy… you’ve learned bad habits.”
Gu Zhi’s tone wasn’t angry, but her reprimand was laced with the doting affection of an elder. The smile on her face grew wider, but it was a fragile smile, like a floating duckweed on water.
“Not at all. Sister, were you unhappy that day?” Su Yu ignored Gu Zhi’s joke and continued to ask.
“Yes, maybe I was really in a bad mood. I went on a blind date that day, arranged by my family. They’re always hoping I’ll get married, just so there’s one less person to compete with for the cake.”
“Don’t you like that person? Or… do you already have someone you like?”
“Of course I don’t like him. And I don’t want to get married yet. As for someone I like…”
Gu Zhi took a sip of her cooling coffee, licking her hot red lips, her tongue flickering. She exhaled a puff of coffee-scented air. Her eyes, with their beauty marks, swept over the boy’s unchanged features. The gentle allure in his eyes had faded slightly, but it was still the same, softening her hardened heart.
“I don’t know yet… maybe soon, or maybe I’ll never find him.”
“I don’t understand your world, you and Gu Chuan. But can’t you just… find a less crowded city and start a new life?”
“Of course I’ve thought about it. Sometimes I really want to be an ordinary person, teach in an elementary school, and live a simple life. It wouldn’t be so bad.”
Gu Zhi still held the boy in her dark eyes. She suppressed the urge to gently caress his eyes, her voice becoming somewhat hoarse. “But I can’t go back, Xiao Yu. I can’t go back anymore.”
“…”
Su Yu took a sip of his coffee. It was bitter… Gu Zhi had ordered black coffee. He used to drink coffee to stay awake at work, so he could handle it.
“See? Xiao Yu has grown up. When you secretly drank my coffee back then, you cried because it was so bitter. Now you don’t even blink.”
A smile slowly spread across Gu Zhi’s face, the cold blade turned inwards, hidden away, not to be shown to others.
“Um… it’s getting late, and I have class this afternoon. Let’s talk again when we have time.”
“Okay~ I’ll be waiting for you. I’ll treat you to something good next time.” Gu Zhi nodded in agreement, her demeanor truly like that of a doting older sister.
Leaving the dimly lit coffee shop, the bright midday sun made Su Yu squint.
The fragrant coffee scent on his clothes had just faded when another scent wafted up from behind him.
“Goodbye, Xiao Yu. I had a lot of fun today.”
Gu Zhi quietly hugged Su Yu from behind, her arms wrapped around his chest, her cheek resting gently in the crook of his neck. She had a very familiar scent, the same perfume she used to wear.
The scent of neroli was fresh and gentle, making one feel at ease in her gentleness without being cloying.
“You…”
Su Yu pulled away from Gu Zhi’s not-so-tight embrace and took a few steps back, seemingly startled by her actions.
“I’m sorry, I scared you. I thought it was like before.” Gu Zhi’s eyes were filled with deep apology, and she kept apologizing. “I didn’t realize Xiao Yu has grown up. I’m sorry, I’m really sorry.”
“It’s okay, it was just a bit sudden. But… we shouldn’t do this anymore. After all, you’re a girl, sister. It wouldn’t look good if someone saw us.”
“Mm-hmm, it won’t happen again.” Gu Zhi lowered her eyelashes and nodded.
“Then… I’m leaving. I have to get to class. Goodbye.”
Su Yu turned and left, even quickening his pace. He felt something was off but couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Was it because they had been apart for so long? He could only explain this suddenness this way.
…
The sun was still bright and dazzling.
Gu Zhi just watched as Su Yu left, until he disappeared from sight. The smile still lingered on her lips, but it was a chilling smile.
He’s really grown up…
