After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 42
Chapter 42
During the second long break between classes, the students went to the playground for broadcast exercises. Cheng Zhanxi accompanied Yu Qingtang for a brief walk around before returning. There were only a few minutes left before the next class.
She leaned against the edge of Yu Qingtang's desk, about to seize the opportunity to chat, when a knock sounded at the office door.
"Ms. Yu."
Yu Qingtang and Cheng Zhanxi looked up simultaneously.
It was the Class 7 politics teacher.
The politics teacher, meeting both pairs of eyes, looked momentarily taken aback and blurted out, "Is this a convenient time?"
The office was bustling with people coming and going during the break; there was no convenient or inconvenient time. Yu Qingtang blinked slowly and said, "Yes, please come in."
Cheng Zhanxi politely moved aside.
The politics teacher instinctively apologized, "Excuse me."
A playful smile touched Cheng Zhanxi's lips.
Cheng Zhanxi had her back to Yu Qingtang, so Yu Qingtang didn't see her expression.
The politics teacher was there to discuss Li Lan.
Li Lan's grades had dropped in the mid-term exams, and politics was one of the subjects where the decline was particularly noticeable. Additionally, she hadn't been paying attention in class that day. The politics teacher didn't criticize her but felt it necessary to inform her homeroom teacher. He also discussed the class's overall performance in the mid-terms and their classroom discipline before heading back to his class just as the bell rang.
Yu Qingtang glanced at Cheng Zhanxi. Cheng Zhanxi met her gaze directly, offering a sunny smile.
Yu Qingtang picked up her pen, opened the cap, and said, "I need to get back to work, Ms. Cheng."
"Go ahead," Cheng Zhanxi said, her eyes sweeping over the vase of white baby's breath on Yu Qingtang's desk. The flowers, with their limited lifespan, were beginning to wilt.
"Ms. Yu, your flowers."
Yu Qingtang followed her gaze, momentarily surprised. "Should I throw them away?" she asked after a pause.
"Yes," Cheng Zhanxi replied, carefully observing the faint trace of wistfulness in Yu Qingtang's eyes.
Yu Qingtang stared blankly for another couple of seconds before slowly reacting. She put down her pen, about to stand up, when Cheng Zhanxi said, "Let me do it. I have the most free time anyway."
Yu Qingtang didn't object.
Cheng Zhanxi took the vase with the wilting flowers. Yu Qingtang watched her leave, her gaze lingering on Cheng Zhanxi's retreating figure long after she disappeared through the doorway.
Cheng Zhanxi returned a few minutes later. The flowers were gone, but the vase was filled with fresh, clean water. Cheng Zhanxi took half of the flowers from her own vase—a mix of tulips, roses, and lilies, accented with hydrangeas and green leaves—and arranged them in Yu Qingtang's vase. The vibrant colors and lush greenery were a striking contrast to the simple elegance of the baby's breath.
Yu Qingtang's desk was usually simple and uncluttered, reflecting her minimalist style. The sudden burst of color not only brightened the corner but also seemed to add a touch of delicate beauty to Yu Qingtang's pale features.
Cheng Zhanxi sat back down, looking at Yu Qingtang. She felt a twinge of regret, yet also thought that such beautiful flowers suited her perfectly.
Yang Li, the English teacher, entered the office. Accustomed to the usual office setup, she immediately noticed the striking change on Yu Qingtang's desk. Then, her eyes shifted to the matching flower arrangement on Cheng Zhanxi's desk.
Yang Li smiled knowingly and returned to her seat.
Yu Qingtang lowered her head to prepare her lessons, but the bright colors in her peripheral vision were a constant, unavoidable presence.
Unconsciously, the morning ended.
The school radio played music. Cheng Zhanxi closed her notebook, turned her head, and called out to Yu Qingtang, "Ms. Yu, ready for lunch?"
Yu Qingtang: "Where are we eating?"
"The cafeteria," Cheng Zhanxi replied.
