Speak of the devil!
Her joy had arrived!
[He Huan: Teacher Du want oranges? ]
[He Huan: Weekend home, sis-in-law loaded me with a huge bag of Chu oranges—her colleague’s hometown crop. Tried one: super sweet, barely sour. Help me share the load? ]
No evening study hall for Du Heming today, so she’d arrived at the office earlyish.
Glancing at the time: ten minutes to first evening class. He Huan and Lin Huayan both had main subject lessons tonight.
Joy bubbling over, Du Heming ducked her head, nearly kissing the phone in excitement.
[Du Heming: Yes! ]
[Du Heming: Delighted to ease Teacher He’s burdens. ]
[He Huan: In the dorm. After study hall, come up and grab some. ]
[He Huan: Also a crate of cherries—take plenty. If too much, ask Teacher Lin for help. ]
[Du Heming: Teacher Lin’s friend visited today—bet she’ll share goodies with me tonight too [cry-laugh]]
She’d known Qin Fengru for years—not super close, but as Lin Huayan’s “neighbor,” they’d crossed paths often. Both chatty, they’d shoot the breeze in downtime.
Hadn’t run into her today, but entering the dorm, she’d heard the neighbor’s door and peeked—caught Qin Fengru’s back.
Qin Fengru fed Lin Huayan; Lin fed her.
Thanks to inheriting Dad’s bottomless-pit metabolism, plus biweekly gym and twice-weekly night runs, she hadn’t ballooned.
[Du Heming: Teacher He won’t think I’m a bottomless pit? Eat everything—and lots. ]
[He Huan: Old saying: big appetite is a blessing. ]
[He Huan: By your face, Teacher Du’s got great fortune ahead. ]
Du Heming was speechless.
Sent ellipses.
[He Huan: Joke! Don’t be mad, Teacher Du. ]
[Du Heming: Not mad. ]
[He Huan: I believe a bright and cheerful girl like Teacher Du must have deep blessings and will surely find even better romantic fortune in the future.]
[He Huan: The school circle is just too small, and like-minded people are hard to come by. Luckily, you’re great at socializing and have good connections. When you have time, why not venture outside the school more, make friends with shared interests, build more good karma, and let yourself be happy.]
But after reading these two latest messages from her, Du Heming felt chilled to the bone—how could she feel happy now?
…
By the time the parent-teacher conference wrapped up that Wednesday, the scrape on the back of Lou Yixuan’s hand had already healed. But with December’s winter chill setting in, even a small wound healed slowly.
That patch of skin remained a deeper red, like a tattoo branded onto her fair complexion, standing out starkly.
More than once, seeing this “scar,” Lou Yixuan thought about turning it into a real tattoo. That way, she could preserve forever the memory of that moment with Lin Huayan—and all the joy it brought.
But that was just a fleeting thought. If she actually did it, Lin Huayan would definitely get mad.
As for why she’d get mad… Lou Yixuan didn’t dare speculate.
Lin Huayan’s heart was probably impossible for anyone in the world to fathom. Lou Yixuan had met countless people at home and abroad, but she’d never seen anyone who could hide things more deeply than Lin Huayan.
Layer upon layer. Even more wrapped up than an onion.
After the “Meal Buddies Group” was created, Wednesdays at noon basically became their standing four-person lunch date.
Lou Yixuan would announce her arrival at school in the group chat.
When the time came, Du Heming would go fetch He Huan, and the two of them would head to the cafeteria to meet Lou Yixuan. Whether they ran into Lin Huayan on the way was pure luck.
The appointed time was drawing near, and He Huan waited in the office for Du Heming, but she didn’t show.
[He Huan: Is Teacher Du busy?]
[Du Heming: Sorry, handling some student stuff—lost track of time.]
[Du Heming: Teacher He, you go ahead. I’ll be there soon.]
[He Huan: No rush, I’ll wait for you.]
After replying to Du Heming, He Huan messaged the group: [He Huan: Du and I will be a bit late. Teachers Lin and Lou, go ahead and eat if you’re there. Snap a pic of the seats for the group, and we’ll join if we make it in time.]
[Lou Yixuan: Got it. I’ll photo our seats once Teacher Lin and I sit down.]
He Huan didn’t visit Du Heming’s office often, since Du Heming was always popping into hers. She was used to waiting for Du Heming to come by.
But today was different. With nothing pressing, she got up to check the other office.
By now, everyone in the grade group knew she and Du Heming were close. They shared breakfast, lunch, or dinner together almost every day in the cafeteria.
When she reached the other office doorway, Du Heming wasn’t inside.
