After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Cheng Zhanxi lowered her arm from the railing, a smile spreading across her face. "Resolved?" she asked.
Yu Qingtang nodded.
Cheng Zhanxi took Yu Qingtang's wrist, her smile widening. "Let's go. I'll buy you a drink," she said.
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Instead of ordering takeout, Cheng Zhanxi took Yu Qingtang to the dessert shop outside the school—the same one she had taken Yu Zhou to before.
As they waited for their order, Cheng Zhanxi coaxed Yu Qingtang into telling her what had happened during the class meeting.
...
Half an hour earlier.
"I've seen the petition you submitted to Director Tao," Yu Qingtang's cool, calm voice echoed through the classroom.
Half the class met Yu Qingtang's gaze, while the other half, perhaps feeling guilty or ashamed, or for various other reasons, looked down. Li Lan was among the latter.
She had a vague sense of having done something wrong, but no one had offered her a clear explanation.
She kept her head down, feeling Yu Qingtang's gaze linger on her for a moment.
"The school has made a decision regarding my position," Yu Qingtang announced.
The classroom fell silent, the only sound the rustling of the curtains in the breeze. The students' faces were grim.
"One: I continue as your homeroom teacher for the remainder of the semester. Next semester, you'll have a new homeroom teacher. Two: I leave Class 7 permanently, and the school will immediately assign you a new math teacher and a new homeroom teacher." Yu Qingtang had decided to let the students choose, to make them responsible for the outcome. She glanced down at the half-broken piece of chalk in her hand, then looked at her students, her expression calm and unwavering. "Which outcome do you prefer?" she asked.
Silence.
Some students exchanged glances, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Some fell silent.
Some looked worried.
And some simply stared down at their desks, their faces blank, their thoughts unreadable.
In a class, the majority weren't like Li Lan, a natural leader with strong convictions, or Yu Zhou, who, despite having no real influence, refused to be swayed by the majority. Most were simply followers, going along with the crowd. Not everyone was as naive as Li Lan, unaware of the potential consequences of their petition, but they had still signed it.
Partly to fit in, to maintain the unity of the group, and partly out of indifference. At that age, most children were self-centered. A teacher's feelings weren't their concern. Even if Yu Qingtang resigned because of their actions, years later, they would likely dismiss it as a youthful indiscretion, perhaps feeling a twinge of regret, but nothing more. Life would go on, and Yu Qingtang would become a distant memory, a minor blip in their lives.
That was reality.
Not just teenagers, even adults were often selfish and self-serving, quick to protect their own interests, dismissing the impact on others.
Then there were those who remained silent, indifferent to the outcome. Whether the teacher stayed or left, they would continue studying, neither supporting nor opposing the petition, simply observing.
After Yu Qingtang's question, the silent ones remained silent, while the more vocal students, the followers and the troublemakers, looked to the class representatives, to Li Lan, for guidance.
But Li Lan hadn't looked up since the beginning of the class meeting.
Yu Qingtang, seeing no response from her students, tossed the piece of chalk into the chalk box, clapped her hands, and said, "Since no one's speaking, we'll vote."
Yu Qingtang continued, "It's an anonymous vote. Write 'stay' or 'leave' on a piece of paper. Li Lan will collect the votes in five minutes," she instructed.
The sound of tearing paper and scribbling pens filled the classroom.
Yu Qingtang sat down at her desk, her eyes on the clock in the bottom right corner of her computer screen, not looking at her students.
The students' faces were serious as they pondered their choices, carefully writing their decisions on the slips of paper.
Li Lan's paper was covered in scribbles and erasures. Finally, she wrote "stay," folded the paper twice, and clutched it tightly in her hand.
Five minutes passed quickly.
Yu Qingtang tapped her fingers on the podium. "Class monitor, please collect the votes," she said.
Li Lan: "The last person in each row, please pass the votes forward."
The students efficiently collected the votes and passed them to the front row. Li Lan gathered them and handed them to Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang didn't take them. "Please count them for me, class monitor," she said calmly. "Just tell me the results."
Li Lan returned to her seat.
She unfolded each vote, carefully marking tallies on a blank sheet of paper.
The students held their breath, their eyes fixed on Li Lan and her moving pen.
Li Lan's deskmate, watching the tallies increase, her eyes widened in disbelief, her reaction piquing the curiosity of the other students.
