Forbidden to Flirt and Run 42

Chapter 42

Xu Qingtang awkwardly put her phone into her side pocket and then, bracing herself, glanced at Teacher Qi. “Mom, why are you out by yourself? Where’s Auntie Zhou?”

Usually, no matter where she went, Auntie Zhou would almost always be with her.

Teacher Qi said faintly, “She had something to do.” Her gaze fell on Xu Qingtang. “Since you’re here, why don’t you come for a walk with me?”

Xu Qingtang composed herself and nodded. “Alright.”

The two of them walked along the road, the cold wind howling, all the way to the bus station. Xu Qingtang glanced at the route map and saw a very familiar station name. Her heart skipped a beat, and she couldn’t help but glance at Teacher Qi.

Teacher Qi said nothing. After several cars had passed, she finally said, “Why is the wind still so strong?”

Xu Qingtang could only reply, “It’s been like this all week.”

Bus route three, Number One Middle School.

Xu Qingtang never would have thought that Teacher Qi’s destination would be here. It was a bit far from Teacher Qi’s home, a half-hour bus ride. When they got off, a gust of cold wind hit them head-on.

Xu Qingtang hadn’t been here in a long time.

The place had changed a lot. The streets were renovated, no longer looking like they did in her memory. Only the large banyan tree in front of the station remained unchanged, its branches and leaves still lush in the winter.

Teacher Qi stared at the porcelain fence in front of the banyan tree for a while, lost in thought. Xu Qingtang was afraid she would recall sad memories and asked, “Mom, why don’t we go back?”

“I’ve been back a few times during your vacation,” Teacher Qi’s gentle face was flushed from the wind. “Qingtang, do you know what I’m thinking of?”

Before Xu Qingtang could persuade her, Teacher Qi’s voice sounded again in the howling cold wind. “I remember that year when I sent you to Yihua’s place. You were afraid of pain and hardship, so you secretly ran out to find me. You got a big bump here, and you were crying in pain. It was a colleague who saw you and called me that I knew you were here.”

Xu Qingtang also vaguely remembered this and felt a little embarrassed.

Teacher Qi lowered her eyes, her gentle and delicate face still smiling. “I also remember that year, you heard that you couldn’t continue learning Peking Opera after getting a tattoo, so you secretly saved money to get one, right?”

Even Xu Qingtang herself couldn’t piece these things together from the river of memory. She hadn’t expected her mother to still remember.

The mother and daughter stood in the cold wind for a long time. Teacher Qi didn’t continue to talk about Xu Qingtang’s childhood. The two of them slowly walked in. Just as they were about to reach the school gate, a rush of footsteps suddenly came from behind.

“Teacher Qi? Is that really you, Teacher Qi!” A woman in a black and white plaid skirt stood in front of them, panting. After catching her breath, she introduced herself, “I’m Yu Yao. Do you still remember me? Yu Yao from Class One of the third year of high school.”

A smile appeared on Teacher Qi’s face. “You’ve grown so much.”

Yu Yao smiled a little embarrassedly. “I didn’t expect to run into you here. I work nearby. What about you?”

Teacher Qi said gently, “Just out for a walk.”

“I see. I’ve been to your house before, but the people there said you had moved, and I couldn’t get through to your phone.”

At this point, a hint of apology appeared on Yu Yao’s face. “I don’t have anything else. It’s just that I’m older now and not as ignorant as before. I wanted to say sorry to you.”

“In the past, in the past, it was all our fault.”

Yu Yao had not participated in any of the events, but in order to fit in, to be like a “normal person,” she had remained silent on many things she knew were not true, and had stood on the opposite side of the teacher who had helped her so much when many voices had asked them to verify the truth.

Teacher Qi was slightly taken aback, then smiled. “It’s all in the past.”

After bidding farewell to Yu Yao, the two of them continued to walk in. At this time, the students had not yet finished school, and the school gate was tightly closed. The path outside the school was a long road of bauhinia trees. Teacher Qi glanced at the silent Xu Qingtang and suddenly asked, “You’ve been thinking for a few days. Have you made up your mind?”

