Mu Gu was lying down on a mat, thinking, "Ah, it's such a nice day", after a book fell on her face. Of such, it appears that it's been a long time since she barely had time for herself.
Minutes ago, she'd felt the utmost fulfilment but when the books fell, she had to find the exact page she'd lost again, which made her a bit frustrated from the pain and the imagination that had paused.
By now, she was at a place that only she'd might know about, somewhere hidden in the forest at the back of someone's bungalow - to be precise, her former living place that she'd failed to protect. It was likely that the current inhabitants of this house had never come across this place, which would explain why the hidden garden had quietly fallen into neglect - though she had only just finished restoring it to how it once was a few days ago.
What's funny enough was, she never had permission. It just, with the owner's absence, she slipped in, and for a moment, she looked rather proud of it.
Despite all that, after having her imagination paused, she found herself couldn't recreate the same feeling from the first time she read the book, and that stopped her. Her hands flip it continuously before a heavy breath comes out of her mouth.
"I give up", words came out as soon as she laid the book beside her head, and clasped her hand to her stomach, with her eyes gazing at the vast blue sky. Immediately, her eyes glistened and she blinked a little few more times before she gradually became used to it.
How come, she never intended to land her full attention on the sky, she simply wanted to look at it , and yet, after gazing longer, some invisible string pulled both the mind and the heart. It's as if she was enlightened. The kind of feeling that let her heart open wide, and put some inexplicable things in there? Who knows - she herself couldn't put it into words. What she knew was that it put her heart both with peace, yet indescribable melancholy. It set her heart free from otherworldly strings, but also made the beating stop at a certain time she couldn't describe nor remember. And that's the worst part out of all - that feeling left her suffocated.
A while had passed before Mu Gu finally snapped from it. The day began to alternate and she must be back to her place - the only one she could say hers; a library which she spent the result of her hard work to be granted. Before night came, she folded the mat after heaving herself up, then tidied up the place, put the books in her bag and set off the place as quickly as possible.
[ The next day ]
It was quite an ordinary day. Mu Gu was by her bicycle on a pathway near the big street filled with hustle bustle as usual, followed by a morning broadcast speaker ringing throughout the whole area, and busy people walking across. This day, nice weather covered the whole place, but the same emptiness on her was tightly contained, like a chain she chose not to let go. Something was amiss in every step of her life.
Nonetheless, her leg continued pedaling at a moderate pace and eventually arrived.
"Quite a troublesome day after all, has begun", she murmured low as well as her weighty sigh.
After Mu Gu parked her bicycle, she immediately went into the school library without stopping along the way. Finishing a task is important for a peaceful life. As for the trouble she had mentioned, she was quite confident that it would not reach her as long as she wanted. However, not as predicted, trouble arose towards her as soon as the break's bell rang - that is, when she had just finished cleaning and decorating the library on the first day of her duty.
On the other hand, Jun Yi heard some words from his friends towards some of the boys, saying,
"Have you heard? A new in duty student had taken charge of the library?"
"Really?!"
"It's damn real! I'm not gonna lie but the way it was enhanced was the real deal!", and a hushed tone took over, " Like you're on a study group vacation."
The others naturally laughed, and one carried on, "It should be like - A vacation study session in the library!"
At once, a bang on a desk, and cackles burst out, instantly causing a stir in the classroom.
As Jun Yi heard those, personally, he chose not to take part in the group but since he was being considered as one of them, he decided to just stick around and take a look if it's really just like the hearsay mentioned. During break, they walked over the hallway in a group of four and eventually arrived, but only for a sense of amazement creeping into them. Nothing was out of ordinary, nevertheless, the whole interior was quite cozy, like a small space just meant for people to have a peaceful holiday in. Rather than the outside, the library was more tranquil. The air was filled with a scent of paper, of books, and a faint scent of rosewood - as if a new batch of necessities had just been arranged, especially the shelves. It was short and filled with books as it stood in place, neatly arranged, whilst forming a measurable walkway each in between.
Other than that, there was a corner on the side, placed with each set of long desks, and a bunch of chairs with cushions, quite comfortable for sitting and reading.
Beside, a tall, wide glass window, which at first long had lost its charm, came to life after a thorough cleaning. Long, green leaves can be seen outside, dangling gracefully as the wind touches, tenderly sending some inside through the slightly opened window.
At first glance, Jun Yi's complexion softened as his eyes fell across the span of the room.
'I wonder who's running this place to make it so neat and beautiful?'
Jun Yi couldn't help himself being allured. Suddenly, something clicked on his mind, remembering something. He then scanned anywhere nearby but his friend was nowhere to be seen, hence, he could only venture inside carefully, while searching for their shadow. His foot passed by a row of books and began strolling everywhere, and handling everything that touched his interest.
