142: Chapter 142 Li Yan's Request

Although Li Yan wore light makeup, she still could not hide the heavy dark circles under her eyes.

More importantly, it was her expression.

In previous class meetings, Li Yan's expression had always been calm, carrying an air of aloofness and coldness, looking like a noble swan.

Especially her clothes and attire; in the past, she was always very particular about her appearance, even though she mostly wore high-quality replicas of luxury brands.

However, coupled with her temperament, that sense of aloofness and coldness was enough to make people feel she was unattainable.

But today, as she stood on the podium, her eyes were somewhat unfocused.

Seeing this expression on Li Yan, Zhao Yang frowned slightly.

"What's wrong with Li Yan?"

She shouldn't have gone back to the countryside for the New Year, but looking at her now...

It probably has something to do with matters at home.

Zhao Yang thought to himself, lost in thought.

"Students... Happy New Year, everyone."

Li Yan's voice was a bit hoarse, as if she had a cold or had just been crying. "First of all, welcome back to school safely. Next, let's take attendance..."

The roll call process was very mechanical.

It was obvious that Li Yan was distracted.

Most of the class noticed that Li Yan was zoning out.

"What's wrong with this Counselor? She looks like she's lost her soul,"

Li Tianqi muttered quietly beside him.

"Could it be that her blind date during the New Year failed?"

"Don't talk nonsense."

Zhao Yang whispered a reprimand, but his gaze remained fixed on Li Yan.

With his Super Vision observational skills,

he noticed that while Li Yan was talking about the safety precautions for this semester, the phone placed on the podium vibrated several times. Every time it vibrated, her body would subconsciously flinch.

She hung up the calls directly without answering, but clearly, she had no heart to continue the meeting.

"Um... regarding the makeup exams and course selection, I will post them in the class group chat. You can all check them yourselves when you get back."

The class meeting ended hastily.

Li Yan packed her things and hurried out of the classroom, even forgetting to dismiss the class.

"Something is wrong."

Zhao Yang closed his book, not in a rush to leave. He was waiting.

After most of the students in the classroom had left, he picked up his bag and slowly wandered out of the teaching building.

On the path to the Library, there was a grove of sycamore trees.

In winter, the sycamore trees were bare, with only a few cold crows cawing on the branches.

Just as Zhao Yang reached the intersection, he saw Li Yan standing behind a tree, seemingly waiting specifically for him.

In the cold wind, Li Yan did not abandon her elegance; she was wearing a trench coat, her hands in her pockets, her curvy figure accentuated by the coat. As a gust of cold wind blew by, Li Yan trembled slightly, her face looking somewhat pale.

Seeing Zhao Yang approach, she hesitated for a moment, but still walked out and blocked his path.

"Zhao Yang."

"Counselor."

Zhao Yang stopped and said in a calm tone.

"You were waiting for me?"

Li Yan nodded, then shook her head. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but swallowed the words back, and her eyes instantly turned red.

"There are too many people here, let's go somewhere else."

Zhao Yang noticed her embarrassment.

The two of them, one after the other, arrived at a secluded little garden behind the Library. It was sheltered from the wind and quiet.

"Speak, what happened?"

Zhao Yang leaned against the railing, hands in his pockets, looking at Li Yan.

Li Yan backed against a sycamore tree, head down, biting her lower lip tightly until she tasted blood, before she spoke with a tremble.

"Zhao Yang... I might... have to resign."

"Resign?"

Zhao Yang's expression did not change.

"Because of your parents?"

Hearing Zhao Yang's words, Li Yan could no longer maintain her previous calm; she leaned entirely against the tree behind her, her eyes unfocused.

"They... they are crazy..."

"During the New Year, I didn't go back and didn't send any money home. I pulled out my SIM card, thinking that would be enough to hide."

Li Yan choked up, recounting her experience over the winter break in broken sentences.

Like the vast majority of stories, there was nothing unusual about it.

It was nothing more than Li Yan's gambling-addict brother, who had gone gambling again during the New Year. This time, he not only lost all the family savings but also took out a usurious loan, owing 200,000 including principal and interest.

The other party threatened that if the money wasn't paid back during the first lunar month, they would chop off one of his hands.

Li Yan's parents were frantic, borrowing from all their relatives and friends, but only barely managed to scrape together 50,000.

For the remaining 150,000, they set their sights on their daughter who was a university teacher in this big city.

Because they couldn't contact Li Yan, they asked around through relatives and even found her old high school classmate, finally getting the landline number for the Counselor office at Beijing Forestry University.

"Since work started on the eighth day of the lunar new year, the office phone has been ringing off the hook."

Li Yan's eyes were vacant, her tone filled with a sense of powerlessness.

"The department head talked to me, asking if I had gotten into any disputes. I didn't dare tell the truth, so I could only say it was a misunderstanding at home."

"I had no choice but to answer my parents' calls."

Li Yan's body began to tremble violently.

"My dad said on the phone... he said if I didn't come up with 150,000 to save my brother, he would bring my mom and those loan sharks to the school to find me."

"They want to hang banners, go to the principal, tell everyone I'm an unfilial daughter who refuses to save her own family, ruin my reputation, and make me unable to hold my head up in life..."

"Zhao Yang, I really have no other options. What should I do?"

Li Yan looked at Zhao Yang in pain.

"I only have a few thousand in my hand, not even enough for the interest. If they really come to the school to make a scene, I definitely won't be able to keep this job. Rather than being fired, I might as well leave on my own..."

"Leave? Leave to where?"

Zhao Yang coldly interrupted her, "If you resign, you'll have no income. With no income, how will you pay back my money? How will you support yourself?"

Li Yan was stunned, staring blankly at Zhao Yang.

She had assumed Zhao Yang would sympathize with her, or comfort her, or even... lend her some more money.

But she hadn't expected his first reaction to be this.

"Have you forgotten that you still owe me 50,000? That is your indenture contract."

Zhao Yang walked up to her, looking down at her, his eyes calm and cold.

"Before you pay off my money, your personal freedom, your job, and even your reputation are my assets. I do not allow my assets to depreciate, and I certainly do not allow you to just ruin yourself for no reason."

These words sounded very cold and heartless.

But for Li Yan, who was currently at a complete loss, this strong, unquestionable attitude actually allowed her chaotic mind to instantly find a sliver of reliance.

"Then... then what should I do?" Li Yan looked at Zhao Yang as if grabbing onto a life-saving straw.

"When are they coming?"

Zhao Yang asked, looking at Li Yan.

"They said they bought tomorrow's train tickets and will arrive the morning after tomorrow."

Li Yan said, her face full of despair.

"They said if they don't see the money by the day after tomorrow, they'll hang banners at the school gate."

"Alright, I understand."

Zhao Yang nodded, his expression without the slightest ripple.

"Zhao Yang, can... can you lend me another 150,000?"

Li Yan asked, looking at Zhao Yang cautiously.

"I'll write you an IOU! I'll give you my salary card..."

"No."

Zhao Yang refused, crisp and clean.