Chapter 400: Direct Confrontation (3)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
He Zhichu was truly an esteemed lawyer. His tone and way of speech were so lethal that Gui Suyao’e eyes immediately welled up. Brother Huang and Brother Duan exchanged a glance but remained quiet.
“Professor He, Little Gui didn’t mean to do it. She’s also a tutor so it’s understandable that she saw Nianzhi’s personal information. Of course, it was very wrong of her to show others.” Brother Wei always had a very good impression of Gui Suyao. When he saw that she was about to cry from He Zhichu’s harsh words and that Brother Huang and Brother Huang were not going to speak up for her, he felt he had no choice but to defend her.
Gui Suyao nodded gratefully. “Brother Wei, I really didn’t mean to do it. Thank you.”
He Zhichu shook his head. He propped his head on one hand and draped his other arm on the armrest of the sofa, replying dryly, “Little Chen, go back and read the ‘General Principles of Civil Law’ twice and write an essay for me. The topic is the privacy rights of citizens.”
Brother Wei flushed instantly and didn’t dare defend Gui Suyao anymore. He looked at his feet and grunted without raising his head again. Brother Huang had a deeper understanding of He Zhichu than the others, and also knew that Gui Suyao had ill intentions. He was closer to Gu Nianzhi anway, so had no intention of helping Gui Suyao. Brother Duan didn’t want to offend either of them and decided to keep silent.
Gui Suyao also flushed when He Zhichu berated Brother Wei, and her tears finally fell shamefully. Gu Nianzhi felt very conflicted when she looked at Gui Suyao. Although today’s incident was minor because she was only late by half an hour, if He Zhichu insisted on deducting from her grade she could only accept it. However, Gui Suyao had been snide all this time. Gu Nianzhi detested how this woman loved using her tears and supposedly fragile femininity as a weapon, but when a real fight broke out, all she did was instigate from the sidelines. The two incidents were independent of each other and this time Gui Suyao was only guilty of being lazy. How did things get this bad? Gu Nianzhi also wisely kept quiet.
He Zhichu stared down Gu Nianzhi without batting an eyelash. He then said to Gui Suyao, “Cla.s.smate Gui, your doctoral student application is not complete yet. Go home first to await notice.”
Gui Suyao was terrified now. After all her trouble and time taken of begging her estranged Uncle, Prime Minister Dou, He Zhichu had finally agreed to accept her as his doctoral student. Cla.s.ses had just begun a few days ago but she was already being expelled. How could she bear going to B University anymore? She’d offended her original mentor when she applied to be He Zhichu’s student. If He Zhichu rejected her, not only would her previous mentor refuse to take her back, the other instructors would also avoid her like the plague because of the possible drama. She would have to leave B University and complete her studies at a lower ranking university. It was like falling from heaven straight into h.e.l.l! Gui Suyao’s crying grew louder.
Brother Huang and Brother Duan could only stand up when they saw this and pulled Gu Nianzhi to the small conference room in He Zhichu’s suite. “Come on, Nianzhi. There are a few things we have to explain to you so you won’t offend Professor He again.”
Gu Nianzhi understood that they wanted to save Gui Suyao from losing all face in front of them. Standing up as well, Gu Nianzhi quickly followed Brother Huang and Brother Duan to the conference room. Brother Wei glanced at the sobbing Gui Suyao and opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words to comfort her. He ran out behind the others.
The only ones left in the living room were He Zhichu and Gui Suyao. Without the presence of outsiders, Gui Suyao was finally able to discard the grace she was struggling to cling onto. Weeping pitifully, she begged He Zhichu, “Professor He, it was my fault and my mistake! I admit I was wrong, so you can punish me in any way and deduct however much from my grades, but please don’t kick me out! I already offended my previous mentor when I became your doctoral student. If you kick me out, I’ll have nowhere to go.”
“That isn’t my problem,” He Zhichu said coolly. “People who break the law are in no position to bargain. They must face legal consequences.”
Nearly tumbling to the ground, Gui Suyao slid down from the sofa and almost knelt at He Zhichu’s feet. “Professor He! I beg you! I’ll accept any punishment. Just please don’t kick me out.”
He Zhichi watched for a while and kept his head propped on his hand. Without changing his posture, he a.s.sessed her. “It’s true your application was not complete. I haven’t signed the last doc.u.ment yet.”
Gui Suyao jerked her head up violently, tears streaking all over her face. Her foundation had been washed off by the tears and her eyeliner was already streaming, leaving long black streaks on her face. She appeared especially pitiful, yet she had never shown sympathy when she wielded her petty power and abused others.
He Zhichu was all too familiar with this type of character; he had very little regard for it, and questioned the abilities to change for the better. “Go home first. I’ll contact the faculty to a.s.sess your situation. I only said I would grant you a trial period when your uncle spoke on your behalf, you know.”
So it was only a trial. Chilled to the core, Gui Suyao s.h.i.+vered and looked up pitifully at He Zhichu. “Professor He, I really want to be you student. Please give me another chance.”
“I already gave you a chance out of respect to your uncle.” He Zhichu grit out. “However, this kind of favor can only be used once and chances are reserved for those who are prepared. Your actions have deeply disappointed me, so for the moment I haven’t decided if I will accept you as my doctoral student. Also, I have an exam you have to pa.s.s first. We can discuss things further after you pa.s.s it.”
Gui Suyao had no choice but to agree. “When is the exam? Professor He, please schedule a time.”
“There’s no rush. Go home first.” He Zhichu stood up. “That’s all for today.”
Gui Suyao was basically driven out by He Zhichu. She stumbled out of the professor’s building and headed straight to her dorm to wash up, then took a cab to find her uncle for help.
He Zhichu arrived at the conference room to find Brother Duan and Brother Huang standing beside Gu Nianzhi and explaining important cla.s.s rules. Gu Nianzhi listened intently and even took notes.
He Zhichu stood in the doorway quietly with his arms crossed for a while and only spoke when the male students were finished. “Go home for now. Cla.s.s is cancelled for the day.”
Brother Huang and Brother Duan quickly packed up their things and said goodbye to Gu Nianzhi and He Zhichu. Brother Wei looked at Gu Nianzhi like he wanted to say something but only said to He Zhichu at the door, “Goodbye, Professor He.”
He Zhichu nodded to him and watched the three students leave.
Gu Nianzhi collected her belongings and slowly walked to the door. “Goodbye, Professor He.”
“Nianzhi,” He Zhichu called after her. “Why are you only telling me about what happened with Gui Suyao now?”
“Which incident?”
“When she circulated your personal information.” He Zhichu watched her with concealed pity in his eyes, “This is a serious matter. Next time something like this happens, you have to tell me right away. Don’t bear it alone.”