Forced into a romantic relationship

Chapter 203 Let's stay at the teacher's house then.
Despite saying a lot of nice things, Han Zhou still couldn't find out Ouyang Lianyu's age.

After the other person threatened to find him something to do after he returned to school, he had no choice but to suppress his curiosity and change the subject.

The two waited for ten minutes, but the owner did not appear. Seeing that Ouyang Lianyu was unwilling to give up, Han Zhou was not in a hurry and simply waited with her for another twenty minutes. At the same time, he checked the wallet to see if there was anything else besides money. Unfortunately, there was no identification document inside.

"I'm increasingly suspicious that this is some kind of scam."

It was autumn, and the temperature dropped as the night deepened. The two of them had waited for a full hour. Han Zhou's patience ran out, and he said, "With so much money in the wallet, if the owner really had it, they would have come back to look for it long ago."

"Maybe something happened on the way and they were delayed, or maybe they haven't realized their wallet is missing yet."

Ouyang Lianyu gave a wry smile. She had advised Han Zhou many times to leave, but the student just wouldn't listen. "Besides, didn't you say that all the money in your wallet was real? If you really wanted to commit fraud, you wouldn't need to go to such high costs, would you?"

She looked at Han Zhou with a humble and eager-to-learn expression. If she could learn about similar scams, she could take precautions in advance.

"Who knows."

Han Zhou stood up from the stone steps, lightly brushed the dust off his clothes, and said in a serious tone, "But as the saying goes, high risk, high reward. Maybe this is a long-term strategy to catch a big fish."

This was obviously nonsense. He was just implying that Ouyang Lianyu could leave. If she waited any longer, she might have to sleep on the floor. There was no need to wait for the owner. She could just hand the wallet over to the police station tomorrow.

"It's about time we went, Teacher Ouyang."

Seeing that Ouyang Lianyu remained unmoved, he sighed and had no choice but to get straight to the point, "It's getting late, I'll take you home first, and then I need to hurry up and find a good spot under the bridge."

"Oh? Oh, I'm sorry."

Ouyang Lianyu was slightly stunned. She took out her phone and checked the time, then realized that she had indeed been waiting for too long, and immediately felt a little ashamed.

It wasn't a problem for her to wait alone, as she had a wheelchair to sit in and rest. The main issue was that the student who was waiting with her wasted a lot of time.

She said apologetically, "It's getting late. I'll take the wallet to the police station tomorrow morning. You should go and do your own thing. You don't need to take me home; I can manage on my own."

"I'm not busy. There are plenty of underpasses in Lincheng. I can still find a spot if I go later." Han Zhou tightened his trench coat and joked, "Besides, if I don't see you off, I'm afraid you might slip into my neighborhood again on the way."

Recalling the awkwardness of their first meeting, Ouyang Lianyu blushed slightly and explained, "That was just an accident. I've always gone home alone before, so don't worry."

She knew, of course, that Han Zhou meant well, and she also knew that it would be safer for someone to take her back, but she had already wasted a lot of his time and didn't want to cause him any more trouble.

"Alright, since the teacher has said so, I won't force it."

Han Zhou nodded nonchalantly, but despite saying that, he showed no intention of leaving. "However, before we part, I think it's necessary to tell the teacher the story of the Midnight Butcher of Lincheng."

His expression darkened slightly, a look of reminiscence crossing his face. "It's said that the guy's first crime was on a night around this time, and there were screams every night for a while... Oh, and I heard that the midnight killer's favorite targets are single people..."

His tone was sinister. Before he could finish saying the words "single dog," Ouyang Lianyu felt a chill run down her spine and hurriedly interrupted, "Alright, alright, stop talking."

The streetlights could only illuminate a limited area; beyond the light lay vast stretches of darkness. With no one around, after hearing Han Zhou's words, she felt as if someone was watching her from the shadows.

Han Zhou suppressed a laugh and feigned ignorance, asking, "Teacher, are you scared?"

"How can I not be scared when you scare me like that?"

Ouyang Lianyu looked embarrassed and annoyed, and suddenly felt a little regretful. She thought to herself that she shouldn't have read that suspense novel, otherwise she wouldn't have become so timid and been laughed at by her own students.

