Chapter 68: Afternoon Tea

In the end, Chen Jin didn’t become the third wheel for her second cousin and Zhuang Yao.

She called Zhuang Yao to ask for her location, then stepped on the gas to drop off her second cousin before driving away herself.

“Make sure to have a good chat with Zhuang Yao. Don’t forget about that meal you owe me!”

To buy gold jewelry, she had to go to an old gold shop in the eastern district. Although it was a small and old place, the craftsmen inside had great skills, and the designs they made were classic.

Chen Jin actually knew of a store like that, located on the main street, a little shop. She used to come here with her mother to buy gold jewelry.

There were quite a few gold shops on this street, but even during the most rampant times for criminals, the shops remained open. This was because the city’s Public Security Bureau, the city’s Procuratorate, and the city’s Intermediate People’s Court were all located at the head of this street, and the city’s People’s Government was at the end. No one would dare to come here to rob, knowing they’d likely end up in the hands of the law.

The shop owner was no longer the old man with a head full of white hair; it had been replaced by a young man who looked about her age, lazily reclining on a chair outside the store, gently waving a large fan while looking very similar to that old man who had passed his seventies.

Hearing footsteps, the young shop owner opened his eyes and glanced over lazily before saying, “There are samples on the counter. Once you decide on a style, pay the deposit, and you can pick it up in a week. The prices are all on the counter; you can check them yourself.”

Chen Jin thought to herself: This person is pretty laid-back about doing business!

No one disturbed her; the quiet little shop only had the sound of her breathing and the rustling of the pamphlet as she flipped through it. She lowered her head to look at the samples locked in the glass display case, comparing them with the written descriptions in the brochure, and began to carefully consider what design to choose.

The text in the brochure was written in fine calligraphy on ancient paper, as if she were flipping through an old book.

As she flipped through, Chen Jin’s heart calmed down, and she focused on selecting the samples.

After a long while, she closed the brochure, hesitating whether to call the shop owner since he looked like he was asleep. She didn’t hesitate for long before a plump orange cat suddenly dropped from a branch extending to the second floor, landing heavily on the shop owner. Chen Jin gasped, unsure whether to worry about the shop owner getting hit or the plump orange cat that had fallen.

Hearing the shop owner scolding the cat, he said, “If you dare to drop on me again, I’ll throw you back in the garbage heap!”

In return, the fat orange cat protested with a “meow.”

Chen Jin felt a bit envious of the shop owner’s plump orange cat and thought to herself: Since you put it that way, why don’t I just take it home?

“Have you made your choice?” The shop owner came over, holding the cat, and asked what style she wanted. Chen Jin chose the dragon and phoenix pattern.

The gold bracelet she had brought back from Hong Kong was a versatile style without any special designs. If it weren’t for thinking that wedding gifts might need to be more meaningful, Chen Jin wouldn’t have considered what pattern to choose and wouldn’t understand the significance behind them.

After she paid the deposit, the shop owner gave her a receipt, stating she could pick up the gold bracelet in a week with it.

Seeing her put away the receipt while glancing at the cat, he added, “This is a small business; I don’t give away cats.”

The plump orange cat also chimed in with a meow.

“……”

Chen Jin just said “oh” and left.

Hmph, as if she couldn’t afford a cat!

But she decided against it. With another cat at home, she wouldn’t be able to take it with her when she went far away.

With the cat on her mind, she inadvertently forgot about going to Gu Xi Road to buy a cake… so maybe she wouldn’t have cake today; too much sugar wasn’t good for her teeth anyway.

Quickly convincing herself, Chen Jin drove around to the flower and bird market.

Since she had been focusing on supervising the students during their military training, the vases at home had been empty for quite some time. Although there was a small flower shop outside the West Gate, nothing compared to the piles of flowers in the market!

After parking the car, Chen Jin took the red little cart with two small wheels out of the trunk. This cart was similar to the shopping carts in supermarkets and was particularly convenient for going out to buy vegetables and fruits. It was one of Aunt He’s strongly recommended practical items. Now, this cart had become an essential item for her outings, saving her the trouble of carrying too many things back home.

Thus, Chen Jin wheeled her red cart through the bustling flower and bird market, diving into the stalls selling various flowers. She specifically chose the stalls that weren’t too crowded, as otherwise, the vendors wouldn’t let her browse and pick freely.

