Although Bai Shutong had no appetite, he was still dragged to the cafeteria by Cao Feng.

In the spring, the campus of Jiang University is full of flowers, and it is warm and warm. Bai Shutong didn't see much energy, so he hurriedly ate lunch and went back to the office early.

Back in the office, Bai Shutong pushed the door in and found that Shao Yuanguang was back.

The person who shouldn't have appeared here suddenly appeared in front of him, Bai Shutong couldn't hide his joy while being surprised, and blurted out: "Teacher Shao." ”

Her voice was not loud or small, and Shao Yuanguang, who was sitting on the sofa, did not respond when he heard it, but only moved his eyelids slightly. Bai Shutong approached him slightly, only to find that his breathing was heavy, as if he had fallen asleep.

Bai Shutong slowed down his movements as much as he could, and closed the door lightly, but he didn't want the sound of the door closing to wake up Shao Yuanguang.

Shao Yuanguang slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Bai Shutong. I haven't seen him for a few days, Shao Yuanguang's expression is haggard, and the edge in his eyes has dimmed a little because of this, and he looks tired. The collar of his shirt was unbuttoned, and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his arms, not as meticulous as usual, adding a bit of decadence.

Shao Yuanguang came back early to quell Yu Yue's rumors, which should have been a good thing, but Bai Shutong couldn't be happy when he looked at him like this.

She blinked, smiled reluctantly at him, and asked him, "Why did you come back today?" She said, glancing at the suitcase on the side of the couch.

For long-distance travel, you should take a day off to take a jet lag. can look at Shao Yuanguang's appearance, as if he came directly to the school after getting off the plane.

Shao Yuanguang said "um", took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, and said casually: "Something." ”

Bai Shutong couldn't figure out what was so urgent, so that he could get off the plane and go straight to school before he even had time to go home. She pondered in her heart that Shao Yuanguang was already a little sober, put on her glasses and looked at Bai Shutong, and asked her, "How are these two days?" ”

An understatement made Bai Shutong inexplicably rushed to a sour place. She didn't have a good time in Shao Yuanguang's absence, she was too busy to do more things every day, and she had to listen to those things she didn't want to hear at all in the hospital office every day, she knew that those words were false, but she couldn't speak, so she could only make some innocuous rebuttals on the side.

Seeing Shao Yuanguang, Bai Shutong felt as if she had no backer, no one to shelter from the wind and rain, so she could only sway in the wind and rain. Well, now Shao Yuanguang is back.

Bai Shutong thought about it, felt steady, so he smiled at Shao Yuanguang and said against his will: "It's okay." ”

OK?

Shao Yuanguang raised his eyebrows when he heard this, fortunately, it was not very good. He was about to ask a detailed question, when the mobile phone on the coffee table vibrate, and it was Zheng Guozhong who called.

Shao Yuanguang picked up the phone, answered a few times, and said, "I'll be there soon." He hung up the phone.

He stood up, buttoned his collar, looked back at Bai Shutong when he went out, and said, "I'll talk about it when I come back." ”-

Shao Yuanguang is not good at comforting people, but his words and actions make Bai Shutong feel at ease. He asked her to wait, and she waited peacefully all afternoon, but until the end of work, Shao Yuanguang was still nowhere to be seen.

Bai Shutong was a little anxious, and was entangled in whether to call Shao Yuanguang to ask, but before the phone was dialed, Yu Yue came.

Yu Yue pushed the door in and asked Bai Shutong, "Is Mr. Shao's luggage here?" ”

Bai Shutong nodded, pointed to the suitcase next to the sofa, and asked her, "What's wrong?" ”

Yu Yue shrugged: "I'll send him home." ”

"He's not coming back?" Bai Shutong didn't know why, but he vaguely felt that something was wrong with the situation.

Yu Yue said casually: "I talked about the project with the people of the consulting company just now, and after the discussion, I said that I was uncomfortable, and I went to the hospital, so I guess I won't come back." ”

Yu Yue said and pulled the box and walked out of the house, Bai Shutong was startled and hurriedly stopped Yu Yue. She thought for a moment and smiled at her, "Why don't I send it to you for you?" She said, adding, "I just have a document to sign for him." ”

Yu Yue looked at Bai Shutong, weighed it in her heart, and reached out to hand her suitcase: "That's just right, the new project was discussed at noon, and the dean urged me to write an essay for approval, and if I can't finish it, I will have to work overtime." ”-

After Yu Yue left, Bai Shutong hurriedly packed up and dragged Shao Yuanguang's luggage to Jiangda's family area.

