After a brief conversation with Professor Xun, Zhou Mi could only describe herself as completely at a loss.

She had originally thought her relationship with Zhang Lian was just like a slip knot, which could be tied and untied at will, but who knew it would be so intricately complex, with countless threads tangled together.

Seeing her maintain a shocked expression for quite some time, He Miaoyuan leaned over and asked: “Who was that?”

Zhou Mi felt every pore freezing, looking anxiously toward her friend: “My advisor.”

He Miaoyuan was confused: “Huh?”

Zhou Mi murmured, her voice trembling: “She’s Zhang Lian’s mother.”

“Holy shit!” He Miaoyuan’s mouth opened wide enough to swallow two eggs.

Zhou Mi tried her best to calm herself, but to no avail. Her mind was in chaos.

Seeing the hospital entrance just steps away, she hurriedly said, “Yanyan, let me get off ahead. Teacher Xun said she’ll meet me at the hospital soon.”

“How did she know about this?”

“How would I know?” Zhou Mi was on the verge of tears as successive thunderbolts struck. She covered her face with both hands: “God, I don’t even know what Zhang Lian told Professor Xun. What will she think of me? I might not even be able to graduate.”

He Miaoyuan, stopped the car: “She wants to see you? Just her alone?”

Zhou Mi tucked her loose hair behind her ear: “Zhang Lian will be coming with her.”

She recalled the details of the recent conversation: “Actually, Professor Xun spoke very gently and politely, even apologetically.”

“So she just wants to talk about your pregnancy in person?”

“Yes,” Zhou Mi took a deep breath, resigned to her fate: “So let me get off. Whether I live or die, just make it quick.”

He Miaoyuan, said: “I’ll stay with you.”

“Is that appropriate?” Zhou Mi looked at her.

He Miaoyuan said: “Would I let you face them 1-vs-2? I wouldn’t even dare to imagine. Professor or not, I’ve got your back!”

Zhou Mi’s lips drooped: “Thank you, Yanyan.”

He Miaoyuan, said: “I’ll park the car first, then we’ll wait at the entrance.”

—

As they approached the main entrance of the hospital, Zhang Lian, from the driver’s seat, immediately spotted Zhou Mi.

She was dressed quite simply today—ponytail, white sweater, light blue jeans that exposed her ankles. She looked fragile, but her posture was good, standing straight, with her hair gently brushed by the wind, like a resilient daisy.

Her arm was firmly locked by a girl with medium-length hair beside her, gripping tightly as if restraining her. Zhang Lian guessed this must be her friend.

But why was she wearing something different today? She had already been to the hospital this morning, and not even the one they had originally agreed upon.

As soon as the car stopped, Xun Fengzhi angrily slammed the door and walked straight toward her student.

Zhang Lian considered whether he should follow, but in the end, he only chose to drive the car a bit closer.

When the three women met, Zhou Mi’s anxious expression immediately turned to embarrassment and awkwardness.

His mother appeared to be comforting her.

Her friend’s brows were tightly knit, seemingly standing up for her friend.

He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he could judge their attitudes from their expressions.

After a brief discussion, Xun Fengzhi led them toward the car.

Zhang Lian got out of the car and opened the back door for them.

When they met, Zhou Mi suddenly lifted her eyes, glaring at him with resentment and confusion, very different from how she looked in front of his mother.

Presumably seeing him in person for the first time, her friend also glared at him fiercely before shifting her gaze and following Zhou Mi into the car.

His mother reminded him from behind: “Take it easy, you young people are always so hasty.”

Zhang Lian lowered his eyes, his lips curling slightly as he closed the door.

—

After they hit the road, the car was exceptionally quiet.

Xun Fengzhi turned back to look at the two girls: “Have you had breakfast?”

“Yes.”

“Not yet!”

The two spoke simultaneously but with different answers.

Zhou Mi was the one who said they had eaten. Zhang Lian’s fingers lightly tapped the steering wheel as he smiled.

Xun Fengzhi inquired again: “So, did you eat or not?”

Zhou Mi mumbled, telling the truth: “We haven’t. I didn’t want to trouble the teacher.”

“You’re being too formal,” Xun Fengzhi frowned, immediately instructing her son: “Find a nearby restaurant, quickly let these two young ladies fill their stomachs.”

