After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Cheng Zhanxi was assigned to teach PE to Classes 7 and 17, two classes, two periods each, for a total of four periods a week. She didn't need to prepare lessons, so apart from those four periods, she had free time. Of course, as a new teacher, even when she didn't have classes, she dutifully stayed in the office, diligently reading through the books she'd bought online for her teaching career.
Most importantly, she was waiting for Yu Qingtang. Ms. Sun had said Yu Qingtang would take her to Class 7 for their first PE lesson so she could meet the students.
Yu Qingtang, also a recent graduate, was a first-time homeroom teacher, still learning the ropes. Apart from teaching, she was either at her desk working on her computer, preparing lessons, consulting with other teachers about the curriculum and student performance, or checking in on Class 7. She would disappear after lunch break. Cheng Zhanxi, not wanting to appear too forward on her first day, hadn't followed her, so she didn't know where she went.
And now she was nowhere to be found.
It was almost 3 p.m., and the second period bell had rung. The teachers filed out, leaving the office empty except for Cheng Zhanxi, who had nothing to do.
Cheng Zhanxi bookmarked the page she was reading and closed the book. She glanced at the staff directory posted in the corner of her desk, found Yu Qingtang's name, and hesitated, wondering if she should call her.
She didn't know any of the students in Class 7. Was she supposed to go to the field and search through every class? Did she have no dignity as a PE teacher?
Just then, a knock came at the office door.
Cheng Zhanxi looked up.
Yu Qingtang stood at the doorway, looking at her quietly.
Cheng Zhanxi returned her gaze, a smile playing on her lips.
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Cheng Zhanxi: "?"
After a moment of silence, Yu Qingtang managed a "Hello."
Hello???
Cheng Zhanxi's expression turned subtle.
Had she forgotten her name again?
No way, right?
Was she that forgettable?
Cheng Zhanxi, who had always been the center of attention, fell into a deep spiral of self-doubt.
"PE..." Yu Qingtang bit her lip almost imperceptibly, swallowing the words "medical report" that had risen to her throat. "PE teacher," she corrected herself, "I'll take you to Class 7."
Cheng Zhanxi said faintly, "My last name is Cheng."
"Ms. Cheng." Yu Qingtang smoothly amended her statement, mentally repeating the name twice.
The strikingly beautiful medical rep—no, Ms. Cheng.
Cheng Zhanxi looked at her expectantly.
Yu Qingtang had already turned to leave. Looking back, she saw Cheng Zhanxi still sitting at her desk and asked, puzzled, "Ms. Cheng?"
Ms. Cheng stood up, thankfully refraining from asking Yu Qingtang if she remembered her full name.
Cheng Zhanxi called out to her again, "Ms. Yu, do you have the roster for Class 7?"
Hearing this, Yu Qingtang turned back, walked into the office, and stood by Cheng Zhanxi's desk. "Yes," she said calmly. "Do you need to take attendance?"
"I'd like to get to know the students."
A thought seemed to cross Yu Qingtang's mind as she gave a slight nod. She retrieved a printed list from her desk drawer, folded it in half, and said, "Let's go."
They left the office, one after the other, and walked side-by-side down the stairs.
Yu Qingtang noticed that Ms. Cheng, the medical report, was slightly taller than her, her long chestnut curls cascading down her back, almost reaching her waist. Her skin was fair, her eyes large and bright, her nose straight, and her lips thin. She was strikingly beautiful.
A pleasant fragrance emanated from her, a mix of chamomile and lime, refreshing in the humid air, as if she radiated coolness.
A perfect scent for summer.
Yu Qingtang wasn't a perfume connoisseur, but she recognized the scent from that night.
I hope Ms. Cheng doesn't change her perfume, Yu Qingtang, slightly face-blind, silently prayed.
Cheng Zhanxi noticed Yu Qingtang discreetly observing her, her eyes flickering with emotions Cheng Zhanxi couldn't decipher.
Why was she looking at her like that?
Did she genuinely not recognize her, or was she deliberately trying to get her attention?
To be honest, Cheng Zhanxi had never been so thoroughly ignored in her life. She couldn't believe someone could meet her three or four times and still not remember her name.
...Playing hard to get.
The phrase popped into her mind.
Sigh.
Did Yu Qingtang actually like her, or not?
Cheng Zhanxi nibbled on her lip and glanced at Yu Qingtang, who happened to be looking at her at the same moment. Their eyes met.
After half a second, Yu Qingtang calmly looked away.
Cheng Zhanxi's heart skipped a beat.
A blush crept up her ears, and she pretended to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear to hide it.
The cicadas buzzed frantically in the trees, echoing the frantic beating of Cheng Zhanxi's heart.
