Although she owed Zhan Jingrui a debt of gratitude, He Yao had no other options at the moment.
Just as she was taking out her phone to have him scan her QR code to transfer money, her mother called.
He Yao gave him an apologetic look and answered. Her mother immediately asked in an unfriendly tone where she was.
"Didn't your uncle go to school to find you? The teacher said you had already left, so where did you run off to?"
"You didn't come home all night yesterday, and I can't find you today. What's going on?"
He Yao was speechless towards her mother.
Being a woman herself, instead of teaching her how to protect herself with caution and skills, she blindly believed that man's words.
Instead of answering her questions, she asked, "Mom, tell me the truth, why did you miscarry?"
Her mother was stunned. "What? I'm asking where you are, who you were with last night, and why you're not home now. What are you talking about?"
He Yao said, "Whether you couldn't carry the child because your body was truly not up to it, or if that man did something to you, you know better than I do. If you remain deluded and insist on being with him, I will never come to your house again."
"You... He Yao, what do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean. That man is not worth entrusting yourself to. You should leave him as soon as possible."
He Mom was silent for a few seconds on the other end.
"I don't know what your uncle did to offend you to make you have such a prejudice against him, but I want to tell you that it's all your misconception."
"Your uncle is right. Perhaps because I wasn't by your side when you were young, you have some psychological deficiencies, but you can't..."
He Yao had nothing more to say to her mother.
She believed in that man to the point of obsession. In He Yao's eyes, she was beyond help.
"If you think I have deficiencies, then so be it. Don't look for me anymore. I'm just mentally unsound, and it's no use to you to have me back. That's all. Don't call me again, and don't come to school to find me."
After speaking, she hung up the phone, looking furious as if she wanted to pry out the SIM card.
But she didn't have a needle in her hand.
Zhan Jingrui was not in her situation and couldn't empathize with her feelings, but he supported her actions.
Cherish life, stay away from trash.
"Let's go buy things first. Get through this year, and it will be better once you're in college."
He thought it was simple, but He Yao didn't have his talent or survival skills.
Without financial support from home, she would only live a harder life.
The next day at school, besides constantly worrying about that man and her mother coming to find her at school at any moment, He Yao also had to worry about how to continue her life tomorrow.
She browsed various part-time job platforms online and finally found one that suited her.
The work was done at night, required no education, only good looks and a good figure.
To put it bluntly, it was a job that relied on youth. As long as one's appearance and figure were outstanding enough, it was fine.
Payment was weekly, and the salary was quite considerable.
As long as you pleased the customers during work and received a lot of tips, it was not uncommon to earn thousands in a single night.
After school every day, He Yao no longer waited for everyone to leave. She was always the first to rush out of the classroom and go home to put on makeup.
Working until the early morning every day, she went to school drowsy the next day.
Within a week, He Yao was scolded three times.
Rumors and gossip then started spreading in the classroom.
Some female classmates said they saw He Yao in their uncles' or brothers' WeChat Moments, performing at a nightclub, dressed alluringly.
Moreover, whether she was being kept or for the convenience of clients, she had gotten her own place and was living alone.
Gossip, by its nature, only gets more exaggerated as it spreads.
Soon, Xu Zheng also heard the news.
He sent He Yao a message, asking her to go out for food together after school, but He Yao declined.
"Just let your family know, you can go home a little later, it's fine."
He Yao said she was busy and had to go to her part-time job.
Xu Zheng didn't believe it at first. Upon hearing this, his heart sank.
"What part-time job? You don't seem to be short of money?"
He Yao didn't explain.
"If there's nothing else, don't message me."
Xu Zheng couldn't help but ask around to find out where she worked and went to see for himself at night, but that day there was a fire inspection, and he saw nothing.
The next day, he planned to find a time when there were fewer people to talk to He Yao face-to-face and find out what was going on.
During the first class that day, He Yao was kicked out of the classroom by the teacher for dozing off.
"If you want to sleep, sleep outside. If you don't want to attend, then don't come tomorrow. My class is not for you to sleep in!"
He Yao stood in the same spot she had stood before. Zhan Jingrui could see her if he turned his head slightly.
But he said nothing.
Everyone had the right to choose their own way of life.
Whether it was good or bad was their own decision, and he had no right to interfere.
During lunchtime, after finishing his meal, Zhan Jingrui had just returned to the classroom when He Yao came to his seat.
They hadn't added each other on WeChat. She had just received her first large salary and wanted to repay some of it to Zhan Jingrui to feel at ease. She came to scan his payment QR code.
"How much?"
"2000, I'll pay the rest slowly."
Zhan Jingrui opened his QR code and handed it over. He Yao scanned it and left.
However, this interaction between them still quickly caused a huge stir among the female students.
"She has the nerve to ask for Zhan Jingrui's WeChat, and he actually gave it to her. How shameless!"
Everyone decided to go to her workplace that night to take videos, record her "evidence," and then hand it over to the teacher tomorrow to expel such a "scourge" from the school.
Otherwise, if it got out that they had been classmates with someone like her, it would be truly embarrassing.
Xu Zheng, who was always at the forefront of gossip, got the news first. He returned to his seat and discussed it with Zhan Jingrui.
"Can you come with me somewhere after school today?"
Zhan Jingrui was doing his homework, still looking as impassive as ever. "No."
"I heard He Yao asked for your WeChat today, and you gave it to her. When did you two become friends? What did she say to you?"
Zhan Jingrui shot him a sharp glance, and his deskmate shut his mouth, but after two seconds, he continued.
"I don't mean anything else. I'm just saying that after all, you were her mentor for a few days. You have a little bit of connection, and you wouldn't want to see her being talked about like that, right?"
"Besides, tonight they're going to catch some 'evidence' of hers and hand it over to the teacher tomorrow... I don't believe He Yao is that kind of person. Come with me to see."
After school, He Yao was the first to leave the classroom under everyone's gaze. The others quickly grabbed their schoolbags and followed behind her.
"Quick, quick!"
His deskmate pulled Zhan Jingrui again. "Let's go. Let's go see."
"You have a bunch of bad influences, why don't you ask them? Why are you pulling me?"
"Those people will only stir up trouble. They can't help at all when it matters. I trust you more. It won't take much time. I'll treat you to a big meal tonight. Come on, let's go."