Zhang Lian responded with a lukewarm “Mm.”

After that, Xun Fengzhi fell silent. Feeling somewhat awkward, yet unable to leave her student hanging, after a short while, she turned back again: “What did you go to the hospital for today?”

Zhou Mi clasped her hands together, not concealing anything: “To get medication.”

“Oh…” Xun Fengzhi acknowledged, probably understanding the situation. Her desire to kick her son out of the car grew stronger.

Zhang Lian skillfully found an elegantly decorated dim sum restaurant.

Zhou Mi was the first to take a seat, and whether intentionally or not, Zhang Lian immediately sat opposite her.

After the two girls had ordered, Zhang Lian asked the waiter for an additional cup of hot mixed grain juice, gesturing toward Zhou Mi’s position: “Bring the drink first, for her.”

His focused attention made Zhou Mi uncomfortable. She quickly propped her forehead with her hand, blocking the easily colliding lines of sight between them.

Xun Fengzhi chimed in from the side, like a gentle elder: “Yes, yes, you’re wearing so little. Aren’t you cold?”

“Don’t worry, Teacher, I’m really not cold,” Zhou Mi’s tone was constrained, extremely cautious.

Everything at this moment was too awkward, a thousand times more socially mortifying than any other embarrassing situation. She just wanted to shrink, become invisible, disappear into the ground, and fly out of the solar system.

Before the drinks were served, the four hardly communicated.

In the meantime, Zhang Lian received a phone call, probably from the company. He gave concise instructions, saying he had matters to attend to outside, then hung up.

Once Zhou Mi had taken a couple of sips through the straw, Xun Fengzhi explained her purpose: “Zhou Mi, Zhang Lian, and I have come to apologize to you first for this matter.”

Zhou Mi hurriedly let go of the straw, “No, no, I also…” She choked, not knowing how to describe it appropriately.

He Miaoyuan was quite straightforward, indignant: “Is an apology enough?”

Xun Fengzhi was taken aback by her fierce temperament: “Of course not, but an apology is the most basic courtesy and attitude.”

She looked at her son: “You speak.”

Zhang Lian caressed the porcelain cup, not speaking for a long time.

“Speak,” Xun Fengzhi suddenly became displeased.

“Zhou Mi.” After a brief silence, Zhang Lian called her name with an indistinct meaning.

His voice was dark, like a gray rain cloud. Zhou Mi had only heard it on certain special occasions before, because what usually followed was something overwhelming.

Zhou Mi looked back at him, feeling uncomfortable.

Zhang Lian, unruffled, gazed at her quietly from across the table: “My mother hopes we can get married. What do you think?”

The words hit the table like a lead ball, causing Zhou Mi’s heart to boil over, her pupils contracting sharply, thinking she hadn’t heard correctly.

Xun Fengzhi also stared at her son in astonishment, completely unprepared for him to make such a rash move, turning the tables and utterly disrupting all her strategies for a steady victory.

“Marriage?” Zhou Mi wrapped her hands tightly around the glass, yet felt no warmth.

She asked, perplexed: “Why suddenly talk about marriage?”

Zhang Lian repeated his mother’s reasoning: “Because you’re pregnant, I must take responsibility for you.”

Xun Fengzhi remained silent. It was good that he said it himself; let’s see what happens.

Zhou Mi glanced at her advisor, her face full of confusion and a plea for help.

“Don’t look at her,” Zhang Lian picked up his cup and took a sip of tea: “Look at me.”

Xun Fengzhi was displeased, growing angry: “Do you realize you’re coercing her right now?”

Zhang Lian smiled slightly: “Really? Am I coercing her to marry me or not to marry me?”

He stared at Zhou Mi from beginning to end, his eyes seemingly possessing gravity: “Zhou Mi, I just want to hear what you have to say.”

Zhou Mi frowned in a daze: “No… this is too sudden. Zhang Lian and I aren’t in that kind of serious relationship—”

She suddenly got stuck, finding it difficult to organize her thoughts to precisely describe: “I never thought about getting married or building a family because of this. I just started my internship, I’m still in graduate school, I don’t even have a job yet. How is the current situation suitable? Marriage and having children are too distant for me. I really can’t accept this…”

It was too absurd.

Xun Fengzhi’s eyebrows curved, her face showing warmth: “It’s alright, these are all problems that can be solved.”

