Chapter 16

Wen Ci regretted hanging up the phone immediately after doing so.

She shouldn’t have rejected so quickly; what if, in two days, she overcomes her embarrassment…?

It was strange. If she had made such a huge mistake in front of someone else, Wen Ci would probably avoid appearing in front of them for the rest of her life.

But this person was Zhou Wu. While Wen Ci felt embarrassed and ashamed, the thought of wanting to meet him still dominated her emotions.

She felt hopeless, but still opened Zhou Wu’s chat box and typed: “Sorry, after thinking about it, it seems like I can meet the day after tomorrow—”

Wait, would it be too obvious if she just hung up and immediately changed her mind?

Wen Ci unconsciously bit her thumb, retreating a little in her heart, and then changed it to: “Sorry, can we meet this Friday instead?”

Zhou Wu replied quickly with just three words: 【No.】

Wen Ci slumped back onto the desk, burying her face in the crook of her arm, still holding her phone.

Ah…

Why was her mouth so fast just now…?

After a while, Wen Ci slowly raised her head and typed again: “Then how about Saturday—”

The sound of people coming back from the cafeteria interrupted her. Several teachers returned, and one of them walked straight toward her desk. Wen Ci, feeling like a student caught doing something sneaky, locked her phone with a snap.

She’d ask later, when she got home.

A serving of cold noodles was placed on Wen Ci’s desk, and Teacher Li smiled. “Wen Ci, although you said you didn’t want any, I still brought you a portion. It’s hot out, it’s normal to have no appetite, but you can’t skip lunch, you’re so thin.”

“You just want Wen Ci to eat something so that she sounds louder when she’s giving a lesson in your class this afternoon,” someone teased.

Teacher Li defended herself. “I didn’t!”

Wen Ci chuckled, pushing her hair behind her ear. “Thank you, Teacher Li, I’ll eat it.”

It was indeed hard to have an appetite in such hot weather, and with her mind preoccupied, Wen Ci had only taken a few bites before she felt full. Since Teacher Li had specially brought it for her, Wen Ci forced herself to eat a little more before putting it down.

It was almost time for class. After tidying up her desk, Wen Ci picked up her textbook and was about to head to the classroom.

Just as she stepped out the door, someone suddenly collided with her back. Wen Ci almost lost her balance. Before she could react, she felt something sweet and sticky wetness on her back—

“Teacher Wen!” A slightly immature voice hurriedly apologized. “I’m so sorry!!”

Wen Ci turned around to see one of Teacher Li’s students, holding a half-spilled cup of milk tea.

Hearing the voice of her student, Teacher Li hurried to the door. After seeing what happened, she scolded, “You brought snacks into school again! And you’re running in the hallway! Look what you’ve done now! After school, come to my office! And bring your parents!!”

The student’s eyes immediately turned red, and Wen Ci quickly reassured her, “It’s fine, it’s just that my clothes are wet.”

“Teacher Wen, you don’t know, this isn’t the first time he’s done this…” Teacher Li muttered, then turned back to the student. “Enough, why are you still standing there? Hurry back to the classroom, class is about to start!”

After scolding the student and sending him away, Teacher Li carefully wiped Wen Ci’s back with a tissue, worried. “What should we do, Teacher Wen, the stain is still very noticeable.”

Wen Ci was wearing a light beige knitted cardigan with a white inner shirt, and casual denim jeans.

The milk tea had spilled on the cardigan, and not only was the stain obvious, but it also smelled strong.

“The classroom has air conditioning. If you wear wet clothes in there, what if you catch a cold?” Teacher Li thought for a moment. “Wait here, I’ll run to the dorm to grab you a jacket. I’ll tell the class to study on their own for ten minutes.”

“No, thank you, Teacher Li.” Wen Ci hesitated. “…I brought a jacket today.”

Wen Ci hesitantly pulled Zhou Wu’s jacket out of her bag.

—-

After all, she wouldn’t be seeing Zhou Wu for the next few days. She could wear it today and take it to the dry cleaners tomorrow. She’d be able to return it to him in time.

Luckily, Teacher Li had acted quickly earlier and helped her pull the soaked cardigan off, so her inner shirt wasn’t too wet.

Wen Ci put on Zhou Wu’s jacket, zipped it up, and pulled the sleeves up slightly. Then, hearing the class bell ring, she rushed to the classroom.

Wen Ci had a full afternoon of classes. By the time school ended, there were still a bunch of students chasing after her out of the classroom.

“Teacher Wen! Just tell us! When will summer break start?”

Wen Ci walked quickly, replying, “I don’t know. You should ask your Teacher Li about that.”

“Teacher Li is so stingy, she won’t tell us! Teacher Wen, please, we’re begging you!”

“Teacher Wen! That jacket of yours looks really cool and stylish today—”

Wen Ci patted the head of the student who said that, smiling, “Thank you, but I really don’t know.”

After finally escaping the students, Wen Ci pushed her bike out of the school’s bike shed and let out a long sigh of relief.

At the end of the school day, there were more kids around the school for safety reasons, so Wen Ci always walked a little before getting on her bike.

“Wen Ci, you’re so popular with those students,” a fellow teacher from the English department said, following her while also pushing a bicycle.

This teacher was Yang Yunfei, a colleague who had become a regular teacher this year along with Wen Ci, teaching fourth grade. They were the same age and got along well.

They lived on the same street, so occasionally they would ride bikes home together after work.

“Not really,” Wen Ci smiled, “It’s just that I’m too weak, so they think I’m easy to approach.”

Yang Yunfei pushed her glasses up and sighed, “No, I understand them. When I was in school, I also liked the teachers who were good-looking.”

