Winter Returns

Chapter 195 Too Many People to Be in Two (Thanks to Alliance Leader Jiang Qingfeng for the donation)
Lu Qinglian quickly put on the wig.

An ordinary wig, yet she brought out a unique magic in it.

"How is it?" she asked calmly.

"Long hair looks better?" Zhang Shutong thought about it seriously.

Although beautiful people look good in anything, Zhang Shutong felt that long hair suited her temperament better. Lu Qinglian would occasionally—for example, tilting her head when she was pretending to be innocent, or closing her eyes in the hospital when she was injured—combined with her peach blossom-like eyes, occasionally revealing a pitiful feeling.

But with her short hair, Zhang Shutong looked at her again. The woman in front of him had bangs that reached her eyebrows, and the ends of her hair were also level with her earlobes, revealing a swan-like, slender neck that was usually never seen.

Mature, sharp, and aloof.

This definitely doesn't look like a temple keeper.

The green robe still looks too out of place. If you replaced it with a more fashionable dress and a pair of high heels...

Before Zhang Shutong could figure out what it resembled, Lu Qinglian spoke up.

"What are you thinking about again?" She looked away from the mirror, her tone flat. "I'm asking, does it look like me, or not?"

"If you don't look at their faces, it's fine."

I used to think Ruoping was very mature after she grew up, but now I realize she's nothing compared to her.

Lu Qinglian nodded, and Zhang Shutong knew this meant "that's settled then," and her task was now complete; it was Zhang Shutong's turn to go on stage.

Bargaining.

Although he wasn't good at this kind of thing either, he was with Lu Qinglian anyway.

The purple-haired woman held up one finger.

"One hundred?" Zhang Shutong prepared to take out his wallet.

"I'll take a picture and keep it in the store for advertising. I'll lend it to you for free."

He was troubled:

"I'm afraid not..."

"I'm afraid there's no need to be afraid." Because the Queen was watching him closely from behind, and a single wrong word could mean being dragged out and beheaded, Zhang Shutong changed his words:

"Just pay up, how about eighty? I'll help you get some students; my friend knows a lot of people."

"Whatever, it's a friend's introduction anyway, let's make it a good connection." The woman nodded regretfully and then gave them some instructions.

When it came time to pay, before Zhang Shutong could even take out his wallet, Lu Qinglian had already counted out the change.

"I'll do it; it's already too much trouble for you to help."

"Didn't I say that it wasn't necessary, and that finding that person was just as important to me?"

"Where did you get so much money?" Zhang Shutong asked helplessly, putting half of the change back.

"I saved it up." At the same time, Lu Qinglian counted out half of it and put it into the inner pocket of her green robe.

Zhang Shutong took the remaining money and handed it to the proprietress. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that apart from medical treatment, they always split the bills equally for other expenses.

Zhang Shutong's money is mostly from the New Year's money she saved to buy fishing rods. How did she save it, and what did she use it for? I don't think I've ever seen her buy anything else.

Zhang Shutong didn't intend to delve into the issue. Since the rental was done, the die was cast. The next step was to figure out how to disguise himself more convincingly. Besides hairstyle, temperament was also very important, but that was the hardest thing to change. He couldn't very well drag Lu Qinglian to get her nails done and drink milk tea; that would probably be more serious than just beheading.

He turned his head and examined her for a moment, looking at Lu Qinglian's flawless profile. He wanted to say that she could try taking smaller steps, since Ruoping liked to hop and skip when she walked. But as soon as the two of them stepped out of the store, Lu Qinglian took off her wig.

"Have you seen enough?" she sighed softly.

"The store is too small, you'd better wear it and walk around outside."

But Lu Qinglian seemed unwilling to wear it for even a moment longer, let alone walk on the street.

Zhang Shutong then recalled another detail: apart from when she wore a wig, Lu Qinglian never looked in the mirror again.

"It might be a little difficult to get used to, but how should I put it, since I've decided to do this, I'll have to get used to it sooner or later."

