Were the flowers for visiting someone in the hospital a gift for me?
Although the matter was resolved peacefully, Zhou Lin's behavior was highly inappropriate. Even if it was an act of bravery to stand up for someone, such extreme measures should not be used.
After the two families left, Chen Mo couldn't help but say, "You are a student I personally mentored. Although you have already been recommended for admission, you must cherish your reputation and never do anything like this again."
Zhou Lin nodded.
Zhou Heyu was very clear-headed: "Today is not a convenient time or place. Another day, my whole family will definitely thank Teacher Chen."
Chen Mo waved his hand and patted Zhou Lin's shoulder: "I took over your class in the second year of high school. In the first physics class, I wanted to do a diagnostic test for the whole class, so I deliberately made a competition paper. Everyone was complaining, but you just sat there with your head propped up, twirling your pen in your hand a few times, and wrote down an answer. Your first-year physics teacher happened to be there at the time, and he said that you were good at everything, except that you didn't like to write out the steps when answering questions. I said that geniuses calculate in their heads. I have taught so many classes of students, and your future is limitless. I hope to see your name on some high-tech national projects in the future."
Such high expectations are an honor not only for Zhou Lin, but also for Zhou Heyu.
"Teacher Chen, I won't be so impulsive again." This time, he truly learned his lesson.
As Zhou Heyu stepped out of the office, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Passing through the corridor, he saw Lin Shiren and her mother standing at the top of the stairs, looking like a mother scolding her daughter. He raised his eyelids slightly and said, "Your mother-in-law looks like she's not easy to deal with."
Zhou Lin coughed from the choking. He had imagined all sorts of reactions from his father, but he never expected it to be like this.
Zhou Heyu curled his lips: "But the young lady is quite protective of you. You beat that Cai kid up like that. If his family changes their mind and calls the police, your mother-in-law will have to deal with them."
Zhou Lin's ears turned slightly red, and he tried to cover it up by pressing his fist to his lips: "Dad, don't look over there, that girl is shy."
At this time, all classes were in session. They came down the stairs from the other side of the corridor. Zhou Heyu nodded politely to Xin Xiaomei from a distance. Zhou Lin followed behind him, his pace not slowing down at all. His hair was blowing against the wind, and his tall figure was particularly eye-catching. He never looked at them from beginning to end.
The two figures had just disappeared when Xin Xiaomei's long-awaited voice came from in front of her: "You're dating that boy from earlier?"
Of course not!
Lin Shiren immediately shook his head, his voice stammering in his anxiety: "Mom, what nonsense are you talking about?"
She glanced around quickly and briefly, afraid that someone might overhear her. Xin Xiaomei crossed her arms and said to herself, "If it's him, Mom won't object. You have such good taste. Isn't he the one from your school who got into Q University through a special admission program? He's good at his studies and good-looking. He's a million times better than your dad."
Lin Shiren fidgeted with his fingers, wondering why he was comparing Zhou Lin and Lin Zhiyuan. His temples throbbed. "We're just ordinary deskmates."
Xin Xiaomei didn't dwell on the topic any further, and suddenly tapped her forehead with her finger: "Is this how you get bullied at school every day?"
It would have been better if she hadn't mentioned it, because the moment she did, she suddenly felt wronged.
Since Xin Xiaomei and Lin Zhiyuan's divorce, Lin Shiren had become accustomed to feeling insignificant. From elementary school onwards, she traveled independently, enduring everything to avoid being contacted by teachers. No matter the unexpected situation, she kept her emotions bottled up, even becoming accustomed to being criticized at the dinner table. Before today, she hadn't even been sure that Xin Xiaomei would abandon her work to come to school. The more she recalled, the more she couldn't stop crying, as if after facing it alone for so long, a pair of large, steady hands had suddenly caught her.
One of these hands belongs to Xin Xiaomei, and the other to Zhou Lin.
Lin Shih-jen felt a lump in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes. The strength she had been maintaining when facing Tsai Shih-chen's family crumbled all at once, and she cried out loud.
