Hello, Prosecutor

“I know what you want to ask,” Su Yiwen interrupted, ignoring Tao Le’s increasingly pale face, “I’ll give you my contact details later. Also, I only have two classes a week, so I’m rarely in this office. If there aren’t any major issues, let’s save time for everyone, shall we?” His words suppressed Tao Le again. She usually had quick responses, but now her mouth felt glued shut. Su Yiwen had set this trap, subtly telling her that she was definitely going to be the group leader, or else she’d be letting down everyone and wasting his precious time. Most importantly, the fate of their thesis lay in Su Yiwen’s hands. Did Tao Le really have a choice?
Tao Le put on a fawning smile, “Teacher Su, I have no problem. Actually, I just want to say that I’ll continue being the group leader.” Her ability to change her expression was top-notch. After weighing the situation, she decided that at worst, she’d just work hard for these three months until graduation; after that, who would care about who? Su Yiweng smiled, evidently quite satisfied with her attitude. “Let me briefly talk about the thesis. You can choose your own topics, but there can’t be any duplicates among you. Once you’ve chosen, have Tao Le compile them and submit them to me next week.” So, he was already assigning her tasks. Tao Le, though inwardly reluctant, had no choice but to endure it. Someone asked, “Teacher Su, is it okay if we write on the same subject?” “That’s fine, as long as the thesis statements aren’t the same.” Su Yiweng paused, his tone becoming serious, “All theses will be uploaded to the database, so I hope everyone takes this seriously. There must be no plagiarism. If the school finds out, I can’t protect you.” Hearing this, the boys around her immediately looked downcast, probably because they had been hoping for leniency, but the situation turned out to be otherwise. However, Tao Le didn’t think so; she believed he was just making excuses. As a new teacher, how could he protect them? If they were under Professor Feng, there would be no risk at all. She was just unlucky to be stuck with someone who had neither power nor influence. Su Yiweng added, “After deciding on your topics, you might as well outline your thesis. I can help you revise them.” That was more like it. Tao Le had to admit, though Su Yiweng seemed unreliable, he appeared quite diligent. “Any other questions?” Su Yiweng asked, and the boys all shook their heads, eager to leave as soon as possible. “Then that’s it for today. You can go back now; I’ll contact you if anything comes up.” Was he letting them go? Tao Le felt her tense nerves relax; she could finally bid farewell to this ‘prison’. Just as she turned to leave, Su Yiweng’s voice called out again, “Tao Le, stay for a moment.” Damn, she had forgotten she was the group leader, and now he was starting to exploit her labor. Glancing back at the boys’ schadenfreudic looks, Tao Le was even more annoyed, but she had to swallow her grievances for the sake of graduation. Endure, endure! The door closed, leaving only the two of them in the small office. For some reason, Tao Le felt uneasy; the room felt too empty without the others. The term ‘alone with a man’ suddenly popped into her mind, making her eyelid twitch; this was yet another misstep today. Bah, he’s just an old man, what are you afraid of? Despite this, Tao Le still took a couple of steps back from the desk, ready for any eventuality. Su Yiweng noticed but chose not to comment. Did he really look like a predator? Just as he was about to speak, the classic ringtone sounded again. Thunderous and twice in a row, without warning, Tao Le couldn’t help but laugh, even with her good endurance. She was embarrassed, quickly regaining her composure, but her heart was uneasy, imagining the impending disaster. While on the phone, Su Yiweng occasionally glanced at Tao Le, the reflection on his glasses looking like a signal for murder, eerie and terrifying. As for his expression, it was too dark to discern. Tao Le really wanted to say that her laughter was entirely his fault. She could understand that older people have their own tastes and hobbies, but did he have to be so ostentatious about it? At least mute it or switch to vibrate. Her laughter just now might cost her later. In summary, the generation gap is an unsolvable problem in social development and one of the fundamental causes of human rebellion. When Su Yiweng said ‘I understand’ and hung up, Tao Le’s heart tightened, and she broke out in a cold sweat. The office fell silent, and she didn’t dare lift her eyes to meet his gaze. She thought it best to apologize first, or the nature of his reprimand would be different. “Tao