Jiang Yu's footsteps stopped, hesitating whether to speak.
Yu Na was very cold to him, pretending not to see him as she walked back to the classroom.
During morning self-study, Yu Na had the English class representative collect the assignments and take them to the office.
After class, she went back to the office to start grading the assignments. She was surprised to see that Qiao Rui's assignments had been quite good recently. Qiao Rui's handwriting was very messy and illegible, but in a unique way, so even without his name, Yu Na could recognize his writing.
But recently, she noticed that next to Qiao Rui's messy English, there would frequently appear a line of neat handwriting.
And ever since the neat handwriting started appearing in his workbook, the accuracy of Qiao Rui's assignments had improved tremendously.
Finally, Yu Na picked up the workbook from the bottom of the stack.
When grading, she didn't look much at the names, just flipping directly to the page with the assignment.
She did the same this time.
She opened the last workbook, turned to the page with the assignment, and before she saw the work, a slip of paper fell out, fluttering to the ground.
Yu Na picked up the small slip of paper. On it were written six characters: [Teacher Yu, I'm sorry]
She quickly flipped to the first page, and saw Jiang Yu's name in the name field.
Yu Na threw the note in the trash can and set his assignment aside.
...
After work in the afternoon, Yu Na finished up the last of her tasks, and saw there was still ample time. She planned to go home first, then head to the airport.
Her office was close to the north gate, and though recently she'd been going home alone, she still often used the north gate.
But today, as soon as she exited the north gate, she was blocked by Jiang Yu.
School had let out long ago, and there were practically no students around the north gate now.
Yu Na knew clearly that he was just a child, with no ability to really do anything to her. He was just a pawn.
But because he was sent by her father, just thinking about this identity made her body shudder involuntarily.
That feeling was hard to describe.
Even if it was her own father, she was still very afraid of him, very afraid.
Anyone sent by him, no matter who, no matter their status or age, as long as they were related to her dad, she would be terrified, as if trapped in a nightmare she couldn't wake up from.
So at this time, she avoided him from afar, ignoring him as she continued forward.
"Teacher Yu," Jiang Yu hurried to catch up.
He was very humble, not a trace of his usual arrogance before her. "I—"
Before he could finish speaking, a tall figure cast a shadow over them. Yu Na felt a familiar arm she loved most wrap around her shoulders.
Xiao Chen had watched the whole thing unfold from his car. Sensing something amiss, he came over, a little worried.
Yu Na was stunned. Head lowered as she exited the school gate earlier, she hadn't looked around her at all, not noticing Xiao Chen's car.
How did he suddenly come back? Wasn't he...only coming back on Sunday?
Xiao Chen asked, "What's going on?"
Yu Na suddenly realized she couldn't avoid this.
If Jiang Yu was studying at this school, she had to get to the bottom of this, because avoiding it out of fear would likely escalate things like a snowball effect.
She didn't ask Xiao Chen why he came back suddenly, only telling him, "Could you go home first? I have something to discuss with him."
Yu Na added, "He's my student."
But Jiang Yu said, "It's fine, let's talk together. I'll explain everything to you."
They found a cafe.
Xiao Chen and Yu Na sat on one side, Jiang Yu on the other.
"My family circumstances aren't great. My parents' relationship was bad and they divorced when I was very young. My dad was just an ordinary employee in one of Mr. Yu's companies, but for some reason, he got addicted to gambling and owed a lot of money. The debt collectors came to our door and beat my dad so badly he ended up hospitalized."
"I still don't understand how Mr. Yu found out about this. He's such a famous figure, we're not even in his orbit. But he did find out about it somehow. Mr. Yu was worried I'd get harassed by the collectors too, so he took the initiative to suggest I transfer schools, to Chang Wan here. And he paid for me to rent a place in Chang Wan, covering all my housing and school expenses."
"But later, a man called Uncle Zhou found me and said Mr. Yu hoped I could help him with two things. First, investigate Teacher Yu's relationship status. Second, pressure her to resign voluntarily."
