Chapter 13 — Busy Line

“Good morning, Teacher Tang!”

Tang Xiaohe had just stepped into the school gate carrying some steamed buns and soy milk when a student politely greeted her.

Tang Xiaohe smiled and nodded, energetically returning the student’s enthusiasm: “Good morning!”

Actually, she was very tired. She had been too excited after dining with Ji Yanli last night and had tossed and turned in bed until two in the morning, unable to sleep. So she got up early to prepare the lesson plan for the next unit.

By the time she finished writing the lesson plan, it was already five o’clock. She went back to bed but barely had a nap before her phone rang.

Still sleepy, Tang Xiaohe picked up the phone and saw that the caller ID was her mother. She immediately became alert — calling so early in the morning, was something wrong at home?

Hurriedly, she answered, and on the other end came Chen Aimei’s strong and clear voice: “Hello, Xiaohe!”

“What’s up, Mom?” Tang Xiaohe’s tone was a little anxious. Although Chen’s voice didn’t sound like anything was wrong, she was still worried.

“Nothing, just calling to check if you’re up yet!”

Chen Aimei’s reply made Tang Xiaohe’s anxious heart settle back down. Still, she asked patiently, “Is that really why you called so early?”

“Of course,” Chen said matter-of-factly, “When you were little, you liked to sleep in and were always late for school. Now that you’re a teacher, you can’t do the same anymore.”

Tang Xiaohe’s morning grumpiness was late but present: “Mom, I’m an adult now. Why do you still care about this? I’ve never been late for work!”

On the other end, Chen Aimei chuckled softly, “Mom still knows you — even if you’re not late, you always just barely make it on time.”

“I don’t need to get up this early even if I’m early. Look at what time it is now,” Tang Xiaohe said gloomily, feeling a little sulky from lack of rest. “Is there anything else you want to say? If not, I’m hanging up.”

“Don’t hang up, don’t hang up — my dear girl.”

Chen Aimei’s voice suddenly softened: “My dear, I just dreamed about you. I woke up early.”

“Mom—”

“Mom misses you a lot, just wanted to check if you’ve been doing well lately.”

Tang Xiaohe’s lingering gloom vanished. Her tone softened: “Mom, I miss you too. I’ll come home when I have time on the weekend or during the National Day holiday.”

“How many people are coming back?”

Tang Xiaohe was confused by the question: “Of course just me. Who else would come back?”
“My future son-in-law! You better keep an eye on that. Didn’t you want to know what kind of dream I had?”

Tang Xiaohe finally understood the real reason her mother called so early after all the small talk: “What kind of dream?”

“I dreamed you were in a relationship! Aunt Wang had her grandson last week. When will you let me be a mother-in-law?”

Tang Xiaohe couldn’t help but wonder if the idea of telepathy between mother and daughter might actually have scientific basis.

Just as things were starting to look promising with Ji Yanli, her mother’s call came.

Tang Xiaohe didn’t want to tell her mother anything for now, so she quickly ended the call.

“Also, Xiaobei is getting married too. She’s even younger than you. As the elder, you’re still such a beautiful peony flower.”

Tang Xiaohe was speechless: “Let her get married if she wants to! Who says a niece can’t get married before her aunt?”

“You, you really don’t know your place — don’t know what’s good for you!”

Tang Xiaohe laughed. She had no idea where Chen Aimei had learned such trendy slang.

She pretended the signal was bad, putting on a dramatic act:

“Hello, Mom, can you hear me? Mom, can you hear me? Why aren’t you saying anything? Okay, I’m hanging up now!”
Then decisively pressed the hang-up button.

Yawning repeatedly, she got out of bed and went to the sideboard to make herself a cup of black coffee.

While waiting for the coffee to cool, she quickly went to refill food and water for the cats and dogs.

After finishing all that, it was just the right time to go to work. She gulped down the coffee in one go and stepped out right on time.

The morning on campus was as lively as ever. Though she could be lethargic when alone, she always had to face her students with full energy.

A student hurriedly ran past her from behind and accidentally bumped her arm.

“Walk slowly, don’t run, be careful not to fall!” Tang Xiaohe looked at the freshly wet floor and habitually reminded him.

The student bowed to her: “Thank you, Teacher!” then slowed down and trotted away.

Tang Xiaohe sighed and was about to enter the teaching building when out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a familiar car parked on the empty lot behind the building.
Isn’t that Ji Yanli’s car? Why is it at school?

She walked over and knocked on the window.
Ji Yanli rolled down the window.

“Yanli, good morning!”

He was casually dressed in his uniform, sleeves rolled up, stacked around his wrist was something green. Tang Xiaohe, being sharp-eyed and having seen many fine things, recognized it was probably a Patek Philippe watch, though the exact model wasn’t clear. She couldn’t tell if the watch was more valuable or his car was and couldn’t help but sigh again at Ji Yanli’s extravagance.

But no matter how good the watch, it was just an accessory on Ji Yanli’s wrist.

No luxury item compared to that little exposed wrist of his that Tang Xiaohe couldn’t take her eyes off.

“Good morning.”

Ji Yanli had already spotted her from the rearview mirror when Tang Xiaohe entered the school and greeted her students.

Unlike the clumsy side she showed at home, Tang Xiaohe was gentle, gracious, kind, and looked like a capable young teacher when facing her students.

Ji Yanli’s eyes deepened; he admired this side of Tang Xiaohe very much.

“What are you doing here?” Tang Xiaohe was both surprised and happy to see him at school so early, her eyes sparkling.

“Here to review the flow for the legal awareness talk. Isn’t it the day after tomorrow?”
Tang Xiaohe slapped her forehead: “How could I forget!”

“Why didn’t you call me? We could have come together.”

Ji Yanli looked at her: “I called you this morning, but the line was busy.”
Ji Yanli spoke casually, but actually, he had called once and got a busy tone, waited a while, called again — still busy.

He was a little curious. He swore it was just curiosity — who was she chatting with on the phone so early in the morning?!

Tang Xiaohe felt embarrassed to say it was her mom calling early to wake her up for work, so she vaguely said:
“My mom was worried I’d wake up late and be late for work, so she called to wake me up… and talked for a bit.”

Ji Yanli hadn’t expected that reason. His voice raised, and he raised an eyebrow:
“You still need your mom to call to get you up?”

Tang Xiaohe looked around; there were a few students nearby cleaning.

Worried they might overhear; she instinctively covered Ji Yanli’s mouth with one hand and held up a “shh” finger with her other hand that was carrying soy milk and buns.

Her palm touched his soft lips, and both Ji Yanli and Tang Xiaohe froze.