Winter Returns

Chapter 5 The Girl's Red Surpasses Everything

Zhang Shutong refers to "that incident" as the scarf incident.

It was probably after a PE class when everyone returned to the classroom and Gu Qiu Mian discovered that someone had stepped on her beloved scarf.

If there was only one footprint, it would be fine, but one end of the scarf was almost torn, and there were several black handprints on it. So, it can't be explained by accidentally stepping on it.

It was clearly a deliberate act of revenge.

She first let out a pitiful "Ah," then looked around at her classmates, her eyes already reddening. Then anger welled up in her eyes, and she strode to the podium, threw her scarf down, and loudly questioned:
"Who did this? Come out here right now!"

The classroom suddenly fell silent.

At the same time, someone stood up with a conflicted expression.

"you?!"

"No, I need to use the restroom..."

Before the other person could finish speaking, Gu Qiumian questioned him, and he slunk back to his seat.

The room was completely silent. The young lady's reputation was well-deserved. People who were chatting quietly earlier all shut their mouths now.

"I didn't see it..."

"I didn't either..."

This was the first time anyone had seen her so out of control, and they were all a little shocked.

You know, back then, she was angered by that boy, and although the consequences were serious, she just left with a cold face.

No one dared to utter a sound, but sometimes silence is a form of ignoring.

Aside from some students who hadn't yet realized what was happening, there were also some who, because of the previous class transfer incident, felt she had gone too far and that such a small matter wasn't worth making a big deal out of. But now they didn't dare say anything, simply keeping their heads down as a silent protest.

If it were any other girl, several close friends would have surrounded her at this moment, comforting her and helping her vent her anger.

But Gu Qiu Mian had no friends. She just stood there on the podium, her lips pressed tightly together, wishing she could stare at every face of every person.

At that moment, Zhang Shutong and Du Kang were gathered together. They looked each other over, and Ruoping grabbed Du Kang's ear first:

"Hey, no, why are you looking at me like that? Even if I had a relationship with her, would I do something like this?"

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! I was wrong, sis, I really didn't mean it that way..."

Ruoping then withdrew her hand, pouting:
"The young lady has thrown a tantrum. She's in for a rough time. Qingyi, guess who it is?"

"I can't guess. They all just got back, but I didn't see anyone absent. It must have been done before PE class."

"Where's Shutong? Hmm? Is she spacing out?"

Before he could speak, a boy suddenly stood up. He was one of Gu Qiu Mian's secret admirers, and the boy pointed at him:
“It was Zhang Shutong who stepped on it. I saw it. He even picked up the scarf after he stepped on it.”

Zhang Shutong was stunned.

From the moment Gu Qiumin stepped onto the podium, he had been recalling a question:
That is, whether you stepped on it or not.

He was the last one to leave that day. The homeroom teacher asked him to write a seating chart during the break. It was supposed to be the class monitor's job, but the class monitor had taken leave, so it became his job.
When he finished, he hurriedly ran across the corridor, his scarf lying on the ground with only half of the tassel showing.

He didn't remember stepping on it; he just picked it up casually. But he was running so fast, and someone pointed it out to him, so his foot might have actually touched it a little bit. Even he wasn't sure.

This is the most frustrating situation; it seems unrelated, yet somehow related, and it's impossible to explain no matter how you look at it.

Gu Qiu Mian then remembered that there was this "traitor" among them. She gritted her teeth, her voice rising several octaves, filled with intense anger:
"What did you do?"

"I think I stepped on it... but I didn't pull the scarf off."

"Then tell me! Why did Zhou Ziheng say he saw it, or is he lying?"

The boy named Zhou Ziheng was her deskmate. He often showed her concern and care, and was much more trustworthy than she was.

"It was definitely him! I happened to go back to get something and saw him."

Zhou Ziheng's voice rose a few decibels.

"Hey, you two, don't make false accusations! I'd say your deskmate framed you!"

Ruoping also stood up.

Gu Qiu Mian ignored her and walked straight towards him, throwing the scarf onto his desk.

Zhang Shutong then noticed that there were not only footprints on it, but also a sticky substance on it, like snot.

Gu Qiu Mian stared intently at him.

"Zhang Shutong, did you do it or not?"

"……not me."

"Then what did you say just now? Now you don't dare to admit it?"

“I mean, I might have stepped on one,” Zhang Shutong said, feeling a chill run down his spine, “but this one definitely isn’t. Calm down…”

But Gu Qiu Mian was no longer listening to what he was saying:

"Why did you do this? This scarf belongs to my mother..."

"I didn't do it."

"I just want you to apologize. I won't tell the teacher. I hate people who do something and then don't admit it!"

"..."

"nausea!"

“I said, this is the only thing, it wasn’t me.”

He spoke each word carefully.

