Chapter 48: Hero Saves the Beauty

It’s a fact that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and Su Ziceng’s long legs are very good at running, while Qiu Zhi’s body fat is quite the opposite, only suitable for rendering into lard. Watching Su Ziceng rapidly nearing the West Lake, Qiu Zhi truly worried that if she couldn’t stop in time, she would leap into the lake. Legend has it that once a female student, because her boyfriend cheated on her, jumped into the West Lake, and then a chivalrous male student dived in after her and rescued her. As a result, the two of them actually fell in love, later got married, had a bunch of kids, and lived affectionately for a lifetime. Considering this legend, Qiu Zhi was hesitant in his heart; if Su Ziceng really did jump in, should he dive in to save her, or just cry out for help from passersby? Sadly, during dinner time, the lakeside teemed with flocks of waterfowl seeking food, but not a single person could be seen. Having saved Su Ziceng, if the legend were really to come true, what would become of his Mai Mai? Grandma wouldn’t like a nouveau riche girl like Su Ziceng either. Su Ziceng’s temper was fierce and rough, and it seemed like she only knew how to spend money, not earn it. Qiu Zhi’s brain, which could rival a computer’s, was calculating rapidly. However, she did look quite easy on the eyes... had a friendly smile, and that mole of hers would even move; her eyes were beautiful, and that day at the Eve Ball, after getting slightly dolled up, even Mai Mai was outshone by her. Plus, she had enough loyalty, so to get through life together, it was possible to make do. Based on the above, Qiu Zhi decided that if Su Ziceng were to jump, he would go and save her. If Su Ziceng knew what kind of things Qiu Zhi was filling his head with at the moment, she would certainly dunk Qiu Zhi’s pig-headed brain underwater. Qiu Zhi was so engrossed in his thoughts that he failed to notice when Su Ziceng stopped right in front of him. Su Ziceng halted on the stone embankment of the West Lake with shaky footing. "Before, he wouldn’t touch the slightest spicy dish. Why has Deng Jiani brought such a big change to him?" she murmured, oblivious to the panting Qiu Zhi behind her. By the time the unstoppable Qiu Zhi crashed into her, Su Ziceng’s slender frame flew out, with water splashing and night birds scattering. Qiu Zhi managed to stop himself, shouting, "Someone help... forget it, I’ll just save her myself." A figure leaped from the embankment, and Qiu Zhi watched, dumbfounded, as a tall figure swam toward where Su Ziceng fell into the water. Actually, Qiu Zhi needn’t have worried so much, since Su Ziceng could swim. Which nouveau riche family doesn’t have a swimming pool? The Su family built two pools, one with heated water for winter and one with cool water for summer; even if she fell into two "West Lakes," she could still swim out. But today, the manner in which Su Ziceng entered the water was a bit too shocking, and because she didn’t react in time, she swallowed a few mouthfuls of water. By the time she came to her senses, the person who swam over was already holding her hand. As it was nearly October, the lake had lost the warmth of the sun. Dressed in summer clothes, Su Ziceng felt icy cold after swallowing the water. The hand holding her, though, was warm. The bitterness in her heart from just a moment ago started to fade with the constant pull of that hand and the flow of the water behind her. Qiu Zhi, waiting on the laklakesideas filled with both guilt and regret, and when he clearly saw the male student who had saved her, he was completely stunned. "Fatty, what’s with that expression?" Su Ziceng rubbed her waist. She hadn’t drowned in the water; she was almost killed by bumping into Qiu Zhi, and there was certainly a bruise on her waist. "Why is it you?" Qiu Zhi, pointing at the soaking wet Pello, was astonished but then immediately said, "That’s great." His tiny eyes squeezed by flesh shone with joy. If the legend was to be believed, then Su Ziceng and Pello would be... and then no one would compete with him for Mai Mai. "I just happened to pass by when I heard the splash," Pello was about to explain when a breeze