Zi Han knew the moment she spoke up for Ming Ye at the dining table that she had technically violated her own risk-avoidance protocol, not that this was a new occurrence anyway.
But did she regret it? No... not really.
The truth was that Ming Ye had been provoked. The boy on the rooftop had said something that clearly struck a nerve, though at the time Zi Han had not understood exactly what it was.
After witnessing the argument at the dinner table, however, she had a better idea.
The center of that argument had been Li Wan, Ming Ye's mother.
In the original novel, Li Wan had barely been mentioned. The entire explanation of her existence had been compressed into three lines. According to the book, she had cheated on Ming Chen with her childhood sweetheart, and upon realizing that she was still deeply in love with that man, she divorced Ming Chen and married him.
Since it had just been a three-line sentence in the book, she had not really cared or put too much thought towards it, but now, having witnessed this, it was obvious it had greatly impacted Ming Ye's life negatively.
At this point she felt a tiny bit of sympathy for him, but that was all that it was, a bit of sympathy.
His trauma, or whatever he went through, did not negate whatever bad thing he had done or the things he would do in the future.
She had spoken because she felt it was unfair for Ming Chen to totally blame Ming Ye as if he had just decided to randomly hang someone off the roof without any reason whatsoever.
Though dangling someone several stories above the ground was definitely excessive.
But it had not happened for no reason.
However, she had another problem; the tutoring.
She did not want to, in any shape or form, tutor Ming Ye, no matter what sort of sympathy she had for him.
The moment Ming Chen mentioned that Ming Ye had chased away several previous tutors, her alarm bells had started ringing immediately. She could only imagine the methods Ming Ye might have used.
What if he did worse to her?
Furthermore, Ming Ye hated her, so who is to say he wouldn't do horrible things to her? Besides, hadn't she managed to tick him off twice in a row now?
Therefore she had to, one way or the other, convince Ming Chen that she didn't want to be Ming Ye's tutor and that it would be best if he could get someone more capable.
Zi Han took a deep breath before she knocked on the office door of Ming Chen. She heard a stern "come in," then she pushed open the door handle.
Ming Chen's office was exactly what she expected from the head of a powerful business empire. The room was spacious and organized. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined the walls, filled with legal texts, financial reports, and neatly arranged binders. A large desk of dark polished wood dominated the center of the room, its surface almost entirely occupied by stacks of documents and a glowing laptop screen.
Behind the desk sat Ming Chen.
He was reviewing a thick file when Zi Han entered, his brows drawn together in concentration. The lamplight cast sharp shadows across his face, emphasizing the lines of fatigue near his eyes.
When he noticed her, he set the document down and rubbed his temple.
"What do you want?" he asked.
Zi Han stepped forward slightly.
"I'll go straight to the point," she said.
Ming Chen leaned back in his chair, watching her.
"I'm sorry, but I can't tutor Ming Ye."
His expression did not change immediately. It seemed like he'd already expected it.
"Why?"
Zi Han had already prepared her answer.
"I'm not good at teaching," she said calmly. "I don't think I would be a good fit."
"That doesn't matter," Ming Chen replied.
Zi Han frowned slightly.
"It does matter," she said. "Teaching requires patience and the ability to explain things clearly. I don't think I'm suitable for that role."
She hesitated briefly before continuing.
"Besides… Ming Ye and I don't get along very well. If I can't get along with him, there's no reason to believe he would listen to me."
Ming Chen waved a dismissive hand.
"Good," he said. "This will be an opportunity for the two of you to bond as siblings."
Zi Han blinked.
That was… not the direction she expected the conversation to go.
"I can't teach him," she insisted. "Please reconsider."
Ming Chen sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair.
He was tired... of everything.
"I understand your concerns," he said. "You're afraid of him."
Zi Han didn't answer.
"But you're the only hope I have left," Ming Chen continued quietly.
He looked down at the papers on his desk before speaking again.
"After Ming Ye's grades began to drop and he started spending time with those degenerates he calls friends, I hired several tutors to help him."
His expression darkened slightly.
"None of them lasted long."
Zi Han felt her suspicions quietly confirmed.
"What happened to them?" she asked.
Ming Chen gave a humorless laugh.
"The first one quit after Ming Ye locked him out on the balcony for two hours during winter."
Zi Han blinked.
"The second tutor lasted a week. Ming Ye said nothing to her, did nothing to her directly. He simply sat across from her at every session in complete silence and stared at her until she became too uncomfortable to continue. She said it felt like being watched by something that was deciding whether or not to eat her."
He paused.
"That was a direct quote."
Zi Han looked at the desk.
"The third one said Ming Ye hacked into his laptop and submitted a fake resignation letter under his name."
Zi Han stared at him.
"And the fourth?" she asked cautiously.
Ming Chen rubbed his temple again.
"The fourth refused to return after Ming Ye released a snake into the study room."
Zi Han suddenly felt very confident in her earlier decision to refuse this job.
Ming Chen continued speaking, his voice lower now.
"The college entrance exams are approaching. If he fails them…" He paused briefly. "The Ming family companies cannot be inherited by someone with nothing but a high school diploma."
Zi Han remained silent.
In the original novel, Ming Ye had eventually entered university.
Which meant Ming Chen must have succeeded somehow.
Still, that knowledge did not make her feel safer.
She opened her mouth to protest again.
Before she could speak, Ming Chen said quietly,
"I'm asking you for help." A pause. "I'll knowtow before you even if I have to."
The words made Zi Han uncomfortable almost immediately.
"What makes you think I'll be any different?" she asked.
Ming Chen gave a small, tired smile.
"When people become desperate," he said, "they grab whatever option they have left."
Zi Han sighed.
She was going to regret this. She already regretted it.
"Fine," she said. "I'll do it."
Relief flashed across Ming Chen's face.
"Thank you," he said. "Truly, I—"
"But," Zi Han said.
Ming Chen stopped.
She met his gaze steadily.
"I want something in return."
The relief on his face vanished, changing into something more careful. A small frown formed between his brows.
"What is it?" he asked.