Chapter 23: Necklace Part 2

Xiao Xia joined in, whispering, “You guys really don’t think Teacher Zhang likes Liuguang?”

Tiantian rolled her eyes and lowered her voice. “Just now noticing? But I don’t think Liuguang’s into Teacher Zhang’s type. Plus… back before streaming started, Teacher Zhang kept Liuguang late every day. Who’d like that?”

Xiao Yao was a bit slow on the uptake, hesitating. “I think a lot of people at the company like Liuguang—always trying to invite her to bars. Teacher Zhang liking her would be normal too.”

The three kept chatting until the elevator doors closed. Only then did Zhao Qianqian withdraw her gaze, not joining their conversation.

Right before getting in the car, Zhao Qianqian suddenly spoke up. “You guys go ahead. I’ll wait for Liuguang and come with her.”

Xiao Yao glanced at her and eventually agreed.

Yesterday, she’d impulsively deleted the dance teacher’s friend request, but during daytime practice, Zhang Xibai hadn’t brought it up, so Gu Liuguang thought they’d both silently let it pass.

They didn’t have much interaction anyway. Plus, seeing Zhang Xibai always reminded her of the photo she’d sent by mistake and the one Zhang Xibai had photoshopped.

Gu Liuguang was still a bit scared even up to the office door.

She knocked, and Zhang Xibai’s voice came from inside, muffled through the door. “Come in.”

Though the company rented four floors, the live rooms and dance studios took up a lot of space, so they couldn’t be too cramped. When studios ran short, other groups did outdoor streams.

This left the office spaces small and semi-transparent, faintly showing the people inside and the general layout.

Gu Liuguang could see Zhang Xibai’s silhouette from outside. Opening the door, she saw Zhang Xibai at the desk with a laptop and a square box on it. Her personal items were probably in the cabinet.

It seemed she didn’t spend much time in the office.

Gu Liuguang entered without closing the door, propping it against the wall so it stayed wide open. Passersby could glance in and see everything clearly.

Zhang Xibai noticed Gu Liuguang’s action but said nothing, her expression unchanged. She just pushed the laptop aside and slid the square box forward to the desk’s edge.

Gu Liuguang watched her movements in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Zhang Xibai’s eyes gestured to the box on the desk. “For you.”

Zhang Xibai stood up, picked up the box, and handed it to Gu Liuguang. Her face looked somewhat weary, giving her a sickly air. When she saw Gu Liuguang’s guarded movements and the distance she pulled away, her eyes dimmed slightly, but it was gone in an instant, like an illusion, as she returned to her usual cold demeanor.

“Yesterday, I said I’d give you this necklace. See if you like it.”

Gu Liuguang blinked, unable to recall when Zhang Xibai had mentioned giving her a necklace. Her instincts told her Zhang Xibai was trying to harm her.

She didn’t move, and Zhang Xibai seemed to run out of patience. Her face darkened as she flipped open the lid.

The way she opened the lid was like prying open a skull. Gu Liuguang instinctively stepped back until she could clearly see what was inside the box.

Lying in the box was a pearl necklace with a soft, lustrous sheen. The pendant in the center was an embedded ruby that sparkled brightly.

Gu Liuguang’s eyes lit up immediately, her delight impossible to hide.

People had often given her gifts before—shoes, bags, scarves, claiming they suited her perfectly. Gu Liuguang accepted them but rarely used them.

She hadn’t been interested before, and with so many gifts piling up, she sometimes forgot what she’d even received. She just lumped them all together, too lazy to sort or store them properly.

Lin Zhenshuang had given her many things too, but Gu Liuguang couldn’t remember specifics. Later, Lin Zhenshuang sent her more food, along with trendy, fun items that were popular online.

Yesterday, to take photos, she’d rummaged through her things for ages before finding a necklace that was barely satisfactory.

After seeing the necklace photo the rich lady sister had sent her, some of her own necklaces no longer caught her eye. She kept longing for that one she couldn’t accept.

Now, the detestable Zhang Xibai suddenly offered to give her a pearl necklace—one she didn’t have—and Gu Liuguang’s heart stirred instantly.

Especially after hearing about ocean pollution driving up prices for natural sea pearls, making them only more expensive, with grades divided by quality.

Things like strong luster even in dim light, no growth lines or pits—she didn’t understand any of it. She just knew they were beautiful.

Pearls were something you had to see up close in person to understand their high price.

Each one was perfectly round and plump, showing a natural soft glow from any angle, as if lit by invisible lights.

Gu Liuguang reluctantly pulled her gaze away after a long moment and glanced at the ruby embedded as the pendant. It was also a natural gem, carefully selected, with no impurities, as clear as if you could see straight through to the bottom.

That red was stunning too. Worn around the neck, it would make the skin look even fairer.

Perhaps after the novelty of strange gadgets wore off, she grew bored with so-called luxury items and naturally developed a fondness for these expensive natural treasures.

Gu Liuguang wanted to hold back, but her eyes were glued to the necklace, barely blinking.

Zhang Xibai’s lips curved slightly. She pushed the box forward a bit more. “Try it on?”

