Li Meng was stunned, and the bag of dried mangoes in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud."
Jian Jiayue's gaze slowly shifted elsewhere, finally landing on Chang Xuyu's back as she demonstrated the sketch.
He narrowed his eyes, raised an eyebrow, and the right corner of his mouth lifted slightly, as if surveying prey on his territory.
Just like Yuan Zixu said, he was clearly the one who could take better care of her. They worked together, had known each other for so long—she was just a teaching assistant, while he, at thirty, had already risen to the position of vice principal of such a large institution. He was capable, mature, and steady. They were on the same level. If Chang Xuyu relied on him, she could avoid many detours.
And wasn't she getting a divorce precisely because she couldn't get along with that man?
So, in her heart, would she admire him more? Spending every day together, he asked himself if he had been good to her.
Thinking this, he stared at her slender figure, a surge of impulse rushing through him like a flood. He clenched his fist, his Adam's apple bobbing: "What do you think? If Xuyu gets divorced, would she choose me?"
Li Meng's mind was struggling to catch up. The amount of information she had received today was overwhelming, and she couldn't absorb it all at once.
"The key is, she hasn't divorced yet..."
She felt that what Jian Jiayue said was a bit harsh and disrespectful, but she couldn't say much, as he was her boss and they all depended on him for their livelihood.
Jian Jiayue gave her a cold look.
Li Meng fell silent, wiped her mouth, and ran off to catch the students who had been sneaking a nap during the demonstration.
She caught several.
Glancing at Chang Xuyu, she showed no reaction, still quietly demonstrating, occasionally explaining a few key points.
Actually, starting sketch lessons for second-year high school students didn't need to be so early. But yesterday, when Chang Xuyu reviewed the homework, she found that despite all the copying, there was no improvement. So she decided to do a demonstration, hoping to gradually deepen their understanding of sketching. Otherwise, blindly drawing wouldn't yield significant results.
She indeed had work ability—Jian Jiayue admitted that. It was precisely this quality in her that he liked.
Jian Jiayue narrowed his eyes, staring for half an hour until Chang Xuyu finished her demonstration and stood up, but he still didn't leave.
He smiled: "Xuyu, this year's bonus should still be yours, barring any surprises."
Chang Xuyu glanced at him coldly, her tone light but emotionless: "It depends on the results. If it's mine, I'll naturally take it. If not, I won't covet more. Thank you, Teacher Jian."
With that, she walked straight out, then paused.
"Teacher Jian, please come out with me for a moment. We need to talk."
Jian Jiayue raised an eyebrow and followed behind her.
A few onlookers were attracted along the way.
At the door of the storage room, Chang Xuyu turned around, took a deep breath, and said seriously: "Teacher Jian, I'm sure you know about this matter. I really don't know who started the rumor, but since it's affecting us, I hope the institution can clarify things publicly and clear everyone's name."
Her eyes were bright, her brow slightly furrowed, her tone resolute.
For a moment, she felt like she couldn't hold on.
She just wanted to work hard, improve her skills, and help her students see the world.
That was all.
Jian Jiayue stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed. He took a cigarette from the pack and put it in his mouth.
"You don't mind if I smoke, do you?"
Chang Xuyu didn't respond and stepped back a bit.
The smoke curled up, choking her and making her want to cough.
Jian Jiayue didn't notice, exhaling a plume of smoke, his thoughts drifting back to a certain moment. He gritted his molars.
"Xuyu, last time you got drunk, that sculptor came to pick you up. It was the same—he flicked his ashes right in front of me—"
He grew agitated, looking at her with a hint of fierceness in his eyes: "Xuyu, I've never been looked down upon before."
He still remembered Yi Zhuo's gaze, looking at him like trash, contemptuous, and being taller than him.
That look and attitude made him extremely uncomfortable. He had always been a promising student in the eyes of his teachers and a good boss in the eyes of his colleagues—outstanding and capable. So he couldn't accept the disdain and neglect in Yi Zhuo's eyes.
Especially when it involved Chang Xuyu.
He blew a puff of smoke at Chang Xuyu, his eyes bloodshot.
Chang Xuyu couldn't help but cough, coughing so hard it felt like her heart was breaking, tears welling up in her eyes.
Jian Jiayue threw the cigarette to the ground with a "smack," stomped it out, and said hoarsely: "Xuyu, you need to face reality."
"To get where I am today, most of the existing art exam institutions in the country rely on us. You're in this industry; you know how important connections are. If you leave, whether other institutions will take you in depends entirely on whether I speak up."
He sighed, a trace of coldness seeping into his eyes.
"Do you know why Xu Jia posted that thread?"
She frowned, then suddenly opened her eyes wide.
So he knew who posted it.
Jian Jiayue saw the look in her eyes and felt a sense of comfort.
Good, he finally touched her heart. She was moved, finally starting to care about what he would say next.
"It's because I tipped them off in advance, and those institutions dared not hire her," he laughed. "So she holds a grudge, desperate, and wants to drag me down with her."
"But after all, I'm a big tree. Without me lifting a finger, those institutions will spend money and effort to divert the public opinion away from me."