67: Chapter 67: The First Confrontation 67: Chapter 67: The First Confrontation The teacher over there?
From the Psychology College?
Wang An’s eyebrows knitted into a knot, suddenly having a bad premonition.
At that moment, the classroom door opened behind Wang An.
A face that wasn’t exactly unfamiliar appeared in front of Wang An, and his bad premonition took a tangible form.
“Hello, Teacher Wang.” Wang An heard the greeting from the opposite side.
“Ah, if I’m not mistaken—you’re Mr.
Nan?” Wang An heard himself reply.
Nan Zhubin looked at Wang An, scrutinizing him.
During their first meeting at the presentation, Nan Zhubin only got a brief glance at Wang An, so he couldn’t make many observations.
It wasn’t until now that he had the chance to thoroughly deconstruct the target in front of him.
[Dark circles under the eyes, bloodshot eyes, poor skin condition, recently very tired and irritable.]
[But the clothes are carefully chosen, the face clean, hair neatly styled, the clothes well-coordinated and ironed, there’s even a scent of cologne… can’t tell what brand it is.]
[—This is someone who cares a lot about personal image.]
[That’s a good thing.]
Nan Zhubin smiled kindly.
“Hello, everyone.” He first turned and greeted the students in the room.
A few girls’ expressions visibly brightened, and the attention that was on Wang An quickly shifted to Nan Zhubin’s face, his body, and back to his face.
Compared to the opposite side’s shirt and suit combination, Nan Zhubin’s attire was much simpler.
Having just left school and started working, he wasn’t yet in a financial position to spend big on wardrobe.
But even just a simple pairing of a trench coat, jeans, and casual sneakers, without any added charm of cologne, naturally and unwittingly outshone Wang An beside him.
This wasn’t a male competition at all.
“It’s late, and you made a special trip, thank you, teacher!”
Listening to the greetings, Nan Zhubin’s eyes were on Wang An.
[Cheeks start to tense to maintain the curve of a smile, but this guy probably can’t actually smile right now.]
[Tightened under-eye bags, filled with aggressiveness—because he cares a lot about others’ attention?]
The fact that his mere presence caused a minor breakdown in the other meant good news.
Though it was unintentional.
“Hello, everyone.” Nan Zhubin responded to the female students who came by, using a smile to ease their fatigue.
Then he turned back, maintaining a smile as if nothing had happened before.
“Teacher Wang, we didn’t get much of a chance to chat during our last meeting.
I didn’t expect this coincidence, you’re also the project’s supporting teacher—now we have time.”
“There are some work-related issues; I think it’s necessary for us to exchange some opinions.”
Nan Zhubin paused, enunciating clearly: “After all, it’s all for the students.”
He saw Wang An gulp, the muscles in his neck tightening.
The curve of his mouth fell momentarily, then quickly lifted again, maintaining the smile.
“I’ve been wanting to talk with Mr.
Wang An shifted his gaze away: “But today, time is a bit tight, which is my issue, I didn’t know in advance that Mr.
“How about I first finish up what I need to explain to the students, have them dismissed, and then we can have a good chat?”
Nan was also from Jiang University before, their senior, you must understand how busy students can be at this stage.”
The students were excited to hear this, feeling a closer connection: “Mr.
Nan Zhubin maintained his smile.
[He’s pointing at me, indicating he knows about my ‘advised to leave Jiang University’ identity, hoping to make me give in?]
[But he truly cares about his image in front of the students, which is good.]
Wang An had concerns, not wanting to engage in topics that might damage his image in front of the students.
Nan Zhubin had concerns too; he didn’t want Chen Ting’s personal information to be known by more irrelevant people, so he didn’t want to discuss it in front of the students either.
However, since this was to be a psychological warfare, one couldn’t be led by the enemy.
At the very least, one couldn’t let others prepare.
“Let’s go out and chat now, after all, it involves work-related matters.
Perhaps the information you have, Teacher Wang, is a bit different from mine; the tasks you’ll assign the students might conflict with the ultimate goal, wasting everyone’s time.”
Nan Zhubin said as he put his arm around Wang An’s shoulder.
An obvious sensation of resistance, Wang An was resisting.
But at that moment, the students’ gazes on his back made Wang An feel like pins and needles.
His concerns were greater than Nan Zhubin’s.
Thus, he was led by Nan Zhubin to the adjacent classroom—one booked in advance using Xia Tian’s campus privileges.
Unbeknownst to Wang An, this classroom had been reserved, assuming it was an empty room—such rooms might have students coming in for self-study.
Inadvertently adding another layer of pressure.
For Wang An, this was a relatively unfamiliar environment, further weakening his strength.
“Someone might come later.” Wang An smiled stiffly.
“So we must talk quickly and cautiously.” Nan Zhubin further exerted psychological pressure on Wang An.
Not sure if it was an auditory hallucination, but there seemed to be a sound at the door, like someone eavesdropping.
Wang An reflexively turned his head.
Nan Zhubin frowned but didn’t move.
He watched Wang An’s throat make a swallowing motion, counting the rhythm of his breathing.
“You like students, right?” Nan Zhubin said abruptly.
He spoke just as Wang An was in the midst of a deep breath, almost causing him to choke.
No need for prelude, straight to the point.
Nan Zhubin stretched out his finger, quite flippantly tracing a circle on Wang An’s face: “Your nostrils are flaring, pupils constricting, gums clenched tight, this indicates you’re very nervous.”
Know that such a challenge to professional ethics is quite offensive—but your first reaction wasn’t anger.”
Nan Zhubin lowered his voice: “So I guessed right.”
Continuing relentlessly without giving Wang An time to react, determined to break through the other’s psychological defenses in one go.
“I heard students asked you to be their mentor, and you agreed immediately?
Is it because there is someone you fancy in the group?”
“You’re more nervous now, so—are you planning to make a move on them?
You more seem to enjoy the process of working with them, you enjoy their admiration, enjoy their adulation of you.”
“So, your target all along has been only one, right?”
The gaze in Nan Zhubin’s eyes pierced like two nails, firmly fixed on Wang An’s face.
Wang An, gasping, seemed to have lost the strength to respond at first glance.