Chapter 3: Offense

From Yan Ningxi’s words, Ming You heard the unique authority inherent to the teaching profession. It seemed that calling her “pretty sister” had displeased this “pretty sister.”

She smiled faintly at the corner of her mouth. “I didn’t see you when I was in high school. You must be a new teacher who joined after I graduated, right? You look so young—probably just a few years older than me. Calling you ‘teacher’ makes you sound old.”

If she hadn’t run into her again today at He Huan’s wedding, she wouldn’t have cared what Yan Ningxi’s name was, let alone pester her with questions like this.

Seeing that Yan Ningxi seemed lost in thought, Ming You called out, “Sister Yan?”

Being called “pretty sister” repeatedly by a strange girl in such an inappropriate setting didn’t just make Yan Ningxi feel awkward—it felt like an offense. Fortunately, Ming You had changed her tune and dropped the word “pretty.”

On second thought, she probably wouldn’t see her again after today, so Yan Ningxi couldn’t be bothered to argue. She raised her hand and pointed ahead. “Those two tables over there are all former students of Teacher He from various years. Do you recognize any classmates there?”

Ming You shook her head instinctively. At this wedding, she was probably the only uninvited guest in the entire venue.

Without an invitation, she didn’t even qualify as a guest.

“No one?” Yan Ningxi was skeptical of the girl’s answer, but she went along with it anyway. “If not, and if you feel uncomfortable sitting with a bunch of strangers, you don’t have to go over. You’ve already caught up with Teacher He on your own, and you’ve conveyed your sentiments and well-wishes. That’s enough.”

“How could a few words of blessing be enough?” Ming You chuckled lightly. She lowered her head, unzipped her crossbody bag, and took something out. “Thanks to Sister Yan’s reminder, I almost forgot something very important. This is my real gift. Could I trouble Sister Yan to pass it on to Teacher He for me?”

The girl’s gaze drifted toward the stage. “Don’t worry, it’s not a monetary gift. Teacher He wouldn’t accept that, but she’ll definitely take this. And please pass along a ‘thank you’ too—just say that the thing she lent me a few years ago has finally been returned to its rightful owner.”

If Yan Ningxi hadn’t appeared so suddenly, if Yan Ningxi weren’t the woman she’d spent the night with last night, if Yan Ningxi weren’t He Huan’s bridesmaid, she probably would have thrown this thing at He Huan’s feet in a fit of anger.

After hearing the girl’s explanation, Yan Ningxi’s anger subsided a bit, and she felt a twinge of pity. She lowered her eyes and agreed to the girl’s request. “Okay.”

The thing the girl handed to Yan Ningxi wasn’t one of those standard red envelopes you saw everywhere at wedding banquets. It was a wine-red envelope sealed with golden wax stamped with a fiery emblem, and it had some weight to it.

But the thickness and texture she felt between her fingers didn’t match ordinary letter paper.

“Sister Yan is the bridesmaid, so you must have a lot to do. I won’t hold you up any longer. It’s already noon—I’m really getting hungry. Since I’m here, I might as well eat.” Ming You rubbed her stomach, pretending to be famished.

“Wait. You…”

“Hm?” Ming You turned back, her face showing an innocent, harmless confusion. “Does Sister Yan need something else?”

“I just heard Teacher He call you ‘Ming You,’ right?”

“…” Hearing her own name for the first time from Yan Ningxi’s mouth in such a question probably meant she really didn’t know who she was.

It made sense. From the moment she’d asked He Huan on graduation day, “Can we reconsider our relationship?” she’d become something He Huan couldn’t acknowledge in public. Why would He Huan ever mention her to anyone else?

It had been a full two years. She’d followed He Huan’s advice—no skipping classes, no absences, top grades in every subject, scholarships every year. But even seeing her during holidays had become a luxury.

She’d finally woken up. Last night’s so-called bet? She never had a chance of winning. Because from the start, she’d already lost.

“On a fine day, the hibiscus courtyard is small; in the west wind, the oranges and citrons grow long. My name is Ming You. Sister Yan didn’t hear wrong.” Ming You repeated her name in a more literary way.

During her senior year of prep, she’d memorized a ton of ancient poems—ones on the exam and ones that weren’t. It wasn’t really for school; it was for the person who bought her the books and helped her study them.

Back then, she always thought that grades didn’t matter as much as making He Huan proud.

She was a devoted practitioner of that belief.

He Huan was merely a detached observer.

The poem the girl recited was an obscure Song dynasty verse that few people knew. Yan Ningxi had once seen it in a book but hadn’t memorized it.