Having loaded the cart with flowers, Chen Jin found nothing else to buy, but she enjoyed wandering through the flower and bird market. After strolling around, she finally felt satisfied as she walked out of the market. She also picked up a few beautiful vases from the small stalls on the outskirts, filling half of her trunk.

Returning to Wutong Road, she parked in front of a fruit store to choose some fruits before heading home.

Hearing her car, Professor Song came out, and upon seeing the trunk full of fresh flowers, his mood brightened. He jogged over, offering to help her arrange the flowers.

“That would be great! My flower arranging skills can’t compare to yours,” Chen Jin said. She preferred a casual approach to arranging flowers, while Professor Song treated it like creating a piece of art, resulting in arrangements that were far more beautiful than her haphazard attempts.

“Do you need any help?” Shen Baichuan also came out. Although it was a question, he had already reached over to take Professor Song’s place, helping Chen Jin unload the cart and getting a whiff of the floral fragrance.

Shen Baichuan glanced into the trunk and noticed a box filled with several tightly wrapped vases. He easily picked it up and followed Chen Jin into the house.

It’s been more than a year since they bought their house and moved in, and they had been neighbors for over half a year. Yet, this was the first time Chen Jin had been to Shen Baichuan’s home, and it was also the first time he stepped into her house.

As soon as she entered, the layout of Shen Baichuan’s home was identical to hers, which made it feel familiar. Looking around, she noticed the house was filled with fluffy toys and cute little decorations everywhere. There were numerous picture frames on the walls, cabinets, and tables, and potted plants were arranged in every little corner of the home.

The cushions on the sofa were askew, and there was a whole row of oddly shaped cups on the sideboard…

Her home and her life were just as colorful.

Chen Jin invited him to sit down and then quickly ran outside to bring in the fruits from the trunk. She closed the trunk and kicked the courtyard gate shut with her foot.

Seeing Chen Jin go to find cups for water, Shen Baichuan relaxed. Since she didn’t say anything, he took it as her tacit approval for him to stay and help. So, he assisted Professor Song in arranging the flowers that Chen Jin had brought back.

Professor Song encouraged him to pick a cup for himself. “All the cups at Xiao Jin’s place have labels on them, so whoever picks one will use that same one from now on. She still has some that haven’t been used; go pick one quickly. Tsk, are you shy? You can’t be like this!”

He hadn’t even needed to make a move to pursue her, yet he felt himself blush first. With the air conditioning set so low, there was no way he was blushing because he was hot!

“Professor Shen, is this black cup okay?” Chen Jin raised a cup she was holding to show him. The remaining unused cups were all very colorful, not really suiting Professor Shen’s temperament, leaving only a black-and-white checkerboard cup. She had liked it at the time but hadn’t figured out what to use it for, so it had been sitting idle in the cabinet.

“Sure,” Shen Baichuan nodded, secretly letting out a long breath. He picked a vase, gathered a few flower stems, and with a few snips of the scissors, arranged them neatly in the vase, ensuring they were at different heights and clearly defined.

Even Professor Song praised his flower arranging skills, but when Chen Jin brought out two cups of cool boiled water and looked at the flowers, all she could say was, “They look great!”

Her compliments were simple and straightforward, often just “so delicious!” “really good!” “so pretty!” and similar expressions.

With two “experts” helping with the flower arrangements in the living room, Chen Jin was responsible for washing and cutting the fruits, then inviting them to come over to eat. She saved the last few flowers for herself to arrange freely: cutting them haphazardly and putting them all in the largest vase on the coffee table in front of the sofa, making it the most eye-catching thing in the room.

Professor Song wanted to create an opportunity, so he said to Shen Baichuan, “Baichuan, last time you mentioned wanting to drink coffee made by you. Why don’t you go make a few cups? I’ll grab some pastries from home. Xiao He made mung bean cake this morning; it’s just right for afternoon tea, and we can gather in Xiao Jin’s backyard later. Oh, I need to go back and get my mung bean cake before the old man finishes it!”

Shen Baichuan didn’t move, looking at Chen Jin, unsure if she would be willing for them to gather in her backyard for afternoon tea.

Chen Jin asked, “What should I prepare?” It seemed like she only had some snacks at home, but neither Professor Song nor Professor Shen looked like they were fans of snacks.

“You don’t need to prepare anything; you’ve already cut the fruit,” Professor Song said, already thinking about the mung bean cake in her house and headed home.