"That……"

Han Zhou deliberately dragged out the last syllable.

"Then I'll trouble you to see the teacher off."

Ouyang Lianyu sighed and said helplessly, "Do you often scare girls like this at night and then take the opportunity to send them home?"

Han Zhou raised an eyebrow and immediately put on a righteous and indignant look: "Teacher, you are judging others by your own petty standards. It's only because we're familiar with each other that I would have waited with you until this late, let alone take you home."

He was telling the truth; if it were someone unrelated to him, he wouldn't care so much about their safety.

Moreover, he was well aware that the area around his home was not safe. After the incident of Mo Yixia falling off the cliff, he became more sensitive to certain potential dangers and began to regret why he hadn't taken Guzheng home at night before.

Even someone as clever as Mo Yixia can make mistakes. Although Gu Zheng is incredibly strong, she might still encounter dangers when walking alone at night.

After hearing Han Zhou's words, Ouyang Lianyu felt a warmth in her heart and smiled gently: "Of all the students, only you would talk to me like this."

Is it not normal to talk like this?

Han Zhou asked casually. He had a photographic memory and naturally remembered where Ouyang Lianyu lived. As he spoke, he pushed his wheelchair toward her house.

“It’s just too normal, so normal that it’s more like a conversation between friends.” Ouyang Lianyu shook her head and laughed. “You didn’t show me any respect as a teacher at all.”

"I don't agree with that. I still have a lot of respect for my teacher," Han Zhou said seriously.

"Have it?"

"Of course I have. I've always listened attentively in your classes."

“That’s because you’re worried I’ll call on you to answer a question,” Ouyang Lianyu exposed. “And don’t think I’ve forgotten that you said you wanted to skip class before. Judging from your current attitude, you’re most likely to skip my class in the future.”

Han Zhou gave a thumbs up and exclaimed, "Teacher Ouyang has a really good eye for people."

Ouyang Lianyu turned around and glared at him: "I've inquired. You clearly respect all the other teachers, but you don't respect me at all."

"That means we have a good relationship."

Han Zhou smiled. "And I'm curious, what does respect mean to a teacher?"

"Why ask this? You wouldn't listen anyway."

After a pause, Ouyang Lianyu said gently, "My requirement for you is actually very simple: just don't always lie to your teacher."

"Okay," Han Zhou readily agreed.

"Really?"

"real."

"Then tell me where you're going tonight."

"Bridge arch".

Ouyang Lianyu: "..."

“Hmm…” Han Zhou hesitated for a moment, “Although it’s not under a bridge, I am indeed homeless tonight.”

"..."

Dark clouds, stirred by the autumn night wind, swallowed the half-moon, leaving the cloud layer gloomy with only a few rays of light showing through.

Han Zhou looked at the sky and said calmly, "That's about it."

After listening to Han Zhou's account, Ouyang Lianyu felt heavy-hearted. She realized that the other party's family situation was so bad that even their doorstep was blocked by thugs. No wonder he said he was homeless.

She took a deep breath and said seriously, "Let's call the police. I'll go home with you now."

"no need."

Han Zhou smiled and said nonchalantly, "Those guys don't know me yet, but once I call the police they'll know who I am. They might keep bothering me from now on. I don't need to pay attention to them. Moving tomorrow will solve everything."

His calm demeanor made Ouyang Lianyu feel a pang of sadness, especially when she saw the smile on his face. She felt even more heartache for him. This child must have been harassed by debt collectors for the past few years, and he had been all alone for years. She wondered how he had managed to get through it all.

She didn't know that Han Zhou had a terminal illness, otherwise she would have been even more distressed.

“It’s good to move and get rid of those guys, but your father is too irresponsible. This kind of thing can actually be handled by calling the police.” Ouyang Lianyu frowned, showing an unusual expression of anger.

"I wouldn't say he's completely irresponsible, at least he raised me." Han Zhou shook his head and said, "Calling the police is pointless, and trying to find that guy won't help. It's actually a good thing for me that he's not around; at least it's much quieter now."

Ouyang Lianyu felt even more heartache and subconsciously hugged the leaping rabbit doll in her arms, not knowing what to say for a long time.

