Chapter 37: Height Difference
Song Yi was sweating buckets. He reached up to wipe his forehead.
“Can we turn on the air conditioner in here?”
Gu Qinghuan found the remote, batteries already in, and pressed the button.
Song Yi stood in front of the cool air, sighing in relief.
“The student council sure has good perks.”
Qin Yue was about to look for a towel or some tissues to wipe his sweat when someone patted his arm. He turned and was met with Xia He’s smiling face.
Xia He handed him a pack of tissues from who-knows-where, still smiling.
Qin Yue was about to say thanks when Xia He cheerfully added, “This is my sister’s office — don’t touch things randomly, okay?”
What the hell?! Qin Yue glared at him.
After handing over the tissues, Xia He didn’t pay him any more attention and moved to stand beside Gu Qinghuan, listening to her chat with Jiang Chuchu.
A budget of ten thousand yuan… if you poured it all into renovations, it wouldn’t even make a splash.
Fortunately, after Gu Qinghuan did the math, the only expensive item she needed was a desk-and-chair set. Everything else was much cheaper.
The “human dog beds” would have cost quite a bit too, but since Jiang Chuchu had bought them, that freed up a large chunk of the budget.
Gu Qinghuan was fine buying small things, but when it came to large purchases, she wasn’t so decisive.
She and Jiang Chuchu crowded around a shopping app, eyes swimming from the options, growing more and more indecisive.
“It’s better to see this stuff in person,” Xia He cut in. “And, Sis, you actually need more than one set of desk and chair, right?”
Jiang Chuchu caught on. “Oh right, starting next month Su Lin will be tutoring us. Sure, we could go to the library, but we have to keep quiet there.”
“Exactly. In that case, I might need to set up the office as a study room… huh?” Gu Qinghuan turned to Xia He. “How do you know how many sets I need?”
Xia He pointed to the three ‘human dog beds’ along the wall.
“You already bought three beds, Sis. Obviously you’ll be inviting friends over a lot. One set of desk and chair definitely won’t be enough.”
That did make sense, so Gu Qinghuan didn’t think too much of it.
Xia He continued, “So why not just go to a store and look in person?”
Jiang Chuchu narrowed her eyes. She suspected this guy’s real goal was to go shopping with Gu Qinghuan.
“But offline stores feel so expensive…” Gu Qinghuan shivered at the thought of those mall price tags.
“Just go look first. If you see a style you like, you can order it online later,” Xia He argued logically.
That made sense too. Besides, as a student, stores probably wouldn’t pay her much attention. Gu Qinghuan nodded.
“Then—”
“No need to wait — let’s go right after school today!” Xia He cut in eagerly.
Gu Qinghuan had been about to ask if that was too rushed, but since the office was already renovated, getting it furnished sooner meant she could start using it sooner.
Not to mention, she was already imagining taking her noon naps there.
She nodded, then turned to Jiang Chuchu.
“Chuchu, are you free after school today?”
Jiang Chuchu looked at the smiling Xia He behind her, shivered, and quickly shook her head.
“I’m going with Xin Bao to the calligraphy club after school, just to see what the club’s like.”
That was basically her way of helping Yu Xin reject the invitation.
Gu Qinghuan thought for a moment, then looked at Qin Yue. “Then Qin Yue, are you free?”
Qin Yue thought about it — he didn’t have much going on today. He was about to say yes when he caught sight of Xia He’s smile fading, and quickly changed his tune.
“I have to go home early tonight.”
“Oh.” Gu Qinghuan turned to Song Yi. “Then Song Yi, are you free?”
Before Song Yi could answer, Xia He was already looking displeased.
“Can’t I just go with you, Sis?”
Yes! Just let him go! Jiang Chuchu and Qin Yue silently shouted in unison in their hearts.
Gu Qinghuan’s expression turned a little complicated. She leaned closer to Xia He’s ear and said quietly, “I think we need to consider the comfort level for people of different heights.”
It was a tactful enough way of putting it, but with Xia He’s brain, he immediately understood her meaning.
If they were getting desks and chairs for other people to use, they’d need testers of different heights — not just her and Xia He.
Obviously, Qin Yue and Song Yi would make better “tall person” samples.
Xia He nearly ground his teeth to dust. Back then, to save his life, he had taken medication to stunt his growth so he could use a fake identity to fool the enemies chasing him. He never thought it would come back to bite him like this.
Gu Qinghuan had kept her voice low and close, so no one else heard her, but they could all see Xia He’s expression sour.
Still, when Gu Qinghuan asked Song Yi again if he was free, Xia He didn’t say anything.
Jiang Chuchu glanced at Xia He, then at Gu Qinghuan, feeling a rare sense of “Serves you right.”
Song Yi, oblivious to the undercurrent of “blades and shadows” around him, readily agreed when Gu Qinghuan asked for his help.
It was his first time meeting Xia He, and hearing him call Gu Qinghuan “Sis” over and over, he just assumed Xia He was a relative.
Because of that, he was very friendly toward Xia He.
Xia He had been in a bad mood, but after chatting a bit and realizing Song Yi treated Gu Qinghuan like a big sister figure, his spirits lifted and his attitude toward Song Yi also improved.
Even without a midday break, Gu Qinghuan wasn’t tired in the afternoon — that milk tea had given her plenty of energy, and she even focused better in class.
After school, Jiang Chuchu went with Yu Xin to check out the calligraphy club. Before leaving, she pulled Qin Yue aside and whispered, “You don’t really have to go home early, do you?”
Qin Yue whispered back, “But that Xia He guy is scary.”
He paused, lowering his voice even further, “Do you think he likes Gu Qinghuan?”
Jiang Chuchu glared at him. “No way! Listen, that Xia He…” She stopped mid-sentence and shut her mouth.
Qin Yue got anxious. “Come on, finish what you were saying!”
“Nope. Can’t. I value my life,” Jiang Chuchu decided firmly. “Anyway, Xia He’s not someone to mess with. He’s hanging around Qinghuan right now just because he finds her interesting.”
Qin Yue figured it was better to ask his older brother about this later.
Jiang Chuchu had thought about swinging by to check on Gu Qinghuan after the club meeting, but Qin Yue’s comment made her drop the idea.
She decided it wasn’t necessary — Xia He might be crazy, but he wouldn’t hurt someone unprovoked.
The story she’d heard was that the person he’d once “disciplined” had first insulted his deceased parents — which was when Xia He shoved their head into a toilet.
Maybe he’d lose interest in Gu Qinghuan sooner or later, but knowing Gu Qinghuan’s personality, she was sure not to provoke him.
Feeling reassured, Jiang Chuchu left with Yu Xin for the calligraphy club.
Qin Yue still went home, but on the way he couldn’t resist calling Qin Min, “Bro, do you know a guy named Xia He?”
Qin Min was silent for a few seconds, “Yeah. If you run into him, be careful.”
“Is he dangerous?” Qin Yue remembered the chill he’d felt earlier.
“He’s got a bad temper,” Qin Min said. “Once, someone mouthed off to him, and he shoved the guy’s head straight into a toilet.”
Qin Yue thought that didn’t sound too extreme — but then Qin Min continued, “That’s not all.”
“…What else?”
“After that, the guy behaved for a few days. But then he got drunk and badmouthed Xia He behind his back. The next day, he was tied up and thrown into a cesspit, left to soak for over an hour. If his family hadn’t found him, who knows how long he would’ve been hanging there. And it was summer — they said when he was taken down, there were clumps stuck to him.”
Qin Yue: Ughhhh—
He was never messing with Xia He in his life!
