Attention Sir, I Have Your Heart Handcuffed!-Chapter 369 - 249: Still Can’t Help But See You (2 more 2)
Prison.
Visiting room.
Jack was escorted in, and the guard attached his handcuffs to the crossbar under the table, then pocketed the key and left the room.
Jack waited blankly.
Today wasn’t a regular visiting day, and he hadn’t checked any box to apply for visitors.
His crimes were a great shame to his family, so he refused their visits. He preferred as if his parents had never given birth to him.
His crime was different from Mark’s case. He confessed and signed his confession at the police station, so the prosecutor decided not to hold a trial, and his sentence was directly determined after discussion with the judge.
Such cooperation with the police and prosecutor earned him considerable privileges in prison. He could serve as an assistant to the library supervisor, allowing him to choose books he liked and take them back to his cell for priority reading.
He felt as if he had returned to those serene times of studying, where all he needed to do was study hard without being haunted by that beautiful, almost arrogant girl. No need to foolishly wait by the corridor window just to catch a glimpse of her walking across the school’s large lawn, yet barely seeing her expression, mostly remembering her chestnut-gold hair intertwined with a fiery red hairband...
He claimed not to think about it, but every time he recalled those mesmerizing scenes, he couldn’t help but freeze.
How could he imagine that the girl he had adored for so long would die by his own hands?
When he was first arrested, he had a period of firm resolve, feeling he had finally done something cool and pride-worthy; but as time passed, his frenzied heart gradually calmed, returned to its place, and he became increasingly unable to accept that reality, unable to forgive himself.
Amid his tumultuous thoughts, the door to the visiting room gently clicked, and someone entered.
Jack snapped back to reality and looked over, then was taken aback.
"Professor T? Why are you here?"
.
The person who walked in was Tang Yanqing.
To help Jack let down his guard, Tang Yanqing wasn’t in uniform; he was dressed in the casual suit he wore while lecturing at Kangchuan University.
However, due to the season change, he added a woolen coat on top. The style and color scheme remained the same, exuding the nonchalance of a university professor.
Tang Yanqing sat down across the table, earnestly observing Jack.
Jack had lost weight, the slight baby fat on his face long gone. His previously slightly longer hair had been cut in accordance with prison rules, exposing the lines of his face. He no longer resembled the shy, girlish-looking Jack.
Now, Jack was fair and slender, his gaze calm yet restrained.
...As if he had become a certain type of person.
At this thought, Tang Yanqing couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow slightly.
"Jack, how have you been lately?"
Jack smiled and lowered his head: "Good and not good." His gaze fell on his hands.
Tang Yanqing nodded: "Indeed, losing freedom and being imprisoned isn’t good; yet imprisonment can cleanse one’s sins, bringing peace to the heart, and that is good."
Jack lifted his head to gaze quietly at Tang Yanqing: "Indeed, Professor T, nothing escapes your eyes."
He gave a wry smile: "Actually, when I signed up for your behavioral analysis course, it was just because S was also signing up. I wanted to quietly look at her a few more times in the same classroom... but now, you’re the only teacher-student to visit me." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦
Tang Yanqing shook his head, feeling compassion: "I’m not early either. Jack, I didn’t visit you earlier because your mind was still in a dark, manic state, and nothing I said would get through; but now that I’m here, I can see you’ve calmed down. It’s a good time to talk."
Jack’s eyes flashed: "Talk about what?"
Tang Yanqing sat steadily, intently observing Jack’s every action.
"We can talk about 507, talk about why S really died."
Jack was startled: "Professor T, what do you mean?"
Tang Yanqing met Jack’s gaze, nodding slowly: "That’s right, you killed S, but you weren’t the only one responsible. You’ve confessed and are serving your sentence to atone for S, yet someone else is pretending to be innocent, roaming free."
"Who?!"
Jack tried to stand up in agitation, forgetting he was an inmate, his hands cuffed to the crossbar under the table. At his sudden movement, the handcuffs clashed against the metal beam with a sharp, grating sound.
— That sound seemed also to be the resonant echo of his intense heartbeat.
Tang Yanqing carefully observed Jack.
