Chapter 12 "Did I steal your blanket?"...
The sound of water came from the bathroom, and Jin Huan stared at the door.
She noticed this while tidying up today. Zhong Yan's house was unusually bare, with everything related to work. There was no trace of anyone else in the house except him.
Jin Huan looked down at herself again.
She wasn't sure what Zhong Yan thought of her. The significant age difference made her seem like a child in his presence. He was kind to her because he was genuinely a good person.
When Zhong Yan came out of the bathroom, Jin Huan hurriedly looked away. She pretended to look at the door, then turned back and smiled at him, trying to cover up her misunderstanding.
He noticed every little thing she did; she always liked to sneak peeks at him and would frantically try to cover it up. She was as vibrant as a flower that had just bloomed in spring, and a smile curved at the corner of Zhong Yan's eyes.
Zhong Yan always finds himself extra patient with children like this. He sat down by the bed and looked at her, asking, "Is there anything you want to ask me?"
Oh, oh oh oh.
Jin Huan realized that he had a serious question to ask, so her guilt from peeking earlier turned into confidence. She turned on her computer and showed him her unfinished paper.
"Teacher Tan said there was a problem with my logic chain. I had actually revised it myself, but I still felt that this part didn't connect properly." Jin Huan pointed out the part that was difficult for her to him. This was not an excuse; she really needed help.
When Teacher Tan reviewed her first draft, he told her that after she had collected all the data, the later analysis was even more important. This required her to have a sufficient amount of reading and logical analysis skills. Unfortunately, Jin Huan was not good at either.
"Let me take a look first." Zhong Yan took her computer.
He held the laptop in one hand on his lap, looked down at it, and when his gaze settled, his expression became serious as he read through each line.
Jin Huan sat next to him, and although she was looking at the computer with his gaze, her eyes unconsciously turned to his profile.
Mr. Zhong is serious about everything he does. When he is thinking, his brow furrows slightly, and his breathing becomes steady. From her perspective, this furrowed brow makes him look somewhat sexy.
Jin Huan was secretly thinking.
Zhong Yan read it carefully once.
After submitting her first draft, she revised it twice based on feedback from her teacher and group members. Overall, there were no major problems, and she even paid attention to the small details. Clearly, she had even higher expectations for herself.
This kind of work attitude is very good and should be encouraged.
Zhong Yan's gaze lingered on that line of text. He asked, "What point are you trying to prove with this passage?"
Before she could answer, Zhong Yan continued, "This viewpoint differs somewhat from your central argument. It seems to blend in well, but you should actually think about it... should this paragraph be here?"
Zhong Yan turned to look at her and then posed this question.
Jin Huan glanced at him, then looked at the screen. She blinked, thought for a moment, and said, "Oh, right."
“I have a few books in my study, I’ll find them for you to see tomorrow,” Zhong Yan said. “Those are books I read during my graduate studies.”
Zhong Yan's major was roughly the same as hers, but not exactly the same. After graduating, he took over the family business and no longer delved into his own major, but he kept all those books carefully.
Jin Huan nodded knowingly when she heard him say that. She took the computer from him and read through the passage he pointed out, and couldn't help but exclaim, "You're really amazing."
If he were a teacher, he would probably achieve as much as Teacher Tan, or even more, becoming the kind of mentor she wouldn't even consider choosing.
Speaking of Professor Tan, Jin Huan asked curiously, "Were you and Professor Tan classmates in college?"
Zhong Yan nodded: "Mm."
Seeing that she had lowered her head and was not speaking, Zhong Yan took the initiative to ask, "What's wrong?"
Jin Huan shook her head: "It's nothing, it's just that...some of the things you said are very similar to what Teacher Tan said."
It's perfectly normal for students taught by the same teacher to be somewhat similar. Just like her and Du Qingxu, both students of Teacher Tan, their thinking sometimes overlaps, which is quite common.
Zhong Yan didn't seem to care much and casually replied, "Really?"
He reached out and pressed his temples, his brow showing signs of fatigue.
