Chapter 45: The Vinegar Jar
Ruan Xi had a special hobby: searching for the name “Tong Yao” online.
Although most of the information was irrelevant, she could occasionally find some posts and forums where the person mentioned was indeed her Teacher Tong.
She could learn more about Teacher Tong. At times like these, she was as joyous as if she had discovered a new continent.
This is very wrong.
A budding adolescent girl couldn’t distinguish specific emotions. Was her feeling for Teacher Tong a chick-like dependence, or respect for a teacher? It could even be…
A profane desire to defile.
She didn’t dare to tell anyone about such thoughts.
She had always felt that she held Teacher Tong in the most sacred place in her heart. This person who had burst into her life seemed to have become the beacon of her life. She was like a foolish villager in another world. One day, a goddess descended, chose her as the hero, and patiently guided her. She grew step by step, but instead of thinking about defeating the demon king, she started to have ideas about the goddess.
Even the young girl herself found such a hero detestable.
I just admire Teacher Tong too much. It’s because of the influence of the manga that I have such strange thoughts.
She was lying on her bed when she suddenly sat up. The dorm was empty on the weekend. She took out that sinful manga, wanting to destroy it, to throw it into the dumpster at the entrance of the dormitory—but she didn’t move for a long time. Holding this manga, her heart was still… reluctant.
Even if this was an evil item used by the demon king to bewitch the hero.
Maybe… I shouldn’t throw it away. I can still read it when I grow up.
She set aside her emotions, not asking and not listening. Perhaps this way, she could get along with Teacher Tong as before. She actually really hoped that someone could answer her doubts, but due to the heavy schoolwork at No. 1 High, the girls were mostly career-oriented. They usually didn’t talk about love, but if they found out, they would tease her with strange tones in the classroom, and it wouldn’t be long before everyone knew that “Ruan Xi has a crush.”
The young girl didn’t want Teacher Tong to hear such things.
**
By Mid-Autumn Festival, the weather had turned another notch colder. The leaves were swept to the side of the road, and some were blown up by the wind, looking particularly desolate. The few students who were still stubbornly wearing their summer school uniforms also put on their jackets—they had a little trick. They wore their own jackets over their summer school uniforms. This way, they could show off their favorite clothes, and when there was an inspection, they could just take them off to reveal the short-sleeved school uniform underneath.
In Class 7, Tong Yao sat at the podium. She had two consecutive math classes, so she didn’t leave during the break and stayed in the classroom to review the content for the next class.
“Teacher Tong is wearing black stockings today.”
Xu Hao turned back, a sly and strange smile on his face.
Jiang Yiming showed an expression of “we are brothers from different parents,” nodding several times in agreement.
Ruan Xi rolled her eyes at these boys, really wanting to cover their mouths and stop them from talking.
But she couldn’t help but glance at Teacher Tong’s legs.
Tong Yao was wearing a casual suit today, with a hip-hugging skirt and black stockings. It was as proper as it could be, but stockings always made boys’ minds wander, especially with her slender and perfect legs, which made the whole class’s souls wander.
They were all high school students. No one was a pure innocent. It was common to have little fantasies in their dreams.
And Ruan Xi, she was like the most obedient student, wearing the school uniform from short sleeves to jacket. In her untainted innocence was the unique purity of a schoolgirl. The bell for class rang. Tong Yao on the podium looked up, and after everyone had come in, she continued to teach.
The sound of reading came from the classroom next door.
Not just her legs, but Teacher Tong’s handwriting was also very beautiful, unlike some teachers whose handwriting was illegible when copying notes.
And Teacher Tong’s voice, like water and song, gentle and melodious, with a hint of a southern accent in her Mandarin, was soothing even in the most irritable of times.
Ruan Xi felt that her brain was broken. She was always thinking about Teacher Tong, no matter what.
“I’ll pick someone to do this problem,” Tong Yao tapped the blackboard. “Let me see who to call on.”
“Teacher, pick me!”
A boy eagerly raised his hand. Ruan Xi knew this person. He was always trying to win Teacher Tong’s favor, saying some mildly flirtatious things.
She bit her lip and slowly raised her hand on the desk. It was raised, but her fingers were curled, close to her ear, as if she could pretend to be touching her ear in the next moment.
“Ruan Xi, is that you raising your hand?”
Tong Yao laughed from the podium.
The whole class looked over, scaring the young girl so much she didn’t dare to move. It was awkward to keep her hand up, and awkward to put it down.