“You and Gu Yizhi, what are you going to do?”

Xu Qingtang pursed her lips. “I won’t break up with her.”

This time, both Teacher Qi’s tone and attitude were very gentle, making all the words Xu Qingtang had prepared useless.

She had thought that Teacher Qi would continue to be like last time, insisting on separating them no matter what. But she didn’t expect her to just be silent for a moment before saying, “We’ve been out for so long. We’re tired. Let’s go back.”

Xu Qingtang also replied, “Alright.”

On the way back, the two of them stopped by the market to buy some vegetables. Teacher Qi said, “I haven’t cooked in a long time. Let’s see if my skills have gotten rusty.”

Teacher Qi had indeed not been in the kitchen for a long time. In fact, when Xu Qingtang was still young, she rarely saw her cook because she was always busy with her career, busy taking care of her students.

The two of them sat around a small dining table. Teacher Qi served Xu Qingtang a piece of squirrel fish. “Try it.”

Xu Qingtang tried it and smiled. “It’s delicious.”

Teacher Qi also smiled. “When I used to cook for you, you would frown and refuse to swallow it.”

Xu Qingtang: …

Teacher Qi’s tone was light. “Being with her, you’ve even learned to be considerate.”

Xu Qingtang was even more at a loss for words. She could only say, “I’ve always known, but Yizhi has indeed taught me a lot.”

“Qingtang, you said you weren’t afraid of rumors back then. What about Yizhi? Is she not afraid either? And how do you know she’s not afraid?” Teacher Qi nonchalantly served the food. “Even if she’s not afraid, what about her family? You can go against me for her, but can she do the same for you?”

Xu Qingtang was silent for a long time, then slowly looked up and said, “Her parents passed away many years ago. She actually didn’t enjoy much family warmth when she was a child. The closest person in her family is her aunt. I’ve already met her, and she also knows about us.”

“You might not believe it, but Gu Yizhi has never hidden our relationship from outsiders, whether at work, at home, or with her friends.”

“Even if we really have to face the situation you mentioned, I think she will.”

Xu Qingtang’s clear eyes were filled with an unparalleled determination. “I believe her.”

“You can guarantee this to me now? What about in the future?” Teacher Qi laid out many realistic problems in front of her, one by one. “In a few years, you should be transferred to Beijing, right? What are you going to do about the long-distance relationship? If she asks you to give up your job and stay, what will you do?”

“She won’t, and I won’t give up my job either. A long-distance relationship is a long-distance relationship. It’s not a big deal. No matter how far apart we are, it’s just a plane ticket away.”

She said it with ease and determination. Looking at her eyes, Teacher Qi was in a daze for a moment, remembering an afternoon two days ago.

At that time, she had sent Auntie Zhou to the convenience store downstairs to buy fruit. There was a sudden knock on the door. Gu Yizhi, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, was standing outside in a light gray wool coat, smiling faintly. “Teacher.”

Teacher Qi stepped aside. “Come in.” Then she closed the door.

Gu Yizhi placed the gifts and fruit she had brought on the table. Teacher Qi glanced at them and said casually, “You’re very thoughtful.”

Gu Yizhi: “I should be.”

Teacher Qi took a book from the shelf, put on her glasses, and casually flipped through two pages. “I called you over so suddenly. I didn’t interrupt your work, did I?”

Gu Yizhi: “No.”

Teacher Qi looked up. “I thought you wouldn’t dare to come again.”

“It’s my fault. I was afraid of making you angry.”

“Of course it’s your fault.”

“You are my student. You once called me ‘teacher,’ and you once made me feel proud. But you shouldn’t have, you shouldn’t have seduced my daughter and made her make a mistake with you!”

With that, Teacher Qi looked at the person who had indeed brought her a lot of glory in the past and couldn’t say many harsh words. “I don’t want to make things difficult for you either. No matter what, you two will probably have the same answer. You’re not a child. You know the importance of marriage, and you know that you two being together can’t give each other any security.”

