"Du Xiaoxian? What an old-fashioned name!" Yang Liying twitched her mouth with scorn. She was expecting a dashing rich boy instead of such a bumpkin to be her deskmate.
Du Xiaoxian had been used to contempt since childhood and didn't care much about her words. But she was not used to be surrounded like this. She was very nervous and fearful for what would happen next. She looked more and more anxious and could hardly breathe in such an unknown environment.
Fortunately, a good-looking young woman came in at this moment. This was their teacher, Ms. Jiang. She had just been summoned by the headmaster to talk about the new student. The headmaster asked her to take care of Du Xiaoxian and repeated Gu Nianbin's words in a more detailed way. She sensed the special background of the new student from the tedious instructions of the headmaster.
"All of you, back to your seat." Ms. Jiang dispersed the surrounding students and then asked Du Xiaoxian gently, "Du Xiaoxian, are you OK? You look pale."
Du Xiaoxian made no response. After the students were gone, she could breathe smoothly again. But who is this pretty young lady?
"I'm Ms. Jiang, your teacher. You can come to me whenever you need help. Get it?"
Du Xiaoxian looked at her timidly and then nodded slowly.
"All right. Now put your schoolbag in the drawer." Ms. Jiang wanted to help her put away her schoolbag, but Du Xiaoxian grabbed it tightly. She had been to school before and knew that the schoolbag should be placed in the desk drawer. However, she was so uneasy now that she needed something to hold in her arms to feel more secure.
Ms. Jiang understood it and thus didn't force her. "Then may I help you take out the books for next class?"
This time, Du Xiaoxian did not object but opened her schoolbag. When Ms. Jiang took out the book, the cloth bag dropped out by accident. Yang Liying picked it up immediately and cried, "What’s this? A cloth bag?"
A student sitting nearby looked over and said, "It must be handmade. Look at the crooked stitches."
"There are even embroidered flowers on it." Yang Liying turned over the bag, "What a tacky bag! Du Xiaoxian, where exactly are you from?"
"Yang Liying!" Ms. Jiang stopped her loudly, "Don't be so rude. You should be friendly and kind to new students. Have you forgotten what I had taught you?"
Yang Liying snorted. This was the first time she was berated in public, just because of that bumpkin named Du Xiaoxian.
Du Xiaoxian had no idea that she had already made herself an enemy in such a short period. She was engaged in encouraging herself inside. Be brave and make more friends. Be brave and make more friends…
The class began, but Du Xiaoxian found that she could understand nothing. She became anxious again. She had promised the young master to listen attentively in class. She listened, but could understood not even a word...
Throughout the afternoon, she was sitting in her seat with the schoolbag in her arms. She didn't move either in class or break. It was so weird that nobody came to talk to her.
Yang Liying sat nearby with several girls, gossiping about her background. She must be somebody to be admitted into this school, but she had nothing connected to an affluent family. Therefore, they made a conclusion that she must be an illegitimate daughter who had been just found back by some big family.
Yang Liying loathed her but dare not offend her much before her background was clear. What counted in this school was family background. The more rich and influential, the more superior. They were all deeply convinced with the hierarchical system. She might get her family into trouble if she acted rashly. However, they couldn't think of any big family surnamed Du in City G.
In class break, Yang Liying asked Du Xiaoxian where she lived. Du Xiaoxian actually knew the address of the Gu Mansion, which was deeply buried in her mind before she left her hometown. However, Yang Liying's tone and expression scared her so much that she failed to utter the answer after several attempts.
Yang Liying was made impatient, "Is it so difficult to tell me where you live? Or is it shameful to tell?"
She was deliberate to provoke her, but Du Xiaoxian didn't get it. She looked at her blankly and lowered her head. What a bad-tempered girl. The young master asked her to make more friends, but she dare not made friends with such a girl.
Her reaction made Yang Liying sigh in frustration. She even wanted to slap her, if not awed by her mysterious background. Nowadays there were many wolves in sheep's clothing. She was smart enough to contain her anger of the moment.