From her interactions with Yu Qingtang, Cheng Zhanxi had realized that Yu Qingtang disliked making decisions, even resisting choices, preferring to let others arrange things. So, Cheng Zhanxi no longer offered options as she had before. She simply made the decision and let Yu Qingtang nod or shake her head. When it came to food, Yu Qingtang usually nodded.
"Okay," she agreed this time as well.
They ate together, walked home together.
The road was lined with plane trees. Walking side by side down the shaded path, the autumn breeze gentle on their faces, their footsteps falling into a synchronized rhythm, even the noise from the street seemed to fade.
"Ms. Yu."
"What?" Yu Qingtang replied after a couple of seconds, realizing she had been lost in thought again.
Cheng Zhanxi gently reminded her, "About Li Lan, we agreed to talk on the way."
"Right..." Yu Qingtang gathered her thoughts, trying to summarize their conversation concisely. But simplifying it would leave out crucial details – "Li Lan apologized," "She wanted to resign, I told her to reconsider." Ms. Cheng certainly wouldn't be satisfied with such a brief summary, and asking more questions would require more time and effort to explain.
Weighing her options, Yu Qingtang recounted their conversation in a flat, emotionless tone.
Cheng Zhanxi's first reaction was surprise. "You said so much?"
Usually, she wouldn't even chat this much with Cheng Zhanxi herself. Cheng Zhanxi felt a pang of jealousy.
Yu Qingtang adopted a business-like tone. "She's a student, I'm the homeroom teacher."
She might not be adept at handling emotional issues, nor did she want to develop feelings for her students, but she was intelligent, capable of analysis, and had studied educational psychology. She knew how to guide a student, how to choose the right approach for their age, and how to lead them onto the right path.
Anything within her scope of responsibility, she would fulfill.
Cheng Zhanxi suppressed her jealousy and asked softly, "Are you tired?"
"Hmm?"
"Being a homeroom teacher, having to talk so much with students, aren't you tired?" Cheng Zhanxi's voice was gentle, softer than the autumn wind, inexplicably softening the heart.
Yu Qingtang lowered her head, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and softly replied, "Yes."
In that moment, Yu Qingtang suddenly had a thought. She wanted Cheng Zhanxi to hug her, just like that day in the school's covered walkway after she was called in by Director Tao.
Maybe even tighter, body pressed against body, heartbeats echoing each other, feeling her warmth.
She even more presumptuously desired intimacy with her, closeness without separation.
The thought had barely formed before she forcefully suppressed it. But it was like a seed buried in the soil, hidden deep, just waiting for a spring rain to sprout, growing wildly like weeds, breaking through the constraints of reason, unstoppable.
Mingmen Estate.
Reaching the entrance, before Yu Qingtang could unzip the side pocket of her bag, Cheng Zhanxi pulled out her access card from her pants pocket, swiped it, and turned back to Yu Qingtang. "Let's go in," she said.
Yu Qingtang silently put her hand down from her bag.
They lived in Building 19. The receptionist on duty today hadn't seen Cheng Zhanxi before. She greeted Yu Qingtang, "Good afternoon, Ms. Yu."
Then her gaze fell on Cheng Zhanxi. Politely, she asked sweetly, "Is this Ms. Yu's...?"
Yu Qingtang coolly and briefly replied, "My tenant."
The receptionist automatically interpreted this as "guest in her room," her thoughts immediately straying.
Because Yu Qingtang always came and went alone, never with anyone. In the half-year since she moved in, she hadn't had any friends visit. Suddenly appearing with a beautiful woman, how could one not think of a close friend?
Cheng Zhanxi smiled gently. "I live in 2102. My name is Cheng. I registered before, you can check. The receptionist on duty then was a lovely young lady, just like you."
2102? Not Ms. Yu's 2101?
The receptionist's thoughts returned to reality. Because of the compliment, her standard eight-toothed smile almost turned into a twenty-toothed grin. "Hello, Ms. Cheng."
Cheng Zhanxi, ever polite, was about to return the compliment when Yu Qingtang, beside her, her expression darkening, walked past her.
Cheng Zhanxi could only offer the receptionist a quick, polite smile and hurried after her.