Xin Xiaomei was furious. She hurriedly wiped away her tears, her voice rising unconsciously: "What did they say about you before I came? Lin Shiren, let me tell you, if you don't slap these kinds of trash a few times, they'll feel uncomfortable all over..."
She was impatient, and before she finished speaking, she picked up the phone, scrolled through her contacts, and dialed a number: "Ziyang, I heard you joined a gang. Help your cousin beat someone up after school tonight..."
Lin Shiren's eyelashes were clumped together from crying. She had been numb for too long and didn't know how to respond to Xin Xiaomei's sudden concern. She could only awkwardly grab the phone from her: "Mom, you said last time that my cousin was not studying hard."
Xin Xiaomei shook her off, her expression frozen: "What? Your dad sent you to learn to be a chef!"
She was still holding her breath, and she frowned sharply as she spoke: "Why didn't you learn this sooner or later? Now you've put down the butcher's knife and picked up a kitchen knife."
Lin Shiren chuckled. The area around his eyes was still red, and the back of his hand was wet, but his eyes were bright: "Mom, don't bother my cousin. I have to go back to class. You should go back to the hospital too."
Xin Xiaomei cleared her throat into the phone: "Okay, Ziyang, you should study hard at school and stop hanging out with your bad friends."
The hospital called too. Before leaving, she pointed her finger at Lin Shiren and said, "Stand up straight. If anyone bullies you again, slap them back, you hear me!"
As Lin Shiren watched her retreating figure, a desolate corner of his heart was nourished by the hot spring, gradually reviving like withered grass in spring.
She was too obedient, too compliant, and too repressed in her emotions, which trapped her in the shackles of unlove. There are many people in this world who care about her: her mother, Teacher Chen, and Zhou Lin…
That hurdle seemed to have been overcome suddenly.
Chen Mo handled the matter promptly, and the parties involved remained silent, so it didn't cause much of a stir at the school. Only Cai Shichen took a week off.
Song Ci knew the inside story. During the break, he nervously found a secluded spot and whispered to her, "How exactly was it handled? I'm so worried."
Lin Shiren recounted what had happened in the office.
After hearing this, Song Ci slammed her fist against the wall: "That idiot Cai Lun, no wonder Zhou Lin hit him so hard. He was the one who secretly filmed you and maliciously posted things online. When he comes back from his leave, I'll see how I deal with him."
Lin Shiren felt a chill run down her spine, but she still didn't understand: "What did I do to offend him? Is it just because I got into the honors class?"
Song Ci sneered: "Yu Xuehui, whom he likes, has been demoted to a regular class. He always feels that you stole her spot, so he hates you."
Lin Shih-jen's gaze gradually cleared after hearing these words, but he didn't know what to say.
Some people's hatred is without reason; they are mediocre, lack talent, and are unproductive, so your excellence, your talent, and your kindness all become original sins. ①
Song Ci sighed and looked at her sadly: "Zhou Lin is in a terrible state. His injuries hadn't healed yet, and now his face is bruised..."
He could guess to some extent why Zhou Lin wasn't coming to school, so as soon as he heard that Lin Shiren had gotten into a conflict with someone, he immediately told him the gossip.
What's shocking is that this grudge was settled almost overnight. I don't know how Cai Shichen explained it, but Zhou Lin went straight for it and hit him pretty hard.
He almost ruined his future because of Lin Shih-ren.
Lin Shiren was also preoccupied with this matter. She bit her lip and asked, "How did Zhou Lin find out?"
What she really wanted to know was how serious Zhou Lin's injuries were? Why did he beat up Cai Shichen? Was he making amends for that accidental kiss? Countless questions were swirling in her head, creating a jumbled mess.
"Oh dear, what time is it? Why are you still worrying about such useless little details?"
Song Ci rubbed his eyebrows and said with an exaggerated expression, "I don't know if my brother is disfigured or not. What if he is scarred and it affects his marriage prospects?"
Lin Shiren suddenly remembered the scratches on Zhou Lin's face and couldn't help but worry: "Will he go to the hospital to treat his wounds?"
