Chapter 6: White Lilies

Two days later, Professor Qin Ling’s name spread like wildfire throughout Mingxian Conservatory of Music.

For two days straight, Professor Qin Ling’s photos flooded the confession wall on WeChat.

There were photos of her eating, shopping at the supermarket, walking…

Most were secretly taken and uploaded by students.

It started with someone trying to find out which department and class she was in.

Someone in the comments explained, “That’s Professor Qin, the piano department’s performance professor…”

Soon, the beautiful professor became the subject of heated discussion across the campus.

Following that, the fact that she was once Mingxian Conservatory’s campus beauty was also revealed.

Within two days, everyone on campus knew Qin Ling’s name.

Jiang Yichen looked at his class schedule, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

On the very first day of school, he had a class with Professor Qin.

At 2 p.m., in the music building, Room B401.

“Lao Jiang^[1]Lao means Old so this means Old Jiang!!!” Zhang Wei wailed, “I’ve been racking my brains for two days and still can’t figure it out. Why!?”

Jiang Yichen chuckled, shrugging, “Brother, do you think I want to go to class? Why don’t you go in my place? Shall I say you are Jiang Yichen?”

“Damn it, you’re still showing off!”

“I’m not showing off anything,” Jiang Yichen said, his frustration mounting. He would rather his professor be an old man.

“Forget it, I’m going to class,” he said.

Jiang Yichen went to the balcony to wash his face.

The wind howls, the water is cold, a brave man goes forth and never returns…

Jiang Yichen casually stuffed a small fruit knife from the dorm into his backpack.  He had also borrowed pepper spray and tear gas from Jiang Suihua yesterday…

Purely for self-preservation.

Leaving the dorm building, Jiang Yichen didn’t head towards the music building but went to the south gate of the academy.

Besides preparing his self-defense tools, he had spent 200 yuan that noon, buying a bouquet of white lilies for Qin Ling.

These were her favorite flowers.

Jiang Yichen felt his apology was sincere enough. If Professor Qin still didn’t forgive him, then… he was speechless.

He left the dorm at 1:30 p.m.

He arrived at the south gate at 1:45 p.m.

Jiang Yichen asked the security guard…

The guard said he hadn’t seen any flower delivery.

Jiang Yichen looked at his phone, opening the completed delivery order.

He ordered the flowers at noon, and the flower shop was only five kilometers away.

His scheduled delivery time and place were 1:30 p.m. at the south gate.

The order was completed fifteen minutes ago.

“What? Where’s my flower?” Jiang Yichen directly called the delivery guy.

“I left it with your school’s security guard,” the delivery guy replied.

“Are you sure? I didn’t see it,” Jiang Yichen asked in confusion.

“I’m sure I left it at your school’s security office.”

“???” Jiang Yichen frowned. “Did you put it in the wrong place? At the north gate?”

“I followed the navigation,” the delivery guy replied.

Jiang Yichen checked the order information again… and then he exclaimed. He had set the location to the north gate!

Quickly ending the call, Jiang Yichen checked the time—1:48 p.m.

He quickly asked the security guard to watch his things.

Then, he ran towards the north gate with unprecedented speed.

They say high school is the peak of intelligence, middle school is the peak of physical strength, and university is the peak of eating.

From the south gate to the north gate, even though he felt like a superhuman, it still took ten minutes.

1:58 p.m.

He got the white lilies at the north gate.

Then, Jiang Yichen ran back again.

The music building was closer to the south gate, which is why he wanted the delivery guy to deliver there…

On his way back, Jiang Yichen was completely exhausted, drenched in sweat.

…

2:10 p.m.

Music building, Room B401.

Qin Ling looked expressionlessly at the clock on the wall.

This was her first official class, and she’d been stood up?

Whatever…

Qin Ling stood up and sat on the piano bench.

If the student wasn’t coming, she would have to entertain herself for this lesson.

Ding…

As soon as she played the first note, the door was violently pushed open.

Bang…

The force was so great that the door slammed against the wall.

Qin Ling sighed in displeasure, turning her head.

The handsome young man from two days ago looked like he’d just been pulled out of a pool.

Wearing a white T-shirt, a large patch on his chest was soaked.  Sweat streamed down his face, his bangs stuck together in clumps.

He carried a backpack and held a bouquet of lilies.

Was he coming from a date…? Qin Ling thought.

Jiang Yichen gasped for breath.

My god, I was about to see my great-grandmother.

Even rushing, he was still over ten minutes late…

“Professor Qin.”

Qin Ling was dressed similarly to before—white shirt, black midi skirt, flats.

A simple OL outfit…

Jiang Yichen glanced at her and quickly looked away.

He placed the lilies on the piano lid.

“You’re late,” Qin Ling said coldly, glancing at the clock. “Twelve minutes.”

“Um… I…”

“Don’t explain yet,” Qin Ling got up, picking up the ruler from the piano lid and sitting on the stool beside the piano bench. “You have thirty-three minutes left for class. We’ll talk after class.”

“Okay…”

Jiang Yichen paused, then sat down on the piano bench, pulling out his textbook and sheet music.

He placed his backpack at his feet.

If anything went wrong, he would immediately use his self-defense tools.

“Play one of your best pieces for me,” Qin Ling said.

“Okay.”