There were others waiting at the elevator, residents of the building. They greeted Yu Qingtang as she approached, "Ms. Yu."
Yu Qingtang nodded.
Then their gazes turned to the unfamiliar face of Cheng Zhanxi behind her.
There weren't many residents in the building, and even if they didn't interact much, after half a year, they generally recognized each other in the elevator. But this was the first time they had seen Cheng Zhanxi. Being young, beautiful, and outstanding, she naturally attracted a few extra glances.
Cheng Zhanxi, however, was puzzled. *Why does everyone greet Yu Qingtang? She's not usually the sociable type.*
Among the group were a stylishly dressed female executive, a man in a suit carrying a briefcase—likely working in a nearby office building—and a middle-aged couple. They all greeted Yu Qingtang, their tones respectful, not like friends chatting.
Ding—
The elevator arrived.
Everyone entered in order.
The man with the briefcase noticed Cheng Zhanxi swipe her card and press the button for the 21st floor, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
The female executive glanced briefly, then looked away.
The 22nd floor wasn't rented out because of direct sunlight exposure. The others got off on lower floors, offering Yu Qingtang polite nods as they left.
Cheng Zhanxi: "???"
Once they were alone in the elevator, Cheng Zhanxi couldn't hold back her curiosity. "Ms. Yu, do you know them?"
"No," Yu Qingtang replied honestly.
Cheng Zhanxi looked at her.
Yu Qingtang said, "But they are all my tenants."
Cheng Zhanxi was speechless for a moment, managing only a single word, "All?"
Yu Qingtang gave a flat "mm," and the elevator reached the 21st floor. She stepped out.
Cheng Zhanxi followed close behind.
Exiting the elevator, Yu Qingtang turned left. Cheng Zhanxi called out, "Ms. Yu."
Yu Qingtang stopped, her body slightly stiff.
She knew Cheng Zhanxi probably wouldn't be surprised by the fact that she owned a building, but among ordinary people, she should be considered wealthy, with good material conditions, so...
Why the 'so'?
Yu Qingtang didn't quite understand what she was anticipating.
Cheng Zhanxi asked, "What time do you leave for school at noon? Can I go with you?" Yu Qingtang felt a subtle disappointment. Facing Cheng Zhanxi, she replied, her tone neutral, "I leave at 1:30."
Cheng Zhanxi: "Shall I wait for you at the elevator then?"
Yu Qingtang: "Okay."
She opened the door to 2101, her figure disappearing behind it.
Cheng Zhanxi turned towards 2102. Closing the door, the surprise finally registered fully on her face.
An entire building!
Of course, she wasn't surprised that someone owned a whole building—her own assets were considerably larger, though she didn't keep track of the exact numbers. What surprised her was Yu Qingtang's family background, far exceeding her expectations. Being able to casually gift a daughter an entire building indicated they were definitely not just ordinarily wealthy.
The mystery surrounding Yu Qingtang deepened. Cheng Zhanxi leaned back against the living room sofa, her fingers tapping her chin thoughtfully.
Her reserved personality was likely linked to her family, but Cheng Zhanxi couldn't directly ask, nor could she visit her home. She felt stuck.
Cheng Zhanxi sat there for a while, feeling like something was missing. She swung her legs idly, looking up at the plain white ceiling, and realized what it was.
Yu Qingtang changed into her long-sleeved pajamas. Her phone vibrated.
She pushed her dark hair back from her collar and picked up the phone.
[Cheng Zhanxi]: Dear Ms. Yu, may I install a hanging chair in the living room?
[Yu Qingtang]: Yes.
[Cheng Zhanxi]: I'll invite you over to try it once it's installed.
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Ms. Cheng is acting like a child.
She put her phone on silent on the bedside table, lay down, but couldn't help the slight softening of her expression.
Cheng Zhanxi, just thinking about having her crush living two doors away, sleeping together at noon, and going to school together later, was too excited to sleep. She closed her eyes, smiling, rolling around on the bed, occasionally letting out muffled squeals into her pillow.