That's how I was back then. I was easily swayed by gentle persuasion but not by force. I believed that the innocent would clear themselves of any wrongdoing, and I was definitely not the type to comfort people.

When Gu Qiumian first came over, he was considered half a party involved and naturally felt inferior; but later, her attitude of questioning a sinner made him unhappy as well.

From this perspective, it's not wrong to say that he was "aloof" back then. Gu Qiumian's face was like frost, but Zhang Shutong's face was even colder.

As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears again:
I haven't offended you before, have I?

"I haven't done anything to you."

"Why are you……"

"Are you endless?"

Both sides were talking past each other, and both were holding their anger in. Someone started to act as a peacemaker:
"Why don't you, Qiu Mian, tell Teacher Song?"

"Yeah, class is about to start, there's no point in wasting time here..."

Some also took the opportunity to vent their frustrations:
"She really thinks she's something special. She's not the principal's daughter..."

"What did you say?"

Gu Qiumian suddenly turned her head.

The man dared not speak, and after a long while, he muttered softly:

"If you're so capable, why don't you get your dad to switch your shift too..."

This sentence was what ignited the powder keg.

But the explosion hit him instead.
"...Fine, since you won't admit it, aren't your parents working for my dad too? I'm going to talk to my dad about it!"

After saying that, he wiped his face, turned around and left.

As soon as she left, several friends and other classmates came to comfort her.

Ruoping got so angry that she started cursing too;

Qingyi Dukang also stood up and went to the boy named Zhou Ziheng, complaining, "What nonsense were you talking about? This isn't how you play the hero. Shutong would never do such a thing..."

I can't remember what else was said, but I do remember that it was very embarrassing, so he simply went to the rooftop and stayed there for a whole class period.

It wasn't because he was wronged, but because that remark about his parents felt like an insult to him when he was young, making him blush with embarrassment.

His parents originally worked at the Geological Bureau. A few years ago, because his father wanted to develop the island, he and the city jointly established a project and set up an exploration institute on the island.

From this perspective, the reason why she transferred to school on the island is indeed closely related to Gu Qiumian's family.

But to say she was working for her father wouldn't make much sense. That threat was supposed to be the least hurtful thing, but she held onto it for a long time.

Perhaps it is something that is usually deliberately obscured, but at this moment it is laid bare.

But it's impossible not to worry at all; what if it really affects the family?
I tried to subtly inquire with my parents a few times, but the "revenge" I had envisioned didn't happen. Instead, they looked at me with strange expressions.

Those few days at school were also somewhat heavy. The imagination of a teenager is incredibly rich. For example, he imagined being blocked at the school gate by Gu Qiumian's henchmen, or being knocked unconscious and tied up in a car by his family's driver. He did think about these possibilities.

Moreover, just because he can't control his family doesn't mean he can't control himself at school. Gu's father has a wide network of connections. Considering what happened to that boy who told dirty jokes, it's possible that he could be transferred to another class or sent home for a few days.

But in reality, none of these things happened.

To be honest, Zhang Shutong still didn't understand why until the very end.

Gu Qiu Mian came to school the next day, without seeking revenge or asking any further questions, acting as if nothing had happened.

As usual, she always wore the mended scarf, carried lots of snacks and occasionally shared them with others, and would draw on the glass, laughing at herself when her drawings were too ugly.

The only time they passed each other was when she neither gave him a cold look nor glared at him. What started as a brief exchange of words turned into complete indifference.

Zhang Shutong used to be a bit stubborn. He was still holding a grudge and wanted to find the real "murderer" and then tell the other party the truth in a fair and square manner.
Little did he know that it would be the last time the two of them spoke. The anger that had been weighing on his chest dissipated in an unexpected way, and the conflict became a memory completely sealed in his heart.

Years later, looking back, it's no longer a matter of anger or resentment; there's just a feeling that there must have been a better solution. If there's any conclusion she's drawn, it's that the scarf was very important to Gu Qiu Mian.

There are some things you've kept in your heart for years, things you don't consciously try to recall, but once they appear in your mind, you'll rack your brains trying to figure out right and wrong, better ways... trying everything, but to no avail. Actually, what you want isn't right or wrong, nor is it the outcome, but rather the regret for things that can't be undone.

When Zhang Shutong was a teenager, he developed a method for classifying people—which he no longer uses—the specific steps were:

If you encounter a special or unfathomable person, you can try to match their speech and mannerisms to characters in novels or comics you've read. If you can match them fairly well, you can categorize them into a template and then you'll understand them pretty much.

He had tried to figure out Gu Qiu Mian's personality and concluded that she was a cold and aloof young lady, but later he realized that was not the case. She seemed to be indifferent to most things. Since she didn't care, she didn't need to expend energy, which gave people a sense of aloofness.

For example, right now, he felt that Gu Qiumian was glaring at him, but when he actually met her gaze, it turned out that Zhang Shutong had overthought things.

