“Who she is shouldn’t be important to you, right?”
Gu Bai’s voice carried no ripple of emotion; it was as flat and steady as a bowl of water filled to the brim.
Beside Su Shuhao, her best friend Lin Xiaotong grabbed her arm and whispered, “Calm down, calm down.”
Pulled back by her friend, Su Shuhao suppressed her temper, straightened her posture, and questioned Gu Bai.
“Fine. Gu Bai, it hasn’t even been a day since we broke up and you’ve already found someone new? We were together for seven years—does that bond mean so little that you can just throw it away like that?”
Because they were in public, Su Shuhao had to maintain her image.
She lowered her voice so that only those at their table could hear.
However, even with her voice hushed, Gu Bai could clearly detect the fury in her tone.
He didn’t know why, but seeing her current state of humiliated rage gave him a strange sense of satisfaction.
Naturally, he didn’t feel like explaining his relationship with Gu Mixue.
After finishing every last bite of food in his bowl, Gu Bai stretched and looked at Su Shuhao.
“True, a seven-year relationship is hard to discard. But have you ever considered that the cracks in a relationship don’t appear in just a day or two? ‘It takes more than one cold day for a river to freeze three feet deep’—you must have heard that saying, right?”
Gu Bai’s voice was icy.
He met Su Shuhao’s gaze without yielding an inch.
In the past, if they had locked eyes like this, Gu Bai would have softened almost immediately. But not now, and never again.
He continued, “Besides, you were the one who brought up the breakup, right? At the time, you only gave me two choices: either maintain the status quo where I continue being your ‘simp,’ or become so-called friends. As you can see, I chose the latter.”
Gu Bai spoke very slowly, ensuring all three of them heard every word clearly.
As he poured out what felt like a self-mocking confession, Su Shuhao didn’t offer a rebuttal.
Gu Mixue’s expression grew more pained for him, and her gaze toward Su Shuhao became increasingly hostile.
“After all the effort I’ve put in these past few years, I’m tired. I’ve gained perspective. Knowing this relationship has no future, it’s only right that I give up. So, since we are now just ordinary friends, why are you coming over here to interrogate me?”
Su Shuhao remained silent.
She wanted to say something, but Gu Bai pressed on.
“You can’t even give me a reason for your questioning, can you? At the end of the day, even this ‘friendship’ is just a superficial one. At most, we are now just familiar strangers.”
His cold and indifferent tone instantly stung Su Shuhao’s nerves.
Her eyes began to redden uncontrollably.
She bit her lip and clenched her fists, feeling an indescribable sense of grievance.
Su Shuhao couldn’t understand how Gu Bai could change so drastically in just a couple of days.
The way he looked at her now was lifeless, without a single spark of warmth.
Where was the Gu Bai who used to smile and coax her no matter how angry or sad she was?
And…
The seat that girl was sitting in was supposed to be hers.
At this moment, Su Shuhao felt a flicker of regret for her decision to break up the day before yesterday, but her face remained defiant.
“Gu Bai, you weren’t like this before… You’re just trying to spite me, right? Or is this some kind of ‘hard to get’ game you’re playing?”
Gu Bai didn’t respond.
He simply stared at her and her reddening eyes.
This was the first time he had seen Su Shuhao show such an expression.
As for feeling heartbroken for her…
He didn’t.
Gu Bai just felt a bit awkward, as if he were putting on a show for his sister.
“Xiaotong, let’s go get food. Ignore him,” Su Shuhao said, grabbing her friend’s hand and walking away.
“Let’s go to that stall over there for the pickled fish!”
“Uh…”
Lin Xiaotong’s expression turned awkward.
“That stall hasn’t been selling pickled fish for the past few days. I don’t know why. If you want it, we have to go to the East Cafeteria.”
“Why?”
Lin Xiaotong couldn’t explain it to her.
She couldn’t very well say that the pickled fish was only there because Gu Bai used to work there as a part-time chef.
It was undeniable that the pickled fish at that stall was delicious and incredibly popular—so much so that many students had been wondering why it was off the menu lately.