Li Lan placed the last vote on top of the stack and stared at the final count, her face unreadable.
Yu Qingtang stood up, slowly pushing her chair back into place. "Are the results ready?" she asked calmly.
Li Lan's voice was barely above a whisper. "Yes," she replied.
She held up the paper, paused for a moment, then announced clearly, "Forty-five votes for Ms. Yu to stay, four votes to leave, and one abstention."
The difference was overwhelming!
The classroom erupted in a cacophony of gasps and whispers.
Their faces a mixture of surprise and confusion, the students looked at each other. The petition had clearly had more than half the class's signatures. How could this be?!
Yu Qingtang, her expression unchanged, as if she had anticipated the outcome, said calmly, "Then, as you've decided, I'll continue as your homeroom teacher for the remainder of the semester."
Her voice became more serious. "I hope you'll all reflect on this outcome," she said. "Especially those who changed their minds. Think about what made you change your decision."
The students fell silent, lost in thought.
Li Lan sat at her desk, her mind a jumble.
Yu Qingtang, watching her from the podium, didn't call her out for another talk.
...
Cheng Zhanxi, listening to Yu Qingtang's recounting of the events, her jaw dropped, completely stunned.
She hadn't expected Yu Qingtang to handle it this way. Especially the part about the vote. Cheng Zhanxi had suspected the outcome, but the overwhelming difference still surprised her, a sense of satisfaction washing over her.
Poking her spoon into her ginger milk curd, she asked, smiling, "How did you come up with that idea?"
Yu Qingtang, her expression deadpan, said, "I used my brain."
Cheng Zhanxi chuckled at her serious tone. Yu Qingtang stared at her, her face blank.
Cheng Zhanxi cleared her throat, suppressing her laughter.
"It's a good way to teach them a life lesson," she said. "You're an excellent homeroom teacher, Ms. Yu." She gave Yu Qingtang a thumbs-up.
Yu Qingtang glanced at her. "Are you teasing me?" she asked.
Cheng Zhanxi immediately raised her hand, as if taking an oath. "I swear, every word I said was from the heart. I wouldn't lie to you!" she exclaimed.
Yu Qingtang, her voice flat, said, "Really?"
"Of course!" Cheng Zhanxi clutched her chest dramatically. "Do you want me to cut out my heart and show you?"
Yu Qingtang, ignoring her theatrics, which would likely continue for a while if she indulged them, simply said, "Shen Ming."
Cheng Zhanxi paused for a moment, then laughed. "I was just teasing you," she said. "I thought it was funny. If I hadn't teased you, I wouldn't have known you were face-blind."
Yu Qingtang glanced at her, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Cheng Zhanxi, her confidence restored after her conversation with Wen Zhihan, now considered herself the only person Yu Qingtang treated differently. Seeing Yu Qingtang's almost-flirty glance, her heart skipped a beat.
She instinctively reached across the table, her hand covering Yu Qingtang's. Yu Qingtang's hand, holding her spoon, froze.
Yu Qingtang's skin was smooth and cool to the touch, like fine jade.
The moment their skin touched, Yu Qingtang's hand froze, her eyelashes trembling slightly, then she slowly raised her eyes, her gaze meeting Cheng Zhanxi's.
Yu Qingtang's eyes were dark and deep, her gaze unwavering.
Cheng Zhanxi's heart pounded in her chest, a sudden wave of anxiety washing over her, and she quickly withdrew her hand.
Changing the subject, she asked, "What are you going to do now?"
Yu Qingtang, her expression unchanged, asked calmly, "About what?"
"About your class," Cheng Zhanxi clarified.
"The mid-term exams are next week. We'll see how they do," Yu Qingtang said, effectively ending the topic.
They walked back to school in silence.
"Ms. Yu."
"Yes?"
"Do you have any plans for the weekend?"
"Going home," Yu Qingtang replied.
Cheng Zhanxi hummed in response. So she wouldn't have the chance to "accidentally" run into Yu Qingtang at Mingmen Estate.
"What about you, Ms. Cheng?" Yu Qingtang asked.
Cheng Zhanxi, startled, realized Yu Qingtang had asked about her plans, and beamed. "Apartment hunting," she replied. "My current place is too far from school. I want to live closer so I can go home for lunch and nap."
"Okay," Yu Qingtang said, her hands tucked inside her pockets, nodding slightly.
