Zhou Hua Fan stares coldly at the young man sitting on the couch beside her who had finished chewing her muffin and gave her a sideways glance. Obviously, she was more upset about this than he thought she would be. But the question is, why? "The old master of course. I will be under your orders but he only let me stay if I agreed to watch over you since he cannot be with you every single moment of the day. Seeing as I am now an orphan with no backing but you and the Zhou patriarch this is the only way I can repay my debt."
Slowly looking her facial expression over, Liang Zhong Zemin did not find a sign of weakness on her nor any cracks he could try to pry open. Hua Fan was no unnerved by his scrutiny, her response was just as off as her gaze. "Ye Ye is mistaken, although I have pulled you under my wing I was not planning on isolating you from the world or using your profession for my own wellbeing." Zhong Zemin leans forward and steadily meets the girl's unnerving stare, there was no suspicion invoice but only a pondering curiosity. "Miss Zhou, that is another thing which I wanted to speak with you about."
"When we first met, you told me 'You are the only one I will personally offer sanctuary and endless support to in this life.'. I am not the most social of people but even I will find your words odd and strange. Have we ever met before that day? My father has only made contact with your grandfather once or twice but you were not living with your grandfather back then." The man's eyes slightly flicker when spotting Hua Fan's deepening frown.
"To become your tutor until you graduate from high school and also being paid quite generously on the side. I have spent plenty of time thinking this deal over and I found that there is not a single thing I should have been afraid of even if you lost that bet. The only one who would lose out on that deal would be you, whether you won or lost you would be on the losing end and I would be unharmed. Zhou Hua Fan, I will ask only ask this once." He straightens his back and seriously faces her, treating the girl like a real grown-up for once. His mouth set in a straight line showing bits of chary in his actions towards her, "What is your real goal?"
Hua Fan was calm despite the strange knowing yet bafflement in his eyes that seemed to see through her yet did not at the same time. She knew this question would come from someone in this life, but for it to come from him first. Hua Fan felt she rather underestimated the upstanding young man quite a bit. She sat back down and waves at the maid behind her to leave the room. The maid hesitates as the atmosphere was very wrong and tense. Although she was not afraid of the young man harming the girl she was afraid something would cause her miss to become easily emotionally disturbed without anyone to stand beside her.
"Young miss..housekeeper Shuang told us to keep a close eye on you until the old master is back from his business trip." "Get out." The maid flinches back with surprise having never heard this cold tone of voice from the young girl before. Although the girl wasn't warm and loving she never spoke to them in such a sharp tone. "Young miss."
"Do I have to repeat myself?" Her chilly gaze whips to the woman, her words slow and threatening. Though she was young her aura was exactly like the old master's when he was upset, gloomy, and suffocating. The woman felt chills run up her spine under her scary glare and hurriedly bows her head before leaving the living room. Zhong Zemin does not comment but he does furrow his brow and add a not to himself.
So there are things she hides from her grandfather and the employee in the house... Only after they were alone in that stifling silent room did Hua Fan face Zhong Zemin again with her emotionless expression. "Do you really want to know what my goal is or are you just asking out of curiosity?" Before he could answer Hua Fan adds a warning while her starless eyes continue looking at him firmly. "Brother Liang, I meant it when I said I would only offer you sanctuary and support in this life."
"I want nothing from you, neither your brains, hand in marriage, nor your family name and backing. You can ask me as many times as you want as to why I have decided this but I will never give you a straight answer. No matter what you say, even if you reject my help I will still give it to you because it is what I want to do." Zhong Zemin frowns at her, yet Hua Fan is unphased under his disapproval and even looks down at her homework nonchalantly. Her pretty fingers lightly brushing over the pages with sharp and elegantly written characters matching the personality of the writer.
"And if you want to ask me what my true goal is even after I say all of this, you will no longer have the sanctuary I promised you. If you enter dirty waters do not expect to be able to climb out no matter how hard you try. A raging river will not stop its rampage no matter how many people jump in to try and disrupt its flow." She looks back up at him and he could see a dim light in her doll eyes that seemed to tell him to stop prodding for answers. His breath gets caught in his throat, and Hua Fan asks him again carefully.
"Brother Liang if you really want an answer to that question, I have the answer. But you will pay the price for knowing like I have and still am. Brother Liang." She says his name again while softening her tone and stone-like face. He could sense the sincerity even if it was hard to see given the tense atmosphere. "Some things are better left where they are. Someone like you who plans to become a doctor and save lives, it is even more lethal to try and dig too much into finding the answer."
Zhong Zemin attempts to decipher and understand her words while Hua Fan gave him a small smile waiting for his answer. It is lethal? He is planning to save lives but what does this have to do with anything? Paying a price?....
A shocking and disturbing thought comes to mind souring his handsome expression to the point of making him want to recoil out of reflex. Catching his reaction Hua Fan eyes faintly dim again before they return to their empty like state. Instead of recoiling back, Zhong Zemin stiffens after coming to the only possible yet impossible conclusion she was eluding to. Facing her smile with a stiff smile himself Zhong Zemin robotically asks her with disbelief and trepidation. "Zhou Hua Fan, you are not saying that...you are dying....right?"
Not answering him she went on staring as if still waiting for his answer to her earlier question. She gave nothing away and did not say yes or no but this only cements his suspicion further as the young man stood up abruptly while his heart races at an unnatural pace. His stiff smile transforms into a scowl while his mind tries to process this scary news. "Dying is not something to joke about!! If this is some sick joke to make me stop asking questions this is not very funny!!"
She tilts her head at him and smiles rather ruefully, "Brother Liang you have not answered my question yet. Do you really want to know my goal?" "What does your goal have anything to do with dying?! You're crazy!" As soon as the insult flew Zhong Zemin felt instant regret and his anger became guilt and hesitancy. There were many words he wanted to say and many other things he wanted to ask but he was more afraid he had angered her. If he really did anger her it was possible she would refuse to say anymore and even brush him off in the future.
And until he got to the bottom of her mysterious actions he refused to give up. If she was really dying... He looks at her carefully with pursed lips, yet contrary to his expectations she was not bothered by his insult and instead asks him again. "Do you still want to know?" "....." Seeing as she was not giving in and refused to tell him more Zhong Zemin could only reluctantly take a seat and give her think of an answer.
The fact that her grandfather and no one else knows what she was about to tell him meant whatever she was hiding was so serious she hid it from loved ones without hesitation. And that was what scared him most, with no one knowing what was burdening the girl most then who would help her? If she really was dying then why would no one around her suspect a thing? Why would she not tell anybody? Was this really a joke?
But when he saw her serious expression and her strange smile he hesitated to call the innuendo she had given him a fluke and lie. For human beings joking about something serious like this was also a cry for help. And another thing he was worried about, if no one knows she is ill and there is no evidence, then, there are always other ways of dying..... Opening his mouth he finally gave her his answer after sorting through his thoughts. "Tell me."
Hua Fan's stale expression blooms into a smile and she gave him a somewhat sympathetic look. "Brother Liang, even after everything I said you still charge in recklessly without considering the consequences. I take back my words from before, you're not a genius." Hua Fan laughs harshly at his determined face and felt hints of remorse in her heart. "You are just another idiot."