Chapter 0011: Reverse Thinking

Zhao Fusheng was not really good at comforting people, because in his view, when it came to matters of the heart, if two people were compatible, they stayed together; if they weren't happy, they simply parted ways.

Those who cling on endlessly are often the ones hurt the most.

Clearly, in Zheng Yao's emotional world, she was the one who loved deeper, so when betrayal struck, she was naturally the one to get hurt.

"You, wait a moment."

Just as Zhao Fusheng was about to leave, Zheng Yao's voice sounded behind him.

He stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around. In fact, the reason he chose to leave was to spare Zheng Yao further embarrassment, after all, she was a teacher.

"Thank you," Zheng Yao said softly. Though his words of comfort had been somewhat blunt, she understood his meaning.

"It's nothing." Zhao Fusheng smiled. At this moment, looking at Zheng Yao's youthful love life through the lens of a man of forty, he felt a detached superiority and serene calm.

But in Zheng Yao's eyes, she realized she had never seen this side of Zhao Fusheng before.

Having been Zhao Fusheng's counselor for nearly two years, she knew a bit about each student's situation. Zhao Fusheng had always kept a low profile in class and never stirred up trouble. His skipping class two days ago had already surprised her, and now he had given her another unexpected revelation.

"I'll talk to Professor Qin about your skipping class," Zheng Yao said after a moment's thought.

Professor Qin was the teacher who had threatened to fail Zhao Fusheng in Public Relations.

"Thank you." This time, it was Zhao Fusheng's turn to express gratitude.

"It's nothing. That's all I can do for you." Zheng Yao smiled faintly.

Zhao Fusheng's heart stirred. He sensed that perhaps at this moment, Zheng Yao was already preparing to resign.

As rational beings, though often appearing emotional—moved by scenes, turning love into hate—everyone, when making a decision, follows the reason in their mind.

"My heart hurts." She stood up, walked over to Zhao Fusheng, and said to him, "Walk with me for a while."

Zhao Fusheng was startled, realizing she needed someone to confide in. Though he was her student, perhaps because he had just witnessed everything, Zheng Yao now saw him as someone she could rely on.

With that thought, Zhao Fusheng nodded.

The two walked toward the playground behind the teaching building. It was summer, and the playground was bustling. Groups of three or five students were messing around, girls' skirts fluttering as they hugged textbooks, and occasionally cheers erupted from the basketball court where a bunch of guys in tank tops were chasing each other.

"He and I were college classmates. His family wasn't well-off. He liked me from freshman year but didn't dare confess until we both got into graduate school in senior year." A gentle breeze lifted Zheng Yao's hair; she smoothed it and said calmly, "Four years, you know? I had planned to marry him this year, but I never expected he would choose someone else for money..."

It was clear she was truly heartbroken. At first, she paused occasionally, but later she just rambled on, not caring whether Zhao Fusheng heard clearly.

As she spoke, Zhao Fusheng didn't interrupt. He simply stayed by her side, listening quietly.

As someone who had been through it, he knew that what Zheng Yao needed now was a listener.

"Say, you won't laugh at me, will you?"

After who knows how long, Zheng Yao's voice sounded in Zhao Fusheng's ear.

Zhao Fusheng shrugged: "It's nothing. This is all very normal. Though I've never been in love, I understand that someone heartbroken rambling like an old lady is perfectly fine."

"Old lady? Rambling?" Zheng Yao instantly lost her composure, veins bulging on her forehead. If this guy hadn't been comforting her just now, she would have loved to give Zhao Fusheng a knock on the head.

"People don't actually feel heartache. If someone does, they must have a heart disease. What's called emotional heartache is just chest tightness and shortness of breath caused by hormonal imbalance, leading to brain hypoxia. Falling in love is the same—it's just our body's hormones playing tricks."

Zhao Fusheng seemed not to notice Zheng Yao's expression and said calmly, "Whether it's a boyfriend or girlfriend, it's basically like keeping a pet. If they make you happy, keep them; if they make you unhappy, why keep them? Forget what should be forgotten, start anew when you should."

"Of course, if you're really angry, just slap him."

"If you're upset about his new flame, then work hard to make money. One day, when you have more money than that woman, you can crush her with it."

"In this life, nothing is more important than your own happiness."

"The train of the times roars forward. It's a pity we're too busy searching for our own shadows in the fleeting shop windows—we only see our own faces, pale and small, our selfishness and emptiness, our shameless stupidity—who is like us? Yet each of us is lonely."

When Zhao Fusheng finished speaking, Zheng Yao beside him was already in tears.

...

...

If life is a journey with a predetermined destination, what difference does it make whether you set off a day earlier or later?

For Zhao Fusheng, he was not only comforting Zheng Yao but also comforting himself.

Loneliness, many times, can truly make life worse than death.

Though he had adapted to his reborn life over the past few days, the loneliness deep in Zhao Fusheng's bones still lingered.

"You're right. I need to make money and crush that pair of dogs with cash."

Zheng Yao suddenly said through gritted teeth.

Zhao Fusheng wasn't surprised by her reaction. After all, in his previous life, around this time, Zheng Yao had resigned due to personal relationship issues, and by the start of junior year, his class had gotten a new counselor.

But Zheng Yao's words suddenly stirred something in Zhao Fusheng. He felt that perhaps, maybe, he could cooperate with Teacher Zheng.

With that thought, Zhao Fusheng's eyes flickered, and he sighed, "Teacher Zheng, you're being too irrational."

"What?" Zheng Yao looked at Zhao Fusheng, a bit bewildered.

"That guy can already pull out hundreds of thousands to start a business. Teacher Zheng, tell me, what do you have?" Zhao Fusheng asked.

Sometimes, the truth hurts more because people habitually polish their own stories, only speaking freely when it comes to others.

Zhao Fusheng's words seemed blunt, but they made Zheng Yao realize a serious issue: starting a business was not as easy as she had thought.