Han Zhou wasn't there to play the victim. Sensing the somewhat somber atmosphere, he joked, "Professor Ouyang, do you think I'll have the chance to see you stand up before I graduate?"

This careless teacher is either injured or on his way to being injured, and who knows, he might have to spend the next four years in a wheelchair. Thinking of this, Han Zhou couldn't help but chuckle.

Ouyang Lianyu was taken aback, barely managing to suppress her sadness, and said softly, "Of course."

After a moment's hesitation, she added in a low voice, "The teacher won't have to wait until graduation; he'll be able to stand up this semester."

Her tone lacked confidence. "Really?" Han Zhou chuckled. "I heard that you can use this wheelchair all year round, so it's quite cost-effective."

Ouyang Lianyu's face flushed slightly as she tried to maintain her composure: "Who said that? How dare they talk about their teacher behind her back..."

Han Zhou smiled without saying a word. Of course, Zhang Tao had told him this. On his way back, Zhang Tao had shared a lot of interesting stories about school with him, but Han Zhou had no intention of betraying him.

It's worth mentioning that most of these interesting stories came from viewers of the same university in the live stream. Many were just repeating what others said, but some of them contained genuine information. It is said that this is one of the reasons why many people from Linxia University like to go to Zhang Tao's live stream.

What if you get lucky and hear some gossip about one of your unlucky roommates?

It just goes to show that people love to gossip.

Thinking of the interesting things that happened at school, Han Zhou couldn't help but think of the guzheng. After hesitating for a while, he took out his phone and sent her a message to tell her that he was back.

Guzheng replied quickly, first sending a pig emoji rolling around on the spot, followed by a message: "Just got home?"

Because he didn't want Guzheng to worry, Han Zhou didn't tell her that someone was blocking his door, so that she wouldn't come looking for him immediately. He just told her that he was going to move the next day.

"Why the sudden urge to move?"

"You know my family situation. Moving will make it quieter."

"Oh, have you decided where you want to move to?"

Gu Zheng really wanted to say that there were still unrented apartments in her neighborhood, and the prices weren't too expensive, but then she remembered the unreliable elevator downstairs, so she had to give up on the suggestion.

"It's not quite clear yet, but Lin Anyu is already helping me pick out a place." Han Zhou replied to the message with one hand while pushing his wheelchair with the other.

"I understand... I'll come over tomorrow and help you move your things, okay?"

Gu Zheng knew that Han Zhou lived alone, and it would definitely be difficult for him to move all his belongings.

Moreover, having not seen each other for so long, she also wanted to see Han Zhou as soon as possible.

Although it was said to be "so long," it was actually only four days, but it felt like an eternity to Gu Zheng. She used to see Han Zhou almost every day, and now that they hadn't seen each other for several days in a row, she felt even more uncomfortable than she had imagined.

Especially after hearing what her father said that day, she felt a strange sense of urgency, as if she would lose Han Zhou if she didn't do something.

In the past, Han Zhou was usually the one who came to her, so it's only natural that she goes to Han Zhou's house to help out now, right?

Yes, I need to let Han Zhou know that he can't live without me...

"No need, you just do your thing," Han Zhou quickly replied.

“I don’t have anything to do. I’ve been staying home studying lately, and my parents are getting annoyed and are urging me to go out and relax.”

Han Zhou smiled and said, "Moving is not an easy thing."

"I know."

Guzheng paused for a few seconds before replying, "That's why I came."

"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Ah."

Go to sleep early, goodnight.

"You too, goodnight."

Gu Zheng nestled under the covers, the glow of her phone illuminating the girl's lovely face. Her large, bright eyes were fixed on the chat interface. She typed and deleted text in the input box, repeatedly wanting to press send, but she couldn't muster the courage. In the end, she only sent "See you tomorrow."

Confessing your feelings is so hard, that's what the young girl thinks.

If I don't even dare to say something like that, how am I supposed to express my feelings to that guy in the future?
A blush crept onto the girl's lovely face, and she only dared to silently repeat the unsent message in her heart—

"It's so relaxing to be with you."

Han Zhou put away his phone. The thought of facing Gu Zheng tomorrow filled him with indescribable emotions. Of course, he dared not tell her directly what happened on the snow mountain, which meant he would have to deceive her, and it might even be a long-term deception.