At the onset of anger, his immediate reaction was to rise without hesitation, proving Jack’s surprise and fury were genuine.
Tang Yanqing nodded, signaling Jack to sit back down: "Don’t get excited. I’m here to discuss this issue with you today, not to give you the answer, but for you to give me the answer."
"Me?" Jack sat back down awkwardly, somewhat bewildered: "How would I know? If I really knew, would I have let them go?"
Tang Yanqing crossed her legs, extended her long fingers to her lips: "Shh... Jack, don’t harbor such evil thoughts. This was once my concern, so I haven’t come to talk to you early after you confessed and were brought in."
"They also committed wrongdoing, but it’s not your place to punish them. There are laws, police, prosecutors, judges, and jurors for that."
Jack pressed his lips together and bowed his head: "Then I at least need to know who those people are!"
Tang Yanqing slowed her speech, using a soft, indistinct tone: "Talk to me about 507 in your eyes, your roommates in your eyes. What kind of image do they have in your eyes, and what is your attitude towards them in your heart."
What Tang Yanqing didn’t tell Jack was that the current 507 was long empty, with only Zhong Kui and Marina left.
The once lively and bustling figures are now only found in memories.
.
Kangchuan University.
At the end of the semester, the final exam for the Behavioral Analysis course was over.
Tang Yanqing gave three real-life cases for the exam, allowing students to analyze and conclude based on the case descriptions.
During the exam, students sat quietly in their seats to answer. Tang Yanqing sat at her seat in the center of the arc, her eyes quietly fixed on one person.
——Shi Nian.
After revealing her identity, Shi Nian seldom attended classes in the later stages. However, since she had formally enrolled and didn’t complete the related withdrawal procedures, on paper she was still a student of Kangchuan University.
Especially in recent times, a mysterious director often appeared, and whenever he did, her exquisite silhouette accompanied him. So everyone knew about her relationship with the director.
Considering this, the department still notified Shi Nian of the exam dates after confirming the exam schedule. Whether she chose to attend or not was up to her.
Shi Nian came.
At that time, Tang Yanqing was still the latest to arrive, walking into the classroom just in time, but as she stepped through the door, she immediately locked eyes with Shi Nian. The young professor, always composed and elegant to the point of a certain aloofness, froze at the door, holding her breath, staring at her for several minutes, completely forgetting why she was there today.
All the students also looked up in surprise, staring at the professor.
The sheer number of students, with all those eyes on him, woke Tang Yanqing from his stupor. He hurriedly furrowed his brows, turned around, and quickly stepped onto the podium.
Handing out the papers and starting the exam, he finally could stare quietly at the face imprinted in his heart.
.
Evidently, his gaze troubled her. With her keen senses, she couldn’t possibly be unaware that he was staring at her.
Moreover, even if he wasn’t so brazenly watching her, just their simultaneous presence in the same space was enough to make their hearts skip a beat.
Although she kept her head deeply lowered, seemingly focused on thoughtfully considering the questions and responding carefully, he could see her graceful brows occasionally knit together, her eyelids quiver. The pen in her hand paused at times as she inhaled deeply.
His heart was filled with a bittersweet sensation. It was sorrowful, painful, yet he enjoyed the moment, liked seeing how she was influenced by him.
So close, yet so unattainable. This feeling shredded his heart, but also allowed him to experience an unprecedented taste of love.
He took a deep breath and gradually smiled.
Because it was her, even if it was like this, he was willing.
.
The exam ended, and students left one after the other. Upon rising, each bowed to Tang Yanqing: "Thank you, Professor."
Shi Nian kept her head lowered, still avoiding his gaze, turning sideways to leave quickly.
He calmly moved his long legs, stepping past each student’s seat, collecting the papers they left on the desks. Finally, he reached Shi Nian’s seat, just in time to block her path.
Shi Nian tried hard to gather her thoughts, but facing him up close, she slipped.
She had to clear her throat and also bowed to him: "Thank you, Professor."
After speaking, she attempted to bypass her seat to leave.
His gaze fell gently and quietly on her, his voice calm yet unyielding.
"Nana, you stay after class."
