Drama Queen Reborn as a Top Student!-Chapter 821 - 372 One is willing to beat, the other is willing to suffer.
The time rewinds to this morning.
Actually, today is also Gu Bichen’s birthday. Gu Chengzhao and his wife Amo specially took time off work to come back and celebrate it with him.
The family of four enjoyed a harmonious reunion dinner together.
Leng Xingshuang called to tell Gu Bichen that she had prepared a birthday party for him. It was the annual tradition—a group of young people taking the opportunity to stay up all night and have fun.
When Gu Bichen arrived, a group of young people led by Leng Xingshuang had already gathered in the private room. As soon as he entered, colorful streamers fell from the ceiling, and a crowd happily surrounded him.
Leng Xingshuang pushed forward a three-tiered birthday cake, with sixteen candles lit on top.
"Make a wish quickly."
Gu Bichen glanced at her, then closed his eyes to make a wish. When he opened them again, he blew out all the candles in one breath.
Leng Xingshuang smiled. "Happy birthday, Brother Bichen."
The private room was lively and noisy; young people’s nightlife always brimmed with color. When he found a spare moment, Gu Bichen sat in the corner to catch his breath.
Leng Xingshuang handed him a beautifully-wrapped box. "A birthday gift."
Gu Bichen accepted it with both hands. "Thank you."
Upon opening it, he found an exquisite and luxurious men’s wristwatch. The dial bore a unique design featuring the family name "Gu," custom-made and incredibly valuable.
"I really like it."
Leng Xingshuang sat down beside him. "I designed it myself. I was worried you’d think it looked tacky."
Gu Bichen turned his head to glance at her. "How have you been lately?"
Leng Xingshuang pursed her lips and fiddled with her skirt hem, her expression forlorn. "Good or bad, it’s all the same."
She laughed at herself as she spoke.
Jing Zhan was released after only fifteen days of detention—without even leaving a criminal record. Let alone targeting the mastermind behind the incident, Yu Ruohuan.
If Amos hadn’t saved her back then, she might have tragically perished. Even if she had died, it’s unlikely her grandfather could have done anything to Yu Ruohuan. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶
But she wasn’t willing to accept it.
A fleeting glint passed through Leng Xingshuang’s lowered gaze, and the corners of her lips curled in a hidden arc that vanished before anyone could notice.
"Brother Bichen, I heard you’ve been spending a lot of time with Miss Yu lately—having coffee together and even attending an opera?"
Leng Xingshuang’s tone was soft, but for some reason, it struck Gu Bichen’s heart like a heavy blow.
His chest felt tight, and he didn’t know how to respond.
"Well, that’s nice. Among the debutantes in Jingzhou, only Miss Yu matches you in social status. I’ll offer my congratulations in advance, Brother Bichen."
However the words were spun, they stung.
Gu Bichen opened his mouth to speak. "Xingshuang..."
"No need to explain anything, Brother Bichen. I understand it all."
Leng Xingshuang’s face displayed full understanding and empathy.
Right then, the door to the private room was pushed open, and a bold teenage girl’s voice cut sharply through the din.
"Such a lively scene—how could this miss out on me?"
At the sound of her voice, Leng Xingshuang’s fingers instantly clenched tightly against her knees, her nails nearly digging into her skin.
Everyone in the private room turned toward the doorway.
Gu Bichen recognized the girl in the purple dress who walked in and furrowed his brows faintly.
"It’s Miss Yu. How did she end up here?"
The others whispered among themselves while looking at the girl in the purple dress with apprehension in their eyes.
Yu Ruohuan always carried an air of aloofness, usually looking down on them. Why would she come to their social gathering?
Despite their reservations, some opportunists hoped to use this chance to curry favor. If they could win her favor, their futures would be limitless.
Yu Ruohuan glanced around the room indifferently, as if the gazes on her were nonexistent. She strolled up to Gu Bichen and cast a quick look at the half-cut cake before curling her lips. "How could your birthday party be complete without me?"
Gu Bichen deeply stared at her for a long moment, saying nothing.
The atmosphere grew awkward and tense.
Leng Xingshuang stood up with a smile. "Miss Yu, it’s an honor to have you here. Please, have a seat."
Yu Ruohuan’s gaze carried a playful edge as she examined her. "Miss Leng, has your health been well lately?"
The tone and look were an unmasked jab, full of scorn and humiliation.
Leng Xingshuang took a deep breath and replied calmly. "Thanks to your concern, I’ve been fine."
Yu Ruohuan curled her lips upward and unceremoniously seated herself beside Gu Bichen, squeezing Leng Xingshuang further away.
Leng Xingshuang shot her a dark, sinister glance and silently moved to sit elsewhere.
Yu Ruohuan pulled a delicately wrapped box out of her bag and handed it to Gu Bichen. "A birthday gift."
Gu Bichen frowned slightly, taking it with both hands. "Thank you."
But he showed little interest in opening it.
