"All right."
Tang Xiaomin lowered her head and walked away.
Unexpectedly, Teacher Jing actually followed.
Walking to a secluded spot, Tang Xiaomin decided to be frank with him.
"Teacher Jing, I'm not sick. I have something to do and need to go out. I'm taking leave today."
Tang Xiaomin ran off.
From behind, Teacher Jing's roar echoed, "Tang Xiaomin, there's a test today!"
"Next time."
...
It wasn't that Teacher Jing didn't want to chase, but Tang Xiaomin was simply too fast, a woman like the wind.
The classmates had unanimously voted to send Tang Xiaomin to participate in the sports meet. At first, Teacher Jing thought they were being quite unreasonable.
Now, it seemed like a very good choice.
Taking a taxi to the airport, she found Ye Fengxing in the VIP lounge.
"What exactly do you know? Tell me."
Ye Fengxing gestured to the seat beside him.
"Sit down first, have a cup of tea, and we'll talk slowly."
He was unhurried, just like before, as if so many things hadn't happened between them.
Tang Xiaomin sat down but did not drink the tea.
"Not drinking tea? Worried I'll poison you?"
Ye Fengxing said, picking up the cup intended for Tang Xiaomin and taking a sip himself.
"Don't worry, I'd rather poison myself than poison you."
Tang Xiaomin had no patience for pleasantries and got straight to the point. "That incident in Yuancheng, that exploding robot, was it related to President Pan?"
Ye Fengxing denied it. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Tang Xiaomin frowned tightly. Ye Fengxing was clearly lying.
"I've seen more sophisticated robotic war gods than the one in Yuancheng. I really can't figure out why President Pan's technology company, besides developing rockets, would want to create something like that."
"What exactly is Pan Bide's conspiracy?"
Ye Fengxing was first surprised. He hadn't expected Tang Xiaomin to know President Pan's secret.
He looked at Tang Xiaomin with a complex expression, then suddenly smiled.
"Heh... You really are a sharp one."
"Pan Bide is a very interesting man. His thoughts and ambitions far exceed those of ordinary people. While we were still fighting tooth and nail for market share, he founded X Technology Company. Any product he casually conjured up that the world had never seen before brought in endless profits."
"What's the one thing he said that impressed me the most? Do you know?"
"What?"
"He said he wanted to protect the Earth."
...
A simple sentence, yet it sent a chill down Tang Xiaomin's spine.
"You said Modu is not safe. What's that about?"
Hearing this, Ye Fengxing's gaze fixed on Tang Xiaomin.
"It means exactly what it says."
...
The airport announcement sounded, and Ye Fengxing stood up. Sudan Novel Network.
Without a word, he grabbed Tang Xiaomin's hand and pulled her forward.
This was unexpected for Tang Xiaomin. She immediately flung his hand away fiercely.
Their eyes met. Ye Fengxing looked at her seriously and said, "Since you're here, come with me."
"I have plenty of money. I can give you whatever you want. You only have this one chance, and there won't be another."
Tang Xiaomin shook her head. A strong sense of crisis welled up within her.
Her intuition told her that Ye Fengxing was not joking.
But what of it?
"I'm not going with you."
Tang Xiaomin turned and left, walking quickly out of the lounge without any hesitation.
A wave of intense disappointment washed over Ye Fengxing, as if he had been drained of all strength.
Ultimately, he couldn't take her away.
...
Outside the airport, Yan Jue stood silently, his expression unreadable.
The constant rubbing of his fingers on the black thumb ring betrayed his current unease.
Zhong Li said from the side, "Mr. Yan, why don't we go in and find her? If we go in now, we might still be able to stop her from leaving. If we want to keep her, she definitely won't be able to leave."
Yan Jue had sent Tang Xiaomin to school earlier and dropped her off at a corner.
But what she didn't know was that after dropping her off, he hadn't left. He had followed her and watched quietly until she entered the school before feeling at ease.
Who would have thought that he would witness Ye Fengxing talking to Tang Xiaomin?
He had overheard their conversation and later followed Tang Xiaomin to the airport, but he no longer had the courage to go inside.
She had once said that what was hers no one could take away, and what wasn't hers, she couldn't force to stay.
He was gambling again, betting that Tang Xiaomin would return on her own.
As time passed and the roar of airplanes taking off filled the air, his anxiety grew.
"No need. She'll come back on her own."
"What if she doesn't come back?"
She had reached the airport; it was highly likely she would leave. Otherwise, why would she come here?
Yan Jue said with conviction, "She will definitely come out."
"Then what if she doesn't come out?"
What then?
This question made Yan Jue extremely angry.
If she didn't come out, what could he do?
How could he win back someone who was determined to leave?
He didn't know, and he couldn't utter a word.
At this moment, a familiar figure appeared not far away.
Their eyes met. Tang Xiaomin froze for a moment.
Why was Yan Jue here?
Could it be...
She quickened her pace towards Yan Jue and began to explain, "I..."
"You don't need to say anything. It's good that you're back."
Yan Jue interrupted Tang Xiaomin and, in the next second, pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her so fiercely as if he wanted to merge with her.
"Did you misunderstand something?"
...
"If you're not here, I'll go crazy."
He had almost gone mad.
A long, long time passed like this...
It wasn't until Tang Xiaomin could no longer stand the strange looks from passersby that she pulled Yan Jue away.
On the way back, a knowing smile remained on his lips.
Tang Xiaomin tried to explain several times, but he interrupted her.
What did it matter if there were many temptations outside?
The person was here, and her heart was also here. What more could he be dissatisfied with?
The next day.
Tang Xiaomin was called to Teacher Jing's office for a talk.
Tang Xiaomin lowered her head and said meekly, "Teacher Jing, what do you need me for?"
Teacher Jing threw a test paper at her.
"Tang Xiaomin, this is yesterday's test. You'll make it up now."
Tang Xiaomin breathed a sigh of relief. So that's what it was about. The teacher's pressure was quite strong.
"Okay, will I do it here?"
"That's right."
Tang Xiaomin picked up her pen, ready to begin.
Teacher Jing added, "Tang Xiaomin, if you fail this test, given your frequent absences, I can expel you."
"This... it can't be that serious, can it?"
"Do the test well. Today, you must give me, your homeroom teacher, an explanation regarding your situation."
"Teacher Jing means that it depends on my final test results, right?"
"That's right. Work hard. I'll be watching you closely."
Tang Xiaomin had nothing more to say. She picked up her pen and buried her head in the test paper.
Teacher Jing made a phone call.
"Hello, is this Tang Xiaomin's parent? I am her homeroom teacher. Please come to the school."