He barely slept last night and was busy all day today. Even though Zhong Yan was in good physical condition, such a high-intensity job was taking its toll. He called out to her softly, "Jin Huan."
"...I want to take a nap first."
Jin Huan moved aside to make room for him. He called her name softly, making her heart pound. She braced herself against the bed, feeling a little flustered. She reached out to help him but then pulled back, asking softly, "Are you... are you sleeping here?"
Zhong Yan: "Otherwise what?"
Jin Huan put the computer on the bedside table, then reached out to help him pull back the covers, saying sweetly, "Then you can sleep, I promise I won't disturb you."
Zhong Yan half-closed his eyes and watched as she even lifted the blanket for him. He caught a glimpse of her movements out of the corner of his eye, then obediently moved to the side. He lay down, his brows still unconsciously furrowing. This is how it is when you're tired; the fatigue of the body is reflected on your face, and your brows are as if they're locked up and can't be relaxed.
A gentle breeze swept past his nose. Zhong Yan's sense of smell and touch were very sensitive. He felt soft fingers brushing against his brow and gently saying, "Sleep well."
Zhong Yan slept very soundly.
He woke up at three in the morning. The room lights were off, except for a small lamp by the bedside. There was another person lying on the other side of the bed, lying on their side in the corner. Perhaps because they were too close to the side, only their feet were covered by the blanket.
Zhong Yan narrowed his eyes, sat up, and pulled the blanket over her.
The bed was huge, and she only occupied a small corner while sleeping. She slept on the bed as if the world were far apart. She woke up as soon as the blanket was put on her.
Jin Huan had only been asleep for a short while, not yet soundly asleep, when she opened her eyes and saw Zhong Yan's face so close to hers. His gaze was deep, calm, and composed. With her eyes open, her first reaction was to stare at him intently.
Zhong Yan's voice was a little hoarse: "Cover yourself up properly."
Even if the room temperature isn't low, she still needs to be extra careful since she's just recovered from a fever.
Jin Huan retorted, "It's already covered."
She's not stupid; of course she knows to cover herself with the blanket. After the fever subsided, her throat started to feel uncomfortable. These are all chain reactions of a cold, and it will take at least three to five days to get better.
Zhong Yan tucked a corner of the blanket around her, lowered his eyes, and said calmly, "So, did I steal your blanket?"
As Jin Huan's body temperature returned to normal, she slowly realized that the blanket really wasn't on her. She must have been too hot and had accidentally pulled it off while she was sleeping. Although she usually slept very properly, she did sometimes do things differently, so she couldn't accuse Mr. Zhong of stealing her blanket.
Just as Jin Huan was about to explain, Zhong Yan lay back down, closed his eyes again, and spoke in a sleepy voice.
"If you do this again, you can take it back."
Knowing full well that he didn't have it, Mr. Zhong still went along with her teasing her like that...
Jin Huan paused for a moment, then buried her head in the blanket, covered her face, and took a deep breath.
His deep breath was still in her ear, and the warmth from the blanket felt like his body temperature. She knew it wasn't, but her senses told her subconsciously... Oh no, she had finally managed to fall asleep all night, and now she didn't know how long it would take to do so.
Even Mr. Zhong's breathing when he's drowsy sounds like an aphrodisiac.
Jin Huan gripped the blanket tightly, almost burying herself completely in it, all her body heat concentrated on her face. Before her heart could catch its breath, Zhong Yan's voice came from above her again.
"Enjoy it, just keep it covered for a while."
She heard him sigh softly beside her, and Jin Huan clutched the blanket and sighed along with him.
What should I do... I really can't sleep...
.
Jin Huan has to go back to school on Monday for a group meeting.
The weather has been alright these past few days. Although the temperature is still quite low, there's always sunshine outside. New Year's Day has passed, and Lunar New Year's Eve is just around the corner. This should be her last trip back to school before the new year.
That day, Du Qingxu specifically told her not to be late. Jin Huan remembered this, so she got up early in the morning, organized her notes as usual, rushed to pack her computer into her bag, and then went downstairs.