Le, here’s my phone number, write it down.” “Oh, okay.” Tao Le reached for a pen. Wait, was he supposed to scold her for disrespecting a teacher? Instead, he acted as if nothing had happened, which was too abnormal. “What’s wrong?” Su Yiweng asked with a smile, seeing she hadn’t moved. Tao Le snapped back to reality, “Nothing, I actually wanted to ask for your class schedule so I could find you directly in the classroom if needed.” She was quite clever, avoiding another embarrassment. Su Yiweng nodded, wrote something on a piece of paper, and handed it to Tao Le, “Here, there’s also my email. I forgot to have them note it earlier. Tell everyone they can send their theses to me electronically.” “Yes, understood, teacher.” Focusing on the thesis was more important now. Tao Le decided to overlook the earlier incident; after all, he was a teacher, why would he hold a grudge against a student? With this in mind, she felt much better, put away the note, and gave a bright smile, “Teacher Su, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back. I’ll come next week.” “Go ahead.” Su Yiweng responded briskly. At this moment, Tao Le completely believed Su Yiweng was a decent teacher, though not as prestigious as Professor Feng, she appreciated his attitude towards students. The more she looked at him, the more she liked him, and the role of group leader wasn’t as painful as she had imagined. With a light step, Tao Le reached the door, thinking she really should thank Liu Haoyue for giving her confidence in the new teacher. “Oh, Tao Le…” Su Yiweng suddenly called her, interrupting her thoughts. “Ah?” Tao Le thought he had more to say, turned back with a smile. Su Yiweng adjusted his glasses, his smile mysterious, “If you want to laugh, don’t hold it in. It’s not good for your health.” Chapter 4 Tao Le almost dragged her feet back to the dormitory. She never expected Su Yiweng to throw that curveball at the end, telling her not to suppress her laughter for the sake of her health. Her laughter was because of him! No, Tao Le pondered, it wasn’t entirely his fault. She was just too naive, fooled by his appearance. Now she realized he was quite cunning; first, he gave her a carrot to lower her guard, then he would whip her with a stick when she least expected it. That was a ruthless move. Clenching her fists, Tao Le’s anger flared. Su Yiweng, if it weren’t for the crucial moment of graduation, she would have stormed back to confront him, to see if his little glasses would still shine so brightly!
As Tao Le pushed open the dormitory door, lost in thought, she was completely unprepared for the ghostly wails emanating from Gu Liwen’s ancient laptop. “Betraying my love, forcing me to leave, and when I finally uncover the truth, my tears fall. Betraying my love, you’ve incurred a debt of conscience, and no matter how much emotion you invest, you can’t buy it back…” Tao Le couldn’t take it anymore and shouted at the top of her lungs, “Boss, turn off this song!” It was this wretched song that had brought her bad luck; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so unfortunate. Seeing her reaction, everyone realized something was off with Tao Le. Gu Liwen quickly stopped the music and turned to see Tao Le’s extremely displeased expression. “Peach, what’s wrong? Who upset you?” This seemed like the question she had just asked Gu Liwen that morning, and now, it was being asked right back at her. At that moment, Tao Le couldn’t help but believe in the concept of karma. Liu Haoyue stepped forward to calm her down, “Why let a meeting upset you like this? Is there an issue with your thesis?” Tao Le suddenly stared at Liu Haoyue with a chilling tone, “I trusted you, and that was my mistake!” Her words were as dramatic as a martial arts movie, leaving Liu Haoyue looking innocent, “Did I say anything?” Tao Le, hearing this, got even more furious, “You said the new teacher would be good to students, but why isn’t that the case for me? You’ve completely deceived me!” “Uh, well… I just said that to put your mind at ease.” Liu Haoyue regretted her loose tongue, thinking it was unnecessary to stir up trouble. Seeing the flames in Tao Le’s eyes, she quickly changed the subject, “Is your supervisor very fierce? Did you argue with him?” Everyone knew Tao Le’s temper; although she was always laughing, if she got into a fight with someone, she would get serious. Tao Le, too lazy to recount the whole story, sighed heavily, “I wish I could switch with the boss and hang out with the busty woman.” Gu Liwen didn’t understand, “So, your supervisor is worse than that woman?” “Whether he’s worse or not, I can’t really say. In