It was only human to subconsciously exhibit ostrich behaviour at critical moments.
Ms Laura was a textbook example of that.
Her eyes were as wide as saucers. She stared at Yan Suizhi for an age before finally expressing her doubt, “You’re trying to scare me, right?”
The scare was overwhelming. Her voice even cracked, and she sounded extremely weak.
“Are you…” She cleared her throat, keeping her voice under control so that she wouldn’t appear lacking in confidence. “Are you starting to retaliate now because I pinched you last night and teased you so much?”
This logic seemed sound.
The more Ms Laura spoke, the more she felt it sounded plausible, successfully giving her heart a booster shot, her complexion gradually easing.
Yan Suizhi, “…”
He’d already told Laura that he hoped for her to wipe her memory of yesterday, yet this hapless lass just had to bring it up again today.
She was no longer courting death. She was practically hurtling herself towards death’s door, even doing so with more zeal each passing day. This was truly only something that Laura was capable of.
Dean Yan nodded in admiration.
The profound mystery of body language caused the pitiful Miss Laura to misunderstand the meaning of his nod.
Like clutching onto a lifeline, she immediately heaved a long sigh of relief. “Right? You’re deliberately giving me a scare, right? That’s what I thought… but I must confess that you were very successful. My heart stopped just now!”
“My palms are all sweaty now.” Laura showed them both of her paws. They were indeed glistening.
Her pitiful display was so well-substantiated that even Yan Suizhi felt a little bit sympathy.
He walked to the dining table, casually placing his glass down, pulling out the chair in front of him and sitting down facing Laura.
He considered how to put it across a bit more tactfully, such that the blow to this girl would be lessened.
But Laura, the little expert at courting death, didn’t even give him the opportunity—
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He considered it, then said, “You might not be able to handle my full name. Maybe you can just call me the way you used to, teacher or professor, you decide.”
“……………………”
The esteemed Professor Yan was already using the gentlest of tones, but it was still futile.
Judging from her state of stillness, Ms Laura might have had another cardiac arrest.
Gu Yan pulled out a chair as well, sitting next to Yan Suizhi, calmly adding, “Not teacher. Call him professor.”
“…”
Yan Suizhi looked at him huffily.
Joe finally pried open the quilt. He sat upright and coughed drily. “Or Dean Yan, like I do.”
Their reactions thoroughly affirmed Yan Suizhi’s identity.
The scene instantly became suffocating.
This could be told from Ms Laura’s complexion—or maybe not. Ms Laura had already snapped; her body was completely cold.
The postmortem cooling didn’t last for even five seconds before her corpse was suddenly reanimated.
“No, wait! Where are you going?” Joe, the closest to her, agilely caught hold of her.
Laura, “To find a rope.”
“Find a rope?” Young Master Joe’s face was befuddled. “What are you finding a rope for?”
Laura, “To hang myself.”
Joe, “…”
He suddenly felt that being brought to his knees in front of a treadmill was nothing to be embarrassed about. Look, there was even someone who wanted stage a suicide.
“Don’t make a scene,” As a friend, Young Master Joe sagely advised her. “You’ll have to ask the hotel for a rope; you won’t be able to find one here. Moreover, where are you going to hang it?”
Laura was towed back to her seat by him, and after a moment of disconsolation, reached out to seize his blanket, covering her face with it.
“Have it, have it,” Young Master Joe was very magnanimous.
Laura hid herself under the blanket, crumbling, “What have I done… I’ve lost the will to live…”
She might really have lost all hope to live. She wrapped it tightly around herself, resembling a grave mound, ceasing all motion.
Yan Suizhi tottered between laughter and tears. “Are you not going to breathe?”
“Nope,” Laura sounded all muffled. “I don’t wanna show my face.”
Young Master Joe was overcome with emotion. “What a familiar scene, practically deja vu. Guys, did I look like this last time?”
“What’s wrong with the both of you?” Yan Suizhi asked huffily. “I’ve reflected on it. It isn’t as if I did anything to you two back in the day, right?”
Joe obediently spread his palms, saying against his will, “You didn’t, you didn’t.”
The distinguished Lawyer Gu was very rational. “What answer did you expect to get when you asked them to their face?”
Yan Suizhi tch’ed. “Did I ask you?”
Possibly because this wasn’t the first time this had happened, but had Joe as the forerunner, or possibly because Yan Suizhi’s attitude was as it always was and that he didn’t place his full attention on Laura, this nicely soothed Laura out of her embarrassment.
And so, she recovered slightly, and the muffled voice spoke up again, “Professor… are you really him?”
“What do you think?” Yan Suizhi said.
She was already calling him professor, what else could she be thinking.
“You weren’t affected by that explosion?” Laura asked again.
“Not really.”
“And the grave is fake?”
“They probably put some memorial items inside like they usually do with bombings.”
“When I message you in the future, they won’t go unanswered, will they?”
“Of course not,” Yan Suizhi’s tone was gentle.
“Can we continue with those winter wine parties?”
“If everyone wants to get together.”
“I do,” Laura finally pried the blanket open revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes, on the verge of tears, “I really want to.”
Her hands were covering her eyes, and the tip of her nose peeked out between her fair hands.
After a long time, she snivelled loudly and set down the hands covering her reddened eyes, smiling at Yan Suizhi. “That would be splendid.”
“So, don’t cry anymore.” Yan Suizhi drew a piece of antibacterial tissue, handing it to her.