Her face showed neither surprise nor any intention to accuse him; she simply stood there expressionless, as if recounting something utterly ordinary.
"Move your chair so I can come in."

Changing seats now would seem pretentious, so Zhang Shutong moved the stool forward a little and felt a fragrant breeze waft past behind him.

Looking at Gu Qiu Mian again, the young lady Gu has returned to her old haunts, but her new deskmate is an oblivious boy. Moreover, the two of them have some grudges against each other, so she must not be in a good mood.

She simply placed her schoolbag on the desk and began packing her things without saying a word.

She remained silent, and Zhang Shutong was happy to have some peace and quiet. He could read some girls' minds at a glance, while others were impossible to fathom, regardless of age. Gu Qiumian belonged to the latter. Therefore, he wanted to save himself the trouble of racking his brains.

Besides, he had something even more important on his mind—

Du Kang couldn't keep his promise, as the seats next to and in front of Lu Qinglian were already taken, but there was still an empty seat in front of her.

Fortunately, the top students in the class were all girls, so no one was eyeing that position for the time being.

Although it was quite frivolous from the beginning, he had no choice but to agree.

Besides, as long as the space is available, Zhang Shutong has a way to deal with it.

He glanced at the front gate again, and there was a boy who hadn't been called yet. He shamelessly shouted to the homeroom teacher:
"Teacher, could you arrange for me to sit next to Ding Xiaoxiao?"

Ding Xiaoxiao was the girl sitting directly in front of Lu Qinglian.

Song Nanshan looked up from the ranking list and glanced at him:
"You have something to say."

"I can't see very well lately, I think I'm getting nearsighted, so I want to get closer to the blackboard."

"Get lost, I know what you're thinking. If you can't see the blackboard, sit against the wall, there are empty seats over there. If that doesn't work, move a chair and sit next to the podium."

The boy gave an awkward smile and remained silent.

Zhang Shutong couldn't help but laugh. He felt that Lu Qinglian was like a cultivation treasure in the sect. The closer you were to her, the faster your experience points would increase. The seats next to her were quickly becoming a battleground for all the disciples.

At this moment, Gu Qiu Mian managed to squeeze out a sentence after a long while:

"What are you doing here?"

She likes to add interjections at the end of her sentences, and although her tone is very calm, it always adds a bit of drama.

Why do girls like to ask so many questions?

Zhang Shutong thought to himself.

But since he couldn't figure the other person out, he replied casually:
"I'm afraid of the cold."

Stop pretending.

"Purely accidental?"

"cut."

Gu Qiu Mian clicked her tongue softly, as if she was waiting for him to ask, "What are you clicking?"

Zhang Shutong didn't have time to ask her.

He was keeping an eye on what was happening at the front gate. Although he didn't really want to resort to outside methods, the homeroom teacher had called out another name, and it was a boy's.

Upon hearing this, the other person's eyes lit up, and without hesitation, they quickly rushed towards the empty seat.

He raised his hand, knowing he couldn't wait any longer; he had to use facial recognition.
"Teacher Song, something's up."

"It's Shutong, speak." Old Song didn't even look up, acting like an emperor listening to a minister's report.

Zhang Shutong rarely speaks at such a long pace:

“I’ve been tutoring Du Kang recently, so I’m saving him a seat closer to the classroom so it’s easier to explain the problems.”

The homeroom teacher laughed as soon as she heard that:

"You two need tutoring? You're more like fishing."

As he said this, it was just a casual remark:

"Go ahead, do whatever you want, just don't throw notes at me during class."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shutong crumpled up his school uniform, threw it forward, and the uniform flew in an arc, landing right next to Ding Xiaoxiao, startling the girl.
The boy whose name had just been called was only a few steps away from his seat when he froze, caught in a dilemma.

I was reluctant to go, but when I did, there was already a seat taken by someone in a school uniform. Wouldn't that reveal my intentions?
Finally, filled with resentment, he found another seat.

Sorry sorry.

Zhang Shutong could only pretend he didn't see it.

You could almost hear the boy, who seemed to be nearsighted, asking indignantly, "How can Du Kang do that? Teacher, look at Zhang Shutong!"

But Zhang Shutong always felt that he was saying that the emperor must not let these two men live, that they should be executed! Then he just had to wait and see how he could get rid of these corrupt officials.

Old Song shrugged, looking quite innocent: "They need tutoring, huh? How about I find someone to tutor you too? Don't leave after school today?"

"Never mind what I said..." The other party immediately fell silent.

Zhang Shutong observed a few seconds of silence for him.

Although it wasn't quite what he had initially agreed to, Du Kang had originally planned to sit in the front or back row anyway, and he figured he wouldn't mind sitting a little further forward, especially since there was another monthly exam coming up.

Next time for sure, yes, really for sure.

(End of this chapter)