Sheng Qi's hands tightened on the steering wheel at Bai Tang's words. The oppressive aura around him gradually dissipated. Yet, he still warned her coldly, "You're a student. Can you at least act like one?"
"Teacher Sheng, I'm already much better than before!" Bai Tang spoke up. "Look, I don't dye my hair anymore, I don't street race, I haven't joined any gangs to act like a delinquent, and I don't skip class... I've been really well-behaved!"
"I show up to class on time every day, listen attentively and take notes, and even do extra tutoring after school... These are all improvements!"
"How am I not acting like a student?"
Bai Tang couldn't help but feel moved herself. Thinking back to her former wild and free-spirited self, coming to school and attending classes now—she was doing really well! She was almost touched by her own progress! After all, she still wanted to experience what it felt like to be a student.
Sheng Qi turned his head and gave her a cool glance. The girl was basking in self-satisfaction, lost in her own self-admiration. He felt the urge to crack open her head and see what was inside. Weren't the things she mentioned just basic student responsibilities? What was there to be so smug about?
"Mr. Sheng, that affectionate look of yours is a bit too much for me to handle!" Bai Tang clutched her chest and blinked at him. "My little heart is pounding away again."
Sheng Qi averted his gaze and let out a heavy sigh. For a moment, the car fell into an eerie silence. Bai Tang turned to look at him, thinking to herself: Is he angry?
"Teacher Sheng, last night was just an accident. Xiao Wu and I hadn't seen each other in a long time, so we ended up chatting late into the night, and I completely forgot I had homework. I promise I'll handle my assignments first thing next time!"
"Can you... not be mad?"
Sheng Qi pressed his lips together and said nothing. Because he knew his anger wasn't just about Bai Tang not doing her homework—there was more to it. He had waited all night for a message from her, only to get no reply until dawn. He had driven over early this morning to find her. Seeing her with Bai Wu only made him more irritated. Knowing that she had skipped her homework and ignored his messages because of Bai Wu made that feeling even worse. And now, hearing her admit it was all because she hadn't seen Bai Wu in so long and they had talked late into the night, that irritation only intensified. Especially since he knew Bai Wu had stayed over at her place last night—that really got under his skin.
"Bai Tang, you're a girl!" Sheng Qi's voice turned cold. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to just let a man stay over at your place?"
Bai Tang thought he was worried about her safety and laughed. "Don't worry, I didn't just let anyone stay. Besides, Xiao Wu is different from other men!"
Sheng Qi's face darkened. "No matter how different, he's still a man!"
"But he's not an ordinary man!"
Sheng Qi slammed on the brakes, pulling the car over to the side of the road. He turned to stare at her, his gaze icy. "Precisely because he's not an ordinary man, he's even more dangerous!"
"You're skilled, but that doesn't mean you're invincible!" Sheng Qi said coldly. "Bai Tang, there's always someone better out there. You need to understand that there are plenty of people more skilled than you!"
"That Xiao Wu you keep talking about—he's dangerous!"
Bai Tang stared fixedly at Sheng Qi. This was only the second time she had seen him this angry. The first time was when she raced with Feng Zi. This time, it was because she had let a man she considered extremely dangerous stay over.