Chapter 46: Gashapon Machine and Divination

Cui Can sat at the long table in the small classroom brimming with artistic elegance. Calligraphy works of all sizes adorned the walls—some belonging to teachers, others to students.

Her voice suddenly rose sharply. “You only just found out!”

Zhao Chiyun was slightly startled by her shout.

Last night, she had wanted to ask Gan Xun again, but after mulling it over, she decided that rather than hearing it and still not believing, it was better to ask Cui Can directly.

Cui Can’s temperament was straightforward, and she always treated her with courtesy—it wouldn’t do to deceive or coax her.

Hearing this exclamation was already the best answer.

She lightly revealed a smiling face.

“Otherwise what.” Cui Can swung her half-dangling leg. She herself hadn’t held back on the teasing before—Gan Xun had gotten scared and forbidden her from saying more. Who would have thought Zhao Chiyun hadn’t taken any of it to heart.

“You two have been living under the same roof for so long, yet you still needed her to tell you herself before you knew she had no interest in men.”

“She must be so—proper and reserved around you usually.”

Cui Can’s teasing words reached the tip of her tongue before she swallowed them back, forcing a turn mid-sentence. She didn’t dare speak freely in front of Zhao Chiyun.

Zhao Chiyun treated people politely, nothing like the occasional complaints Gan Xun vented in messages about her being arrogant and bound by rules.

But whether smiling or not, she always carried an air of detachment.

Perhaps because she came from another era, it was hard for anyone to get close to the real her.

Cui Can half-sat casually on the table, a bit taller than Zhao Chiyun, but Zhao Chiyun didn’t even raise her head. She merely lifted her eyes slightly while speaking, her well-contained aura spilling out unintentionally.

Her posture was elegantly noble, standing ramrod straight without so much as leaning against the edge of the table.

Cui Can subconsciously hunched forward to chat with her.

Zhao Chiyun did not forget to uphold Gan Xun’s reputation in public. “She is naturally a person who observes propriety.”

With that, she took another small sip of water.

Cui Can was skeptical. If it was true, she seriously suspected Gan Xun was asexual pretending to be a lesbian.

Zhao Chiyun looked like this!

A smudge of red stained the mouth of the mineral water bottle. She gently wiped it with a piece of paper, the bright red on the paper contrasting sharply with her jade-like white fingers.

Her expression was composed, her lush brows and eyes outlined by light makeup into the shape of new crescent moons on willow tips.

Cui Can could well imagine how pleasurable it must have been for Gan Xun to apply her makeup—sharing meals and bed every day with such a great beauty, it would be hard to stay rational.

Yet here was Zhao Chiyun, seeking confirmation from her on whether Gan Xun liked women.

Cui Can’s curiosity piqued. She leaned forward even more. “Then why did she suddenly tell you yesterday?”

Zhao Chiyun paused briefly before selecting a relatively easy-to-explain reason. “Because I first told her that I admire women.”

“Pfft—cough cough cough!”

Cui Can successfully choked on the water she’d forgotten to swallow.

Zhao Chiyun was startled by the commotion. She quickly stepped back half a pace before realizing it was improper and stepping forward again to pull a few sheets of paper from the table for her.

Cui Can finally caught her breath and wiped her mouth clean. Her eyes bulged wide. “You too? Real or fake?”

Seeing Zhao Chiyun nod, she perked up. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? Actually, I spotted clues even without you saying.”

“Did you like them before, or did you bend after coming here—gradually, while hanging out with us—like Lan Xiaoxi?”

At the mention of “Lan Xiaoxi,” Zhao Chiyun paused slightly, though her expression remained unchanged. “I’ve liked them since before.”

“That’s perfect then. Let me ask you quietly—do you like Gan Xun…”

The sound of the door being pushed open interrupted them. Gan Xun poked her head in and met two pairs of eyes staring straight at her. They didn’t look like they were discussing anything serious.

A chill ran down her spine. “What are you two chatting about?”

Zhao Chiyun and Cui Can shook their heads in unison. “Nothing.”

Gan Xun grew even more alarmed.

The midday sun blazed blindingly white as the three of them headed out to eat.

While Cui Can went to fetch the car, Gan Xun held an umbrella over Zhao Chiyun and asked again. “What were you chatting about with Cui Can earlier?”