Wen Ci never thought of herself as good-looking, and she took this as polite chatter, smiling but not saying anything.

The two of them walked out of the school gates.

Jiangcheng Primary School was a branch school, so the gate wasn’t as grand as the one at Jiangzhong High School. It was just a large entrance with two small streets on the side, filled with all kinds of street food, and the delicious smells filled the air.

Yang Yunfei quickened her pace, “Wen Ci, hurry up! Otherwise, I’ll be tempted to get something!”

Wen Ci followed her, “Okay.”

“Wait,” Yang Yunfei stopped, “Why are there so many people gathered over there?”

Wen Ci followed her gaze and saw a crowd of students gathered under a banyan tree in front of the school gate, all peering and gossiping about something.

Wen Ci stood on tiptoe to peek but saw nothing.

“With so many kids around, it must be a new, really delicious food stand!” Yang Yunfei asserted. “We need to check it out. If I get tempted again, remember to stop me. I’m dieting.”

Wen Ci: “Actually, if we don’t look, we won’t want to eat.”

“The crowd’s getting bigger! Hurry up, Wen Ci!”

“Okay.”

The two teachers stood outside the crowd, still unable to see anything. Yang Yunfei cleared her throat and said loudly, “What are you all doing? It’s after school, go home. Be careful, I’ll report you to your teachers!”

Wen Ci reached out to stop her but didn’t manage to, as Yang Yunfei had already spoken.

A few students turned around at the sound of her voice, and the crowd parted just enough for Wen Ci to see.

Before she could investigate further, a loud “Woof!” sounded.

Immediately, a huge white ball of fur leapt out of the crowd and charged toward Wen Ci.

Wen Ci, caught off guard, jumped in surprise. Just as the large white figure was about to pounce on her, it was held back by a leash, and its paws stopped just a few centimeters from her.

Wen Ci snapped out of her daze and finally saw it clearly—it was a Samoyed.

The dog was obviously well taken care of, with shiny, thick fur and a smiling expression, eagerly panting and wagging its tongue, frustrated by the distance between itself and Wen Ci.

It was ridiculously cute.

Wen Ci felt her heart soften, and strangely, despite all Samoyeds looking similar, she felt that this one looked a little familiar.

Wen Ci really wanted to pet it. She looked up to ask its owner for permission.

The leash on the Samoyed was lightly tugged, and its owner lazily spoke, “Be good, don’t jump.”

Wen Ci’s heart skipped a beat.

She finally realized why the dog looked familiar.

Zhou Wu was sitting on a low stone bench under the banyan tree, wearing a black sleeveless shirt and gray work pants, with a dog leash wrapped around his hand.

“Not a food stand after all,” Yang Yunfei remarked, her gaze lingering on Zhou Wu’s muscular arms before moving up to his face.

The next moment, she turned to Wen Ci and whispered, “But he looks more appetizing than a food stand.”

Wen Ci: “…”

Zhou Wu sat lazily, with his back slightly arched, so he was hidden from view by the crowd. After pulling the Samoyed back, he slowly raised his eyes.

“Teacher Wen,” he said, raising an eyebrow with a mock surprise at her stunned expression. “What a coincidence.”

Wen Ci: “…”

Yang Yunfei was taken aback. She looked between the two, “Do you two know each other?”

Wen Ci had never expected to run into Zhou Wu at the school gate. Her mind went blank, and after a long pause, she managed to utter, “Uh, yes.”

Zhou Wu stood up and extended his hand to her. “Hello. I’m Teacher Wen’s friend.”

Zhou Wu was tall, and as soon as he stood up, he became the most prominent figure in the crowd. Yang Yunfei took a deep breath and quickly shook his hand. “Hello, hello, I’m Wen Ci’s colleague.”

As they spoke, the Samoyed was still spinning around Wen Ci, trying to jump into her lap.

“No wonder it likes Wen Ci so much, turns out they know each other,” Yang Yunfei chuckled.

Zhou Wu let go of her hand and said cryptically, “It knows the scent.”

Wen Ci, who was still wearing Zhou Wu’s jacket: “…”

“Are you two planning to go out for a meal?” Zhou Wu asked casually.

Wen Ci’s scalp tightened.

It’s over.

“We? Who? Me and Wen Ci? No way, we’re just about to go home,” Yang Yunfei laughed. “Who would go out for dinner on a Monday in hell?”

Wen Ci: “…”

She couldn’t laugh.

She lowered her head, trying to find a crack in the ground near the playful Samoyed.

“Is that so?” Zhou Wu’s tone was淡, unsurprised.

Wen Ci helplessly opened her mouth, about to say something to salvage the situation, but was interrupted by the person next to her.

“Are you here to walk the dog?” Yang Yunfei enthusiastically invited him. “Is it the same way? Come with us, Wen Ci and I are just about to go home.”

“No,” Zhou Wu smiled briefly. “I’m going that way.”

Yang Yunfei, slightly disappointed, said, “Oh, okay then.”

As she watched the man and the dog walk off in the opposite direction, Yang Yunfei couldn’t hold back her excitement any longer.

“Wen Ci! Who is that guy? He’s so handsome!!! Is he your friend? Please share his WeChat! I’m begging you—”

“Sorry.” Wen Ci snapped out of it, gripping the handlebars of her bike.

She turned the bike around in a hurry and said, “Yunfei, I just remembered there’s something I haven’t finished at school. You go ahead and head back.”

“Huh? Alright, but about that guy’s WeChat… hey, Wen Ci! I didn’t finish my sentence! Why are you leaving so fast?”

Realizing the direction Wen Ci was heading in, Yang Yunfei froze. “Wait, didn’t you say there’s something at school? Why are you going that way?”