The school was over after two classes. Du Xiaoxian sat there to wait until all students had left and walked out slowly with her schoolbag. She was thinking of walking back to the Gu mansion before she saw Xiaoding at the school gate. Du Xiaoxian immediately smiled and ran over to him, "Xiaoding."
Xiaoding was surprised because Du Xiaoxian never paid attention to him at home. This morning she was wary of him merely because he complimented her on her beauty. Now she became cordial to him.
Since she drew the eye of the young master, he had to respect her. He smiled and opened the door for her, "The young master asked me to pick you up."
"Thank you." Du Xiaoxian managed to be polite, but still timid, which bewildered Xiaoding. Why was Du Xiaoxian afraid of him with such a harmless face?
"Xiaoxian, don't be afraid of me." Xiaoding said, "It's just that you didn't know me well. Actually, I'm very easy-going. I'm ready to help anytime you need…Xiaoxian, actually you are a pretty girl, but you are too quiet and cold. If you talk more like Lanzhi and smile more, the master and the lady will definitely like you more ...Nevertheless, you've newly arrived and have much to learn about. As time goes by, you will be more familiar with us. Take Old Xiao for example. He looked kind in face but very cruel in heart. Well I'm different. I look kind in face and also very kindhearted. Really, especially to girls…I'm warmhearted. Next time if you are busy, I can help you clean the courtyard… Many girls are fascinated in me though my eyes are small…"
Xiaoding was a typical chatterbox, but he dared not talk much in front of Gu Nianbin. He restored his windbag nature before girls, especially pretty girls. He talked and talked, like the endless flow of the Yangtze River. He would not stop until he had used the very last trick to make girls laugh out loud.
However, this time he didn't get any response from the back seat after all his talking.
He took a look at her through the rearview mirror. Du Xiaoxian had fallen asleep with her schoolbag in her arms. Well, he was dry-mouthed talking to himself.
Du Xiaoxian was actually awake, with her eyes closed. Not good at chatting, she couldn't find a proper chance to join the conversation after Xiaoding kept talking for so long a time. She felt embarrassed and therefore closed her eyes to pretend to be asleep. Now that Xiaoding stopped talking, she opened her eyes and stared blankly at the scenery flashing by the window.
Halfway to the mansion, Xiaoding received a call from Gu Nianbin and was ordered to return to the company. Xiaoding noticed Du Xiaoxian was awake from the rearview mirror and said, "Xiaoxian, the young master told us to return to the company first."
Du Xiaoxian would certainly obey and said softly, "OK."
Therefore, the car turned around and drove towards Gu's Company.
Shao Boqing had just come back and parked his car when he saw Xiaoding walking up the stairs with a little girl. He was stunned. Was Xiaoding bringing his little girlfriend with him to work?
Unlike Gu Nianbin who was cold and reserved, Shao Boqing was outgoing, cheerful and playful most of the time. He was used to make fun with his subordinates. He sneaked up on them and slapped Xiaoding on his shoulder, "Well well, Xiaoding, how dare you secretly meet your girlfriend at work? I'll tell your boss about it."
Instead of Xiaoding, the little girl beside was frightened worse, looking panic at him with a big backpack in hands.
Xiaoding pacified her first, "Xiaoxian, don't be afraid. This is President Shao. He is joking with us." Then he turned to Shao Boqing, "President Shao, please don't mistake it. This is the young master's guest. If you scare her, I'll report to the young master."
"Really?" Shao Boqing looked at Du Xiaoxian, "Are you the guest of Nianbin? Shall I take you up?"
Du Xiaoxian hid behind Xiaoding out of instinct. Another stranger that made her uneasy.
Her reaction made Shao Boqing stunned. As a dashing man extremely popular in female, he had never met any woman who could resist his charm. Was this little girl blind?
"Hey, come on." Shao Boqing, feeling frustrated, tried to pull her out.
But he was stopped by Xiaoding, who was about to appease Du Xiaoxian with a few more words but saw Gu Nianbin was there. Du Xiaoxian had already hid behind Gu Nianbin, revealing only half of her head.