When I went downstairs, I saw Zhong Yan sitting on the sofa reading a book.
Seeing that Jin Huan had come down, he put down the book in his hand and looked at her.
"All packed?" Zhong Yan wasn't wearing a suit today, just an overcoat over a thin cashmere sweater. He stood up. "Let's go."
Jin Huan smiled and asked, "Will you take me there?"
Zhong Yan said, "I'll go with you."
“But I’m going to school,” Jin Huan explained to him. “Today is the last group meeting of the semester.”
Zhong Yan nodded: "I know."
Jin Huan suddenly realized that when Zhong Yan first came to listen to their report a few months ago, Teacher Tan said that Mr. Zhong would come again next time he had time.
Professor Tan's original words were that listening to the opinions of industry leaders would only benefit students like them who only know how to stay in the lab.
Does that mean the next one will arrive so soon?
Upon thinking of this, Jin Huan's face visibly tensed up. She gripped her bag tightly with both hands and, clinging to her last shred of hope, asked, "Are you participating too?"
Zhong Yan: "Mm."
Jin Huan was stunned for a full five or six seconds. She couldn't believe it; her mouth could have swallowed an egg. She thought to herself that she hadn't heard Teacher Tan say that Mr. Zhong was going, and he hadn't mentioned it to her in the past few days either.
Seeing her strong reaction, Zhong Yan chuckled and asked, "Do you feel pressured if I go?"
He didn't seem that fierce, and he wouldn't criticize her.
"Of course there will be pressure," Jin Huan nodded matter-of-factly. "With you here, I will want to do my best."
She just wanted to be the best in front of Zhong Yan, so good that she could stand tall and be praised by him. She really needed Mr. Zhong to praise her more.
Zhong Yan looked at her. When she heard that he was going, she was so nervous that she almost had trouble breathing. Usually, she was so bold, but when it came to school matters, she would start to panic. He asked, "Do you want to do your best because I'm there?"
Jin Huan nodded subconsciously, then immediately shook her head: "I'll do my job well even if you're not here, but if you are..."
Her thoughts were so open and honest, and every word she spoke conveyed the same meaning. Zhong Yan understood, of course. He simply nodded and looked at her gently, saying, "Then keep up the good work."
He can see everything that you've tried your best to do.
On her way to school, Jin Huan's phone kept ringing. It was everyone chatting in the group chat. It was always like this before each group meeting, with small and large groups buzzing non-stop. Jin Huan opened the group chat and saw that Teacher Tan had posted an announcement saying that Mr. Zhong would also be there.
Jing Xin sent three or four anxious emojis about the loan. She thought it was the last group meeting and that she could go home for the New Year after the report, so she didn't prepare properly. But now she was told that Boss Zhong would also be there!
The scene from last time is still vivid in my mind. He may seem gentle on the surface, but he gives off a strong sense of pressure. Just sitting there, even if he just sits there with a cold face and doesn't say anything, he exerts an invisible pressure in the air, making everyone subconsciously act as a well-behaved and obedient student in front of him.
The atmosphere in their research group was originally quite good, and Professor Tan was also very easy-going. How did they end up with such a terrible outside helper?
Jin Huan glanced at Zhong Yan beside her, then texted in the group chat: "He wasn't that fierce."
As soon as the message was sent out, two or three people refuted her, saying that it wasn't a matter of whether she was fierce or not, but a matter of psychological pressure.
Do you understand what psychological oppression is?!
Jin Huan couldn't out-argue several people, so she shut her mouth and dared not speak.
In the blink of an eye, the car had arrived at the school gate. Jin Huan was about to ask him if he wanted to go in together when Zhong Yan told her to go first, as he had something to do and needed to visit her teacher, Teacher Tan.
It seems that he always goes to see Teacher Tan first whenever he comes to school.
Jin Huan wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Zhong Yan's aura became suppressed as soon as he arrived at school. A shadow fell over his brow, and he replied indifferently, "See you later."
A note from the author:
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