Chapter 48

Bai Wei knew that the discussion was definitely about him.

He checked his seat and cabinet again, but there was nothing unusual placed there.

Facing colleagues who occasionally glanced his way, Bai Wei remained calm. If they were discussing something related to him, sooner or later, someone would make sure he found out what it was.

Rumors are not like water; they cannot be contained in a single basin.

The only thing Bai Wei had to do was focus on himself.

Sure enough, after the first art class ended that day, Bai Wei found out what they had been talking about—two girls lingered after class, finding him under the pretense of helping him move things, but their expressions clearly showed they wanted to inquire about something.

“If you have any questions, now is the time to ask,” Bai Wei said.

One girl nudged the other, and the one with bangs hesitantly spoke up, “Mr. Bai, I’ve heard a lot of rumors about you!”

“They say that although you graduated from a prestigious school, that’s the only thing left—just the title of having graduated from a top university. In reality, after you graduated, you couldn’t find a job in your field and ended up working at a TV station for more than a year. But you couldn’t keep going there, and after that, you never found another job. They say you tried being a writer, but your inspiration dried up, and you haven’t written anything in a long time…”

“…Later, I eloped to Snow Mountain Town with someone, only because I couldn’t make a living outside. There are also many people online talking about you… Before taking the substitute teaching job, you were unemployed… and ended up becoming a substitute teacher…”

“Teacher Bai! I didn’t believe it at all, you’re not like that! You’re much better than all the other teachers I’ve had!” The girl said excitedly. “How could they say such things about you and hurt you?”

Her emotions were so intense that she was nearly about to cry for him. Bai Wei, however, remained calm.

So, this was the content of their discussion.

“Well, do you think Snow Mountain Town is a bad place?” Bai Wei said gently.

“Huh? Of course not! The scenery here is beautiful, and all the facilities are very developed, we have everything!” A girl said. “Many rich people come here to retire!”

Bai Wei: “So, do you think Baima Middle School is a bad school, and teaching here is a bad thing?”

“Of course not!”

All of it was summed up in just two questions. Bai Wei patted her on the shoulder and told her to go back to class. Just then, the girl said: “Teacher Bai, don’t worry, we checked online just now. What they said is obviously fake!”

Bai Wei: “Online rumors…”

“They even said you and Teacher Lu don’t get along! How is that possible? Everyone can see it!” The girl said angrily. “They even spread such small lies. How can we believe anything they say!”

“…”

Watching the girl leave, Bai Wei thought for a moment and decided to ask around.

Then, something unbelievable happened.

“Many people in the school don’t believe the rumors about me online… and it turns out it’s because of my relationship with Lu Sen?”

Is this reasonable? Did they really think that my relationship with Lu Sen was that good?

He never imagined that his relationship with Lu Sen would become a tool to dispel rumors… Bai Wei felt a bit complicated thinking about it.

But as for other matters, many people were still somewhat skeptical, or at least it became an opening that sparked their desire to discuss Bai Wei. They began to scrutinize Bai Wei’s every move.

Just then, Lu Sen appeared.

“Teacher Bai, how did you decide to quit your job at the TV station?” The art teacher from the same office finally came over, her face full of curiosity. “I also heard that after that, you didn’t have a job. Didn’t you feel anxious?”

“Yeah, you’re a graduate of Beidu University, but you still couldn’t find a job.” The muscular man mocked.

This man was a gym teacher. From the very first day Bai Wei arrived at the school, he had an aversion to him. The gym teacher always thought of himself as handsome and the captain of everyone’s life. However, not only did he find Bai Wei’s face more attractive than his, but when he purposely brushed past Bai Wei, he also realized in despair that Bai Wei was taller than him.

The gym teacher felt his masculinity was insulted. Meanwhile, Bai Wei’s popularity made him feel the world was upside down. How could anyone like Bai Wei, who was picky, refused to engage in his dirty jokes, and always looked at him with a slightly disdainful expression, this weak “pretty boy”?

Alright, Bai Wei was taller than him.

But today, he finally found an opportunity to mock Bai Wei!

“Who would want to work forever? In the past few years, we’ve done so many things.”

A voice suddenly came from behind everyone. Bai Wei, who had been calm, suddenly tensed his back.

“For example, going deep-sea diving, skiing on Snow Mountain, skydiving in the desert, taking hot air balloons at sunset, traveling to Italy, Russia, and France… In the past half a year, we really got tired of playing outside, so we came to Snow Mountain Town, bought a house, a store, a few cars, and just laid back to study cooking and watch the new movies and TV shows from these years,” Lu Sen said. “Ah! That time was so busy, just thinking about it gives me a headache…”

Bai Wei’s scalp tingled, thinking, how dare Lu Sen lie like that? The gym teacher and the art teacher, however, believed it. After all, it was true that Lu Sen had bought a house and store in Snow Mountain Town.