The person he least wanted to deceive was Guzheng.

"Are you worried?"

Seeing that Han Zhou fell silent after looking at his phone, Ouyang Lianyu, in her wheelchair, hesitated for a moment before cautiously probing, "Are you thinking about your father?"

"No, I don't care about his affairs."

Han Zhou shook his head, his mood growing increasingly agitated. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Teacher Ouyang, do you think greed is a mistake?"

Ouyang Lianyu was taken aback, seemingly not quite understanding why he would suddenly ask this, but she still tapped her smooth forehead lightly with her slender index finger, revealing a thoughtful expression.

After a moment, she said gently, "It depends on what kind of greed it is. In a sense, greed is one of the driving forces of human progress. There is no absolute right or wrong in desires; it's just a matter of moderation. This is my personal, one-sided understanding."

"What about emotional greed?" Han Zhou continued to ask.

“Emotional greed?” Ouyang Lianyu was a little confused and didn’t quite understand what he meant. “Do you mean the kind of greed that makes the other person completely dependent on you and unable to see anyone else?”

Han Zhou coughed twice: "Even more greedy than that one..."

“Wouldn’t that be extreme possessiveness?” Ouyang Lianyu shook her head and said earnestly, “That would be going too far. Although feelings are selfish, we should also give each other a certain degree of freedom. Feelings that are forced into a contract will not last long.”

Han Zhou smiled wryly to himself, not intending to correct the other party's misunderstanding. Of course, such things could not be publicized. He said, "Teacher Ouyang is indeed knowledgeable and erudite."

Ouyang Lianyu's expression faltered slightly, feeling that these words sounded strange, as if she had been in many relationships.

However, she didn't explain, because if she told Han Zhou that she had never been in a relationship, he would definitely laugh at her again.

Fearing that Han Zhou would ask about this, she changed the subject, saying, "Han Zhou, can you tell me who the girl you were with is?"

"Teacher, you've misunderstood."

Han Zhou's expression was resolute. "I've always been focused on my studies. Where would I get a girl to be with?"

Then why did you suddenly ask about relationship issues...?

Ouyang Lianyu looked suspicious: "So you're still in the pursuit stage?"

"Well, you could say that..."

Ouyang Lianyu didn't notice the unusual tone in Han Zhou's voice and chuckled, "I didn't expect you to be troubled by matters of the heart."

Is it strange for young people to have worries about dating?

"Of course it's not surprising. I mean, with your looks and character, pursuing girls shouldn't be too difficult, right?" Ouyang Lianyu teased.

"That's not necessarily true," Han Zhou said modestly. "For example, if I wanted to pursue you, teacher, it would definitely be fraught with difficulties."

"Don't joke about the teacher!"

Ouyang Lianyu blushed, realizing that she had been teased by this guy instead.

"See? The first difficulty has already appeared." Han Zhou sighed with regret, "What if I wasn't joking?"

"It can't be that I wasn't joking!"

"..."

The two chatted casually along the way and soon arrived at Ouyang Lianyu's door. Han Zhou stared intently at Ouyang Lianyu, but when he saw her actually take the key out of her bag, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He then said goodbye and turned to leave.

It was already very late, and Lin Anyu was either at an internet cafe or playing games at home. He didn't want to bother the other party anymore and planned to find a cheap hotel nearby to stay for the night.

He took out his phone and opened the map.

He hadn't taken more than a few steps when he heard the sound of a door lock being opened behind him, along with Ouyang Lianyu's slightly hesitant voice.

"Um... Han Zhou, do you remember what the teacher said before...?"

"If you really have nowhere to go tonight... then, then stay at the teacher's house."

This month I can use six leave slips, which means I can take six days off. Updates can't be guaranteed to be frequent, but I still need to get the full attendance bonus. My application to unblock the chapter failed again; it probably won't be released. This is really frustrating, especially after spending so much time revising and still failing to unblock it… I just wish I had written more of the scenes where Niu Ma and Shen He get beaten up. I'll post an extra chapter tomorrow to make up for the extra update I mentioned before.
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(End of this chapter)