Chapter 17: The Little Pitiful One Eats – 2

With Mu Zhilan serving as Su Nanfeng’s reins, this mediation meeting went incredibly smoothly.

Per the capitalist wishes of Su Tianyu, the original plan was to ruin Gu Jing’s reputation completely and leave her with nothing. But no one knew exactly what Mu Zhilan said to persuade her. In the end, the incident concluded with Su Nanfeng apologizing to Gu Xizhou in front of the entire school.

The Su family and Mu Zhilan compensated Gu Xizhou and her mother two million. Gu Jing took 1.5 million of it to establish an Anti-Bullying Foundation.

This foundation was placed under Mu Zhilan’s name, serving as a warning from a negligent mother, and also providing assistance to children who couldn’t protect themselves.

Due to this gesture, Su Group’s stock price recovered slightly.

Mu Zhilan had used her own reputation and actions to protect her good name. This meant that if Su Nanfeng ever did such a thing again, she would drag her mother’s name through the mud for eternity.

Gu Xizhou received the apology she deserved. This resolution left everyone satisfied.

Only Su Nanfeng was left seething with frustration.

After the storm caused by this event passed, Mu Zhilan, ignoring Su Tianyu’s cold stares, forcibly installed a female alpha bodyguard by Su Nanfeng’s side to supervise her. She made sure Su Nanfeng attended school from morning till evening, checked her homework, and ensured she caused no further trouble.

A major incident blown up right at the start of the semester—after a week of upheaval, the freshmen’s lives finally got on track, and their military training began.

———

In the modern era, to build students’ character, the government had enacted regulations requiring all high schools and higher education institutions to send their incoming freshmen to a nearby military base during their first month for a two-week closed training session.

Every year on September 1st, No. 1 High School sent its over 800 new students to the military base on Petrel Island.

In 0820’s experience, the two-week high school military training was one of her absolute nightmares.

The reason was simple: the training here was incredibly inhumane. They slept in large communal barracks, and students had to hand-wash their own clothes. Su Nanfeng, as a Missy, naturally would never do her own laundry.

Nor would her lackeys. For two whole weeks, on top of her own training, Gu Xizhou had the added responsibility of washing Su Nanfeng and Ding Yi’s dirty laundry.

She was often delayed so long that she couldn’t get enough sleep and was always late. This caused the class to lose too many points, and gradually, her classmates turned against her.

The fact that she had no classmates looking out for her during her three years of high school was 100% Su Nanfeng’s fault.

Later, when Gu Xizhou seized the Su family assets, she conveniently bankrupted Ding Yi’s family. That sycophantic follower of Su Nanfeng ended up saddled with debt. Gu Xizhou shipped her off to clear land on some black soil farm abroad.

Word was, Ding Yi was tilling the soil every day now, enjoying the simple joys of earning a living through hard work.

Recalling these youthful incidents put 0820 in a rather foul mood.

But residing in 1022’s subconscious, it felt as if she could experience it all over again and make up for the regrets of her youth.

Little Gu Xizhou was unusually enthusiastic about military training too. The night before, she packed a heap of things, stuffing them relentlessly into her small suitcase.

Watching her, 0820 sighed: “You don’t need that much. Just bring a few extra sets of disposable underwear and some inner T-shirts.”

“Anyway, you haven’t developed yet, still a tiny bean sprout. You don’t even need to bring a bra.”

The little bean sprout was quite indignant. She bit her lip, puffed out her cheeks, and pressed her neatly folded clothes into the suitcase, muttering as she did: “I will grow!”

“I will get taller too.”

Probably not to Mother Gu Jing’s height of over 1.8 meters, but reaching over 1.7 meters was still possible.

Seeing her so eager, 0820 couldn’t help but think: Should she adjust her height parameter later? Make her 1.8 meters or something.

If it could make her Zhiyi believe this world had changed, then the height aspect should also show some variation, shouldn’t it?

Chatting with little Gu Xizhou while packing in the evening made 0820 start feeling like a teenager of sixteen or seventeen, full of anticipation for the next day’s military training.

