She suddenly found her ears filled with the name Dr. Ning...
Indeed, it was him! Everything seemed within her expectations! Yet, it still shocked her into a stupor, so much so that she didn't hear what Director Xu said afterward...
It wasn't until a girl stood up and asked her something that she came back to her senses, "Huh? What?"
"Director Xu told us to familiarize ourselves with the surroundings! Why are you still standing here?" The girl's tone had a condescending oppressiveness.
The girl was half a head taller than her, her height itself was oppressive enough.
"Oh, okay." She was annoyed at herself for losing composure and smiled apologetically at Director Xu.
Director Xu kindly returned her smile, "Do you need someone to show you around?"
"No, no, thank you." Ruan Liuzheng hurriedly responded. She knew this place so well she could navigate it with her eyes closed; did she really need someone to show her around?
She was still a bit dizzy and turned to walk outside, but the moment she turned, she ran into a wall—or more precisely, a wall of flesh.
Her forehead hurt terribly, and she felt like she was about to cry.
"Sorry, sor..." Before she could finish, she sensed something was off.
Intuition can sometimes be terrifying.
Holding her forehead, she only saw a pair of shoes and the hem of a white coat, and her breath caught.
Three years of sharing a bed, she could sense his every approach and distance in her sleep. She thought a barrier of six years of distance and time would have worn down this instinct, but instinct, now obviously as inherent as heartbeat and blood flow, lived and died with her...
In a single breath, it was all memories, the air suddenly seemed to carry less oxygen.
She didn't dare to look up.
She had prepared herself in many ways, she even thought that if today's teacher was really him, she would boldly walk up to him and say, "Hi, long time no see. I am here to meet your student Ruan Liuzheng."
But none of her preparations matched this scenario! Why, even after six years, was she still so disheveled and embarrassed in front of him?
Time stood still, she didn't speak, nor did he. She didn't know if he was looking at her, and her heart was overwhelmed with anxiety.
Suddenly, someone pushed her to the side, and she found herself against the wall.
It was the girl from before...
Taking her place, facing him, she reached out her hand and said crisply and loudly, "Hello, are you Teacher Ning? I am your student Ding Yiyuan."
At that moment, Ruan Liuzheng felt somewhat grateful to Ding Yiyuan, who had alleviated the awkwardness she faced.
She stood straight, still keeping her eyes and brows lowered, not looking at him.
"Hey? Dr. Ning? I thought you had already left!" Director Xu laughed.
His words interrupted the conversation between Ding Yiyuan and him, leaving Ding Yiyuan's hand hanging awkwardly in mid-air without receiving a response.
"I haven't left yet; came back to pick up some things," he replied.
That familiar voice, light as a breeze brushing over petals.
"Oh, your two students have arrived," Director Xu added.
"Alright."
With that gentle reply, his white coat's hem swept past beneath Ruan Liuzheng's eyes, and then another voice followed, "You two, come here."
Ding Yiyuan awkwardly withdrew her hand, but she didn't show it, and hurriedly followed him.
Ruan Liuzheng, on the other hand, was more than happy to stay hidden in Ding Yiyuan's shadow, keeping her head down and moving her feet.