Zhang Shutong practically blurted out, "Don't be shy."

“Zhang Shutong, that fox’s ability might not be a prophecy,” Lu Qinglian interrupted.

They exited the store at this moment. Zhang Shutong had just closed the glass door behind him when the noise in front of him allowed them to whisper about important topics.

"What do you mean?"

Lu Qinglian changed the subject again:

"I didn't change my clothes. If other students see me like this, I'll be exposed. Do you understand?"

“...That’s true.” Zhang Shutong’s attention also shifted. “In that case, I originally wanted you to wear a wig before going to school, but that wouldn’t make much difference. If you changed your hairstyle, it would spread quickly at school.”

I wonder how many people are paying attention to Lu Qinglian every day.

He thought for a while:

"How about this: you can wear it after school every day, just as Ruoping gets on the bus home. Then you can find a place to change your clothes and wig. No one will gossip about you, the risk of being exposed is lower, and you can wear the wig for less time. It's a win-win-win situation,"

Lu Qinglian hummed in agreement, seemingly in favor of his suggestion.

"So what were you trying to say? What does this have to do with the fox's abilities?" Zhang Shutong asked, puzzled.

"I just feel that you should have thought of this a long time ago, but you only thought of it now."

She casually removed her hairnet, and her cascading black hair cascaded down. The queen was gone, and the fairy had reappeared:

"Perhaps the fox's power is to make anyone who touches it stupid. What do you think, Zhang Shutong?"

Zhang Shutong then realized that she had been indirectly insulted.
"Well, how should I put it... actually, you touched me too."

Lu Qinglian had already started walking without looking back.

……

They didn't eat out, but headed straight back.

Their homes were on the same road, both to the east, except that Lu Qinglian's home was further east.

Zhang Shutong dropped her off at the foot of the mountain and turned the car around:
"Let's go, see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow." She nodded gently.

It got dark.

It was only a little before seven o'clock, but it gets dark so quickly in winter. Not long ago, he received a call from Ruoping, who said she had arrived home safely.

Monday was much calmer than he had expected.

Zhang Shutong rode his bicycle home.

Today, Mom was home and had already prepared dinner. Last time, she had mentioned that Lu Qinglian should come over for dinner again. Zhang Shutong felt that her mother was addicted to feeding her, and helplessly said that she didn't have the face to do so. Mom said that they should think about it later, but Zhang Shutong didn't know what good ideas there were.

He went up the stairs, stomped his foot to turn on the motion-activated light in the hallway, and the moment he opened the door, the aroma of food wafted out.

Zhang Shutong's eyes widened.

"Sorry, we went the wrong way."

He greeted Gu Qiumian and turned to leave.

You must be hallucinating.

"Come back here!" Gu Qiumian pulled him back without saying a word. "Hey, come in quickly!"

"What are you doing here?" Zhang Shutong asked in surprise.

“I ran into Auntie,” Gu Qiumian said in a low voice, “She invited me to her house for dinner.”

Zhang Shutong was stunned:
How did you two meet?

"I went to buy a Christmas tree," Mom said, hands on her hips. "I ran into Qiu Mian at the mall."

Hey, did you really major in geology in college and not some kind of girl-hunting major?
"You two go play first, I'll go cook."

Only Tongtong and Mianmian were left looking at each other.

"Why didn't you message me?" Zhang Shutong stared, her eyes wide with surprise.

"You don't welcome me?" Gu Qiumian glared back, her glare clearly annoyed.

Zhang Shutong sighed:
What would you like to drink? Water or a beverage?
He thought to himself that with the arrival of the young lady, someone would always be busy. Who would be busy? It could only be the henchmen.

He immediately busied himself, putting on the coat he had just taken off, changing the shoes he had just changed, and picking up the keys hanging in the entryway to go out.

"What are you going to do?"

"Buy yogurt. There's a supermarket downstairs," Zhang Shutong explained.