Shao Boqing pointed at her and said, "Nianbin, this young lady..." He stopped suddenly when he met his boss's fierce eyes. His intense glares were just like icy blades which could tear him into pieces. He put down his hand and managed to squeeze out a smile. Before he could say something for explanation, Gu Nianbin had taken Du Xiaoxian away without a word.
Shao Boqing rubbed his eyes and asked Xiaoding, "What's wrong with your young master?"
Xiaoding turned to him with a gloating look, "Now there's no need for me to report. The young master saw it himself."
"What did he see?" Shao Boqing was puzzled. Did he do anything wrong?
"That you frightened Du Xiaoxian."
Shao Boqing touched his face and asked Xiaoding in disbelief, "Do I look so frightening?"
Xiaoding eyed him carefully and said, "Kind of."
"You asked for it!" Shao Boqing kicked Xiaoding's butt and pulled him back, "Seriously, who is that little girl? It seemed that your young master cared about her very much."
"She..." Xiaoding thought for a moment and said, "Strictly speaking, she should be considered the savior of our master."
Shao Boqing was even more puzzled. How could a vulnerable little girl save their master?
Xiaoding then recounted the story of how Du Xiaoxian stood up to stop Gu Niannan that morning with highly colored details.
"Well, she's just a maid then." Even though Xiaoding had described Du Xiaoxian as a brave chivalrous woman in his story, Shao Boqing had only come to such a contemptuous conclusion.
Xiaoding said crossly, "President Shao, that's not the point!"
"Then what is?" Shao Boqing asked.
"The point is that such a timid girl could do something big."
"That's not the point, either." Shao Boqing raised his eyebrows.
"Then tell me what's the point," said Xiaoding.
Shao Boqing waited till Gu Nianbin walked across the lobby and turned into the elevator with Du Xiaoxian, and then said slowly, "The point is your young master's attitude towards Du Xiaoxian."
"What do you mean?" Xiaoding was confused, "The young master was good to her."
"Yeah," Shao Boqing said with a meaningful smile, "very good."
When they returned to the office, Gu Nianbin took the bag that Du Xiaoxian had been carrying and put it on the table. He pulled her to the sofa to sit and pointed at the pile of snacks that Zhou Ting bought, "You must be hungry. Eat something first to stave off hunger. I still have something to do, so we'll go back home later.""Young master," Du Xiaoxian took a look of the snacks and was about to stand up, "Shall I go back first? I have to sweep the courtyard."Gu Nianbin stopped her, "It doesn't matter. Today is your first day of school. Forget about the chore. Leave it tomorrow."Du Xiaoxian had no choice but to stay. Gu Nianbin opened a chocolate bar for her and asked about her day at school. Du Xiaoxian blushed and said slowly, " Young master, I...I can't understand in class."Gu Nianbin stroked her hair with a smile, "Don't worry. Take your time. You'll understand gradually.""OK." Du Xiaoxian nodded, " I will st
From that day on, Du Xiaoxian's life had undergone tremendous changes.Every day, she left home early and returned late, getting familiar with the scenery on streets of G City and environment of the school.Sitting in the car, she tried to memorize the route back to home and the route to the Gu’s Company.She concentrated on classes and never allowed her mind to stray away. Gradually, she was able to understand them. As for classes in sciences, the young master said that she did not need to learn them and she did not understand anything either. Therefore, during sciences classes, she just lowered her head and drew on the notebook.She had always liked drawing. Back when she got bored at her hometown, she would pick up a twig and sat in the courtyard drawing randomly to kill time for the whole morning. She drew flowers, dragonflies, trees and grass as well as chickens, ducks, fish, pigs, sheep, dogs, cats…everything around her.
