Having boasted prematurely, Jingbo felt especially embarrassed when he failed to help Cheng Guo, even privately blaming his uncle for being too opportunistic. He secretly called his grandfather, hoping he would help persuade his second uncle, but the grandfather refused without a second thought and warned him not to meddle.
Seeing Cheng Guo’s gloominess, he felt an overwhelming pressure. Could it be that in the face of self-interest, justice was that insignificant?
Initially, he thought Li Xiaoru had brought it upon herself, but after a few interactions, he realized that she was a kind-hearted girl with a strong sense of responsibility. With Li Xiaoru’s father bedridden, if Li Xiaoru lost her job, her family, relying solely on Mother Li, wouldn’t be able to survive.
Jing Zhe had noticed the abnormal behavior of his two favorite students. He assumed they were experiencing relationship problems and said nothing.
But as three days passed and they still looked half-dead, he could no longer hold back. During the noon break, he detained both of them.
"What on earth are you two trying to do? Have you forgotten what your job is?" Jing Zhe asked bluntly.
Guilt-ridden for letting personal issues affect his studies and work, Cheng Guo hung his head in shame.
Jingbo had been absorbed in guilt over not being able to help Cheng Guo these past few days. Realizing she had violated a great taboo of medical professionals, she too hung her head in embarrassment and remained silent.
Jing Zhe, feeling more certain of his observation, frowned even more deeply, "I am not such a strict mentor that I’m insensitive to personal matters. With your ages, it’s very normal to be in love.
However, I hope you can keep work and personal issues separate. If you really can’t manage that, then I’ll have to consider separating the two of you."
Cheng Guo and Jingbo almost chorused in unison.
"Why do you think?" Jing Zhe snorted coldly, tapping his finger on the table, "You tell me, why?"
"Teacher, Jingbo was trying to help me. If you must punish someone, then punish me," Cheng Guo said.
"How can only you be punished? Not being able to manage my emotions is my own issue. Besides, you spoke out only after I pressed you for answers. Ultimately, this is still my own responsibility."
"You pressed me for answers with good intentions. Regardless of the outcome, I am truly grateful to you."
"What’s there to be grateful for? All I’ve given you is disappointment."
"How can you say that? Seeing you unhappy these past few days has made me feel especially guilty..."
As he watched the two of them obliviously wrapped up in each other, Jing Zhe’s face grew darker until, finally, he slammed his hand on the table in anger, "Enough, I’ll arrange your transfer orders this afternoon. Go where you wish!"
The two of them panicked; they had spoken without thinking...
Sighing deeply to calm himself, Jing Zhe said, "According to the rules, medical interns under the same mentor are not allowed to be romantically involved.
I wanted to turn a blind eye, but with the state you’re in, if I continue to ignore this, I won’t be helping you but harming you instead.
So, only one of you can stay. I won’t decide on my own, you two discuss it and give me an answer in half an hour."
The two looked at Jing Zhe dumbfounded for a long while, saying nothing.
"What are you looking at me for?" Jing Zhe waved his hand dismissively, "Looking won’t help; I’ve made up my mind. Only one of you can stay with me, so go and talk it over."
"Teacher..." Jingbo cautiously pointed first to herself, then to Cheng Guo, "Do you think that we... are dating?"
"Aren’t you?" Jing Zhe asked impatiently, frowning, "I really don’t like students who, even when clearly in the wrong, still argue stubbornly for their case."
"Teacher, you’ve really misunderstood. A few days ago, I encountered..." As he came to his senses, Cheng Guo began to recount the events of the past few days in detail to Jing Zhe, concluding, "Teacher, you can check. If I have lied even once, not only am I willing not to be your student, but even if I were to be expelled from the medical profession, I wouldn’t utter a single word of protest!"
"Are you saying, the girl taking care of Xiao Yuwen was forced?"
"Yes," Cheng Guo said with a pained expression, "Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been in such a rush to marry her. Actually, we hadn’t seen each other for several years, and it’s not like we had to get married. But... but there really was no other way. I didn’t want to trouble you with this kind of matter, but that led to a misunderstanding."