Chapter 2, The Forests Are Drenched in Color (II)

Knock knock knock

The slender cigarette slowly burned at her delicate fingertips. She took a puff and gently exhaled, the grayish-white smoke being dispersed by the wind, drifting away and vanishing into nothingness

"Jinran, why didn't you tell me? I mean about Uncle's situation." Fu Siyuan's tone was somewhat harsh, "Uncle's illness requires a substantial amount of money for treatment, and Auntie doesn't have a job. How could you possibly manage all of this on your own?"

The gentle "Mr. Zhou" before him is the most typical representative of this type of person

She truly encountered him again, after a lapse of nine years. She had imagined this scene countless times, and she had also pondered how her reaction would be on numerous occasions, but she never expected that she could remain as calm as she did today

"There is nothing of the sort, do not listen to her nonsense." Bao Chunbin shot her a glance, "Why are you still not going?"

Everything from her childhood is vividly etched in her mind, the memories of him and the scenes in Beichuan have become her eternal nightmares. However, it has indeed been a long time, and she is no longer the little girl she once was; she has now learned to face everything without changing her expression.

Zhou Zhengxian smiled upon seeing this and said, "It's nothing, Miss Lin, if you have matters to attend to, there's no need to trouble yourself."

Oh

The man in the wheelchair appeared calm and composed, with gentle features that exuded the demeanor of a refined gentleman. Although he sat in a wheelchair and seemed to have limited mobility, it did not in the slightest diminish the innate nobility that surrounded him. Such a presence was bound to attract the attention of these young individuals who had yet to enter society.

Lin Jinran pushed open the door and said, "Teacher, you were looking for me"

Zhou Zhengxian raised his gaze to look at her, his tone calm and gentle, "I originally intended to ask Miss Lin how much farther we have to go, but seeing that you have been staring at my... leg? Does Miss Lin have any questions?"

Wu Jitong is convinced that Zhou Zhengxian is a disabled person. In his heart, he believes that individuals like him and those with bibliomania are very sensitive about discussions regarding these aspects of their lives

As for the girls, some find her displeasing, while others are intimidated by her; after all, Lin Jinran's assertiveness and aloofness are indeed quite pronounced

Zhou Zhengxian nodded and said, "Mm."

Yes, regarding the part-time job you asked me about last time, there is an outcome

Just as she was about to respond, Wu Jitong suddenly pinched her waist from behind and quietly reminded her, "Senior sister, please don't pinch the sensitive spots."

Senior sister, senior sister?

Yu Bi, Bao Chunbin showed her a number.

Bao Chunbin let out a sigh of relief, and Wu Jitong beside him also breathed a sigh of relief

After a nonsensical little interlude, the four of them slowly walked to the grand conference hall

... ...

I won't say much more, as I still need to prepare for class this afternoon

Zhe ... ..." Bao Chunbin has always been serious about his teaching career, and he has indeed never been late in all these years of teaching. However, leaving like this is not in accordance with the principles of courtesy. "This is fine, I will have Jinran take you there. The school is not small, and the route is quite winding."

Zhou Zhengxian did not stop her, merely nodding slightly, "It's troublesome."

Bao Chunbin looked at her suspiciously a few times, "I am worried that something might happen to you because of your bad temper, especially since the Zhou family is not like an ordinary wealthy family."

Fu Siyuan paused for a moment and said, "I am now at your home."

I will not reply anymore, as there are classes at school

Both of the roommates are students who have been admitted to the graduate program at this university, having previously attended the same undergraduate institution. Therefore, before Lin Jinran was assigned to share a dormitory with them, they had already heard of Lin Jinran.

The phone suddenly rang, and Lin Jinran extinguished the cigarette, lowering her gaze to take out the vibrating phone from her pocket. "Hello?"

