Chapter 41

Chu Ruoyou had packed the meeting minutes and various documents into her bag. The bag’s capacity wasn’t enough, leaving parts of the papers sticking out.

The black handbag was a classic model from a certain brand, quite expensive, and matched Chu Ruoyou’s overall outfit well.

Before coming here, Yun Huizhi already knew that teachers here didn’t take pride in being low-key.

When Rong Min dropped her off this morning, she insisted on driving the most luxurious car in the garage.

Yun Huizhi felt it was inappropriate, saying if other teachers saw it, they might gossip about her behind her back. Flaunting wealth wasn’t a good thing.

Rong Min smiled with a pitying look and said, “At Wensheng, not flaunting wealth would be strange, would actually get you talked about.”

Yun Huizhi then realized that many things in a big city were more complicated than she thought.

But she quickly figured it out. Wensheng wasn’t an ordinary middle school; the tuition was so high that students were all from wealthy or noble families, so it was naturally hard for teachers to keep a low profile.

But back to the point.

Chu Ruoyou had hurriedly stuffed the documents into the bag Yun Huizhi thought was pretty before leaving the conference hall.

She strode along, occasionally nodding and greeting acquaintances.

Yun Huizhi exchanged a few polite words with the other teachers, excused herself, and followed Chu Ruoyou. At the bottom of the apartment building, she finally called out to her.

Chu Ruoyou only then stopped, but clearly not to wait for Yun Huizhi. She looked sternly at her follower.

“Don’t follow me,” she warned.

Yun Huizhi put on a harmless smile: “I live here too. Came this morning.”

The shrubs planted in the green belt under the apartment building were trimmed too deliberately, stiff and uninteresting, like pedantic scholars who’d studied hard for ten bitter years—utterly lacking the wild charm of the plants in Jianjia Town.

Suppressed along with them were the humans.

Hearing this, Chu Ruoyou’s frown deepened, her lips pressing tight, seemingly immune to Yun Huizhi’s smile.

Seeing another teacher also heading back to the apartments, she didn’t want to linger. Without a word, she scanned her card and entered.

Yun Huizhi tiptoed beside her, asking as she entered the elevator, “What floor does Teacher Chu live on?”

Chu Ruoyou was wary, coldly squeezing out two words: “You first.”

Perhaps because of the meeting, considered a formal occasion, she wasn’t wearing perfume or any jewelry.

This made it easier to focus attention on her face, undistracted by other things.

Chu Ruoyou wore light makeup; her brows and eyes were like a painting—a landscape of flowers and snow.

Elegance and allure blended, a sense of coldness circulating.

Neither fatter nor thinner, neither darker nor paler. Her figure and skin were as superior as before, easily noticeable in a crowd.

“Before” was only a month ago, but to Yun Huizhi, it felt like several long seasons had passed.

Not wanting to provoke her, Yun Huizhi obediently scanned her card first, pressing the 9th floor.

Then she looked at Chu Ruoyou, signaling for her to press her floor.

But Chu Ruoyou’s gaze was like an arrow, sharply piercing toward her; she was almost unable to maintain her calm facade.

Yun Huizhi could see that Chu Ruoyou was truly unhappy now, with a greater emotional fluctuation than when they’d met in the conference room.

What was the reason?

She worried Chu Ruoyou would press the stop button and walk straight out of the elevator. But ultimately, Chu Ruoyou didn’t speak.

She nodded restrainedly, as if in a huff. Yun Huizhi could already imagine the unuttered sound: “Very well.”

But Chu Ruoyou said nothing at all.

Yun Huizhi instantly understood: the reason Chu Ruoyou was so angry she lost her composure was… she also lived on the 9th floor.

So the “quiet, good-tempered” teacher was Teacher Chu.

She indeed wasn’t talkative, and her temper wasn’t exactly good.

During the elevator ride up, the two tacitly refrained from discussing anything.

Exiting the elevator, sunlight streamed in like curious peepers through the hallway’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

Chu Ruoyou stood in the light, the icy coldness around her being dried and warmed. She squinted slightly, and a touch of gentleness appeared in her eyes.

Yun Huizhi followed behind her, watching as Chu Ruoyou turned left first, then stopped right next door to her.

With a “don’t bother me, damn it” expression and tone, Chu Ruoyou asked Yun Huizhi: “What do you want?”

Yun Huizhi requested: “Can we talk inside?”