“Come on up,” Tong Yao let out a light “uh-huh.” “Do this problem. The rest of you do it at your seats.”
Ruan Xi stood up stiffly, her mind a mess. How do I do this? She should be able to do it, but her thinking ability at the podium was several beats slower than at her seat. After taking the chalk from Teacher Tong, even the hand holding the chalk was trembling.
Why did I raise my hand for something I’m not sure about?
Probably a fit of anger for the sake of a beauty.
But she wasn’t Wu Sangui, at best a small commoner.
She was like she was facing the wall at the podium as punishment.
“Do you want to change to another piece of chalk?” Tong Yao suddenly said.
The young girl was taken aback, turned her head, and found Teacher Tong tilting her head and smiling at her. It was this smile that she couldn’t resist. She gave a dazed “mhm,” turned to the podium to change the chalk, but then she realized that in the open lesson plan on the podium, the standard answer was written in the most conspicuous position.
Solving a plane geometry problem often only requires a flash of inspiration.
She looked at Teacher Tong in a daze. Teacher Tong had her back to the class and winked at her.
Cute and sly.
No wonder the people Teacher Tong called on could always solve the problems.
Only then did she know why, besides herself who was favored, everyone else also liked Teacher Tong so much.
Because all the students were loved by her.
This problem was given seven minutes, and in the end, a third of the class solved it.
When Ruan Xi stepped down, she received applause from the whole class.
“Damn, you even solved this?” Jiang Yiming exclaimed. He was one of those who couldn’t.
Ruan Xi glanced at him, looked seriously at the blackboard, and copied down the problem.
“Don’t talk to me in class.”
After class, Ruan Xi held her notebook, wanting to ask Teacher Tong a question, but Tong Yao went to Yin Jiali’s desk, said something, and left straight away. She was a little disappointed, her brows furrowed. Yin Jiali saw her and immediately waved.
“Ruan Ruan, Teacher Tong said there’s no tutoring this week, so we can celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.”
Ruan Xi was taken aback. No tutoring?
She actually liked math tutoring. The mid-term exams were in half a month, and they had to rehearse for the Arts Festival. No one had the heart to play. It was better to be with Teacher Tong.
But she also knew that Teacher Tong was very tired. The tutoring was free and took up a lot of Teacher Tong’s time. For a festival like the Mid-Autumn Festival, Teacher Tong had to be with her family.
“Ruan Ruan, are you free this weekend?” Yin Jiali stretched out her hand and leaned on the desk to look at her. “Shall we go buy a Mid-Autumn Festival gift for Teacher Tong?”
She was as if struck, dazed for a moment, and then nodded vigorously.
“Mhm!”
**
On Saturday night, Tong Yao went home, and the family had a reunion dinner.
Jiang Wu sat opposite her, holding her chopsticks with the elegance of a wealthy lady.
“Yao Yao, are you free tomorrow?”
“Yes, what’s up?”
“Your Uncle He’s son has come back here to develop his career. It’s He Shaohua. You two should have a meal together tomorrow.”
This sentence was like a bolt from the blue.
Tong Yao lifted her head from her rice bowl and said in shock, “Are you arranging a blind date for me? No way, I’m not free.”
“It’s not a blind date. If you don’t think it’s suitable, just refuse. Just meet him.” Jiang Wu said lightly. “Don’t tell me you’re not free.”
“Brother.” Tong Yao put down her chopsticks and gave Tong Hua a look, but to her disappointment, Tong Hua was meek and his eyes said “I can’t help you.”
“Stop ordering your brother around,” Jiang Wu sneered. “I’m not asking you to marry him. Just meet him. What are you afraid of?”
“…I’m afraid you’ll sell me.”
In the end, ignoring Tong Yao’s resistance, the matter was settled.
“I’ll slap him as soon as I see him,” Tong Yao said, having given up. “Don’t blame me then.”
“If you dared to slap someone, I wouldn’t have to worry about you,” Jiang Wu drank some tea, not taking it to heart. “I’ll have your brother follow from a distance, so you don’t get tricked into a hotel.”
Tong Hua gave a fawning “rest assured” gesture.
Tong Yao lay on the sofa and gave him the middle finger.
The next day.
After continuous rainy days, the sky finally cleared up. The washed city was a little fresher, and breathing was much smoother.
Tong Yao sat in Tong Hua’s car, looking out the window sullenly. The car stopped in front of a shopping mall. The top floor of the building had the city’s top cinema and restaurants. It was said that a Michelin three-star chef had come to a certain restaurant, which was usually crowded, not to mention during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Unfortunately, she was going to taste the three-star chef’s skills today.
