8 Cheng Xiu's Change

Cheng Xiu stared at Gu Shu. "Well, good luck with that."

"What do you mean good luck? Are you not coming with me then?"

"You are not expecting me to welcome Gu Lin of all people are you?"

Gu Shu leaned against her shoulder and started to become teary eyed. "Little Xiu, please."

Cheng Xiu leaned back and pushed her away. "Nope. Not falling for that again."

"But I-"

"Gu Shu!" someone called.

The girls turned at the voice.

A tall bespectacled young man stood at the canteen entrance and waved in their direction.

"Is that student president Wang Lu? Since when do you two know each other?" Cheng Xiu asked.

"The HOD has asked you and that friend of yours to meet him at the Training Tower this afternoon!" Wang Lu shouted and walked off.

"Did he just say 'that' friend?" Gu Shu asked Cheng Xiu in disbelief. "Did he mean you?"

"Probably," Cheng Xiu said scratching the tip of her nose and went back to eating.

Gu Shu huffed. "The least he can do is remember your name."

"I'm sure he has better things to do than learn the name of every Qiless he meets."

Gu Shu scowled. "You are not any Qiless! You are the first ranked scholarship winner in our department this year! Second generation young masters like him who got into the school through the back door should worship the ground you walk on."

"The pot is calling the kettle black I see."

Gu Shu gave her a coquettish smile. "But I do worship the ground you walk on. In fact, I worship even the air you breath."

Cheng Xiu rolled her eyes. "You do you I guess. But that is still not going to make me agree to meet Gu Lin."

"But-but-but...it is for a good cause!" Gu Shu said. "If you are my best friend you should do it!"

Cheng Xiu scoffed. "If you want our relation to end because of this then so be it."

Gu Shu draped her hand around her shoulder. "Little Xiu, you are too cold hearted."

"Yes, and it helps me sleep at night. Now eat your breakfast quickly. The bell is about to ring and I still have that calculus assignment to complete."

Gu Shu shivered. "Oh my God, me too! Cheng Xiu, you have to help me!"

"No way."

"Cheng Xiu, when I told you to learn to say no to people this summer I did not mean say no to me. I meant others. How can you say no to your best friend?"

Cheng Xiu smiled. "But it's easier to say no to you than anyone else, A'Shu."

"A'Xiu, please."

Cheng Xiu drank the congee water andCheng Xiu placed her chopsticks down.

"We'll see," She said and touched the green touch pad on the menu rod. It gave a comforting warmth to her finger.

The machine scanned her fingerprint and a blue screen with her student data was on it. The food was 20 Credits. A student had to deposit 5000 credits at the time of their admission. Each meal price would be deducted from that initial deposit and it included taxes. Once the total deposit amount depletes to 100 credits the student had to make a new deposit. Any money remaining in the deposit after their four years in the college would be taken by the College as alumni money.

Many poor resentful students named the system the Black Hole.

Cheng Xiu's deposits were part of the scholarship program so she didn't really worry about it. It helped her save a lot of the allowance money that her father sent her every month.

They went back to their room after Gu Shu had her fill and paid credits.

In their room, Cheng Xiu ignored the existence of the VR pods in one corner. She would be tempted to play to feel Qi again if she saw it and she wasn't sure her mind could get used to the emptiness that came with it when she returned to the real world.

The two girls sat bent over their books, papers scattered all around them for the next two hours. Gu Shu gave up at the two hour mark while Cheng Xiu kept checking and rechecking her finished answers and then working out some more questions.

"I'm done," Cheng Xiu said in disbelief.

Gu Shu sprung up and crawled to her, shock written blatantly on her face. She checked the pages of answers and her head spun.

"Little Xiu, you...you finished even part 3 and 4 of the worksheet."

"I know that. I wrote it, idiot."

Gu Shu took hold of both her shoulders and started to shake her softly, observing her face.

"What?" Cheng Xiu asked, scowling at the scrutiny in her friend's eyes.

"I know you have high IQ. But we both know that it should take you three more hours at least to finish part 4. What did you eat with that congee when I was not looking for you to be able to do it and where can I buy it."

