After that night, the two of them had little contact for several days. When they did meet, they spoke even less.
The apartment felt empty.
The plants on the balcony had lost their vitality, wilting under the harsh winter sun.
Yi Zhuo was genuinely busy—the constant whine of electric saws in the factory filled the air, though thankfully the glass was soundproof. His body was covered in stone dust and ash, and there were leftover cigarette butts in the ashtray by the window. On his phone screen was the contact page for "Xuyu." He stared at it for a long time but never pressed the call button.
Chang Xuyu wasn't very busy. She had finished guiding this batch of students through their art exams, and after the scores came out, she had a brief respite. The classes she and Teacher Jian coached did well; Teacher Jian was preparing several students for the academy's school-specific exams. Her bonus had been issued, and she headed to the finance department.
Chang Xuyu was walking slowly, but she still bumped into someone. To be precise, the other person was walking too fast, not watching where they were going, and collided with Chang Xuyu as she passed through the doorway. She stepped back two paces and adjusted her glasses.
It was Xu Jia.
Class Two of Qingmei had performed poorly, and several students were preparing to retake the year. The principal had a fit and docked the bonuses of all teachers in Qingmei Class Two, Xu Jia included. Because of this, teachers from Class One and Class Two barely spoke when they met, abiding by the "happy person's principle of yielding." Chang Xuyu, who preferred to talk little and do more, said nothing and tried to walk around Xu Jia.
Xu Jia had just listened to the head teacher's complaints and was feeling irritable. She shot Chang Xuyu a dirty look and casually brushed off her clothes—as if she'd picked up dust from bumping into Chang Xuyu. Knowing Chang Xuyu had always been easygoing, Xu Jia blocked her when she tried to leave.
Chang Xuyu stepped back. "Is there something you need, Teacher Xu?"
Xu Jia's expression was as dark as a storm cloud, gathering thunder and lightning, ready to strike. "Teacher Chang is heading to the finance department to pick up your bonus, right?" Her tone was slightly mocking.
She just couldn't accept it. She and Chang Xuyu had started on the same day, but Chang Xuyu got to follow a young, handsome vice principal and teach the best class, while she was shoved into Class Two, scraping by under a capricious supervisor. They were both teaching assistants—why was Chang Xuyu so lucky? The thought made Xu Jia clench her molars.
Chang Xuyu didn't want to discuss it. Silent, she walked around Xu Jia and continued. After a few steps, she heard a low curse behind her: "Who knows what means she used? Got the vice principal to back her up. Hmph."
Chang Xuyu slowed down, bit her lip, and turned to Xu Jia. "Teacher Jian and I are just colleagues, same as you."
Xu Jia was startled, probably not expecting her to hear such a low voice. She coughed lightly. But since she'd been heard, pretending further was pointless. She snorted and strode off.
Chang Xuyu stood there for a few minutes, felt a headache coming on, and decided not to waste energy on someone like that. She went quickly to finance, collected her money, and returned to the office. There, she saw Xu Jia chatting animatedly with a female assistant, occasionally pursing her lips. When they saw Chang Xuyu, they simultaneously rolled their eyes at her.
Chang Xuyu silently went to her workstation to grade sketch assignments. Suddenly, two students ran in from outside. They were first-year high school students from the group Chang Xuyu was responsible for—usually energetic and lively, and they liked to stick to her. Panting, they held out several single-pose sketch photos, their faces beaming as they handed them to her.
"Teacher, check out my new drawings! How are they? Any improvement?" Their eyes seemed to sparkle, awaiting Chang Xuyu's response.
Chang Xuyu was an encouraging teacher. These two often practiced extra and would run upstairs for her feedback; they worked hard. Smiling, she pulled two lollipops from her drawer. "You've improved! The shapes are getting more accurate. Here, one for each of you."
"Haha! Thanks, Teacher Chang!"
Chang Xuyu carefully examined the drawings, patiently pointing out areas for improvement. Seeing this, Xu Jia suddenly boiled over. "What's she showing off for..." she blurted out.
At the sound, Chang Xuyu felt her heart skip a beat. Xu Jia froze, realizing she'd spoken out of turn, but it was too late.
Before Chang Xuyu could respond, the two students muttered, "No wonder the third group doesn't like Teacher Xu."
Xu Jia was known for her bad temper, heavy workload, and rarely encouraging anyone. Students this age were often emotionally sensitive, with clear likes and dislikes. Not many students liked Xu Jia anyway, and seeing her mock Chang Xuyu like that—wasn't that workplace bullying? They were Chang Xuyu's students, so they hated seeing her bullied.
Their voices weren't loud, but in the quiet office, they carried weight, reaching almost everyone's ears. All eyes turned to Xu Jia. Humiliated, her face flushed red as she pointed at the students. "Where are your manners? Don't you know how to respect a teacher? How dare you talk to me like that!"
In response, the two simultaneously tore open their lollipop wrappers, popped the candy into their mouths in front of Xu Jia, and snorted before running off. "Goodbye, Teacher! Thanks for the candy!" they called, waving at Chang Xuyu.