In the west wind, the oranges and citrons grow long.

What a coincidence.

Her and her name.

The fact that she could recite such a poem so effortlessly made Yan Ningxi regard Ming You with a bit more appreciation. “Come on, I’ll go with you.”

Ming You blinked, grinning mischievously. “Sister Yan doesn’t trust me that much? I’m already an adult…”

“You’re just a teenager—not quite an adult.” Yan Ningxi finished and walked ahead of Ming You.

A boy from Ming You’s year recognized her and stood up, waving enthusiastically. “Classmate Ming You, you finally made it! I thought you weren’t coming. Come sit over here—we’re from the same year. I’m the class president from Teacher He’s class. You’ve seen me in the office before, right? Remember me?”

But Ming You’s eyes were ice-cold. She’d prepared herself before coming not to acknowledge anyone.

Seeing her indifferent expression, Yan Ningxi glanced at the time on her phone and cautioned, “You’re a girl coming here alone—better not drink.”

Ming You nodded vigorously. “I know my limits. I won’t drink with just anyone like I did last night. Thanks for your concern, Sister Yan.”

A few minutes earlier, in the lounge, after hearing He Huan call out “Teacher Yan,” Ming You had remembered.

Teacher He’s bridesmaid’s full name was Yan Ningxi.

She’d learned about He Huan’s National Day wedding through a private message from the high school class group admin on Penguin software, asking if she wanted to chip in on a group blessing for Teacher He. Before that message, she hadn’t even known He Huan had a boyfriend, let alone that they’d already progressed to marriage talks behind the scenes.

She never looked at the occasional chats in the high school group, neither before nor after graduation, and she hadn’t added any classmates individually.

Among all her subject teachers back then, He Huan had been the most popular. So she wasn’t surprised they’d be buzzing in the group about He Huan’s wedding—what gift to give, what the groom was like…

She just numbly watched the messages flood in until an informed classmate spilled that Teacher He’s bridesmaid was the new goddess of the High School Division’s language department—Yan Ningxi.

After checking the time and place from the chat records, she quit the group without replying to the class president.

She changed her plans not to return to Huai’an, bought a ticket, and set off on the journey back. She wanted to see with her own eyes how wonderful He Huan’s wedding and He Huan’s man were. She’d seen them. Nothing special.

…

Among the classes He Huan had taught, the one Yan Ningxi knew best was the class rep who frequented the language office. She leaned down and whispered a few words in the little girl’s ear before leaving.

“Isn’t that beauty from another class? Quick, check—is she that art exam candidate?”

“Shh, it’s her. I heard she got into a pretty famous school.”

“Tch, with that face, who knows how many surgeries or tweaks she’s had.

“Do you all remember? Back in sophomore year, a guy from our class got into a fight with her during PE. His nose bled everywhere, and they almost got a school-wide warning…”

As soon as Ming You sat down, people started whispering and gossiping.

After her careful makeup and styling, Ming You wore an ink-green shirt-style long dress that made her pale skin look like snow. With an expressionless face, she exuded a cold, aloof aura—like the quintessential ice queen from a novel.

Boys and girls always focused on different things with pretty girls, and they usually didn’t gossip to their faces.

With a beauty right there, they weren’t afraid of rejection. One after another, they struck up conversations, and Ming You selectively replied to a few.

“Hello, senpai!” A girl from the next table approached Ming You. She had a baby face, big eyes, and a slightly timid voice. “I’m the language class rep from Teacher He’s class—Jiang Lai. Jiang from Jiang Ziya, Lai from Penglai Island.”

“Hello, I’m Ming You. Did you come find me because Teacher Yan said something to you just now?” Ming You was so polite to her precisely because she’d seen Yan Ningxi speak to her alone before leaving.

“Um, Teacher Yan told me to… to keep an eye on you…” Jiang Lai wasn’t sure if she could relay it word-for-word, but Ming You-senpai was so stunning that she couldn’t form new sentences.

“Keep an eye on me?”

“No, not like that! I mean, if you need anything, you can come to me… no, wait, uh…” Jiang Lai tied herself in knots.

“Take it slow. I’m not some fierce beast—you don’t have to be so nervous.” Ming You took a chocolate from the tray of wedding candies and handed it to her like coaxing a child. “Have something sweet.”

“Ah? Okay.”

Jiang Lai obediently took the chocolate, tore open the wrapper without thinking, and popped it in her mouth. Chewing helped ease her inexplicable tension. “Teacher Yan told me to watch you and make sure you don’t drink too much. And if you do get drunk, to notify her.”