“What’s the point of doing all that!” The gym teacher said stubbornly. “Isn’t that just wasting money?”

Lu Sen: “Yeah! But we have so much money, we can only find ways to waste it on expanding life experiences. Ai Wei, don’t you agree?”

With everyone watching, Bai Wei forced himself to nod.

“I really envy you! Those people online are just ordinary people. If it were me, I’d want to play like that too.” Another teacher sighed and turned to go back to their place.

“But you guys don’t work! You don’t have jobs…” The gym teacher said, his face turning red, his neck stiff.

Lu Sen thought for a moment and said, “Oh, you’re right. Looks like we should open an account and edit some of the travel stuff from the past few years and post it online. That way, we can be self-media workers. Ai Wei, don’t you think so?”

Bai Wei: …

“Our lives have too many options. So, we can work at the TV station, travel for work, and easily take on assignments others can’t, and substitute teach for others. In the future, we can do many things that others can’t.” Lu Sen said. “For example, I think opening a car repair shop is great, being a B&B owner is great too. Bro, broaden your horizons, don’t always expect others to live the way you do.”

Lu Sen said this while reaching for the gym teacher’s shoulder. The gym teacher noticed Lu Sen was sitting in a wheelchair, and the gesture seemed quite comical. He was about to feel smug when…

Lu Sen stood up.

Others: ??

“Lu Sen, your leg…” The art teacher couldn’t control herself, remembering that Lu Sen had only been injured for a little over a week.

“It’s fine now. I’ve had worse injuries, like when I was skydiving in space. It was even more serious than this. Maybe since then, I gained super recovery abilities.” Lu Sen said calmly, patting the gym teacher’s shoulder kindly.

The PE teacher started crying. On one hand, it was because Lu Sen’s slap had been really hard, as though he were a cake ready to be beaten. On the other hand, it was because Lu Sen stood beside him, taller than Bai Wei.

“Darling.” Lu Sen casually pushed the wheelchair away with one foot. He looked at Bai Wei, his smile gentle. “Shall we go to the cafeteria for lunch together?”

Bai Wei smiled gently. “Okay, husband.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” This time, even the art teachers turned around and mocked the others. “People outside are just hearing rumors. Their lives are stable and sweet.”

The others no longer had the energy to sabotage them out of jealousy. Lu Sen made it very clear that these two wouldn’t stay here forever, and it was highly unlikely they’d ever have any conflicts of interest with them in the future. Their earlier gossip had just been due to boredom.

But Lu Sen was a bit surprised. Although he thought he was just letting off steam for Bai Wei, he didn’t expect Bai Wei to act so gentle. Bai Wei had always been reserved. Had he done something special to make Bai Wei happy today?

Soon, Lu Sen understood the reason. As they were leaving the office, Bai Wei glanced at the wheelchair and his legs again. That look made Lu Sen feel a chill down his spine.

This morning, he had used the excuse that his legs couldn’t walk and had Bai Wei push him around for most of the day.

Bai Wei was human, and he was a monster. Yet, the huge Lu Sen had anxiously walked alongside the slender Bai Wei the whole way. Finally, when they passed the playground, Lu Sen said, “Darling, don’t you want to hit me?”

Bai Wei, holding Lu Sen’s hand, walking under the gaze of everyone: …

Bai Wei’s smile curved even higher. He looked left and right, making sure no one heard Lu Sen’s foolish comment. Then, he said, “Let’s take this path. It’s faster to get to the cafeteria.”

Lu Sen suddenly understood: “Oh, I get it. This path has pits, and you’re waiting for me to fall into them.”

… This idiot! Bai Wei admitted that he often put irons and high-voltage wires on Lu Sen’s face, but today was not the time for a public confrontation!

“If you step into some pit on the road… or fall into a well with no cover, and we both show up dirty in the cafeteria,” Bai Wei leaned close to Lu Sen’s ear and whispered intimately like a lover, “just wait for the consequences.”

Lu Sen once again had an epiphany: “Darling, you were moved just now. So now you’re concerned about me.”

— I can’t take it anymore!

Bai Wei used all his self-restraint, caring about the envious eyes around them, and didn’t push Lu Sen into the high-voltage wire as they passed the shortcut. At that moment, they were the center of attention, and Bai Wei could only try to play the role of a good husband. Even so, Bai Wei was still a bit dissatisfied.

When did his image in Lu Sen’s mind become one of someone so petty and vengeful? Hadn’t he always acted so gentle?

By the time they arrived, the cafeteria was already packed. As this extremely well-matched couple entered the hall, most people stopped eating and stared at them.

Bai Wei and Lu Sen each ordered a small stir-fry and sat down in a corner, away from the crowd. Lu Sen said, “I bet they were all talking about us just now.”

Then he said, “Darling, the person spreading rumors seems to know your background very well. Who do you think it was?”