Winter Returns

Chapter 19 Matching Outfits and the Accident Being Discovered
"Aren't you two good deskmates?"

"Who would be friends with him?"

Zhang Shutong thought the other person was one of the few people in the class who could talk to her.

He put down his schoolbag, not minding chatting with Miss Gu:

"Didn't you just give me an example yesterday?"

As he spoke, Zhang Shutong pointed to the glass.

To everyone's surprise, Gu Qiumian curled her lips and turned her face away, saying, "I don't understand what you're saying."

I just ignored him.

Zhang Shutong reminded him:

"You forgot, it was you who drew it..."

"Zhang Shutong, do you have any emotional intelligence?" Gu Qiumian quickly turned her head again. She had long eyelashes and glared at him.

The term "emotional intelligence" is quite trendy these days. Zhang Shutong stopped provoking her, but Gu Qiumian rolled her eyes and, unusually, had the mood to explain:

"He was fine at first, but then he started talking all the time, nagging and nagging. He would watch me do whatever I was doing, it was so annoying."

"Is this a reminder to my new deskmate?" Under the tutelage of trainer Gu Qiumian, Pokémon Zhang Shutong's [emotional intelligence] has improved.

"of course."

"Am I a shield?"

"That's because you're so quiet."

"Yes, yes." Zhang Shutong sat down with a smile, unsure whether he should be happy that the young lady thought so highly of him.

But being a shield is quite nice; once he sits here, no one dares to come near, and he's happy to have some peace and quiet.

"What's the reward?" He asked Gu Qiumian for cookies, not because he was greedy, but simply because he thought it would be fun.

"We still have three scores to settle!" the girl said, giving him a look that seemed to say, "Can't you even be a little sensible?"

Which three?
Zhang Shutong wanted to ask that question, but since being taciturn was one of his strengths, he didn't. He was actually thinking about something else.

He didn't quite catch what the boy said when he approached the seat, but he did pick up on a few key words:

"Don't take it lightly, I really heard it..."

What does this reminder mean?
He had just been to the restricted area, and being so early in the morning, he was probably a little paranoid, subconsciously thinking about the murderer.

Zhang Shutong then analyzed that this conversation should not have happened because he returned to eight years ago and changed something, but rather it existed on the original timeline. Could it be that someone discovered the arrangement against Gu Qiumian at this time?
Not only did they notice, they also reminded her, but judging from Gu Qiu Mian's attitude, it seemed that she thought the other party was just trying to pick her up, so she didn't pay attention.

The possibility is slim, but just to be on the safe side, it's always good to ask.

Just as he was about to speak, a crumpled piece of paper hit him.

Looking back, it turned out to be Ruoping, who was standing at the back of the classroom, standing on tiptoe and waving at Zhang Shutong.

He wouldn't bother going to anyone else; he'd definitely make the other person come over. Unfortunately, Ruoping was an exception—not only was she his best friend, but she was also the only girl among his best friends. Most of the time, Zhang Shutong was more patient with her than with Du Kang and Qingyi.

"what happened?"

"You're dressed in a British style today, what made you decide to dress up?" Ruoping pointed to his clothes and praised him.

Her tone is just like her mother's; she really is a fangirl.

Zhang Shutong didn't understand what British style was. Looking down, he noticed that the scarf wasn't tucked in properly and was hanging loosely around his neck. Could that be what it meant?
He simply untied his scarf, rolled it up in his hand, and now Ruoping had nothing to see. Disappointed, she said:
"Sigh, I wanted to take a picture too."

Sometimes she would ask herself and Qingyi to be models, regardless of whether they wanted to or not, and take candid photos to post on her social media profile. It wasn't to show off; she just thought they looked nice. Sometimes, when Dukang caught a fish with a beautiful pattern, she would do the same, but at that time, Ruoping would only take pictures of the fish, not the people.

How were you yesterday? Did you sleep well?

Zhang Shutong ignored her comment and, unusually, offered a word of concern.

"Oh my, so you're going for the 'warm guy' look today?" Ruoping covered her mouth and laughed. "But I'm not falling for that, handsome, you'd better not try it."

It was only at times like this that Zhang Shutong didn't know how to respond.

Ruoping then said:

"I just wanted to tell you to call Qinglian out for a moment. I have something to say to her. I was too rushed yesterday, and I only realized it when I got back. I haven't properly thanked her yet. If it weren't for her, we would all be in big trouble."

Zhang Shutong thought that was right, but then he realized that he could have just said it himself, there was no need to call him out, and he was speechless.

Ruoping, however, misunderstood him and laughed even harder, like teasing a sulking child:
"Don't be sad, don't be sad. We owe you a lot back then. If it weren't for you, we would have been in trouble too. Hero, what do you want to eat for lunch today? I'll treat you to milk tea."

"...I mean, why don't you shout it yourself?"

Upon hearing this, Ruoping's eyes widened immediately:
"Zhang Shutong, I think you're completely bewitched?"

"what?"

