Chapter 54: Do You Want Them to Flatter You?

Chapter Fifty-Four: Do You Want Their Flattery, or Their Friendship?

After hanging up the phone, Tang Zhong stood in place, silent for a long time.

There was a hint of secret delight, but far more was a sorrow that seemed to seep from his very bones.

Some things, once broken, can never be restored. Like a mirror. Some things, once past, can never be made whole again. Like—feelings.

“Make amends?” A cold smile tugged at Tang Zhong’s lips. “Perhaps I’m just overthinking things?”

All at once, a wave of melancholy washed over him.

Ahead lay Mingli Lake. He longed to go and sit at the heart of the lake. Surrounded by water, alone at the center, perhaps that sense of utter isolation could offer him a brief moment of rest and solace.

Back at Hate Mountain Prison, whenever his spirits were low or he’d lost a fight, he liked to lie atop Hate Mountain for a while. The peace and solitude of that place let him think deeply, allowed him to understand many things.

What he hadn’t expected was that someone was already at Mingli Pavilion.

“Su Shan?” Tang Zhong’s thoughts couldn’t help but stir.

He had to admit, he felt an inexplicable fondness for this girl. Without so much as a conversation, at a single glance, she seemed radiant to him.

He’d once thought it was love at first sight, but when he discovered that his roommates, Hua Ming and Liang Tao, felt exactly the same way, he realized it was simply the common failing of men—an eye for beauty.

Still, that didn’t mean he was unwilling to draw closer.

Because it had just rained, the wooden bridge was slick and wet. Walking on it was treacherous; if not for the railings on either side, one might slip and fall into the water at any moment.

Though the sky was beginning to clear, the world remained shrouded in mist. The bamboo pavilion at the lake’s heart seemed all the more ethereal, as if drifting here from some distant, legendary land.

He hadn’t yet approached when he heard a girl’s muffled sobs.

Tang Zhong instantly knew—it wasn’t Su Shan.

Su Shan wouldn’t cry.

He had no evidence for this conviction; it was simply an instinct. A girl like that, surely, would not cry.

But if she did, what would it look like?

Clearly, the girl weeping hadn’t expected anyone to disturb her. She lifted her face, staring over with a bewildered expression.

Her long black hair curled slightly, her delicate fair face was as flawless as a porcelain doll, her eyes were sharply defined, reminiscent of black gems wrapped in white silk. Her hair was a little damp, her face streaked with a bit of mud, her eyes brimming with tears, making her seem heartbreakingly fragile.

She clearly wore no makeup, for even sobbing like this, there was not a single false eyelash out of place—

Her lips parted, her eyes wide with surprise.

When she recognized Tang Zhong, her cheeks suddenly flushed, and she exclaimed angrily, “Why is it you again? Why are you always following me?”

Tang Zhong stared at her in astonishment. Did this woman think too highly of herself?

Seeing her flustered and indignant look, Tang Zhong found her rather adorable.

Beautiful, and utterly unskilled at disguising her feelings. Her face and eyes were like a weather barometer—her every thought laid bare.

There are many kinds of beauties in this world, but most wear several protective layers. It’s not a bad thing, but it steals away their original charm.

There are countless beauties, but each one feels she’s not quite beautiful enough. They sense something lacking and try to hide or compensate for it—not a fault, but it often feels like putting gilded paws on a sable coat.

The rarest beauty is one who is lovely and unguarded; the perfect goddess is so lovely she has no need to hide.

“What are you laughing at?” The girl wiped her face with the back of her hand and scolded, “What’s so funny?”

“You’re still laughing. If you don’t stop, I’ll gouge your eyes out.”

“You—you’re not allowed to laugh—boo hoo—”

She tried to be fierce, but seeing Tang Zhong still squinting with amusement, looking more delighted by the second, she thought he was mocking her. Wronged, she broke into sobs again.

“All right, all right. I’m not laughing,” Tang Zhong surrendered quickly. “Look, I’m not laughing now.”

“Who cares if you’re laughing?” the girl wailed. “You’re all terrible. You all bully me.”

Usually, when a girl cries with her mouth wide open, it reveals a few flaws—perhaps her mouth is too big, her teeth not white or neat, her tongue coated and dirty—but she had none of these. Even with her mouth open, it was soft and lovely; her teeth were like porcelain—white, clean, even, and gleaming with health. Her tongue was rosy and immaculate, as if washed fresh every morning.

Tang Zhong sat across from her and asked, “Tell me, who’s been bullying you?”

