“Professor, how, how can you say that?”
Pan Li, who had just given birth, had a very swollen face, a sallow complexion, and obvious pregnancy spots on her cheeks. She had long lost the bright appearance of the pure goddess from the music academy.
Tears still hung on Pan Li’s face, her expression full of shock, unable to accept that Fang Ping had said such words.
Fang Ping’s face was full of disgust. “Why can’t I say that? I’m the victim. It’s already good that I haven’t caused you trouble. You still have the nerve to come to my door. You really have no sense of shame.”
Being someone’s mistress was of course shameful, and Pan Li was not unaware of it.
It was just that the first time she took the wrong path, she begged Fang Ping, and Fang Ping protected her, lightly brushing over the mistake Pan Li had made. Pan Li did not suffer much hardship, and naturally lost the opportunity to reform herself.
When Pan Li made the same mistake again, and Fang Ping watched coldly without helping, wanting to confront Pan Li seriously, Pan Li naturally could not accept it, and could not help accusing Fang Ping.
“I have no sense of shame. You are the professor, and I am the student. You never taught me the correct sense of right and wrong, never told me what it means to have a sense of shame. Oh, I get it, because at that time I wasn’t your husband’s mistress, the knife didn’t cut your flesh, so you felt no pain. Fang Ping, you are truly a hypocritical woman. You don’t deserve to be a professor. Do you know how much of a failure you are? Actually, no one wants to take your classes. They all do it for the sake of your husband Duan Quanchang’s face.”
Without the cover of her youthful beauty, Pan Li’s ugly inner self became even more exposed.
Since Fang Ping was not helping, Pan Li had no more concerns, knowing what words could hurt Fang Ping.
These words indeed pierced Fang Ping’s heart like knives.
Fang Ping wanted to resign from her teaching position, not only because she could not endure the gossip, but also for the reasons Pan Li mentioned.
Until today, Fang Ping could rationally think about some things.
Her so-called achievements at work, who knows how many were due to Duan Quanchang’s influence.
Hunan Satellite TV invited her to be a judge on the talent show, not because of her professional ability, but because of Duan Quanchang’s connections.
Manager Guan invited her to be an album producer, and later Xu Mei’s manager, for the same reason.
When she was a judge on the talent show, Fang Ping was still diligent.
Then she became arrogant, wanting to be an album producer after being a judge. Facts proved that Fang Ping’s production skills were not great, and Xu Mei’s album did not become a big hit.
She couldn’t do well as a producer, yet she still wanted to be a manager. As a manager, her performance was even worse.
Going back further, was her promotion to professor at the music academy also thanks to Duan Quanchang’s help?
In the dead of night, Fang Ping had several nightmares, waking up in a cold sweat.
Reviewing the first half of her life, her marriage failed, she failed in raising her child, and if even her career was all due to her husband’s influence, her entire first half of life was a failure.
This had almost become Fang Ping’s inner demon and obsession, who knows how many years it would trouble her before she could break free. Now, being exposed by Pan Li, breaking the surface calm, Fang Ping’s emotions surged.
After a long while, Fang Ping stabilised her emotions and said self-mockingly.
“You’re right. When the knife doesn’t fall on me, I advise others to be magnanimous. Only when the knife cuts my flesh do I know the pain. So I indeed don’t deserve to be a teacher. Now with my family broken and career reset to zero, this is heaven’s retribution for me. My retribution has come, and I’m willing to accept it. You knowingly became the third party, maliciously breaking up someone else’s family. Your retribution has also come. Bear it well yourself.”
After speaking, Fang Ping slammed the door shut.
Pan Li was stunned for a moment, then put on a pitiful posture, knocking on the door and begging.
The neighbours on the left and right were peeking out, pointing at Pan Li. Pan Li had thick skin and pretended those people did not exist.
Fang Ping paced back and forth in the house.
Let the neighbours say whatever they want, since she was moving away anyway. The urgent matter was to get Pan Li away.
Fang Ping initially wanted to call the police, but on second thought, the police could not follow her 24 hours a day to stop Pan Li from harassing her, so just calling the police was not enough.
After taking several deep breaths, Fang Ping called the school.
The music academy had student enrollment records. For students like Pan Li who were expelled, their files were managed separately and easier to find.
Fang Ping quickly found what she wanted.
“…Thank you, that was too much trouble. I’ll treat you to dinner next time.”
Many colleagues at the music academy knew about Fang Ping’s marital change. A former student had an affair with her husband, leading to divorce and reporting her ex-husband. Colleagues were also discussing it privately.
Fang Ping would not have asked a colleague to check the records if Pan Li had not forced her into a corner.
With the records found, it was easy. First call Pan Li’s parents, then call 110 to report to the police.
Pan Li’s parents had lost contact with their daughter for a long time.
When Pan Li was working in Hunan Province, she still kept in touch with home. After her affair with Duan Quanchang was exposed, Pan Li hid to nurture her pregnancy, determined to rise in status, and did not even contact her parents.
For months, Pan Li’s parents had been searching for their daughter. Today, they finally got news and hurried over as fast as possible.
The police from the station arrived first. By the time Pan Li’s parents arrived, the police had grasped the situation, from Fang Ping’s account and supplements from the neighbours. Hearing what Pan Li had done, her parents could not lift their heads in front of everyone.
Pan’s mother covered her face and cried bitterly, and Pan’s father also cried.
“Dad, Mum…”
When the police came, Pan Li was still sprawled at Fang Ping’s door, playing rogue. Seeing her parents, Pan Li finally felt shame.
Looking at his dishevelled daughter, Pan’s father felt both ashamed and heartbroken. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he could not help slapping Pan Li twice.
“You’ve disgraced the Pan family.”
“When children do wrong, parents can educate them properly. Don’t hit them.”
The police stopped him, and Pan’s father sobbed.
The first time Pan Li became a mistress, it made Pan’s mother unable to do business at the farmers’ market, and Pan’s father too embarrassed to go to work. The couple’s livelihoods were cut off, and they could only do odd jobs to survive.
Who knew Pan Li would make the mistake a second time.
What to do now?
Her studies unfinished, her record stained, and an unwed mother. Pan Li’s parents could not even do odd jobs, too embarrassed to continue living in Chengdu.
Pan’s father hit his daughter, then apologised to Fang Ping through the door, saying he would take Pan Li and the child back to their hometown as soon as possible, and never let Pan Li disturb Fang Ping again.
Pan Li cried while covering her swollen face, her hair dishevelled and looking very wretched, shouting that she did not want to go back to her hometown, which was poor and remote, still using dry toilets, and requiring several transfers to get to the city.
Pan’s father would not listen to her. Precisely because it was poor, remote, and inconvenient, he could keep an eye on her and prevent her from running off.
The child had grown crooked, and Pan’s father had no confidence in correcting her bad habits, but at least by watching her closely, she would not harm another family.
Pan Li’s parents forcibly took her away. Fang Ping later heard that they also settled the hospital bills and took the child too. Whether the child was given away or kept by the Pan family, Fang Ping did not know. In the rest of her life, Fang Ping indeed never saw Pan Li again.
One Pan Li’s story ended, but other “Pan Li” stories were still happening. Fang Ping could not understand what was wrong with this society. Women’s status had clearly improved, with opportunities for education and employment. Why were there still so many young girls always thinking of getting something for nothing?