The wind was strong at the school gates, and Yu Qingtang's hair blew across her face, obstructing her vision. Just as she was about to reach up to brush it away, long, warm fingers gently moved the stray strands, tucking them behind her ear. Yu Qingtang's vision cleared, and she could see clearly again.
Cheng Zhanxi's fingers brushed against Yu Qingtang's earlobe before she casually withdrew her hand, discreetly rubbing her fingers together behind her back, her eyes looking away.
They walked side by side, their footsteps in perfect sync, like a single person.
Yu Qingtang, glancing at Cheng Zhanxi's tall, slender figure, wanted to thank her, but the words wouldn't come. She remained silent all the way back to the office.
The leaves on the trees began to fall.
Friday, the last class of the week ended, and the dismissal bell rang.
Yu Qingtang, her gaze lingering on the falling leaves outside the window, discreetly glanced at Cheng Zhanxi, then quickly looked away.
The teachers in the office, like birds released from their cages, hurried out, eager for the weekend.
Soon, only Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang remained. Yu Qingtang tidied her desk while Cheng Zhanxi, ready to leave, waited for her.
Even though they would have to part ways at the school gates.
Yu Qingtang watched as Cheng Zhanxi rode away on her silver motorcycle, then turned and walked towards the bus stop.
The bus rattled and swayed, finally reaching the old town.
Yu Qingtang rode her bicycle through the ancient streets, the bell ringing softly.
She suddenly remembered the lie she had told Cheng Zhanxi, how, when Cheng Zhanxi had asked if she could ride a bicycle, she had instinctively replied "no." She couldn't remember why she had lied.
Cheng Zhanxi had probably just been making conversation. Yu Qingtang didn't know why she had taken it so seriously.
She chuckled self-deprecatingly.
Reaching her home, she parked her bicycle, locked it, and looked up at the closed gate.
She unlocked the gate, and the aroma of food greeted her.
Aunt Liu, the new housekeeper, was an excellent cook, her personality honest and cheerful. She had even called Yu Qingtang during the sports meet, worried about her.
Yu Qingtang placed her bag on the sofa in the living room. Aunt Liu, hearing her arrive, called out from the kitchen, "Welcome home, Ms. Yu! Dinner's almost ready!"
Yu Qingtang nodded. "Thank you," she replied.
Her grandparents, as usual, simply acknowledged her arrival with a brief greeting, neither cold nor warm, lacking the usual affection and concern of grandparents.
Aunt Liu, however, was talkative, asking Yu Qingtang about her work as a teacher.
Yu Qingtang ate her dinner, occasionally responding to Aunt Liu's questions, her patience unwavering.
After Aunt Liu finished washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen, Yu Qingtang gave her a red envelope before she left. Watching an old spy drama on TV, Yu Qingtang glanced at the clock on the wall and reminded her grandparents it was time for bed. She then went upstairs to take a shower.
Emerging from the bathroom, she looked at her phone on the desk, a flicker of anticipation in her eyes.
After drying her hair, she picked up her phone.
The notification center was filled with messages.
Yu Qingtang scrolled through them, starting with a long message from Wen Zhihan, urging her, as she had done countless times before, to pursue a PhD abroad. The reasons were the same as always.
Yu Qingtang skimmed through the message and replied with a period.
There were also teaching materials shared by other teachers in the math department group chat, which she planned to look at before going to bed.
Then, as if losing patience, she quickly scrolled through the remaining messages, her eyes searching for Cheng Zhanxi's name. Their last conversation had been earlier that day.
Four hours had passed since they had parted ways at the school gates.
Yu Qingtang frowned slightly, opened the chat window, and typed a few words, then hesitated, deleting them before sending.
She continued scrolling through her messages and saw one from Wei Jingfeng, her cousin, a few months older than her, Wei Tingyu's nephew.
[Wei Jingfeng]: My uncle will be passing through Sicheng on business and has some gifts for you. Would you be free to meet?]
Yu Qingtang stared at the message, her expression unreadable.
She barely remembered her relatives, especially the younger generation. If it weren’t for Wei Jiu calling her out, she wouldn't have recognized Wei Jingfeng even if she had bumped into him.
Two of her older cousins had died young, one of them in the same year Yu Qingtang was born. Coupled with the fact that her mother had passed away shortly after her birth, the Wei family considered her unlucky. Her younger cousins often taunted her with this fact.
