Chapter 46: The Ice Melts Away Past Resentments

  The police arrived quickly, and as soon as they saw Meng Tingguang, they were startled, thinking he was the victim. It wasn't until Li Ruolan and other teachers explained that they realized he was the suspect. When taking Meng Tingguang away, a middle-aged policeman in his 40s muttered: "I don't know who beat this guy up, but it's even more ruthless than our bureau's people."

  Because of the need to make a statement, Zhou Hao and Li Ruolan also went to the Public Security Bureau together. Due to Zhou Hao's high frequency of appearances recently, many people in the Public Security Bureau recognized him. Even Li Ruolan, who was with him, asked: "Are you often committing crimes and being caught? Why do all these police officers know you?"

  Zhou Hao said with a wronged expression: "I haven't done anything illegal, to be strict, I should still be the evil-repelling star."

  "You've never done anything illegal? Then what you did to me is justified?" Li Ruolan hummed.

  This remark hit Zhou Hao's weak spot, and he stuttered, not knowing what to say. Li Ruolan also sensed that it wasn't quite right to mention this matter, and her face slightly reddened as well. However, Zhou Hao's previously tense heart finally relaxed, at least things weren't so awkward between him and Li Ruolan now.

  The two were interrogated by a female police officer in her thirties, who, upon seeing Li Ruolan's beauty, said: "No wonder that bastard wanted to take advantage of you, you really are quite stunning." She glanced at Zhou Hao and said to Li Ruolan: "You should thank this gentleman. If he hadn't arrived on time, the consequences would have been unthinkable. We've encountered many cases like this before. Those female victims who were violated suffered severe psychological trauma afterwards, and some even thought about killing themselves."

  After Zhou Hao and Li Ruolan finished taking the deposition, Meng Tingguang's wife arrived. She looked ordinary, thin and weak, a typical homemaker who kept a low profile. When she heard that her husband was accused of rape, she couldn't believe it, and repeatedly begged the police officers who received her, swearing that her husband wasn't that kind of person. Her pitiful expression made Zhou Hao and Li Ruolan feel deeply moved.

  "When a man commits a crime, it's always the woman who suffers." Li Ruolan suddenly sighed as she walked out of the Public Security Bureau.

  As for this, Zhou Hao did not dare to respond because he himself was also not clean.

  At this time, the sky was already late, and Zhou Hao couldn't bear to let Li Ruolan go back alone, so he naturally became her escort.

  The street was bustling with activity, with many young men and women strolling about in pairs. The air was filled with the sound of laughter and chatter. However, amidst all the commotion, Zhou Hao and Li Ruolan were eerily silent, as if both of them didn't know what to say, and even the air between them seemed to have frozen still.

  "Anyway, thank you." Li Ruolan broke the silence, her eyes looking forward, without touching Zhou Hao.

  "It's nothing," Zhou Hao said.

  At this time, the two of them were walking up to an intersection.

  Zhou Hao carefully probed, "I heard from other classmates that you plan to leave after teaching this semester?"

  Li Ruolan was stunned for a moment, and just as one foot stepped out.

  "Honk!" A loud horn blast came from a large truck driving in from the left.

  "Be careful!" Zhou Hao immediately grabbed Li Ruolan's hand and pulled her back, the large truck almost brushed past the two of them as it drove by, Zhou Hao could still faintly hear the driver cursing, "You want to die?!"

  "Teacher, are you okay?" Zhou Hao turned his head to look at Li Ruolan and only then realized that he had pulled her into his arms, still holding onto her soft and white jade-like hand.

  Li Ruolan lowered her head and withdrew from Zhou Hao's arms, only to find that Zhou Hao still held onto her hand, so she softly said: "Let go."

  But then Zhou Hao gritted his teeth, and his hands grasped even tighter. Li Ruolan raised her head to look at him in surprise, and Zhou Hao also met her gaze with a resolute expression that was almost cold-blooded. "No, I won't let go."

  Li Ruolan's heartstrings trembled violently as her eyes met Zhou Hao's.

  Noticing the abnormality here, the people around curiously cast their eyes over here. Li Ruolan saw Zhou Hao still not letting go of his own meaning and thought of the pressure she had been under recently, her eyes welled up with tears as she sobbed: "What do you want me to do? What else do you want me to do?"

  Zhou Hao's gaze softened, "Don't go, okay? I know I've caused you a lot of pain, but if you're willing to forgive me, I'll do anything."

  The people around them heard the fragmented words of the two, and Zhou Hao's current appearance was also like that of an adult, so they thought it was a couple who were having a lover's quarrel. One of the plump aunties said to Li Ruolan: "Little girl, just forgive him, it's not easy for men to apologize, my old man has never apologized to me."

  Others responded in unison, "Look at that young man being so sincere, let's forgive him."

  Li Ruolan's face turned red with shame as she defended herself, "It's not true, I'm not...with him..."

