After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Cheng Zhanxi took a discreet breath, maintaining a polite smile as she reintroduced herself. "I'm Cheng Zhanxi. Zhanxi, like 'perhaps exists.'"
Her gaze remained fixed on Yu Qingtang's face.
The Chinese teacher paused in watering her plant. "Is that from the Tao Te Ching?" she asked.
[Tao Te Ching (道德經): A Chinese classic text traditionally credited to the 6th-century BC sage Lao Tzu (老子).]
Cheng Zhanxi smiled. "Yes, it is."
The Chinese teacher said, "What a lovely name."
Cheng Zhanxi saw Yu Qingtang lower her eyes to her computer screen, her hand still on the mouse, but not scrolling.
Did she finally recognize her? Surely she hadn't forgotten her name as well?
Yu Qingtang's memory wasn't that bad. When Ms. Sun introduced Cheng Zhanxi, she'd felt a flicker of unfamiliar recognition. When Cheng Zhanxi said, "Zhanxi, like 'perhaps exists'," a vague image surfaced in her mind, along with fragmented memories she had almost forgotten.
...It was the "medical report" she'd slept with.
Yu Qingtang had gone to the bar specifically to find a stranger, someone she would never interact with again. Even if they met again at school, she intended to pretend she didn't know her.
A PE teacher, Yu Qingtang thought indifferently. They shouldn't have much interaction.
No sooner had this thought crossed her mind than Ms. Sun called her name. "Ms. Yu."
Yu Qingtang looked up at Ms. Sun, her expression calm and polite.
Ms. Sun paused, slightly taken aback.
Ms. Sun didn't have any teaching duties; she only handled administrative tasks for the school. She had been the one to welcome Yu Qingtang on her first day. She had immediately noticed Yu Qingtang's aloof demeanor. While polite and observing all formalities, she was so quiet that Ms. Sun would often forget she was there, the silence almost suffocating.
For example, now, while other teachers would respond with a "Yes?" or "What is it?", Yu Qingtang simply looked at her with those clear, dark eyes.
It was easy to get lost in her gaze, forgetting what you were about to say.
Ms. Sun collected herself and led Cheng Zhanxi over. "Mr. Wu, your previous PE teacher, is getting on in years and doesn't have the energy to teach anymore. The school has decided to assign Ms. Cheng to your class. Why don't you two get acquainted? You can take her to your class later for the PE lesson so the students can get to know her."
A small crack finally appeared in Yu Qingtang's calm facade.
Ms. Sun: "I'll leave you two to chat. I have to go."
Cheng Zhanxi watched Ms. Sun leave, then turned to Yu Qingtang with a gentle smile. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Yu. What's your full name?"
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Cheng Zhanxi continued to smile.
With her refined features, tall and elegant posture, and despite her captivating almond-shaped eyes, she didn't appear frivolous, but rather exuded a friendly and approachable aura.
But Yu Qingtang was clearly immune to her charm.
"Yu Qingtang," she replied, her voice cool.
Cheng Zhanxi's interest was piqued. "Oh?" she said, propping a hand on the desk and leaning closer. "How do you write that?"
Yu Qingtang tore a sheet from a nearby notepad, wrote her name in black ink, and slid it across the desk with her slender fingers.
Cheng Zhanxi picked up the note, pretending to see it for the first time, and read each character aloud. "So it's 'Qing' as in 'clear water,' and 'Tang' as in 'crabapple.' Such a beautiful name, both in sound and meaning."
Yu Qingtang: "..."
She remained silent, while a female teacher preparing her lessons at a nearby desk giggled.
Cheng Zhanxi glanced over, her expression still friendly, not showing any offense, but rather a touch of respectful deference. "I'm Cheng Zhanxi. 'Zhan' as in 'azure,' 'Xi' as in 'pitiful.' Nice to meet you too."
The self-deprecating introduction drew more laughter from the teachers.
The teacher who had laughed first said, "I'm Yang Li, the English teacher for Class 7."
Cheng Zhanxi blinked, a smile playing on her lips. "What a coincidence."
Yang Li, in her forties, had long, sleek hair that reached her waist, a pink blouse, and a matching skirt. She was stylish and youthful, her figure well-maintained, a true representative of the English department – the most fashionable of all subjects.
Holding a pen and resting her chin in her hand, she spoke with a soft, lilting accent typical of the Jiangnan region. "When you came in, I thought you were an English teacher too."
Cheng Zhanxi laughed.
"Doesn't Ms. Yu look like an English teacher too?" Cheng Zhanxi asked.
Yu Qingtang, suddenly addressed again: "..."
Yang Li laughed so hard she almost dropped her pen.
Another female teacher, whose subject was unknown, chimed in, "Why are all the beautiful teachers in the English department? Is physics not worthy?"
Yang Li replied, "Doesn't the physics department have Ms. Wen? She joined the school at the same time as Ms. Yu. They were classmates in college."
Cheng Zhanxi's ears perked up.
Yu Qingtang's classmate?
She sensed something unusual and listened intently, but the two teachers only mentioned it briefly before shifting the conversation back to the newly arrived Cheng Zhanxi. Charming and beautiful, Cheng Zhanxi easily captivated the office, filling it with laughter, making it far more lively than before.
Yu Qingtang remained at her desk, seemingly oblivious to the cheerful atmosphere, continuing to review her students' files.