The other party was very sincere.
She followed the signs to the restaurant. A waiter in a tie greeted her with a smile and led her inside.
“…I haven’t said which table yet.”
“I saw your photo,” the waiter’s smile was full of polite charm. “I don’t think anyone would forget such a beautiful lady.”
Quite a sweet talker.
How embarrassing would it be if the photo was overly photoshopped.
The waiter stopped. Tong Yao walked to the table. The man at the seat, with a face like jade, stood up to greet her. He didn’t look much different from the photo, indeed a talented man, different from the men she had met before.
“Hello, Mr. He.”
She didn’t even bother to smile, her face showing a rare laziness.
“Miss Tong,” He Shaohua said with a smile. “You’re even more beautiful than in the photo.”
Tong Yao was absent-minded, nodded, and pondered how to refuse further development.
“Miss Tong graduated from A University? In that case, we’re alumni. I’m from the finance department.” He Shaohua called for the menu and checked the seasonal dishes on it. “And you?”
“Statistics.”
She looked down and played with her nails.
“What does Miss Tong like to eat? Any dietary restrictions?”
“No, you can order whatever you like.”
“Okay, I hope the dishes I order will suit your taste.”
The bright restaurant was colorful. The crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling was dazzling. The piano was playing an unknown but familiar tune. The people in the restaurant spoke in low voices, as if eating here made them elegant.
He Shaohua smiled. “Miss Tong is a teacher, right? I really like the profession of a teacher. Speaking of which, we’re colleagues.”
Tong Yao looked up. To be honest, her impression of this person was not bad. He was gentle and refined, a true gentleman, and easy on the eyes. It was just a pity that their genders didn’t match.
The other party was very good at conversation, always asking her a question after he spoke to involve her. Even though she was uncooperative, he was very patient. She had to admit that she was interested in the topic of “colleagues.”
“You’re a teacher too?”
It was her fault for not reading the information Jiang Wu had given her before she came.
“I was transferred to C University this month,” He Shaohua smiled with his eyes narrowed. “I’m an associate professor now.”
“…Alright then.” Tong Yao immediately lost interest. For a university professor, teaching was a side job.
The restaurant served the dishes quickly.
The chef was indeed skilled, and Tong Yao ate happily.
“Miss Tong, I’d like to invite you to a movie,” He Shaohua said as they left the restaurant. “Can you give me this opportunity?”
“Sorry, I can’t.”
Tong Yao answered in a second.
The other party was clearly taken aback for a moment, not expecting her to refuse so directly.
“Miss Tong seems to be very resistant to being with me,” he smiled.
Tong Yao felt a little guilty. After all, she had eaten his meal and felt a little bad, but she still turned to face him.
“Mr. He, I don’t think we’re suitable. Let’s just leave it at that for today. I’ll transfer the cost of this meal to you.”
He Shaohua stood up straight, looked at her, and finally smiled helplessly.
“I’m out just like that? I really admire you, Miss Tong. I won’t pressure you, and I won’t get too close. Can you give me a chance to pursue you?”
Tong Yao tilted her head and looked at him.
“No?” He Shaohua threw up his hands. “Alright, then can we still be friends?”
Tong Yao thought for a moment and didn’t deny it.
“Going downstairs now?”
“Mhm. Let’s walk down.”
Tong Yao didn’t want to take the elevator, because it would be awkward for the two of them to be in such a small space.
The shopping mall was not short of snack and milk tea shops.
She glanced at the pink-toned milk tea shop. He Shaohua saw this and raised an eyebrow.
“Do you want some? I’ll go buy it for you.”
“Hey, wait…”
Before she could finish, the person had already run over. A few minutes later, he came back with two cups of milk tea.
Tong Yao was very helpless. She didn’t want to drink it; she just liked the decor. She thought for a moment and still took it. She didn’t like the pearls inside and planned to give it to Tong Hua to drink later.
In the distance.
In the crowd, Yin Jiali, holding a bag, nudged Ruan Xi with her elbow.
“Ruan Ruan, isn’t that Teacher Tong? Is she on a date?”
Ruan Xi stood there, her eyes fixed on the two people over there.
The man gave Teacher Tong a cup of milk tea, and Teacher Tong took it.
That was a real date.
There was an emotion that even an adolescent child could clearly identify, called jealousy, that was slowly swallowing her.
There were no more uncertain emotions.
Now, she knew more clearly than ever—
She liked Teacher Tong.