“Inconvenient,” Chu Ruoyou refused airily.

Yun Huizhi bared her teeth, immediately taking a long step to the side, pointing at her door. “Mine’s convenient. Come to my room.”

Flirtatious.

Ambiguous.

Cunning.

In the blink of an eye, Chu Ruoyou recalled too many deliberately sealed-away old matters. Flustered and resentful, a crack appeared in her cold expression. Her jaw moved slightly, as if grinding her back teeth.

But she said nothing. She turned, opened her door, went in, hung up her bag, and bent down to change her shoes.

The door was still open. The door panel hadn’t slammed into her face, so Yun Huizhi understood her intention.

She obediently entered and even politely closed the door behind her.

Chu Ruoyou didn’t offer her slippers. Yun Huizhi was too embarrassed to walk in and dirty the floor, so she stood properly by the entrance.

Her face wore the smile Chu Ruoyou liked.

It wasn’t an awkward smile either; it came from the heart.

She’d finally met Chu Ruoyou again!

She had been uneasy at first. From their meeting onwards, Chu Ruoyou hadn’t given her a pleasant look.

In the elevator just now, for a moment, Yun Huizhi felt she’d be subjected to a scathing tirade.

She obediently closed the door, waiting for Chu Ruoyou to yell at her.

But upon entering, she relaxed.

The fragrance of gardenias in the room spread and permeated, just like the rainy season they’d spent together.

After Chu Ruoyou left, the gardenia scent in the room had faded a lot, but every time she opened the door, Yun Huizhi still thought only of her.

Wooden hooks were nailed to the wall by the entrance, holding Chu Ruoyou’s bags and hats.

Dangling from one frequently carried tote bag was a sachet, and on the sachet was a crystal-clear lucky bead.

Instantly, Yun Huizhi’s unease vanished. She even felt a little smug, more like a narrow escape.

Luckily, she hadn’t given in to discouragement, hadn’t fled. She’d shamelessly, determinedly, walked before Chu Ruoyou.

Chu Ruoyou’s cold face was inborn, but her heart was softer than anyone’s.

Yun Huizhi observed keenly. Chu Ruoyou was unaware of her psychological shift.

Treating her as if she weren’t there, Chu Ruoyou walked straight to the fridge, took out a bottle of mineral water, and gulped down half of it.

The icy liquid stimulated her, making her mind clearer and stabilizing her emotions.

Unwilling to be ignored, Yun Huizhi chattered: “You still love drinking water.”

Noisy. Chu Ruoyou glared at her.

She continued, “I’ve been very good, drinking water properly every day, exactly the amount you set, using your cup, three big glasses.”

“My skin has improved a lot, hasn’t it?”

That last sentence was actually nonsense. Her good skin came from her mother; she wasn’t prone to breakouts or blemishes. Drinking water made no visible difference.

She just wanted to trick Chu Ruoyou into looking at her properly.

Water promotion master Chu Ruoyou took the bait. She indeed seriously scrutinized Yun Huizhi’s face.

“Not bad.”

The distance was too great; afraid Chu Ruoyou couldn’t see clearly, Yun Huizhi took off her shoes and walked toward her.

Chu Ruoyou warily stepped back half a pace. “Don’t come closer.”

This puzzled Yun Huizhi. Was she that fierce? Why did Chu Ruoyou look so nervous?

Blinking, she obediently stopped.

She proactively steered the conversation to the main topic: “I just found out—Teacher Chu has been unmarried all along.”

Chu Ruoyou sneered. “Does someone pretending to be a broke student to earn money have the right to inquire?”

“When did you find out? Surely not recently?”

Chu Ruoyou revealed: “I knew before I left.”

“I guessed as much. Then why did you still give me several thousand in cash?”

“You enjoy playing roles. I just wanted to let you feel it more deeply.”

The words were very implicit. Translated by Yun’s interpreter, it meant: Since you like pretending to be a broke escort, here’s some cash to let you thoroughly enjoy the thrill.

“Likewise.”

Yun Huizhi didn’t take such jabs lying down, smiling: “Teacher Chu was playing a divorced young woman too. It was quite… flavorful.”

Chu Ruoyou was momentarily speechless, glaring at her.

“But the role-play ended too hastily.”

Yun Huizhi’s attitude was very good, polite and courteous. “You gave me way too much. I had no choice but to chase you here and continue working for you.”

