Chapter 12 – No More Struggling

Three weeks had passed since Ye Zhou returned to the hospital for a follow-up examination and X-ray. The recovery of his right lower leg bone was going well, and although the cast could already be removed, the doctor recommended observing it for another week, which might be better.

Ye Zhou wasn’t someone who ignored medical advice, but three weeks without a shower was driving him crazy. He decided on the spot that he wanted the cast removed. Fang Ji, who accompanied him, was somewhat against it, but Ye Zhou promised to be extra careful. Fang Ji couldn’t persuade him otherwise and had to agree.

After Ye Zhou got the cast removed, he couldn’t exert too much force on his right lower leg for the time being and needed to start with moderate massages. But this didn’t dampen his good mood. His first plan after returning home was to take a thorough bath, and he wouldn’t have to bother Guan Heng to wash his hair anymore. The feeling of not needing to rely on others was still great. Ye Zhou had grown up alone for so many years and was accustomed to relying on himself.

Fang Ji had also heard about Guan Heng washing Ye Zhou’s hair and deliberately teased him on their way back: “Didn’t you say you were afraid? He’s a university professor.”

“If you went days without washing your head or taking a bath, you’d do it too.” Now that the most awkward time had passed, Ye Zhou didn’t feel anything when he brought it up again. Just then, they stopped at a red light, and Ye Zhou glanced out the window absentmindedly as he responded.

In that glance, he saw a familiar figure turn into a metal gate on the side of the road; it was Guan Heng.

Ye Zhou was somewhat surprised and very curious as to why Guan Heng would appear in such a place, after all, it was a distance from the university. He looked in the direction Guan Heng had gone and saw the word ‘prison’ written on the building behind the gate.

Ye Zhou: “…”

Fang Ji only noticed something was wrong with Ye Zhou when he stepped on the gas pedal, noticing Ye Zhou looking out the window continuously: “Ye Zhou, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Ye Zhou turned his head after being dazed for a moment, his tone flat, “I thought I saw an acquaintance.”

Fang Ji laughed upon hearing this and glanced sideways: “At the prison gate?”

“It might have been a mistake.”

They chatted casually during their free time, so Fang Ji didn’t find anything strange and continued to focus on driving.

Ye Zhou was sure he hadn’t made a mistake; it was indeed Guan Heng. Prisons weren’t places anyone could just enter. What was Guan Heng doing there? Did he know someone, or…he inexplicably thought of that terrifying sentence again, could it be related to this?

But this time, Ye Zhou wasn’t swayed again; rather, he realized he didn’t understand Guan Heng enough. Although Guan Heng was gentle, easy to get along with, and had no airs, he maintained a polite distance from everyone. Even with himself, who had been his neighbor for two months now, it was the same. But it was at this moment that Ye Zhou realized that he was no different from anyone else to Guan Heng. Only the man who broke up with Guan Heng initially was different, having thoroughly entered his life.

Ye Zhou knew that such thoughts were dangerous, and he shouldn’t continue to investigate further. But sometimes, falling was like this; it happened to the most unlikely person.

Ye Zhou’s curiosity found an answer one day.

After Ye Zhou removed the cast, he continued to massage and rehabilitate his leg every day. In recent days, he could already walk on the ground, so he took the opportunity to go to the restaurant and take care of some accumulated trivial matters. After finishing up with the restaurant, it was already evening. On his way home, he felt inspired and took a route he usually didn’t take much.

He remembered there was a leisure park and community activity center on this road, where elderly people often gathered to exercise and chat in the morning and evening.

Ye Zhou originally just wanted to take a walk here before going home. Because of his foot injury, he had been cooped up at home for nearly a month and longed to come out for some fresh air. However, the activity center was abnormally lively tonight, as if there was a class. Inside, tables and chairs were set up everywhere, and many elderly people sat neatly like students. Those without seats carried chairs from their homes and sat at the back, while the younger ones politely let the elders sit. Everyone seemed to be listening intently to the lecture, completely engrossed.

Ye Zhou knew the activity center was open to the public in the community and occasionally had lecturers rent the space for classes. So he didn’t understand what kind of course this was, how it managed to gather so many people.

Out of curiosity, he walked over to the window to look, but he froze at the sight.

Guan Heng, dressed in a wool sweater, stood on the podium, still wearing his thin-rimmed glasses. Without any teaching aids or textbooks in hand, he spoke clearly and confidently, even facing elders who were much older than him.

This was the first time Ye Zhou saw Guan Heng in his role as a teacher, quite different from usual. But perhaps because the audience wasn’t college students, he had the demeanor of a teacher without being harsh, instead appearing approachable.

Ye Zhou only learned from a glance at the bulletin board by the window that this was a community college course.

Community colleges focused primarily on modern civic education, not elite education centered around academic pursuits like higher education institutions. They emphasized the cultivation of general abilities over vocational skills training. Therefore, they mostly discussed public issues closely tied to social life. This was precisely Guan Heng’s expertise.

Guan Heng had once said he majored in sociology, and at the time, Ye Zhou didn’t fully understand. But until this moment, he felt like he truly understood the discipline.

The tuition fees for community colleges were low, and there were even many free courses. But regardless of which type, none matched Guan Heng’s status. He was a professor hired at high pay by the First Capital University, with an almost perfect resume, and deserved respect. But at this moment, he put aside his status, patiently explaining very simple courses to ordinary students or repeating sentences the elders didn’t understand, answering their questions. This was not something that could be resolved with money; it was a goal, an ideal, or something more noble…

Ye Zhou watched Guan Heng like this. No one could resist being attracted to such an excellent person.

At this moment, he admitted that he really fell for him. Falling in love at first glance may seem like an instant thing, but it was the result of many unintentional small things gradually accumulating.

Ye Zhou realized this and his first reaction was to laugh. He laughed at himself for resisting for so long, ultimately unable to escape the other’s charm.

So why struggle anymore?