"Mr. Yu's meaning was, as long as I could help him complete those two things, especially the second one, he would give me a large sum of money, enough for my dad's and my living expenses in the future. He even said he would compensate me, arrange for me to study abroad, set up a good job for me, and completely change my fate. As for my dad, if he wanted to keep working, Mr. Yu would arrange a promotion and raise. If he didn't want to work, Mr. Yu would give him a monthly salary until retirement."
"But if I couldn't complete it..." Jiang Yu paused briefly. "He would take back all the money he gave me, including my living expenses here. And Mr. Yu would fire my dad for gambling. Teacher Yu, my dad is average in skills and position, and older in age now. If he got fired..."
Jiang Yu's Adam's apple bobbed as his voice grew choked up. "I had no choice, really, I had no choice. I know you dislike me, I know you think I'm taking a shortcut now, but...at least for now, I'm still a student, not even eighteen yet. I don't have the ability to help my dad with anything."
"I thought it would be easy to make you resign. After all, you're Mr. Yu's daughter, leaving this job wouldn't be any loss for you. But I was wrong." He didn't go on.
Jiang Yu looked up, meeting Xiao Chen's complex gaze.
He got up, about to leave, but sincerely apologized to Yu Na before going: "I'm sorry. I'll tell Mr. Yu I can't complete the two tasks he gave me. I'll withdraw from school. As for repaying Mr. Yu's money, I'll figure something out myself. I won't monitor you anymore, so you don't need to be scared anymore."
After speaking, Jiang Yu left without waiting for a response from the two.
...
Back at Huating No. 1, Xiao Chen saw luggage sitting in the living room.
Yu Na's luggage.
"Why is the luggage here?"
Yu Na's voice was somewhat muffled. "Remember how I said I'd give you a surprise today?"
Xiao Chen belatedly realized: "You meant, coming to see me?"
"Mm." Yu Na pointed to a package of long strip candy on the coffee table. "But I forgot to bring this, so I wanted to come back for my luggage and bring it too."
"What's this?" Xiao Chen picked up the candy.
"It's new candy I bought. You said—" Her face flushed slightly, a little shy. "Want to eat it with me? So I thought, I'd bring it over to eat together."
"Hm?" Xiao Chen feigned ignorance, eyes full of indulgence. "Eat together how?"
"..."
Xiao Chen's hand rested on her waist. "Is it the 'together' I'm thinking of?"
Yu Na gave the slightest nod, quickly changing the subject. "How did you suddenly come back?"
"I missed you and couldn't wait to see you. Nothing urgent these next couple days either, so I came back early. I was the one trying to surprise you originally."
The tense heartstrings of the past few days suddenly relaxed in this moment.
Tears glistened in Yu Na's eyes as she threw herself into his arms. "Xiao Chen, you know what? Yesterday before the evening self-study, when I found out Jiang Yu's identity, I felt like a pair of eyes were watching me and I was really frightened afterwards. But I thought that I'd get to see you today, and it made me feel much better, really."
Xiao Chen stroked her hair, carrying her to the sofa and having her sit on his lap. He gently soothed her, "I don't have anything these next couple days. I'll stay home and keep you company, okay?"
Yu Na nodded.
He knew she had been bothered by Jiang Yu's situation, and after thinking for a few seconds, voluntarily suggested: "Don't worry about Jiang Yu's matter. Have him meet up tomorrow, and we'll see him together again."
"Okay, but what are you going to do?"
"Just chat with him. If there's a way to help, we'll help a bit. After all, he's still a child and shouldn't be involved in these things so early. Either way, he still needs to complete his studies. But I have other things to tell him when we meet up. Things unrelated to you."
"What things?"
"You'll find out tomorrow, won't you?"
"Xiao Chen—" Yu Na grasped his hand. "You're so good."
"Am I silly? Aren't your matters my matters too? But—" Xiao Chen meaningfully squeezed her fingers, grinning slyly. "You'll have to share candy with me."
Saying so, his gaze drifted to the package of long strip candy Yu Na had bought.
