Push Me Away When I Come, Don't Hold Me Back When I Leave - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Lotus Hairpin, Chu Suhe’s Small Gift

***

Since her schoolbag was locked at home, Xu Fengwu originally wanted to sit with Xia Ruoming to look at the materials, but being too far away, she had no choice but to give up and share materials with Li Jing at her own seat.

After the first class ended, Xu Fengwu planned to take the opportunity to chat with Xia Ruoming, but as soon as she looked up, she found Chu Suhe already standing at Xia Ruoming’s desk.

“What’s wrong, class monitor? It’s not even noon yet,” Xia Ruoming saw Chu Suhe in front of her, “Could it be that you’re looking for me for something?”

Chu Suhe actually timidly nodded, then opened her silk-gloved hand, which held two lotus flower hairpins.

“For me?” Xia Ruoming smiled and weighed them in her hand, they were clearly cheap items from street vendors, but for Chu Suhe, who often spent less than 200 yuan a month, it was already a huge expense.

“Um… thank you, Classmate Ruoming. Since that day, I haven’t properly thanked you yet.” Chu Suhe gave Xia Ruoming a slight bow, her voice as pleasant as wind chimes.

“Don’t spend money on things like this, besides, I didn’t help you to make you thank me.”

“No… that’s not it. I also want to help you, Classmate Ruoming.” Chu Suhe’s voice grew increasingly quiet, her chin almost touching her chest, her fingers constantly fidgeting.

“Help me? What does our great class monitor plan to help me with?”

“These hairpins might not be anything precious… but they have special meaning. Together they form a pair of conjoined lotus hairpins. Classmate Fengwu now has a change of heart towards you, if you give her half of these hairpins now, she’ll surely be very happy, and you two can be together.” Chu Suhe lifted her head, her gaze intense, without a trace of falsehood.

She had never thought about being with Xia Ruoming herself, so her first way of repaying Xia Ruoming was to try to match her with Xu Fengwu, in her somewhat naive way.

As Xia Ruoming’s (future) close friend, she felt that as long as Xia Ruoming and Xu Fengwu were happy, that would be her happiness.

Xia Ruoming just patted her head, finding her natural innocence somewhat adorable.

Xu Fengwu didn’t even like pure silver hairpins, how could she like these street vendor items? The result was obvious.

Besides, she had already decided to part ways with Xu Fengwu.

“They’re very pretty, why don’t you put them on me, Class Monitor Chu.” Xia Ruoming said as she closed her eyes and leaned her head towards Chu Suhe.

Not even giving her a chance to refuse.

Seeing this, Chu Suhe carefully pinned the hairpin in Xia Ruoming’s hair.

“Let me give you something too, Class Monitor Chu. Why don’t you close your eyes?” Xia Ruoming looked at herself with the hairpin in the window’s reflection, then weighed the remaining hairpin in her hand, smiling as she spoke to Chu Suhe.

“No… no need, Classmate Ruoming, I didn’t give this expecting anything in return…” Hearing this, Chu Suhe lowered her head again.

“That won’t do. I can’t just take your things for nothing. If that’s the case, I won’t accept this hairpin.”

“Then… alright.” Chu Suhe closed her eyes and sat quietly in the seat next to Xia Ruoming, waiting.

The cool touch of metal brushed past her hair, and then Chu Suhe felt something being pinned in her hair. When Chu Suhe opened her eyes, she found Xia Ruoming pointing at the window. Looking at the reflection, she saw herself wearing the remaining hairpin.

Hidden behind her bangs were the girl’s eyes full of confusion. Chu Suhe had no idea what was happening.

She had specially bought these hairpins for Xia Ruoming and Xu Fengwu, why put it in her hair???

??°??°??？？？

“Classmate Ruoming, why…” Seeing herself wearing the hairpin, Chu Suhe’s face reddened to her ears. Although she had never thought about it that way, and never considered herself comparable to Xu Fengwu, when the hairpin was actually pinned in her hair, the girl’s heart couldn’t help but start fantasizing.

“If you really want to thank me…” Xia Ruoming deliberately paused while speaking, “Then become my girlfriend to thank me, how about it? Great Class Monitor Chu?”

(/??x??\\)！！！

The morning light shining through the window fell on the girl’s face. Chu Suhe was already somewhat socially anxious, and now suddenly being confessed to by Xia Ruoming in such a joking manner, the girl’s heart was in chaos, the blush on her face growing even deeper.

“You’re just bullying me, don’t, don’t make jokes like that!” Chu Suhe stamped her foot, that somewhat silly face showing a puffed-up expression, like a pufferfish that had just been startled.

After speaking, Chu Suhe ran straight out of the classroom. In her panic, she didn’t even dare to look at Xia Ruoming again, both hands clutching her chest, that barely undulating chest now rising and falling violently.

To say she wasn’t moved at all would be impossible, but Chu Suhe only thought it was a joke, just Xia Ruoming’s prank on her. The newly energetic Xia Ruoming was like an immortal banished from heaven, good at studies, excellent at sports, and even if her beauty wasn’t enough to topple nations, she was still extraordinarily elegant.

She felt she was just an invisible girl with braided hair and earthy round-framed glasses, often couldn’t even afford to eat at the cafeteria, physically weak, unpopular, if it weren’t for Xia Ruoming bringing He Ya to study together that day, she wouldn’t even have had someone to actively communicate with. Besides being good at studies, she was basically worthless in every way, so how could she be worthy of Xia Ruoming?

But she was unwilling to remove the hairpin from her head, treating it as a treasure.

Chu Suhe had always wanted to know why Xia Ruoming was so kind to someone as unremarkable as herself, and had guessed many answers, but she had ruled out the correct answer from the start.

Even in her dreams, she didn’t dare to dream too well, afraid that knowing it was a dream meant there would always be a day of waking up.

…

Ji Chuan, who had just been whispering with He Ya, watched this scene and scampered over again.

“Sis, you haven’t really fallen for Chu Suhe, have you? She’s not even that pretty, and her family situation isn’t good either. You gave up on Xu Fengwu for her?” Ji Chuan came over with a mischievous look on his face to ask Xia Ruoming.

“What do you know.” Xia Ruoming flicked Ji Chuan’s forehead, speaking irritably, but it was also a kind of confirmation of the answer to the question, then she gently stroked the hairpin pinned in her own hair.

Hearing Ji Chuan’s words, Xia Ruoming recalled the past.

Usually, a girl with good looks can’t be hidden, even if others don’t know, close friends would forcibly lift her hair to take a look at such a hidden gem, but Chu Suhe was really too socially anxious and had too little presence. In three years she didn’t even have a friend, until university when her beauty “as charming as spring’s peach blossoms, as pure as autumn’s chrysanthemums” was finally discovered.

Unfortunately in her previous life, although Chu Suhe became her junior, they were destined to miss each other.