"Holy crap!" Zhan Yin, who was engrossed in the gossip, was startled. "You scared me!"

Qiao Wanwan made such a commotion that everyone around her looked over curiously.

The pure-looking girl opposite Zhan Jingting also turned to look at Qiao Wanwan, then quickly looked away and said with a smile, "Professor Qiao, I'm sorry, there are always a few students who are rude. I hope I didn't scare you? Next time, I'll take you to the teachers' cafeteria for lunch."

"No need," Zhan Jingting said calmly. "I wanted to experience the exuberance and energy of young people."

"You're very young too," the girl said with admiration, "and quite accomplished at such a young age..."

Qiao Wanwan couldn't listen to it anymore, so she got up and walked out.

"Qiao Wanwan, wait for me!" Zhan Yin hurriedly chased after her.

Zhan Jingting seemed to be in a good mood, a faint smile playing on his lips, which stunned the girl opposite him.

"Professor Qiao, may I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead and ask."

"Do you...do you have a girlfriend?"

"No."

The girl was delighted. "That means there's still a chance for girls who admire you, right?"

"I don't have a girlfriend." Zhan Jingting raised an eyebrow. "I have a wife."

"......"

"Besides..." the man smirked, "she has a terrible temper, I can't afford to mess with her."

"......"

"Qiao Wanwan, wait for me!" Zhan Yin finally caught up with Qiao Wanwan. "You haven't eaten yet, where did you get the energy to run so fast?"

Qiao Wanwan was so angry that her face turned pale and her lips were tightly pursed.

"Are you angry?" Zhan Yin stared at her beautiful face. "Because of my uncle?"

"No."

Zhan Yin's lips twitched. "You still won't admit it? Your face is practically screaming that you're really irritable right now!"

"Then why don't you stay away from me?" Qiao Wanwan waved her hand. "I'm very emotional right now and want to be alone for a while."

Zhan Yin not only didn't leave, but also shamelessly approached her, "Qiao Wanwan, are you... jealous?"

Qiao Wanwan: "......"!!

"If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute, you know?"

Haha! You're just jealous!

"Zhan! Yin!" Qiao Wanwan's warning gaze fixed on his face. "If you dare say another word, you'll get a beating! Get out of here right now!"

Zhan Yin retorted, "I was just trying to be nice to you, and you don't appreciate it and even yell at me. There are plenty of girls at school waiting for me to take care of them, humph!"

He stormed off after saying that, and Qiao Wanwan ignored him. She was so hungry that she went to a convenience store, made herself a bowl of instant noodles, and sat down to eat.

A bottle of yogurt suddenly appeared in front of her. Qiao Wanwan looked up and saw Lin Mo's handsome face.

"Thank you, but I can't drink it."

"You have to drink it even if you can't, because instant noodles don't provide any nutrition."

Qiao Wanwan stirred the instant noodles in her bowl, smiled faintly, and said, "Sometimes when I think about it, life is quite meaningless. If I had known that I would experience so many changes when I grew up, I would have preferred to have been killed in that kidnapping."

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Lin Mo said unhappily. "As the old saying goes, it's better to live a wretched life than to die a good death. If you were killed, would you be willing to die?"

"But then none of this happened, right?"

Lin Mo stared into her eyes. "Wanwan, you shouldn't think like that. This isn't you."

"Lin Mo, have you ever considered that perhaps you've never truly understood the real me?"

"No, what I see is the real you, and I just hope you won't change."

Qiao Wanwan didn't respond to him and lowered her eyes to eat her instant noodles.

......

Qiao Wanwan attended class absentmindedly all afternoon, and after school, she took a taxi back to Wutong Bay as usual.

After getting out of the car, she didn't rush inside. Standing at the entrance, looking at the palace-like manor in front of her, she suddenly felt lost.

After a long while, Qiao Wanwan finally composed herself and strolled into the house.

"Madam is back?" Zheng Ma greeted her with a smile. "It's cold outside, why did you walk in?"

I want to take a walk.

"The Spring Festival is just around the corner, so please take good care of yourself and don't spend the New Year feeling sick."

“Yes, the New Year is almost here…” Qiao Wanwan’s heart sank. “How come the New Year is so soon…”

"Madam, you are still young, and you have a long and wonderful road ahead of you. There is no need to be sad. Come in, wash your hands, and get ready for dinner."

Zhan Jingting wasn't in the living room today; he came downstairs.

The two looked at each other, neither of them spoke, and then sat down at the table.

The two of them ate their food without paying attention to each other, and the atmosphere suddenly became dead silent, with only the sound of chewing being heard.

Qiao Wanwan felt suffocated and had no appetite. She ate only a few bites before putting down her chopsticks, getting up, and leaving.

Zhan Jingting paused in his eating, slowly put down his chopsticks, and turned to look at Li Ma. "Prepare something for her later, so she can eat before going to sleep."

"Yes, sir."

Qiao Wanwan wasn't in the mood for exercise and was lost in thought, curled up on the sofa in the master bedroom.

A light rain started falling outside the window. She stood up, walked to the French windows, and looked at the gloomy, oppressive sky, feeling even more suffocated.

She didn't know why, even though she had tried so hard, her life had turned out like this!

Qiao Wanwan sniffed and tilted her head back to stop the tears from flowing.

There was a sudden knock on the door. Qiao Wanwan composed herself and said, "Come in."

“Madam,” Zheng Ma said, bringing in a tray, “you haven’t had a proper dinner. I’ve asked the kitchen to stew some bird’s nest for you. Please have some.”

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