“You bastard.” Chu Ruoyou couldn’t take it anymore.

This person couldn’t even stay decent for a while. She’d been somewhat obedient moments ago, and now she was pushing her luck again.

But Yun Huizhi didn’t continue the glib talk. Instead, she dropped her smile, her eyes clear and innocent, helping her remember affectionately: “But you said you wouldn’t leave this bastard. I took that seriously.”

Just don’t look into her eyes. Her eyes were too good at deceiving.

Chu Ruoyou turned her back, facing the balcony. “We’re both liars. The game is over. It’s best you don’t take it seriously.”

“Don’t your words count anymore?”

Her mouth should be gagged too. Her tone was too good at deceiving—perfectly mixed with loss, surprise, and a hint of tears.

Chu Ruoyou continued her ruthlessness: “If they counted, would I have blocked you?”

“That’s true. And you left without saying goodbye, making me miserable for so long. Fine, let’s say they don’t count. I was mentally prepared before I chased after you.”

Yun Huizhi was aggrieved one moment and cheerful the next.

Chu Ruoyou turned back, sternly asking, “You investigated me, didn’t you?”

“‘Investigated’ makes me sound malicious. I didn’t. I unintentionally saw your school’s name, then searched for related information and found they were still hiring teachers.”

“And then pulled strings, right?”

Chu Ruoyou wasn’t surprised, nor contemptuous, just displeased. “Your academic background, your qualifications—both make me highly doubt your ability to teach my students well.”

Indeed, compared to several other new teachers entering the school, her credentials were far less impressive. Some even had rich teaching experience.

So even though Yun Huizhi had passed the process and entered Wensheng, she couldn’t help but doubt afterward whether she was truly outstanding, or if Cheng Muhai had paved the way behind the scenes.

Still, she spoke up for herself: “My university was good, and the English program was particularly strong, so I’m confident I can teach well. But I may lack experience. You can guide me more.”

“Hmph.” Chu Ruoyou didn’t confirm or deny, ignoring her and continuing to express dissatisfaction: “You even checked which room I live in?”

“That’s even less true. I picked this room casually; it happened to be empty. I didn’t even know you lived on this floor. I figured since female teachers all live here, it’d be convenient to visit each other, so I didn’t deliberately ask around—people would find it strange.”

Yun Huizhi made a swearing gesture, lest Chu Ruoyou think her overly ill-intentioned.

“Oh,” Chu Ruoyou said coolly.

She tried to curry favor: “Telepathy, then.”

“Shut up!”

Yun Huizhi stayed quiet for only a moment. Since Chu Ruoyou hadn’t kicked her out yet, she felt she needed to explain clearly: “I know you might be angry, might be uneasy. Let me apologize first—for rashly appearing before you without your permission.”

As she spoke, she even gave Chu Ruoyou a bow.

It wasn’t very serious, more like acting cute.

“Don’t worry. From now on, except in our private space, where I might bring up the past, I will absolutely not speak carelessly in front of others, and won’t cause you any trouble.”

Yun Huizhi assured her: “I will work hard, teach your students well—just wait and see. I absolutely won’t cause you to be outed, endure rumors, or disrupt your life. I simply had no choice but to follow my heart here to you. Don’t feel too pressured. What you choose is your own business.”

“My request is that we don’t interfere with each other. Let’s pretend what happened before never happened…”

“Ouch—” Yun Huizhi put on a mask of pain.

Startled, Chu Ruoyou went over to her and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Weakly, she said, “My knee suddenly hurts terribly.”

Chu Ruoyou suddenly remembered she’d been injured recently. “After so many days, it still hasn’t healed?”

She told Yun Huizhi to sit down. “Lift your skirt; let me take a look.”

“…No need to lift it this high.”

She pulled the hem Yun Huizhi had yanked from her calf to her waist back down, glanced at her knee, and indeed saw a rather unsightly scar.

“Isn’t this already healed?”

“Overcast weather; it aches vaguely.”

Chu Ruoyou looked outside: “It’s a clear sunny day.”

“Didn’t you check the weather forecast? There’s a thunderstorm tonight. My body sensed it early.”

“…”

Chu Ruoyou looked into her eyes, wanting to ask how she managed to spout nonsense so seriously without blushing.

But she accidentally fell into Yun Huizhi’s tender, watery gaze.

Honest and gentle, Yun Huizhi said, “Ruoyou, I’ve missed you so much.”