Zhang Yihan had all this planned out. Her mother was ill, and she'd fallen behind on many of her classes, so he could help her. This was the perfect opportunity.
So, after learning about Su Qing's situation and requesting leave, Zhang Yihan proactively offered to help from Li Ran. As someone who had already submitted the application, Li Ran had no reason to refuse.
Even though Su Qing had refused, arguing that she didn't need to supplement her lessons, Li Ran, as a teacher, still followed her own path.
But now, Zhang Yihan clearly noticed Su Qing's displeasure.
Her expression of indifference and loneliness didn't soften in the slightest in front of Su Rao, or perhaps it had, otherwise it would have been even colder.
Zhang Yihan didn't react for a moment.
"Mom, I'll take my classmate out first."
Su Rao knew Su Qing's temper well, so she could only glance at Zhang Yihan with a hint of apology.
Before Zhang Yihan could react, Su Qing was already standing at the ward door, her eyes filled with a fierce coldness.
He followed Su Qing all the way to the hospital entrance.
"I'll took you here. Thank you for visiting my mother." Su Qing stood on the stairs and looked at Zhang Yihan.
She bowed vigorously to Zhang Yihan at a full ninety degrees.
"Su Qing..."
Zhang Yihan, standing at the bottom of the stairs, watched the girl bow. As she turned to leave, he offered a request to stay.
Su Qing turned slightly to look at Zhang Yihan. Standing on the stairs, she seemed taller. Her eyes glanced at Zhang Yihan calmly, without any unnecessary emotion.
Too indifferent.
The words seemed to be stuck in Zhang Yihan's mouth, but the clenched fist at his side gave him strength, and the words finally burst forth.
"Su Qing, do you hate me?"
Summoning his courage, Zhang Yihan didn't even dare to look at Su Qing's expression. He could only stand there quietly, waiting for her answer.
"No."
Su Qing's words seemed to give Zhang Yihan unprecedented courage. The young man suddenly looked up, excitedly gazing at Su Qing. Was this his chance? Despite the ups and downs she and Jiang Sui had experienced before, he didn't mind...
"Su Qing, I..."
Zhang Yihan blurted out his confession, but Su Qing stopped him.
"I don't hate you, but I don't like you either."
The girl, who rarely expressed her emotions, frowned slightly.
She didn't like him? Zhang Yihan's face was a mixture of embarrassment and discomfort, his eyes filled with confusion and a hint of anger.
"Is it because of Jiang Sui?"
"Jiang Sui isn't right for you. I'm the one who's right for you."
Zhang Yihan's face darkened as he spoke. He was, after all, a recommended student admitted to Peking University, and his family was above average. Why did these girls only like Jiang Sui? Perhaps out of anger or perhaps because of rejection, Zhang Yihan, a young man with a strong sense of pride, felt his chest heaving.
Su Qing's brows furrowed even more, her gaze almost cold and indifferent.
"Zhang Yihan, it's not because of anyone. You and I have never done anything beyond the pale. In this world, just because you like someone doesn't mean they should like you back."
Perhaps it was the name itself that stirred Su Qing's emotions, and a dark cloud of gloom lingered in her eyes.
"So you're admitting you like Jiang Sui, right? Otherwise, you agreed to treat us to dinner, but it was Jiang Sui who paid. Su Qing, are you attracted to his family's wealth?"
Zhang Yihan clenched his fists and approached Su Qing.
The usually refined young man became somewhat irritable.
This made Su Qing feel extremely uncomfortable. She didn't even bother to explain, and her expression as if she was about to leave completely infuriated Zhang Yihan.
"Su Qing, it's useless for you to like Jiang Sui. He was kicked out of the Jiang family a long time ago, and he's been fixing fake matches at the court downstairs for profit."
Zhang Yihan's lips curled into a malicious smile.
As expected, Su Qing paused, turned, and looked at Zhang Yihan with a strange gaze.
"Who I like is my business, none of your business."
"But one thing I can be sure of: I won't like anyone like you. I hate those who play dirty tricks behind my back. They're not honest and upright, and they're disgusting, like maggots."
After Su Qing finished speaking, Zhang Yihan's eyes turned sullen, and he stared at the thin figure retreating into the distance.
There was something in her words, and it was obvious she knew something. That cold look, especially when it fell on him, made Zhang Yihan extremely irritated.
Su Qing did have some suspicions, but she hadn't confirmed them yet. But seeing Zhang Yihan's reaction today, she felt somewhat certain.
Thanks to Ranran, who had been telling her that she used to think the class monitor was a nice person, but later felt a little strange about him. He had repeatedly asked her about his whereabouts, but Zhang Yihan was never in school, so Su Qing hadn't paid much attention.
But hearing Zhang Yihan's words inevitably made Su Qing think a little more.
Jiang Sui was kicked out?
He was fixing a fake match in the court downstairs?
Su Qing pursed her lips, her fingers trembling at her side. She squeezed her eyes shut. On the way back to the ward, in the noisy hallway, she opened her eyes to get into the elevator and saw the young man's tall figure. His handsome face was covered in bruises, the scars too obvious to miss.
Su Qing was stunned, staring at Jiang Sui in a daze. He had lost weight, and his once-long hair had been cut much shorter, revealing a clean forehead. A large wound on the bridge of his nose was a striking sight.
Wearing plain blue jeans and a plain, black T-shirt, even in the cold weather, the boy still wore his plain, unpatterned shirt.
When Su Qing looked at Jiang Sui, his gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds.
Yes, just a few seconds, then it was gone in a flash, and he got off the elevator.
Su Qing was still a little dazed when she reached the door of the ward, a sense of realization lingering in her mind, a feeling of wonder if she had seen correctly. It was just the sheer reality of it that made it impossible to ignore.
"Qing Qing, didn't you like that boy just now?"
Su Rao's voice brought Su Qing back to reality.
Seeing Su Qing's face full of questions, Su Rao stopped asking. The boy looked very respectful and seemed to care about Qing Qing, but Qing Qing didn't look happy, so Su Rao stopped asking.
At this moment, Jiang Sui, who had almost been exposed because of his chance encounter with Su Qing, was leaning against the stairs.
He pressed his body against the cold wall, a touch of pity flashing in the cold eyes.
She seemed to have lost weight, much thinner, even thinner than before.