"Sigh, should I say you're slow-witted or just pretending? Why don't I go sit next to you?" Ruoping pointed behind him. "Why don't you take a look at who your deskmate is now?"

Zhang Shutong knew who it was without even turning around.

It was only after Ruoping reminded him that he remembered the two of them had a past conflict.

"Is that all?" he asked, puzzled.

"Is this all you're asking for?!"

Ruoping stopped laughing and stared at what was behind him. Strangely enough, at that moment, Miss Gu seemed to sense something and turned around. The two girls' eyes met for a moment, then each snorted coldly and turned their faces away.

Zhang Shutong was in the center of the battlefield and felt like an Oreo... Why did he keep getting worked up about Oreos these past two days?

Ruoping looked at him with a smile, exuding the air of a boss:
"Zhang Shutong, you figure it out yourself."

"..."

"Oh, I just realized why we're going for a British style today, it turns out you're wearing matching outfits." Ruoping covered her mouth in surprise, "You two actually look quite coordinated, one with a red scarf and the other with a black scarf."

Zhang Shutong was immediately defeated:
"I'll call for you... Is there anything else?"

"That's all. Buy me milk tea at noon." Ruoping waved happily and left.

Didn't she just say she'd treat me to milk tea? Why is it now her treating me?
Zhang Shutong pondered this question, feeling that she had ill intentions from the moment she mentioned the word "milk tea".

But he didn't mind the invitation; it was just a friendly joke, so he let it go.

Ruoping is that kind of person. She finds it boring to just drink milk tea, and it's not enough for you to treat her. She has to set a trap and trick people into it to feel a sense of accomplishment.
But Zhang Shutong isn't Du Kang. Threatening Du Kang with Lu Qinglian would really intimidate that kid; he could bring not only milk tea but even cows. But when it comes to himself, it's just a joke. As the saying goes, "He who has no desires is invincible," and Zhang Shutong is exactly in that state.

He returned to his seat, and before helping to call Lu Qinglian, he picked up where he left off and was about to ask Gu Qiumian what they had just said when he found that the girl was ignoring him with a cold face.

It's estimated that he'll be firmly labeled a traitor once again.

Her aloofness was quite amusing. Her textbook draped over the back of Lu Qinglian's chair, eyes fixed straight ahead, her small hands tucked into her sweater sleeves, the sleeves covering her ears, and a scarf obscuring most of her face. She was completely absorbed in her morning reading, ignoring everything you said. Loyalty and righteousness are mutually exclusive? No. Righteousness based on appearance? Still no.

Zhang Shutong felt that this was quite like a replay of the chocolate incident:
Gu Qiu Mian had a conflict with Ruo Ping because of it. That afternoon, when it was her turn to clean the classroom, Miss Gu rushed in with a bag of chocolates and asked if she wanted some. Zhang Shutong politely declined, and from then on, she and Gu Qiu Mian became enemies, earning her the reputation of a traitor.

If Gu Qiu Mian had seen what just happened, she probably would have thought that Ruo Ping had called her over, perhaps to say a few bad things about her; or perhaps that Ruo Ping had told her not to talk to her deskmate, and so on.

In short, heaven knows what she imagined.

He found the girls' interpersonal relationships strange. For example, last night, Ruoping chatted with Lu Qinglian for a few minutes and then treated her as a friend, but their actual relationship wasn't that deep.

Take Gu Qiu Mian for example. Did they really have some deep-seated grudge? Actually, no. In a guy's eyes, things would be fine after a few days, but the two of them just stayed stuck there. It was more like a battle of pride.
Zhang Shutong couldn't figure this out. All he could say was that if he had to do it all over again, he would be more inclined to side with Ruoping emotionally. However, to avoid trouble and to prevent escalating the conflict like before, he would remain neutral and not offend anyone.

At this moment, Miss Gu went out on something, perhaps to the restroom. She stood up, not looking at Zhang Shutong, but tapping the back of his chair with a stern face.

The two of them made offering each other seats sound like a secret code. This time, Zhang Shutong understood, moved his chair down on his own, and watched the other person leave.

We'll have to ask the boy himself for any clues about her.

He genuinely believes that it's easier to deal with girls who are less cunning.

Take Lu Qinglian, for example.

What an innocent girl.

Although it can be quite baffling at times, being clueless means that nothing troublesome will happen. Thinking this, he poked Lu Qinglian, who was reading aloud in the morning, with his pen and felt inexplicably relieved.

The girl suddenly paused, turned around, and before she could speak, her delicate eyebrows furrowed.

Her frown is usually quite intimidating, especially after what happened last night. It makes you subconsciously think of those explosive kicks, and looking at her now gives you the illusion of being watched.

Zhang Shutong just couldn't figure out what he had done to offend her this time. He had already offended one, and now another one had appeared.

"Don't touch my waist," Lu Qinglian said slowly, her eyes seemingly filled with murderous intent.

"Oh, sorry."

Everyone says you shouldn't touch a girl's waist and feet easily, but he really didn't notice. Or rather, he specifically picked up a pen to avoid suspicion, but ended up poking her waist.

