Winter Returns

Chapter 69 A Few Things About Tongtong and Mianmian (Part Two)
What a coincidence!

Zhang Shutong felt a chill run down his spine in an instant.

Looking at Gu Qiu Mian again, the girl had already walked away quickly without saying a word.

There was no excitement or questioning as I had imagined; only a thermos remained on the ground.

Zhang Shutong sighed and turned his head back.

"Did someone hear us?" Li Yipeng asked warily. He hadn't figured out the situation yet, and as he spoke, he tried to look outside.

"It's nothing." Zhang Shutong stopped him and briefly explained, "...we'll talk about the rest during the long break. I'll come find you. I'm leaving now."

"oh oh……"

After saying that, he stopped paying attention to the other person's reaction, turned around and left the stairwell. After taking a few steps, Zhang Shutong bent down and picked up the cup on the ground.

A beautiful little red thermos cup now has a small dent on its metal bottom.

Pulled around and moved the whole body.

Zhang Shutong gained a deeper understanding of the meaning of this sentence once again.

He failed to save the person and ended up getting himself killed... He didn't know what to say, he only knew that he had to clear up the misunderstanding as soon as possible, otherwise how could he arrest the murderer while bearing the title of "murderer"? He himself found it ridiculous.

Whether Gu Qiu Mian believes him or not is another matter.

Of course, even if she didn't believe his one-sided story, Zhang Shutong had other methods. The recording of Li Yipeng on his phone, Lao Song's endorsement, the conversation with the owner of the lake fish restaurant... With several pieces of evidence put together, he could at least produce a lot of conclusive logical chains to clear himself of suspicion.

Zhang Shutong was good at solving things with logic. As he walked toward the classroom, he deduced several of Gu Qiumian's reactions.

Disbelief, skepticism, and clearing up misunderstandings.

There are roughly three types. The first type is almost never seen. The middle type is also acceptable, as long as it doesn't affect future actions.

Then there's the question of where Gu Qiumian went.

The classroom is a bit of a headache; the bell is about to ring, which means he might have to pass notes to solve the problem.

The office is the ideal location, with Lao Song as a witness, and the matter can be explained in just a few words.

That's pretty much it.

The only variable is that he had never told Gu Qiu Mian about these arrangements made for her before; he would only explain them briefly after everything had settled down.

During the building block incident, I felt there was no need to explain.

But when the arson case came up, Lao Song told him about the girl's family situation in the car. Their thoughts overlapped to some extent. The reason they kept it a secret was mainly because they didn't want her to worry about it anymore.

But for Zhang Shutong, the main reason is that whether she knows the truth or not has little impact, so she might as well keep quiet and everyone can be happier.

But that won't work now.

Zhang Shutong suddenly missed the old Gu Qiumian. Back then, he would drag her out for a whole day. Thinking about it now, it was actually quite suspicious, but she never asked unless he said anything.

I doubt they would waste their energy on such a foolish misunderstanding.

But as I said before, that won't work now.

Many things on this timeline always manage to catch him off guard at just the right moment. He thought things would be easier after going back in time, but instead, he was met with even more headaches.

But given the choice between continuing to believe that he was the mastermind behind the revenge against Gu Qiu Mian and proactively telling her the truth, Zhang Shutong would definitely choose the latter without hesitation.

He always chooses the most efficient method.

While he was thinking, Zhang Shutong arrived at Class 1. He glanced at the back door of the classroom and saw that no one was sitting in the seat.

I went to the office door again, but there was still no one there.

So where did she go?
Zhang Shutong answered almost reflexively—

library.

Thinking of this, he looked out the window. Snowflakes were falling everywhere. Was it really true? She had gone out in the snow like this. Wasn't she supposed to avoid catching a cold today?

But Zhang Shutong then stopped doubting and became certain, because he really saw a small figure on the playground, who had even forgotten to wear a scarf.

"What's going on?" Qingyi suddenly appeared from behind.

"Please ask me for leave; I have something to do in this class."

"You've angered Gu Qiu Mian again?"

Zhang Shutong didn't have time to ask him how he knew:
"it a accident."

He simply left a sentence behind and quickly went down the stairs.

One step, two steps, five steps, six steps... By the time we reached the lobby of the teaching building, before we even stepped outside, the temperature around us plummeted.

He instinctively tightened his coat, and as soon as he stepped outside, a gust of cold wind suddenly enveloped his face.

Zhang Shutong wiped the snowflakes from her forehead and quickened her pace.

It was so cold that he had to breathe softly, otherwise he felt suffocated by the lack of oxygen. He was so cold that he had to put his hands in his pockets. Only then did he realize that he had been holding the red thermos cup the whole time. Zhang Shutong was a little helpless. He should have given it to Qingyi. Now he couldn't even put his hands in his pockets because the cup wouldn't fit.

However, by the time they discovered it, it was too late.