She didn’t really need to relay Teacher Yan’s instructions verbatim, but she’d been dazzled by the beauty and couldn’t resist coming over to say hi and get familiar.

They politely chatted a bit about school, and Ming You agreed to Jiang Lai’s request to add her on WeChat.

Soon, it was 12:08, and the wedding emcee picked up the microphone for the standard, uninspired opening remarks.

In the pink-and-white wedding, with everyone’s attention on the kissing bride and groom amid applause and cheers, only Ming You hung her head, blocking out the noise around her, digging her nails into her palm to steady her emotions.

Her youthful feelings had quietly grown in the dark crevices without sunlight, bloomed like an Ephemeral Flower under the bright moonlit night, and finally withered away under the ravages of wind and rain.

On stage, He Huan changed her mind at the last minute and skipped the bouquet toss. She handed the symbolic bouquet of happiness directly to Yan Ningxi.

“Yan Yan, I hope your share of happiness doesn’t come late.”

“Thanks.”

The bride and groom went table to table for toasts. When they reached the students’ side, everyone stood with glasses raised, clamoring with all sorts of blessings. In the midst of the cheerful toasting, Ming You—who could no longer force a smile—stood out like a sore thumb.

He Huan glanced at the silent Ming You and quickly looked away.

Ming You sneered inwardly. She’d played the good student for so long—she was tired of it, sick of it.

It was such a joyous occasion, celebrating the union of two people. How could she not give the groom a wedding gift in person?

Just as everyone tilted their heads to drink, the wine glass slipped from Ming You’s hand. The highball glass shattered on the glass table with a sharp crack that cut through the din, inevitably staining her dress with several wine spots.

As Ming You picked up the shards, saying “sorry,” the glass sliced her left palm.

“Ming You!” When she saw blood flowing, He Huan called out. She hurried to Ming You’s side. “Let me see.”

The moment He Huan touched Ming You’s hand, she pulled away.

Ming You’s movement was too big, bumping the boy next to her. The red wine from his unfinished glass splashed out, splattering onto He Huan’s arm.

“Sorry, Teacher He.” The boy apologized profusely, grabbing several tissues but hesitating to hand them over.

One second, Ming You was wincing in pain as she took the tissues from the boy; the next, she forced a smile and pressed them into He Huan’s hand. “Teacher He, happy wedding.”

Happy wedding.

Hearing those words of blessing from Ming You’s mouth didn’t make He Huan happy at all. She awkwardly withdrew her hand, maintaining an appropriate smile on her face while her heart churned with mixed emotions.

“And happy wedding to you too, Mr. Jiang.” Ming You turned to the groom, picked up another drink from the table, and downed it. “This one’s my apology for breaking the glass.” She had no respect for him—not worthy of her toasting him properly.

The groom, Jiang Bin, was a veteran soldier. He laughed nonchalantly and raised his voice. “No worries, no worries! Broken things bring peace. Classmates, eat well, drink up, have fun. Teacher Yan, He Huan and I can’t get away—could you look after this girl for us? Thanks so much, you’ve worked hard today! We’ll treat you to a meal sometime, just us.”

But Ming You wasn’t done. She pulled a hundred-yuan bill from her bag and placed it on the table. “Mr. Jiang, is this hundred yuan enough to buy the glass?”

Jiang Bin’s face changed dramatically.

It wasn’t just him; everyone at the table was shocked.

“If it’s not enough…”

Yan Ningxi was about to step forward to help when she saw Ming You being yanked back forcefully by someone. This commotion drew everyone’s eyes once more.

The sudden force made Ming You stumble, her waist bumping into the chair.

The girl who pulled her nodded slightly and smiled apologetically at He Huan. “Teacher He, don’t worry about us. Ming You and I know each other. I’ll take her to deal with the wound.” With that, she dragged Ming You away.

Yan Ningxi grabbed a clean handkerchief from the table and gestured to He Huan. “Teacher He, you go ahead. Leave this to me. It’ll be fine.”

“Yan Yan.” He Huan grabbed Yan Ningxi. It was easy to see the anxiety on her face.

Yan Ningxi heard her whisper, “The girl who dragged Ming You off is the class rep from the class I taught last year. She has a strong personality. I don’t know how close she is to Ming You, but it doesn’t rule out the possibility that they have some bad blood between them privately.”

After He Huan finished, Yan Ningxi nodded. “Got it. I’ll handle it.”