Wei Jingfeng and his older sister, fifth in the family hierarchy, were twins who looked very much alike. Yu Qingtang vaguely remembered them as being the only ones who hadn’t bullied her when they were children. But they weren't close either. They had never had any real interaction.
Wei Jingfeng was a favored child, one of the most beloved grandchildren in the Wei family, often accompanying his grandfather.
Why was he suddenly contacting her?
Yu Qingtang didn't reply, unwilling to overthink it, and closed the chat window.
After dinner, Cheng Zhanxi called her grandparents, chatting and joking with them. Time flew by, and soon it was past 10 p.m.
Her grandparents went to bed, and Cheng Zhanxi finally had time to "bother" Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang, sitting at her desk reading a book she had randomly picked up, having only read a few pages in the past hour, saw her phone light up.
Cheng Zhanxi: [Ms. Yu, are you asleep?]
Yu Qingtang’s heart fluttered, the sense of something missing being quietly filled, her shoulders relaxing, the lines of her face softening unconsciously.
Yu Qingtang's finger moved to the lock button, wanting to calm down and continue reading.
Cheng Zhanxi: [I was talking to my family on the phone, so it got late. [Cheng mode heart.jpg]]
Yu Qingtang’s finger paused, moving away from the lock button. She typed: [Okay.]
The “typing…” indicator appeared at the top of the screen, and Yu Qingtang, suddenly flustered, quickly sent her message: [I'm going to bed now.]
Cheng Zhanxi deleted the words in her text box one by one.
[Cheng Zhanxi]: Goodnight, Jiejie.
[Yu Qingtang]: Goodnight.
Cheng Zhanxi, lying lazily in the wicker hanging chair in the living room, one foot dangling in the air, the rhythmic creaking of the chair accompanying her thoughts, smiled slightly.
As soon as she spoke, Yu Qingtang had replied instantly, then said she was going to bed. Had Yu Qingtang been waiting for her message all evening?
Yu Qingtang closed her book, took off her shoes, lay down in bed, and closed her eyes.
The wind rustled through the small bamboo grove in the courtyard, a sound that made her restless.
Yu Qingtang turned over, pulling the blanket over her head.
The bamboo leaves swayed and whispered, the moonlight streaming through the window, casting a soft glow on the woman lying in bed, one hand tucked under the covers, her smooth skin like polished jade in the moonlight. Her brow furrowed occasionally in her sleep, then relaxed, her face serene, like a young girl with a secret crush.
Yu Qingtang dreamed all night. When she woke up, she couldn't remember any of it, only a vague sense of happiness and contentment, a feeling that lingered even after she opened her eyes, her hand resting on her eyelids.
She composed herself and got out of bed to wash up.
Checking her phone, she saw a message from Cheng Zhanxi, sent at 6 a.m.: [Morning run]
Yu Qingtang: "..."
[Yu Qingtang]: You’re up early, Ms. Cheng.
Cheng Zhanxi replied after about ten minutes: [Not really, I’m used to it. Ms. Yu, want to try it? I can call you in the morning.]
Yu Qingtang: [No.]
Cheng Zhanxi chuckled silently, then typed: [I’m going to grab some breakfast, then I’m off to see some apartments. I might be busy today.]
Yu Qingtang: [Okay.]
Cheng Zhanxi had arranged to meet the real estate agent at 9 a.m. Her motorcycle was too conspicuous and parking would be inconvenient, so she took a taxi. They met at the entrance of the complex.
She arrived first. At 9:02 a.m., the agent, wearing a pink shirt, white pants, and a company ID card around his neck, came running from across the street.
"Hello, Ms. Cheng! Sorry I'm late," he apologized profusely, then quickly swiped his card to open the gate, leading her inside.
Mingmen Estate was much more upscale than Cheng Zhanxi's current apartment complex. The landscaping was impeccable, with large artificial lakes and lush greenery. The moment she stepped inside, the noise from the street faded, as if she had entered a different world. Cheng Zhanxi, used to the quiet of her art studio, had been worried about the noise of the city center, but now her concerns were dispelled.
The agent, as they walked, chattered incessantly about the complex.
Cheng Zhanxi, starting to understand Yu Qingtang's feelings when she was being talkative, politely interrupted him. "Can we just see the apartments?" she asked.
The agent, wiping the sweat from his brow, said, "Of course, Ms. Cheng."
Cheng Zhanxi handed him a tissue.
