Chapter 18 - Suck-up?
The moment they arrived at TIHS, Xiong Zhi quickly left the car and went in towards the junior's building. She did not even wait for Linfeng.
She was still mad. She was confused. She was frustrated.
She did not want to lash out to Linfeng. She felt that if she stay longer she could not restrain herself to tell Linfeng all the truth.
That they should be together and not wasted time.? No flirting with others.
She was very very frustrated. She wanted to hold Linfeng now, to tell him everything she wanted to say in her last lifetime. Her proclamation of love.
But somehow even without experience from this drama love, she knew if she blurted out all her feelings now, Linfeng might distance himself to her. She could see that whenever she tried to make a move (by staring at him and praising him) Linfeng was uncomfortable.
She was afraid that Linfeng might misunderstood her. And instead to love her like he did in the past, he might be guarded against her. She did not know what to do.
He's near...but seems so far away.
Arriving at her room, she put away these thoughts in the back of her mind. She had a goal to make today. She needed to focus.
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Lunch quickly came.
At the farthest corner, Gu Zhen sat on his usual spot. He was typing non-stop to his laptop.
Then he felt a shadow above him. He looked up and saw Xiong Zhi sat across from him.
He returned his gaze to his laptop and typed, without looking up he said,
"I thought you are giving me a year?"
He waited for a response. Not hearing anything he looked at Xiong Zhi.
Xiong Zhi was just sitting in front of him. Staring at him. He did the same. He stared at her.
Minutes passed, they stared each other unmoving.
Not far away, a girl with her lunch tray circled around their table many times like she was looking for something.
Xiong Zhi had enough of her staring. She tried very hard to look for something to praise at Gu Zhen's appearance.
Having finding nothing, she recalled Mr. Ji's sample to her.
She opened her mouth and looked at Gu Zhen's eyes.
Seeing that Xiong Zhi was about to say something serious, Gu Zhen's full attention was on her.
"Gu Zhen, you look handsome today."
A loud sound of glass breaking interrupted everyone in the cafeteria.
Xiong Zhi looked at the source, the girl nearby was standing between the break glasses of plates and food. The girl had a horrified look in her face.
Xiong Zhi recognized her. She was one of her classmate.
One of the cafeteria staff walked towards the girl. She checked if the girl's body was injured and talked to the stunned girl.
"Miss, are you okay, we will send you to the clinic right away." The staff really looked worried and troubled. But it was for her job. These rich students could fire them easily! She was afraid that she offended the rich student.
The girl shake her head.
"N-no. It's alright. My hand just slipped."
Xiong Zhi returned her attention back to the youth in front of him.
Gu Zhen did not even noticed the accident earlier. He just stared dumbfounded at Xiong Zhi.
'Did I hear her correctly ?'
Xiong Zhi thought her praise was not enough. So she continued.
"I like your fashion. How did you styled yourself?"
Gu Zhen's jaw dropped.
Who would like his fashion?! He knew himself that he looked weird. With long curly hair that covered his eyes, his thick glasses made him a nerd, his buttoned up shirt's uniform was styled outdated.
His father and his relatives always pester him to change his looks. But he liked what he look today. No one notice him. No one bothered him. And he like it.
He was not concerned of his popularity nor his image. He did not even care about girls.
That's why facing a girl's praise to his looks he did not know what to say.
He observed Xiong Zhi.
'What happened to her?'
With an expressionless face and cold voice she did not look like she was praising him sincerely. She was like? she was forced to do this.
But why him?
Xiong Zhi continued her so-called 'praise'.
"What I liked the most is your beautiful fingers."
This time Xiong Zhi was sincere.
"They are like gods in that laptop of yours. I believe no once could match them. Even the genius hacker of the previous generation could not even make one of your fingers to be his worth. He is already defeated by a mere finger."
Xiong Zhi read many poems and books in the past. She used metamorphic words to enhanced her praise. Besides what she said was true. Years from now, this youth in front of her would be titled the unparalleled Genius of their generation.
However, to Gu Zhen, it felt like she was exaggerating too much. He knew himself so well, he was confident in his skills. But he was not sure if he was on par with the current genius hacker. The way Xiong Zhi delivered it made him doubt himself more.
Xiong Zhi strike again.
"I really admire you and I am a fan of yours. As a fan, I will be truly in heaven if you lend me your strength and help me this once. You are the only one who can do it." Xiong Zhi said the last part seriously. She felt like she would become a poet.
When Gu Zhen heard this, his expression become completely sour.
'What the hell?! I think this girl just want to ask me a favor!'
He looked at Xiong Zhi and Xiong Zhi just looked at him expectantly , waiting for his answer.
'She troubled herself to suck up on me just for a favor. It is unlike her.'
Even Gu Zhen was not close to Xiong Zhi or to any Xiong family. He heard about the beautiful, cold and indifferent young miss of Xiong.
