Volume One, Chapter Three: What Are You Two Doing?

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Shao Ting put down the fruit knife and stared at her for a few seconds. Then he pulled out a roll of money from his pocket and said softly, “Xinran, take this money for now. Buy yourself some new clothes and something tasty.”

Zhao Xinran bit her lip, lowered her eyes with a shy smile, and stepped forward slightly. Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Brother Ting’an, you’ve been very kind to me too.”

Su Li sneered coldly. So they had already gotten involved this early on. Zhao Xinran truly was her prized student.

“Ting’an, does it really take this long to peel an apple...” Su Li suddenly lifted the doorway curtain and squinted at the two of them. “What are you two up to?”

Shao Ting’s face twitched with a brief flash of panic, but he quickly smiled and said, “Oh, I just felt bad seeing Xiao Zhao cooking and doing laundry at our place, so I thought of giving her some money.”

Zhao Xinran maintained a composed expression but spoke with modest embarrassment, “Brother Ting’an, I really can’t accept your money. Teacher Su found me a part-time job, helped me apply for financial aid, and let me stay and eat here for free. How could I take your money on top of that?”

Her earnest and resolute attitude gave no hint of pretense.

Su Li smiled. “Ting’an, don’t underestimate this girl. She’s going to intern at a newspaper during the holidays.”

She took the money from Shao Ting’s hand and explained, “She’s still young. She shouldn’t carry too much money or she might fall in with the wrong crowd.”

Shao Ting glanced at Zhao Xinran and quickly agreed, “That’s true. Anyway, the holidays are coming up soon, and she’ll be eating and living at home. Here, your favorite apple.”

Su Li curved her lips as she took the apple, looking at Shao Ting and then at Zhao Xinran.

She stepped forward, picked up the kitchen knife, and with a clang, sliced the apple in half.

Zhao Xinran thought Su Li was angry that Shao Ting had given her money, so she clutched her apron and lowered her eyes shyly.

Unexpectedly, Su Li lifted her hand and handed one half of the apple to her. “Xinran, you eat this too. I always share half with you.”

Shao Ting watched her faint smile and quietly exhaled in relief.

“Ting’an, be nicer to Xinran from now on. How come you only peeled an apple for me?”

Zhao Xinran kept her head lowered, not daring to meet anyone’s gaze, nibbling small bites of the apple in her hand.

“Yes, yes, I haven’t done well enough. I’ll do better from now on. I won’t be in the way here, won’t delay your cooking.”

After Shao Ting left, Zhao Xinran’s expression became much more natural.

Su Li looked at her and sneered inwardly. In the last life, she had thought this girl was just shy and awkward around men, never imagining she was hiding secrets and putting on a show for her.

“Don’t just stand there dumbfounded. Hurry up and eat. After you finish, we’ll cook together.”

Zhao Xinran smiled brightly. “I can manage on my own. You’ve had a long day of classes—take a break.”

Saying that, she kindly pushed Su Li out of the kitchen.

Su Li stood by the kitchen door, watching Shao Ting not far away reading a newspaper.

The warm yellow light cast a soft glow on his face, making him seem even gentler.

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Who would have guessed that beneath such a gentle appearance lurked a filthy heart? A hypocritical moralist is far more frightening than a fierce villain.

Su Li clenched the roll of money tightly and returned to her bedroom.

She spread the bills one by one and counted—forty yuan in all.

Shao Ting’s monthly salary was eighty-five yuan; hers was forty-three. Both sets of parents weren’t retired yet, and life was fairly comfortable.

Su Li had never put financial restrictions on Shao Ting, never imagining that it would allow him to secretly support another woman behind her back.

And that woman was the prized student she often invited to their home.

In the last life, although Zhao Xinran came from the poorest mountain region, her university life had gone well.

Especially after entering graduate school, she became even more glamorous and rented a place on her own.

It turned out her husband had been supporting her all along!

In hindsight, his frequent overtime wasn’t really overtime at all.

“Teacher Su, dinner is ready.”

Zhao Xinran’s voice brought Su Li back to reality as she left the bedroom.

“Teacher Su, tell me how it tastes.”

Zhao Xinran, like a child waiting for praise, pushed the chicken soup towards Su Li. “Teacher Su, have a taste.”

Shao Ting immediately lifted Su Li’s chin. “Yes, try it quickly.”

Su Li smiled faintly. “It looks good. Xinran’s cooking can’t be bad.”

She pretended to sip the soup but didn’t swallow it. Her stomach churned.

Su Li patiently endured the two before her, occasionally observing their expressions and actions. She was already certain that the relationship between the two was very recent.

“Ting’an, after dinner, please take Xinran back to school. The final exams are coming soon; she needs to study hard.”

If it had been before, Su Li would have insisted that Zhao Xinran stay over. But how could she waste such a perfect chance to be alone?

Shao Ting hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a gentle smile. “No problem.”

Zhao Xinran quickly waved her hand. “No need. I can walk back by myself. Brother Ting’an has worked hard all day and should rest early.”

“It’s too far to walk alone at night, and it’s not safe. We have to look out for you.”

Su Li smiled as she cleared the dishes.

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A few minutes later, Su Li stood by the window watching Shao Ting ride away with Zhao Xinran on his bike, a cold smile curling at her lips.

Usually, Su Li’s bike ride to work took less than twenty minutes, but that night Shao Ting took almost an hour and a half both ways.

“Wife, sorry I’m late. Little Zhao looks so thin but is pretty heavy. I was drenched in sweat riding. The chain kept falling off halfway.”

“Thanks for your hard work. Go wash up and get some rest.” Su Li said nothing, turning over to feign sleep.

—

The next morning, Su Li had no classes. After Shao Ting left, she went to Pingjiang Newspaper.

“Li’er, what brings you here with time to spare?”

Her longtime friend Li Mo hooked her arm.

“The security guard here is pretty strict. He insisted you come to pick me up.”

Su Li’s face was calm, but she held Li Mo’s hand tightly without letting go.

In the last life, two people had warned her early on—one was Li Mo, the other Fu Jinzhou.

Li Mo was a reporter, and Su Li always thought she was overly vigilant.

Fu Jinzhou was a doctor at the city hospital and also a former classmate. He had always insisted that her infertility and sudden illness were suspicious.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t believed them. Not long after, Shao Ting and Zhao Xinran had imprisoned her and publicly claimed she had died without hope of recovery.

This life, she would never betray their goodwill again.

“Hey, what’s the sudden reason for coming to see me?”

Li Mo knew her well. Su Li was always busy between school and home and wouldn’t come without a reason.

Reunited with her close friend, Su Li gently shook Li Mo’s hand. “I want to ask for your help with something.”

“Why are you being so polite? Let’s go to my office and talk.”

Su Li nodded and followed Li Mo to her office.

“What is it? Just say it.” Li Mo raised an eyebrow.

Su Li sat down beside her, linking her arm with Li Mo’s without letting go.

“I heard your newspaper is going to do a follow-up report at the machinery factory early next month. Could you help arrange for my student Zhao Xinran to go along?”