Gu Liuguang finally looked up at Zhang Xibai. She didn’t speak, but her affectionate fox-like eyes were watery, her gaze as tender as if she were looking at a lover.

Zhang Xibai’s mood suddenly improved a lot. Even her slightly pale face seemed healthier. She placed the box by Gu Liuguang’s hand.

Gu Liuguang felt a little embarrassed, but her hands honestly took it, naturally picking up the necklace from the box.

Zhang Xibai smoothly took the empty box from her hand and set it on the desk. She leaned relaxed against the desk, arms crossed, watching Gu Liuguang with a naturally uplifted smile at her lips.

The pearl necklace felt amazing in her hand, smooth and moist to the touch.

Natural pearls came in many shapes, mostly oval, with growth lines and holes. Achieving perfection in every pearl came at a steep price.

Not to mention the maintenance afterward—some people bought them and never dared to wear them.

Gu Liuguang had only meant to touch it and then decide whether to accept it, but once it was in her hand, she couldn’t bear to give it back to Zhang Xibai.

With the pearl necklace in her hand, even her skin seemed to look whiter.

She asked Zhang Xibai reluctantly, “You’re really giving it to me?”

Zhang Xibai was not one for many words. Seeing how much Gu Liuguang liked the necklace put her in an unexpectedly good mood, so she made her request. “Add me back, and the necklace is yours.”

Gu Liuguang was a bit surprised. She clutched the necklace tightly, afraid Zhang Xibai would change her mind. “Really? That’s all?”

She grumbled inwardly that even if Zhang Xibai demanded it for work reasons, she couldn’t refuse adding her as a friend.

To Gu Liuguang, it wasn’t a big deal.

But as soon as she asked, she realized she shouldn’t agree so readily. So she hemmed and hawed, pretending to hesitate. “Well, it’s not impossible.”

Zhang Xibai seemed amused. She leaned against the desk, watching her with interest. A slightly long strand of bangs fell over her face, but she didn’t bother fixing it. She looked straight at Gu Liuguang and said deliberately, “What, do you have other demands?”

Gu Liuguang clutched the necklace, her eyes flickering, her voice lacking confidence. “You’re not allowed to photoshop those kinds of photos anymore.”

Zhang Xibai let out an “oh.” “What kind of photos?”

Gu Liuguang took a deep breath, her cheeks flushing pink. She glared at Zhang Xibai angrily but quickly averted her gaze when she remembered the necklace in her hand.

She didn’t argue with Zhang Xibai and just declared righteously, “No matter what kind, you’re just not allowed to post them.”

Zhang Xibai nodded. “So you can post them, but I can’t, right?”

With that, Gu Liuguang recalled the photo she’d accidentally sent to the group. Her cheeks burned, the pale pink spreading across her fair skin.

In the original plot, she and Zhang Xibai didn’t get along, so she could just walk away as per the plot. But Gu Liuguang really liked the necklace. She held back her anger and said softly, “Can you not bring that up anymore? I already said it was a mistake.”

Afraid Zhang Xibai would keep mentioning it, she quickly pulled out her phone and added Zhang Xibai back in the group. “Friend request sent. Check it.”

Zhang Xibai leisurely took out her own phone and saw the new friend request. She was in a great mood as she clicked accept.

Gu Liuguang’s expressions were too easy to read, making people want to see her get mad. Her eyes were watery, her skin tinged with a light blush, like a plump, juicy peach that would burst with sweet juice at the first bite.

Especially when her fox-like eyes glared over, her thick lashes wet with tears, clumped together, the corners red—like she’d been bullied hard and was holding back, or like her desires had been seized.

She didn’t mention the photos again. Her gaze fell on the necklace in Gu Liuguang’s hand, as if kindly reminding her. “Try it on?”

Gu Liuguang’s heart raced. If they weren’t in Zhang Xibai’s office, she would’ve put it on already.

Since Zhang Xibai suggested it, Gu Liuguang had no reason to refuse.

She picked up the necklace. Gu Liuguang was most familiar with lobster clasps, rotating ones, and knotted strings.

She fiddled with it repeatedly, then hesitantly looked at Zhang Xibai. Zhang Xibai was watching right beside her and understood instantly.

She didn’t laugh at Gu Liuguang for not finding the clasp. Instead, she reached out toward the necklace and asked, “Want me to put it on for you?”

Gu Liuguang breathed a sigh of relief and nodded quickly. She even smiled at Zhang Xibai for once, her tone a bit coquettish. “Thanks then.”

She’d thought Zhang Xibai would tease her for ages, but Zhang Xibai opened the clasp, stretched her arms around Gu Liuguang’s neck, brushing past her with a faint whiff of perfume.

In just three seconds, Zhang Xibai had it on her.

Zhang Xibai circled in front of her and gazed quietly at Gu Liuguang for a moment before saying softly, “Very pretty.”

It wasn’t clear if she meant the necklace or the person.

With no mirror, Gu Liuguang couldn’t see the effect. She checked with her phone camera but wasn’t satisfied.

Zhang Xibai let her fiddle around in the office. Once Gu Liuguang seemed done, she spoke up. “Dinner together? My treat.”