In this pure environment, my heart feels young again.
After finishing work, Shuichang took a shower. When he came out, he noticed a missed call on his phone; the contact was Mu, coming from Mu Chengguang.
Shuichang called back, and it rang once before being answered.
“Teacher Nan, what were you doing just now?” Mu Chengguang, a former student of Nan Yu, still called him Teacher Nan even after they married.
“I played soccer and worked up a sweat, so I took a shower,” Shuichang said, putting the call on speaker while drying his hair with a towel.
“I’m coming back to the country tomorrow afternoon. Can you pick me up from the airport, Teacher Nan?” Mu Chengguang’s tone was playful, almost like a spoiled child. At just twenty-three, he was seven years younger than Nan Yu and often acted like a kid, throwing tantrums and showing an inexplicable possessiveness towards Nan Yu.
Shuichang thought about his class schedule for tomorrow and asked, “What time will you arrive?”
“Around four-thirty.”
“That works. I’ll take leave to pick you up.” He had a class that ended at three fifty, so half an hour was enough to get from school to the airport.
“You’re the best, Teacher Nan! I love you!” Mu Chengguang exclaimed, filled with excitement. Before going abroad, they had a big fight, but within two days, he had apologized and made up with Nan Yu. However, he knew that Nan Yu hadn’t fully forgiven him, so he was pleasantly surprised when Nan Yu agreed to pick him up.
The author has something to say: The little guy finally made an appearance!
Shuichang taught two classes, the third and fourth classes of first-year seniors. In the last two periods of the morning, after the bell rang, students rushed out to the cafeteria for lunch. A few eager learners stayed back to ask him questions, and Shuichang patiently answered them. He then checked his watch; it was already twelve-thirty.
After packing up his teaching materials, he walked out of the classroom and turned a corner to see a familiar figure. Shuichang raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Xu Yu, what are you doing here?”
Most students had already finished lunch and returned to their dorms at this hour. Shuichang guessed Xu Yu must have some questions to ask him, considering that he had always been a diligent student.
Xu Yu stood straight in front of him, but his head drooped, making him look less like a panther and more like a dejected dog.
“Teacher Nan, I forgot to bring my meal card,” Xu Yu mumbled. Shuichang didn’t catch that at first and took a moment to understand.
Recognizing what was happening, Shuichang nodded, “That’s fine. Let’s go to the teacher’s cafeteria together.” He had been wondering why Xu Yu had come to ask questions without bringing any books or pens with him.
Xu Yu finally lifted his head, pressed his lips together, and managed a faint smile.
“Thank you, Teacher Nan.” His tone brightened.
It must be noted that Shuichang was somewhat oblivious in certain aspects; Xu Yu, despite not having his meal card, had more than enough time to return to his dorm and get it, rather than waiting for him here.
The wise spirit observing everything remained silent; after all, Shuichang wouldn’t understand if he were told.
In the formative years of youth, a boy with a tragic background met someone proactive who treated him kindly. That person was beautiful and strong, towering in his heart like a mountain… When the mountain stopped approaching him, the boy bottled up his underlying inferiority and sensitivity to chase after it. Any hint of rejection from the mountain would make him turn away immediately, but the mountain remained consistently gentle.
After finishing lunch, Shuichang parted ways with Xu Yu and went to the academic office to check if anyone was around. To take leave as a teacher, he needed the approval of the department head.
The head was not there, but the deputy head was.
“Deputy Head Peng, I would like to request leave after four today.”
Deputy Head Peng usually didn’t block such requests, smiling as he asked, “Is there a specific reason, Teacher Nan?”
Shuichang felt a bit embarrassed, a hint of shyness creeping into his eyes as he replied, “My partner’s flight arrives at four-thirty this afternoon, and I happen to be free, so I want to pick him up from the airport.”
“Sure, Teacher Nan. I heard from Teacher Tong that you haven’t held the wedding ceremony yet after getting your marriage certificate. Let me know when you do—I want to see what kind of person can win over a talented young man like you.”
Shuichang responded, “Of course.”
Deep down, he thought it was strange that Deputy Head Peng wanted to meet Mu Chengguang. In the first and second year, he didn’t know, but Mu Chengguang had caused quite a few troubles in the third year, making him a familiar face in the discipline office, a person whom Deputy Head Peng looked upon unfavorably.
After successfully requesting leave, Shuichang returned to the math office to rest for half an hour, and one by one, other teachers came in.
“By the way, Teacher Nan, I heard you’re taking leave this afternoon to pick up your partner. I had no idea your relationship was so good,” a female teacher teased, prompting laughter from those in the office.
It suddenly dawned on Shuichang that Deputy Head Peng’s wife was also in the first-year math office. In a school, everyone is interconnected; secrets are hard to keep.
He wasn’t upset by their teasing and smiled, “Yes, he is wonderful, and our relationship is also very good.”
The teachers who had just received a bushel of dog food looked at each other in silence: “…Shouldn’t Teacher Nan be shy? Why are they suddenly feeling so intense seeing the relaxed and open Teacher Nan? It must not be just from too much dog food.”
During the afternoon class, Shuichang frequently checked his watch. With five minutes left until the bell, he wrapped up the lesson one minute early to give the students time to absorb the material. Noticing many students restless and ready to approach him with questions, Shuichang said, “Class, I have matters to attend to after this, so if you have any questions, please write them down and come to my office tomorrow.”
Just as the bell rang, Shuichang finished his sentence and left with his materials.
He went back to his office to drop off his things and grabbed his car keys to head to the parking lot.
During this time, he couldn’t escape the playful jests from other teachers.
He wore his wedding ring today, so by tomorrow, the whole school would likely know that he was married.
Nevertheless, he never intended to hide it.
Not yet at evening rush hour, Shuichang drove to the airport, encountering smooth traffic. He arrived at the arrival hall at four-twenty.
There weren’t many handsome men like him in the hall, so many people would glance at him while waiting for their arrivals.
Shuichang could certainly feel their eyes on him; however, having been a CEO in his previous life, he was accustomed to the gazes of admiration and completely ignored it.