The next day, Gu Xizhou woke up very early. She dragged her suitcase to school, assembled with the others, and under the guidance of Class 17’s homeroom teacher, Song Qiao, boarded the bus heading for Petrel Island.

A chaotic crowd of rowdy kids. Song Qiao shouted instructions through a megaphone: “After you get on the bus, sit in order according to your student ID numbers! Don’t leave empty seats and don’t switch seats randomly!”

The students were noisy and making a racket, completely ignoring Song Qiao’s words.

Song Qiao got a bit anxious. She raised her voice and yelled through the megaphone: “Did you all hear what the teacher just said?!”

Only then did the class of rowdy kids turn their heads in unison to look at their slender homeroom teacher and shout back clearly: “Yes!”

Before long, the classes ahead had boarded their buses. It was Class 17’s turn to board.

Following the seating arrangement by height, short little Gu Xizhou stored her luggage first, boarded ahead of others, and found her seat corresponding to her student ID number.

Students trickled in steadily, filling over half the bus. Just then, Su Zhiyi, steadying herself on the seatbacks, made her way to Gu Xizhou’s side.

The tall girl’s figure blocked part of her view. Gu Xizhou looked up and met Su Zhiyi’s gaze, both of them slightly surprised.

“Ah… you’re number 21.”

Student IDs were sorted by entrance exam scores. Lately, Su Zhiyi had been preoccupied with correcting and guiding Su Nanfeng, paying little attention to her own registration info.

Seeing Gu Xizhou now, she was truly a bit surprised.

Gu Xizhou was also a bit stunned. She nodded: “Mm.”

Su Zhiyi broke into a smile, her eyes curving into crescent moons: “I’m number 22.”

Gu Xizhou understood what she meant. She shifted her legs outward slightly, gesturing for Su Zhiyi to take the seat inside.

Number 22 was the window seat. But Su Zhiyi didn’t immediately slide in. Instead, she thoughtfully asked: “Do you get motion sickness? If you do, let’s switch seats; you can sit by the window.”

Just as Gu Xizhou was about to say she didn’t, 0820 spoke up: “I suggest you swap with Su Zhiyi. Two and a half hours on the bus, I’m afraid you’ll be sick to death.”

Gu Xizhou ignored 0820 and resolutely made way for Su Zhiyi: “Thank you for the offer, but the teacher said to sit by number. Go on in.”

“Alright.” Su Zhiyi didn’t insist further. She sidestepped past Gu Xizhou and settled into the window seat.

The moment she sat down, Gu Xizhou felt as if someone had placed a huge bouquet of cherries right beside her, the fruity fragrance rich and incredibly enticing.

How could someone smell so good? Did Su Zhiyi not use a suppressant patch?

But if she hadn’t, the scent would surely be even stronger right now.

Sitting beside her, Gu Xizhou felt as if she were being steeped in that fragrance.

Her mind wandered aimlessly. After fastening her seatbelt, Su Zhiyi turned to ask her: “How’s your body been lately? Feeling any better?”

Only then did Gu Xizhou snap back to reality. She looked at Su Zhiyi blankly: “Ah, I’m fine now.”

Su Zhiyi didn’t seem quite convinced, scrutinizing her pale, thin little face: “Your complexion still looks a bit off-color. Have you not been eating or sleeping well?”

Her expression of concern was so obvious, it made Gu Xizhou’s heart thump wildly.

Gu Xizhou bit her lip lightly, hesitating for a moment before asking: “Don’t you mind?”

Su Zhiyi was baffled: “Mind what?”

Gu Xizhou thought for a second and continued: “That whole thing with your sister, and how your family got dragged into it. Don’t you mind?”

The self-defense measures she’d taken had obviously been extreme, even dragging Su Zhiyi into being scrutinized and judged by odd looks at school and online these past few days.

How could Su Zhiyi care about her so openly?

Even a good heart had to have its limits.

The adolescent awkwardness was so obvious. Su Zhiyi paused for a moment before finally breaking into a gentle smile and looking at Gu Xizhou seriously: “Well, how about you? Don’t you mind?”

“I’m Su Nanfeng’s twin sister—won’t you hate me because of that?”