Seeing the expressionless face of Xiong Zhi, he was certain that it was not her idea, so he asked her.
"Who taught you to suck-up on people? It's terrible."
Xiong Zhi just raised up her eyebrow.
'Suck-up?'
Gu Zhen saw her expression and sighed.
"Anyway, no matter what favor you want to ask for I'm not going to help you. I'm busy." Gu Zhen point his finger to his laptop. He was already halfway of revising his work.
He did not want distractions.
Xiong Zhi knew her plan A did not work. Time for plan B.
She took out something on her pocket and then placed it on the table.
The sounds of metal clashing attracted Gu Zhen's attention back to Xiong Zhi.
In the table, there was a key.
He looked at Xiong Zhi questionably.
"Locker 13L, there is a video game console, the latest edition."
Gu Zhen stared at Xiong Zhi blankly.
When his mind processed the word video game console , he stared at the key. He already imagine the precious thing that the locker contained.
He gulped.
What a tempting offer!
Of course, Gu Zhen knew what this 'gift' mean.
He needed a video game console for the progress of his game to experiment.
Gu Zhen could buy this treasure himself. But the problem was, his father blocked him to all electronics store. He was monitored closely.
He had game console but now they were thrown away by his father.
Seeing the thing he wanted the most offered to him in just one favor, he was tempted.
But then he remembered that if he got it, where he would put it? He could not bring it to his home. Remembering what happened last time when he sneak out a game consoler, he smiled bitterly .
"That's a good move. I really need a game consoler right now especially the latest edition. However, I can't bring it home. It will be useless."
Xiong Zhi raised her brow.
'He cannot defend himself against his father?'
"You are a genius hacker. Cannot hack your own father's...?"
Xiong Zhi unspoken words was understood by Gu Zhen. Since Xiong Zhi knew he was good in electronics, she must also knew that he could easily hacked his father's security and changed his own password to his room. No one can enter to his room then with his godly ability. Even his father hired experts to crack his password they would not succeed. Thus they could not enter his room. Even the hidden cameras were not a problem.
So what he is worried about?
Sensing the confused gaze of Xiong Zhi,? Gu Zhen explained.
"You think I'm a god in the field of computers and electronics, but I'm only a humble mortal in the face of a BOMB."
He said emphasizing the last word.
He was not joking. His father found out that he hacked his hidden cameras and passwords thus he used underhanded methods.
Since he could not crack his password in his room. He used bomb all the time to check on his room.
And he was scared shitless? whenever he heard that loud sound.
Hearing Gu Zhen's story. Xiong Zhi did not find it unusual.
'As expected from a military family.'
Xiong Zhi was lost for a moment. Then she quickly thought of something.
"Do you still have my card on you?"
Gu Zhen was startled by her question but quickly recover. He nodded embarrassingly.
The truth was , the card was always in his pocket. It was his last resort if things got worst and he had no way out of his family's responsibility.
Even he mocked Xiong Zhi in their first meeting he could not help but trust her and place her hope in her.
"There is an address there. A small office for my small company. You can use that place." Xiong Zhi suggested.
She already bought a place for her small company. The only missing was her CEO and her Vice Director.
The truth was Xiong Zhi was taking advantage of this situation. She knew well that Gu Zhen was revising his work and he needed equipments and place to work. That's why she did not push him and waited for a year. A year was enough for him to finished it.
"Do you think my father will not see through me? He will stop me for dropping by to that place ."
"Have you forgotten who I am? One word from me and your father will happily comply."
Gu Zhen was confused for a moment and then gaped at Xiong Zhi.
'How can I forgot I was talking to a Xiong?! A first line descendant at that!'
Being a Xiong meant power. Even his father was from the government with military backing , he could not afford to offend the Xiong. Thus, if Xiong Zhi ask a favor, his father had no choice but to comply.
"What are you planning?" Gu Zhen was excited.
"I will handle this matter. After you finish the task I had given you, I will give you this key." Xiong Zhi picked up the key.
Gu Zhen's corner mouth twitched.
A favor become a task.
Xiong Zhi took out a piece of paper and USB, then handed it to Gu Zhen.
"Just hack these accounts and copy their file."
Gu Zhen took the paper and looked at the list. There were at least seven names on it.
It would be impossible to do this, but with Gu Zhen's ability he could do it.
Gu Zhen smirked.
"It will only take me minutes to do this. Prepare tomorrow your gift."
"En."
Gu Zhen happily walked away with his laptop.
Xiong Zhi was about to stand up when she felt again the glare in her back.
She quickly looked around.
'Who is it?!'
But everything around her seemed normal.
Students chatting while eating.
Workers cleaning and serving.
No one was looking at her direction.
Xiong Zhi strode off from the cafeteria.
'I don't have time to play hide and seek with you. Soon, I will rat you out.'
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(A/N :Hey yo hey yo. The glare again. You will soon meet him/her. )