Song Ci clicked his tongue: "He hates going to the hospital the most. Last time, his arm injury got infected, and his mother had to drag him to the hospital. His mother is away on a business trip these past two days..."
His face practically screamed, "It's all because of you that my brother is in such a miserable state."
Lin Shiren secretly clenched his fingers: "Do you live in the same neighborhood?"
"You're going to see him?"
The fish finally took the bait. Song Ci secretly gave a "V" sign, then said in a pretentious manner, "I'll send you the address."
The school bell rang, and the conversation ended there.
The monthly exam results came out during evening self-study. Lin Shiren ranked 46th in the whole school, back to her previous average level. This was even after the physics exam was affected by Cai Shichen. She roughly calculated that if she had performed at her normal level, she should have gotten seven more points.
She didn't have any homework that night and went to bed early, but Song Ci's words kept replaying in her mind, so she didn't sleep well.
The next day was Sunday, and they had a half-day off in the afternoon. Lin Shiren held a bouquet of flowers and stood at the entrance of Yujingyuan Community, watching the huge banyan tree tremble in the wind, with leaves occasionally fluttering down.
One piece, two pieces... forty-six pieces... She was mentally preparing herself.
Wouldn't it be too nosy of me to come and see him so abruptly?
However, Zhou Lin taught Cai Shichen a lesson for her, and she hadn't thanked him in person yet. Actually, thanking him on WeChat would be just as good, and besides, the property management in their community is very strict; you have to register your ID card to get in...
Two little people were fighting in my head. After hesitating for a while, I finally decided to go home.
In the second month after autumn began, the cool autumn air prompted Lin Shiren to wear a baseball jacket over her hoodie. Just as she turned around, she heard the sound of the wrought iron gate opening, and then her hood was grabbed from behind.
"Lin Shiren".
Song Ci appeared out of nowhere, his gaze shifting to the flowers she was holding. He glanced at them, then waved the access card in his hand: "You've come to see Zhou Lin? I'll take you in."
"..." Thank you so much, you kind soul who's been struck by lightning.
Yujingyuan is a low-density villa in the style of Neo-Chinese architecture. The staggered green plants create a beautiful view with every step. Although it cannot compare with villas, it is still a well-known luxury residence in Huai City and Xin Xiaomei's dream house.
Fearing she wouldn't be able to find her way, Song Ci kindly led the way and even swiped her elevator card for her.
The apartment is a four-story building with one unit per floor, and the elevator door opens on the top floor.
Lin Shiren held his breath, tightened his arms around the flowers slightly, and pressed the doorbell.
A slight footstep came from the doorway, and with a "click" of the door unlocking, the door to 401 finally opened.
The light inside the room leaked out subtly.
Zhou Lin stood against the light at the door, wearing gray sweatpants and a thin short-sleeved shirt. The thin lines of his chest and abdomen were faintly visible, and sweat dripped down his sharply defined jawline, as if he had just finished exercising.
Where is the frail appearance described by Song Ci? He is clearly healthy enough to kill a cow.
Zhou Lin's voice was soft, slightly breathless, as if he couldn't quite believe it: "Why are you here?"
"Song Ci said you were badly injured, so I came to see you."
"oh."
The two stood inside and outside the door, both seemingly racking their brains for a topic to discuss. Lin Shiren's face flushed red, unsure of what to do with her hands and feet. She simply shoved the flowers into his arms: "Flowers can soothe a patient's emotions and increase vitality in the space, which is especially beneficial for the patient's physical and mental recovery. If you're alright, I'll be going now..."
Zhou Lin's lips trembled slightly: "So this is how patients are treated? They don't even go inside, they just look at them from the outside."
Lin Shih-ren had no intention of going in.
I just wanted to thank you in person and apologize, since we parted on bad terms on the day of the sports meet.
To my surprise, he said directly, "It just so happens that I can't get treatment for the injury on my back. Can you help me apply the medicine?"
-----------------------
Author's note: 50 red envelopes!
① Keigo Higashino's "Malice"
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