“You. And them,” she replied guilelessly. Perhaps she simply wanted someone to confide in.

“And who are they?”

“He Na. Luo Huan. And Cheng Pei,” the girl said through her tears.

“How did they bully you?”

“They won’t let me drink the hot water they fetch. They sneak off to military training without waking me up, so I’m late and get scolded by the instructor. They go out shopping without inviting me, even though they promised they would. I changed my clothes, and they’d already run off and disappeared—boo hoo, they all bully me.”

Tang Zhong almost didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

A textbook case of a girl with no social skills. Now, with most families having only one child, parents tend to spoil their children excessively, resulting in a selfish streak. Such children only care for their own feelings, seldom considering others’ perspectives.

Besides, girls are psychologically more complex than boys. Their circles are rife with subtle competition and intrigue.

Perhaps they saw a girl wealthier or prettier than themselves and unconsciously excluded her, feeling she wasn’t “one of them.”

There was already a natural gap between them. If this richer, prettier girl also failed to be tactful and ingratiating, the gulf only widened.

Beautiful girls always find it harder to make close friends than plain ones. It’s the price they pay for their beauty.

Tang Zhong suppressed his smile to avoid provoking the girl further, and asked, “Do you know why they’re bullying you?”

“Is it—because I’m prettier than they are?” she ventured.

“That—well, that could be part of it,” Tang Zhong nodded. Complimenting others, agreeing with them, was the surest way to gain acceptance.

Sure enough, the girl smiled through her tears. “I knew it was because of that.”

But Tang Zhong shook his head. “That’s one reason, but not the whole story.”

“What else?” she asked, puzzled. She didn’t realize Tang Zhong was about to give her a lesson with his newly learned psychology.

“I’ll ask you a few questions first,” Tang Zhong said, not answering directly. The real answer wouldn’t be pleasant, and only by letting her realize the problem herself would she acknowledge her fault and seek to change. If it came from someone else’s mouth, she might reject it outright. “You said they won’t let you drink their hot water. Have you ever fetched hot water yourself?”

The girl blushed. “My grandma said—she said she was afraid I’d burn my hands with the hot water. She told me to buy bottled water instead.”

Tang Zhong groaned inwardly. Why hadn’t he ever had such a considerate grandmother?

“But you can’t drink bottled water forever,” Tang Zhong said with a smile. “What if you forget to buy some? Are you just not going to drink water that night?”

“Then…then I’ll fetch it myself next time?” the girl asked uncertainly.

“Right,” Tang Zhong nodded. “You should get your own water bottle, and if you have the time or strength, it would be best if you took your roommates’ bottles and filled them too.”

“Really?” The girl hesitated. “They won’t even let me drink their water—why should I fetch water for them?”

“To ease the tension,” Tang Zhong explained. “Your relationship is spiraling downward. Even if you buy a water bottle and fetch water, it’ll only benefit you. It has nothing to do with them. But if you take the initiative to fill their bottles, they’ll feel your goodwill. Consideration breeds consideration. In time, they’ll return the favor.”

“All right,” she nodded. “If I fetch water for them, does that mean we’ll be friends?”

“That alone isn’t enough,” said Tang Zhong. “You need to work on other things too. Do you rarely talk to them first?”

“Mmm… Grandma said not to talk to strangers.”

“Your grandma again…” Tang Zhong was helpless. “Think about it. If you never start a conversation, and even ignore them when they talk to you, why would they want to be your friend? Why would they call you when they wake up? Shopping together is something friends do—if you can’t become their friend, why would they invite you?”

“So I should talk to them more?”

“Exactly,” Tang Zhong nodded. “Be proactive. Buy some small gifts for them every now and then—”

“Small gifts?” the girl looked troubled. She’d never bought gifts for anyone; she’d only ever received them. “Should I buy a few LV bags for them?”

Tang Zhong had the sudden urge to leap into Mingli Lake. Among students, who gifts an LV bag as a ‘small present’?

“Didn’t your grandmother ever tell you this?” Tang Zhong asked seriously, for he knew this would have a lasting impact on the girl's life. “Never let others know your family is wealthy.”

“Why not?” She looked blank. She’d grown up in a world of careful protection, untouched by hardship, pain, or adversity. That world held only laughter, pampering, flattery, exquisite feasts, expensive luxuries, and beautiful dolls—

“Do you want their flattery, or do you want their friendship?” Tang Zhong asked solemnly.