What police car? Where’d that guy go?!
In the Confinement Room, Lin Yao—who had been lying motionless on the edge of the bed like a corpse—suddenly sat up.
The voices outside weren’t very clear. It sounded like Teacher Shen had argued with the boss, and the police had come to take Shen away.
Lin Yao: !!!
Damn, that old bastard’s got issues. Doesn’t he like Shen Leyuan?
Likes him that much?
The young man’s fists clenched tight. He nearly pounded on the door with all his strength, but at the last moment, he remembered those watery eyes and spared his barely scabbed-over hands. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed a chair and smashed it against the door instead.
The bodyguards outside were baffled. What the hell is the young master doing?
Noticing someone approaching, Lin Yao shouted, “He got sent to the police station by the old man? Why?!”
He… Oh, Teacher Shen. “Shen went voluntarily.”
The bodyguard was about to answer when his colleague cut in first. “No idea. We don’t know what the boss is pissed about either. He just forbade us from mentioning Shen again.”
Bodyguard: …
Twisting words out of context like a pro.
The colleague sneered coldly. “Brat needs to be taught a lesson!”
There was silence from inside for a moment. Then Lin Yao started pleading softly, begging them to let him out. He said he could prove Shen Leyuan was a good guy—that good people shouldn’t be screwed over by the old man like that. The old man had friends at the station, and with Shen’s soft personality, he’d get bullied to death.
One bodyguard softened and hesitated. “Should we let the kid out to find his mom?”
The colleague kept sneering. “Just wait.”
Soon enough, seeing no movement from outside, Lin Yao dropped the choked-up begging and started cursing up a storm. He called the bodyguards cowards, too scared to speak up when a friend got framed and thrown in jail.
The bodyguards were all rendered speechless. The chatty one laughed especially coldly.
He knows this type well. Same shitty temper as always—like a dumbass, always turning his thorns on his own people.
The commotion in the Confinement Room dragged on for a good long while.
Lin Yao’s tirade against the bodyguards was short. The rest of the time, he unleashed on the old man—from his stamina to his brains, from crippled body to crippled mind. By the end, he’d cursed himself out, smashed himself out, and cried himself out. He just lay by the door, staring at the surveillance camera.
“Old man,” he muttered to himself, “you don’t want me dead, right?”
The chair was cracked and deformed, twisted metal shards jutting out. Lin Yao pressed his wrist against them and slashed down without hesitation.
Fresh blood surged out, streaming across Lin Yuan’s vision.
He watched the monitors in silence.
They’d only known each other for half a month, yet Lin Yao had gone this far for Shen Leyuan. Could such feelings be real?
He didn’t understand Shen Leyuan’s importance to Lin Yao.
Lin Yao still remembered Little Deer’s fake affections to this day—how could he not care about Shen Leyuan’s kindness and tolerance? How could he just watch Shen get bullied?
Especially since Shen might have gone to the station because of him.
The blood loss drained his body heat; Lin Yao’s lips turned pale. Seeing the blood on his wrist start to clot, he slashed again with the metal shard.
The door opened.
Lin Yao was rushed to the hospital, bandaged up, and within minutes, slipped out a window using his expert climbing skills while the guards were away. Blood seeped through his bandages as he drove, but he felt no pain—just urgency as he floored the accelerator again and again.
Curled under the back seat in the cramped space, the unlucky bodyguard trembled.
[I think the young master’s speeding…]
Laughter erupted in the group chat. Everyone figured he’d drawn the short straw.
[He’s got that “straight-line vibe” on Pan Shan Highway energy.]
The unlucky bodyguard wanted to cry: [Will I even make it back to see you guys?]
After that, the poor guy went radio silent for half an hour.
The others started getting worried: [Hey? You there? Alive? Say something if you’re alive!]
[Where’s he at? Gone?]
[Video call initiated.]
[Voice call initiated.]
“Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavailable. Please try again later. Sorry, the phone you dialed is not—]
[No way, did something really happen???]
[Someone check for accidents over there?]