“You two seem even closer after that talk.”

Zhao Chiyun gazed into the distance at streets and buildings she’d never even seen in her dreams before. “You have quite the curiosity.”

“It’s that your secrets keep piling up.”

Gan Xun lightly flicked the hand dangling at Zhao Chiyun’s side. When it was dodged, she added, “You still haven’t shown me the photos from yesterday.”

Zhao Chiyun looked at her. Through the sunglasses lenses, a thin sheen of sweat beaded on her forehead—sun-kissed, clean, and healthy.

“Want to see?”

“Yes.”

Zhao Chiyun pulled out her phone from the canvas bag and opened the photo album on her own. She found the one Gan Xun wanted. “Since it’s weighing on your mind so much, you’re permitted one look.”

The photo showed a pure white little cat with its belly pressed to the tiles, seeking shade under the glass window outside the restaurant.

Somehow it had noticed Zhao Chiyun and turned its head, staring adorably in a daze at the lens.

Gan Xun praised it. “Super cute shot.”

Zhao Chiyun made a gesture to swipe back but didn’t actually pull up the next photo. Instead, she wore a suspenseful expression. “There’s more. Want to see?”

“I do.”

“What will you trade me for it?”

Gan Xun eyed her. She ate her food, wore her clothes, even used her phone—what could she possibly offer in exchange?

“Lunch is on me.”

Sure enough, Zhao Chiyun let out a scoff. “Arranging this County Princess’s meal is your good fortune.”

Really, if she weren’t so pretty, she’d be easy to smack.

“Fine then. Considering your poverty, I’ll reward you with a look.”

She switched to the next photo—a selfie angle. But the selfie-taker, Zhao Chiyun, only showed one coolly indifferent eye. Most of the frame was given to what was behind her.

At the table not far away, Gan Xun faced a man in a black suit, gesturing animatedly by her face with a smile so radiant it could have melted the tiles beneath the little cat.

Better not to have seen it.

Gan Xun didn’t think she’d looked that happy at the time. “Grasping at shadows. Why’d you take this?”

“Your first time accompanying me on a blind date…” Zhao Chiyun pocketed the phone. “Naturally, it must be commemorated—to etch that day’s mood in memory.”

The car pulled up. Zhao Chiyun strode straight over, opened the door, and got in.

Cui Can turned the AC down a notch and asked casually, “What were you chatting about? You’re sweating bullets.”

“Nothing.”

“Her blind date thing.”

Gan Xun: “…”

Why was there no rapport with her?

It was disheartening—true disheartening wasn’t from big arguments.

She began to blush.

Gan Xun didn’t hide it from her. Cui Can knew about the matter and knew the man who’d been introduced was an illegitimate son. Gan Hua, that old coot, had plenty of disgusting tricks up his sleeve.

She didn’t just curse Gan Hua a hundred times in her heart—she even used her dedicated anti-Gan Hua alt account on his carefully curated platform to poke holes in his self-contradictory “classic quotes.”

She’d gotten blocked for it.

But hearing it from Zhao Chiyun’s mouth was hilarious. Gan Xun was doomed later.

“Hahahahahahaha, was the male guest good-looking?”

Zhao Chiyun stared at the streetscape flashing by outside the window. “Average looks.”

Cui Can laughed. “Hahahaha, then he definitely wasn’t as good-looking as you, right, Gan Xun?”

Gan Xun yawned. “Forgot what he even looked like. No memorable features.”

Cui Can’s laughter continued to disturb the peace.

Gan Xun summed it up. “Hardly any men here are worth looking at anyway.”

Zhao Chiyun said, “I haven’t seen any here. Back in the Mirror Country, my brother would count as a handsome man. He takes after my Father King—sword brows and star eyes, heroic and extraordinary.”

Cui Can tsked. “Sounds like your whole family is full of stunners. No envying that.”

Gan Xun turned to look back. In the rear seat, Zhao Chiyun sat with her legs crossed, her gaze fixed out the window—profound and quiet.

Gan Xun knew she was missing home again.

A sense of powerlessness welled up. It wasn’t that she disliked Zhao Chiyun missing home—she simply didn’t know how to help.