The opportunity for a noon nap, the first time she could lie down properly, was wasted by Cheng Zhanxi's rolling. At 1:15 PM, her alarm rang. Cheng Zhanxi sprang out of bed, full of energy, and went to the bathroom to wash her face.
Her alarm continued ringing every minute. She came out, turned them all off, finished getting ready by 1:22 PM. Cheng Zhanxi didn't go out immediately, watching the hallway through the peephole.
Yu Qingtang hadn't slept well either. She had dozed off, but dreamt strange, fragmented dreams. Waking up felt groggy, with lingering images of the bizarre dreamscape.
She picked up the water from her bedside table, took two sips, pinched the bridge of her nose, then suddenly remembered something and turned to look at the digital clock.
1:20 PM. Five minutes before her alarm was set to ring.
Yu Qingtang sighed in relief, immediately got up, changed clothes, washed her face, all done in three minutes.
She walked to the door, hesitated, then also opened the peephole.
The hallway was silent.
1:29 PM.
Cheng Zhanxi, in her orange jacket, appeared opposite. Yu Qingtang held her breath.
Cheng Zhanxi stood at the elevator entrance, glanced at her sports bracelet, pursed her lips, and stared at the door opposite, a flicker of anxiety in her eyes.
Could Ms. Yu have left early?
1:30 PM.
Squeak—
The door to 2101 opened.
Cheng Zhanxi's face lit up.
Yu Qingtang stepped out and saw her, momentarily stunned.
Cheng Zhanxi, full of energy, greeted her with a smile, "Good afternoon, Ms. Yu."
Yu Qingtang calmly replied, "Good afternoon."
"Surprised to see me?" Cheng Zhanxi asked teasingly.
"Not really." Yu Qingtang tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks warming slightly, avoiding Cheng Zhanxi's gaze as she looked towards the elevator.
A playful glint appeared in Cheng Zhanxi's eyes.
Yu Qingtang's acting skills were terrible. Her surprise was clearly feigned. Cheng Zhanxi wondered why she was pretending to be surprised, it wasn't like she hadn't told her she'd wait outside.
The hallway was spacious. One person was contemplative, the other distracted. The elevator was slow to arrive. Yu Qingtang realized neither of them had pressed the button.
As she reached out, Cheng Zhanxi reached out at the same time. Their fingertips brushed accidentally in mid-air. A spark seemed to pass between them.
They looked at each other.
Cheng Zhanxi's eyes gradually darkened.
Yu Qingtang resisted the urge to look away, feigning nonchalance. "You press it," she said.
She withdrew her hand, hiding it in her trench coat pocket, unconsciously curling her cool, white fingers.
Cheng Zhanxi's well-defined hand continued forward, her clean, neatly trimmed nails shimmering faintly pink like pearls, pressing the elevator button.
She stepped back to stand beside Yu Qingtang. Casually turning her head, her gaze fell on Yu Qingtang's slightly flushed ear.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled.
Yu Qingtang looked down, her dark hair falling softly, concealing her ears.
Cheng Zhanxi felt a pang of regret, while simultaneously recalling the scene of kissing her ear. Yu Qingtang wasn't receptive to kissing, so their foreplay that night had focused on her ears and neck. When she wasn't aroused, she was fine, but once aroused, she became incredibly sensitive. A light bite or suckle would make her tremble all over, clinging tightly, giving the most honest reactions, her soft whimpers like a kitten's.
Both pitifully cute and exceptionally tempting to tease.
The more she cried, the more one wanted to tease her.
It almost made Cheng Zhanxi lose her composure, completely lose control.
Cheng Zhanxi, recalling the few times she allowed herself to remember, wondered if the compliant Yu Qingtang from that night—ignoring the unpleasant beginning—and the current aloof Yu Qingtang were the same person.
Based on Cheng Zhanxi's understanding and judgment, Yu Qingtang was conservative, not the type to seek thrills in bars. Why had she invited someone to a hotel? And judging by her awkwardness, it was her first time.
Why?
The closer she got, the more the original puzzle remained unsolved, replaced by even more questions.
Ding—
Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang entered the elevator one after the other.
