Chapter 9: Won’t Your Girlfriend Be Mad?

“Alright, that’s all for today. Class dismissed! Duty students, please stay behind to clean up—the rest of you are free to leave.”

After a full day of teaching, Tang Xiaohe’s legs were barely holding her up. She had a heavy class schedule today: in addition to Chinese, she taught one session each of Ethics and Law, Practical Skills, and then had to cover English because the English teacher called in sick. On top of that, the Friday class meeting was also rescheduled to today.

Four consecutive periods without a break—her mouth was dry, and her throat parched. She just wanted to rush back to the office to drink some water.

Before she could even leave the classroom, she heard a commotion out in the hallway. Tang Xiaohe sighed school was nearly over, and she silently prayed these kids weren’t causing trouble again. She just wanted to finish the day in peace.

She walked quickly toward the hallway.

“Wow! He’s so handsome!”

“I’ve only seen police officers like that on TV!”

Several girls were huddled together, excitedly chatting, while a few boys leaned over the railing to join in the fuss.

Kids these days were maturing early. Sixth-grade girls already had a sense of what was “handsome” and what wasn’t. Tang Xiaohe found it a bit amusing. She followed their gaze and saw Ji Yanli in uniform, standing tall and straight, his profile to her as he spoke with the principal. The warm glow of the setting sun cast a golden light across his shoulders, making it look as if he were glowing.

Just then, the principal noticed Tang Xiaohe and waved at her. “Ms. Tang! I was just looking for you!”

Tang Xiaohe quickly went downstairs, jogging toward them.

Ji Yanli watched her run over, slightly out of breath, her fair face tinged with pink from exertion. Her breathing was uneven, and she puffed out her cheeks like a little sloth trying to recover—utterly adorable.

“Hello, Principal. You were looking for me?”

“Ms. Tang, let me introduce you. This is Officer Ji Yanli from the City Public Security Bureau. He’ll be in charge of the upcoming legal awareness lecture. And this is Ms. Tang Xiaohe, the homeroom teacher of Class 6-2. Her students will be participating in the knowledge competition after the lecture.” The principal gave a brief intro and assigned each their responsibilities.

Ji Yanli was a bit surprised. She looked so young—he hadn’t expected her to be in charge of a graduating class.

Tang Xiaohe was the first to extend her hand. “Nice to meet you, Officer Ji. I look forward to working with you.”

Ji Yanli raised an eyebrow. Oh? Pretending not to know him now?

Seeing her formal, businesslike manner, Ji Yanli played along and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Tang. We’re honored to be working with your school.”

The principal, smiling, looked at the two of them and suddenly recalled something. At the recent dinner gathering, Xu Fangli had mentioned that Ms. Tang was still single, so he casually said, “Officer Ji, our Ms. Tang here is an outstanding teacher—very capable. If there are any suitable young men at your department, maybe you could keep her in mind?”

Tang Xiaohe froze on the spot.

Principal… really? Do you even know who’s standing in front of you? That’s the man who starred in my failed love story! You’re asking him to help find me a match? That’s like asking your ex-wife to help you meet your future wife. I’m not that emotionally resilient. I’d rather stay single forever…

Tang Xiaohe was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into a hole. Her face turned beet red. But then she thought—only Lin Jing knew about her feelings for him. As far as Ji Yanli was concerned, she was just someone he’d met briefly a couple of times.

Come on, Tang Xiaohe, don’t think so highly of yourself.

With that thought, she didn’t feel so humiliated anymore. Calming down, she replied politely, “Then I’ll be relying on you, Officer Ji.”

Ji Yanli didn’t like how that felt. From the moment she pretended not to know him, he’d already started feeling annoyed. Now, watching her openly and sincerely ask him to help her find a match—it felt like a heavy stone had dropped onto his chest, leaving him strangely frustrated.

He didn’t respond to her comment. Instead, he casually changed the subject and chatted with the principal for a bit. Just then, the principal got a phone call.

“Oh dear, I’ve got another matter to handle. Ms. Tang, would you mind showing Officer Ji out?”

With that, the principal walked off, leaving only Ji Yanli and Tang Xiaohe behind.

“Done for the day?” Ji Yanli asked casually, his tone unreadable.

Tang Xiaohe kept her head down and mumbled, “Mm.”

“Heading back to Golden Garden later?”

She still didn’t look up. “Mm.”

