Chapter 51: Little Pitiful One Grows Taller – 5

For most students, high school life is simple, unadorned, and tedious.

By the second official week of school, Gu Xizhou began going to the boxing club at Yan Qing’s family home to train.

She arrived at the boxing gym every night at six, trained until around eight, ate dinner, and then went home.

0820 was very happy about her learning free combat, and the frequency of its daily nagging decreased.

Her life proceeded step by step. Led by Yan Qing, she also got to know quite a few friends. However, because of her start-of-term events and the military training, she still habitually kept people at a distance.

The reason was simple: she couldn’t get along with those people the way she did with Su Zhiyi and Yan Qing. She always felt these classmates would mock her behind her back.

0820 called this her “Middle School Shadow.”

Not long after, the class held elections for class officers. With their sky-high popularity, Su Zhiyi and Yan Qing were successfully elected as Class President and Deputy Class Monitor.

Su Zhiyi was the President, Yan Qing the Deputy.

After they became class presidents, the rumors about Su Zhiyi and Gu Xizhou gradually subsided, replaced by gossip about Yan Qing and Su Zhiyi.

After all, in student life, the Class President and Deputy Class Monitor were the real pairing to root for.

By the time Yan Qing learned of this rumor, it was already mid-October.

As autumn deepened, the weather turned cold, and students all wore coats over their school uniforms.

During lunch, Gu Xizhou, wearing a light gray duffle coat, sat in a corner eating with Yan Qing.

Yan Qing grumbled between bites, “I just don’t know what goes on in these people’s heads. Day after day, it’s all prime-time soap opera dramas—gossip triangles, horizontally and vertically.”

Gu Xizhou smiled, comforting her, “People are just talking, it’s nothing.”

But Yan Qing felt somewhat uncomfortable. She glanced cautiously at Gu Xizhou and asked, “Then… you don’t mind?”

Gu Xizhou didn’t catch on. “Mind what?”

She was truly too naive, and younger than most classmates, looking completely harmless.

Yan Qing really couldn’t fathom how people could fabricate something as outrageous as “Su Zhiyi had an abortion for her.”

If they just looked at Gu Xizhou’s face, they’d know how much she resembled a child!

Something as stupid as Su Zhiyi taking advantage of a minor was even more believable than that rumor.

Yan Qing calmed herself and, without much tact, said directly, “I thought you liked Su Zhiyi.”

If Gu Xizhou liked Su Zhiyi, she would probably mind the rumors about Yan Qing and Su Zhiyi somewhat, right?

Gu Xizhou paused, then, as if to cover up, picked up a spare rib and said to Yan Qing, “Oh, that. No, I don’t mind.”

“Su Zhiyi is very good, and you’re very good too. If you both like each other, then what’s the problem?”

They were just some unrealistic, ethereal rumors. What stance, what right did she have to say she minded? That would be too alpha-centric, too self-delusional.

Yan Qing raised a long eyebrow, teasing, “Not bad, you’re a sensible alpha.”

Gu Xizhou smiled but didn’t speak.

The last class of the afternoon was a self-study period. The two class presidents were called to a Student Council meeting.

The meeting lasted twenty minutes. Returning before the end of class, the two presidents brought back a stack of sign-up sheets and announced to the classmates that the autumn sports meet would be held in early November.

Since No. 1 High School had a large student body, the sports meet would last three days. The students cheered.

In addition, the Student Council was organizing some kind of sports meet board newspaper competition, requiring each class to submit a hand-drawn board newspaper for the school publication column.

After Su Zhiyi finished explaining, she raised her head and looked towards the girl with short, shoulder-length hair and a soft temperament sitting in the corner of the second row. She said gently, “Shiyun, can you handle the board newspaper?”

“Ah…” Ding Shiyun, who had been called by name, was the class Publicity Committee Member. At Su Zhiyi’s call, her cheeks flushed slightly. She nodded and murmured, “Yes, I can.”

Su Zhiyi made the decision with a smile, “Then I’ll leave the board newspaper matter to you.”

The matter was thus arranged. The next morning, the Sports Committee Member took a stack of registration forms and went around looking for classmates to sign up.

Gu Xizhou was also approached. Seeing her small frame, the member didn’t expect her to contribute much to the class and tapped the form, saying, “How about a token 400-meter run?”

Gu Xizhou scanned the list, noticed no one had signed up for the 3000-meter long-distance run, and reached out to poke the column on the form. “I can run this.”

The Sports Committee Member was surprised. “Wouldn’t have guessed! You’re that tough?”

Just then, Yan Qing came up from behind and draped an arm over Gu Xizhou’s shoulder, grinning. “Don’t underestimate our Xizhou. Our Xizhou is the kind of hardcore person who can get up at 5:30 every morning and run for an hour.”

Learning free combat required good physical fitness, and consistent long-distance running was essential.

Gu Xizhou’s face flushed from the praise. She smiled modestly. “Not really, I just have endurance.”

Hearing Yan Qing’s words, the Sports Committee Member readily wrote Gu Xizhou’s name behind the 3000m event, saying cheerfully, “Alright then, I’ll have the Class President be your receptionist when the time comes.”

Yan Qing gave the Sports Committee Member a thumbs up, praising, “Smooth.”

The two seemed to share a secret code. Gu Xizhou understood but also didn’t fully grasp it, her face staying a constant shade of red.

Living a normal school life was truly precious. In the evening, Gu Xizhou took the subway with Yan Qing to train at the boxing club.

Because Gu Xizhou was Yan Qing’s classmate, ever since Gu Xizhou arrived at the club, Yan Qing’s mother, knowing her daughter’s situation, had also sternly demanded Yan Qing start learning boxing—so the girl could protect herself.

