That evening, Gu Yunxi returned to her dormitory, exhausted from the day. As soon as she entered, she heard Yang Shanshan's voice floating in the air; she was excitedly showing off the letters her boyfriend had sent to her other roommates.
Yang Shanshan's face was beaming with a smug smile, her voice sharp and boastful, "You don't know, do you? My boyfriend is not only a major at such a young age, but his father is also a famous tycoon." As she spoke, she waved the exquisite letter paper in her hand, as if it were her source of pride.
Gu Yunxi remembered that she had previously mistakenly thought He Siyan and Yang Shanshan were a couple, and now, thinking back, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself. She didn't want to participate in this pointless boasting, so she quietly returned to her bedside, took out her books, and prepared to immerse herself in her studies.
However, Yang Shanshan didn't seem to want to miss this opportunity to show off. She walked up to Gu Yunxi with a provocative look in her eyes and said, "Gu, I heard you're dating someone too. I wonder what your boyfriend does?" Her words were full of inquiry and disdain, as if she was waiting to see Gu Yunxi make a fool of herself.
Gu Yunxi raised her head, her eyes calm and deep. "My boyfriend is a soldier. He's outstanding and treats me very well." Her voice was calm and confident, without any boasting, yet it revealed her pride and trust in He Siyan.
Yang Shanshan was clearly surprised by Gu Yunxi's answer. She paused for a moment, then forced a smile. "Oh, a soldier? That's good. I wonder what rank he holds?" There was a hint of smugness in her voice. She thought that even if someone was a soldier, it was impossible for them to be a major at such a young age like He Siyan.
Gu Yunxi sighed softly, her voice tinged with a mixture of helplessness and amusement. "Major, what's wrong?" She didn't take Yang Shanshan's boasting to heart, but simply felt that such pointless comparisons were utterly meaningless.
When Yang Shanshan heard Gu Yunxi say that her boyfriend was also a major, she mistakenly interpreted it as an older man. A mocking smile appeared on her lips. "Oh dear, some people really can eat anything. A perfectly good student, of all people, why does she have to like an older man?" Her words were full of sarcasm and disdain, as if she was enjoying the pleasure of belittling others.
Gu Yunxi rolled her eyes at her, a wave of annoyance washing over her. "What a lunatic." She didn't want to argue with Yang Shanshan, so she grabbed her toiletries, turned, and went to the bathroom, leaving Yang Shanshan alone in the dormitory.
Watching Gu Yunxi's retreating figure, Yang Shanshan mistakenly assumed she had touched a nerve, a smug smile spreading across her face. She felt she had gained the upper hand in this unspoken contest. Little did she know, Gu Yunxi's reluctance to respond stemmed from her belief that such a pointless argument wasn't worth the time and energy.
After washing her face, Gu Yunxi returned to her dormitory, her gaze once again falling on her books as she immersed herself in her studies. Her heart was filled with plans for the future and a thirst for knowledge; she chose to respond to the insignificant gossip with silence and focus.
Gu Yunxi didn't want to attract unnecessary attention or conflict on campus, but it seemed there were always people who wouldn't let her off the hook. That day, as she walked towards the cafeteria with her classmates, she keenly sensed whispers and pointing fingers around her. However, whenever she looked up, those people would quickly look away, as if nothing had happened.
Gu Yunxi didn't want to dwell on these trivial matters. She told herself not to care and continued queuing for food with her classmates. However, when she went to the restroom, she unexpectedly overheard a conversation in the next stall.
"What do you think Gu Yunxi is after? She's so good-looking, yet she likes an old man." A voice spoke with obvious disdain and curiosity.
Her companion responded, "What else could she be after? She's obviously after the old man's future." Her tone revealed her doubt about Gu Yunxi's choice.
"That can't be right. She'll get a good job after graduation." Another voice chimed in, seemingly defending Gu Yunxi.
"Who knows? Maybe they just like taking shortcuts," the previous voice continued, with a hint of disdain.
When Gu Yunxi overheard the prejudiced and ignorant gossip from the next room, she was indeed shaken. But soon, she decided to break her silence and fight back against these unfounded accusations and rumors in her own way.
She stepped forward, then gently knocked on the cubicle door, and said in a clear and firm voice, "I don't know why you're all so interested in my private life, but I want to say that my choices are nobody else's business. My relationship with my boyfriend is based on mutual respect and affection, not the kind of transaction you're imagining."
Gu Yunxi's voice traveled through the bathroom partition to the ears of the girls who were gossiping about her. They suddenly realized that she had heard them and fell into an awkward silence.
Without waiting for a response, Gu Yunxi continued, "I hope everyone can respect other people's choices and refrain from gossiping behind their backs. Everyone has the right to pursue their own happiness and should not be subjected to unreasonable judgment and prejudice."
Her words exuded an undeniable dignity and power, instilling an unprecedented sense of oppression in the girls who had been gossiping about her. They realized how inappropriate and disrespectful their behavior had been.
When Gu Yunxi's voice came clearly through the bathroom partition, the two girls immediately felt embarrassed and ashamed. They hadn't expected their whispers to be caught red-handed. Their murmurs stopped abruptly, and an awkward atmosphere filled the air.
The two girls looked at each other, their initial surprise turning to blushing embarrassment, as if their secret had been exposed. They knew that staying in the restroom would only make things more awkward, so they hurriedly packed their things and practically fled the restroom.
Their footsteps were hurried and chaotic, and the blush on their faces spread all the way to their ears, clearly ashamed of Gu Yunxi's retaliation and their own inappropriate behavior. Their escape also reflected their inner unease and self-reproach.
Gu Yunxi listened quietly to the sounds outside the cubicle until she was sure the two girls had left, then she slowly opened the door. Her face showed neither smugness nor anger, only a calm and relieved expression. She knew that sometimes facing problems head-on and bravely expressing one's stance was far more effective than running away.
Gu Yunxi straightened her clothes and calmly walked out of the restroom. When she returned to the cafeteria, she didn't look at the people who had been pointing and whispering, but went straight back to her friends and classmates to continue enjoying her lunch.
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