short, he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing!” Forgive Tao Le’s chaotic emotions; she really didn’t know how else to describe Su Yiweng. And a woman’s intuition is never wrong; this man wasn’t a simple character. “Peach, did he get handsy with you?” Liu Haoyue could only think of this, otherwise, Tao Le wouldn’t be so agitated. “He wouldn’t dare!” Tao Le raised her voice, “An old man trying to stir up trouble? I’ll show him! My Sanda training wasn’t for nothing!” Speaking of Tao Le learning Sanda, it was all because of Fan Jian. Being a local, Tao Le would go home on weekends, and somehow Fan Jian found out. He followed her several times at night, scaring Tao Le so much that she didn’t dare go home for weeks. The exposure of her address was minor, but her personal safety was a major concern. However, due to their classmate relationship, she didn’t want to report him to the police, so she opted to learn Sanda. Even though she wasn’t a strong type, with the right techniques, dealing with this effeminate guy was more than manageable. However, Fan Jian was like a cockroach, resilient. After being beaten, he stopped following her but pursued her even more fervently, claiming he had discovered another shining quality in her, his admiration overflowing. And judging by today’s conversation, he was now on par with an FBI agent. Tao Le also thought of Su Yiweng; although he wasn’t as twisted as Fan Jian, he was still a scholarly type, weak and incapable of harming even a hair on her head. “By the way, Peach, take these forms and keep them safe.” Gu Liwen, being the boss, managed all the big and small matters of the dorm. Tao Le took the stack of white papers and glanced at them, “What are these?” “Some evaluation forms, defense records, and the like. You need your supervisor’s signature.” Why was it related to the supervisor again? Just for graduation, was there a need for such formalism? Tao Le suddenly felt her future was bleak, thinking about having to meet Su Yiweng again next week as the group leader, with those good-for-nothings relying on her; the thought alone was exhausting. But no matter how tired she was, life had to go on. In the following week, Tao Le was very busy, working on her thesis, outlining topics, and chasing after the boys to do the same. It seemed like these guys weren’t in a hurry, with barely anyone turning in their topics, making her feel like a nanny. Sometimes she even felt she was worrying for nothing; whether they graduated or not was none of her business! But then she thought, what if Su Yiweng accused her of dereliction of duty? He might give her a failing grade out of spite, which would be disastrous. So, she had to endure; graduation was more important than anything. After much effort, the compilation work dragged on for a week but was finally completed. Tao Le decided to go to Su Yiweng the next day to submit all the topics to avoid further trouble. She dug out the note Su Yiweng had given her last time; she hadn’t even looked at it carefully then. Upon glancing at it now, she had to admit his handwriting was quite elegant, just like him. She immediately shook her head to dispel such childish thoughts; this man’s heart was extremely dark. Tao Le thought for a moment, decided against calling, and instead planned to send a text message at noon to inform him, better than showing up unannounced the next day. She quickly typed a message on her phone, but at that moment, the dorm door was kicked open, startling Tao Le into sending the message without even adding a “thank you.” Liu Haoyue rushed in, breathless, “Peach… Peach… Hurry…” “What’s wrong? Take your time.” Tao Le feared there was trouble again. Liu Haoyue caught her breath, “The initial exam score threshold is out; check online quickly.” Tao Le’s heart pounded with excitement, and she rushed to the computer, her fingers trembling as she typed. Aside from the college entrance exam, the postgraduate entrance exam had drained all her mental and physical energy. This was her one shot. The score checking system seemed overloaded, her heart hanging by a thread, every nerve tense, just for that result. And when the score threshold appeared, the numbers on the screen brought tears to Tao Le’s eyes. “Peach, you made it!” Liu Haoyue hugged her tightly, “You’re something else, Tao Le, really got some skills!” Tao Le couldn’t contain her joy, tears streaming down, “Haoyue, I… Did I really make it?” “You little thing, not bad at all, you’ve exceeded the threshold by over twenty points.” Liu Haoyue laughed at her. Tao Le wiped her face, calming herself, “There’s still the re-examination; it’s not official yet.” “It’s the same; the re-examination is just a formality. No worries.”
