Bell Tower Views and Hidden Agendas

Radiant with triumph after securing the election, Yun Ruqing stood upon the podium, delivering a speech brimming with heartfelt thanks and ambitious declarations, as her circle of family and friends erupted in jubilant cheers.

Noticing the steady stream of people departing, Xi Ruo tidied herself, pulling the zipper of her jacket halfway up to conceal her lovely navel.

“Let’s make our exit as well; it’s time for dinner.”

Xi Yao’s spirits visibly lifted at the mention of food. “Alright!” she chirped.

The small restaurant within the university section truly offered better fare than the high school cafeteria.

****

With the square largely emptied, Yun Ruqing descended from the podium, retreating backstage to celebrate her victory with her devoted circle of family and staunch supporters.

Yun Caiyi, too, had made her way to the scene.

“Sister Qing, congratulations on winning the election and becoming the Student Council President for the university division.”

Yun Ruqing cast a glance at her, a smile gracing her lips. “The pleasure is mutual, Cousin. However, your high school’s election is still a month away. I’ve heard there’s a prodigious young girl in high school, dubbed ‘Little Xi Ruo,’ so you mustn’t let your guard down.”

Her unspoken implication was clear: ‘I’ve already bested the ‘Big Xi Ruo,’ so surely you can’t afford to lose to the ‘Little Xi Ruo,’ can you?’

Yun Caiyi’s expression subtly clouded over. “Rest assured,” she replied, “there will be no missteps.”

After such extensive planning and meticulous arrangements, with rumors now rampant throughout the high school division, how could Jiang Li possibly manage a comeback?

****

Xi Ruo led Xi Yao into the restaurant, where they proceeded to indulge in a truly extravagant meal.

While both possessed hearty appetites, their dining styles diverged remarkably.

Xi Ruo appeared to eat sparingly, taking dainty, small bites; yet, her consistent, unhurried pace meant her actual consumption was far from modest.

As for Xi Yao, it went without saying: she devoured her food with enthusiastic gulps.

“I’ve made a discovery,” the young woman declared suddenly. “We Xi family members all possess enormous appetites, yet it seems to manifest solely in our chests. This, I believe, is a genetic gift.”

‘No wonder some refer to us as the ‘Great Dumpling Family’ (TL Note: A humorous reference to having a large, round chest, like a dumpling).’

Xi Ruo rolled her eyes. “We share no blood relation, nor are we truly a family; we merely happen to bear the same surname, Xi… Moreover, I am quite unlike you.”

While her ample bosom might indeed be linked to her robust appetite, her excellent physique was entirely a result of her rigorous exercise regimen. Just days prior, during a ball game, she had covered a distance of ten thousand meters across the entire field—a feat more impressive than even the national football team (TL Note: ‘Guózú,’ referring to China’s national football team).

Why Xi Yao possessed such an enviable figure, however, remained a mystery to Xi Ruo, for during the summer holidays, this well-endowed girl spent her days entirely at home, completely devoid of any physical activity.

Surely it wasn’t a prize she had simply ‘won’ herself, was it?

“‘Once we’ve finished eating, we’ll depart,’ she announced, rising to her feet.

The path ahead promised fewer passersby, allowing her to confidently unzip her jacket fully, eager to display her slender waist and abdomen to Xi Yao.

“‘Where are we headed?’ Xi Yao inquired.

“‘To a place with pleasant scenery,’ Xi Ruo replied, striding out of the restaurant with her long, fair legs, ‘and to aid our digestion, incidentally.'”

‘Oh,’ Xi Yao responded simply.

Xi Yao dutifully followed behind her.

Weekend at the university division was naturally less bustling than during the week. Coupled with Xi Ruo’s choice of a secluded path, the journey was exceptionally tranquil.

“‘This is a small path the academy constructed long ago, leading to a semi-abandoned bell tower,’ Xi Ruo explained. ‘Unfortunately, it fell into disuse quite quickly, which is why so few people ever pass this way.'”

The narrow path was paved with uneven bluestone bricks, their cracks overgrown with wild weeds whose yellowed tufts resembled dried leaves.

Low, decaying walls obscured the surrounding view, and at the path’s terminus, the faint outline of an ancient, rustic bell tower could be discerned.

“‘Sister Xi Ruo,’ Xi Yao blinked in confusion, ‘you mentioned the scenery here was beautiful…’

‘One couldn’t help but question if it truly was.’

