Chapter 43: Spring and Summer

There were 15 minutes left before the class ended, and the hallway was empty. Bai Wei grew more and more anxious as he walked.

Yes, why was he in such a hurry? Lu Sen had two math classes this afternoon. As for embarrassment, Lu Sen had already lost face in the previous class. Going there now would be pointless, and Lu Sen wouldn’t see him signaling from outside the window. His arrival wouldn’t help with what had already happened.

But Bai Wei still walked faster and faster… finally, he reached the door of Class 9A. The students inside were focused on the lesson. Through the window, he could see Lu Sen.

Lu Sen, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, was sitting in a wheelchair, holding a rod in his hand as he taught.

The content on the slides was normal, the formulas on the blackboard were normal, and the students’ expressions were also normal.

It looked like just the most ordinary class, just the most normal afternoon.

Bai Wei suddenly felt empty inside. It was as if a gust of wind had dried the sweat on his back. He wasn’t blown away like a falling leaf, but he felt a bit lost. The students, the teachers, were all doing well in their respective classrooms and offices, and the security guards and cleaners were in their usual places.

Even Lu Sen’s handwriting on the board was correct.

Only he stood outside the window, not knowing what to do. He was clearly here, yet felt like he never truly belonged here. He had come to Bai Ma High School as a substitute teacher at Qiao Min’s request, but he had nothing to do, nothing he wanted to do.

Many years later, when Bai Wei looked back on that day, he would realize that the feeling he had at that moment was one of intense loneliness. To some extent, he thought that Lu Sen was just like him—yes, he thought this monster was just like him, both unable to fit into Snow Mountain Town, or even into normal human society, both “monsters.”

But now, Lu Sen had betrayed him. Lu Sen didn’t need his help and didn’t show any signs of being abnormal. He seamlessly blended into the crowd.

Looking back, perhaps from the very beginning, Lu Sen, this person with the body of a monster, was far more human than he was, and he wanted to be a human more than Bai Wei did. Lu Sen wanted to have a family, a beautiful wife, fame, power, and recognition in the town, and he wanted to have sex with Bai Wei… He had so many desires that belonged to humans.

If the theme were serious enough, and if it were night and he were walking on a lonely railway track, he might even describe this feeling as “betrayal.”

But then, someone inside the window, in front of the podium, looked at him.

“And Lu Sen wouldn’t see him signaling outside the window.”

“And Lu Sen wouldn’t see anyone outside.”

Lu Sen saw him. He raised an eyebrow and gave a surprised smile. The students in the classroom immediately turned to look at him. Under the gaze of so many eyes, Lu Sen waved and smiled at Bai Wei. Bai Wei felt lost, lowering his head and pretending to adjust his tie, as if he weren’t standing there at all.

“My wife is here,” Lu Sen said to the students in the classroom. “There are ten minutes left until the end of class… According to the school rules, can I end class ten minutes early?”

A few mischievous students started causing a ruckus, and the class monitor, wearing black-rimmed glasses, sternly said, “Teacher, that’s not allowed. We always finish class on time.”

“Oh, fine.” Lu Sen said.

Lu Sen continued teaching trigonometric functions for a while, then said, “I don’t think there’s any need to go on. I’m giving a lecture, but none of you are listening, and you’re all secretly staring at my wife.”

Some of the students turned their heads back. The class monitor with black-rimmed glasses protested again, “Teacher, it’s because you’re talking too slowly. Why did you spend five minutes on one multiple-choice question?”

Lu Sen replied nonchalantly, “Because I’m also secretly watching my wife.”

The classroom burst into laughter. Bai Wei, outside, heard waves of laughter but didn’t know what they were laughing at. This feeling reminded him of his own school days. He often heard his classmates laughing, and while he knew what they were laughing at, he didn’t understand what was so funny about it.

But this time, Bai Wei realized that he seemed to have become the center of attention. When the bell rang for the end of class, Bai Wei had planned to enter the classroom, take Lu Sen out, and rush home, away from this uncomfortable place. However, a group of students rushed towards him…

They pushed Lu Sen right in front of Bai Wei.

“Hello, Mr. Bai!”

“Hello, Mrs. Bai!”

“Mrs. Bai is so beautiful!”

“I heard Mr. Bai is a university legend!”

Bai Wei stared at Lu Sen. Lu Sen reached out and grabbed his hand, “I’m so happy you’re waiting for me to finish class.”

This should have been the kind of action that would give him goosebumps. But at this moment, instead of feeling lost in the praise of the students, Bai Wei felt relieved by Lu Sen’s interaction, like he finally found a reason to end the waiting state.

At that moment, Bai Wei felt like Lu Sen was a comrade in the same trench.

