"Teacher, are you speaking to me?" With her sharp mind and knowledge of her 'beastly' instructor, Shi Qing immediately deduced that he was referring to her.
"Actually... I was speaking to myself," Xiang Ri chuckled awkwardly, aware that he could not deceive his astute student.
"Oh?" Shi Qing responded thoughtfully, then leaned in closer, feigning casualness as she asked, "Then, could you explain why you were just struck?"
Xiang Ri's eyes flickered, and he quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Xiao Qing, can you guess what Chu Chu is doing right now?"
Shi Qing, not falling for his diversion, pouted playfully. "Teacher, please don't change the subject."
Realizing he couldn't avoid it, Xiang Ri attempted to appear deep and contemplative. "This matter is rather complicated. I simply wanted to understand..."
"Whether it's more painful to be hit with a book or a hand, am I right?" Shi Qing interrupted, her face clearly displaying her displeasure.
Xiang Ri continued to struggle in vain. "You already know..."
"Teacher—" Shi Qing rolled her eyes, her gaze fierce with barely contained fury.
"Alright, alright... I'll tell you," Xiang Ri surrendered at the piercing look from his student, though he still feigned grievance. "I didn't really say anything. Perhaps that little girl is just overly sensitive, so..."
"I think it was you who said something you shouldn't have," Shi Qing sneered, not buying his light explanation. She was certain that Xiang Ri had uttered something inappropriate, provoking the harsh blow to his head.
She was not without her reasons—she recalled how, not long after they met, he dared to say such things to her. What was there that he wouldn't say? She remembered well how she slapped him hard upon hearing those words, and now, another girl had struck him on the head. This led her to suspect the kind of embarrassing and heart-racing topics that might have been broached.
Xiang Ri, of course, was far too clever to reveal the truth to Shi Qing. He knew that while she might just give him a "gentle scolding," should Chu Chu learn of his behavior with other women, the consequences would be far worse—likely a storm.
As he pondered how to escape the conversation, the timely sound of his phone ringing provided a welcome distraction.
"Phone, phone..." he muttered as he fumbled for his phone, completely ignoring his student's question.
Shi Qing, too, had given up on making him answer, deciding in her mind that no matter what he said next, she would not let him off easily.
Glancing at the screen, she saw an unfamiliar number, but Xiang Ri was already too engrossed to care. He grabbed the phone and answered.
"Hello, who's calling?"
"Is this Xiang Kui?" a slightly weary female voice came through the line.
Xiang Ri felt a sudden pang in his chest. "Is this Teacher Song? Is something wrong?"
"Can you come to the hospital? I need to talk to you about something..."
Before she could finish, Xiang Ri immediately replied, "Alright, wait for me. I'll be there soon!" After hanging up, he felt an intense desire to be by her side immediately.
He knew her all too well. Unless it was a critical moment, her stubborn nature would never allow her to ask for help. The fact that she was calling him now could only mean one thing—she was in serious trouble.
"Teacher, whose call is that? Are you leaving now?" Shi Qing, having recognized the female voice on the line, immediately abandoned her earlier line of questioning.
"Yes, it's Teacher Song. She might be in some kind of trouble, and I need to go help her," Xiang Ri replied without hesitation, feeling no need to hide the truth, for his relationship with Teacher Song had not yet crossed into the realm of ambiguity, so there was no fear of exposure.
"Teacher Song? Which Teacher Song?" Shi Qing asked, her face full of suspicion.
"It's Teacher Song Qiuheng!" Xiang Ri quickly explained, rising to his feet. "I must go now, Xiao Qing, I can't stay with you. You'll be fine on your own..."
"No, I'm going with you!" Before he could finish speaking, Shi Qing had already grabbed onto his arm.
"Alright, let's go together, but we'd better hurry." With that, Xiang Ri clasped his disciple's hand, and the two dashed out of the classroom, leaving behind a crowd of stunned and gossip-hungry students.
At the Ninth People's Hospital, Room 107:
"Miss Song, I believe you've seen it for yourself. Your brother's condition is extremely critical—there's no time to delay!" The speaker was a doctor in his mid-thirties, wearing rimless glasses. His face bore a grave expression, yet as his gaze swept over the curvaceous and beautiful woman before him, a spark of desire flickered in his eyes, wholly at odds with his demeanor.
"Dr. Zhou, can't you make an exception and perform the surgery for my brother first?" Song Qiuheng's heart ached as she looked at her unconscious brother lying on the hospital bed. Her eyes, filled with anguish, implored the attending physician for help.
"It's not that I'm unwilling, Miss Song. You must understand that hospitals have rules. Without full payment, we can't proceed with the surgery," Dr. Zhou replied with an air of helplessness.
"Dr. Zhou, I'm begging you—please perform the surgery first. I'll pay the full amount shortly. I've already made the call, and my family is bringing the money as we speak," Song Qiuheng pleaded, her voice choked with tears.
"Miss Song, you're putting me in a difficult position. Hospital policies can't be easily bent." At the mention of incoming money, a shadow of malice flashed in Dr. Zhou's eyes. If what she said was true, it would completely upend his plan.
With this thought, Dr. Zhou decided to apply psychological pressure. He couldn't allow his meticulous scheme, prepared over two weeks, to crumble so easily. "Miss Song, I won't say much more, but I must warn you—every moment of delay increases your brother's risk exponentially. Every minute we lose could make his condition ten times worse…"
"Then… what should I do?" Song Qiuheng was utterly overwhelmed, paralyzed with fear by the predatory doctor's words.
A trace of smugness curled at the corners of Dr. Zhou's mouth. "Actually, I could cover the surgery cost for you…"
The sudden glimmer of hope lit up Song Qiuheng's face. She clasped her hands together in gratitude, her voice trembling with relief. "Oh, thank you, Doctor! Thank you so much…"
"But," Dr. Zhou interjected, his true intentions finally surfacing as he leered at her, "there's one condition."
"Con… condition?" Noticing the repulsive smirk spreading across his face, Song Qiuheng's heart sank as she began to realize the gravity of her predicament.
"Of course!" Dr. Zhou's gaze burned with unbridled fervor. "From the moment you first set foot in this hospital, I've been captivated by you. If you agree to be my girlfriend, I'll immediately perform the surgery for your brother."
"You—" Song Qiuheng's heart tightened. She could scarcely believe that the usually cheerful Dr. Zhou would reveal such a despicable side, using this moment to threaten her. Struggling to steady her emotions, she replied, "Dr. Zhou, aren't you already married with children?" She was subtly reminding him that some thoughts should remain unspoken.
Dr. Zhou, however, was unfazed. "I think you may have misunderstood me, Miss Song. I only asked you to be my girlfriend. That has nothing to do with whether or not I have a wife," he said, pausing momentarily before adding, "Let me remind you again, Miss Song, your brother's condition is becoming increasingly critical."
On one side was her dignity; on the other, her younger brother, who had been her closest family since childhood. And now, the student she had pinned all her hopes on was nowhere to be seen, leaving her uncertain of when help would arrive. Gritting her teeth, Song Qiuheng finally made a decision. "Fine, I—"
Before she could finish, the sound of the door being violently flung open echoed through the room.
"Miss Song, I'm here. What's happening?" A voice, strong and reassuring, filled the room. Relief washed over Song Qiuheng, and her body, unable to bear the weight of her emotions any longer, gave way as she sank softly to the ground.