Ten minutes later, the unlucky bodyguard finally surfaced: [Sorry, was driving. Young master was rushing me, no time to reply.]
[Whoa!]
Someone exclaimed in surprise: [How’d you convince him to hand over the wheel?]
Unlucky bodyguard: [Told him Teacher Shen wouldn’t want his student breaking traffic laws or getting into a crash.]
[Found Shen yet?]
Unlucky bodyguard: [Nah.]
Unlucky bodyguard: [But Director Hao said he could help contact him.]
…
So Teacher Shen hadn’t been arrested.
But Lin Yao’s mood didn’t improve. Shen was leaving.
The young man felt panicked and lost.
Doesn’t he want to teach us to be good? Doesn’t he like Little Deer and my dad? Doesn’t he desperately need the money from this high-paying job?
Why leave all of a sudden?
Because of me?
Yeah, because of me.
He sat there in a daze, like the whole world had drifted away from him.
He said he wouldn’t come back to the Lin Family.
It’s all because of me…
Seeing Lin Yao short-circuiting on the spot, unable to hear a word, Hao Mingrui simply dialed Shen Leyuan’s number directly.
“Maybe it’s not that bad. Talk to him?”
Shen had come specifically to report Lin Yao’s abuse—such a responsible guy. Maybe a chat would have some unexpected effect.
Lin Yao slowly turned his head, looking even more panicked.
He stared at the phone like it was Pandora’s box—picking up would spell doom.
“Hello?” A gentle voice came through. “Anything wrong, Director Hao? I’m still at the hospital.”
Hospital? Is he sick? Hurt?
Lin Yao wanted to ask instinctively, but he clamped his mouth shut at the last second, not daring to make a sound.
“Hello? You listening?” Shen Leyuan called again.
Man, you’re hopeless too!
Hao Mingrui held the phone to his own ear. “Nah, just that Lin Yao thought the old Lin sent you to the station. He busted out to testify for you. Kid’s scared shitless, sitting right here.”
“Ah?” There was an obvious pause on the other end. “Oh…”
The little guy nearby watched with pleading eyes, on the verge of tears. Hao Mingrui couldn’t help putting in a good word. “Kid’s hot-tempered. Couldn’t get out of confinement, so he hurt himself to force the old man to let him go. Face is pale as a ghost now.”
He immediately regretted it and added, “He panicked, don’t blame him.”
Shen Leyuan sighed. “No need to explain. I know he’s a good kid—he even saved me that first day we met.”
Hearing that, Hao Mingrui shot Lin Yao an approving look. Good kid, not bad!
But why did he look even more panicked?
Of course Lin Yao panicked.
Teacher Shen’s first good impression of him came from that “rescue.” But the truth?
The truth was he hadn’t saved shit—and had even resented the teacher for nearly blowing his cover.
If Teacher finds out I stood by and did nothing…
Lin Yao clenched his fists, knuckles whitening. He swore to bury that secret deep.
He couldn’t lose the teacher’s goodwill.
No one else would ever be that good to him.
The voice on the phone kept praising him—brave, outgoing, a bit rebellious but overall a good kid who’d been through a lot of grievances. He needed a better-suited teacher, maybe a psychologist.
Lin Yao couldn’t hold back anymore. “I don’t want another teacher!”
He praised me—means he doesn’t hate me, right?
He’ll come back, right?
But silence answered from the other end.
“When are you coming back?” Lin Yao’s heart raced in panic. “We haven’t even used the lesson plans yet…”
Shen Leyuan sounded apologetic. “Those won’t be needed anymore. They’re not right for you.”
Lin Yao shot back desperately. “They are!”
Shen Leyuan: “I’ve already resigned. I talked to Mr. Hao about your education too. Given my limited abilities…”
Lin Yao: “Your abilities are plenty!”
Before Shen could continue, he whispered, “Are you mad at me?”
“No.” Shen Leyuan’s voice was warm. “My tolerance and resilience just aren’t strong enough. I can’t handle this job.”
…Tolerance… resilience…
Lin Yao went dead silent.