"Who said I was drinking yogurt!" she rolled her eyes. "I'll just drink water."

Zhang Shutong sat down again:
"Then it's just plain water." "Who told you I wanted water?!" She rolled her eyes.

Zhang Shutong was about to say that this wasn't what you just said, but Gu Qiumian instructed:

"Then show me around."

Zhang Shutong nodded.

This was the first time Zhang Shutong had given people a tour of her home, but to be honest, there wasn't much to see. The living room could be seen from one end to the other, and her parents' room was off-limits; only her own room was left.

Zhang Shutong pushed open the door:
"I'll sleep here."

Gu Qiumian burst out laughing:

"Everyone knows you sleep here, how could you possibly sleep on the sofa?"

She looked around curiously:

"Why are there no photos? I'd like to see what you looked like when you were little."

"What's so interesting about that?" Zhang Shutong said speechlessly.

"Maybe you were extremely ugly when you were little?"

Zhang Shutong thought to himself, "You don't need to use 'special' twice in a row. Even if it's a Pokémon, it's not Feebas."

"Are you worried about looking ugly?"

"cut."

"I thought you went straight home."

"No," the young lady sighed, equally busy. "The class discussed what we were missing, and I was just about to go buy it."

Where is your secretary?

"Who? Zhiruo? Oh dear, don't call her that." Gu Qiumian said reproachfully.

She seemed restless, so she stood up again, walked around the room with her hands behind her back, as if surveying her territory, glancing at the bed, then the table, then the wardrobe.

Zhang Shutong asked helplessly, "What are you looking at?" Gu Qiumian snorted and didn't explain.
“When you came to my house, I showed you around.”

"The main problem is that the house is too small." By the way, my house was built by your dad. "I'm really sorry about that."

"What about the fox?" she blinked again.

"Would you believe me if I told you those foxes have special abilities?"

Gu Qiu Mian clearly didn't believe him and glanced at him:
"for example?"

"Predict future?"

Zhang Shutong didn't expect her to believe him, but Gu Qiumian became interested:
"So what do you think I'll be doing in the future?"

This question left Zhang Shutong speechless. The truth was that he hadn't seen Gu Qiumian during either of his two rewinds. This time, she was on vacation, and the last time, he hadn't even seen Gu Qiumian in person, only her secretary, who said her father was looking for her.

Zhang Shutong couldn't answer either, so he just gave a vague answer.

Gu Qiu Mian pouted at him, as if to say that I had seen through her lie.

The two returned to the living room, and Gu Qiumian pointed to the small Christmas tree in the corner and said:

"The auntie asked us to decorate it."

Zhang Shutong sighed again, thinking that her mother's romantic nature was as strong as ever. She was always the one who said she liked lively atmospheres, which was a bit like Gu Qiumian.

There were also some colorful cardboard cards on the ground, which could be folded up and used as gift boxes.

The Christmas tree also needs to be assembled; it has four small branches with wire at the top, which you need to twist together yourself.
Do you have pliers?

"On the balcony."

Besides the pieces of paper, he also saw a "real" gift box.

His mother was quite thoughtful; she had bought not only a Christmas tree but also Christmas presents. He picked up the rectangular box, only to find that it was almost taller than the tree, and it wouldn't look good no matter how he hung it. Zhang Shutong turned to the young lady for help, but she didn't even look at him.

"Can't hang it up?"

"Of course it can't be hung up."

"Can you think of a solution?"

"Think for yourself." She then pushed Zhang Shutong and said, "Go to the balcony and find the pliers!"

Zhang Shutong has lived this long and has never been this flustered.

He is a very organized person, and he often plans what to do first and what to do later. However, these plans are useless when he encounters Gu Qiumian. If Zhang Shutong is a hailstone, then Gu Qiumian is a cloud. But how can a cloud push a hailstone?

They went out onto the balcony.

The balcony was so dark you couldn't see anything.
"There's a shoebox in the storeroom."

