His Favoritism and Soft Spot

Now that she had said this much, she took a deep breath and gathered the courage to say what was in her heart.

"Teacher Shen, before I met you, my world was gray. There was no sound, no color. I shut myself in my room every day, watching birds fly past the window, envying their freedom, yet unable to find the courage to step outside."

"It was you... who opened that window. You were also the one who gave me the courage to walk out, who made me a living person again. Without you, I probably wouldn't even be here anymore."

Her body might have still been alive, but her heart had died. She had been like a walking corpse, slowly heading toward destruction.

He had brought her hope—the hope to keep living.

This love was a source of strength for her.

"Teacher Shen, you are my hope."

"I love you. I love you so, so much..."

She finally said it, then froze, startled by how direct her dependence on him had been.

"I'm sorry. I hope my words haven't burdened you, but I want you to know that you are very important to me."

The girl's confession had come without warning.

There were no elaborate words in her confession, only the purest and most sincere love.

The moment Shen Qingling had first seen her, he had thought that those eyes should not always be filled with sorrow.

And now, he thought that those eyes should not be filled with tears either.

He reached out and gently wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Mianmian, when I said my feelings for you were different, I didn't mean the pity you understood it as, much less ordinary affection between friends."

"Then what is it? Teacher Shen's kindness, patience,