“Maybe the chef changed jobs?”
Lin Xiaotong eventually shrugged, not daring to tell the truth.
“Fine, then we’ll have the braised lion’s head meatballs.”
“That… is gone too.”
“…”
Already harboring a hidden flame of anger, Su Shuhao finally snapped, “Then I just won’t eat! I’m going to buy instant noodles.”
With that, she stomped out of the cafeteria in a huff.
As Su Shuhao left, Gu Bai could faintly hear a slight sob in her voice.
Perhaps the pressure had finally become too much, and she couldn’t hold back her tears any longer.
Gu Bai let out a deep sigh.
So the always-arrogant school beauty can cry, too?
He thought.
But…
It doesn’t matter.
I should have let go long ago.
“Big Brother?”
While Gu Bai was lost in thought, Gu Mixue poked his cheek, calling out repeatedly, “Brother! Wake up! I’m your sister!”
“I know, I know,” Gu Bai said somewhat wistfully as he was pulled back to reality.
“Sorry you had to see that joke.”
“Was that woman your ex-girlfriend?”
“Yes.”
Gu Bai didn’t hide it and admitted the fact frankly.
Upon hearing this, Gu Mixue said indignantly:
“She’s not even that great… How did you manage to chase her for so long?”
“How should I know? If you want an answer, ask the old me.”
As he spoke, Gu Bai walked toward the cafeteria exit.
Gu Mixue followed closely behind.
“I heard you know how to cook now. Mom and Dad mentioned it after they visited Nanjiang last time. I remember you swore you’d never learn to cook when we were kids…”
“If you want to eat, I’ll cook for you when we get back,” Gu Bai said casually.
Indeed, he had once been dead-set against learning to cook.
Why did he learn?
He had learned while working part-time at the cafeteria, and he did it so he could make Su Shuhao’s favorite dishes.
Looking back now, it was truly pathetic.
Looking at Gu Mixue, who was bickering with Su Shuhao, Gu Bai felt a sense of inexplicable confusion and could only let out a sigh.
He gently brushed her hand off his arm and then spoke to Su Shuhao.
“Who she is shouldn’t be important to you, right?”
Gu Bai’s voice carried no ripple of emotion; it was as flat and steady as a bowl of water filled to the brim.
Beside Su Shuhao, her best friend Lin Xiaotong grabbed her arm and whispered, “Calm down, calm down.”
Pulled back by her friend, Su Shuhao suppressed her temper, straightened her posture, and questioned Gu Bai.
“Fine. Gu Bai, it hasn’t even been a day since we broke up and you’ve already found someone new? We were together for seven years—does that bond mean so little that you can just throw it away like that?”
Because they were in public, Su Shuhao had to maintain her image.
She lowered her voice so that only those at their table could hear.
However, even with her voice hushed, Gu Bai could clearly detect the fury in her tone.
He didn’t know why, but seeing her current state of humiliated rage gave him a strange sense of satisfaction.
Naturally, he didn’t feel like explaining his relationship with Gu Mixue.
After finishing every last bite of food in his bowl, Gu Bai stretched and looked at Su Shuhao.
“True, a seven-year relationship is hard to discard. But have you ever considered that the cracks in a relationship don’t appear in just a day or two? ‘It takes more than one cold day for a river to freeze three feet deep’—you must have heard that saying, right?”
Gu Bai’s voice was icy.
He met Su Shuhao’s gaze without yielding an inch.
In the past, if they had locked eyes like this, Gu Bai would have softened almost immediately.
But not now, and never again.
He continued, “Besides, you were the one who brought up the breakup, right? At the time, you only gave me two choices: either maintain the status quo where I continue being your ‘simp,’ or become so-called friends. As you can see, I chose the latter.”
Gu Bai spoke very slowly, ensuring all three of them heard every word clearly.
As he poured out what felt like a self-mocking confession, Su Shuhao didn’t offer a rebuttal.
Gu Mixue’s expression grew more pained for him, and her gaze toward Su Shuhao became increasingly hostile.