Just as Xia Xiaowan had expected, the news of her accompanying Gu Nianbin to the banquet made the headline in the entertainment section of Morning Post the next day.In the published picture, she smiled sweetly and gracefully, looking even more gorgeous than usual.Gu Nianbin beside her was also smiling gently and elegantly. He looked extremely handsome with deep eyes, a Roman nose, thin lips, and a firm chin slightly hold up.Xia Xiaowan took a sip of coffee. She spread the newspaper on the dining table and pondered over the picture in the newspaper.Du Xiaoxian also saw the picture.Standing in the corridor outside the dining room, she beheld her ladyship, with the newspaper in her hands, cheerfully talking with the master about the perfect match of their son and Miss Xia. She couldn't understand why the young master and Miss Xia were reported by the newspaper. When the master and lady went upstairs, she slipped into
Sitting in the car, Gu Nianbin asked seriously, "Now tell me. Why did you walk away alone?"Du Xiaoxian lowered her head and bit her lips. Blood seeped from the cut lips into her mouth. It tasted sweet.She didn't expect that she caused so much trouble for the young master and even bothered the police.She didn't expect the young master was so angry either. She was a fool. No wonder no one liked her. No wonder she had no friends.Now even the young master wouldn't like her. She was a nit, simply mindless. If she told the young master or Xiaoding beforehand, things would not be like this.So many people, including the headmaster, were bothered to look for her. How could she have the nerve to go to school tomorrow? The young master used his connections to send her to school, but...look at what she had done.Du Xiaoxian felt so guilty that even her guts were twisted and her body further shrank."
Du Xiaoxian felt something wrong when entering the classroom, as almost everyone was looking at her.Contempt and disdain were all over their faces, which Du Xiaoxian had been used to since childhood. She didn't care much about it and sat on her seat quietly.She assumed that they looked at her this way because of the incident yesterday. Even the headmaster was bothered after all.Yang Liying was not in her seat. She was chattering in a low voice with some girls. She snorted contemptuously at Du Xiaoxian and asked a girl in whisper, "Are you sure about what you saw yesterday?""Of course. She got on a bus and sat by the window and then got off and walked. I followed her all the way. Nobody came to pick her up.""What happened afterwards?""She was on foot while I rode in a car. It's hard to follow, so I left then.""What a pity," said Yang Liying, "If you followed her home, you would find out
It was already dark when Gu Nianbin returned home.He looked through the car window as the iron gate slowly opened, but the lawn was empty with nobody there.The path had been cleaned up, however, and in the grass, there were few leaves, which probably had just fallen.The car stopped under the tree. A gust of wind swept over, and palm-sized leaves started falling, some yellow and some yellow and green, all wilted and lifeless in the dusk. Gu Nianbin picked up a fallen leaf on top of the car and looked up at the tall phoenix tree. For the first time, he felt annoyed about the falling leaves.Some branches, bare with no leaves, were swaying in the wind like tentacles of a monster.He gazed at it for a while, and then threw the leaf and entered the house.Fang Yaru was glad to see him back, "It's just time for dinner. Perfect timing."Gu Nianbin smiled, "There is a boring business dinner. Baiqin
Gu Nianbin called Xia Xiaowan before leaving the office and said he would pick her up later.Xia Xiaowan held breath for two seconds and then answered readily, "OK."There was no reason to decline. Things would be much different if she went to his home by herself.Did this mean that they got closer to each other?Gu Nianbin showed up at the office building of Xia Xiaowan's company on time. He was handsome with an imposing appearance, like a shining star in the bustling crowd.Soon he became the object of many admiring sights.Xia Xiaowan came out along with the crowd and spotted him immediately.There were quite a few rich guys waiting for their lovers in luxury cars. But Gu Nianbin was undoubtedly the most outstanding one, overshadowing all the others."Look! It's President Gu. Why is he here?" A girl who often read financial news exclaimed with surprise.Office buil
Du Xiaoxian didn't move at the master's instruction. She was waiting for Gu Nianbin's order.The young master was good to her. How could she hurt his girlfriend? She didn't mean it. But things did happen.Butler Xiao gave her the chance to work in the living room and she decided to give her best shot. However, she screwed it all.She was all fingers and thumbs and got stumble all of a sudden. Was it because she was too nervous? She would get nervous in front of a pretty noble lady. This time, she got even more nervous when serving the young master's girlfriend.She wanted to do a good job but things turned out differently.The young master kept silent, which vexed her the most. He didn't yell at her like the lady. Actually, if he did so, she would feel better."Why are you still here? Go off!"Fang Yaru raised her voice as irritated by seeing her standing still.They were getting