bacchusnovels Chapter 463 Qiu Zhang's Compromise
Chapter 463 Qiu Zhang's Compromise
Chapter 463 Qiu Zhang's Compromise
When Qiu Zhang entered the room, Rita was already standing there with a smile, her notebook and quill still held high, as if everything was ready.
"welcome,
Miss Akiharu. Come, sit down, let's begin.
Qiu Zhang walked to one of the chairs and sat down, looking very uncomfortable. He clasped his hands on his knees and his eyes were somewhat unfocused.
Interview?
What is there about her that makes her worthy of an interview?
Does someone who has no chance of winning the game deserve to be interviewed?
Rita looked at her, seemingly in no hurry to speak, but gently shook her quill, her gaze fixed on Cho Chang's face: "So, Miss Cho Chang, as another representative of Hogwarts, could you tell us your views on the Triwizard Tournament?"
Qiu Zhang remained silent for a moment, his eyes slightly lowered, as if he was pondering how to answer.
Her answer wasn't as straightforward as Harry's; it was more like a calm reflection: "I... am honored to represent Hogwarts, but this match is more than just an honor; it's a test for each and every one of us."
Rita tilted her body slightly, intrigued by the answer: "A test? To be more specific, could you give us some concrete examples?"
Qiu Zhang said in a low voice, "It's not just a test of physical strength. Each of us warriors carries a lot of expectations. The pressure comes not only from the outside world, but also from ourselves." She paused, her gaze slightly wandering, "The Triwizard Tournament is not only a stage to showcase magic, but more importantly, a psychological battle."
Rita listened with great interest, her eyebrows slightly raised and her eyes narrowed into slits.
She quickly jotted down a few lines in her notebook, then looked up at Cho Chang: "That's a profound point, Miss Cho Chang. So, as a champion of Hogwarts, what do you think is your greatest concern?"
Qiu Zhang's eyes flickered, and he said softly, "What I'm worried about isn't winning or losing, but... whether I'm worthy of this responsibility."
Rita's gaze sharpened, and just when Qiu Zhang thought the "concise" interview about himself was over, Rita took out a piece of parchment from her crossbody bag.
There were many words written on it.
For some reason, seeing that parchment made Qiu Zhang's heart tighten; her intuition told her that this interview was not as simple as she had imagined.
Rita smiled knowingly, her eyes sparkling with barely concealed excitement.
In later generations, this state became very common—it can often be seen in the expressions of some entertainment reporters.
She looked down at the parchment, her eyes scrutinizing it.
"Miss Cho Chang, you are not only a champion, but also represent Hogwarts, Ravenclaw, and my former house."
When Ravenclaw was mentioned, Rita rarely expressed her feelings.
She graduated from Ravenclaw back in the day, and so many years have passed in the blink of an eye.
"I know, Ms. Akiharu, you are an outstanding person, excelling academically and performing exceptionally well in competitions."
"Ravenclaw has always been known for its rationality and wisdom, and someone like you is undoubtedly the pride of the school. Your performance will undoubtedly influence many people, especially those around you." She paused, then asked casually, "Have you ever considered whether those around you have higher expectations of you, or even... different feelings?"
"What do you mean?" Qiu Zhang asked instinctively.
Rita leaned slightly closer to Qiu Zhang, placing her hand on the back of his chair like a friend, and whispered, "Oh, I mean, the people around you, like your professors, they're not just your mentors, but also your friends and support. Don't you think that sometimes, this kind of close relationship might generate some extra feelings?"
For a moment, Qiu Zhang still couldn't understand what she meant, but he couldn't help but become alert.
She frowned slightly and leaned back a little (she didn't like a stranger being so close, especially being able to feel Rita's breath and smell her perfume), "I don't quite understand your question, Ms. Skeeter. My professor and I have always maintained a normal teacher-student relationship."
Rita didn't rush to respond; instead, she seemed more interested in observing Qiu Zhang's reaction. She nodded slightly and continued, "I know you've always had close relationships with some professors, but do you think these relationships are sometimes over-interpreted? For example—"
"Professor Phillips."
Before Qiu Zhang could react, Rita paused for a moment and then continued.
"After all, many people around you know that you have a very close relationship with Professor Phillips. Everyone will be curious,"
As such an outstanding student and warrior, have you ever considered whether others might assign more meaning to this relationship?
Hearing Professor Phillips's name appear here so inappropriately, Akio's heart tightened slightly.
"The professor has always been a great help to me in my studies and life. As for how others see it, I don't care."
Although he spoke very calmly and politely, Qiu Zhang was still somewhat troubled inside.
After all, who would like to bring up such an embarrassing topic in such a setting?
However, Rita had no intention of letting Qiu Zhang off the hook. She deftly put down her pen, placed her hands on the table, and stared intently at Qiu Zhang, saying meaningfully, "You know, sometimes, intimate relationships aren't simply about magical exchange. After all, any relationship, whether it's friendship or teacher-student, will always be imbued with some emotional color. Don't you think so, Miss Qiu Zhang?"
Qiu Zhang's heart began to race. She was no longer just confused, but gradually felt a subtle pressure.
Clearly, Rita knows something.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have said such a thing.
Although Rita's words made a lot of sense and were true, and some of them even made her feel ashamed, she absolutely could not admit them in this situation.
So, Qiu Zhang took a deep breath and answered.
"I believe that relationships between people are always very complex and cannot be defined in a simple way."
Rita, however, maintained that ambiguous, half-smiling expression.
She nodded slowly: "Yes, indeed. But, Miss Qiu Zhang, don't you think that sometimes emotions we may not even be aware of can be revealed unintentionally? Especially in such special occasions, emotional fluctuations and pressures may cause you to form new connections with the people around you, even exceeding the initial boundaries."