Ji Yanli had no idea what was up with her today. She’d been acting strange since the moment they met. So he said, “Go grab your bag—I’ll wait downstairs.”

“Mm… huh?”

“Aren’t you going home? We’re heading in the same direction. I’ll give you a ride.”

“Oh.”

Tang Xiaohe went back upstairs to the office to get her bag. Meanwhile, Ji Yanli had already pulled his car up to the school gate.

A 2022 Maybach.

Tang Xiaohe was a little surprised.
“Cops can really afford cars like this?”

“Family money.”

Tang Xiaohe was speechless.
Why did she blurt out what she was thinking again?
But right now, she had a more urgent question.

“Officer Ji, where should I sit?”

Ji Yanli replied coolly,
“On my lap.”

Tang Xiaohe was stunned.
“Huh?”

Ji Yanli almost sighed.
“What were you thinking? Of course you sit in the passenger seat. Unless… you want me to be your chauffeur?”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Tang Xiaohe pulled open the passenger door, sat down, buckled up, put her legs together, and sat upright like a good little student in class.

The car started moving. After a short while, Tang Xiaohe couldn’t hold it in anymore. She decided to get straight to the point:

“Officer Ji, if you let another girl sit in the passenger seat, won’t your girlfriend get mad?”

SCREECH—
An abrupt brake. The Wuling Hongguang Mini behind them nearly rear-ended them.

The driver rolled down the window and snapped,
“So, what if you’re driving a Maybach? If you crash into me, I’m not taking responsibility!”

Ji Yanli calmly rolled down his own window and offered a light apology.
The moment the other driver saw Ji Yanli’s face, his attitude did a full 180. His tone immediately turned soft and cutesy:
“No, no, it’s my bad. I shouldn’t have been driving so close behind you…”

Tang Xiaohe watched in disbelief.
Seriously? Is this what it’s come to—handsome men are always right, handsome men are never guilty?

Ji Yanli rolled the window back up and started the car again.
“Who told you I had a girlfriend?”

“I saw it myself! Last Friday—you were drinking a couple’s toast with a girl!”

Ji Yanli frowned, thinking for a moment before remembering the incident.

“You saw me actually drink it?”

Just as Tang Xiaohe was about to respond, she suddenly realized—
She only saw Ji Yanli getting ready to drink. Everyone around was egging him on, but… she didn’t actually see him drink it.

“…No.”
“So that’s why you’ve been upset?”

In the rearview mirror, Ji Yanli saw Tang Xiaohe nod pitifully, fiddling with her seatbelt unconsciously.

“I didn’t drink it,” Ji Yanli said flatly.
“I turned it down. Also, she’s just a colleague. I don’t have a girlfriend.”

He said it like it was no big deal, but Tang Xiaohe’s heart practically leapt with joy.
Just moments ago, she was sulking like a wilted eggplant. Now she was glowing.

“Oh, right, Officer Ji,” she perked up.
“I have a package to pick up—it’s dog food I ordered. It might be a bit heavy. Could I trouble you to help me carry it?”

She hadn’t originally planned to trouble him, but after all, isn’t that how people form bonds—by helping each other, back and forth?

Tang Xiaohe looked at him with anticipation, eyes bright like stars. Ji Yanli glanced at her, then quickly turned away.
Damn it… those eyes.

He swallowed hard and murmured, “Mm.”

When they got to the delivery station, Tang Xiaohe was secretly grateful.

Thank goodness Ji Yanli came along—this box was so heavy, there was no way she could have dragged it home by herself.

The shop owner double-checked the pick-up code and phone number, then read out the name on the package:
“Sixteen-year-old Universe-Invincible-Cutie…”

Tang Xiaohe’s face turned bright red.
How could she have forgotten that?!

She started scrambling to explain:
“That’s Lin Jing’s doing! I didn’t know she had such a girly streak…”

Ji Yanli gave her a look like,
“You can make up excuses, but do I look like I believe you?”

Without much effort, he picked up the large box.
“Let’s go.”

Tang Xiaohe quickly ran ahead to open the door for him.
As she turned around, she vaguely heard the shop owner whisper to Ji Yanli,
“Your girlfriend is adorable!”

She didn’t catch Ji Yanli’s reply.
She just stood there, dazed, watching him in the dim yellow lighting of the delivery station.
His expression, under that faint glow, looked incredibly gentle.