“Besides, we’re students of this university. The professors will be lenient with us; they won’t be too strict,” said Tao Le. Although that’s what she said, Tao Le felt she couldn’t let her guard down. Often, many who got through the initial exam were eliminated in the re-examination, and she wondered if she should find out who the professors for this round were. Thinking of professors, Tao Le remembered Su Yiwen. She had been so excited about her preliminary exam results that she had forgotten the text message she sent earlier. Picking up her phone and seeing the successful delivery report, she felt she had at least accomplished one task. Liu Haoyue glanced over, “Look at you, who are you texting?” “Just our professor, the group leader. I’m practically his nanny,” Tao Le said, still irritated by the memory. “That won’t do. Professors generally hate text messages. They’re from a different generation; they prefer phone calls. Just call him directly,” Liu Haoyue advised. Tao Le thought it made sense, especially considering his cheap ringtone; she couldn’t expect much from Su Yiwen. Just as she was about to dial, her phone rang first. This number she never saved, yet she knew it by heart. Who else could it be but Fan Jian’s effeminate voice? She had changed her number at least ten times because of him but eventually gave up, knowing he always found a way to track her down. Although Tao Le was extremely unwilling, today she was in a good mood, so she decided not to fuss over it. “Hello, Fan Jian, how many times have I told you not to call me anymore!” “Wait, Tao Le, don’t hang up!” Fan Jian stopped her, his tone unusually serious. “I just wanted to tell you the preliminary exam results are out.” “I know,” she replied, not needing his reminder since she would check herself. “Uh, did you pass?” Fan Jian hesitated before asking. “Why?” “Because… I passed.” With that, all of Tao Le’s excitement vanished. She had thought he was just participating for the sake of it, not seriously trying to get into grad school. “Hey, Tao Le, did you pass?” he persisted. “I haven’t checked yet. Let’s leave it at that. I have something to do, bye!” Tao Le made up an excuse and hung up. This was no small matter; if they both passed the re-examination, she’d have to deal with him for the next three years. The more she thought about it, the more unsettled she felt, her eyelid twitching uncontrollably. Then her phone rang again, and Tao Le was annoyed; Fan Jian, the persistent pest, wouldn’t let her have peace. “Hello, are you done yet? Don’t let a little sunshine make you bloom! Let me tell you, with your effeminate voice, even Ru Hua would look a hundred times better than you. You’re wasting air alive, land when you’re dead, and money while you’re half-dead. In summary, your life can be described in eight words—absurd in life, pathetic in death!” Tao Le gripped the phone tightly, breathing heavily. She couldn’t hold it back anymore; Fan Jian was pushing her too far. There was no response from the other end, and Tao Le thought she might have shocked him into silence. “Why aren’t you talking!” A low chuckle came from the phone, very soft, yet it sent shivers down Tao Le’s spine. “Finished scolding?” A man’s voice, very familiar, like she had heard it somewhere before. “Tao Le…” She felt like lightning had struck her. Only one person in this world would use such a creepy tone to call her name, and although the voice was pleasant, it felt like mental torture. “Su, Su Laoshi,” Tao Le called out tremblingly, unable to control her shaking. Su Yiwen’s voice showed no change, “Seems like I called at a bad time.” “No, no, not at all, Su Laoshi. Why did you personally call? I’ve already sent a text message. I’ll submit the summarized topics tomorrow.” Tao Le knew she had to be careful with every word now, especially since she couldn’t undo what had already been said. “So that text was from you?” Su Yiwen asked. Tao Le admitted it instantly, “Yes, it was me. I just wanted to ask when I should come to see you tomorrow.” Su Yiwen didn’t reply, and Tao Le thought she had really messed up by offending the wrong person; whether she could graduate was now in question. “Come to my office at 4 PM tomorrow,” he ordered. Tao Le almost stood at attention, replying like she was addressing a superior, “Rest assured, I’ll be there on time.” Su Yiwen acknowledged, and Tao Le thought they were done, but then he added something unexpected. “And… Tao Le, next time if there’s