Yu Ruohuan rested her chin on one hand, smiling as she looked at him. "Aren’t you going to open it? I spent quite some effort preparing this gift for you."
Since she’d already said that much, Gu Bichen opened the box and took a glance, his eyes widening in surprise. "An Endstream Purple Cloud Inkstone?"
This inkstone was extremely precious but had long been lost to history.
Yu Ruohuan grinned widely. "Only I would truly understand you." Her choice of gift hit the mark.
Gu Bichen closed the lid and handed it back to her. "The gift is too valuable; I can’t accept it."
"What’s wrong—are you rejecting my gift or rejecting me?"
Yu Ruohuan’s gentle voice carried an intense aura of pressure, as though refusing her gift was akin to committing a terrible sin.
Yu Ruohuan leaned closer, lowering her voice so only the two of them could hear. "Gu Bichen, are you playing hard to get with me?"
To the onlookers, it appeared as though Yu Ruohuan was intimately whispering with Gu Bichen, stirring envy among everyone present.
Leng Xingshuang, sitting alone nearby, watched coldly. Without realizing it, her nails dug painfully into her palms, yet she seemed oblivious to the hurt.
Gu Bichen quietly raised his eyes to look at her but said nothing, placing the inkstone atop the pile of gifts.
Yu Ruohuan’s lips curled in satisfaction. "My birthday will be here soon. You better start thinking about what gift will melt my heart. Don’t disappoint me."
Xue Lan leaned toward Leng Xingshuang cautiously, glancing at her expression as she whispered. "Xingshuang, when did Young Master Gu get so close to Miss Yu? I always thought you were the perfect match for him. You should be careful not to let Miss Yu steal him away."
Leng Xingshuang’s expression turned icy, and she let out a cold laugh. "From the beginning, I’ve only regarded him as my brother. Who he chooses to be close to has nothing to do with me."
Xue Lan gave an awkward chuckle. "Is that so? Well, if you say so, I might start shipping Young Master Gu and Miss Yu as a couple. Truth be told, they do seem to make a striking pair... But I think Young Master Gu might have a hard time controlling her. If they really end up together, he’ll have plenty of hardships ahead. Then again, love’s a game—one willing to hurt, the other willing to be hurt..."
It appeared that Yu Ruohuan’s passion for Gu Bichen was one-sided, and Gu Bichen didn’t reciprocate her enthusiasm. But none of that mattered—her family name alone was enough for her to claim anything in this world, including people.
Leng Xingshuang shot Xue Lan a frosty glare, one that seemed as though she’d devour her whole. Xue Lan recoiled in fear and swallowed the rest of her words.
"She’s already ruined me, and now she wants to ruin Brother Bichen as well..."
Leng Xingshuang muttered under her breath, her gaze settling on the fruit platter on the table before her, which held a small fruit knife.
The fear from the moment she fell from the building came rushing back—the mixture of anger, unwillingness, and hatred weaving a chaotic storm within her.
Suddenly, Leng Xingshuang grabbed the fruit knife, clutching it tightly. In Xue Lan’s shocked gaze, she charged toward Yu Ruohuan with the blade.
"Yu Ruohuan, I’ll kill you!"
The scene erupted into chaos.
Leng Xingshuang was the closest person to Yu Ruohuan, who had her back turned. The knife’s trajectory made it clear that Yu Ruohuan stood no chance of evading. Everyone’s hearts leapt into their throats in that instant.
At the critical moment, Gu Bichen wrapped an arm around Yu Ruohuan’s waist and pulled her to the side. She escaped the blade, but his arm didn’t.
Blood gushed instantly.
Leng Xingshuang froze, her eyes reflecting the crimson blood, her face utterly pale.
The knife clattered to the ground as she shook her head in disbelief. "Brother Bichen..."
Gu Bichen’s face paled gradually, but he smiled and reassured her gently. "Xingshuang, don’t be afraid..."
Yu Ruohuan snapped out of her shock and, with her face twisted in fury, rose to deliver a slap to Leng Xingshuang’s face. The dazed girl stumbled backward, collapsed gracelessly, and looked utterly humiliated.
"You just wait; I’ll make sure to settle this debt with you later."
Jiao Long entered upon hearing the commotion, his brows furrowing at the scene.
"Miss, are you alright?"
Yu Ruohuan quickly dialed 120 and pointed at Leng Xingshuang on the floor, speaking coldly. "Keep an eye on her. Without my permission, no one is allowed to take her away."
Jiao Long bowed his head. "Understood."
Yu Ruohuan turned her attention to Gu Bichen, whose arm was losing more and more blood. Her gaze deepened as she studied the pale young man before her. "Why did you shield me from the knife?"
He smiled faintly. Unlike his usual gentle and refined demeanor, his smile now carried a trace of fragility and desolation.
"I would’ve done the same for anyone."
Then, he looked toward Leng Xingshuang. "Please don’t make things difficult for her. She’s just a child."
Yu Ruohuan smirked coldly. "You should worry about yourself first."