After waiting for a moment, Shen Baichuan asked, “Then should I go back to make coffee? What flavor do you like?”

“Just not bitter will be fine, thank you, Professor Shen.”

Once Shen Baichuan floated back to his own home, Chen Jin quickly found a cloth to wipe the tables and chairs in the pavilion in the backyard. She also dug out a clean tablecloth from the storage cabinet. Once she spread the small floral cloth over the table, her backyard pavilion looked like a little café.

Unexpectedly, Professor Song not only brought a plate of mung bean cakes but also brought the usually reclusive Dean Xi along. Professor Song called over the fence to Shen Baichuan’s house, adding “one more order” for Dean Xi to have a cup of coffee.

“I’m not used to this Western thing,” Dean Xi tried to refuse.

Professor Song ignored him, saying, “If you’re not used to it, just don’t drink it; leave it be.”

When Shen Baichuan brought over four cups of coffee, Dean Xi still accepted his cup. After taking a small sip and pondering the flavor, he took another sip…

He muttered softly, “The taste is okay.”

Chen Jin covered her mouth to suppress a laugh. With Dean Xi being so stubborn, Professor Song didn’t bother with him, yet he still had to try it. If Professor Song had earnestly urged him to give it a go, he might not have touched it at all.

“Are you two dating since you’ve been going in and out together recently?”

Dean Xi’s sudden remark struck like a thunderclap on a clear day, leaving Chen Jin momentarily speechless.

“Dean Xi, don’t joke about us. Teacher Chen and I just had lunch together, and it was convenient for me to give her a ride back. We both have to go to work this afternoon, so it made sense to share my car,” Shen Baichuan quickly explained.

Chen Jin nodded vigorously, “Yes! It was just convenient.”

However, this rang alarm bells in her mind. While she and Teacher Shen were currently just ordinary friends, getting too close could easily lead to misunderstandings. She decided she should be more careful in the future.

Seeing the thoughtful expression on Chen Jin’s face, Dean Xi internally cursed, realizing she might have ruined Shen Baichuan’s chance with her.

At that moment, Shen Baichuan took a sip of coffee and smiled, “I can only occasionally share a ride. I’ve been busy at work recently and have no classes, so I have to go to the office.”

He then turned to Chen Jin, “But I still need to eat lunch at school. I’d appreciate it if Teacher Chen could save me a spot.”

“…Sure,” she replied.

When Shen Baichuan mentioned his company, Dean Xi, who had been absorbed in learning computer programming, asked him about computer-related matters. Chen Jin didn’t understand any of it.

Fortunately, some old colleagues of Professor Song arrived to chat, and they eventually gathered in the backyard of Chen Jin’s home. She immediately stepped aside to give the old professors space to talk. As Professor Song was thinking about returning to his own courtyard, Dean Xi pulled him back, and he ended up sitting with two old friends in the pavilion of Chen Jin’s home, leaving Chen Jin and Shen Baichuan to chat.

“You young people have topics to discuss. We old folks have topics that don’t interest you,” they joked.

Once the two left for the living room, Dean Xi whispered, “Let’s stay here so they can have a chance to be alone.”

The two old friends understood and remarked, “So you really want to play matchmaker, huh?”

“Still as clever as ever, just like back in school,” one replied.

In the living room, Chen Jin glanced at Shen Baichuan, then around her home, wondering why it suddenly felt crowded.

The two of them sat at opposite ends of the sofa, staring at the ceiling and floor, avoiding each other’s gaze.

Unable to endure the awkward atmosphere any longer, Chen Jin said, “Teacher Shen, should I turn on the TV?”

“Ah, sure,” Shen Baichuan nodded.

The TV was replaying a show she had already seen, and after a while, Chen Jin found it boring. However, seeing that Shen Baichuan was engrossed, she resisted the urge to change the channel. The coffee from earlier didn’t sit well with her stomach, and she still had more than half a cup left. Chen Jin went to the fridge, pulled out a pineapple-flavored ice cream, and asked Shen Baichuan if he wanted any.

“No, thanks,” he replied, returning his attention to the TV.

In truth, he wasn’t paying attention to what was happening on the screen. His mind was a jumbled mess. He needed to rethink his current relationship with Chen Jin.

He had intended to take things slow, like boiling a frog in warm water, but after Dean Xi’s probing comment, he realized he couldn’t do that because Chen Jin wasn’t even stepping into the water. Watching him flounder from the sidelines was a possibility.