As Qiu Zhang listened, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger and unease.
This anger and discomfort quickly manifested in his demeanor, language, and actions.
"I've already said, Ms. Skeeter, that my relationship with Professor Phillips is perfectly normal, and there's nothing wrong with what you're implying. You shouldn't speculate about our relationship in this way."
However, Rita remained calm and composed in the face of Cho Chang's outburst, as if she had expected Cho Chang to react this way.
Indeed, throughout her long career as an interviewer.
Many people broke down, and Qiu Zhang had encountered similar situations many times.
In other words, Qiu Zhang was one of them, but definitely not the last.
So, after being questioned, Rita smiled and took a small photo bag out of her crossbody bag and gently placed it on the table.
Qiu Zhang's gaze swept quickly over the photo bag, and her heart sank.
It was a photograph in which she and Professor Phillips were standing on the streets of Hogsmeade, with shops and the glow of the setting sun in the background.
The two stood side by side, holding hands.
She smiled with her head down, while Professor Phillips bent down slightly and whispered to her.
In an instant, Qiu Zhang's face gradually lost all color.
Without a doubt, she knew what would happen if the photo were made public.
Meanwhile, Sean, who was grading homework with Luna in the office, also received a system notification.
Special Mission (Akiharu)
[Give the photo to Akiharu (1/1)]
Phase Two is complete.
[Phase Three Begins]
[Mission Objective: To achieve a breakthrough in the conflict with Akibara]
The requirements are as follows:
[Affection level of 20 or higher]
[Degree reached 10]
And complete any one of the following tasks.
[Task 1: Engage in close interaction on the flying broom]
[Task Two: Engage in close interaction with either Harry or Cedric]
[Task 3: Engage in intimate interaction by the Black Lake at midnight]
[Task Time Limit: None]
[Task Reward: Unknown]
"What's wrong, Uncle Huck?"
Just as Sean was feeling sentimental, a pair of slender arms wrapped around him.
Luna's soft flesh pressed against his back, rubbing against the shirt fabric as she breathed.
"Get down quickly." Sean snapped out of his daze.
"Why?" Luna gently rested her chin on Sean's shoulder, her warm breath brushing against his ear. "Professor Tonks is still teaching, and it won't be over for at least half an hour."
"Then let's—"
"Oh, this is a photo we took by chance in Hogsmeade, Miss Cho Chang."
"I think this photo clearly shows the close relationship between you and Professor Phillips, doesn't it?"
"It seems your relationship isn't just that of a typical teacher and student, is it?"
"My relationship with the professor is just that of teacher and student."
Qiu Zhang forced himself to calm down, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.
"We just went to Hogsmeade that day to buy some study supplies, nothing special."
Even Qiu Zhang himself didn't believe such words when they were spoken.
No matter how you analyze the photo, you can see that the relationship between the two people is "unusual".
If this photo is made public, it will cause irreparable damage to the reputations of both of them.
She didn't care.
The key is the impact of this event on Professor Phillips.
You see, Professor Phillips was already a celebrity, and given his position as a professor and the Ministry of Magic, once public opinion took hold, it would be a disaster. After he could no longer deceive himself, Cho Chang finally decided to face reality.
How did you get this photo?
Rita smiled slightly, as if appreciating Qiu Zhang's reaction. She gently turned the photo and said thoughtfully.
"Oh, Miss Cho Chang, this photo isn't rare. Hogsmeade isn't as secluded as this place; everyone can see you there."
"Your appearance in public under those circumstances inevitably led to some 'misunderstandings.' In particular, your physical contact seemed to violate the proper distance between teachers and students."
Qiu Zhang weakly retorted once again.
"Our relationship is purely that of teacher and student. As for what you call 'improper'—that's simply not true."
Rita chuckled lightly, waved her hand, and responded to her words casually.
"Oh, Ms. Akiharu, of course, I understand that's what you think. But don't you think public opinion will react when these 'intimate photos' are released? I bet the outside world won't interpret these innocent actions as rationally as you do."
As soon as those words were spoken, Qiu Zhang's mind was instantly filled with countless negative images.
For example, she and the professor were labeled as "the ones who were notorious" and became the talk of the wizarding world.
For example...
In an instant, all the shame welled up in her heart.
"You're making a joke at the expense of both of us."
Qiu Zhang tried hard to control herself and prevent her emotions from getting out of control. She stared intently into Rita's eyes and said in a hoarse voice.
"Do you know the consequences of what you're doing? Do you know what you're hurting? The professor has never done anything wrong. Stop causing us this unnecessary trouble."
A disdainful smile appeared on Rita's face, and her gaze became even colder with the smile.
"Miss Qiu Zhang, if you truly believe you are innocent, then you shouldn't have done this in the first place."
"Since you've done it, there's no need to defend yourself."
"The photos and facts are right in front of you. Do you really think everyone will pretend not to see them like you do?"
In an instant, Qiu Zhang's face turned pale again.
She opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but couldn't utter a word.
Immediately afterwards, Rita, standing on the moral high ground with a smile, continued to criticize, adding pressure to Qiu Zhang.
"Ms. Akiharu, aren't you aware of the boundaries between teachers and students?"
"Your actions have had a negative impact on the entire school, and even the entire magical world. I just want you to understand that some things are far more serious than you think."
Rita then put away the photos, slowly stood up, and gently patted her skirt. "But perhaps this isn't a big problem for you and Professor Phillips, right? After all, you've always been able to handle this kind of pressure, haven't you?"
She waved her hand, signaling Qiu Zhang to leave.
Qiu Zhang, however, did not move; he simply sat there motionless.
After a long silence, she stiffly raised her head, her eyes vacant. "Ms. Skeeter, what do I need to do to ensure these photos don't make it into the newspapers?"
Rita finally smiled.