Just as he knew Gu Qiu Mian would hear him, he would definitely lead Li Yipeng to the rooftop. But who could have predicted that she would come to get water? He knew that regret was the most useless thing, but when he plunged into the swirling snow, he still felt a little irritated.

Zhang Shutong started running. With his long legs, he quickly caught up with a series of footprints that stretched all the way to the library entrance. He followed the footprints inside, not even bothering to wipe the snowflakes off his hair. He subconsciously gasped for breath, white breaths coming out of his mouth and then dissipating.

This library truly lives up to its reputation as a donation from the young lady's family. Although it's not large, every bookshelf is made of dark brown solid wood, and every table has a carefully tended potted plant. The lush green vines spread out, as if a small spring is spreading in this cold, snowy landscape.

The lights were off inside. Although few people come throughout the year and there are no teachers on duty now, the library still provides heating 24 hours a day.

The warm air didn't come from the radiator, but from the air conditioner. An old-fashioned, high-capacity cabinet air conditioner hummed and produced warm air that reached Zhang Shutong's eyelashes. The snow water remaining on them was even colder, making him blink hard.

Gu Qiumian sat at a table by the door.

She buried her head in her arms, silently turning her back to herself.

Zhang Shutong pulled up a chair and sat down opposite her, saying, "I have something to say."

As he spoke, he took out his phone, unlocked the screen, and was about to press the play button on the recorder when he noticed that Gu Qiu Mian didn't even look up.

This is his usual procedure for catching murderers. He doesn't bother with nonsense; he just throws out the evidence, one piece at a time, until the other party surrenders.
But this trick didn't work on Gu Qiu Mian, making him belatedly realize that Gu Qiu Mian wasn't the murderer, and that reality wasn't like Conan on TV.

This made him stop pointing. Zhang Shutong saw the snow water on Gu Qiumian's hair. She didn't know how to wipe it off. The water droplets, the size of beans, gathered little by little on the table along the ends of her hair.

He cursed himself for being too hasty and should have apologized first. Ultimately, it was his fault that the two of them didn't have class in the classroom and had to cross the snow-covered campus in the freezing cold. He really didn't want to see this situation, but in fact, it was indeed his fault that caused it.

"I'm sorry," Zhang Shutong said tentatively.

But Gu Qiu Mian still didn't look up.

Zhang Shutong was speechless. Ultimately, he couldn't fathom the girl's thoughts. When she was happy, she was fine, at most glaring at him, but now, with her head down and silent, Zhang Shutong didn't know what to do. He then remembered he was still holding the thermos, so he pushed it in front of Gu Qiumian's face and said, "I just glanced at it, and there's a small dent at the bottom. Should I buy you another one?"
But that was obviously useless. Gu Qiu Mian's family probably didn't need another cup. Zhang Shutong took out a pack of tissues from his pocket. Influenced by his mother, he wasn't a clean freak, but he always had the habit of carrying a pack of tissues with him.

Zhang Shutong asked again if she wanted to dry her hair first. Gu Qiumian still ignored him, so he simply pushed the paper to her side and let her do as she pleased.

That was all Zhang Shutong could do. Then he started talking about serious matters, regardless of whether Gu Qiumian was listening or not; he had to get to the point eventually.

He then explained, "You've misunderstood. I had no intention of harming you. Actually, the story goes like this..." As he said this, he sighed inwardly, feeling as if he were telling an absurd, lame joke.

Zhang Shutong started by talking about the commercial street, then moved on to her family's shopping mall, played a recording, and finally brought up Li Yipeng, saying, "I guessed he was the one who smashed it, but I didn't have any evidence at the moment. I was just trying to get information out of him when you overheard it..."

Ok.

As he spoke, he realized that there was indeed a missing link, an inexplicable link—

How did I come to associate the name on the toilet partition with castle building blocks?

Although it can be considered a guess, since only these two things happened today, anyone would make the connection.

But what did he say at the time?

"I handed you that note, and I planned the whole revenge..."

This is very strange. Unless someone experienced it firsthand, they couldn't possibly make up a note like this.

It's impossible to get Gu Qiumian to completely believe it; the best outcome would be only partial skepticism.

He had prepared for the worst and patiently waited for Gu Qiumian's reaction. Fortunately, all his words were worthwhile, and Gu Qiumian finally revealed her eyes.

Zhang Shutong thought she had something to say, so he waited for her to ask a question, but she didn't speak. She just stared at him with those eyes. His impression of Gu Qiumian used to be that she had a pair of beautiful and spirited eyes, but now the spiritedness was gone, and even the beauty was not much left, because those eyes were now red and even had eye bags.

The two pairs of eyes stared at each other silently, the hot air from the air conditioner blowing on their faces; the old-fashioned cabinet air conditioner even had a sweeping function.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zhang Shutong noticed that the wind would sometimes blow against his face, sometimes lift Gu Qiumian's hair, and sometimes make the green ivy branches in the middle of the table sway.

The world remained silent.

