Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Overall, I was pretty satisfied with this date. In the original story, the stand-in version of me had never even gone on a date with him. I wasn’t even worthy of a proper meal.
This wasn’t about whether he loved me or not. It was about whether, in his mind, I still had the most basic dignity of a human being-whether I was worth being treated seriously.
The thought made me hand him my bag to carry, while openly and indirectly accusing him of having no tact.
A mighty CEO carrying my canvas tote. To be fair, he did look good doing it.
After I got back to the dorm, Lin Jing threw a cup of water right in my face. “Tang Xinrou, I hear you’ve latched onto my brother. You really are shameless.”
Lin Jing was Lin Yue’s younger sister.
Behind every heroine in an angst novel, there was always a nightmare sister-in-law who joined her brother in trampling all over her.
Xu Shanshan was their childhood friend. I wasn’t in the same league as them.
Lin Jing thought I was reaching above my station by getting involved with her brother. In the original story, she beat, scolded, and humiliated me at the drop of a hat.
“You think it helps that you look like Shanshan? You’re just someone’s stand-in. For the rest of your life, you’ll be nothing but a stand-in who can never be seen in public!”
I wiped the water off my face and called Lin Yue.
I didn’t cry. I didn’t make a scene. I simply asked if he was free tonight.
“I am. Where do you want to eat?”
“Eating out doesn’t feel very sincere.” I licked the water from my lips and said, right in front of Lin Jing, “I’ll go to your place tonight. You can cook for me.”
Then I hung up.
Lin Jing completely lost it, shrieking like a boiling kettle. “Why would my brother let you go to his place? And cook for you? Has he lost his mind? What gives you the right?!”
I curled my lips. “Guess.”
“You bitch. Do you believe I can make sure you never graduate with one phone call?!”
The Lin Family was indeed wealthy, powerful, and influential.
Soon, my advisor summoned me and righteously criticized my so-called conduct.
“I recruited you to do academic work, yet you’re out there throwing yourself at rich men and making a public spectacle of yourself. Luxury cars picking you up and dropping you off every day-are your thoughts still on your studies at all?”
In the original story, my advisor helped Lin Jing torment the original owner of this body, ruining her reputation so badly that she had no choice but to drop out and become Lin Yue’s caged canary.
“Did I fail to work on my project, or did I fail to record the data? Which experiment have I not stayed late into the night to finish?” I demanded. “You’re dumping such a huge accusation on my head. Is kissing up to the Lin Family really that satisfying?”
My advisor held every student’s future in his hands. No one had ever talked back to him like that. Furious, he threw me out of the lab.
It was already late autumn, and the weather was cold. As I stood in the hallway, I suddenly realized my clothes were still wet.
Associate Professor Xu from next door took pity on me and led me into her office, finding me a clean set of clothes. “Put these on.”
Looking at her refined, plain face, I vaguely remembered that her name was Xu Zhiqiu. She was one of the few supporting characters in the original story who had shown the heroine any kindness.
Unfortunately, she didn’t get much page time. All I knew was that she had been stuck at the associate professor rank for years and could never get promoted.
“If you offend your advisor, you really might not get your degree certificate.” She made me a cup of hot milk tea.
“So what if I do get it? Even graduate students end up unemployed these days. Jobs aren’t exactly easy to find.”
“Besides, I’m a woman. If I really want to develop a career in academia, then what that feels like-you understand better than anyone, Professor Xu.”
I held the coffee in both hands, my gaze shifting to her.
“Professor Xu, I have a project on hand with very promising prospects. The clients are already lined up. Would you be interested in hearing more?”