Cheng Xiu pushed her off herself. Gu Shu fell back. Cheng Xiu quickly cushioned her friend's head.

Gu Shu blinked. "Your reflexes are faster than before."

Cheng Xiu snorted. "Should I be concerned about the few brain cells you had left since you panted after Ren Dao or are you okay?"

"Why can't you ask me something without insulting me?"

"The same reason why you have no sense of personal space. Habit."

Gu Shu nodded. "Yeah. You know, if you had awakened your Qi, I would say you had levelled up. But since that's not the case, what do you think happened?"

Cheng Xiu froze. Qi Awakened? Could it be?

Cheng Xiu shook her head to remove such thoughts. No need to put such thoughts into her head and give her heart any hope. That will result in the end in her heart being torn apart.

"Here," Cheng Xiu said, handing Gu Shu her assignments. "Copy it properly this time. The methods should bet the same even if the results are not."

Gu Shu Hugged her. "Thank you! Thank you!"

"It's fine. Now get off me."

Cheng Xiu sorted her textbooks as Gu Shu started on her own assignment.

"You know Little Xiu, a good friend wouldn't let their friends copy off their homework. They would say that I should do my work on my own."

Cheng Xiu rolled her eyes. "And then spend the rest of the day trying to ignore the rain cloud above your head as you keep begging me to help you? I will get nothing done, and my whole day would be wasted. No thanks. I'm fine with you copying my work. I'll extort you in some other way."

"That's the spirit!" Gu Shu said, and gave her a thumbs up.

Cheng Xiu returned the gesture and got up.

She touched the red touchpad on the cupboard. The red turned green and the cupboard slid open. She placed her texts inside and paused. She took out a blue envelope from under one of the books.

She opened it. "Gu Shu, what is this?"

Gu Shu raised her chin up, curious. Her eyes widened on seeing the envelope and she scrambled to her feet. She ran to Cheng Xiu and tried to grab it. Cheng Xiu moved it away from her, and glared.

"You were going to meet Ren Dao's guild mates at Wisdom Food Court tomorrow?"

"He invited me!" Gu Shu defended. "I couldn't say no."

"Yes you can!" Cheng Xiu grabbed her ears and twisted it. Gu Shu cried. "Meeting a bunch of boys alone at night! Are you stupid!"

"It would be a public place!"

"You don't know the type of Qi manifestation they could have! What if they had puppetry or something?"

Guess Shu rolled her eyes. "Puppetry is at least S-Rank manifestation Cheng Xiu! There is no way someone like that would be here in H-City. And for the last time, Brother Dao is not a pimp!"

Cheng Xiu frowned. "How many girls will be there?"

Gu Shu looked down, embarrassed. "Only me."

Cheng Xiu suppressed the urge to strangle her friend. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Let us say, your Ren Dao does not have any malicious intent, can you guarantee that of the men who would be coming?"

Guess Shu sniffed. "No."

"Then?"

"What do I tell brother Dao then?"

"Blame it on me if it matters to you that much. That I was being unreasonable and you don't want to get into trouble with me. I asked you to do some personal projects with me, so you are bogged by research. Say anything. Throw me into the space drift. If he wants to take you out he can. But it is not going to be at night with his guy friends."

Gu Shu rubbed her tears away and nodded.

"Now go do your homework. We need to meet the HOD in an hour."

Gu Shu went obediently.

Cheng Xiu felt guilty for hurting Gu Shu but she tried to ignore the feeling. She was right. Sure, it was a bit controlling of her but if it meant her friend would be safe from predators, so be it.

In the afternoon they walked towards the tall metallic building with the holographic projection that said "Training Tower." Its entrance was a large gate with two silver pillars on both sides.

Gu Shu placed her hand on the scanner attached to the gate pillar. The gate opened.

They took an elevator to the Guidance Hall. The Guidance hall was a cold, blue tiled large room, with hundreds of seat placed in a semi-circle pattern around a raised podium. The smell of Sakura flowers hung in the air.