blew by, causing him to look away. Su Ziceng glanced at herself and saw that her clothes were all clinging to her body, which was indeed not quite presentable. It seemed best to hurry back to the dormitory. After Su Ziceng left, Yan Wuxu lost his appetite and returned to the dormitory, trembling in fear. It was only when he found Su Ziceng wasn’t there that the weight in his heart finally lifted. At this moment, Pello was nursing a headache as he watched Su Ziceng. After changing her clothes in the dormitory, she unexpectedly came back down and, even more incredulously, she easily found several packets of biscuits in the flower shed. Such baked sweets were almost a daily gift to Pello, though he wouldn’t throw them directly into the trash, he’d casually leave them in the flower shed. "I knew you wouldn’t eat these biscuit.," Su Ziceng had missed dinner and didn’t want to stay in the dormitory. Although Yan Wuxu wasn’t the target of her plans tonight, she hated being deceived the most, especially by someone like Yan Wuxu, who shared a roof with her. "Most men don’t like sweets." After eating some sweets, Su Ziceng felt much better. She had seen Hang Yishao’s dalliances before, but after her rebirth, this was the first time she had perhaps made a mountain out of a molehill. She didn’t believe that her thirty-five-year-old self could handle an eighteen-year-old little fox. "You seem to get along well with young Master Qiu of the Qiu Family?" While tending to some freshly planted flowers and plants, Pello struck up what seemed to be a casual conversation, but as far as he knew, Su Ziceng had only met Qiu Zhi at the Eve Ball. If the historically prestigious Qiu Family were to join forces with the up-and-coming Su Family, it would undoubtedly impact Mo City’s power dynamics significantly, which would pose a certain hindrance to his own plans. After eating the biscuits, Su Ziceng tossed the empty packets back to him, then bent down to look at the Latin flower names she didn’t get a chance to clearly see last night: "It’s alright, we two are allies. Pansy, ViolatricolorLinn, I wonder what it would be in French?" She had been preoccupied with French recently and, caught up in the moment, she blurted out her question. From behind her, a rolling r came with a perfectly accented pronunciation. Su Ziceng was taken aback, "You speak French?" "Did I ever tell you that I’m a farmer from France?" Pello teased her with a playful tone upon seeing her surprised face. "You look more like a French dandy dressed in Givenchy," Su Ziceng’s surprise quickly turned into delight, "Then you could definitely help me translate those fashion magazines." After the whole afternoon of translation effort today, Su Ziceng was certain Mr. Green wouldn’t be "helping" her anymore. After hearing Su Ziceng’s thoughts, Pello pondered for a moment and then decisively shook his head. "That won’t do; even if you’ve abandoned the original method and chosen trendy magazine lingo as your starting point, fashion as an industry involves numerous and varied terms and vocabulary. What you remember today, you’ll probably forget soon." Pello’s words made Su Ziceng’s already drooping spirits tighten up again. She frowned, anxiously pacing in place. She wondered if Kelly Women’s College had a place for storing exam papers, and if so, what would that mean? No, it was just her and Yan Wuxu taking the test. The school would likely just produce any random paper and not go through the trouble of sealing the exam. She could "reference" Yan Wuxu’s paper, but she didn’t want to speak with the unloyal Yan Wuxu anymore. "Don’t worry," Pello chuckled, leaning into Su Ziceng’s ear and muttering a phrase. "Can this really work?" Su Ziceng was skeptical, but seeing Pello’s confident face, she replied methodically, "I am a teacher at Kelly Women’s School, am I not?" Hearing this, Su Ziceng joyfully exclaimed, "If it really works, I’ll treat you to a drink later, and Sister Mu too." Inside the flower shed, the elated Su Ziceng and the softly smiling Pello exuded an inexplicable sense of harmony together. They didn’t notice that outside the shed, amidst the bushes and clusters of flowers, stood Wen Maixue, her face seething with jealousy.