She relied on her previous memories to find Shao Yuanguang's home, knocked on the door twice, and there was movement in the house.

Shao Yuanguang opened the door and stood at the door.

Xu is because at home, he is not as particular as he was in the office, only a soft light-colored knit sweater on his upper body, and a pair of casual sweatpants underneath, the whole person looks less energetic and more casual.

Shao Yuanguang couldn't help but be surprised when he saw Bai Shutong: "Why are you here?" ”

Bai Shutong tugged at the box in his hand, "Your luggage." ”

Shao Yuanguang glanced at it, reached out to take it, and accidentally touched Bai Shutong's finger when he pulled the slide rod. Her fingers were slender and cold, and there was something ironing under the touch.

The spring light outside the house was shining, but her hands were so cold. Shao Yuanguang frowned, then remembered something, and smiled self-deprecatingly in his heart. It's not that her body temperature is low, it's that her body temperature is too high.

"Thank you." Shao Yuanguang didn't invite her in, and said that he was about to close the door, but Bai Shutong blocked the door when he saw this.

Bai Shutong pursed his lips and wanted to enter the house under the pretext of "I...... I have an article to show you. Bai Shutong thought for a while and emphasized, "It's urgent." ”

Shao Yuanguang had no choice but to open the door again and let Bai Shutong into the house.

Today, Shao Yuanguang's place is slightly different from last time, and it looks a little messy. The coffee table in the living room has been covered with a fine layer of ash because no one has cleaned it for several days, and there are a few letters scattered on the table, coupled with the chaotic and intricate slanting sun in the afternoon, which makes Bai Shutong feel upset when he looks at it.

She changed her slippers and followed Shao Yuanguang into the house, Shao Yuanguang dragged her luggage into the bedroom, and when she came out again, Bai Shutong was still in the middle of the room.

Shao Yuanguang looked at Bai Shutong and asked her, "What to drink?" ”

Bai Shutong shook his head reluctantly and refused, but Shao Yuanguang still poured her a glass of warm water. He handed the water to Bai Shutong, pointed to the side of the sofa, and spit out a word: "Sit." ”

Bai Shutong sat down as he said, thought about it, and looked up at Shao Yuanguang: "Yu Yue said you were sick?" ”

Shao Yuanguang pulled the corners of his mouth and smiled lightly. He is holding academic conferences in Europe these days, and he can only return to China the day after tomorrow, but Zheng Guozhong's recent cooperation project with a psychological consulting company has encountered difficulties, and the other party asked Shao Yuanguang to come forward by name. Shao Yuanguang had no choice but to fly back to China in advance.

This was originally not a big deal, but these days of travel fatigue, coupled with the reversal of the jet lag, as soon as he returned to China, he was pulled to the negotiation table by Zheng Guozhong before he even had time to eat, and his body was a little unable to support it.

Shao Yuanguang pondered for a moment, and felt that there was no need to talk about these things with Bai Shutong, so he took them lightly and replied: "It's okay." ”

Although he said this, his pale face could not hide his physical condition. Bai Shutong knew that Shao Yuanguang was okay at this moment, not to mention that when he handed over the water cup just now, she also noticed the medical tape attached to the back of Shao Yuanguang's hand, which was so close that she could even vaguely feel Shao Yuanguang's hot breath.

But even so, he didn't want to say anything.

Bai Shutong felt a little lost in his heart, but he didn't ask, he only reached out and took out the list of academic conferences from his bag, put it on the coffee table and pushed it in front of Shao Yuanguang.

This list was left to her by Shao Yuanguang when she left, and asked her to send out an official invitation according to the list. Bai Shutong originally planned to do so, but the rumors of the academy in recent days made her retreat, and after thinking about it, she decided to follow Cao Feng's advice and try to persuade Shao Yuanguang.

Shao Yuanguang glanced at the list, but didn't find any problems, looked up at Bai Shutong, and asked her, "What's wrong?" ”

Bai Shutong wanted to speak, but he stopped talking. Everything that has come these days, one ring after another, all stems from Tao Min and her special identity. She wanted to be outspoken, but she was afraid that mentioning Tao Min for no reason would make Shao Yuanguang feel uncomfortable, and she was even more afraid that he would see her thoughts.

Bai Shutong didn't know how to speak, so he hesitated and lowered his head, and kept twisting the corners of his clothes in his hands.