The HOD sat on one of the chairs at the back, with many students and teachers sitting in front of him in rows. The man was gaunt, with salt and pepper hair and a trimmed snow white beard on his face. He looked regal in his pale blue suit and dark shirt.

Everyone turned to them when Gu Shu and Cheng Xiu came in.

The HOD smiled. "You must be Cheng Xiu and Gu Shu from the first years. Take a seat, ladies. I'll begin the meeting once everyone is here. We still have four more people."

Cheng Xiu bowed to everyone present and sat at the back. Gu Shu followed suite.

Soon almost everyone had sat down.

Gu Shu was staring at the latest arrival with hearts in her eyes.

Cheng Xiu glared.

Ren Dao gave both the girls a charming smile and talked to the lady beside him.

The HOD cleared his throat.

"For those who don't know, I am your HOD Si Cao. Vice Head Mr Jin, if you will?"

A man in a white velvet suit ran up to Si Cao and placed a large Foldscreen in front of him.

On the screen was a symbol of a guard in which dragon circling a man, the Standard of the Alliance, on a red background.

Mr Jin cleared his throat. "The Earth Alliance under the witness of the UNO was created in 2041 after the skirmishes between the Blessed and the Qiless threatened to lead to an out right World War thr-"

"Mr Jin!" the HOD scolded. "We don't have to rehash that. Everyone sitting here took World History in high school. Would you get to the point?"

Mr Jin laughed in a squeaky voice. He was shaking. "Ri-right! The Alliance Force Energy Engineers Trainees are coming to our college! Well, not exactly our college...more specifically they are coming to the Technosphere of our college which is about 10 miles away. But we are hosting it! Which is an honour that every single one of you should appreciate. The Energy engineers are-"

The HOD cleared his throat.

Mr Jin flushed and ducked his head.

Mr Si Cao motioned Mr Jin to sit. The HOD smiled at the nervous man. Mr Jin relaxed visibly.

Mr Si Cao beamed at the students. "St Andre's Technosphere has some of the greatest facilities in the city when it comes to the Geoenergy Department."

Everyone clapped. Cheng Xiu copied them awkwardly. It wasn't an achievement any of the students sitting here contributed to so why were they reacting like the HOD had praised them?

Mr Si Cao waited until the applause had died down. "This is why, we are collaborating with the Alliance Instructors to organize a series of seminars that can help our students gain better understanding on the subject they are studying and learn from experts of the field in two months time. A field I hope at least one of you will be able to join when you graduate from the university. And you all are selected to be part of the welcoming committee."

Everyone clapped again, louder this time.

As the HOD sat down, murmurs rose in all corners of the room.

Gu Shu's eyes never left Ren Dao who was now openly flirting with the girl next to him. Cheng Xiu wondered if her friend was knowingly ignoring his behaviour or if she had on some kind of eye filter that made her not see what the rest of the world did.

Mr Jin stood up and placed a Fold in the middle chair. He then pressed on the Fold Watch on his wrist.

A holographic list of names came above them.

"The names listed here are to stay back. The rest of you can go. Either you Class Instructor or your student representative will inform you about the rest of the details."

Gu Shu got up to leave with Ren Dao but stopped. She saw Cheng Xiu stare at the list in confusion.

"Little Xiu? Come on!"

Cheng Xiu pointed at the hologram. "My name is on it and so is yours."

Gu Shu spun to the front and stared at the hologram. There it was, at the bottom of the list.

Cheng Xiu, First Year, Department of Geoenergy Engineering and Management.

Gu Shu, First Year, Department of Geoenergy Engineering and Management.

Gu Shu stared longingly at the disappearing figure of Ren Dao. She felt like she would cry.

Cheng Xiu pulled her down to her seat again.

"Fate is so cruel," Gu Shu groaned.

"Maybe it's a sign," Cheng Xiu said in amusement.

"You and Fate are cruel," Gu Shu said with a sigh.

"You'll live."

_________________________

A/N: so what do you think of the chapter? like it? Love it? tell me in the comments!

Do tell me what you think of the characters so far. Is there anyone you would like to see more of? what do you think about my writing? too much? too little? just enough?

Also, Thank you all for the collections. Thank you! thank you! thank you!