“You once told me that the company you’re at now is a branch. You’ve only been transferred from the headquarters for a year. Will you be transferred back in the future? How can you guarantee that you won’t change your mind after a long-distance relationship? Not for a while, not for a few years? After a few years, there are still more than ten years, decades. Without the security of marriage, who would dare to gamble their youth? You’re a few years older than her. You should know how important age is for a person, a woman, in society.”

“Or, Qingtang can’t stay in Lin City forever. Are you willing to give up everything you have now and go to another city with her in the future?”

“You’re right. Love is not everything in life. I can’t give up my job for Qingtang, and I won’t let Qingtang give up her job for me. I believe Qingtang thinks and does the same as me.”

Gu Yizhi was very calm, her speech slow. “I know what you’re worried about, Teacher.”

She took out a bank card from her bag and handed it to Teacher Qi. “This is a bank card I had Qingtang open. Every month, I will transfer a sum of money into it in the name of a voluntary gift. You can keep it and give it to Tangtang in the future.”

Next was an insurance policy and a will. Her words were solemn. “I really can’t predict natural disasters and man-made calamities, and I can’t make any guarantees. So I bought an insurance policy for myself, and the beneficiary is Tangtang. The will is also drawn up and notarized. You can take a look. This is the only thing I can guarantee you. Whether I’m alive or dead, I won’t let her be wronged.”

“I know that no words can make you trust me. I just hope that these shallow material things can make you trust me a little, trust that I really want to walk with Tangtang and have a future, trust that the feelings between us are not that fragile and shameful.”

The memory ended there. Xu Qingtang’s voice brought her back to her senses.

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

Teacher Qi said, “Nothing. Just thinking about things.”

Xu Qingtang tactfully stopped talking.

It was Teacher Qi who spoke first. “I was thinking about when you two started, when you started this under my nose.”

Xu Qingtang silently ate a few mouthfuls of rice and said, “Mom, let’s not talk about this. If you really can’t accept Gu Yizhi, then I won’t bring her in front of you in the future. But I won’t break up with her, and I can’t be with anyone else.”

“I hope you can give me some time. She and I will prove it to you.”

Teacher Qi’s tone was filled with an indescribable sadness. “Qingtang, you said to give you some time, but have you ever given your mother some time? You suddenly let me see that my daughter is a homosexual, and then you suddenly let me see you two together.”

“You’re not feeling well. Do you know how I spent that time? I couldn’t sleep all night, full of regret and hatred.”

“I regret that I’ve been neglecting your education all these years, and I hate that I haven’t cared enough for you all these years.”

“I’ve never hated myself so much. I’m just afraid that because you’ve had it so hard in the past, you’ll be led astray by a little bit of sweetness.”

Xu Qingtang’s lips moved, and her heart ached.

She guessed that Teacher Qi had known about them for a long time, so her emotions and body had given the most direct and intense answers during that time. Later, when her and Gu Yizhi’s matter was revealed, Teacher Qi’s body was not affected at all, which also supported this guess.

Before Xu Qingtang could speak, Teacher Qi spoke again. “But there’s one thing I haven’t figured out, and that is that you’ve grown up. You’re no longer that little girl who cried and was afraid of pain.”

Xu Qingtang’s eyes turned slightly red. “Mom…”

Teacher Qi’s gaze was loving and gentle. “I saw the tattoo design you drew back then. It was a bit rough, but it was quite beautiful.”

She thought for a long time and finally spoke. “Since you were a teenager, you’ve probably done everything for me. Now, you can do as you please.”

Xu Qingtang was stunned for a long time. After confirming that she hadn’t misheard, a feeling of joy erupted in her heart. Finally, she stood up, took Teacher Qi’s hand, and was a little incoherent. “Mom, I…”

Teacher Qi was helpless. “What are you crying for?”

The tight string in Xu Qingtang’s heart finally loosened. She wiped the corners of her eyes. “No, I… I’m just happy.”

The matter that had been between the mother and daughter was finally resolved in the best way. The atmosphere returned to its usual harmony. After dinner, Xu Qingtang helped with the dishes.

Teacher Qi told her to get out of the way. “I’ll do it.”

Xu Qingtang didn’t insist, made way, and stared at her from the side, her hand fiddling with her hair. “Mom, when did you find out?”