The agent: "Thank you, thank you."
They passed by an artificial lake with a pair of swans gliding across its surface. Cheng Zhanxi glanced back at them before following the agent into the building. The agent greeted the receptionist and registered their visit before swiping his card to activate the elevator.
He pressed the button for the tenth floor. "There are two apartments per floor," he explained. "Security is very tight. All visitors have to register and be announced. It's very popular with women." A seasoned professional, he knew Cheng Zhanxi wasn't interested in small talk, so he stuck to the important details.
Cheng Zhanxi nodded.
The photos had been taken on-site, so the apartments looked much the same as in the pictures, except the decorating style was completely different from Cheng Zhanxi's preferences. Ornate and opulent, with gold accents everywhere, it reeked of nouveau riche.
Cheng Zhanxi couldn't imagine living in such a gaudy environment. "Are there any other options?" she asked. "Something a little less… extravagant?"
The agent: "Yes, there are two more."
Cheng Zhanxi viewed the other two apartments and decided on the second one. The agent called the landlord, who informed him the apartment had just been rented, ten minutes before Cheng Zhanxi had made her decision.
Cheng Zhanxi: "..."
The agent: "I'm so sorry, Ms. Cheng. Would you like to reconsider the third apartment?"
The third apartment was just as bad as the first. Cheng Zhanxi couldn't stand either of them.
Cheng Zhanxi: "Are there any other options?"
She frowned. If there were no other suitable apartments, she would just buy the first one and renovate it completely, replacing the furniture and everything else.
Just then, the agent smacked his forehead. "I just remembered! There's one more!" he exclaimed.
Cheng Zhanxi looked up. "Where?" she asked.
The agent hesitated. "But the landlord is very particular about their tenants," he said. "Let me tell you the requirements first. If you don't think you're a good fit, we won't waste your time viewing the apartment." He cleverly phrased it as if it were the tenant who might not be satisfied with the landlord, not the other way around.
Cheng Zhanxi, intrigued, asked, "What are the requirements?"
The agent took out his phone, scrolled through something, and read aloud, "Female tenant only. Single. Unmarried. Not divorced. Simple social relationships. Master's degree or higher. Stable job. Regular schedule. No bad habits. No pets. Quiet personality. Doesn't frequently entertain guests..."
He finished reading, and Cheng Zhanxi nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "Okay," she said. "Let's see the apartment."
The agent, looking at her with a slightly surprised expression, added, "And finally, the landlord wants to meet the tenant in person before making a decision. The rent is also higher than the other apartments."
The more he said, the more interested Cheng Zhanxi became. "Take me there," she insisted.
Cheng Zhanxi loved the apartment the moment she saw it. Modern and minimalist, decorated in black, white, and gray, with a few splashes of color, the walls freshly painted, floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room and bedrooms offering a panoramic view of the city. Standing by the window, arms outstretched, she felt like she could embrace the entire city.
The apartment was sparsely furnished, and as Cheng Zhanxi walked through the rooms, she started envisioning her decorating plans.
Nodding her approval, she told the agent to call the landlord.
The agent stepped aside to make the call, then returned, his hand covering the phone. "The landlord isn't available right now," he said. "Would tomorrow afternoon work?"
Cheng Zhanxi nodded. "Yes," she said.
As she walked further into the apartment, she heard the agent confirming the time and place with the landlord.
The next afternoon, 4 p.m.
At a cafe near Mingmen Estate.
Cheng Zhanxi and the agent entered, the aroma of coffee beans filling the air.
The cafe was nearly empty. Cheng Zhanxi looked around and saw a familiar figure sitting by the window.
A beautiful face, long black hair tucked behind her ears, a tear mole at the corner of her left eye.
"Ms. Yu!" Cheng Zhanxi exclaimed, hurrying over.
Yu Qingtang looked at her, then at the agent trailing behind her, a flicker of understanding in her eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi, oblivious, her face beaming, asked, "What are you doing here?"
Was this fate?
The agent, catching up, also looked surprised, then smiled. "You know each other?" he asked. "That's wonderful! You don't have to worry about the apartment anymore, Ms. Cheng!"
Cheng Zhanxi, a sudden realization dawning on her, stared at Yu Qingtang, her mouth open slightly. "You're… the landlord?" she asked.
Yu Qingtang: Surprise!
Let me tell you a secret: Yu Jiejie owns the entire building…
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