68: Can you lend me some money?

The students below the stage were completely unaware that Teacher Shen, who looked gentle and dignified on the podium, had just experienced a rebellious storm in the depths of her heart.

Heavens, what was she thinking? She turned around to face the blackboard, as if she wanted to press those inappropriate thoughts firmly into the white chalk strokes... Chen Li listened to the lecture half-heartedly; Teacher Shen Qing's gentle and clear voice sounded more like a lullaby to him at this moment.

During the break, Shen Qing was surrounded by students three layers deep as usual, all asking questions.

The scene was actually quite interesting—several male students, eager to ask questions, squeezed to the very front.

However, they were clearly a head shorter than Teacher Shen, who was wearing low-heeled leather shoes, and had to look up slightly to speak to her.

Meanwhile, the female students waiting nearby for answers, though younger, perhaps due to their temperament, didn't look as fresh and radiant as Shen Qing standing next to her.

Chen Li leaned against the back of his chair, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly as he watched the bustling podium in front.

This Teacher Shen had a unique charm; that gentle, scholarly air that sat somewhere between a green student and a mature woman.

Combined with her dignified yet slightly aloof temperament, she truly hit the aesthetic sweet spot for many boys and girls, being the literal 'killer of both genders' type.

The crisp sound of the bell rang, and the Classroom was instantly filled with the noise of chairs moving and books being packed away.

Chen Li stretched, casually picked up the books on the table, and was about to leave with Zhang Yixi and the others, arms around each other's shoulders.

Just as he was about to step out, that already somewhat familiar gentle voice rang out behind him again, clearly piercing through the noise:

"Student Chen Li, please wait a moment."

These words were like an invisible freezing spell, making Chen Li stop in his tracks.

Almost at the same time, he clearly felt three gazes from Zhang Yixi, Wu Qiang, and Guo Zihong focus on him like searchlights with a 'shua' sound.

Those gazes scanned him up and down, filled with undisguised scrutiny, inquiry, and a mixture of envy and massive doubt.

Though there was no sound, Chen Li could almost read the four words roaring in their hearts from the air—'How is he worthy?'

Chen Li helplessly followed Shen Qing's lead, muttering in his heart, wondering if the matter of her Loan had been discovered; it wasn't him who told.

The two of them once again came to that quiet shade of trees next to the Teaching Building.

The sunlight was cut into mottled spots by the dense leaves and scattered on the ground, with students occasionally hurrying past in the distance.

Shen Qing stood in front of Chen Li, her hands nervously clutching the hem of her clothes. Her lips moved a few times, but she couldn't say a word, her whole person shrouded in a hesitant and uneasy emotion.

【Shen Qing】

【Affection Level: 0】

【Figure: 91】

【Appearance: 85】

【number of times kun: 2】

【number of kunners: 1】

Chen Li was baffled by her hesitant Appearance and subconsciously used the system to take a look.

The data was the same as last time, no change.

He was a bit puzzled; Teacher Shen's state today was completely different from the last time when she had the serious feeling of an instructor.

At this moment, she was more like a helpless and slightly timid little girl.

This abnormal behavior made Chen Li curious as well. What exactly was the matter with her?

"Teacher Shen, is there something you need?" Chen Li spoke first.

"Chen Li, can you lend... lend me some money?" Shen Qing's voice was intermittent and thin as a mosquito, almost drowning in the wind.

"Borrow money?" Chen Li was stunned for a moment. "Uh, Teacher Shen, how much do you want to borrow?"

"One... one million." Shen Qing almost forced the number out.

one million? Chen Li was suddenly speechless.

She was a university teacher who had just started working, yet she was taking out Loans and now asking him, a student, for such a large sum of money. What did she want to do?

Although one million was nothing to Chen Li, he wouldn't do something as foolish as being a sucker for no clear reason.

"Teacher Shen, I'm sorry, I really can't lend that."

Chen Li refused crisply and neatly, not even bothering to ask the reason for the Loan.

He originally thought that if it were a small amount of a few thousand or tens of thousands, he might consider it for the sake of the teacher-student relationship.

But she asked for one million right off the bat, and the two of them didn't have any deep connection; he really couldn't find a reason to help.

Hearing Chen Li's decisive refusal, Shen Qing completely lost her composure.

She had expected to be rejected, but she didn't expect the other party to refuse directly without even asking for the reason, which caught her off guard.

In her desperation, she grabbed Chen Li's hand, her voice carrying a sob and despair: "Chen Li, please, save me. I'm really at the end of my rope. Last time I went to the Bank for a Loan..."

She incoherently and quickly explained how she had been tricked into taking a Loan, only for her boyfriend to run off with the money, and now a huge debt was about to fall on her head.

Chen Li listened to her finish quietly, his heart not feeling much of a ripple.

Being cheated was indeed worthy of sympathy, but so what? Lending money was absolutely impossible.

Lending this money would basically be like throwing a meat bun at a dog—it would never come back.

For a woman as naive as Shen Qing, even if she escaped this time, she might be cheated again next time.

From her description, it was clear she hadn't experienced much of the world and had easily fallen into the hands of a scumbag.

She had to experience this kind of lesson personally before she could truly grow up, learn to identify scumbags, and understand the complexity of the world.

"I'm sorry, Teacher Shen, I can't help you."

Chen Li's tone was calm but firm. "You should go to the police and handle it as soon as possible."

After saying that, he gently broke free from Shen Qing's hand, turned around, and left.

He thought to himself that one million was not a small amount, and Shen Qing had to pay the price for her gullibility to truly wake up.

Otherwise, if he helped her easily this time, there was no guarantee that one day that scumbag would come back with a few sweet words, or another 'interested person' would appear, and she would still fall right in.

Shen Qing watched Chen Li's receding back, her lips moving slightly.

The phrase 'why don't you come to my Dormitory and sit for a while' rolled around in her throat a few times, but it was like it was stuck by something invisible, and she couldn't say it in the end.

She watched helplessly as that Figure turned the corner at the end of the corridor and disappeared from sight. A sudden surge of indescribable loss and frustration welled up in her heart.

She subconsciously bit her lower lip hard, and it wasn't until a slight sting came that her chaotic thoughts cleared up a bit.

A trace of a look mixed with shyness and determination slowly settled in her eyes, finally turning into an unshakable resolve.

"Next time..." as if she had made up her mind—