something, just call me. After all, I am your teacher.” She didn’t understand; what did he mean by that? Did he not know how to send a text message? Tao Le couldn’t even muster a smile, just feeling puzzled. After hanging up, she immediately pulled up the text she had sent, staring at the two lines on her screen for a full five minutes. “Hubby, it’s Tao Le. What time do you finish class tomorrow? I’ll come to find you.” Chapter 5 Tao Le couldn’t believe she had sent such a bizarre message. Hubby? What was wrong with her? She had mistakenly called her professor her husband and even signed her name. No wonder Su Yiwen emphasized he was her teacher and suggested she call next time. Did he think she had ulterior motives? “Bah!” Tao Le’s blood boiled with anger. She was in the prime of her youth; even if he was somewhat attractive, it didn’t mean she would be interested in him, unless she had lost her mind. However, now wasn’t the time to dwell on this issue. She had just promised to be at his office on time, and the thought scared her. Who knew if Su Yiwen would use this message against her, tormenting her, and whether she would even come out alive. Now she wondered why she had chosen criminal law and why she had to be assigned to Su Yiwen. Liu Haoyue, sensing the tension, weakly asked, “Tao Le, what did your teacher say to scare you like this?” Tao Le remained silent for a long while before calmly asking, “Haoyue, if my thesis gets rejected, do I have to repeat the year?” Liu Haoyue was puzzled, “Why ask that out of the blue? Your thesis isn’t even written yet, how could you repeat the year?” But seeing Tao Le’s grim expression, she shivered before continuing, “Well… you wouldn’t necessarily repeat, maybe just rewrite and delay graduation, but… I’ve heard of people not getting their degree because of failing.” “So, you’re saying I might not graduate?” “It seems like that…”
Liu Haoyue’s voice grew softer and softer; she wanted to say that all these were questions asked by Tao Le, and she was just answering truthfully. Why did she have a sense of foreboding? Tao Le clenched her fists, veins bulging on her forehead. Her bright future could not be destroyed by a single text message, especially not at this critical moment when she might get into graduate school! “Speaking of which, Tao Le, your advisor is Su Yiwen, right?” Liu Haoyue seemed to recall something and asked. “Yes.” Hearing the name, Tao Le tensed up. “What about him?” “Oh, a junior I know came to borrow books from me the other day, and she happened to mention their criminal law professor. I asked and found out it was Su Yiwen. Don’t be fooled by him being new; he’s actually a Ph.D. from F University. Our school probably hired him with a high salary, with Professor Feng’s recommendation.” Wow, it seems he really has some skills. Tao Le pouted, “At best, he’s just a lecturer, nothing too significant.” “You never know. You’re not unaware of the mess in our school. Nowadays, people are judged by their titles. You better stick close to your advisor.” “Hey, it sounds like you’re encouraging me to cozy up to a sugar daddy. And Su Yiwen isn’t as great as you make him out to be; he’s all appearance, no substance, you just don’t know it.” Tao Le shuddered at the thought of his messy desk and the knockoff ringtone. Liu Haoyue looked puzzled, “I feel like ever since you met him, you’ve been at odds with him. I heard from that junior that Su Yiwen teaches well, is responsible for his students, and apparently, he’s not bad-looking either.” “He’s just a pretty face with no real substance, I just can’t stand him!” Tao Le remained skeptical. “You’re so against him, could it be that—” Facing Liu Haoyue’s mischievous grin, Tao Le shot her a sideways glance, “Go on, I’m not desperate enough to seek solace from an old man!” “You never know, everything is possible.” Liu Haoyue, fueled by years of watching romance novels and dramas, always felt that something melodramatic would happen to Tao Le. Tao Le was dismissive, “Think about it, if Su Yiwen was so great, why hasn’t he married yet after getting his Ph.D.? And according to incomplete statistics, good men are usually taken, leaving only the rejects. Fan Jian is the best example of that.” “You’re exaggerating.” “Alright, Haoyue, I won’t listen to your nonsense anymore. I’ve been fooled once, and that’s enough. I’ll make my own judgments.” Tao Le thought, if she hadn’t been careless last time, she wouldn’t have been played by that