As he carried on walking in wonder, his eyes once more fell towards the on-duty girl. A sense of wonder slowly guides his step, leading him past several shelves, when his sight of her gets clearer over the passing moments. Then, he stopped at the second row of shelves and picked some random books. He flips it open as he holds his breath and gushes out slowly before his eyes set on the girl again. How to describe - somehow, this girl gave him a sense of familiarity, but what it is?
Since the counter stood beside the wall, the soft morning light penetrating the window's glass beside inevitably causes the girl's face to dimly brighten in a soft glow, making her face vividly be identified. What he knew was that each of her body's movements carried a gentle, refined grace as she worked on some kind of documentation - presumably a student's record.
Regardless, given how that graceful essence of hers could put him in ease truly was strange enough for a stranger.
Jun Yi scoffed at himself, because after all those days, he still caught himself back to these matters he knew had no possibility.
Mu Gu put out her reading glasses upon noticing something. She lifted her head, hearing some movement on the second row of shelf in front of her. As her round and shiny eyes swept along the span of the space, it finally fell towards him, followed by a tiny bit of perplexion. Precisely to those moments, recognizing her causing his eyes to widen more in surprise. Immediately, Jun Yi straightened his back and accelerated his casual pace - so quick that Mu Gu hadn't managed a proper look at him before his figure disappeared from sight.
When he was finally out of the place, Jun Yi's complexion wavered - it sparkled. 'It's her! It's her!'. The small, foolish lift in his chest refused to fade as he swung around to face the way towards the teacher's room.
New day, new duty - little did she know that she would be met with such an eventful day.
Just when Mu Gu was already focusing on documentation from one to another, a bunch of people suddenly barged inside the library. They began arguing out of nowhere, and not to mention, it truly left her a lasting perception of speechlessness.
Mu Gu glanced everywhere, afraid that she would be held accountable. Honestly, not quite in that part, but rather in 'that' part - where she would have to think of another paragraph in her mind. How draining it was, especially when what eventually came out was entirely different. She often makes these kinds of mistakes and it's frustrating.
However, the atmosphere suddenly felt odd the more she focused on it. It's about how the people inside remained indifferent, like it was a normal day for them. No - rather, it refers to the person that caused it. Otherwise, with such a strict prohibition of loud noises, people would've long taken part in diminishing it.
That said, Mu Gu got a feeling that she shouldn't be involved in such things but she still has to reconsider that she holds the responsibility, so, whether she's willing or not, she had to step in.
She'd merely come between them when the girl on the left lifted her upper body towards the other one.
A small flinch ran through her at the unexpected action.
The left girl's eyes were big in mockery and anger, while the other one remained composed.
Mu Gu naturally followed the course of the episode in front of her, trying to grasp something from their expression and attitude towards the situation.
"What are you two doing?"
One wouldn't have imagined that she's quite nervous handling them now, given how nonchalant her expression is. Her mellow voice resounded low, infiltrating uninterested tones - just like one who is forced, and reluctantly pouring out more unnecessary energy.
She'd assumed that those very moments, without uttering much, her mere presence projected her of someone highly respected - but who would have guessed what could your thought and action be projected towards others perspective, was it aligned or in two different ways?
Mu Gu's mind couldn't stop but recalling what had happened in her late school, however, she'd rather just brushed it off her mind and detached herself any further about it eventually.
"What are we doing? Can't you see?!", the girl on the left looked at her with annoyance.
"Li Shuina! This is between us, you better not involve her!"
The tension between them, as if a net, restraining everyone in place.
With no one to take action, the squabble continues to resound in each corner of the room, inviting many interested passerby near the class.
"Hey. It's the new student!", the other murmurs in admiration, "If only she's in my class."
The other passerby carries on the conversation. "You're right. She was such a nice person. But don't you think it was such a disgrace?"
"What do you mean?"
"Look at Li Shuina arguing with the new student. Such embarrassment!", the other cursed in a low tone.
The few others quickly followed in a hum of agreement.
"Shu MengMeng! Don't think that you're Su Han's friend, I will just let you go. Don't you think you've gone too far? As to snatch away something that is supposed to be mine?"
Hearing such baseless accusations, saying this, saying that, Shu MengMeng folded her arms on her chest and stared at Li Shuina as sharp as a razor. It's been a while now that Shu MengMeng began thinking that Li Shuina must be only finding fault with her for fun. As a result, she tightly braced herself, trying to accumulate bravery, and began scolding, "I told you. The result was not on me", she pointed at Li Shuina again, getting closer each time, "You should have found fault in the one who managed the school's grade. There. Old Bao. You should find him in the teacher's room. Why would you bother on finding someone incapable in this matter?"
To be honest, she did find it a little reasonable, but aware of how Shu MengMeng was bound to be her enemy, her pride just couldn't accept it. In the end, she just stood there, unable to make any decision. Her body froze like a mannequin, and her complexion became troubled.
