Chapter 82

After class, Ji Nian went to see the foreign teacher. As expected, the teacher was deeply upset by Ji Nian's tardiness, feeling that she had disrespected him. Ji Nian sincerely apologized and promised never to be late again. The foreign teacher, a slightly plump old man with a stubborn personality, warned her that if it happened again, he would contact her parents. Ji Nian felt her head spinning just thinking about it. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The foreign teacher paused and called out, "Come in." Ji Nian quietly turned her head and was the first to notice the newcomer's shoes—simple and unadorned leather shoes. Looking up, she met a pair of inscrutable dark eyes. The man calmly locked eyes with her for a moment before addressing the teacher, "Ms. York, she was late because she was helping me. Please don't be angry." Mo Chen briefly explained how he had experienced low blood sugar that morning and how Ji Nian had stayed behind to assist him, which had caused her to be late. Upon hearing the explanation, York's anger instantly dissipated. He was even pleased that Ji Nian had chosen to help someone else, praising her as a wonderful child. He then expressed surprise that she hadn't explained the situation earlier. Ji Nian shyly admitted that even if she hadn't helped Mo Chen, she would have barely made it on time. Besides, being late was being late, and she didn't want to make excuses—she just hoped the teacher wouldn't be upset. In her mind, she marveled at how Mo Chen had recognized her voice in that situation. Hearing Ji Nian's words, York's expression softened with affection and admiration. He showered her with praise, leaving Ji Nian blushing furiously before she finally left his office. "Mr. Mo, thank you for coming to explain on my behalf," Ji Nian said, rubbing her still-warm ears as she politely thanked the man beside her. Mo Chen nodded in acknowledgment and then asked, "How much did that milkshake cost?" Ji Nian waved it off, saying, "It was made by my family, so it didn't cost anything." Of course, the daughter of Ji Tingzhou wouldn't lack for money. But Chen Mo didn't want to let the matter go so easily. He disliked owing others, especially when the person who had helped him was the daughter of his enemy. The thought alone made him uncomfortable. "I heard from your homeroom teacher that your essay skills are weak. How about this: come to my office during breaks, and I'll tutor you," he offered. Ji Nian: ??? She looked up at Mo Chen in disbelief. How could someone so beautiful say something so cruel! Her eyes seemed to say, "Teacher, I helped you! How can you repay me like this??" Mo Chen pretended not to notice and simply said, "It's settled, then." Ji Nian reached out dramatically. "No! Teacher!" Mo Chen gave her a dismissive wave as he walked away, saying over his shoulder, "Even if your pants have a hole in them, you can't refuse." Ji Nian: ??? How did the beautiful teacher know about that?! It must have been the gym teacher who ratted her out! Her reputation was ruined! As he turned the corner, Chen Mo's thoughts turned darker. The thought of his sister brought a flash of fury to Chen Mo's eyes. "That's enough for today. You can go," he said abruptly. Ji Nian, sensing the shift in his mood, was puzzled. Huh? He's angry. Why? Just because I said I was raised by my dad? A wild thought crossed her mind, and she internally screamed: [Oh my god! Could it be—] [Is Mr. Mo the illegitimate child of the princess?!] Mo Chen was actually a year older than Ji Tingzhou. The system chimed in: [...An illegitimate child born from Ji Tingzhou's embryo?] While Ji Nian was reeling from her own thoughts, Chen Mo was struggling with his emotions. He thought of his sister, of his own limited time. His mood quickly turned bleak. What was he doing? Why was he wasting time playing the role of a teacher? His sister, buried underground—was she in pain? Did she think her brother was useless? He had come this far, yet he still hesitated. Instead of extracting information from Ji Nian, wouldn't it be faster to just kidnap her? Who was more important to Ji Tingzhou—the pharmacist or his daughter? Chen Mo believed Ji Tingzhou would know the answer. Or perhaps he should just kill Ji Nian, forcing Ji Tingzhou to experience the same pain of losing a loved one. He needed to make Ji Tingzhou feel the same agony, or worse... But the thought of Ji Nian's lifeless body filled him with self-loathing. The conflict between his hatred and his humanity tore at him, leaving him in anguish. Ji Nian didn't notice the storm brewing behind her. Chen Mo's eyes darkened, waves of ink swirling with flashes of crimson, his murderous intent flickering in and out. In the end, the idea of kidnapping her to use as leverage against Ji Tingzhou prevailed. Chen Mo calmly began mapping out the school's security cameras and guard placements, planning how his people could infiltrate the school and take an unconscious Ji Nian away. The child might cry, but that was fine—a heavier dose of sedatives would take care of that. Whether it affected her intelligence was Ji Tingzhou's problem. Dangerous thoughts swirled relentlessly in his mind. Just as Chen Mo had finished drafting a text message to his subordinate and was about to send it— Ji Nian hadn’t even taken a step before her math teacher stopped her. The math teacher teased her, “Want some dried yogurt, Ji Nian?” Ji Nian instantly shook her head at the mention of those four words. Ji Tingzhou had once bought the same thing to tease her, just to see her neck stretch out like a giraffe’s. In the end, she fed it to Da Dan and Wei Yang, who happily stretched their necks like bodyguards. “Try it, it’s really good,” the teacher insisted. Ji Nian politely but firmly declined, “No, thank you, teacher.” “It’s sweeter than poop and less sticky,” the teacher quipped. A loud *bang* echoed through the office as a chair slammed into a desk, silencing the room for a moment. Then, a phone clattered to the floor, its screen flickering briefly before going dark. Chen Mo shot to his feet, his usual calm and gentle demeanor gone. His face was dark, a mix of shock and disbelief as he strode over and grabbed Ji Nian’s arm. It was as if someone had hit a nerve. He demanded sharply, “What did you say!?”