Watching their retreating backs, Xu Jia nearly staggered. She steadied herself against the desk and sat down, her heart sinking. If those two students exaggerated this and spread it around the institution... how could she face anyone? She glared at Chang Xuyu, clenching her fists, fury blazing inside her.
It was all her fault. Putting on a pure act, liked by so many colleagues, yet she'd let those students speak to her like that—hypocritical and detestable. Xu Jia gritted her teeth, feeling stares like daggers stabbing into her.
Chang Xuyu noticed her gaze but turned away, unwilling to engage. A colleague came over and whispered, "Ridiculous. Did you see Xu Jia's face? Priceless. She walks around here like she owns the place. Now we just wait for the drama."
Chang Xuyu frowned. "Forget it. We're in the same office." She didn't want to make things too tense.
"You treat her like a colleague, but she sure doesn't treat you like one," the woman shook her head. "Anyway, she brought it on herself."
*
Within days, rumors about Xu Jia possibly bullying Chang Xuyu spread like wildfire through the institution. That day, Xu Jia ran out of the vice principal's office with red eyes, bumped into Chang Xuyu again, and shouted, "Chang Xuyu, aren't you just relying on your looks to hook up with the vice principal? I don't want to stay in this unfair workplace either!"
Chang Xuyu was stunned by her yelling. Frowning, she entered the vice principal's office to find Jian Jiayue resting against the sofa. Not yet asleep, he opened his eyes when someone entered. Seeing who it was, his anger instantly dissipated. "Xuyu, what brings you here? Have a seat." He smiled.
Chang Xuyu stood at the door. "Teacher Jian, was Xu Jia fired?"
At that, Jian Jiayue's expression darkened, his tone cooling. "Class Two's results were very poor this year. Coupled with the recent rumors, I can see she has a twisted character." He looked up, concern in his eyes. "Xuyu, rest assured, you won't have to worry about her bullying you anymore. I've been busy preparing for the school exams—my oversight. If only I'd stood up for you sooner. You won't blame me, will you?"
As he spoke, he walked toward her, his voice full of apology. Chang Xuyu stepped back two paces. "Teacher Jian, thank you for your kindness, but I need to make something clear." She bowed slightly, her tone emotionless. "We're just colleagues. I respect your teaching ability and professionalism, but that's all."
Jian Jiayue understood immediately. He wasn't the type to give up easily. Chang Xuyu had only worked here a year; she was quiet and gentle, perhaps slow to warm up to relationships. But it was fine—he was willing to wait for her to open up.
He chuckled softly. "Actually, my admiration for you stems from your talent. I'm about to turn thirty, and this is the first time I've felt drawn to a girl. I hope you can understand."
Chang Xuyu looked at him, about to respond, but he continued, "But Xuyu, you can't stop me from admiring you. Pursuing you is my personal matter; it's up to you to accept or not." He smiled warmly. "Now that I've said this, I should take responsibility. Xuyu, I really like you. From tomorrow, I will officially court you."
Chang Xuyu was shocked. "No, no, Teacher Jian, actually I'm already..." The last word—married—caught in her throat. Although it was a secret marriage, she had already proposed to divorce Yi Zhuo in spring; she shouldn't bring it up lightly.
Seeing her wave her hands and hesitate, Jian Jiayue mistook it for shyness. "It's okay. I won't put you on the spot. Xuyu, don't feel pressured." He paused. "I like you, so I'll respect you and pursue you in a way you can accept." He adjusted his glasses and said solemnly, "And regarding Xu Jia, don't blame yourself. Public and private are separate. Her ability really wasn't sufficient. I discussed her dismissal with the head principal."
Chang Xuyu felt trapped, unsure what to do. Just then, someone came to the door. "Teacher Chang, someone is waiting for you in the reception room."
"Okay." She hurried downstairs, relieved. But when she opened the door and saw who it was, her pupils contracted.
Yi Zhuo wore a long black down jacket, his tall figure straight. He held a large bouquet and stood before her. Fresh from work, the dark circles under his eyes were faint, his narrow eyes tinged with weariness and languor. Perhaps because he was coming to see her, his chin was cleanly shaved.
He stepped forward and placed the flowers in her arms. "Roses—your favorite." He paused. "Let's have dinner together tonight. I've booked a restaurant."
Chang Xuyu took them, startled. "Thank you..." The floral scent mingled with his unique mint fragrance, washing away some of her earlier unease. Being with him inexplicably brought her peace. She breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Yi Zhuo caught the slight curve of her lips and the faint blush on her cheeks, making her look like a rose herself. Jian Jiayue, assuming it was a parent from Qingmei class, followed behind. But through the crack in the door, he saw this scene. Frowning, he pushed the door open. "Are you... Yi Zhuo?" The sculptor who was friendly with the principal—he recognized him.
Chang Xuyu spun around, holding the flowers, startled. Jian Jiayue was baffled. "What is this...?"
Before Chang Xuyu could speak, Yi Zhuo said calmly, "I'm here to pick up my wife from work."
Author's note: Don't want school to start...