Teacher Qi turned off the faucet. “At first, I thought the way she looked at you was a little strange.” After a pause, she added, “Then I figured it out.”

So that’s how it was?

Xu Qingtang had thought it was some big detail.

Xu Qingtang couldn’t wait to go to her room and tell Gu Yizhi the news. After a moment’s thought, she just said something ambiguous and then shared it with her friend: [My mom agreed!!!]

Tang Gui: [Awesome, Qingtang.]

Xu Qingtang: [Hehe.]

Tang Gui: [Shouldn’t we celebrate this?]

Xu Qingtang: [Looking for my wife.]

Tang Gui: [Are you at your aunt’s place?]

Xu Qingtang: [Yes.]

Tang Gui: [I’ll take you there.]

Tang Gui was just about to go out for a team-building activity with her colleagues. One of her colleagues lived nearby, so it was on the way. Xu Qingtang thought for a moment and agreed.

Seeing her putting on lipstick, Teacher Qi asked, “Going out?”

Xu Qingtang slung her bag over her shoulder and said, “Yes.”

Teacher Qi said, “Wait a minute.” Then she went into her room, took out a file folder, and handed it to Xu Qingtang. “Take this to Yizhi.”

Xu Qingtang glanced at it. “What is it?”

Teacher Qi: “Just take it.”

Xu Qingtang was a little sad. “You’ve forgotten Tang for Yizhi.”

Teacher Qi couldn’t be bothered with her antics. As she was about to leave, she asked again, “I heard Xiao Gui’s mom is coming here for the New Year. What about Yizhi? What are her plans?”

The two of them had already discussed this on New Year’s Day. Xu Qingtang stopped in her tracks and replied, “She’s going back to City G for the New Year. She’ll be handling some work matters there.”

Teacher Qi: “Still busy during the New Year?”

Xu Qingtang smiled. “She’s a busy person.”

Teacher Qi was thoughtful and said, “Then ask her to come over before the New Year. We can have a reunion dinner.”

Xu Qingtang replied, “Alright.”

Unlike the heavy mood when she had arrived, Xu Qingtang’s steps were light even as she went downstairs. On the roadside, she received a call from Gu Yizhi.

“Are you coming back tonight?”

Xu Qingtang sighed. On the phone, Gu Yizhi asked what was wrong. She sighed again. “It’s fine. I’ll go and find you tonight.”

Gu Yizhi was silent for a moment. “Alright.”

After a moment, her voice was gentle and soft. “Come up and find me when you get here. Don’t stay out in the cold.”

Xu Qingtang: “I know.”

Just as she hung up, a car not far away flashed its headlights a few times. Xu Qingtang knew it was Tang Gui and went up.

Tang Gui raised an eyebrow at her from the car window. “Come, come. The passenger seat is specially reserved for you.”

There were three of Tang Gui’s colleagues in the back seat. Xu Qingtang had also seen them when she went to Zhishang. After greeting each other, she opened the car door and got in.

Tang Gui said, “New year, new atmosphere. It’s really true. Come, come, let’s play a song and let us all share in the good fortune.”

The few colleagues behind her didn’t know about Xu Qingtang and Gu Yizhi’s relationship, nor did they know what the so-called good news was, but they also echoed, “Indeed, indeed.”

Xu Qingtang didn’t mind either. She turned on the Bluetooth. When it was connected, she opened a music app. But just as the page loaded, a sound came from the car—

“You said you’d record a cat meow for me last time. You still haven’t.”

…

“Then you can be the housewife…”

…

Her and Gu Yizhi’s voices were so clear in this small space, as if they had a 3D stereo effect.

Xu Qingtang really couldn’t understand why her own recording would be played, and she couldn’t turn it off. In the end, she remembered to turn off the Bluetooth.

The car was silent for a while.

Tang Gui belatedly realized and explained, both embarrassed and guilty, “That, Qingtang… I haven’t listened to anything in the car for a long time. I forgot. My car seems to have always had this problem…”

Xu Qingtang really wished she could roll out of the car right now.