“Teacher He, looking for Teacher Du?”
“Yeah, where is she?”
“She was just here—probably in the bathroom. Give her a call.”
“Did she go alone?”
“Yeah, what’s up?”
“Nothing.”
He Huan didn’t even step inside the office before turning and spotting Du Heming walking back from the bathroom direction with another female teacher.
That teacher was clearly from the sophomore year group, and her age… only two years younger than Du Heming.
He Huan knew this so precisely because they’d co-taught a class for a year.
“Teacher He?”
“Teacher He!”
Both greeted her—one with mild surprise, the other with a hint of delight.
“Teacher Lian, Teacher Du.”
He Huan greeted them back one by one. “Do you two have plans?”
“No, just that we bonded as comrades during last month’s city-level demo lesson with Teacher Du. We hit it off chatting, and since I’m new to Tianmu this year, I figured I’d learn from her experience—and maybe nurture a friendship along the way.”
Lian Si was also a chemistry teacher, hired at Tianmu Middle School last year. She was just a subject teacher for now, not a homeroom advisor.
She dressed in a neutral style, had an outgoing personality, could chat with anyone, navigated social circles effortlessly, and loved making friends.
“I was hoping to invite Teacher Du to lunch, but I showed up too late. She said Wednesdays are booked with someone else.”
Wednesdays are booked with someone else.
Wednesdays.
He Huan sighed inwardly.
“Teacher Lian, let’s reschedule for another day. I need to go meet my meal buddies.”
Du Heming hurried to usher Lian Si away. She never imagined He Huan would come looking for her—and catch her with Lian Si right at the doorway like this.
Ever since that “romantic fortune incident” two Sundays ago, to avoid coming off as annoying, she’d been deliberately reducing contact with He Huan. She hadn’t been seeking her out for meals as often either.
—[Du Heming: Thanks for the comfort, Teacher He.]
—[He Huan: It’s not comfort—it’s my hope that Teacher Du keeps being herself, stays happy. You’re still young; there are plenty of encounters and opportunities ahead. Don’t get stuck on the present.]
She remembered He Huan saying—you can’t judge people or situations by appearances alone. True opportunities or encounters hide beneath the surface.
And what He Huan was hiding in her words was: don’t pin your hopes on me, don’t waste your feelings on me.
She should look beyond the school, hope for the future—that’s how she’d find a good match.
After Lian Si left, Du Heming awkwardly checked the time on her phone and opened WeChat. “Hasn’t delayed us much. Let’s go—Lou-lou and the others just got their trays and sat down.”
“Mm.” He Huan was as understanding as ever, not asking a single untimely question.
As they walked, Du Heming replied to Lou Yixuan in the group: [On our way.]
…
At the cafeteria, appetite lacking, Du Heming grabbed just two dishes—no soup—and went to find Lou Yixuan and the others.
He Huan also took only two dishes but ladled two bowls of soup: one in her tray, one in hand.
Du Heming sat first and politely said “thanks” when He Huan set a bowl of soup in front of her.
Their four-person seating felt set in stone.
Lou Yixuan next to Lin Huayan, Du Heming next to He Huan.
“Why does Teacher Du look so listless?” Lou Yixuan eyed the wilted Du Heming across from her. “Something bothering you?”
“Period stuff.”
“Peri—oh. Yeah, that can be rough. Hang in there—just a couple days.” Lou Yixuan cooed like she was soothing a child. “You got this, Teacher Du.”
Du Heming gave a half-hearted pout and nod, saying nothing.
She was usually the group’s ray of sunshine, the one with the endless chatter. Once her words dried up, the vibe turned oppressively dull—Lou Yixuan alone couldn’t revive it.
Before they arrived, Lou Yixuan and Lin Huayan had only chatted about midterms scores for their classes.
After all, they were at school—had to mind their image, set a good example.
She couldn’t be as freewheeling or playful as at a restaurant or supermarket, teasing or fawning over Lin Huayan on a whim.
“Midterms are finally wrapping up.”
He Huan broke the silence. “I’ll treat this month. How about dinner next Friday night? Anything special you all want?”
She suggested next week because this one still had loose ends—like the grade meeting Friday afternoon after students left.
But unexpectedly, Lou Yixuan and Lin Huayan both said “next week won’t work.”
Lou Yixuan glanced left, and Du Heming and He Huan instinctively looked to Lin Huayan first.
“Next Saturday, a very important friend of mine is getting married. I can’t miss it. Heading over Friday night to keep her company.”
A very important friend.
Those words were ripe for savoring.