On the other hand, Mu Gu was merely overlooked, as worst as the one who was cast aside. It was for this reason that she just sat still in place and became part of the audience of the entire scene. Even the conflict eased on its own.
Thankfully, the teacher walk passed there long after the ruckus. The two didn't end up in a punishment as they should have.
Long after both Li Shuina and Shu MengMeng were gone, Mu Gu's face still hadn't recovered from incredulity as she tried settling down in her place. Mu Gu in her usual position, leaning hands on desk, with her head on it and thinking, 'Was I merely a decoration? I'm quite sure that we saw each other in the eyes. But how come I ended up as just one of the statues facing them?'
Mu Gu sighed.
'Blamed me for having such a harmless face'. Though that matter left her in a sense of embarrassment but it was still reassuring that she got off the hook. For someone who was in charge of, that is.
These issues lingered inside her for a while until it slowly shifted weirdly. Because in a long alley between her dreams or consciousness, voices keep calling out her name, becoming sharp each time her psyche rises up. "Zhi Chunning! Zhi Chunning!"
Mu Gu was wondering, how come there was such a sense of foreboding preceding her, not to mention, in broad daylight?
And there was a hard shaking like a nightmare of a whole earthquake after her.
At long last, she hardly put a force on her eyelids so that it would open and wake her up. Turns out, it was not. a. dream. after all. It was Teacher Lin Meng who was calling for her. "Zhi Chunning! Good for you! You said that after you are done here, you would not skip classes again but here you are! Go back to class!".
Teacher Lin Meng was one of the four pillars of the school - widely known as the tigress. Nearly all of the students in this school were afraid of offending her. She was indifferent to mercy. With mistakes in sight, she would not hesitate to point it out, and with such an ear-splitting voice, that is. Everyone could sharply hear her from one end to another end, and would quickly scatter from the place out of fear.
As a result, Mu Gu received a hard earful from her, though her mind was still not clear at the present. Who knows that she'd truly got it glued to her mind or already flying elsewhere.
Then, once again, she lifted her body up, uttered some casual grateful words towards the teacher, though she still didn't finish up her words. That's because the looping had long worn into her - the same words over and over again. Hence, after a sincere utterance of apology, she made her way to the toilet to freshen up again, of course, with a fresh splash, both mind and physical.
Mu Gu had just walked past the door. But a girl stopped exactly in front of her.
Mu Gu looked at her.
Someone so arrogant, yet emitting naivety at the same time. Beautifully innocent, yet entwined with a sharp blade among the bouquets of flowers. Yes, it was Shu MengMeng who was in front of her. She remembered that face.
Shu MengMeng - a girl with black short bob hair. Her face was beautiful and lovely at the same time. Not sharp, but small and a bit round. Her round eyes were beautiful in hazel, with her straight eyebrow making her appear more soft in features.
Staring a bit while, Mu Gu couldn't understand the meaning behind, so she tilted her head and her eyebrow lifted up in innocent confusion. Shu MengMeng suddenly rolled up her eyes in arrogance and created the accidental intention of bumping hard on her. It looks like she did want to go for business but in a quite unreasonable way.
Mu Gu realized it for sure.
The deliberate accident never felt this transparent. As a result, Mu Gu was pushed aside a bit by the sudden force.
For a moment, Mu Gu was astounded, yet was calm. Whatever reason there is, her face turns expressionless in a scary way. She began facing her. Her eyebrow twitched and curled inexplicably - who would have known that those complexions were showing sadness or merely mocking Shu Meng Meng right to the face.
Her feet strode closer, and twice the energy that was put onto her earlier, a short, yet hard force was pressured on Shu MengMeng's back until she fell down to the floor. Following the act, Mu Gu crouched a little, lips parted small, and smirked again, unclear of the reason whether she was upset or merely just mocking her. The point is, she neither looked angry, nor was fulfilled, and it's unsettling; completely different from her usual self.
Shu MengMeng's anger held no place. She originally wanted to lift herself up, but resulted in paralysis upon seeing the very girl who's in front of her, staring at her, penetrating deep into her soul. Shu MengMeng was completely glued to the floor, unable to vent out. Those stares, for her, were rather dangerous. Like a knife slitting between, it was knitted down to her nerves for reminder.
A moment passed before she was finally able to let out her breath, because by the time, Mu Gu already walked away to the classroom.
In spite of that, Shu Meng Meng was completely frustrated. Her eyes slowly darkened, filled with deep resentment. She gritted her teeth hard, with veins vigorously evident on her forehead. For her who has never been treated to that extent all her life, for the first time ever felt her pride being crumbled into pieces. A nerve-wrecking wail starts hollowing across the empty space, as if gushing out the discontentment at once, while in fact, a series of laughs of amusement suddenly altered.
It was then that she knew, "Turns out, this student is not an easy one either. You better appreciate my gift."