Curiosity

Fang Ziyi looked at Gu Xijin adoringly before picking up a meatball with her chopsticks and putting it in her bowl, jokingly berating her as she did, which got a pout from Gu Xijin in return.

As a nice atmosphere emanated from one end of the dinner table, Gu Xiqiao continued to eat her dinner at the other end of the table without reacting at all.

Everyone that was at the table had refined table manners—No slouching, no wolfing down food, back ramrod straight, but only the girl at the corner had none of these. She seemed like she was stuck to the table as she propped her chin with an arm, feeding herself slowly with another. She didn't care about her image in the least, but it seemed as if she was supposed to be that way, and she looked quite comfortable with her current position.

Xia Zijun couldn't help but send a few glances in her direction.

He was one of the most outstanding young people of N City, and Gu Xiqiao remembered seeing a poster with his picture on it posted on the bulletin board at school. As the first-place student of all the high school students in N City, and with his background, he had already been mythicized by the students in the school he had graduated from.

"Brother Zijun, is university fun?" Gu Xijin had continued to converse with Xia Zijun, and even though there were a lot of rules in upper society on not talking during eating and bedtime, the same rules didn't quite apply to Gu Xijin. Who wouldn't be tolerant of such an innocent and cute girl even when she broke a few measly rules?

"It's better than high school, naturally. Work hard on studying okay, Ah Jin?" Xia Zijun smiled gently and encouraged.

"I'm going to study well and try to get into the university that Brother Zijun is in!" Gu Xijin smiled brightly and looked over to the other end of the table. "You're going to study for the exams with me right, little sis?"

With this question, the merry atmosphere over the dinner table seemed to freeze in place. As Su Wan'er glared over at the girl that ruined this beautiful scene, the grudge in her gaze grew even more.

Gu Xiqiao felt a bunch of gazes like knives, but it didn't affect her in the slightest. She put down her fork and smiled, saying, "I saw a certain photo on Weibo the other day…"

"Little sis!" Gu Xijin suddenly raised her voice, and upon feeling the gazes shift to her again, she smiled. "Eat more ribs and stop spending all your time on the internet. Study well and read more books, and if you have any questions you can come ask me. Let's go to B University together!"

Who wanted to go with her? Could she even get into that university with her pitifully low IQ?

Gu Xiqiao lowered her head and didn't reply, hiding her mocking gaze.

In their past life, Gu Xijin could only get into B City, but her test scores weren't enough to get into B University. She managed to get into the university after one of Gu Xiqiao's oil paintings that she released in her name was seen by one of the fellows of the university. Gu Xiqiao was quite curious about how she planned on getting into that university this time around with her help.

Because Gu Xiqiao didn't reply, the atmosphere around the dinner table grew even colder.

Xia Zijun was the one that resolved this situation.

"Here, have a chicken drumstick." Xia Zijun smiled and placed one drumstick in Gu Xijin's bowl and turned over to Gu Zuhui. "My grandfather told me that the higher-ups were trying to build a national base in N City, has Uncle Gu heard any rumors about it?"

The topic of the national base was a great chance to profit, and also a classified secret that even Gu Zuhui didn't have any intel on. When he heard this he was quite surprised too and started conversing with Xia Zijun, and so the main topic on the dinner table was changed easily.

Feeling the gazes on her retreat, Gu Xiqiao slowly raised her head and looked at Xia Zijun.

She knew of Xia Zijun's glorious history, and even though she was quite impressed by him too, she didn't hold any admiration towards him. Xia Zijun was too perfect and was the dream lover of many young girls, but in her past life, Gu Xiqiao didn't even think of going near him because she thought that they weren't in the same league. In her current life, she didn't want to get involved with this person in the slightest because it would be too much trouble.

Gu Xijin had been keeping an eye on Gu Xiqiao's reaction, and upon seeing the younger continue eating without being affected by any of the events earlier, she was a little miffed.

Gu Xijin was just a girl in her late teens after all, and even though she was raised in a rich family, she couldn't help but show off her superiority at whichever chance she got when she looked at Gu Xiqiao who couldn't compete with her in any aspect. Xia Zijun was a princely character that was admired by many for his politeness and humility, and a lot of people were jealous of her because he tended to take care of her whenever he could.

This was also why she continued to check on Gu Xiqiao's reaction as she continued to talk with him.

Seeing how Gu Xiqiao seemed to not care in the slightest, she felt like she was punching on a bunch of cotton.

How frustrating.

When she saw Gu Xiqiao's reaction, she couldn't help but think back to the day when her dressed ripped all of a sudden on her banquet. She had the feeling that Gu Xiqiao was mocking her behind her back, but how dare she?!

Gu Xijin grit her teeth unnoticeably as her grip on her chopsticks became tighter.

On the entire dinner table, Gu Xiqiao was probably the only one that had a comfortable time eating.

Su Wan'er didn't like her, and she didn't like Su Wan'er either, so she thought it was the best to just go back to her room and study. After finishing her food, she stood up and left for her room, but a gentle voice called out from behind her. "Is your leg okay?"

Gu Xiqiao only frowned slightly, not paying him any attention.

"Hey, wait." Seeing that she was going to leave, Xia Zijun grabbed her arm in a hurry, his palms heating up as they touched her smooth and supple skin. "It seems like your knee is hurt pretty badly, why don't I get you some medicine? The type that won't leave behind a scar, of course."

His pale, handsome face was noticeably colored with a blush, but his first thought was that girls, especially a pretty one, would be concerned about leaving behind a scar.

Her wound had already started to clot, but it was still bruised, and the greenish-red wound looked quite serious.

Gu Xiqiao was quite surprised that Xia Zijun was the first person to realize that she was hurt. In her past life, he treated her neutrally—Not looking down on her, but not particularly taking care of her either. Why was he so concerned for her this time around?

"Thanks, but I've already applied medicine to it," Gu Xiqiao replied without turning her head. Any girl of her age would probably talk to Xia Zijun bashfully like Gu Xijin did, but her expression was scarily cold without any ripples in her clear gaze.

She shook off Xia Zijun's arm and started walking towards the stairs without even a hint of hesitation.

They better stay uninvolved in this lifetime, either.

"Brother Zijun!" Gu Xijin walked over from the dining hall and hugged Xia Zijun's arm as she shot a wary look at Gu Xiqiao's retreating silhouette. "What did you talk to little sis about?"

"It's nothing, is she the little sister you've talked about?" Xia Zijun shook his head.

Gu Xijin lowered her gaze and fluttered her eyelashes before looking up at Xia Zijun with a disheartened expression. "Yeah, but she doesn't seem to like me at all… I even gave her my precious teddy bear which was the first gift you gave me. She didn't have a nice life before, and I hope for her to be able to be happy…Brother Zijun, am I not doing well?"

Xia Zijun listened quietly, before nodding and pressing his palm onto her head gently. "It's okay."

Su Wan'er called them back to the dining hall, so Gu Xijin quickly went back with Xia Zijun in tow.

Xia Zijun had never been treated so coldly by anyone in his life that didn't even want to talk to him, and as he walked, he couldn't help but look back at the thin girl that was leaving.

A fluffy and tiny dog was trying hard to latch onto her, and even though she shook it off the dog would continue to go back to her. This back-and-forth continued a few times, and it actually seemed quite cute.

Xia Zijun knew that this dog was a stray that Gu Xijin had picked up, but from the way it seemed to like Gu Xiqiao more, was something to think about.

Gu Xiqiao was so bothered by the dog that she reached down and lifted it up by the scruff of its neck.

Seeing this scene, Xia Zijun couldn't help but laugh softly as his curiosity grew even more.