"Yu He, you're finally back. What did the dean say?" Ye Zisu asked, stepping forward with concern. She had assumed Yu He had been in the dean's office all morning.
Yu He sidestepped her, put down her practice book, and returned to her desk to pack her things.
Ye Zisu was persistent, following her. "Why are you packing your things? Did the dean expel you?"
The surrounding students, upon hearing this, burst into laughter.
"Cheating dog, if she's not expelled, who should be?"
"Get lost, don't embarrass Kaiwei any further..."
"Roll far away... Hey, why are you pushing me... Professor Qin!"
The classroom, which had been filled with curses, suddenly fell silent. Everyone turned to look at Qin Beiting, who had unexpectedly appeared at the classroom door.
After a minute of silence, the scene exploded.
"Oh my god, Professor Qin! The living, breathing Professor Qin!"
"So handsome! I can't take it, I'm about to stop breathing! Quick, get me some oxygen."
"In this lifetime, I finally get to see Professor Qin in person. I have no regrets."
"Why is Professor Qin here all of a sudden? Who is he looking for?"
"He's probably looking for Zisu. I remember Zisu mentioning before that she saved a Qin family member. Oh my god, could it be Professor Qin himself?!"
"It's definitely for Zisu. Otherwise, why would Professor Qin, who never shows himself, be here?"
"I'm so envious of Zisu."
The moment Ye Zisu saw Qin Beiting, she was stunned by his beauty. He was a hundred times better-looking in person than in photos.
The first time she had called the number Lu Yiming gave her, she had checked it. The number belonged to Qin Beiting.
Hearing the discussions among her classmates, she excitedly thought that Professor Qin was indeed looking for her.
The next second, she watched as Qin Beiting, radiating an air of noble refinement, walked steadily towards her, her heart instantly accelerating.
Professor Qin was really here for her!
Ye Zisu instinctively took a deep breath, straightened her back, and tucked in her abdomen, confidently displaying her sweetest smile.
Amidst the envious gazes of everyone present, Qin Beiting arrived in front of Ye Zisu.
"Miss, may I ask your name?" he inquired.
Ye Zisu gazed at the perfect face so close to her, her cheeks flushing slightly. She extended her right hand. "Professor Qin, my name is Ye Zisu. Hello."
"Classmate Ye, please move aside. You're blocking my way." Qin Beiting's gaze passed over Ye Zisu, looking at Yu He behind her.
Yu He: "..." Dafeng Novel Network
After lunch, Qin Beiting had said he had business at Kaiwei and would give her a ride back. She hadn't expected him to follow her.
Ye Zisu's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, her stiff smile so awkward it could have carved out a living room.
Professor Qin wasn't here for her? Could it be...?
She suddenly turned, only to see Yu He leaving through the back door, carrying her packed books.
Qin Beiting also walked past her and left, leaving a group of onlookers with bewildered expressions.
"Professor Qin just left?"
"He wasn't looking for Ye Zisu?"
"Clearly not."
"Then why did Professor Qin come?"
"Passing by??"
Ye Zisu, unwilling to give up, ran out and happened to see Qin Beiting reaching for the books in Yu He's arms, and was shocked!
Qin Beiting was really here for Yu He?!
How could that bumpkin...
She suddenly remembered the pattern on the strip of cloth from that day, and then recalled that the pattern on the cheongsam Yu He had worn before looked similar!
"Brother Beiting," Ye Zisu called out, stepping forward.
She was slightly out of breath, indicating how eagerly she had run out.
Yu He's fair brows furrowed slightly. The way she was addressed made her somewhat displeased.
"Professor Qin, you're busy." She took back the book she was about to hand over and turned to leave.
Qin Beiting watched her cold, departing back, a slight smile playing on his lips. Was the little girl jealous?
"What is it?" As he turned back, a cold expression settled on his handsome face.
Ye Zisu trembled slightly at his sudden coldness, but she managed to conceal it well.
"Brother Beiting, didn't you say we should keep in touch? Your phone was off, and you didn't accept my WeChat friend request..."
Ye Zisu's eyes welled up slightly, her voice tinged with a grievance that made her appear pitiful.
Most men would have softened at such a sight.
However, Qin Beiting's handsome face showed no trace of pity as he looked at her with cold, phoenix-like eyes.
Unaware that her phone had long been blacklisted and her WeChat add requests ignored, Ye Zisu continued:
"Don't misunderstand me. I'm not asking for repayment. It's just that you asked Young Master Lu to ask me if we could stay in touch, so I thought of contacting you... And incidentally, is your health better now?"
As she spoke, she raised her hand to touch Qin Beiting, but he took a step back, avoiding her touch.
"Are you the daughter of the Ye family?" Qin Beiting asked.
Ye Zisu was taken aback by his sudden question but nodded affirmatively, "Yes."
"I understand," Qin Beiting replied, then turned and walked away.
Ye Zisu stood there, completely bewildered. Understood?
Understood what?
Did that bumpkin say something to him?!
No, she had to find a way to make Yu He leave North City!
--
Yu He, holding her books, entered Class 11 with the new homeroom teacher.
Some students in the class protested, stating that Yu He had been caught cheating and her behavior was improper, and she should be expelled. However, with the homeroom teacher present, they dared not be too boisterous.
Yu He paid no mind to the classmates' whispers. Her clear eyes swept across the classroom indifferently, finally settling on a girl sitting alone in the back row.
The girl was slightly plump, with a blunt mushroom haircut and a rabbit hairpin tucked behind her ear. Her expression was somewhat timid.
Her seat was clearly placed very far back, indicating that someone had deliberately done this to prank her.
Yu He took a step forward. Han Lili, the class bully, led a chorus of sarcastic laughter.
"Someone from a remote village is indeed more suited to be classmates with a bumpkin, haha..."
"Hahaha..."
The entire class erupted in laughter.
Han Lili waited to see Yu He's embarrassed rage. She loved seeing others flustered and helpless.
However, she saw Yu He calmly place her books down and start playing on her phone, as if she hadn't heard them.
Han Lili felt like she had punched cotton, secretly harboring resentment.
"H-hello, my name is Yun Xiaoyao."
Yun Xiaoyao had been bullied at school, and no classmate was willing to be her deskmate. She hadn't expected Yu He to not mind and sit next to her.
Yu He glanced at her and nodded.
Then her gaze returned to the phone screen, her fingers rapidly tapping on the small keyboard area. Code flashed across the top of the screen.
Yun Xiaoyao's cheeks flushed. From the moment Yu He had entered, she had found her beautiful, and now, up close, she was stunning from every angle.
Her new deskmate was truly beautiful!
A goddess, just a bit aloof.
...
With a beautiful woman sitting next to her, Yun Xiaoyao couldn't concentrate in class. She kept stealing glances at Yu He, only to find Yu He playing on her phone throughout the entire lesson, her expression serene.
Yu He's phone screen used an anti-peeping film, so Yun Xiaoyao couldn't see what she was looking at.
Was she looking at the school forum?
She had also heard about the "Ye Family Banquet" gossip today. The posts on the forum were vicious.
"D-deskmate, please don't believe what they say on the school forum. I believe you, you didn't cheat," Yun Xiaoyao said timidly.