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With Zhou Cong’s sharpness and astuteness, Xu Zhiqiao knew she couldn’t hide anything from him, but her mood sank, and she didn’t want to say more.
After putting the rabbit back into its pet carrier, Zhou Cong pulled her to the cafeteria for a meal.
Two servings of claypot rice noodles, Xu Zhiqiao’s portion had double the tomato bone soup. The broth was rich, tangy, and sweet, steaming with a thin mist.
She finally spoke after being coaxed, and Zhou Cong remained unruffled, stirring the soup with his chopsticks, his expression calm: “It’s just a matter of a word from Big Brother.”
“…”
Xu Zhiqiao raised her head, instinctively saying, “Why should I?”
Zhou Cong: “Hmm?”
“I said why should I,” Xu Zhiqiao said, a bit angry, “Song Wan is evaluating for a professorship. If she gets it, she’ll be a full professor. Song Siting knows she can’t offend her, and she hasn’t even tried hard herself. Why should I throw myself into the fire for her?”
If she were to go ask for help, she’d owe someone a favor, and she would also have to bear the consequences of offending Song Wan. What if Song Wan had powerful backing? Then Xu Zhiqiao would be shouldering risks as well. If she involved the person she was asking, she’d be guilty of dragging them into trouble. The risks were too great. Song Siting probably understood this, which was why she had lost her mind and wanted Xu Zhiqiao to step in.
Zhou Cong pulled at the corner of his lips, saying nothing.
Xu Zhiqiao, growing more upset, continued, “Even if my own creative work was plagiarized, I would just endure it. After all, the cost of seeking justice doesn’t match the reward. I’m her roommate, her friend; we can help each other in life, but there should be boundaries!”
Zhou Cong’s shoulder trembled, and he let out a soft laugh.
“What are you laughing at!” Xu Zhiqiao was furious. “If I were you, I’d just pretend to be deaf and mute and let it go! I wouldn’t agree to this!”
He was a businessman. Everything should be weighed in terms of investment and return. Agreeing to this without thinking was reckless, and for some reason, Xu Zhiqiao was unreasonably upset.
She didn’t even know what she was upset about.
Zhou Cong kept laughing until she vented. Once she was done, he leaned over and rubbed her head: “Aren’t you quite clear about this already?”
Xu Zhiqiao froze for a moment, confused. “What?”
Zhou Cong’s lips curled up slightly: “Then why are you feeling guilty?”
“…”
It was because Song Siting had been good to her, and now when the time came, she felt like she could have done something, but didn’t.
Zhou Cong: “Do you think you’re in the wrong?”
“No,” Xu Zhiqiao retorted angrily, “It’s just those reasons I said earlier.”
If Song Siting were to fight for justice herself, not afraid to offend an associate professor or face the consequences of being expelled, Xu Zhiqiao might have been willing to help from the sidelines.
But Song Siting clearly expected her to take the lead.
Zhou Cong: “Then why are you feeling guilty?”
“…”
Zhou Cong’s eyes darkened as he stared at her, coaxing her gently: “By feeling guilty, aren’t you admitting that you’re wrong?”
“…”
“The more guilty you feel,” Zhou Cong said slowly, “the more they’ll think they can manipulate you. In the end, she won’t blame the professor for taking her honor, but she’ll blame you for not helping her.”
Xu Zhiqiao’s lips parted.
Zhou Cong: “Earlier, when they saw you standing with me, they thought you were lying, right?”
“…”
Xu Zhiqiao felt a lump in her throat, feeling uncomfortable, “Whatever.”
Zhou Cong smiled: “Should I handle it?”
Xu Zhiqiao: “No.”
Zhou Cong: “It really is just a matter of Big Brother’s words.”
“I said no,” Xu Zhiqiao said stubbornly, “Why should I flatter her?”
As she spoke, Zhou Cong suddenly leaned forward, closing the distance between them, lowering his voice: “I’m making my Little Bao happy. Who’s flattering her?”
“…”
His long, thick eyelashes and eyes with an inward curve were undeniably captivating.
At that moment, Xu Zhiqiao’s heart skipped a beat, and her body instinctively tried to move back, but the back of the chair blocked her.
