Chapter 21: The Little Pitiful One’s Military Training – 1

Even with the motion sickness medicine, Little Gu Xizhou was still terribly dizzy for the rest of the journey. Seeing her furrowed brows and miserable expression, Su Zhiyi took the initiative to offer her shoulder for her to lean on.

Gu Xizhou was currently under 1.6 meters, while Su Zhiyi was about ten centimeters taller. A short person leaning on a tall one was naturally more comfortable.

With someone supporting her, Gu Xizhou slept very soundly, almost to the point of drooling.

Stored within her consciousness, 0820 experienced everything in this world through her senses.

The car traveled along the asphalt road by the coastline, passing through gusts of sea breeze as it entered Petrel Island. The sounds, the smells, the temperature of the skin—all of this constructed a vivid, living world…

Twenty years ago, when humanity had built the virtual reality networks, they had already successfully constructed a “real world.” Perhaps due to algorithm changes, 0820 felt this world was more real than any before it.

Especially the Su Zhiyi beside her.

As Gu Xizhou leaned against her, deep in sleep, she felt the continuous warmth radiating from the other’s body, mixed with the cool draft from the air conditioner overhead. She couldn’t help but feel this was Su Zhiyi, still alive.

If parallel worlds existed, perhaps in one of them, a Su Zhiyi had chosen to come to No. 1 High School, had met Gu Xizhou on the bus by chance, had chosen to believe her, protect her, and together stay away from Su Nanfeng.

But such a possibility was only one in a billion.

Perhaps it was precisely because the possibility was so infinitesimal that 0820 felt it must be her Zhiyi, choosing to help her.

She firmly believed that this time around, it was her Zhiyi, hidden beneath the shell of this young “body” beside her.

But… what could she do to make that person emerge?

Su Zhiyi’s subconscious was closed off to 0820. From the moment she chose to jump off that building, it proved she couldn’t continue living amidst the betrayal, exploitation, and torment from the one she deeply loved.

0820 understood this clearly, but she was unwilling to accept it, unwilling to give up. The little happiness she’d had in her life was just that small amount. Su Zhiyi clearly loved her so much, so why wouldn’t she let her have it?

If they could keep each other company, interact, achieve a good ending in this way… then would Su Zhiyi be able to let herself off the hook, forgive her, and return to their original world?

Should she just let things run their natural course for now and observe how 1022 Gu Xizhou and 1022 Su Zhiyi developed?

It seemed that 1022 Su Zhiyi had no intention of distancing herself from Gu Xizhou. This meant Little Zhiyi had developed a certain fondness and goodwill for Little Xizhou.

Worth keeping an eye on.

——

The bus soon passed through the Peninsula Highway and entered the enclosed Petrel Island, arriving at the destination.

Su Zhiyi patted Gu Xizhou’s shoulder. “Gu Xizhou… Gu Xizhou…”

Half-asleep, Gu Xizhou raised her head from Su Zhiyi’s shoulder, rubbing her eyes. The students around them were all picking up their backpacks and getting off the bus one after another. Seeing she wasn’t quite awake, Su Zhiyi leaned close to her shoulder and said softly, “We’re here, let’s get off.”

“Mm…”

Gu Xizhou rubbed her face, hugged her backpack, and stood up, stumbling slightly as she left her seat.

Su Zhiyi quickly steadied her. “Careful.”

Gu Xizhou bumped right into her shoulder and instinctively looked up at her.

Perhaps it was the strong sea breeze, but Gu Xizhou felt the sunlight today was exceptionally gentle. “I’ll help you off the bus.”

Su Zhiyi smiled, shallow and light, not so openly radiant, but it was the kind of smile Gu Xizhou “remembered” her having. Yet it was more dazzling than any ray of light.

Gu Xizhou’s head went completely blank. She didn’t even know where to put her hands and feet.

Su Zhiyi held her by the arm, half-carrying her off the bus in this manner. Her head was heavy, her feet light, her whole body felt like it was floating. Stepping down the last stair from the bus, Gu Xizhou tripped and pitched forward toward the ground.

Luckily, Su Zhiyi was reliable. She braced Gu Xizhou’s shoulders with both hands and stopped her fall. “You okay?”

Gu Xizhou’s ears were red. She jumped off the bus herself and shook her head. “I’m fine.”

She just had a racing heartbeat and felt numb all over.

The students of Class 17 were all moving luggage. Not many people noticed this small interlude. Su Nanfeng, who had disembarked earlier, was bringing Ding Yi along to find Su Zhiyi when she witnessed this scene.

Su Nanfeng’s eyes widened instantly, and she raised her voice: “Zhiyi!”

Su Zhiyi and Gu Xizhou both turned their heads to look. Seeing Su Nanfeng standing not far away, the color drained from Gu Xizhou’s face somewhat.