With Yu Qingtang present, Cheng Zhanxi couldn't discreetly inquire about her. She could only observe her from the corner of her eye.
Having been repeatedly rebuffed, Cheng Zhanxi found herself surprisingly accustomed to Yu Qingtang's complete indifference.
The second period bell rang. Yu Qingtang pushed back her chair, gathered her books and lesson plan, and left.
While she was gone, Cheng Zhanxi managed to extract some information from the other teachers.
Yu Qingtang, twenty-seven, a Sicheng native, had started school two years later than her peers, hence her recent graduation with a master's degree. Her alma mater surprised Cheng Zhanxi: Jinghua University, Department of Mathematics. Even after years of studying abroad, she knew it was rare for a graduate from a top-two university to become a teacher in a smaller city.
Considering Sicheng No. 1 High School was Yu Qingtang's alma mater, Cheng Zhanxi tentatively attributed it to a desire to give back to her old school.
"Who is Ms. Wen?" Cheng Zhanxi asked casually, feigning curiosity. "Is she from Jinghua too? I heard she's Ms. Yu's classmate."
The physics teacher who had spoken earlier replied, "Yes, she teaches physics for Class 7." She gave Cheng Zhanxi a knowing look, her expression suggestive.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled. "Class 7 is full of hidden talents, it seems."
Sitting at her new desk, she twirled a pen between her fingers, a cryptic smile playing on her lips.
Before she'd even begun her pursuit, a potential rival had emerged.
Ms. Wen. She'd have to see what this formidable person was like.
Cheng Zhanxi put down her pen, stood up, and said, "Excuse me, everyone. I'm going for a walk."
The other teachers looked at her enviously.
Being a PE teacher had its perks. No lesson planning, just strolling around.
Another option would have been an art teacher, but Cheng Zhanxi didn't want to deal with her own major even in a part-time job. Besides, Sicheng No. 1 High School didn't have art classes in the regular curriculum. There was an art teacher for the specialized art classes, but that wouldn't allow her to teach Yu Qingtang's class. After considering all options, PE teacher seemed the most suitable.
Her athletic abilities and knowledge were more than sufficient.
Cheng Zhanxi wandered over to Class 7. Unsurprisingly, they were having math class.
The classroom was brightly lit, the ceiling fan whirring overhead.
Not daring to stare openly, Cheng Zhanxi pretended to pass by, occasionally glancing inside. Yu Qingtang stood at the blackboard, a piece of chalk held between her slender fingers, her expression serious and focused. With her homeroom teacher aura, the students sat attentively, listening to her lecture.
"A function is monotonically increasing or decreasing within a specific interval of its domain. If the function y = f(x) is monotonically increasing in a certain interval... that interval is called the monotonically increasing interval of y = f(x)."
Yu Qingtang's cool, clear voice drifted out of the classroom. Cheng Zhanxi fought back a yawn with sheer willpower.
It had been ten years since she'd last dealt with math. Just like before, it made her sleepy.
Yu Qingtang turned to write an equation on the board, catching a glimpse of a figure in her peripheral vision.
Cheng Zhanxi, caught red-handed, simply stepped into view, feigning nonchalance, as if she was just passing by.
Yu Qingtang nodded at her, her expression impassive.
Her name was... "Medical Report," right?
Yu Qingtang gave up trying to remember and resumed her lesson.
"Let's look at this function..."
News of the cool new PE teacher who rode a motorcycle spread like wildfire among the students.
"Have you heard? We have a new PE teacher! A woman! Super cool!"
"Not only that, she rides a motorcycle! Wow, that bike was amazing! It made my heart race!"
"Are you talking about the bike or the person?"
"Both! Both!"
"Really?"
"Many people saw her at the school gate this morning! Ask around if you don't believe me!"
Threads popped up one after another on the school's online forum, everyone speculating which class the new PE teacher would be assigned to.
Class 7's PE lesson was in the afternoon. The freshman military training had just ended, and the September sun was still scorching hot, without a hint of breeze. The class representative, Ying, heeding the collective plea of his classmates, lined them up in the shade of a tree, waiting for Mr. Wu – or rather, hoping he wouldn't come.
The thought of the scorching hot track, hot enough to fry an egg, made their legs weak. Just standing there made them sweat. They longed to be back in the classroom, enjoying the cool air from the electric fan.
In the distance, they suddenly spotted Yu Qingtang.
"Crap! Zhou Zhiruo is coming!" someone shouted, their eyes sharp. "Everyone, straighten up!!!"
Class 7 students: "!!!"
Their sluggish postures instantly straightened, their backs ramrod straight, their gazes fixed forward. Ying, keeping watch, confirmed Yu Qingtang was approaching. "She's coming, she's really coming," he whispered. "Everyone, be quiet."
One student muttered despairingly, "Are we freshmen not worthy of having PE class?"
Another student wailed, "Zhou Zhiruo has evolved into Extinguishing Abbess. My Zhiruo-jiejie..."
The leaves of the trees surrounding the field were a lush, vibrant green, dappled sunlight filtering through the branches, the air filled with the buzzing of cicadas. Yu Qingtang, accompanied by Cheng Zhanxi, approached Class 7.
Yu Qingtang, looking at her class, announces coolly: Hello everyone, we're married.
Comments
Post a Comment