After their meeting concluded, Professor Xu instructed Cheng Yi to drive Jian Yiling back home.
"Cheng Yi, make sure you get her home safely. If anything happens to her, don't bother coming back!" Professor Xu warned sternly.
"I know, Professor," Cheng Yi responded with a wry smile. His teacher had clearly struck gold with Jian Yiling, leaving him feeling a bit sidelined.
"Yiling, where's your address?" Cheng Yi asked as they got into the car.
"Take me to Shenghua High School," Jian Yiling replied.
Jian Yiling wanted to return to school before her grandmother arrived to pick her up, making sure no one would notice her absence.
Cheng Yi didn't ask any further questions. If Jian Yiling said she needed to get back to school, then he would take her there.
He retrieved his car—a vehicle that appeared modest from the outside but was exquisitely outfitted inside, with high-end finishes and luxury detailing. Jian Yiling also noticed that the windows were all blast-proof, indicating a high level of security. Anyone associated with Hui Ling Medical Research Institute clearly wasn't an ordinary person, and Cheng Yi was no exception.
As they drove past the main gate of the institute, the security guard gave a strained smile, barely able to meet Jian Yiling's gaze. His awkward demeanor betrayed the embarrassment of his earlier oversight.
During the drive, Cheng Yi couldn't help but ask a question that had been on his mind.
"By the way, why are your initials 'F.S.'?"
"Minus Ten," Jian Yiling replied without elaborating further.
Cheng Yi paused, digesting the answer, then burst out laughing as realization dawned.
"I get it now! Makes perfect sense. In that case, I think I need to change mine too. Maybe I'll go by X1 from now on," he joked, inspired by Jian Yiling's unique choice. Clearly, he found her reasoning clever and wanted to join in with a playful twist of his own.
When they arrived at Shenghua High School, Cheng Yi waited patiently as Jian Yiling entered the school grounds before preparing to drive away.
Just as he was about to leave, the school's dean spotted him. Recognizing the car and its driver, the dean hurried over excitedly.
"Dr. Cheng!" the dean greeted, his tone practically dripping with enthusiasm and perhaps a little too much eagerness.
The dean was familiar with Cheng Yi because, a year ago, one of his relatives had been selected to participate in a clinical trial for a new drug developed by the Hui Ling Medical Research Institute. Thanks to that connection, the dean had the opportunity to interact with people from the prestigious institute, including Cheng Yi himself.
For the dean, anyone affiliated with Hui Ling Medical Research Institute commanded his utmost respect and admiration. Not only was the institute at the cutting edge of medical science, but there was also always the possibility that he, or someone close to him, might one day need the institute's expertise. Building a good relationship with someone like Cheng Yi was clearly in his best interest.
Cheng Yi rolled down the car window and, with his usual composed demeanor, adjusted his glasses and offered the dean a polite but distant smile. "Mr. Li."
"You remember me, Dr. Cheng! What an honor!" The dean beamed, clearly thrilled that Cheng Yi hadn't forgotten their previous interaction. The fact that someone of Cheng Yi's stature remembered him was, in his mind, something to be proud of.
In truth, Cheng Yi simply had an excellent memory. There was nothing particularly memorable about the dean himself that made him stand out.
Not wanting to waste an opportunity, the dean quickly followed up with, "Dr. Cheng, may I ask what brings you to Shenghua High School today? If you need anything, feel free to ask! There's no one in this school who knows it better than I do."
As the dean of the school, he prided himself on knowing everything there was to know about its inner workings.
Cheng Yi hadn't intended to get into a lengthy conversation, but a sudden thought crossed his mind, sparking his curiosity.
"Do you know a student named Jian Yiling?" Cheng Yi asked.
The smile on the dean's face faltered slightly at the mention of her name. It was a subtle change, but noticeable nonetheless.
"Why do you ask about her?" the dean replied, the previous warmth in his expression dimming somewhat. Clearly, Jian Yiling wasn't the topic he had hoped to discuss.
Jian Yiling, after all, was a bit of an embarrassment to the school. As the dean, he naturally preferred to highlight the school's successes and high-achieving students, not its so-called "troublemakers."
Cheng Yi noticed the shift in the dean's demeanor and narrowed his eyes, intrigued by the unexpected reaction.
"What's wrong with her?" Cheng Yi probed further.
"Oh, it's nothing serious," the dean said, though his tone became more guarded. "It's just that… well, her academic performance isn't that great."
The dean was clearly reluctant to say anything too negative, but his disapproval of Jian Yiling was apparent. As far as he was concerned, Jian Yiling was the kind of student best left unmentioned when talking to esteemed visitors like Cheng Yi.