Qin Yi was stunned, feeling extremely awkward. His mind was in a muddle, and he didn’t fully process Zhou Rushi’s words.
But Ji Fei had already caught on.
[It’s obvious that Zhou Rushi likes Qin Yi, but she knows Qin Yi doesn’t feel the same way. He only wants to marry her out of a sense of duty, and she doesn’t want their relationship to be like that, which is why she’s refusing. This is also why Zhou Rushi pretended nothing happened—she never intended to use her kindness as leverage to win over the person she admires.]
Meanwhile, outside the door, the two who couldn’t hear anything and relied on Ji Fei’s mental commentary were scratching their heads in frustration.
“Then let me compensate you in other ways—money, a house, or connections. Of course, this isn’t meant to insult you, it’s just…” Qin Yi genuinely felt guilty and wanted to make amends.
“I don’t need any compensation. Please don’t worry about it, Professor,” Zhou Rushi insisted.
[Why refuse compensation? Even if you don’t want a loveless marriage, at least take the money! He’s the Qin family’s young master—a snap of his fingers could set you up for life! What are you thinking, girl? You helped Qin Yi, and you’re the victim here. This isn’t some idol drama! Don’t feel like accepting compensation hurts your pride!]
Qin Zhao and Qin Rong, whose way of thinking had already been influenced by Ji Fei, agreed with her perspective. If you can’t have the person, at least take the money. Why make things harder for yourself?
[Alright, I underestimated you. So this is how you see it—hahaha! You think this whole situation is like accidentally getting to sleep with the guy you’ve had a crush on for ages, like you hit the jackpot. Something you never even dared to dream about happened, and even if you two can’t be together in this lifetime, at least you got to fulfill a dream. You’re not being greedy. Girl, you’ve got a clear head, hahaha!]
Qin Zhao and Qin Rong struggled to hold back their laughter. From a certain perspective, it made perfect sense!
So Zhou Rushi even felt like she was the one who had gained something and kept reminding herself not to push her luck.
“But…” Qin Yi frowned, clearly distressed by the sense of indebtedness.
Seeing the person she liked in such a difficult position, Zhou Rushi worried he might misunderstand her intentions. After some thought, she decided to voice a small hope. “Then… could you write me a recommendation letter? I’m applying to be an exchange student at XX. I remember your mentor is there. Could you recommend me? Even if it’s not as a direct disciple, I’d like to receive guidance from them.”
Qin Yi’s mentor was, of course, someone of extraordinary status, and not just anyone could get such an opportunity.
Hearing this request, Qin Yi let out a sigh of relief, though he still felt it was hardly enough compared to what Zhou Rushi had gone through. But since she had asked, he would definitely make it happen.
“That’s no problem at all. You can count on me…” Qin Yi paused, then added, “You… refused to become my disciple because of this, didn’t you? I really owe you.”
Zhou Rushi was taken aback, realizing Qin Yi must have heard something from the dean. After a moment’s hesitation, she decided to be honest. “So you did consider taking me as your disciple. That means my abilities were recognized by you after all. But I couldn’t have become your disciple, whether or not this incident happened.”
Qin Yi looked up at her, confused.
Outside the door, Ji Fei was practically vibrating with excitement, grabbing Qin Zhao and Qin Rong by the arms.
[Is she going to confess?! That’s the spirit! Even if you know it won’t work out, it’s better to express your feelings and leave no regrets!]
Qin Zhao and Qin Rong couldn’t resist anymore. Though it was unethical, who could resist such a moment? They quietly peeked through the door crack—hearing it live was far more exciting than relying on Ji Fei’s commentary.
“Why? Is there something wrong with my teaching, or…”
“No, Qin… Qin Yi, I’ve actually had a crush on you for a long time,” Zhou Rushi admitted, still unable to look him in the eye. She kept her head down as she spoke. “I like you, but I also love singing. If I became your disciple, I wouldn’t be able to focus on my studies. I’d be constantly thinking about you. That’s why I decided long ago to leave. I know you could never feel the same way about me, so I don’t have any other expectations. I’m sorry, Professor, for betraying your trust. But since I’m leaving soon, I wanted to tell you. You’re a really wonderful person. As a student, falling for you might not be appropriate, but feelings are hard to control. I hope everything goes well for you in the future.”
Qin Yi was stunned.
Zhou Rushi, however, smiled in relief after saying her piece. She bowed to Qin Yi as a final farewell between teacher and student, then left the rehearsal room.
When the three entered the room later, Qin Yi was still in a daze.
Even after being brought back to the family home, he remained withdrawn.
Naturally, everyone downstairs gathered to gossip about the juicy drama. Thanks to Qin Zhao and Qin Rong’s eavesdropping, the discussion flowed effortlessly.
Qin Wenqiang, upon hearing about the situation, even considered playing matchmaker for her brother and Zhou Rushi. After all, Zhou Rushi had feelings for him, and there was already a connection between them. Qin Wenqiang thought her perpetually single brother might finally have a chance at companionship.
But the others didn’t agree.
This was Zhou Rushi’s choice. Her view of love was that it had to be mutual. She wasn’t insecure—she just had a clear understanding of herself. She believed Qin Yi might treat her well but would never fall in love with her, so she chose to pursue her dreams instead.
As for Qin Yi’s withdrawal, it wasn’t because he was agonizing over whether he could love Zhou Rushi. In the future, he would ask people in the industry to look out for her, but if he couldn’t love her, he wouldn’t disrupt her life. At most, he’d step in if she ever faced difficulties.
What bothered him most was that two female students had developed feelings for him. Was there something wrong with his teaching? He needed to reflect deeply before considering taking on another disciple.
A few days later, Zhou Rushi went abroad, and Qin Yi kept his promise by reaching out to his mentor, who accepted her as a new disciple.
When Ji Fei heard the news, she laughed.
[I thought they’d be teacher and student, but now they’re just fellow disciples. Haha!]
After resolving this matter, Ji Fei remembered her promise to visit Qin Jiaxi’s School. She had planned to go that day, but Qin Jiaxi had come home late the previous night and left early in the morning, so they hadn’t finalized the arrangements.
When Ji Fei woke up, she chatted with the others in the living room about it.
Just then, a servant came in and said, “Miss Jiaxi is injured…” The servant meant to say that Qin Jiaxi was hurt, so it might not be appropriate for others to visit her.
But as soon as the servant spoke, everyone was alarmed.
“Injured? What happened?”
The servant only knew what Qin Jiaxi had told her—that she had fallen and gotten some bruises, and she had asked for ointment.
But Ji Fei’s expression changed immediately.
[Dammit! That scumbag Qin Han! He’s always up to no good, bullying his own sister! Did he really go to her school to pick on her?!]
