Chapter 38: Girl Under the Lamplight

On the quiet campus path, the girls set off on their way back.

“Achoo.”
Su Cheng’s sneeze, breaking the silence, drew a worried look from Yin Xuelian, who tightened her grip on Su Cheng’s hand.

“Cold?”
Su Cheng nodded, her nose slightly red.
The night wind was colder than she expected, or perhaps it was because her body had become weaker.

“The evening wind is a bit chilly.”
Since becoming a girl, not only had her strength weakened, but her resistance had also decreased considerably, especially with her slender figure.
Yin Xuelian stroked her head, saying softly, “Then let’s go back quickly, it’s getting late.”
Just then, Yin Xuelian’s phone rang.
Pulling out her phone and looking at the caller ID, Yin Xuelian’s lips twitched.

“What’s wrong?”
Su Cheng happened to see Yin Xuelian pull out her phone and curiously peered at the lit screen.
“Counselor Lin?
Why would the teacher call you?”
Yin Xuelian gave an awkward smile, a few drops of sweat appearing on her forehead: “I snuck out.
I guess the teacher caught me during dorm inspection.”
Su Cheng said with a hint of surprise: “Oh?
That happened?”
Yin Xuelian made a shushing gesture, stopping: “Don’t speak yet.”
Su Cheng immediately closed her mouth and nodded.
Yin Xuelian nervously pressed the answer button.

“Hello, Teacher Lin…”

“Yin Xuelian!
Where did you run off to late at night?!
Get back here now!”
Teacher Lin on the other end of the phone was practically shouting, scolding Yin Xuelian so much that she didn’t dare hold the phone to her ear.
Even without speakerphone, Su Cheng could hear the voice coming from the earpiece.

“Teacher, please don’t get agitated, calm down, calm down, I’ll be right back.”
Yin Xuelian said softly, her already tense face relaxing slightly.

“Don’t play smart.
If I don’t see you back tonight, I’ll deduct your credits tomorrow!”
“I won’t lie, Teacher, please rest assured.”
Hanging up the phone, Yin Xuelian didn’t have time to explain further.
She placed her hands on Su Cheng’s shoulders, her eyes filled with a mix of haste and reluctance.

“I have to rush back right now.
There’s not much road left.
You’ll be fine going back by yourself, right?”
Su Cheng nodded, patting her chest: “It’s fine, Sister Lian, hurry back, otherwise it’ll be bad if the teacher punishes you.”
Yin Xuelian gave a reluctant smile, then suddenly leaned down and planted a sweet kiss on Su Cheng’s slightly reddened face.
Su Cheng stared at Yin Xuelian with a bewildered expression, murmuring: “Another sneak attack…”
Yin Xuelian maintained the smile on her face, mixed with a hint of sweetness, and dotingly stroked Su Cheng’s head: “Goodnight kiss, I’m leaving now.”

“Mmm, good night, Sister Lian.”
Getting Su Cheng’s response, Yin Xuelian still didn’t want to leave, but the passage of time wouldn’t allow her.
She gazed deeply at Su Cheng’s pretty face, then turned and left, her pink hair fluttering in the wind, leaving a lingering scent that drifted towards Su Cheng.
Watching Yin Xuelian’s back disappear into the night, Su Cheng quietly took a breath and turned to head back.
This day could finally come to an end.
‘So tired…’
Su Cheng, physically and mentally exhausted, lowered her eyelids.
Right now, all she wanted was to fall asleep.
Nearing the dormitory entrance, under a dim streetlamp not far away, a white-dressed girl with a bright golden ponytail was leaning against the lamp post, bent over and seemingly in great discomfort.
Su Cheng’s half-closed eyes reopened.
She cast a curious gaze towards the girl.
Just then, the girl looked up, allowing Su Cheng to see her face clearly.
With just this one look, Su Cheng’s newly calmed mind was stirred again, and a name surfaced from deep within her memory.
Gu Xiya.
She was one of Su Cheng’s favorite online idol singers, also a new student who had just enrolled this year.
According to her memories from her previous life, she had just started posting her personal cover videos online around this time.
However, Gu Xiya, beautiful and sweet-voiced, quickly attracted many fans with her unique vocal style.
Apparently, in her previous life, she had even added Gu Xiya on WeChat and chatted, but Su Cheng couldn’t remember what they specifically talked about.
The memories of their chats were too few.
Gu Xiya clutched her stomach, looking at Su Cheng with a plea for help.
Curiosity got the better of Su Cheng, who happened to stop and meet her gaze.
‘What’s wrong with her this late at night?’
Su Cheng decided to take the initiative, trying to figure out her situation: “Hey, classmate, do you need help?”
Gu Xiya nodded slightly, her sweet yet weak voice drifting into Su Cheng’s ears: “Yes, please help me…”

