“Te-Teacher, this is a bit too close…” Pei Xingyan abruptly took a step back, squeezing out a few words, “We should avoid any misunderstandings…”
Shen Zhishu sneered and pulled a chair over to sit down beside him once again.
“Oh, you might actually have a point. Nowadays, most advisors don’t even let students into their offices—whether same gender or opposite gender,” she shifted from her earlier serious work tone to a more casual one. “If they do, the door’s wide open to ensure everything happens under camera surveillance.”
Pei Xingyan glanced over and saw the door to her office was firmly shut.
“Then I’ll go open it—”
“No need,” Shen Zhishu grabbed his hand as he tried to stand, “Usually, teachers avoid this kind of thing because they’re afraid students will complain for all sorts of reasons. So, are you going to falsely accuse me?”
Pei Xingyan shook his head repeatedly.
“Then what’s there to avoid?” Shen Zhishu crossed her legs, looking completely at ease like she was in her own home.
“But—”
“And besides, moral issues only arise when teachers exert power oppression over students. Like us, I can’t even approve your leave. So that doesn’t count~” She waved her hand dismissively.
Pei Xingyan thought to himself, that’s true, but he still didn’t understand why Shen Zhishu was saying all this.
“So, I’m not really your teacher, and you can leave anytime you want, right? No power oppression, no problem. That’s just common sense.” She was a bit kinder and calmer than before; the dark glint in her eyes had faded.
Pei Xingyan gave a silly smile, thinking, “You say it so easily, but even just asking a random teacher to say hello is enough to ruin my grades. Where’s the lack of oppression?”
She added, “But you keep calling me ‘Teacher, teacher,’ and you’re making me feel old.”
Pei Xingyan forced a grin, a classic fake smile, but he understood what Shen Zhishu meant. So he sweetly called out, “Sister Shen…”
Shen Zhishu’s face immediately brightened, and she responded warmly.
Pei Xingyan thought to himself, I knew it. She’s been trying to get me to call her ‘Sister’ for a while now. Finally, she got her way.
“So, tell sister—is that girl your girlfriend?” She repeated the question gently, the same one she had been interrupted on before.
Pei Xingyan knew there was no escaping this question. Her tone clearly meant she would not give up until she got a proper answer.
He decided to tell the truth, but with some details left out.
“To be honest, I don’t think so, but she probably thinks so…” he said.
“She’s the one clinging to you?” Shen Zhishu’s gaze turned sharp.
“No, we… um… met by chance. I can’t really explain it clearly,” Pei Xingyan shook his head. “But the point is, she’s the girlfriend of that… friend I mentioned before when I consulted you. Her mental state isn’t very stable—maybe a bit delusional. Right after we met, she insisted on being my girlfriend…”
“Hmm~” Shen Zhishu nodded.
Her ‘Hmm’ was unusually alluring, nearly sinking into Pei Xingyan’s heart. He glanced up at her face and found her staring intently at him.
He quickly looked away and continued, “Honestly, I don’t have the mindset for dating right now, but the girl’s too pitiful. I can’t just abandon her, so I’m putting up with it for now. When she’s feeling better, I’ll talk to her clearly.”
Pei Xingyan thought he’d answered flawlessly—if the high school’s balding, couple-hating dean heard this, he’d be so moved he’d applaud.
But Shen Zhishu showed no expression. She quietly listened and let out another “Hmm.”
“That’s it,” Pei Xingyan said.
“Is that so?” Shen Zhishu propped herself up, asking, “That’s all?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Shen Zhishu leaned closer, almost pressing against Pei Xingyan. From some angles, it looked like she was lying in his arms. She said, “If you don’t want to be in a relationship, just break up. Leave the psychological issues to the school. You’re just a student—handling this isn’t your place.”
“Uh…” Pei Xingyan choked on those words, wanting to argue but couldn’t bring himself to mention he still relied on Su Shanshan for money.
He was stuck.
“Why? Can’t bear to lose such a pretty girl calling you ‘baby’?” Shen Zhishu teased with mock sarcasm, her eyes full of mischief.
“It’s not like that…” Pei Xingyan hesitated. The atmosphere suddenly turned tense again.
He looked up. Shen Zhishu’s beautiful phoenix eyes were hollow.
Pei Xingyan hated being stared at like this, and even more hated when someone tried to control his will. He might be down on his luck, but he’d never lost that rebellious youthful spirit.
He didn’t want to continue this topic and squinted, glaring back bluntly.
“Why are you so interested in my personal life?” he asked lightly. “I think that should be private and none of your business, right?”
Shen Zhishu hadn’t expected such a response or expression.
She paused briefly before an intense emotion burst across her face.
She looked so sad—like she’d discovered the lover she’d waited for a thousand years had already changed heart. Her eyes barely opened, and her facial muscles twitched uncontrollably, pulling her into ugly expressions.
She sniffled twice softly and bit her lip hard. No one would doubt she was about to cry.
Pei Xingyan hadn’t expected that a simple, non-aggressive sentence from him would turn this woman who scolded her students like the Grim Reaper into such a state.
He tried to raise his hand, wanting to comfort the woman whose tears now gathered at the edges of her eyes.
“Wuu—”
She whimpered, freezing his hand mid-air, caught between advancing and retreating.
“Wuu———”
Her sobbing grew louder. Pei Xingyan instinctively glanced toward the door to see if it was closed tight. If anyone barged in now, he’d be utterly lost for words.
Then he felt warmth and moisture spread across his hand.
Shen Zhishu took the opportunity to hold his hand and wipe the tears off her face.
She said nothing, just softly rubbed around her eyes.
Pei Xingyan tried to pull his hand back, but she whimpered even louder, so he didn’t dare move. He let her keep holding his hand, gently wiping her face.
He had never seen such a scene before and sat frozen, waiting. After a long time, Shen Zhishu finally calmed down.
Her eyes were red, and her voice hoarse as she spoke softly and pitifully, “You should go. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have meddled so much…”
Even though Pei Xingyan wasn’t good at comforting women, he knew this wasn’t the time to leave. Besides, he was someone who responds better to softness than hardness.
So he gently reassured her, “It’s not like that… I went a bit too far with what I said. Sorry…”
But Shen Zhishu, clearly looking for a way out, nodded firmly, “Alright, I forgive you. Don’t say things like that again.”
Pei Xingyan felt like he’d been hit with a sledgehammer, dizzy.
How did things end up like this?
And… what exactly were her feelings toward him?
He couldn’t make sense of anything.