Because of her own helplessness, the Zhao Chiyun right now seemed separated from her by an entire spacetime.

No matter how fast the car went, it couldn’t take Zhao Chiyun to the place she truly longed for.

After lunch, as they passed the gashapon machines at the mall, Zhao Chiyun stopped in her tracks.

The colorful little trinkets from various series inside caught her interest.

Gan Xun stood behind her. “Like one? Let’s twist for it.”

“With no one around, how do we retrieve it from the cabinet?”

Cui Can explained step by step. “Scan the code, turn it, and one drops randomly from the machine.”

Zhao Chiyun immediately grasped the implication. “In other words, it depends on fate. I can’t guarantee it’ll be the one I want.”

“Exactly—like marriage.” Cui Can couldn’t resist drawing a parallel.

Zhao Chiyun fell abruptly silent.

Gan Xun poked Cui Can from behind. This girl’s mouth really ran ahead of her brain, but the upside was that Zhao Chiyun might not be in a rush to go home for a while.

She took the initiative to scan the code. “Whatever. Let’s just play one and test my luck.”

Zhao Chiyun’s fingertip tapped lightly on the glass. She asked very sincerely, “Can’t we just buy them all?”

Gan Xun didn’t hesitate. “No. We mustn’t lose our ambition to playthings.”

It wasn’t really about the money.

Zhao Chiyun held back a pout and pointed at the pink one. “I only want this one. The rest are mediocre—yours if they come out.”

Watching Gan Xun pay, Zhao Chiyun turned the knob under guidance, her expression solemn as if performing a divination ritual, awaiting heaven’s fated answer.

The plastic ball clanged down. Gan Xun bent over to pick it up and hand it to her.

Zhao Chiyun slowly peeled off the plastic seal, opened the ball, and tore open the packaging bag.

Gan Xun and Cui Can both crowded in close.

Fate played its tricks—it wasn’t the one she wanted.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Chiyun said, “Very well.”

Seeing her disappointment, Gan Xun immediately offered, “Let’s do another one.”

Zhao Chiyun had no gambler’s mentality. “No need. We mustn’t lose our ambition to playthings.”

Cui Can chimed in. “Then let me give it a twist. If it’s the pink one, it’s yours. The rest are mine.”

In the end, the pair of little toys from her twists both ended up on Cui Can’s desk.

While Zhao Chiyun practiced in the classroom, Cui Can seized the chance to chat with Gan Xun. “Why haven’t you told me about your progress?”

Gan Xun didn’t deny it. “Your slippers didn’t explain themselves to me either.”

“A friend of a friend. Love at first sight over dinner. Simple as that. Your turn.”

Gan Xun said, “We actually haven’t made any progress.”

“Boring. Don’t you know she used to like women?”

“Now a fourth person knows so quickly!”

Cui Can was baffled. “What fourth person?”

Gan Xun shook her head. “Never mind. Anyway, we just confessed to each other mutually, but we haven’t decided on anything. She still wants to go home, and I hope she does soon too.”

“So you don’t want to pursue her?”

Gan Xun fell silent for a long time. “I don’t.”

Cui Can nodded in understanding and respect. A moment later, she suddenly asked, “Have you two kissed?”

Gan Xun scratched her earlobe. “Mm.”

Cui Can clapped. “Nice one. She’s truly a person who observes propriety.”

“What?”

“Not important!”

Since Zhao Chiyun didn’t have a WeChat account yet, Gan Xun was temporarily using hers to join groups and receive various work messages on her behalf.

Back home, while Zhao Chiyun was looking at the group messages on Gan Xun’s phone, Lan Xiaoxi’s message popped up. She instinctively tapped into it.

[Lan Xiaoxi: Next week is my birthday. I’d love to invite you and Teacher Zhao to come hang out—reserving spots in advance.]

The message before that, sent prior to being blocked: [I just want to pursue you. You can take your time considering. If you don’t have anyone you like, what’s wrong with choosing me?]

It was said to have been sent in a drunken haze one day.

Later, she’d apologized through Cui Can. Gan Xun had said she forgave her but saw no need for further contact.

Zhao Chiyun said nothing more and handed the phone back to the embarrassed Gan Xun.

“Sorry. I saw your past by accident.”