Hello, Mr. Major General (1)

Chapter 110 - Not Going To Take Lying Down

Kartik’s eyes immediate turned cold–not only were they icy, but ruthless. He looked at Rashmi, “…It is true? This has something to do with you?”

Rashmi blanched and used all her composure to keep herself from shaking like a leaf. Shehnaaz surprised her again, she was even able to find the hidden cameras. But she knew that she couldn’t appear afraid right now,
otherwise she’d be beyond Kartik’s forgiveness… She wasn’t a typical person. After being caught off guard by Shehnaaz, she quickly composed herself and gently closed the gift box. She smiled and said to Kartik, “Professor Sen, I can explain when we get back. This is a misunderstanding.”

Rashmi stressed the word, “misunderstanding,” and made it sound as if she truly had a special reason.

Shehnaaz didn’t accept this and propped her face up with both hands as she leaned towards the table and smiled, “What kind of misunderstanding? Shouldn’t Teaching Assistant Desai explain to me, the party concerned? Anyways, Professor Sen always says today is as good as any other day, so let’s talk about it now.” She originally wanted
to test her and although she was fairly sure Rashmi was responsible for the cameras, there was still a small possibility it could be someone else. But Rashmi’s reaction confirmed her suspicions. She typically didn’t guess
incorrectly when it came to things with a certain probability. Brother Khatri was watching from the side with his jaw dropped. He looked at the stubborn Shehnaaz, then the humiliated Rashmi–he immediately stood up and said, “…I have to go to the bathroom.” He scuttled off.

Shehy knew Brother Khatri didn’t want to get involved and didn’t blame him. She was already thankful that he didn’t join Rashmi’s ranks in making her life miserable and couldn’t expect everyone to to support her unwaveringly like Brother Rohit and Brother Deepak?

Only three people remained at the dining table.

Rashmi managed to smile, “Sana, if I tell you I had no ill intentions, would you believe me?”

“Hehe, you think I’ll believe just anything you say? Why would I? Are you stupid? We study law and know that evidence is the most important. You were caught red handed, so it’s not just a matter a of you being innocent just because you’re saying that. Don’t try to bluff through this.”

Shehnaaz was beaming as she tilted her head at Rashmi and looked at Kartik from the corner of her eyes.

Kartik was silent for a long moment before pouring Shehnaaz a glass of water with lemon and red wine for Brother Khatri. He said nonchalantly, “You and Little Khatri just got here and will need two days to adjust to the time difference. Classes start on Monday. Let Little Khatri know when he’s back."

Shehnaaz never thought Kartik would totally sweep this under the rug. She raised her brows and looked thoughtfully at him, then Rashmi, who held a long stemmed red wine glass.

She was refused to back down and
opened her mouth to bicker with Kartik. Suddenly, someone kicked her gently from under the table. Although it didn’t hurt at all, it scared her to death. Shehnaaz subconsciously yelped and bent down to rub her ankle–then happened to see Kartik’s black leather shoe slowly shrink back.

Kartik was the one who kicked her?! Huh! This was all sorts of wrong? Kartik was taking sides? Covering for his teaching assistant?

Shehnaaz suddenly lost all respect for him. She originally thought he would be a principled and reasonable professor– why did he completely change after she arrived to the States? There must be something wrong with the cosmic energy here…

“Sana, what is it?” Rashmi also looked underneath the table, but she didn’t see Kartik’s shoe shrink back and thought Shehnaaz stubbed herself in a moment of frenzy, “It’s a bit cramped here, be careful.”

Shehnaaz remained bent over and glared at Kartik’s shoe. She straightened in her seat and said vehemently, “My bad, sorry.”

Kartik’s expression was cool as he wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin, then set it back on the table. He raised the wine glass in his hand, “Here, Sana, I wish you a pleasant six months in the States.”

“Pleasant or not depends on Teaching Assistant Desai, not me.” Kartik covering for Rashmi earlier was unacceptable to Shehnaaz, “Professor Sen, I don’t want this thing to happen over and over again. I request a restraining order–Teaching Assistant Rashmi cannot be involved with anything to do with me.”

“Shehnaaz, don’t take this too far.” Rashmi quickly rebutted, her tone no longer cordial, “What is the meaning
of this? You’re just a student and I’m not only Professor Sen’s teaching assistant, but also an associate professor at Harvard. You have two classes taught by me during your two
months at the Harvard Law School, do you not want your credits? If you don’t get the credits you’ve violated the
requirements for the F1 American student visa, this is illegal and will result in you being deported.”

“Then I won’t take the credits! Deport me.” Shehnaaz was also furious and set the glass of water down, “Professor Sen, I want to go back. If Teaching Assistant Desai treats me like this, the next six months will be hell for me. It’s not that I can’t suffer, but I don’t want to be wronged.” Her eyes turned red as soon as she said the word, “wronged.”

She would take it if Uncle Shukla gave her a hard time. But who was Rashmi? Why did she have to suffer her?

Shehnaaz’s inky eyes shimmered with tears and the slightly raised corners of her eyes were pink as though she had blush on.

Kartik closed his eyes in exasperation and rubbed between his brows. His icy voice was tinged with hopelessness, “…I know, I’ll personally teach all your
classes.”

“Professor Sen?!” Rashmi was shocked and dropped her napkin.

“I knew Professor Sen is the most reasonable!” Shehnaaz was overjoyed and immediately picked up the wine to pour Kartik a glass, “I toast you, Professor Sen!”

Kartik accepted the glass but looked at her disapprovingly, “But there is something wrong with how you’re treating Teaching Assistant Desai, –Apologize to her, ok?”

Shehnaaz knew when to draw the line and immediately looked at Rashmi kindly as she smiled and poured her a
glass, “Teaching Assistant Desai, please graciously forgive my pettiness and spare me from now on. I’m just a student, how could I dare mess with you, the local? Isn’t that right?”

Rashmi glared at her, no amount of self-restraint could quell the hate surging in her, “I don’t dare. You’re a force to be reckoned with, even as a student. More so than even a professor.” She didn’t touch the wine Shehnaaz poured and turned to Kartik, her eyes red too, “Professor Sen, I just
remembered I have some marking left to do, I won’t be joining you for dinner.”

“Teaching Assistant Desai is leaving just like that? But what about the salad you ordered earlier? It won’t do to waste food, that’s sinful.” Shehnaaz blinked rapidly and Rashmi wanted to punch her in the face.

“It won’t be wasted, I’ll ask the waiter to pack it up for me. Have a good dinner and Professor Sen will take you guys back after.” Rashmi nearly ran off.

She was afraid that she couldn’t help but slap Shehnaaz if she stayed even a minute longer. How could that face be so infuriating? She never thought that Shehnaaz would be this kind of person. She was looking out for her, but had her intentions seen as evil.

She couldn’t see what was so great
about Shehnaaz, that someone as cold as Professor Sen would keep acquiescing…

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I hope you enjoy reading it.
Love you all.