‘Perhaps a wild, untamed beauty of nature?’

“‘Whether the scenery is beautiful or not depends entirely on one’s state of mind,’ Xi Ruo stated calmly. ‘In the past, whenever I returned to school from home, or when some memory would surface and leave me feeling despondent, I would find the landscape here particularly resonant with my mood.'”

Xi Yao grew even more bewildered. “‘Why would returning to school from home make you feel despondent?'”

“‘Because every single time I was rejected by you at home, do you think I wouldn’t feel dejected?’ Xi Ruo countered, her tone pointed.

“‘…Alright,’ Xi Yao conceded.

‘So, it seemed she had come here to immerse herself in a sense of desolation. If that were the case, the scenery here certainly aligned perfectly with such a mood.’

Withered yellow leaves, cracks in the stone overgrown with weeds, walls mottled with rust, an ancient, derelict bell tower…

‘It truly was quite ruinous.’

Xi Ruo guided her into the bell tower, and they ascended to its summit via an antiquated elevator.

“‘But the view from here truly is splendid. The bell tower stands quite tall, offering a panorama of most of the West Campus,’ she remarked, turning to ask, ‘Well, what do you think? How does it feel?'”

Xi Yao found herself speechless.

For a fleeting moment, she had genuinely believed Xi Ruo intended to bring her here to fully immerse her in this desolation, using it as a poignant accusation for her rejections of two years past, a severe torment to her conscience.

‘To her surprise, they had indeed come to admire the view.’

There, Xi Ruo deftly produced several newspapers, spread them across a stone bench, and then beckoned her to come and sit.

The bench was perfectly situated, its vantage point largely unobstructed, offering an expansive view of Wenlu Academy’s West Campus.

From this height, they could even glimpse a portion of the square’s exit, where the election ceremony had only recently concluded, and a scattering of students still filtered in and out.

“‘Sister Xi Ruo,’ Xi Yao asked, observing her practiced movements with curiosity, ‘do you often come here to sit and take in the view?'”

Xi Ruo had initially intended to say she came here to read. Who, after all, would be so peculiar as to frequently visit alone just to gaze at this scenery? What was so captivating about it anyway? A brief initial novelty was surely sufficient.

Upon reflection, however, she changed her mind. “‘Yes,’ she replied, ‘whenever I return from home, or when memories of events there surface, my heart inevitably fills with bitterness. Finding other places too boisterous, I can only come here, seeking solace in the silent, distant landscape.'”

‘Good heavens,’ Xi Yao thought, ‘she truly did come here to torment me.’

“‘Sister Xi Ruo,’ Xi Yao’s lips twitched, ‘if there’s something you want me to do, please just say it directly.'”

‘Stop scolding me,’ she pleaded internally. ‘A Yao knows her mistakes, please, no more words.’

“‘Heh, quite self-aware of you,’ Xi Ruo remarked.

Xi Ruo’s gaze swept over Xi Yao, whose pure white dress accentuated her exquisite curves, exuding a beauty that was both voluptuous and proud.

“‘Perhaps you could take my hand?’ Xi Yao offered, extending a soft, small hand towards her.

“‘Are you trying to fob off a beggar?’ Xi Ruo scoffed, a cold snort escaping her lips. ‘We merely held hands last time; do you truly think just holding hands will suffice again? Extend your thigh, let me rest my head upon it!'”

As for that magnificent, proud snow-capped peak, there was no hurry. One must climb a snow mountain slowly from its base, advancing gradually, step by meticulous step.

The summit would be reached eventually.

****

In the school infirmary office, after their midday meal, Jiang Wan subtly probed, attempting to glean information about Xi Yao.

“‘Xiao Li, what are your impressions of your current roommate?'”

Jiang Li paused for a moment, then spoke with a slight hesitation. “‘I find her… quite good, actually. She’s cheerful, optimistic, very lively, and easy to get along with.'”

‘Cheerful and optimistic? Very lively?’

‘Could she have changed so dramatically without my knowledge?’

Jiang Wan was already itching to see Xi Yao, to witness her current appearance, to behold her vibrant energy.

‘She must be the most adorable, spirited girl in the entire world.’

“‘So, how do you two usually interact?’ she inquired further.

She was subtly trying to ascertain her sister’s and her roommate’s schedules, hoping to seize a crucial moment—perhaps when her sister was absent from the dorm, leaving only Xi Yao.