Zhou Cong pinched her earlobe, then returned to his seat: “What I mean is, if you want to help her, it’s just a matter of Big Brother’s words. If you don’t want to help her, I can still support you.”
With that, he smiled wider, his entire face looking affectionate: “Little Bao’s matters aren’t business. Big Brother doesn’t need to calculate returns. I’m at your service unconditionally.”
“…”
—-
After leaving the cafeteria, Xu Zhiqiao’s mind was foggy. She walked absentmindedly toward the girls’ dormitory building.
Zhou Cong, hands in his pockets, followed her for a while, unable to resist glancing at her.
After a while, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud: “Did your period start yet?”
“…”
Xu Zhiqiao’s face turned bright red: “If you asked me before, I would’ve wanted to punch you. Now you dare ask me to my face?”
Zhou Cong laughed even harder: “Then punch me, I won’t fight back.”
Xu Zhiqiao immediately kicked him, leaving a dusty little footprint on his black trousers.
“Have you no shame!” She was furious, her face like a jumping bean, “You… you big man…”
Zhou Cong bent over to meet her eyes: “Oh, little stickler.”
Xu Zhiqiao’s still-erratic heartbeat started racing again, strangely.
Zhou Cong’s fingertip quickly brushed past her nose: “Isn’t it good that I remember your dates for you? Saves you some brainpower.”
Xu Zhiqiao hurriedly turned her face away: “Shameless.”
“…”
Zhou Cong watched her ears turning red, his smile deepening: “Are you going back to the dorm? Aren’t you afraid they’ll isolate you?”
“I’m not afraid,” Xu Zhiqiao retorted, “I’m not afraid of anything!”
Zhou Cong chuckled: “I’m worried.”
Xu Zhiqiao walked into the dorm with her head down: “What are you worried about?”
Zhou Cong pulled her back, his smile fading as he became serious: “Send me a message.”
“…”
Zhou Cong: “Let me know you’re okay.”
—–
It wasn’t until she had walked quite far, up four flights of stairs, that Xu Zhiqiao’s racing heart and the heat in her cheeks finally began to subside.
Standing by the hallway vent, she pressed her hand against her chest, feeling a mix of discomfort and shyness.
The discomfort was probably because her heartbeat was too fast.
As for the shyness?
Every time Zhou Cong said something ambiguous, she reflexively couldn’t bear to look at him.
It was like…
She was afraid he would notice she was embarrassed.
The cool wind hit her flushed face, and Xu Zhiqiao waved her hand and walked up to the fifth floor.
The dormitory door was open, and Song Siting and the others were gathered, speaking excitedly. As soon as they saw Xu Zhiqiao walk in, they immediately scattered and fell silent.
Xu Zhiqiao was unmoved. She opened her wardrobe, packed her thin clothes into a bag, and planned to take them to the Ji family for the weekend.
Wang Miaomiao leaned toward her, speaking softly: “Qiao Bao, why don’t you talk to Tingting? Don’t leave things like this. It’s so awkward for everyone.”
Before she could finish, Song Siting’s voice rang out: “Miaomiao, what are you doing?”
Wang Miaomiao stiffened, moving away a little with a guilty look.
Xu Zhiqiao couldn’t take it anymore. She threw her clothes aside and turned back: “If you want to isolate her just because she said one thing to me, then the one who should be removed is someone like you!”
“What?” Song Siting’s words were sharp, “You think you can use your brother to deal with me? When it comes to real injustice, are you brave enough to stand up, or are you only willing to go after someone like me?”
Xu Zhiqiao: “I never noticed I had a brother. But you, on the other hand, can’t stop thinking about them!”
“What are you pretending for?” Song Siting was embarrassed and angry. “I don’t have your skills to hook men…”
Xu Zhiqiao realized that Zhou Cong was right.
Song Siting didn’t blame the professor for stealing her idea.
Instead, she turned all her resentment on Xu Zhiqiao, the innocent one.
Xu Zhiqiao didn’t argue with her anymore. She picked up the phone and calmly dialed: “Professor Song, could you please come to the female dormitory, Room 502, along with the counselor?”