He couldn't help but break the silence, asking, "Is there anything you didn't understand? I'll explain it again; or if you have any questions about any part, I'll try my best to answer them. If you still don't trust me... you can go to the homeroom teacher; he can testify in many ways."

Gu Qiu Mian didn't say whether she understood or not. She remained silent for a while, just staring into his eyes, as if all the answers were hidden there:
"You didn't lie to me?"

She finally spoke, and Zhang Shutong nodded subconsciously. Then she wondered if she had wasted her time explaining. This was no longer a question of whether she understood or not; otherwise, she wouldn't have asked such a strange question.

“Then look me in the eyes and answer,” she said, her voice slightly nasal.

Zhang Shutong could only look into those beautiful, spirited eyes and repeat himself.

Is this some kind of childish game? Shouldn't it be about evidence and logic? When did it become about judging by appearances?

Gu Qiumian fell silent again. Zhang Shutong blinked, thinking that she might as well throw a tantrum. Getting angry would be easier than this. For example, that time with Li Yipeng, he just told her a dirty joke, and she left the classroom with a cold face and went straight to find Song Nanshan. Then, he was taken away in the next class.
But when it came to her, she went to the library alone while it was snowing, and then stared at her with red eyes.

“Then I believe you,” she said coldly.

Zhang Shutong was also stunned. Something couldn't be right. How could it be so simple?
Shouldn't it be that you point out the flaws and I fix them, a brain-draining process where we waste a lot of time talking in an air-conditioned room until we're parched and exhausted, before finally shaking hands and making up?
Moreover, "burying the hatchet" is the most optimistic outcome; in fact, he originally thought that "half-believing, half-doubting" would be good enough.

But Gu Qiu Mian believed it anyway.

"You just believed that?" he asked incredulously.

"Otherwise what?" Gu Qiumian had the energy to roll her eyes.

Zhang Shutong suddenly felt a familiar feeling return, and then heard Gu Qiumian whisper:
"I got agitated just now, and I wrongly accused you without asking any questions..."

Zhang Shutong shook his head and said it was nothing, it was my fault, not yours.

She is indeed a sentimental girl; her emotions come and go quickly. Whether she is cold or indifferent to others, she always seems to be the same when she is with herself.

Zhang Shutong recalled the scarf incident and was very agitated, but everything was fine afterward.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief, wiped his hair with a tissue, and said, "Don't worry, I'll find them all." But to his surprise, Gu Qiumian sniffed and her eyes became a little teary again.

Zhang Shutong didn't know why she was crying again. He sat helplessly opposite her, wondering what he had said wrong.

"My stomach hurts so much..." Gu Qiumian slumped back onto the table, her thick eyelashes folding together in frustration.

At this moment, even the slow-witted Zhang Shutong knew what to do. He was glad that he had brought the thermos and that the library had a water dispenser.

A moment later, amidst wisps of white steam, the two sat facing each other in silence once more.

Gu Qiumian lowered her eyes and sipped water. Zhang Shutong watched her and really wanted to say, "Don't be so emotional next time. Even if I really did it, why don't you tell the teacher and get me punished? Why do you have to make yourself suffer?"

He felt somewhat apologetic, so he asked her if she wanted him to treat her to dinner this weekend after things were resolved.

"What to eat?"

"Hmm... Chinese food or Western food, which do you prefer?"

"Do whatever you want, anyway, you can't afford to treat me to the food I like," she muttered.

Zhang Shutong thought helplessly, "It seems that's indeed the case."

He felt that 200 yuan for a meal was a big meal, and even that would require using the pocket money he had saved up during the New Year. So Zhang Shutong wondered what Gu Qiu Mian liked to eat, of course, something other than sweet and sour pork over rice.

Unfortunately, all he remembers is a pizza.

Zhang Shutong was about to ask when Gu Qiumian turned her face away, "Never mind, let me treat you. You help me find out who did it, and I'll treat you to dinner. Perfect timing..."

Zhang Shutong knew what she was going to say next:
It just so happens that I'm the kind of person who doesn't like owing favors to others.

"Then I'll need your cooperation."

"Cooperating with what?"

Zhang Shutong told her about his plan. He hadn't originally intended to do it this way, but with this unexpected turn of events, things would actually be much easier if Gu Qiumian could get involved.

After listening for a while, she finally stopped crying and started laughing.

"You're such a mean person."

Zhang Shutong felt that the two of them did indeed have the potential to do bad things together.

It was time to go back to class. Twenty minutes had passed before we knew it, which meant that half of the class was already over.

The leaves of the pothos plant stopped swaying, and they turned off the air conditioner and went outside.

Stepping out of the warm, heated house, the swirling snow obscured their vision. On the way back, Zhang Shutong took off his coat and tossed it to her, but Gu Qiumian refused, telling him to put it on. He said, "You should wear it, so the pain won't get worse later."

Snowflakes gently landed on my shoulders.

Two sets of footprints were left in the pristine white campus.

On this timeline, through an unexpected misunderstanding, the two of them suddenly became acquainted.

(End of this chapter)