  Zhou Hao, however, rushed to the front and bowed his fist to the people around him, "Thank you all for your help, this is my wife, because I did something wrong, so I'm asking my wife for forgiveness now, please don't mind."

  As a result, everyone assumed they were a couple, and some older women even advised Li Ruolan to forgive Zhou Hao, saying that a prodigal son who returns is worth more than gold.

  Seeing everyone speaking with one voice, Zhou Hao couldn't help but think that the power of the masses is indeed great.

  "Zhou Hao, how can you say such a thing." Li Ruolan became even more flustered.

  "So, have you forgiven me?" Zhou Hao said. Seeing Li Ruolan not speaking, Zhou Hao turned to the people around him and said: "Everyone, my wife still won't forgive me, what should I do?"

  That fat aunt just said, "Isn't it simple? Just buy a diamond ring for your wife and everything will be settled!" The others chimed in with laughter.

  Zhou Hao smiled at Li Ruolan and said, "Ruolan, if I buy a diamond ring for you, can you forgive me?"

  Li Ruolan saw that everyone's attention was focused on herself, and the crowd was getting more and more dense. She also saw the pleading look in Zhou Hao's eyes, and her heart softened, saying: "Okay, okay, I forgive you, let's go quickly."

  Zhou Hao was overjoyed and didn't forget to thank everyone, "This time it's all thanks to everyone's help, thank you all!" Then he was pulled away by Li Ruolan and walked out of the crowd.

  Under the blessings of everyone, Zhou Hao and Li Ruolan walked across the road to the other side. After walking far away, Li Ruolan glared at Zhou Hao fiercely, "Zhou Hao, you are so despicable!"

  Without the support of the masses, Zhou Hao, who was fighting alone, also felt a chill run down his spine. But seeing that Li Ruolan's hand was still being held by him and she didn't have any intense reaction, he knew she wasn't really angry. So he said: "I'm also helpless, I really don't know what to do to get you to forgive me."

  However, Li Ruolan didn't really get angry, and after she forgave Zhou Hao just now, her heart seemed to feel much lighter, as if she had taken off a heavy shackles. But at this time, she sighed softly, "But what's the use of forgiving you? Many things can't be turned back, and lost things won't come back." She was referring to the chastity she had guarded for over 20 years being lost to Zhou Hao.

  "I'll take responsibility!" Zhou Hao said solemnly, grasping Li Ruolan's hand.

  Li Ruolan looked deeply at Zhou Hao, from his appearance, the current Zhou Hao indeed does not look like a fourteen-year-old boy. Moreover, every time she was in danger, it was always this man beside her who protected her. If Li Ruolan had only regarded Zhou Hao as her student before Autumn Ning Mountain, then after the series of events that followed, and their interactions in the cave, Li Ruolan unknowingly began to regard Zhou Hao as an adult, a person worthy of her trust.

  Especially when she was almost raped by Meng Tingguang just now, what came to her mind was also Zhou Hao, hoping that he could come and save herself, but unexpectedly he really came.

  "But there won't be a future for us, I'm your teacher and you're my student. If others find out, I'll lose all face. Besides, by the time you turn 18, I'll already be 23."

  Zhou Hao was taken aback, "Aren't you already twenty-three this year?"

  Li Ruolan looked at him, "Who told you that I'm only 19 this year? I skipped two grades in elementary school and another grade in junior high school, so I entered university a few years earlier than others."

  "That's no problem then." Zhou Hao smiled and said, "People say that when a girl turns 30, she'll be holding onto gold bricks, it doesn't matter." As for the teacher-student relationship, Zhou Hao was somewhat worried because at this time, such relationships hadn't become popular yet. If others found out, there would still be quite a bit of social and public pressure. Zhou Hao said to Li Ruoshan, "As long as we don't tell anyone else, who will know about our situation? Hmm, if I weren't attending Yu Ning High School, then I wouldn't be your student anymore, that way it's no problem."

  "This won't do, Yuning Middle School is the only provincial key high school in Xiangcheng, where else can you go if not here?" Upon hearing that Zhou Hao was willing to give up studying at Yuning Middle School for her sake, Li Ruolan also became anxious.

  "But this way, our relationship will be exposed."

  Li Ruolan smiled slightly, "Don't worry, just wait until you graduate from high school and go to college, everything will be easy."

  When she said that, Zhou Hao excitedly hugged her, and Li Ruolan was startled by his sudden action. "You, what are you doing?"

  Zhou Hao couldn't help but say with a smile: "You're saying this means you acknowledge the relationship between us, right? I'm so thrilled."

  Li Ruolan paused for a moment before reacting, realizing that she had just said that the problem would be solved when Zhou Hao graduated from high school, which implied that she was acknowledging her relationship with Zhou Hao.

  But now it's too late to argue. Moreover, she suddenly felt that Zhou Hao's arms were also warm and cozy, giving her a strong sense of security, so she didn't push Zhou Hao away, but instead was dazed by the masculine aura emanating from him.