old man. “In any case, don’t pick fights with your teachers; you’ll be the one to suffer in the end.” Liu Haoyue said earnestly. “I know.” Tao Le was well aware that although she hadn’t learned much over the years, she had mastered the art of reading the room. She wouldn’t fall for an old man’s tricks. Her thesis was important, but she didn’t forget to inquire about the faculty for the graduate entrance exam. Everyone knew the unspoken rules; it was all about getting close to the professors beforehand to make things easier during the exam. Tao Le guessed that the criminal law group was usually led by Professor Feng, and coincidentally, she had a class with her in the afternoon. She decided to attend to get a feel for the situation. Checking the time, she planned to visit Professor Feng first, then report to Su Yiwen’s office. During the break, when Tao Le entered the classroom, she didn’t see Professor Feng first, but rather the unavoidable nuisance. Who else could it be but Fan Jian, with his effeminate demeanor? “Professor Feng.” Tao Le approached respectfully, deciding to ignore Fan Jian’s gleeful gaze. “Is it Tao Le?” Professor Feng was the kind of nurturing, motherly professor who smiled gently at her. Tao Le was thrilled; it was an honor for someone as authoritative as Professor Feng to remember her name. It was worth all the effort she had put into criminal law over the past four years, especially in crucial times like these. Tao Le remained humble, responding calmly in front of her idol. “Ah, I see you passed the preliminary exam, right?” At this question, Tao Le stiffened, sweat beading on her back. She stole a glance at Fan Jian, who seemed to be staring at her with a green-eyed envy. “Yes.” Tao Le responded hesitantly. Fan Jian, not wanting to be ignored, exclaimed, “Tao Le, you scared me to death. I was worried you didn’t pass. I was just about to ask Professor Feng about your scores, but now everything’s fine.” He spoke in a high-pitched voice, sending shivers down Tao Le’s spine. She knew this was inevitable; Fan Jian wouldn’t give up easily. She decided to let it go for now. Ignoring Fan Jian’s infatuated look, she turned to the matter at hand. “Professor Feng, I actually wanted to ask about the re-examination. Will it be very difficult?” Professor Feng reassured her, “Don’t overthink it. Just prepare well, and there shouldn’t be any major issues.” This was a non-answer, leaving Tao Le disappointed; she had hoped to get some insider information. Professor Feng continued, “Actually, I’m not very clear about this year’s re-examination because I’ll be attending a conference in Beijing soon, so I won’t be involved in the re-examination work.” This news hit Tao Le hard; she had hoped to use Professor Feng’s influence to gain some advantage. She didn’t know many professors in the criminal law department, and with the head not being there, what was she to do? “I heard from Fan Jian that you are working on your graduation thesis under Professor Su Yiwen.” Professor Feng suddenly asked. “Yes.” Tao Le answered honestly. “He knows more about the re-examination than I do. You can go ask him later.” Alarms went off in Tao Le’s head, and she cautiously probed, “Professor Feng, does that mean Professor Su will be involved in the re-examination?” “Actually, all these arrangements are made by the school, and I shouldn’t say much. Just know that the re-examination won’t be as hard as you think, so don’t worry. And Professor Su isn’t one to make things difficult; you can go ask him.” With that, Tao Le felt there was no point in asking further. Truth be told, she was now quite unsettled. She had always thought Su Yiwen was unreliable, questioning how a new professor could be that impressive. But graduate school wasn’t a game, and she couldn’t afford to fail the re-examination after all the time and effort she had invested. For her future, swallowing her pride and speaking a few kind words to that man wouldn’t be a loss, especially since aside from those two minor incidents, Su Yiwen was actually quite good to his students. Maybe she had been too harsh before. With this thought, Tao Le’s mood improved considerably.
Seeing that it was almost four, she spoke a few words to Professor Feng and decided to head to Professor Su Yewen’s office to submit her assignment. Of course, she also needed to find him for her re-examination. Rushing towards the graduate building, Tao Le didn’t notice that Fan Jian was catching up to her.