"Go find it," she said, but then pushed open the door to the storeroom in a few steps. "Is it this box?"

As soon as Zhang Shutong turned on the light, he saw Gu Qiumian pointing at the boxes on the shelf.

“That is…” His eyelids twitched.

Those are Xiaolu's shoes.

Zhang Shutong had intended to say that, but then she felt it was a bit strange that other classmates, especially other female classmates, had their shoes at her home.

"No, never mind, I'll take it."

He found the pliers, and the two returned to the living room.

Zhang Shutong squatted down and first put the four branches into the base, then twisted the wire at the top. Gu Qiumian stood behind him watching this process, sometimes saying that this side was crooked, sometimes saying that that side was not neat enough. Even though it was her own Christmas tree, she was very happy.

Zhang Shutong already knew her personality, so he turned to her and asked if this was a good idea.
"Hmm..." She uttered a long syllable as she rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought in the living room. The familiar fragrance surrounding her made Zhang Shutong feel somewhat dazed.

He didn't know when, but the desolate home he remembered had changed.

It was a bleak and cold winter outside, but the house was so lively. He looked up at the ceiling. The chandelier was still a warm yellow, not very bright. The living room was small, and the cooking fumes from the kitchen were quite noisy, so they had to raise their voices to talk... This place was definitely not comparable to that palatial villa, but Zhang Shutong felt that there was nothing wrong with his home.

Gu Qiumian walked excitedly behind him in her slippers, sometimes circling to the left and sometimes to the right. She even took out her phone to take a picture, but she refused to come over and help. He just adjusted this and fixed that according to the girl's wishes. The Christmas tree seemed to become indifferent at this moment, but what was important?
As Zhang Shutong was pondering this question, he felt an itch on his cheek.

It turned out that Gu Qiumian had bent down, causing the ends of her hair to fall beside her face. Finally, Gu Qiumian pressed a golden star onto the top of the wire, exhaled, and clapped her hands, signifying that she had successfully completed the task.

“You didn’t do anything at all,” Zhang Shutong complained.

"Of course I did it. It must be tiring to be in charge of you."

She acted like she was a hero.

Zhang Shutong said, "Then I'll treat you to dinner." As she spoke, the kitchen door opened; her mother had finished cooking. Soon after, the group sat down at the table. Her mother brought out juice and red wine; the juice was for the two of them, and the red wine was for herself.

"Welcome Qiu Mian to our home," Mom said with a smile.

These words made Gu Qiu Mian's ears turn red, and then her mother asked again:

"Shall we have a toast?"

“Sure,” Zhang Shutong said casually, “She can drink a lot.”

"What to drink?"

Gu Qiumian was about to step on him, but she was wearing slippers. When she stretched out her foot, she moved too quickly and the slippers were too big, so they stayed in place. Zhang Shutong felt a soft object step on his foot, and they separated immediately.

"Oh, Qiu Mian can drink alcohol?" Mom asked in surprise.

“I don’t usually drink, Auntie. I just happened to be thirsty.” Gu Qiumian gave a flawless young lady smile, then glared at Zhang Shutong with her bright eyes.

Zhang Shutong understood. Despite her seemingly crazy behavior when drunk, she was very conscious of her image in front of others.

The meal was eaten quickly, and Gu Qiu Mian didn't need to be driven away because a driver came downstairs to pick her up.

Zhang Shutong saw her off in the cold wind, then went upstairs. As soon as he got home, he saw the Christmas tree in the corner.

My mother was also observing, and after a while she sighed:

"Son, you have a lot of things to give as gifts this Christmas."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at this." Mom shook the long, rectangular gift box. "Qiu Mian bought this for me. Think about how to give it back."

Zhang Shutong then understood why Gu Qiumian had turned her face away and remained silent when he asked her how to hang it up.

"What does 'many' mean?"

"And what about that shoebox?" Mom was very worried.

(End of this chapter)