“Teacher Shen? Teacher Shen?”

Chen Jin called out twice, but seeing that he was completely absorbed in the TV, she gave up asking. She went upstairs, brought down a book, and opened a pack of cookies, munching away as she read.

The house was lively with sounds. Chen Jin could hear the old professors chatting in the backyard and the dialogue from the TV show behind her. Still, she immersed herself in the text, embarking on an adventure through the author’s words.

Dean Xi quietly checked on the situation and shot a frustrated glance at Shen Baichuan, who was still engrossed in the TV! Thinking it best not to disturb them further, she took Professor Song and the two old friends to say their goodbyes.

Chen Jin and Shen Baichuan walked the guests out, and as Chen Jin habitually turned to close the gate, she noticed Shen Baichuan still standing in her yard.

“Teacher Shen, are you going home?”

Shen Baichuan wanted to shake his head but realized it wasn’t the right time or place to be honest with her, so he held back.

“Thanks for the hospitality today.”

“Don’t mention it,” she replied, though she hadn’t really done much to host.

As she was about to close the gate, she spotted Li Xingyi and Bai Ling approaching with pastries. Chen Jin raised her eyebrows. She was now experienced enough to know to bring some old-fashioned pastries rather than expensive gifts.

These two were surprisingly persistent, still visiting Professor Song’s home regularly even after school had started.

Although she found them annoying, they must have some real talent, or Professor Song would have driven them away. He wouldn’t agree to meet with them every time otherwise.

But whatever they did was no longer her concern.

Back to the house to change the TV channel!

Since that day, Chen Jin returned to her usual routine, commuting to and from work alone at noon.

Shen Baichuan would leave for Dongcheng immediately after lunch. She heard that his classes this semester were scheduled for the morning, leaving him free in the afternoons. So Chen Jin had to have lunch alone and then head back to the office. She couldn’t afford to nap at home, fearing that if she accidentally turned off her alarm, she would wake up at three or four in the afternoon.

That would be terrifying!

She had considered staying in the office for a nap, but after several teachers decided not to return home for lunch since the break, especially with Teacher Chang snoring, it was too torturous. After spending one afternoon in the office, she never dared to think about napping there again.

Out of six days a week for lunch, three were spent eating with Shen Baichuan, while the other three were either with the other counselors or with Yang Qian and her two friends.

When everyone happened to gather together, they just decided where to sit based on the available spots in the cafeteria.

Yang Qian watched as she rushed into the cafeteria with a file, then quickly served her meal and sat across from her.

“OMG! I can’t believe someone actually stole someone else’s admission notice to replace them in school!” As soon as Chen Jin sat down, she couldn’t help but talk about what had been keeping her busy these past few days. “If it weren’t for the baseline test at the start of the semester, they wouldn’t have found out anything was wrong.”

“Really? Is it a student you brought in?”

“No, it’s a student from the Physics College. Their teacher conducted a baseline test to understand the students’ grasp of physics, but unexpectedly, one student scored only a dozen points! The teacher thought the score was odd and reported it to the counselor. The counselor then gave the student a set of high school exam papers. Except for physics, the student did well in other subjects, but that score was far too low to get into NTU. The counselor checked the student’s college entrance exam scores and looked into their high school performance. It turned out that the student usually ranked at the top and wouldn’t score so poorly at all…”

“They reported it to the college, and then called the police. After the investigation, hey! That admission notice was stolen! And there’s an even bigger shock: the student whose admission notice was stolen is actually the cousin of his aunt, and she helped him steal it. They didn’t even need to steal the household registration book; his aunt just handed it over directly.”

This incident caused a big stir. After the college reported the police’s findings to the school, the school leaders held a meeting. Then it was followed by a meeting with the new student counselors, preparing to conduct a baseline test for incoming students tomorrow. She had been sorting through student files these past couple of days.

“Why would she do that? To help her own nephew steal another kid’s admission notice? Is she out of her mind?”

Chen Jin sighed. “For two thousand yuan.”

It was unbelievable that someone would sell a young person’s future for just two thousand yuan.

“The boy who got replaced, upon realizing he didn’t get into college, just went off to work.”

They didn’t even know if the police could reach that student to inform him to come back to enroll.

“If someone with decent grades replaced a student in college, imagine how terrifying that would be; no one would be able to figure out anything was wrong.”