"What is it?" The girl's brows relaxed, and her expression returned to its usual blankness.

"Ruoping just asked me to call you so she could thank you."

Lu Qinglian nodded, and Zhang Shutong seemed to remember something else:
"By the way, I couldn't find the history notes, could you take a look..."

"I took it from your bookshelf this morning."

As she said this, Lu Qinglian turned around, holding her textbook, and gave a brief explanation, her voice drifting to Zhang Shutong's ears along with the morning reading.

Zhang Shutong felt that the other person was like an old-fashioned computer that had to be shut down every day. After restarting, the cache for the day would be gone, as if the events of the previous night had never happened, and their relationship was still that of ordinary classmates at school.

Zhang Shutong himself didn't care, but he felt that Ruoping and the others must be stunned. Just a moment ago, the group chatted idly, vowing that this was the beginning of a great friendship. But as soon as they set off on their friendship journey, they found Lu Qinglian still standing on the shore.

In comparison, I was less talkative back then, but not to this extent.

However, he didn't care much. He was just relieved that he hadn't lost the other person's notes, as these things are hard to replace.

She turned back to find the boy and finally remembered that his name was Zhou Ziheng. When Gu Qiumian's scarf was stepped on, he stood up and acted as the first witness, saying that it must have been Zhang Shutong who did it.

Zhang Shutong didn't feel much about this, and he wasn't angry. It had been too long, and even if they had fought, he wouldn't have held a grudge for so long, let alone something as trivial as this.

Back then, I was mostly depressed because I was indeed a suspect. Qingyi and Dukang went to settle accounts with the other party.

He had no intention of settling scores with Zhou Ziheng; the other man, upon seeing him, became guilty.

"What are you doing?" The boy leaned back instinctively, looking wary. "Did I do something to you?"

Zhang Shutong was completely bewildered.

Are you that scary?

He forced a smile, trying to appear more approachable:
"Relax, I have something I want to ask you. Just now, you and Gu Qiumian..."

"Don't try to scare me. If you keep doing this, I'll tell the teacher..."

As he spoke, the other person squeezed past him and dashed away.

Zhang Shutong stood there for a long time, then asked the girl sitting next to him:
"Was I scary just now?"

The girl wore glasses and was their class monitor. I remember her being a bit introverted, but she was very reliable when it came to getting things done.

The squad leader paused for a moment, wiped his glasses, and said uncertainly:
"I think it's fine. Of course, I didn't see it clearly just now. Zhang Shutong, how about... how about you smile again?"

Zhang Shutong could only force a smile again.

The squad leader paused for a moment, then hesitated before saying:
"I still can't see it clearly..."

At this moment, the girl in front of her turned around. She had a prominent canine tooth that showed when she spoke, and was also a lively person. She bluntly exposed her lie:
"Don't listen to her, she's doing it on purpose, she just wants to see you smile more..."

Without waiting for the squad leader's face to turn red, he shouted towards the front again:
"Feng Ruoping! Feng Ruoping! The class monitor is harassing your Shutong! Come quick, help!"

What do you mean by "your family"?
Ruoping simply waved her hand magnanimously, without turning her head, displaying great boldness:

"I grant your permission. This is a trivial matter and does not require a formal report. Court is adjourned—"

Several girls who were close to Ruoping also raised their heads. Only then did they dare to make a fuss in front of Zhang Shutong. They mixed up half-truths and half-joking words, making a ruckus amidst the morning reading. Of course, the person in question was Zhang Shutong herself.

Zhang Shutong's face darkened, and just as he was about to leave, the class monitor suddenly told him to stay:

"May I ask one more question? Was what happened just now related to Gu Qiu Mian?"

Before he could answer, she quickly added:

"You, Gu Qiumian, and Zhou Ziheng, the three of you?"

A strange light suddenly reflected from the girl's glasses. Zhang Shutong knew this was a sign that something was about to happen; she looked like Conan, as if she had suddenly become a different person.

"By the way, I just saw Gu Qiu Mian leave. Did Zhou Ziheng offend her, so you came to get revenge for her?"

"...You're overthinking it."

"What happened in English class yesterday..."

Zhang Shutong suddenly smiled at her, and the girl was stunned again. Zhang Shutong turned and left speechlessly.

What is all this nonsense? I feel like Ruoping's infatuation is contagious.

He frowned. He hadn't thought about what would happen to Zhou Ziheng, but the other party's guilty conscience made him seem rather suspicious.

Zhang Shutong guessed that he had run to the toilet to take refuge, and he was wondering whether he should go over and ask him.
Just then, their beloved homeroom teacher, Song Nanshan, suddenly rushed in:
He was still the same as always, sleeves rolled up despite the cold weather. Old Song raised an eyebrow and called out with a smile:

"Zhang Shutong, Lu Qinglian, Feng Ruoping, Meng Qingyi, and Du Kang, are you five here? Come out, your affairs have been exposed, and you'll be invited to the podium in a moment—"

(End of this chapter)