Su Zhiyi, on the other hand, as if innately knowing Gu Xizhou wasn’t comfortable seeing Su Nanfeng, moved to shield her behind herself. She was puzzled. “Nanfeng… what are you doing here?”

Ever since her true nature was exposed to her sister and mother, Su Nanfeng had been incredibly well-behaved lately, striving to be a “good child.”

She walked over to Su Zhiyi’s side with Ding Yi, speaking attentively. “Your luggage is so heavy, I was afraid you couldn’t pull it, so I came to help you with it.”

Su Nanfeng’s arrival was like a piece of dog shit dropped onto a clean patch of ground. The students who weren’t far from Su Zhiyi consciously gave them a wide berth, clearing a space around them.

Su Zhiyi immediately noticed this subtle change.

She looked at the faint hint of excessive eagerness radiating from her older sister and sighed. “My things aren’t heavy. I can pull it myself.”

Rejected by her, Su Nanfeng’s eyes instantly turned cold. She was a bit displeased.

Ding Yi, the bootlicker, quickly said: “Sister Zhiyi, Nanfeng is just concerned about you…”

Su Zhiyi swept her gaze over the two of them and asked flatly: “Nanfeng, if you help me with my luggage, then who will take yours?”

Su Nanfeng hurriedly said: “A classmate from my class is helping me with it.”

Behind her, Gu Xizhou rolled her eyes, thinking: It’s absolutely not that someone was eager to help you. You’re just bullying people again.

She glanced at Su Nanfeng with disgust, turned around, and went to pull out her own suitcase.

At that moment, Su Zhiyi scolded Su Nanfeng: “Military training is meant to strengthen individual will. Do your own things yourself. Nanfeng, go get your own luggage. I don’t need your help.”

Towards Su Nanfeng, Su Zhiyi had recently been as cold and merciless as ice and snow.

Su Zhiyi paid no attention to what Su Nanfeng thought. She shook her off, turned, and went to pull out her own luggage.

Coincidentally, Gu Xizhou had just pulled out the last suitcase and set it beside the bus. Su Zhiyi walked over, saw that solid black 30-inch suitcase, and was very grateful. “Thanks.”

Gu Xizhou looked at her own small 20-inch suitcase, then at the large, pitch-black monster next to it, and was somewhat speechless. “This is yours?”

Su Zhiyi had already placed her hand on the suitcase’s handle, ready to pull it up. “Mm, it’s mine. What about it?”

Gu Xizhou shook her head, thinking: Nothing. She just wondered what was packed inside for it to be so much.

0820, feeling that she wasn’t living up to expectations, cursed her: “What’s wrong with a little fairy’s suitcase being a bit heavy, having a bit more stuff!”

“And you, aren’t you an Alpha? You just slept the whole way resting on her shoulder, and now you aren’t going to help?!”

Gu Xizhou, scolded into silence, didn’t think for long before placing her hand on Su Zhiyi’s suitcase and looking up at her. “Let’s switch suitcases.”

“Yours is really heavy, hard to pull. But since I’m short, it might be easier for me to push.”

Su Zhiyi looked at her with some surprise. Little Gu Xizhou’s face was flushed red, as if she had mustered every ounce of courage in her life. “You helped me just now. Now I’ll help you, how about that?”

Oh dear, it felt like if she refused, the other girl definitely wouldn’t accept her help again in the future.

And her blushing face… like an apple, so cute.

Su Zhiyi’s mind spun for a moment. She didn’t think long before cheerfully agreeing. “Alright, then I’ll leave it to you.”

She bent down, pulled up the handle of Gu Xizhou’s suitcase, and easily walked forward.

Relieved, Gu Xizhou grabbed the 30-inch behemoth with one hand and pushed it along the asphalt road with the other.

Nearby, Su Nanfeng was fuming mad. She simply couldn’t understand and pointed at Gu Xizhou, hopping in frustration. “Zhiyi, why wouldn’t you let me help, but you let that shorty Gu Xizhou do it?”

Su Zhiyi stopped and swept her gaze over her, her tone cold. “Nanfeng, are you tall?”

Su Nanfeng didn’t react for a moment. “…”

Su Zhiyi said unkindly: “Why do you like giving people nicknames so much? What kind of bad habit is that?”

Su Nanfeng was at a loss for words. “I’m not… I didn’t…”

Su Zhiyi couldn’t be bothered to deal with her. “Go get your own suitcase quickly. My class is about to assemble. I’m not talking to you anymore.”

Su Nanfeng, furious and frustrated, ground her molars so hard her jaw ached. Following behind Su Zhiyi, Gu Xizhou pushed the suitcase, burying her head as she walked forward. Hearing Su Nanfeng stomping her feet, she felt a burst of secret glee.

She and 0820 simultaneously ridiculed in their minds: Serves you right!