Every night, both of them were worked to exhaustion by the old instructors inside the gym.

Training until eight o’clock, Gu Xizhou changed clothes, shouldered her bag, and walked out of the boxing gym. Unexpectedly, near a bus stop about a hundred meters away, she spotted a familiar figure.

The late autumn night was very cold. The person, wearing a cream-colored coat and carrying a bunch of things, stood in front of the bus stop.

The girl’s waterfall-like black hair scattered over her shoulders. The glow of the streetlights fell, casting a layer of soft light.

Looking at her fair and delicate profile, Gu Xizhou felt she recognized her, yet was afraid to confirm.

0820 urged in her ear, “Hurry and go see if it’s her!”

Gu Xizhou was also a bit excited. Since starting boxing practice with Yan Qing, things like that day she ran into Su Zhiyi outside school and Su Zhiyi had accompanied her to the subway entrance were hard to come by.

She couldn’t help quickening her pace. When she was about three or four steps away, she tentatively called out, “Su Zhiyi!”

The person she called stopped and reflexively turned her head, looking towards her in the dim light. Her eyes were bright, full of surprise. “Gu Xizhou…”

Gu Xizhou’s eyes instantly crinkled in a smile. She quickly walked to Su Zhiyi’s side, unable to hide her delight. “What are you doing here?”

Su Zhiyi was also a little surprised to see her outside. She smiled, seeing Gu Xizhou approach, and explained, “Shiyun said she needed to buy some card paper, paint, and brushes for the board newspaper, so I came out with her to buy them.”

Gu Xizhou looked down as she spoke and sure enough, the large bags she was carrying were stuffed with stationery like card paper.

She couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Then why are you the one carrying them? Shouldn’t she be?”

Su Zhiyi smiled, matter-of-factly. “Because my home is close to school, you know. It’s more convenient for me to bring them over tomorrow.”

Besides, she still had Su Nanfeng at home to act as labor.

It was a cause for celebration—Su Nanfeng had recently been disciplined strictly and was starting to be more considerate, helping her with some things.

Gu Xizhou understood. Looking at the bus line Su Zhiyi was waiting for, she asked, “Are you taking the K12 back?”

“Yes.” Su Zhiyi nodded, assessing Gu Xizhou’s attire.

Seeing her wearing a black outdoor jacket, a sports bag slung across her body, and her hair tied up in a high ponytail, Su Zhiyi’s tone was rather certain. “Were you heading to the subway station up ahead?”

Gu Xizhou was about to say yes, but just then, her stomach rumbled loudly in protest.

Even on a bustling street filled with traffic noise, at their distance, it was clearly audible.

Gu Xizhou’s face immediately flushed.

Su Zhiyi paused, then smiled warmly. “You just came from the boxing gym, right? Have you eaten?”

Gu Xizhou’s ears burned. Feeling utterly embarrassed, she said in a tiny voice, “I ate a little.”

Her current calorie requirements were very high. She was constantly eating—after class, during lunch, at night—five or six meals a day.

Gu Jing said she was in a growth spurt. The old instructors said boxing required high energy intake. But Gu Xizhou felt if she kept eating like this, she’d soon become a big fatty.

She didn’t particularly care about her appearance normally, but occasionally, when seeing Su Zhiyi, the word “mind” would come to mind.

Minding that she wasn’t tall enough. Minding that she wasn’t strong enough. Minding that she looked completely childish and not mature enough.

Su Zhiyi’s eyes curved in a smile. She suggested to Gu Xizhou, “How about this then: it’s still early anyway. Stay and have dinner with me.”

Gu Xizhou let out an “Ah?”—”You haven’t eaten yet?”

Su Zhiyi replied softly, “Not yet. I haven’t had much appetite lately, but now I’m hungry too.”

“Come on, let’s go eat something before heading back.”

Gu Xizhou answered okay, saying happily, “Alright, let me treat you to dinner.”

Yan Qing’s family boxing gym was located in the busiest commercial pedestrian street. The transportation was convenient, the shops were dazzlingly diverse, and not far next door was a food street.

In the past, when Su Zhiyi went out with classmates, she liked going there. So when Gu Xizhou offered to treat her at a decently rated restaurant nearby, Su Zhiyi immediately refused.

Instead, she led Gu Xizhou through the bustling pedestrian street, into the food alleyway brimming with cooking smoke and lively atmosphere, and sat down at a street-side food stall.

Carrying Su Zhiyi’s large bag of stationery, Gu Xizhou sat down at the chaotic stall. Seeing the disorderly crowd around, the tables covered with plastic cloths, and not far away, the remains of skewers and bottles of the Chinese spirit erguotou on a table not yet cleared, she felt very uncomfortable. “Are you sure you want to eat here?”

Without makeup, Su Zhiyi sat upright amidst the swirling smoke and the crowd of the bustling food stall. She was as striking as an night-blooming cereus flower in the night.

She was far too radiant, brimming with the youthful vitality of a teen, completely out of place among the tired, gray-faced office workers around her.

Yet at this moment, she pulled a menu from the tabletop, opened it in front of Gu Xizhou, and said with utter sincerity, “Order up.”

“Don’t mind the noisy environment here, the boss is still very particular. I came here once with a friend, and the seafood barbecue is super delicious.”

She used the word “super,” an uncharacteristically blunt word Gu Xizhou had never heard from her. Taking the menu, Gu Xizhou opened it, thinking: Su Zhiyi is way too down-to-earth!

And she was so bold, daring to come to a place like this with friends as a middle schooler. What kind of friend was it, daring enough to lead her into such wild adventures!