The mirrored elevator walls reflected Cheng Zhanxi's thoughtful expression. Yu Qingtang looked at Cheng Zhanxi's reflection in the wall, her gaze lingering.
The elevator stopped midway, and a family of six entered, instantly making the spacious elevator feel crowded.
Yu Qingtang frowned slightly, retreating to the corner. Cheng Zhanxi considerately stood in front of her.
More people got on as they descended, the elevator becoming increasingly crowded. Cheng Zhanxi turned to face Yu Qingtang, placing one hand on the elevator wall, effectively shielding her in the corner.
They were face to face. Cheng Zhanxi was half a head taller. Yu Qingtang lowered her head slightly, her lips level with Yu Qingtang's forehead.
Her light breath brushed against Yu Qingtang's forehead and brow, warm and slightly ticklish.
Yu Qingtang's fingers tightened, her body tensing, holding her breath.
Cheng Zhanxi wasn't faring much better. The elevator stopped and started frequently, her arm bracing against the wall growing sore. More importantly, looking down, she could see Yu Qingtang's long, curled eyelashes, her elegant nose, her slightly pursed lips, pale red, tempting her towards temptation.
To kiss her recklessly, to possess her.
The elevator display stopped at the 3rd floor.
Complaints arose from within the elevator.
"Can't they just take the stairs from the 3rd floor?"
Regardless, the elevator doors opened.
Cheng Zhanxi felt a push from behind, her body involuntarily lurching forward.
A warm, soft touch landed on her forehead.
Both women froze.
Ding—
First floor arrived.
Everyone streamed out.
Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang were the last to exit. Cheng Zhanxi's expression was slightly unnatural, her mind racing, but under Yu Qingtang's calm gaze, her thoughts gradually settled.
Adults could conceal their thoughts, unlike teenagers whose emotions were written plainly on their faces.
The two walked calmly into the school. The journey had taken a while, and they nearly "arrived late," entering the office just as the preparatory bell rang.
Ge Jing and Yang Li were preparing to leave for class. Seeing the two enter one after the other, they exchanged a knowing glance and left smiling.
Class 7 physics class.
Wen Zhihan entered with her physics textbook, her expression still gentle, but with an icy glint deep in her eyes.
After finishing the day's lesson, she asked the physics class representative to distribute the in-class practice exercises.
As the papers were passed back, the Class 7 students initially looked relaxed and confident. But upon seeing the questions, their expressions changed.
These questions... weren't they excessively difficult?
Frowns appeared, pens were chewed, hushed exchanges occurred.
—Can you do this?
—No.
—If you can't, then I definitely can't!
Some looked bewildered: Who am I? Where am I? Did I actually pay attention in class?
The physics class representative finished the first question, her brow tightly furrowed, also falling into deep self-doubt.
Wen Zhihan watched the struggling, despairing students below, a sense of satisfaction for Yu Qingtang rising within her.
Wen Zhihan: "Everyone did very well in physics during the mid-term exams, so moving forward, I will provide some advanced training. The difficulty level is slightly higher than before."
"Everyone work diligently." She descended from the podium, slowly walking around the classroom, her smile not reaching her eyes.
The students held their heads: This is slightly higher?!! I can't solve a single question!!!
As soon as the dismissal bell rang, Wen Zhihan left.
The physics class representative collected the papers, hearing waves of groans. Looking at the papers, many students had only managed one question or submitted blank sheets.
Some students had written directly on the blank space: Sorry teacher, I can't do it.
Even the top students had only written a few more steps, unable to fully solve the problems.
Physics representative Tian Tian: "..."
She went to the office to hand in the papers, seeing Wen Zhihan engrossed in a thick, English-language professional book. Tian Tian hesitated.
Wen Zhihan looked up, asking kindly, "Is something wrong?"
Tian Tian wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but she felt a hint of coldness in Wen Zhihan's gaze.
Tian Tian said, "Ms. Wen, I looked at the practice sheets just now, many students couldn't answer the questions. These problems are currently beyond our abilities. Could you perhaps lower the difficulty slightly?"
Wen Zhihan placed her hand on the book, calmly stating, "This is all material you have already learned."