“After all the effort I’ve put in these past few years, I’m tired. I’ve gained perspective. Knowing this relationship has no future, it’s only right that I give up. So, since we are now just ordinary friends, why are you coming over here to interrogate me?”
Su Shuhao remained silent.
She wanted to say something, but Gu Bai pressed on.
“You can’t even give me a reason for your questioning, can you? At the end of the day, even this ‘friendship’ is just a superficial one. At most, we are now just familiar strangers.”
His cold and indifferent tone instantly stung Su Shuhao’s nerves.
Her eyes began to redden uncontrollably.
She bit her lip and clenched her fists, feeling an indescribable sense of grievance.
Su Shuhao couldn’t understand how Gu Bai could change so drastically in just a couple of days.
The way he looked at her now was lifeless, without a single spark of warmth.
Where was the Gu Bai who used to smile and coax her no matter how angry or sad she was?
And…
The seat that girl was sitting in was supposed to be hers.
At this moment, Su Shuhao felt a flicker of regret for her decision to break up the day before yesterday, but her face remained defiant.
“Gu Bai, you weren’t like this before… You’re just trying to spite me, right? Or is this some kind of ‘hard to get’ game you’re playing?”
Gu Bai didn’t respond.
He simply stared at her and her reddening eyes.
This was the first time he had seen Su Shuhao show such an expression.
As for feeling heartbroken for her…
He didn’t.
Gu Bai just felt a bit awkward, as if he were putting on a show for his sister.
“Xiaotong, let’s go get food. Ignore him,” Su Shuhao said, grabbing her friend’s hand and walking away.
“Let’s go to that stall over there for the pickled fish!”
“Uh…”
Lin Xiaotong’s expression turned awkward.
“That stall hasn’t been selling pickled fish for the past few days. I don’t know why. If you want it, we have to go to the East Cafeteria.”
“Why?”
Lin Xiaotong couldn’t explain it to her.
She couldn’t very well say that the pickled fish was only there because Gu Bai used to work there as a part-time chef.
It was undeniable that the pickled fish at that stall was delicious and incredibly popular—so much so that many students had been wondering why it was off the menu lately.
“Maybe the chef changed jobs?”
Lin Xiaotong eventually shrugged, not daring to tell the truth.
“Fine, then we’ll have the braised lion’s head meatballs.”
“That… is gone too.”
“…”
Already harboring a hidden flame of anger, Su Shuhao finally snapped, “Then I just won’t eat! I’m going to buy instant noodles.”
With that, she stomped out of the cafeteria in a huff.
As Su Shuhao left, Gu Bai could faintly hear a slight sob in her voice.
Perhaps the pressure had finally become too much, and she couldn’t hold back her tears any longer.
Gu Bai let out a deep sigh.
So the always-arrogant school beauty can cry, too?
He thought.
But…
It doesn’t matter.
I should have let go long ago.
“Big Brother?”
While Gu Bai was lost in thought, Gu Mixue poked his cheek, calling out repeatedly, “Brother! Wake up! I’m your sister!”
“I know, I know,” Gu Bai said somewhat wistfully as he was pulled back to reality.
“Sorry you had to see that joke.”
“Was that woman your ex-girlfriend?”
“Yes.”
Gu Bai didn’t hide it and admitted the fact frankly.
Upon hearing this, Gu Mixue said indignantly:
“She’s not even that great… How did you manage to chase her for so long?”
“How should I know? If you want an answer, ask the old me.”
As he spoke, Gu Bai walked toward the cafeteria exit.
Gu Mixue followed closely behind.
“I heard you know how to cook now. Mom and Dad mentioned it after they visited Nanjiang last time. I remember you swore you’d never learn to cook when we were kids…”
“If you want to eat, I’ll cook for you when we get back,” Gu Bai said casually.
Indeed, he had once been dead-set against learning to cook.
Why did he learn?
He had learned while working part-time at the cafeteria, and he did it so he could make Su Shuhao’s favorite dishes.
Looking back now, it was truly pathetic.
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