Xiaobai Is Also Troubled Today

But this was just how Tingzhi was, Lu Tianshu thought. He probably feels very self-conscious about not looking like a typical boy, which is why he's acting so strange now.
 
Lu Tianshu saw that she had hit a nerve with Bai Tingzhi, and the atmosphere suddenly grew heavy. The air pressure around them seemed to drop, a change that was impossible to miss.

 
"There's nothing wrong with being like a girl, is there? Or... do you think the way you are now is bad?"
 

"Now..." Bai Tingzhi didn't know. She had always lived like this. She shook her head.
 
"You had long hair in junior high, right? Why did you grow it out? You never seemed to talk about it."

 
Hair...
 

I did grow it out myself... but why?
 
A normal boy wouldn't have such long hair.

 
Bai Tingzhi froze. She couldn't think of the specific reason, as if that part of her memory were simply missing.
 

Why?
 
Lu Tianshu didn't disturb Bai Tingzhi's thoughts. By the time they walked out of the dessert shop, it was lunchtime. But since they had just eaten sweets, neither of them had the appetite for a full meal, so they parted ways there.
 

Lu Tianshu didn't live nearby and was only in the area for an errand. She had other things to do later, so she couldn't walk with Bai Tingzhi any further.
 
Bai Tingzhi had originally just wanted to go to the grocery store, and now she had nothing else to do. Lin Yunian was probably already out of the city by now, so there was no chance of him coming back.

 
She had no choice but to head home alone.
 

Lu Tianshu turned back and added one last thing, "Remember to go home and pick a song. But for this competition, I bet you'll be a showstopper."
 
She smiled, then crossed at the traffic light and disappeared into the flowing crowd.

 
Bai Tingzhi stood on the street and blinked.
 

"Time to go home."
 
The girl's figure looked even thinner in the crowd, as if she could be knocked over by the slightest breeze, yet she forged a path forward with extraordinary tenacity.

 
"Looks like no one's home to cook..." Bai Tingzhi recalled that her parents were often out on the weekends. She probably really did have to buy something to take back.
 

Her family lived on top of a small hill in town. She could buy some instant noodles at the small shop halfway up. Going to the supermarket was also convenient; it was close to her current location, but in the opposite direction of home, which would add more time to her trip.
 
"What should I eat? Should I go? Should I not go?"

 
She scanned the QR code on a share-bike. She hadn't brought anything with her when she left, so she was traveling light as she slowly rode the bicycle towards home.
 

Even though the supermarket was convenient, Bai Tingzhi didn't want to make the short trip.
 
I'll just make do.

 
When she returned home, the midday sun was shining brightly, just like the smile Bai Tingzhi had seen on a certain girl's lips just a few dozen minutes ago.
 

She simply boiled a pot of water and unpacked the ingredients from the plastic bag.
 
"Small sausages, Coke... eggs, are there any left at home?"

 
She opened the cabinets one by one to search. From a corner, Bai Tingzhi took out a single egg. Any more would be too much to eat.
 

She turned on the water to rinse a bowl and chopsticks, and the phone on the counter flashed twice.
 
She quickly finished rinsing, wiped her hands on a couple of paper towels, and picked up her phone to see who had sent the message.

 
As soon as she unlocked the screen, she saw a new message from "Christmas Hat." It had to be from Huang Yue. That oaf was probably just waking up.
 

Below that message was a folded notification from Q-Network.
 
For a moment, she couldn't think of who would message her. Lin Yunian, asking if I've eaten? Normally, he might ask so he could come scrounge a meal, but he was out of town, so that wasn't right.

 
Bai Tingzhi pondered this as her fingers skillfully typed in her password.
 

The screen jumped to the Q-Network interface. The neat layout was probably because she didn't have many friends. With a little curiosity, she tapped on the "Contacts" icon, which had a small red dot, and a friend request appeared before her.
 
"Gu Junzhu."

 
"Gu Junzhu?"
 

Next to the name was a kaomoji: (╹ڡ╹ )
 
Bai Tingzhi: ...

 
Who taught her to type like that? Or is this what Student Gu is really like?
 

After a moment's hesitation, she tapped "Agree," then grabbed a pack of braised-beef-flavored instant noodles. Actually, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) I prefer the blue-packaged kind. They each have their own flavor, but I'll eat this one today. It's not like the braised beef noodles ever had much beef in them anyway!
 
The water had boiled.

 
She then realized her own contradictory behavior and, after a moment of thought, put the egg back.
 

Washing the pot is too much trouble. I'll just steep the noodles.
 
If someone comes over, I'll use the pot. But for myself, I'll pass.

 
Bai Tingzhi placed an iron plate over the bowl, pressed it down with her chopsticks, and then slumped onto the sofa, slowly sliding down like a fluid before immediately sitting up straight again.
 

Unbelievably childish.
 
But no one's home now, so no one will see me acting however I want.

 
Ding!
 

"Are you there (oﾟvﾟ)ノ"
 
An oddly cute message popped up on the still-lit screen. The thought that the person behind the screen was a cold and beautiful girl made the whole thing feel a little comical to Bai Tingzhi.

 
The top of the screen also flashed "The other party is typing..." twice. It was clear she was struggling with what to write.
 

Bai Tingzhi thought for a moment and sent a not-too-abstract cat sticker back as a greeting.
 
Across a screen, she didn't feel so awkward. She then backed out of the chat with "Gu Junzhu" and opened "Christmas Hat" to glance at the message from a certain Invincible Tyrannosaurus.

 
"You on?"
 

Knew it. This guy basically never messages me unless it's to play games.
 
Before she could decide whether to play, another message from Gu Junzhu arrived.

 
"Is Xiaobai free this afternoon?"
 

Bai Tingzhi looked at the time on her phone. It was Saturday, and she hadn't even eaten lunch yet.
 
"This afternoon? What's up? I'm not sure yet."

 
On the other side of the screen, in an elegant and dimly lit room, a girl was sitting in a W-pose on her bed, occasionally looking at her phone before clutching it to her chest. Her waterfall of black hair draped over the beautiful curves of her body, and the dim light added a touch of mystery and allure.
 

"Miss! Miss..."
 
The knocking and shouting from outside the door were muffled by the soundproofing, making them difficult to hear.

 
Gu Junzhu giggled, then got off the bed, composed her expression, and pulled open the door.
 

A cold face appeared before the maid.
 
"What is it?"

 
The maid said excitedly, "There's news from the master, Your cousin, Gu He, is coming back!"
 

"My cousin? Gu He?"
 
"Yes, yes! Miss, didn't you always say you wanted your cousin to take you hiking? Now that he's back from abroad, it's the perfect time..."

 
Gu Junzhu stopped listening. "Hiking" was just a childhood joke, and after seeing some drama on TV, she didn't really want to go anymore.
 

She hadn't seen this cousin in six years. He's coming back now, of all times...?
 
Her thoughts had already drifted far away, and she didn't hear what the maid said next.

 
"How long will he be here?"
 

"Old Zhong said for a month."
 
"Well, have the butler pick him up then. I may not be free, but someone from the family should be there." Gu Junzhu agreed softly, then turned and closed the door.

 
"Yes, Miss."