Tian Tian was momentarily speechless.
Learned, yes, but these questions twisted the learned concepts into unrecognizable forms.
Wen Zhihan lifted her finger slightly, saying coolly, "I will explain them next class. They are very simple. The key is to find the right approach. You may return to the classroom now."
Tian Tian lowered her head: "Yes."
Wen Zhihan: "Right, after the third period, come here to pick up a physics test paper. I'll review it together next class."
Tian Tian cautiously asked, "Is it the previous difficulty level or the advanced training?"
Wen Zhihan smiled: "Advanced training. Work hard, I will be checking."
Tian Tian felt faint.
After receiving the test papers after the third period, the entire Class 7 collectively felt faint.
High school evening study sessions were typically used for completing homework, previewing, reviewing, etc. As long as students weren't doing anything unrelated to studying, teachers generally wouldn't interfere, regardless of the subject.
Tonight was Yu Qingtang's evening study session. She walked back and forth in the classroom, occasionally stopping to see what students were doing. She noticed most had the same physics test paper in front of them, their expressions similarly pained and struggling.
Excluding Cheng Zhanxi, who was a bug in the system, neither burdened by academics nor focused on guiding students, and now reportedly dabbling in teaching martial arts. Wen Zhihan was the most popular teacher in Class 7. Their physics scores in the mid-terms ranked fourth in the entire grade, with the third-ranked parallel class also taught by Wen Zhihan.
Students often worked on physics homework during evening study, but this level of collective suffering was unprecedented.
Yu Qingtang suppressed her doubts and continued her rounds before stepping out into the hallway for some fresh air.
A cool breeze blew. Yu Qingtang's long hair was swept back. A chill seeped into her brow. She raised her hand to shield her forehead, trying to block the wind, then seemed to remember something, pausing slightly, her fingers gently brushing the center of her forehead.
Cheng Zhanxi's soft grunt when pushed from behind, followed by the unintentional light kiss.
The soft touch, the lingering warmth of her lips, searing all the way to her heart.
Yu Qingtang gathered her windblown hair behind her, turning her back to the wind.
Yet the spot on her skin seemed to grow hotter, the memory alone causing her heart to race, her breathing uneven.
Yu Qingtang pressed her forehead against the cool pillar.
Approaching 10 PM, Yu Qingtang exited the elevator. The door to 2102 remained wide open.
As if she never needed a key.
Cheng Zhanxi's voice drifted from the living room, "Ms. Yu, are you back?"
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Cheng Zhanxi: "Wait a moment."
Familiar words. Yu Qingtang should have turned and left, but her feet seemed rooted to the spot.
Cheng Zhanxi emerged carrying a glass of warm water and a glass of hot milk. Using her slippered foot, she nudged the door closed and walked towards Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang: "?"
Cheng Zhanxi looked at her gently, saying, "Drink the warm water first, then the milk. It helps with sleep."
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Cheng Zhanxi slightly shook the water glass, offering it to her, coaxing softly, "Water and milk don't count as late-night snacks, right?"
Yu Qingtang bit her lower lip gently and accepted the glass.
"Don't drink too much warm water," Cheng Zhanxi advised, watching her drink about half before swapping it for the milk.
First time hesitant, second time familiar. Yu Qingtang silently lowered her head and drank the milk.
Cheng Zhanxi took the empty glass back.
Yu Qingtang: "Goodnight, Ms. Cheng."
Cheng Zhanxi smiled: "Goodnight."
Yu Qingtang nodded, turned back towards her apartment. From an angle Cheng Zhanxi couldn't see, her tongue lightly licked the milk mustache from the corner of her lips.
"Ms. Yu—" Cheng Zhanxi's voice returned, laced with a hint of urgency.
Yu Qingtang paused for two seconds before turning back, calmly meeting her gaze.
Cheng Zhanxi stood behind her closed door, casting a helpless look towards her.
"I accidentally closed the door just now, but my keys are still inside."
Author's note:
Short skit:
Yu Qingtang never cries, except in Ms. Cheng's bed. Every single time.
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