Lin Jinran remained unfazed, continuing to brew tea, and only stepped aside when they showed signs of taking a break

Bao Chunbin often says that Lin Jinran is very good at creating awkward silences

Originally, she intended to sneak out while Bao Chunbin and Zhou Zhengxian were still engaged in conversation and had not noticed her, but unexpectedly, Zhou Zhengxian had only been seated for a short while before he decided to leave

Lin Jinran leaned against the railing, watching the rise and fall of the smoke, and his thoughts gradually became clearer

Wu Jitong silently covered his eyes, sighing inwardly, his senior sister's courage was indeed too great!

Quickly take Mr. Zhou to the conference hall

"Mr. Zhou, is this senior inside your younger brother?" Wu Jitong asked

Lin Jinran was even more surprised in her heart; she was wondering why he was in a wheelchair. However, she did not expect that this curiosity would drive her to such an extent that she became lost in thought.

There is still more than half an hour left until the end over there. Professor, I will not disturb you any longer and will take my leave now

Did he call her? When?

Having said that, she turned around and left, but at the moment she turned, the "friendly" smile completely vanished

Lin Jinran remained unperturbed and said, "These are beautiful legs, long and straight, indistinguishable from those of a model; they are indeed beautiful legs"

Lin Jinran casually sat down on the sofa, "The teacher gets things done with speed"

What?

"What paper are you submitting?" Jiao Chuanbin gave her a white-eyed look, "Do you still not understand the importance of priorities?"

Si Yuan?" Lin Jinran raised her eyebrows lightly, "You have returned

Come in

Yes, the troops are on leave

Zhou Zhengxian raised his eyebrows slightly, "What is it?"

Then, thank you very much

Zhou Zhengxian was taken aback, rarely... He did not react in time, and the people following him were also stunned.

Habitually, she arrived at the top floor of the dormitory, which was quite empty, with only the occasional student coming up to hang out some quilts. She walked to the railing, took out a cigarette and a lighter from her pocket, and lit one.

Lin Jinran is quite famous at school for two reasons. The first is her academic performance; she ranks first every year and receives scholarships annually, making her the prized student that all teachers wish to cherish. The second reason is her appearance and personality; she is fair-skinned, beautiful, and tall, yet she is an unapproachable ice queen. Many boys have confessed their feelings to her in the past, but each time, she would dismiss them with just a few words. The reasons she gives are usually along the lines of: you are too short, you are too ugly, your grades are not good enough... These responses are straightforward and leave no room for rebuttal, and over time, naturally, no one dares to confess their feelings anymore.

Lin Jinran's friendly smile, "It's not a bother."

You can rest assured

Lin Jinran hung up the phone, adjusted his coat, and left the rooftop

Lin Jinran stood at the entrance, and even before she entered, she could already sense the rising and falling sounds of exclamations from within. Wu Jitong stretched his neck to look inside, but since Zhou Zhengxian had not yet entered, he did not dare to rush in first

I think so too, you two do resemble each other quite a bit, but Mr. Zhou appears much gentler.

Lin Jinran chuckled lightly, "Let me tell you what can be done. This illness is not something that has developed in just a day or two; it has only worsened recently. Hey, Fu Siyuan, you are a proper soldier, yet you still want to conjure up a large sum of money for me?"

"Mr. Zhou, since it has already been delivered, I will take my leave now," Lin Jinran said to Zhou Zhengxian

"No need to say more about that." Bao Chunbin glanced at her with satisfaction, "Rest assured, this part-time job is quite good and won't take up too much of your time. You only need to go three or four days a week, just assisting a bit and taking care of the host's well-being. Most importantly, the pay is very generous."

Lin Jinran glanced at Wu Jitong, thinking that children are just children, only able to see things at face value. Some people may appear gentle and harmless, but in reality, they are the most cunning and sly.

Much gentler

Zhou Zhengxian's gaze slightly narrowed, his eyes falling on the figure of that person not far away... with shoulder-length hair and a tall, slender build... He recalled her expression from earlier, inexplicably feeling a sense of familiarity, but this feeling was fleeting, as he had never encountered such a person in his mind before

Lin Jinran smiled candidly under Zhou Zhengxian's gaze, saying, "There are no questions, it's just Mr. Zhou's leg..."