Shao Yuanguang looked at her and smiled faintly, and changed the topic and asked her: "You said that the past two days have been fine, but in fact, a lot of things have happened, right?" ”

He asked suddenly, Bai Shutong suddenly raised his head, looked at Shao Yuanguang, hesitated, and finally nodded.

In just a few days, the sudden reversal of public opinion is just an after-dinner conversation in the eyes of others, but in Bai Shutong's heart, it is tantamount to turning the world upside down.

"Let's talk about it." Shao Yuanguang leaned back on the sofa, as if asking about something that had nothing to do with him.

The unbearable words he heard in the hospital office, Bai Shutong never wanted to say it to annoy Shao Yuanguang. She vaguely said, "Actually, it's not a big deal." ”

Shao Yuanguang was more free and easy than her, smiled lightly, and asked her, "About me?" Hard to hear? ”

Bai Shutong bit his lip and nodded.

"What are you talking about?" Shao Yuanguang asked, thought about it, laughed, and changed his words, "Forget it, you can guess." ”

Before and after, the only things he can be criticized for are those few things, and he is tired of listening to them over and over again.

He looked at Bai Shutong, thought about it, and suddenly asked her, "Do you believe those words?" ”

Bai Shutong shook his head violently when he heard this, his eyes became more transparent, and he looked directly at Shao Yuanguang: "I don't believe it." ”

Her eyes can always make people see through her thoughts at a glance, Shao Yuanguang's eyes softened, the corners of her mouth slightly stretched an arc, and she looked down at the list.

His gaze slid down with the list, fixed at the end, stretched out his finger and pointed to Tao Min's name, and asked Bai Shutong: "About this, I want to hear your thoughts." ”

Bai Shutong didn't expect that before he could speak, Shao Yuanguang took the initiative to ask her opinion, and he didn't know how to speak for a while.

Seeing that she was silent, Shao Yuanguang said again: "I had a meeting with the dean that day, I remember that you glanced at me when you left, do you have something to say?" ”

Bai Shutong was stunned for a moment, this will be the scene at that time. At that time, she wanted to persuade Shao Yuanguang to save some face for the dean, but when she learned Tao Min's identity, she hesitated and didn't dare to speak. She wasn't sure if Tao Min still had weight in Shao Yuanguang's heart, whether he still had her place there, and what she was more afraid of was Shao Yuanguang's affirmative expression and answer.

Bai Shutong hesitated for a moment and asked him carefully, "Do you have to invite her?" ”

Shao Yuanguang listened and said bluntly: "I said that the integration of disciplines is the trend of development. Now the atmosphere in the academy is not good, this speech is necessary, and it is most appropriate for her to do it. Shao Yuanguang paused as he spoke, and said, "It doesn't matter if she has other identities." ”

It doesn't matter if you don't have a good job title, the wrong nationality, or someone's ex-girlfriend. As long as the theme is suitable, Tao Min is the best choice, and avoiding suspicion is not important in Shao Yuanguang's opinion.

Bai Shutong is naturally willing to believe these, but even if she believes it, others may not believe it. Zheng Guozhong will still think that Shao Yuanguang is inflated and arrogant, and Yu Yue and the others are also happy to use his rumors as an after-dinner pastime.

"But the courtyard is ...... The dean and Yu Yue ......"

"The barriers between disciplines cannot promote development, and rumors and gossip are meaningless things, and these things cannot hinder the path to truth." Shao Yuanguang interrupted Bai Shutong, and a sickly flush appeared in his pale complexion, "Xiaobai, you remember, if you want to pursue the truth, you must maintain a free mind and an independent personality. Without that, nothing else can be talked about. ”

What is free thought? What is an independent personality? These, Bai Shutong once felt out of reach, and it was none of his business. But now, looking at the people in front of her, she felt that something as unattainable as the truth was really extremely important to some people.

The oppression of authority and the slander of rumors are insignificant in Shao Yuanguang's view, insisting on his original intention, not being swayed by the opinions of the outside world, and approaching the truth step by step, which is probably his insistence on free thought and independent personality.

"Teacher Shao," Bai Shutong looked at him, pursed his lips and smiled, "I remember." ”

When the words fell, Bai Shutong did not rush to look away, but looked into Shao Yuanguang's eyes.

The light in his eyes was as calm and deep as ever, and it was not weakened by physical discomfort in the slightest. Bai Shutong looked at Shao Yuanguang, and suddenly felt that the expression in his eyes might not be cold and arrogant, but a kind of firmness and courage that ordinary people could not understand.