Fate is a Bitch

Shu Xian still couldn't believe it! Her professor for her Assessment of Student Learning is Pan An, and she is currently living under his roof!

Shu Xian felt stupid, but still, she pinched her cheek to see if she was dreaming!

When she felt a pang of pain on her flesh, she furrowed her brows as she saw the familiar figure standing before them in class, arranging some papers as everyone had their eyes on him.

Shu Xian blinked her eyes a few times, still in disbelief.

How could the guy who saved her turn out to be the person who is teaching their class!?

She even lives with him!

Shu Xian's face showed discomfort. She then started wondering what would happen now that she knew that she lives under their professor's roof.

Since they are now staying together, would that mean that he could get seen being with her?

Remembering the Code of Ethics for Teachers, it would be inappropriate having close intimate relationships with students.

Well, Pan An and Shu Xian are not even in a relationship, but then, if people see them together, it would be human nature to jump to conclusions.

How would they avoid this situation?

Shu Xian knows that they can't risk his position as a teacher. Still, even though there is no relationship involved, being seen with a student is going to cause some issues.

Especially now that they live together--and they even live near the university!

Shu Xian internally sighed, her eyebrows knitting together as she thought how would she come home later.

'Should I know his schedule? Should we plot it together so we could talk about when to leave, how to go home to avoid being seen together?'

Shu Xian discreetly groaned. She realized that this is going to be a serious issue. With him being a popular professor as well, if she is definitely seen with him, they might attack her!

Shu Xian bit her lip as she thought to herself, 'Shall I move out, then?'

Her hands on the table turned into tight fists. She puffed her cheeks in irritation as she remembered the situation that she was in.

'I'm still going to look for a job... I don't have enough money with me. There are not many places where they allow pets to stay...'

Shu Xian kept tapping her fingers on the table. She felt like her head is about to explode, along with her heart that felt uneasy since Pan An had walked into the room!

"Shu Xian."

Shu Xian got her pen on the side and started writing down the dilemmas and possible solutions that she had thought of earlier.

"Shu Xian."

She kept scribbling on her notes, devoid of what's happening around her as she allowed her mind to wander despite her name being called by the professor.

"Shu Xian!"

Pan An banged both of his hands on the table, surprising everyone, especially Shu Xian, who heard her own name being called out by their professor.

"Y-yes?"

She stood up abruptly, everyone's eyes on her. Some of her things fell on the floor, making her feel embarrassed as she quickly picked them up before putting her pens back on the table.

Pan An's eyes landed on her. He raised a brow at her, Shu Xian's body stiffening as she noticed that somehow, Pan An seemed different from how he was earlier.

'Wasn't he nicer? Why does he seem like a different person now?'

"I've been calling your name since earlier," he scolded, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "You are in your second year of Teacher Education, no?"

Shu Xian blinked her eyes a few times. She could not believe how Pan An was different--the gentleness in his voice earlier gone now that his voice is colder as he scolded her!

Not hearing a reply from her, Pan An cocked his head to the side, his eyes serious as he rose his brow at her once more.

"Are you paying attention, Shu Xian? As a student who's studying to become a teacher, don't you have to pay attention to your surroundings? It's even the first subject in the morning."

Shu Xian's lips parted, opening to speak. However, she stammered on her words as she still couldn't believe the sudden change of Pan An's attitude.

"I-I'm sorry," she apologized, Shu Xian's brows furrowing slightly. "I was preoccupied."

Pan An's eyes then wandered to her table. His eyebrows slightly twitched when he saw a few numbers scribbled on it, his name written on some of the phrases and sentences Shu Xian had written.

'What is she writing about?'

"Ah, that!"

Shu Xian's eyes widened when Pan An reached out to her notebook on her desk. She was about to reach out to it, her hand stopping midair as Pan An kept in his pocket her mini-notebook.

"I'm confiscating this, Shu Xian."

Shu Xian's mouth was agape! Her eyes seemed like it's about to pop out of their sockets, her words incoherent as she spoke.

"B-but... my notebook. Professor... y-you..."

Pan An started walking away, leaving Shu Xian flabbergasted as her face started to heat up, remembering what she wrote in her notebook.

'I even wrote about the possibility of people jumping to conclusions about relationships! I even wrote his name a lot of times! Why is this happening to me!?'

The moment Pan An arrived in front, all eyes were on him now as he leaned on his desk, his eyes still on the dumbfounded Shu Xian who was still standing at the back of the room.

He crossed his arms in front of his chest once more, his words snappy as he continued scolding Shu Xian.

"It's even the first day of classes. You're not paying attention to a simple attendance check. How are you going to keep your focus once you become a teacher, hmm?"

Soft laughter was heard in the room, Shu Xian discreetly rolling her eyes as she did not expect Pan An to act this way compared to how he was at home.

Shu Xian then heaved a small sigh before she spoke, "I'm sorry, Professor Pan An--" there was even sarcasm in her voice, "I will be paying more attention this time."

Pan An's lips curled into a small smile.

"Visit the College of Teacher Education Office later during your free time. I will give you your notebook back by then."

Shu Xian nodded once as she gritted her teeth, feeling annoyed as she was being treated like a high school student whose items were confiscated.

She then sat down on her seat, propping a hand under her chin as she narrowed her eyes at him while he was writing on the board.

'Another unexpected event over the other… fate is a bitch.'