Ruan Chen knew that what Yan Qian said was true, including the fact that she had claustrophobia.
But how do we define this "fact"?
Was she going to tell Nan Jing that she and Nan Jing had indeed met, but that it was from another world?
I'm afraid I'll be sent for a mental evaluation, and I might even end up locked up next to Yan Qian.
But if she denies it outright... then Yan Qian will be the one suspected of having mental problems.
"Is it hard to answer?" Nan Jing scrutinized every detail of Ruan Chen's expression and every small movement of her hand on the table.
Ruan Chen lowered her head slightly. "No... but what she said is true."
Ruan Chen herself realized that she used to be unafraid of the dark. Back in Meicheng, on many nights when there wasn't a single star in the sky, she wandered the alleys of the slums during countless sleepless nights, her hands stained with the blood of petty thugs.
But she doesn't know when it started, she began to get used to sleeping with a small light on, and now she even needs a bright light to fall asleep.
She began to fear being alone in the dark.
It's like... Ruan Chen from Les Misérables is influencing her little by little.
“I haven’t met you, but what Yan Qian said about you is true,” Nan Jing said thoughtfully. “Can you explain why?”
“Nan Suo,” Ruan Chen suddenly took the initiative, “Could you perhaps explain who Nan Liushui is to you? Why did he force Bo Nian to take the exam for him? Why would the Nan family target the Bo family, who are just ordinary people in the secular world? And how did the Ruan family get involved in this matter?”
Ruan Chen sat up straight, her eyes becoming clear and cold, her posture relaxed, and suddenly she was no longer cautious, timid, or awkward.
Nan Jing was clearly not intimidated by Ruan Chen's tactic. "Don't change the subject, let's talk about your business."
Ruan Chen refused to back down. "Nan Institute, this isn't my business, it's ours. If we're really talking about it, it was Yan Qian who mentally controlled Bo Nian, but according to those people, she was working for your Nan family. Aren't you afraid of gossip if you keep Yan Qian under your control at the research institute?"
That's what she was thinking about while she was eating.
Once I figured it out, I suddenly didn't want to play the subservient fool anymore.
Nan Jing suddenly laughed. He wasn't intimidated by Ruan Chen's bluff at all, and ignored Ruan Chen's questioning. "I thought you came to question me about why I was the mastermind behind it all and hurt your classmate... So you're here because of Yan Qian? You really know her? You care about her so much?"
The topic then circled back to Ruan Chen.
She sighed softly, leaned back wearily in her chair, and her mind drifted back to the memories of the two worlds. She raised her hand and rubbed her temples hard with her fingertips.
His eyes were desolate, sorrowful, and bleak.
How is Yan Qian now?
"It's alright, we won't make things difficult for her, she just needs to cooperate with the investigation."
"What will be the consequences?"
"Withdrawal from school is a given. If the investigation finds nothing wrong and she has indeed been misled, then withdrawal is all that's needed. She can retake the exam next year. In general, as long as she's obedient, it's fine. As for other things... it depends on how cooperative she is. If you're really worried that we'll mistreat her, I can arrange a meeting between you two."
Ruan Chen recalled the look in Yan Qian's eyes that night—a deep-seated hatred, as if she were the one who had truly ruined her.
"No need, thank you, Director Nan. I'm sorry to have bothered you, I'll be going now. Goodbye."
Ruan Chen got up and left, having received the expected answer after waiting all afternoon.
"Girl." Nan Jing called out to him, her tone gentle.
"I'm ready to tell you about you and Yan Qian anytime—I know you have your concerns about not wanting to talk about it, but I can wait."
Ruan Chen paused for a moment at the doorway, then said sincerely, "Thank you, Director Nan."
"Um... just call me Professor from now on. Calling me South Institute all the time makes me seem too distant."
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Nan Jing sent someone to take Ruan Chen home.
Ruan Chen was in a pretty good mood. Yan Qian was alright. Even if she dropped out of school, with her abilities, she wouldn't do too badly on the exam if she studied again for another year.
As for the mess between the Nan and Ruan families, let those old folks worry about it themselves.
She doesn't want to invite trouble into her life unless it comes knocking on her door.
The car stopped downstairs at the apartment building. Ruan Chen politely thanked him, got out of the car, and walked into the building entrance. However, a shadow suddenly emerged from around the corner and pounced towards Ruan Chen.
Ruan Chen's pupils contracted, but before she could make a move, the young man Nan Jing had sent to take her home had already blocked the person, grabbed the figure by the neck, and pinned her against the side wall.
Ruan Chen recognized who had come.
It was a face she hadn't expected—she hadn't even thought she'd see it again in her lifetime.
Ruan Chen gestured for the young man to put her down, "It's okay, I can handle it."
The young man realized that the person was not very dangerous, so he let go.
Yu Wanqing covered the choking marks on her neck, knelt down and gasped for breath, then looked up at Ruan Chen.
Looking down at her from her elevated position, Ruan Chen subtly revealed the fierce aura she had long suppressed.
"You're out of prison so soon? Ruan Zhengde must have gone to great lengths to bribe your way out, right?"
In the corner coffee shop, Ruan Chen and Yu Wanqing sat down facing each other.
She naturally couldn't bring Yu Wanqing home to sit, so she impatiently found a place nearby and said, "Speak quickly if you have something to say."
Seeing Ruan Chen's dismissive attitude, and recalling the hardships she had endured in prison over the past two years, Yu Wanqing's eyes flashed with resentment, which was quickly replaced by a reluctant attempt to please, "Chenchen, Auntie needs your help with something."
Ruan Chen added sugar to the milk in front of her. "How about we talk about how you got out of your ten-year sentence in just two years?"
Yu Wanqing looked embarrassed, but she did need Ruan Chen's help, so she said, "Zhengde helped me get medical parole."
"Chairman Ruan is indeed very influential." Ruan Chen said sarcastically, then stopped talking and slowly stirred the sugar in the milk with a cold face.
Yu Wanqing spoke up, "Chenchen, I know you hate your aunt, but only you can help me with this."
Ruan Chen remained silent, taking a sip of milk that was just the right amount of sweetness and temperature.
Yu Wanqing forced a smile and said, "Ruan Chen, it's about Yunhan. Your father has an urgent matter that requires her to come back, and he's even sent someone to France, but that brat is so heartless and refuses to come back no matter what!"
"Ruan Chen, Auntie knows you're capable. Please, Auntie begs you, please help me get that brat back, okay?"
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