He also grabbed Lu Sen’s hand, “It’s the least I can do, darling.”

Despite being surrounded by students, Bai Wei skillfully maneuvered Lu Sen through the crowd. As they headed to the school gate, Bai Wei suddenly said, “I didn’t expect you to teach so… so normally.”

Lu Sen smiled, “Of course, darling. My self-learning ability… I mean, my revision ability, is very strong. I have nine brains.”

Bai Wei’s awkward little emotions instantly disappeared. He stared, stunned, “You have nine brains?”

Lu Sen: “Oh, oh, I mean… it’s a French idiom. It means I’m very smart.”

Does France have such an idiom? You idiot.

Bai Wei was about to mock Lu Sen, but just then, a voice came from nearby, “Oh… I didn’t expect we’d meet again.”

Bai Wei and Lu Sen turned their heads simultaneously. A thin young man, sitting in a wheelchair, was looking at them. He looked kind, but his eyes flashed with complex emotions.

“Darling, do you know him?” Lu Sen asked first.

“I just met him. He’s Longxia, Long Dong’s younger brother,” Bai Wei said.

Longxia kept staring at Bai Wei, as if waiting for him to ask something. After a moment, it was Lu Sen who spoke first, “Are you waiting for someone?”

Longxia suppressed his disappointment and frustration. He said, “Yes, I’m waiting for my brother to come and pick me up…”

When Lu Sen spoke, Bai Wei immediately felt that things were becoming troublesome. It was evening, and students still had evening self-study. The side gate of the school was empty except for them and the security guard in the kiosk. Longxia, still sitting in a wheelchair, looked weak.

In this situation, Bai Wei could only offer to stay with him until someone came to pick him up. But Lu Sen spoke first, “Is that so? Then we…”

“We’ll go back first.”

?

Bai Wei couldn’t believe it, but Lu Sen acted naturally. He said to Longxia, “Happy school day!”

This wasn’t right. Lu Sen was unusually enthusiastic about maintaining his reputation in Xueshan Town. He would prepare small gifts for all the doctors and nurses, chat with shop owners whenever he bought something, and would even lend a hand when neighbors were carrying things.

So how could Lu Sen act so thoughtlessly at this moment?

Bai Wei quickly realized: Lu Sen was doing this on purpose. But that left him even more confused.

What was Lu Sen’s reason for doing this on purpose?

The school gate creaked open. A man walked in. He looked a bit like Long Dong, but even more like Longxia, though older. The man was dressed in a suit, his leather shoes shining, and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, clearly an industry professional coming off work.

“Brother!” Longxia called loudly.

The man had clearly come to pick up Longxia, but when he saw Bai Wei and Lu Sen, he immediately frowned. “And who are you two?”

His words were polite but carried a condescending attitude. Longxia said, “They’re the new substitute teachers.”

“Oh, nice to meet you,” the man said, but didn’t even extend his hand, which felt very perfunctory.

Longxia, who had been watching all this, smiled. “They’re Bai Wei and Lu Sen. Brother, you should have heard of them from Sister, they’re my brother-in-law’s college classmates.”

“Oh, oh, it’s you two!”

—-

After learning Bai Wei and Lu Sen’s identities, the man’s attitude visibly changed. He put on a reserved smile and extended his hand, “I’m Long Chun, Long Dong’s younger brother. I work at a bank. Thank you for looking after my younger brother.”

Bai Wei shook his hand symbolically. The clear change in the man’s attitude made him feel uncomfortable. But Long Chun’s attitude had become “warm” again.

“I’ve heard about you from others, but today’s the first time I’ve met you. Could you stay with Longxia while he waits for me? Want to join us for dinner later? I have a reservation at the best restaurant nearby.”

Bai Wei replied, “No need. We’re going home to cook.”

“Bai Wei, this afternoon, didn’t you say you didn’t buy groceries at home?” Longxia suddenly spoke up.

He looked at Bai Wei with an innocent and enthusiastic expression, as if he truly wanted to thank him for his care. Bai Wei still wanted to refuse, but Lu Sen said, “Darling, how about we go eat with them and have a look?”

Lu Sen then asked Long Chun, “Which restaurant are you planning to go to?”

Bai Wei: ?

For some reason, he always felt that Lu Sen was hiding something in his sleeve. But since that was the case, Bai Wei nodded and said, “Okay.”

Just as they turned around to walk toward the car, Longxia watched their backs, and there was anger burning in his eyes.

As soon as Bai Wei and Lu Sen walked further away, Long Dong suddenly changed his expression. He pushed his younger brother, lowered his voice, and with a face full of suppressed anger, said, “Why did you come to the school? You didn’t let them into your art studio or let them see your paintings, did you?”

“So, what if they saw them?” Longxia scoffed.