The boss on one side, the teacher on the other—a pincer attack. He Miaoyuan knew her friend must be completely confused at this moment and resolutely looked at the mother and son: “What are you doing? Our Mimi came to the hospital today to get an abortion! She doesn’t want to have anything to do with your son anymore!”

Zhang Lian set down his cup, making a slight sound as it touched the wooden table, like the final piece placed in a game, the outcome decided.

Xun Fengzhi sighed very lightly, playing the emotional card: “Zhou Mi, I understand it’s too abrupt to ask you to make these decisions in this situation. You can think about it more after going home. It’s best not to keep hiding it from your parents. Be honest with them and ask what advice they can give you. You’ve been with me as your teacher for some time, and you surely know my character to some extent. Now that this has happened, I feel very bad and apologetic. Apart from expressing this stance, I don’t know what else I can do. I know you young people tend to look at problems simply, easily, with a fast pace, rarely thinking comprehensively.”

“I’ve understood the situation between you and Zhang Lian. You’ve known each other for more than a year. He’s my son, you’re interning with him, and coincidentally, I’m your teacher too. It seems we’re connected by fate.”

“Regarding the child, I respect your wishes and choices, but could…”

Zhang Lian suddenly interrupted her: “Isn’t this coercion from you now?”

Xun Fengzhi turned angrily to look at him: “Whatever the outcome, you must personally accompany Zhou Mi to resolve this matter properly, to minimize your harm to her. She will be very vulnerable after the procedure, needing rest and recovery both physically and mentally. You must stay by her side. How can she be alone at home? And if her parents find out, how will she explain to them?”

“Let her go to Cheng Xi’s place, VIP ward. I’ve already arranged it,” Zhang Lian began organizing systematically: “For the company, write her a leave note for about twenty days, saying she needs to go to another province for practical training. If it’s inconvenient for you, Cheng Xi can handle it—acute appendicitis.”

He then looked at Zhou Mi: “Just tell your parents that school is busy lately, and you need to move back to the dormitory for a while.”

Zhou Mi was stunned by his words, her brain frozen, with no room for thought, only able to stare at him unblinkingly.

Seeing her son handling everything so casually, Xun Fengzhi’s previously pale face regained a thin color: “You had already planned this in your mind, hadn’t you?”

Zhang Lian’s slender right hand lay flat on the table, motionless: “I’m just respecting Zhou Mi’s choice and, together with her, handling all of this properly.”

“You also heard it—she doesn’t want to have anything to do with me anymore,” he looked directly at Zhou Mi with a hint of a smile: “Zhou Mi, what do you think?”

Zhou Mi came to her senses, her chest rising forcefully once, bringing an end to this absurd scene: “Let’s do it this way.”

—

On the way home, Xun Fengzhi rested her head on her hand, looking out the window, her thoughts complicated, clearly not wanting to say another word to her son.

Zhang Lian glanced at her from the corner of his eye, “What’s wrong, failed strategy, unhappy?”

Xun Fengzhi said, “Not to that extent.”

“Is forced warm-heartedness more noble than cold indifference?” Zhang Lian looked at the people coming and going on the crosswalk: “I don’t see how you’re any different from me; in fact, you’re worse.”

Xun Fengzhi’s expression changed.

“Have you gotten to know your student?” Zhang Lian paused slightly, thoughtfully: “Zhou Mi is only 24 years old. Her real life is just beginning.”

He stated calmly, “I know what you’re thinking. She’s a student, you know, good in every way, and you have a good impression of her. So you want to take this opportunity to see if you can facilitate the kind of ‘marriage bond’ you want, to have someone, a family to restrain me, to make me a normal person, so you can truly set your minds at ease.”

“Hypocrisy,” Zhang Lian coldly dropped a judgment: “If she did as you wished, in the next year and a half, including the future, the child and family would become her fetters. At an age when she should be spreading her wings, you’re asking her to choose the oppression and grinding of multiple identities. As a teacher, is this what you wish for your student? For her life to pay for an accident?”

Xun Fengzhi snorted lightly: “Speaking so highfalutingly, aren’t you just making excuses for yourself?”

Zhang Lian laughed slightly: “If it makes you feel better, I don’t mind being evaluated this way by you.”