“Coming, coming.”
Su Cheng immediately quickened her pace towards Gu Xiya, covering the short distance in just a few steps.
Seeing Su Cheng, Gu Xiya changed her support from the lamp post to Su Cheng.
In this situation, Su Cheng was a bit flustered, curious yet softly asking, “Classmate, what’s wrong?”
Gu Xiya was bent over, saying weakly: “My… my stomach doesn’t feel well.
I ate too much spicy barbecue tonight…”
At this, Su Cheng, having had a similar experience, understood immediately.
She could understand that feeling of pain so intense it drained your strength.
Although she hadn’t reached that point, the Gu Xiya in front of her was in such a state.

“I have medicine in my pocket, but no water.
Can you help me buy a bottle of water?”
Gu Xiya’s words were breathy, her sweet voice now tinged with weakness and unbearable pain.
“Yes, yes, yes, hold on!”
Su Cheng immediately nodded, her voice involuntarily becoming urgent.
She carefully helped Gu Xiya, slowly moving her to sit on the edge of the flower bed under the streetlamp.
Su Cheng looked earnestly at Gu Xiya: “Sit here and wait for me.
I’ll go buy water and be right back.”
Gu Xiya nodded weakly, fine beads of sweat trickling from her temples, glistening faintly under the dim streetlamp.

“Okay… Thank you…”
She almost gritted her teeth to squeeze out these two words.

“You’re welcome, wait for me.”
Su Cheng didn’t dare to delay, immediately turned, and ran towards the convenience store closest to the dormitory building.
According to Su Cheng’s calculations, the small shop should still be open at this time.
The urgency in her heart made Su Cheng temporarily ignore her body’s fatigue; a silent strength accelerated her pace.

“Good thing it wasn’t closed.”
Su Cheng practically rushed into the convenience store, pulled out a bottle of iced water from the cooler, but then, thinking better of it, put it back and grabbed a bottle of room-temperature water.
“Boss, money transferred.”
Su Cheng’s hand trembled slightly as she paid.
“Alright, in such a hurry?”
The boss asked leisurely.
“Yes, I’m leaving now.”
Su Cheng didn’t linger, leaving her words and returning the way she came, half-walking, half-running.
Back under the dim streetlamp, Su Cheng saw Gu Xiya already curled up on the ground, her head buried in her knees, her bright golden ponytail hanging down.
She looked small, fragile, and helpless.
Hearing the hurried footsteps, Gu Xiya managed to lift her head.
Her face seemed even paler than before, and her lips had lost some color.

“I’m back!”
Su Cheng panted, taking three steps as two to reach Gu Xiya, handing her the already opened bottle of water: “Here, take your medicine quickly.”
Gu Xiya looked at Su Cheng with deep gratitude, a look that made Su Cheng’s heart skip a beat.
One hand was still tightly clutching her stomach; the other fumbled to pull out a very small, transparent pillbox from a small pocket on the side of her dress.
Inside were a few white pills.
She trembled as she took the water bottle, then poured out two pills from the small pillbox.
Su Cheng noticed her fingers were trembling slightly as she poured the medicine.

“Be careful.”
Su Cheng instinctively reminded her, her tone gentle in a way she didn’t even notice herself.
Gu Xiya put the pills in her mouth and gulped down a large mouthful of water.
The act of swallowing made her frown tightly; it seemed her throat was also uncomfortably affected.
After drinking several mouthfuls of water continuously, Gu Xiya finally let out a weak sigh of relief.
The medicine wouldn’t take effect that quickly, but after drinking the water, Gu Xiya’s tense body seemed to relax slightly.
Leaning against the cold tile of the flower bed, she closed her eyes gently, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow on her eyelids, her chest gently rising and falling.
Su Cheng quietly stood by Gu Xiya’s side, not disturbing her.
The night campus once again fell into silence, with only the occasional faint human voices from afar and the rustling of leaves in the wind.