He roughly wiped tears with his hand, gripping the phone to listen—but too scared to keep listening.
Shen Leyuan’s voice stayed soft, no resentment or anger. “I still think you’re a good kid. The bad parts can change bit by bit. But I’m sorry—I can’t be the one to grow with you. I don’t have that much energy or time.”
Lin Yao choked up. “But I only want you to teach me…”
Sighing, Shen Leyuan rubbed his faintly aching forehead and explained patiently. “I’m not mad. I’ve met plenty of rebellious teens—you’re not the worst or the weirdest. I’m just making the right choice despite my shortcomings. You need a teacher and psychologist better suited to you. And I need…”
“An environment without me, right?” Lin Yao tried to cry quietly.
Shen Leyuan: “To go back to school.”
Lin Yao froze. Huh?
For a moment, he even forgot to cry, letting out a loud hiccup.
Director Hao couldn’t resist jumping in. “I just told you—he’s going back to school after classes start. You hear a word I said?”
Lin Yao parroted like a broken record. “Back to school?”
Hao Mingrui: “Yeah, Zhen Shui University, the one twelve kilometers from here.”
Lin Yao murmured dazedly. “Zhen Shui University…”
Hao Mingrui: “Yep, top school. Little Shen’s only twenty—barely a year older than you.”
He gave him that elder look: Look at him, now look at you!
Lin Yao muttered. “Twenty…”
Hao Mingrui waved a hand in front of his face. Dazed out?
Lin Yao suddenly roared. “I fucking knew the old man was robbing the cradle—but how the hell could he go for someone that young?!!”
Hao Mingrui: …
You always call your dad that?
Eh, whatever. Old Lin does suck at parenting.
After yelling, Lin Yao remembered the call was still on. He rushed to yell for Teacher, but no immediate reply. He vaguely heard someone say “put it on the table,” and Teacher say thanks, I’ll feed it later myself.
Hope he didn’t hear that. Teachers hate cursing.
He waited tensely for over ten seconds. The voice drew closer. “Sorry, my Little Dog’s sick. Needs some liquid food soon.”
Lin Yao reluctantly said, “Then… you go ahead?”
“Mm,” Shen Leyuan replied. “Take care of yourself too. Don’t forget to tend that wound.”
Lin Yao: “Mm…”
Beep—
Lin Yao clutched the phone for ages, as if waiting longer might bring another call.
Hao Mingrui stroked his chin thoughtfully. “What dumb shit did you say to him?”
Lin Yao glared. “None of your f… none of your business?”
Hao Mingrui: ?
Fine, not my business, huh.
Director Hao decided not to tell the brat that his teacher had reported the abusive parent—for him.
But Lin Yao figured it out anyway.
Teacher had reported the old man once for Little Deer before. Now for him. So in Teacher’s heart, he wasn’t that far behind Little Deer.
Plus, he knew where Teacher was. Little Deer didn’t.
Lin Yao’s mood soared.
After leaving the station, he immediately called overseas. “Get me an exchange student spot at Zhen Shui University within three days.”
“…”
Lin Yao frowned. “Can’t even do that?”
The other side spoke weakly. “Boss, you forgot? You skip class daily, fight classmates—the prof said one more time and you’re out.”
Lin Yao: “Not out yet, right?”
“You’ve been gone too long without excuse this time. Already expelled.” The voice grew even weaker, trembling. “You got pissed at those school emails before, said ‘bullshit school, I don’t need no degree,’ so I didn’t remind you…”
Lin Yao’s vision went black.
With only a high school diploma, how was he supposed to chase a college student like Teacher Shen?
Meanwhile, Little Deer hugged his phone, yelling happily.
“Really, Teacher? You’ll make time to visit patients with Little Deer? And teach online? Really really really? Teacher wouldn’t lie to Little Deer, right?”
The kid was too cute. Shen Leyuan couldn’t help but make a heart gesture.
A string of pink little hearts popped up on the screen. He smiled and said, “Of course. Little Deer studies so seriously and diligently—his progress over this time has been tremendous.”
“The teacher likes students like Little Deer.”