The forest is dyed in colors

The forest is dyed in colors, "? ? ?"

Many students come and go along this road, and as they pass by, their gazes often drift towards Zhou Zhengxian, who is seated in a wheelchair

Lin Jinran tugged at the corner of his mouth

Lin Jinran was somewhat surprised; she turned to look at Zhou Zhengxian and asked, "Do you have something to discuss?"

Bao Chunbin said, "Are you going directly to Shiyun's place? Let me take you there."

Indeed, today the atmosphere was also dampened by her remark; however, it is fortunate that Zhou Zhengxian is someone who can adeptly navigate such situations. Upon hearing it, he merely responded with an understanding smile, then skillfully redirected the conversation elsewhere

"That means you are fortunate to have encountered me," Bao Chunbin said, "The other party is an old friend of mine, and he happens to be in need of an assistant recently"

"Do not speak too soon," said Bao Chunbin again, "Girl, a private doctor is not the same as an ordinary doctor. You will be working under the roof of a prominent family, so you must be cautious and prudent, do you understand

Yes

Not at all... Hmm? Lin Jinran was momentarily taken aback, then suddenly reacted, "The Zhou family?"

... ...

"I will," Fu Siyuan paused and then said, "So will you be back in the next few days"

Buzz buzz buzz

The atmosphere was somewhat stiff, but fortunately, Zhou Zhengxian was accustomed to grand occasions and could easily defuse any absurd situation.

Yes, it is the Zhou family. Do you remember Mr. Zhou who came yesterday? He is the owner of that house

Lin Jinran did not stay long in the dormitory; she took a pack of cigarettes that was hidden under her pillow, grabbed her phone, and left the dormitory again

I ... ...

Lin Jinran, "Oh? You haven't changed at all, you come running to my house as soon as there's a holiday"

Lin Jinran cast him a glance and said, "Is there such a good thing?"

"Senior sister, since we are already here, let's go in and take a look," said Wu Jitong.

Looking at Lin Jinran's silhouette, Wu Jitong scratched the back of his head in confusion, "What happened to Senior Sister today, is she rushing to be reincarnated?"

That ... ...

Lin Jinran ignored him and only said to Zhou Zhengxian, "Goodbye, Mr. Zhou"

Lin Jinran returned to the dormitory, where two other people were living. They had all been assigned to live together as first-year graduate students, and their relationships were not particularly close yet. Therefore, when they saw her push the door open, they merely greeted her and continued with their own activities.

"No need." Zhou Zhengxian said, "I know you have a class to attend later, you may go, I can manage on my own."

Zhou Zhengxian, "Miss Lin?"

Wu Jitong, "Mr. Zhou is calling you, why are you... lost in thought again"

Teacher, I remember you mentioned that the paper from last week is due by noon today. I just forgot to submit it. Should I go and submit it now?

Fully dyed

Lin Jinran couldn't help but smile at this, indeed Zhou Zhengxian is still Zhou Zhengxian, even sitting in a wheelchair, he can still stand out.

After a moment of surprise, he simply smiled gently and replied, "You flatter me, we are both the same."

Alright, then you have also been at home recently, please help me take care of them more.

On the tree-lined avenue, the man behind Zhou Zhengxian pushed him along, while Lin Jinran walked alongside Wu Jitong, who had been inexplicably pulled along.

The forest is dyed in colors

... ... Then that's fine, take good care of yourself

The next day there were no classes, and Lin Jinran originally intended to spend the entire day in the library. However, when Bao Chunbin called her to come to the office, she had no choice but to give up her spot in the library

My uncle also watched me grow up, so if your family is in trouble, I must help in any way I can

"I was just joking," Lin Jinran said, "Don't worry, I can handle my father's matters myself, so you don't need to fret unnecessarily."