"Ms. Yu."
"Hmm?"
Yu Qingtang responded absently, the sunlight filtering through the trees illuminating her delicate profile, a vision so beautiful it took Cheng Zhanxi's breath away.
Cheng Zhanxi's heart, pierced by Cupid's arrow, overflowed with pink bubbles.
Cheng Zhanxi clasped her hands behind her back, her footsteps light on the shaded path, her eyes downcast to hide her overflowing joy. "Nothing," she murmured softly.
Yu Qingtang seemed lost in thought. After a moment, she replied quietly, "Oh."
Cheng Zhanxi didn't say anything more.
Another word and she might die of a heart attack right then and there.
"That's Class 7," Yu Qingtang said, pointing, when they were about fifteen meters from the field.
Cheng Zhanxi saw forty or fifty students in their summer uniforms, neatly lined up in four rows under the shade of a tree. A tall boy at the front was presumably the class representative. As they approached, the students straightened their backs, some even snapping into a military posture – a lingering habit from their recent military training.
Cheng Zhanxi glanced at the impassive Yu Qingtang beside her and understood.
Yu Qingtang's coldness wasn't so much aloofness as it was indifference, a detachment from worldly concerns. But towards these students, she had amplified the sternness in her personality, to the point that even Cheng Zhanxi felt a little intimidated.
A homeroom teacher needed to command respect, after all, or else maintaining discipline would be difficult.
Cheng Zhanxi stood beside Yu Qingtang, facing the students. The students, keeping their necks straight, looked curiously at the beautiful stranger before them.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled at their curious gazes.
Yu Qingtang introduced her. "This is your new PE teacher, Ms. Cheng. Mr. Wu is retiring, so Ms. Cheng will be taking over your class from now on."
The students' eyes lit up with excitement. Clearly, they were thinking: Wow!
But with their homeroom teacher present, no one dared to make a sound.
Yu Qingtang handed Cheng Zhanxi the roster and stepped aside.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled. "I'll take attendance to get to know all of you. Don't worry, this is just a one-time thing. I won't do it again."
The students, who had been holding their breath, relaxed.
Cheng Zhanxi glanced at Yu Qingtang, who was standing with her arms crossed, her expression stern, and wondered why she was still there.
Was she worried the students would bully her? Or did she want to... look at her a little longer?
Cheng Zhanxi chuckled at her own frivolous speculation.
Several students were instantly smitten with their new PE teacher. Even their homeroom teacher could barely contain their excitement!
Cheng Zhanxi took a moment to compose herself, unfolded the roster, and began reading the names, starting from the first.
"Tian Dan."
"Present!"
Cheng Zhanxi glanced up, memorizing the student's features.
She didn't notice that Yu Qingtang had also looked up, her gaze fixed intently on the student named Tian Dan, as if trying to sear the image into her memory.
Tian Dan, feeling the weight of Yu Qingtang's stare, shivered despite the summer heat.
Yu Qingtang wasn't worried about Cheng Zhanxi at all. As someone with face blindness, she was simply taking advantage of the roll call to memorize her students' names and faces. Matching fifty names and faces was a daunting task.
Cheng Zhanxi's warm, gentle voice continued amidst the buzzing of cicadas.
"Xing Bailu."
"Present!"
"Hu Liming."
"Present!"
...
"He Shuangjiang."
"Present!"
"Hmm?" Cheng Zhanxi's finger moved up the list, stopping at Xing Bailu's name. "Are you and Xing Bailu sisters?" she asked with a smile.
A student called out, "No, Ms. Cheng. They only met after starting school! We thought they were sisters too."
Cheng Zhanxi looked at the student who had answered, searched her memory, and nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Tong Feifei, for answering my question."
Tong Feifei said excitedly, "You remember my name?"
Cheng Zhanxi: "I just called your name, didn't I?"
Tong Feifei: "Wow, that's amazing! You remembered it after just once."
"I told you I would only take attendance once." Cheng Zhanxi tapped her head. "I have a very good memory."
Tong Feifei playfully clasped her hands in a gesture of respect, admitting defeat.
Cheng Zhanxi returned the gesture.
Likewise.
Just then, Cheng Zhanxi felt Yu Qingtang's gaze on her, an unreadable expression in her eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi's smile faltered slightly as she wondered what it meant. Was Yu Qingtang displeased with her friendly interaction with the student?
A sudden thought struck her, and she bit back a smile, her eyes downcast to hide her expression.
Cheng Zhanxi's heart pounded, a flutter of excitement in her chest.
Could Yu Qingtang be jealous?!
Cheng Zhanxi in the future: When I finally learned the truth, tears streamed down my face.jpg
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