Xin Zhiyao paid the price for a moment of foolishness, and for the next few days, she was completely out of sorts, as if she had been possessed.
She hadn't even graduated from university yet. She knew she couldn't keep the child, but she didn't dare tell her parents. However, surgery required parental consent, and she would need time to recuperate afterward. If the school found out, her academic career would be ruined.
For the first time in her life, she felt such profound fear and panic. Even Song Yujia noticed something was wrong and asked with concern, "Yaoyao, what happened to you?"
Her complexion had been pale and she had been out of her mind for days, like a wandering ghost.
Xin Zhiyao shook her head weakly; "I'm fine."
If only that were true.
"If something's wrong, tell me. We'll figure out a solution together," Song Yujia said, feeling a pang of sympathy seeing her like this. She hesitated before asking, "Is it about Yu Que?"
Yu Que's matter was now less than nothing to Xin Zhiyao.
But Song Yujia was also a student. If she told her about this, it would just be one more person to worry unnecessarily.
She forced a smile at her, "I'm really fine, you don't need to worry."
Seeing that she wouldn't talk, Song Yujia didn't push further and tried to change the subject, "Professor Zhou's anatomy class is the last one today. Let's go early to grab good seats."
To her surprise, Xin Zhiyao's face contorted in pain upon hearing this, "Can I not go to class?"
"No way. You know how strict Professor Zhou is. He takes attendance every class. Although his behavior is a bit redundant, I can't speak for other subjects, but for his class, absolutely no one skips."
There was one: Xin Zhiyao was the first.
But she had the desire but not the courage. Not only had she never skipped class in her two years of university, but now Zhou Ji clearly knew about her. If she let Song Yujia sign in for her, wouldn't that be like personally sending the lamb into the tiger's mouth?
Before class started, Song Yujia dragged Xin Zhiyao to the classroom. This time, fate was cruel, and she managed to snag front-row seats.
"Jia Jia, why don't we sit in the back? There are still seats there," Xin Zhiyao pleaded.
Sleeping with him + pregnancy, Xin Zhiyao was even more afraid to see Zhou Ji now.
"No, these seats are great," Song Yujia sat down directly. "These seats are perfect for a close-up view of Professor Zhou's good looks."
Xin Zhiyao thought she might as well sit in the back herself. She turned her head and saw that the seats behind were already taken, so she had no choice but to sit down with a heavy heart.
Before long, the class bell rang. Xin Zhiyao hid behind Song Yujia, trying to minimize her presence.
Zhou Ji, as handsome as ever, strode into the classroom with his long legs. His tall, straight figure stood on the podium. The khaki trench coat he wore made him look like a walking work of art. His eyes were like stars, his brows like swords, his features deep and defined, and his expression calm and serene.
With his arrival, the classroom fell silent.
His clear, resonant voice spoke unhurriedly, his gaze sweeping slightly over the audience, "Let's begin the class."
This time, Xin Zhiyao dared not drift off. She meticulously recorded all the key points Zhou Ji made in her notebook. As she listened, her gaze involuntarily followed his movements.
Zhou Ji was simply the most captivating person she had ever seen. He possessed a calm and restrained temperament.
"A person of learning naturally possesses an elegant demeanor."
This probably described someone like him.
His teaching method was also very skillful, simplifying complex concepts to make them easily understandable.
Everyone was easily drawn in by him, their attention unconsciously focused on what he was saying.
Xin Zhiyao listened intently, her gaze fixed entirely on Zhou Ji.
He suddenly turned his head, and their eyes met unexpectedly again.
Xin Zhiyao instantly sobered up and dejectedly lowered her gaze.
She suddenly wondered what Zhou Ji's reaction would be if he knew she was pregnant.
He was the child's biological father; should she tell him about this?
Xin Zhiyao bit her lip in distress.
She really didn't want any further entanglement with him.
Finally, the dismissal bell rang. Zhou Ji turned off the PPT and said, "Class dismissed. If any of you have any further questions, you can ask me now."
"Teacher, I..."
"I have a question too."
Several students surrounded Zhou Ji. As he answered their questions, his peripheral vision caught sight of the figure in the front row, who had already grabbed her backpack and vanished in the blink of an eye, as if fleeing from a monstrous beast.
They had encountered each other twice on campus in the past few days. Each time, the moment she saw him from afar, she became as skittish as a startled bird and immediately changed her path, clearly trying to avoid him.
Zhou Ji had looked up her student file.
21 years old, two years of university with perfect attendance, grades in the top ten of her grade, and received a scholarship every year.
She was a model student in the eyes of her teachers.
Zhou Ji lowered his gaze and continued explaining the material to the students.
Xin Zhiyao didn't often go home on weekends. Perhaps it was the recent events that made her feel uneasy, and she sought some comfort from home. On Friday evening, she returned.
As soon as she opened the door, the aroma of stir-fried dishes wafted towards her. From the kitchen came her mother, Lin Haiying's, voice, "Hao Hao, you're back? Mom will have dinner ready soon, just wait a moment."
Xin Zhiyao put down her bag and walked to the kitchen doorway, calling out, "Mom, it's me."
Lin Haiying turned her head at the sound. Seeing Xin Zhiyao, the hand holding the spatula paused. "Why are you back?"
"It's the weekend tomorrow," Xin Zhiyao replied.
Lin Haiying frowned slightly. "You came back without telling me in advance, I didn't cook for you."
"I told you yesterday."
"Did I?" Lin Haiying's tone was indifferent. "Then I forgot. Who remembers these things all day? You're never here usually."
Xin Zhiyao said nothing.
Song Yujia's parents would call their daughter every week before the weekend to ask if she was coming home for dinner. In their family, their daughter was practically nonexistent.
"Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and take the dishes out. And call your dad, tell him to bring back some plain rice from outside."
"Okay, okay." Xin Zhiyao quickly washed her hands, served the dishes, and then called Xin Wu.
When the dishes were ready, Xin Wu entered carrying a lunch box, taking off his shoes as he grumbled, "You didn't tell me you were coming home. Plain rice from outside is getting more and more expensive, and the containers cost money too. Three yuan could buy enough rice for the family's meal."
"Prices are getting higher and higher, everything's going up, but your salary isn't. We're barely making ends meet," Lin Haiying snatched the lunch box from his hand. "What do you need this lunch box for? The bag is clean too, you could just put the rice in the bag."
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