"I don't care about this silly scandal everyone seems to be talking about. As your teacher, all I care about is your scholarship and willingness to learn. I always thought that you were making progress. No, your educational foundation may not have been as sturdy as many of the other students', but you were always willing to put into the effort to do better...how could you do something so careless?"
This thesis was indeed written by her. She'd researched it extensively for months.
She'd hardly even left the house while she was working on it.
Even when Chen Ziyi came to ask her out, she didn't go out!
She wanted to defend herself, but just as she was about to speak, a familiar voice sounded in the room.
"Professor, don't blame my sister...she was so busy with all the news being written about her during that period of time. She never looked like she'd gotten enough sleep. I think my sister must just be worn out, that's why she did such a thing—it was a moment of confused exhaustion. Please don't blame her, give her another chance!"
Zuo Aiai was speechless.
She knew perfectly well what Zuo Yunyun was doing.
At that time, Zuo Aiai had still been living in the Zuo family home. Zuo Yunyun must have gone into her room to copy the complete thesis when she wasn't around.
She'd been gone for two days doing work for the art exhibition. Zuo Yunyun must have done it then!
Then, she gave her copied thesis to the professor before Zuo Aiai could!
Zuo Aiai had lived under the same roof as Zuo Yunyun for many years—this sort of behavior wasn't new to her. If she'd allowed herself to get dragged down in hurt feelings, she would not have been able to get to where she was today.
After she figured out what must have happened, her heart, which had been pounding, started to calm down. Her face looked indifferent.
Professor Hou really valued her talent. He had thought that she would reflect and apologize for her actions!
Unexpectedly, Zuo Aiai did not say a word. She squatted down to pick up her thesis, turned around and walked out!
Professor Hou was so angry that he gritted his teeth!
"Zuo Aiai, stop right there!"
Her footsteps paused, but she did not turn around.
"After doing such a shameful thing, you don't feel any remorse?"
She turned her head back bit by bit and looked at Zuo Yunyun's smug expression indifferently. Then, she sneered at the both of them.
"If the professor thinks what he saw is the truth, then there's nothing I can say to change his mind. It's just that I haven't done anything wrong, so there's nothing for me to feel remorse about. I wanted to see the art exhibition through to the end, but...if you want Zuo Yunyun to be in charge now, so be it."
She thought she'd found her passion in the art exhibition.
Even without the support of the Zuo family, she thought she'd still have this. She thought she was going to finish the art exhibition and then work hard to support both herself and her mother.
But today...her dream was shattered.
No matter how indifferent her smile was, the feeling of her heart being cut by a knife did not diminish at all.
Step by step, she walked out of the office that she'd spent so much time in over the past two years. Then, she grabbed her bag and walked towards her other teacher's office.
Even if she dropped out of such a school, she would not have any lingering feelings.
Outside the door of the teacher's office...
A woman who looked familiar to Zuo Aiai crossed her arms as if she was waiting for someone.
Just as she was about to open the door, recognition flashed through her mind.
"It's you... !"
"Don't get me wrong, I just don't want to get myself involved in this mess. Besides, anyone would realize that the only person who had the chance to put the recording pen in your bag that day was me."