Gu Ningzi walked to Chi Nuan’s desk. Chi Nuan was half-lying on it, looking up at her.
Gu Ningzi hesitated before speaking, “…Chi Nuan, can we talk? I have something I want to say to you.“
Chi Nuan said, “Maybe another day. My stomach hurts a bit.“
Gu Ningzi exclaimed, “What’s wrong!?“
Chi Nuan said softly, “Aunt Flo.“
“Wait a moment.” Gu Ningzi walked back to her own seat, took out a jar of brown sugar from her desk drawer, put a piece of brown sugar into a cup, and fetched hot water from the water dispenser.
After the sugar cube dissolved, she brought it over for Chi Nuan to drink.
Chi Nuan didn’t even need to ask; the brown sugar was definitely something Gu Ningzi had prepared in advance for her period pains.
The sugar water was still too hot, so Chi Nuan held it in her hands without drinking it right away. Gu Ningzi rummaged through her bag and pulled out a box of painkillers. “If you can’t tough it out, take some medicine, okay?“
Chi Nuan nodded obediently.
Gu Ningzi asked, “Do you want to go back to the dorm to rest first? I can walk you back.“
Chi Nuan said, “I haven’t finished my homework yet. I’m okay, don’t worry.“
…
After class, on the way back to the dorm, Xu Dan and the others started chattering again about the latest update of the Domineering CEO novel. Chi Nuan trailed at the end. The pain in her lower abdomen, combined with her bewildered mood, enveloped her in a layer of low pressure. She felt utterly exhausted, as if she could hardly breathe.
She took out her mobile phone and called Chi Qingchuan. “Brother, is Sister-in-law and Little Wutong doing okay?“
Chi Qingchuan replied, “They’re both fine. Did you just finish self-study?“
Chi Nuan said, “Yeah, class just ended. We haven’t gotten back to the dorm yet.“
Chi Qingchuan asked, “Is your workload heavy?“
After asking about her studies, he inquired if her three meals a day were nutritious enough. Finally, Chi Nuan asked him, “Brother, do you have time to chat with me for a bit?“
Chi Qingchuan said, “Sure.“
There was a silence of more than ten seconds on the other end of the line, followed by the sound of a sliding door. Chi Qingchuan’s voice came again. “Go ahead, Nuannuan. What do you want to talk about?“
Chi Nuan hesitated and stopped walking. “…Brother, you’ve known Mr. Ji for many, many years, right?“
Chi Qingchuan said, “By this winter, it’ll be exactly twelve years.“
Chi Nuan asked, “Then… does being friends with him put any pressure on you?“
Chi Qingchuan paused. “Nuannuan, what are you trying to ask?“
Chi Nuan stood under the streetlight, her toes lightly scuffing the ground. “I… I’m just a bit confused.“
Chi Qingchuan said, “Mm, tell me. Brother’s listening.“
Chi Nuan said, “…About Gu Ningzi.“
Chi Qingchuan caught on immediately. “Does being friends with Xiao Gu make you feel pressured?“
Far from just pressure…
In that forum post, everyone had been debating “worthy or not.” When Chi Nuan interacted with Gu Ningzi, she only considered whether they clicked emotionally and never realized that for things to last long-term, there were other very real issues that needed to be faced.
The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. Gu Ningzi was at the pinnacle of the pyramid; even her brother-in-law’s position was said not to do Gu Miaoyan proud. How much less so for someone as utterly ordinary as herself?
—And they were both girls.
It wasn’t that Chi Nuan lacked confidence in Gu Ningzi; it was in herself. Such a gap couldn’t be bridged simply by persistence or striving to become outstanding.
“Sometimes, things I struggle tooth and nail to accomplish, Mr. Ji can resolve with just a few words,” Chi Qingchuan said candidly. “The background and resources behind him, his vision and perspective—they’re all beyond what I can match. In most cases, all I can do is receive his help with open hands; I really have nothing substantial to offer in return. This imbalance often makes me feel pressured.“
Though Chi Nuan and Gu Ningzi’s situation was far more complicated than this, Chi Qingchuan’s words still fit them well. Chi Nuan couldn’t help but perk up her ears, listening intently as he continued.
“How do I deal with these negative emotions? I put myself in Mr. Ji’s position and think that what he does is to help me solve problems, not to pressure me. …In the end, this ‘pressure‘ is mostly my own self-esteem acting up,” Chi Qingchuan said measuredly.
Chi Nuan remembered that Gu Ningzi had said something similar after the Cao Pinhui incident.
Chi Qingchuan guided her to think in another direction. “Nuannuan, think about it: has Xiao Gu ever looked down on you materially or emotionally?“
Chi Nuan answered without hesitation, “No.“
Gu Ningzi had always cherished her so carefully. During the summer when Chi Nuan worked part-time, Gu Ningzi never said a word against it and always tried to accommodate her schedule.
She was already protecting her self-esteem.
Chi Qingchuan asked again, “When you became friends with Xiao Gu, was it because of what she could bring you, or because you two get along well?“
Chi Nuan said, “I just like being with her. I don’t care what she can give me.“
Chi Qingchuan said, “Exactly, Nuannuan. You and Xiao Gu both have sincere hearts. If she unintentionally does something that pressures you, just communicate with her openly. Friendships need time to mesh too. …Over these years, Mr. Ji and I have argued countless times. With time, we found the balance in how to get along.“
