Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Jin Ran had the driver, Xiao Sun, pull over fifty meters from the school. After she got out, she walked around to the other side of the car and tapped on the window.

A moment later, the window slowly lowered.

Jiang Mingsuo turned his head. The dappled morning light softened his features, making them somewhat indistinct, so Jin Ran didn't notice the aloofness in his expression. She said cheerfully, "I'll head in now. Thank you for the ride."

"Don't mention it. It was on my way."

"Still, I appreciate it." Otherwise, even if it was convenient, it wouldn't have happened without his willingness. Jin Ran accepted his help with genuine gratitude.

Remembering something, she reached into her bag and pulled out a mint—a leftover from eating Korean fried chicken with Xu Zhen. "Here, a small thank-you."

It was a humble gesture, but it's the thought that counts.

Her figure gradually receded, blending into the bustling crowd within moments.

Outside the car, traffic flowed, countless footsteps echoed, and the incessant noise filled the air.

After a long moment, Jiang Mingsuo finally withdrew his outstretched arm and opened his palm. In the center lay a candy in a light green wrapper.

He stared at it intently, his expression becoming inscrutable.

Xiao Sun, in the front seat, heard no further movement for a while and curiously glanced into the rearview mirror, only to be met by Jiang Mingsuo’s deep, intense gaze. He shivered, too scared to peek again.

It wasn’t until a moment later that an instruction came from the back: "Let's go."

Like he'd been granted amnesty, Xiao Sun released the brake and pulled out from the side road near the school, not daring to linger for another second.

Meanwhile, Jin Ran had already entered Wencheng High School.

Having toured the campus earlier, she easily found the teachers' building this time.

However, she didn’t go straight upstairs. Instead, she first called the teacher in charge to let her know she had arrived. Upon hearing this, the teacher promptly said, "My hands are full right now. Just come up to the third floor, second room on the left."

After hanging up, Jin Ran followed the instructions to the third floor. It was class time, and compared to the teaching building, the teachers' building was remarkably quiet. She looked around and realized this floor was likely for teachers’ offices. The sign on the second door to the left read "First-Year Math Group."

She walked over and knocked politely. "Hello, I’m the new substitute teacher, here to report for duty."

The teacher in charge, who had been counting textbooks, looked up at the sound. Her eyes lit up when she saw Jin Ran.

Wencheng High School had hired ten substitute teachers in total this time, with only one assigned to the math department. She had heard that the new math teacher was a high-achiever with a somewhat unusual background, though no one knew the specifics.

Now, seeing Jin Ran in person, the teacher began to doubt her memory. Was it her background that was special, or her looks?

With delicate features and a composed, elegant demeanor, she could easily be mistaken for a celebrity from the entertainment industry!

"You must be Teacher Jin? A batch of teaching aids just arrived, and the students need them urgently. I really couldn’t get away. Sorry for the wait," she said with a smile.

"Not at all, I just got here myself."

Jin Ran curved her lips into a slight smile, her attitude respectful but confident. "What needs to be done? Let me help you."

"No, no, it's alright. I'm almost done." The teacher waved her hand dismissively. Even so, Jin Ran observed her process: checking the quality of the books, identifying any with missing pages or misprints, counting out the number for each class, and then bundling them with twine.

Once she understood, she pitched in without another word, working quickly and efficiently. There was no hint of privilege in her demeanor. Seeing this, the teacher was even more pleased. When it came time to assign a workspace, she directly gave Jin Ran a great spot by the window.

"You came at just the right time. This used to be the desk of a senior teacher in our math group. She resigned last month because she was pregnant. You can work here from now on."

Jin Ran knew the teacher was doing her a favor and sincerely thanked her.

After getting her settled, the teacher in charge went off to attend to her own tasks. Jin Ran carried the textbooks she’d been given to her new desk. It was clear the previous teacher had been neat and tidy—everything was simply arranged, and the desktop was almost dust-free.

On the windowsill, a cup of water held a single cut sunflower. Sunlight streamed obliquely through the glass, edging the petals with a soft, golden glow.

Jin Ran found it beautiful and took a moment to find the best angle to take a photo, which she then posted on her social media.

After putting away her phone, she began preparing for her first lesson.

It was her first time working, and she felt both excited and nervous. She wondered if the students in her class would be well-behaved.

/

Before class ended, the homeroom teacher announced, "The school has hired a new math teacher for you. They’ll start next Monday."

Hearing this, the students instantly grew excited, pounding their desks and shouting, "Teacher! How old is the new math teacher?"

"Is the new teacher a man or a woman?"

"Hey! Regardless, please don’t let it be someone with a receding hairline!"

Someone yelled this, eliciting laughter from the entire class. On the podium, the homeroom teacher, who was over forty and thinning on top, chuckled wryly in frustration.

"Why ask so many questions!" he scolded, glaring.

He had originally planned to introduce the new teacher but now decided against it. "You’ll find out when the time comes!"

Even so, the students’ curiosity didn’t wane in the slightest.

Chen Xunliang turned around excitedly. "Brother Li, do you think the new math teacher is a man or a woman?"

Jiang Xuli was focused on playing a game on his phone and didn’t bother responding.

Chen Xunliang didn’t mind and continued on his own. "I hope it’s a female teacher, but it’s probably going to be a man. Girls aren’t as good at math as boys."

This provoked Wang Shuya, who sat in front left. "Who said that!"

Chen Xunliang replied matter-of-factly, "Isn’t it obvious? The top math student in our class is Brother Li, and the top Chinese student is Chen Ya. Girls have an advantage in liberal arts over sciences."

Wang Shuya retorted, "A single sample isn’t representative! Besides, the top math student in Class 5 is a girl!"

"The top student in Class 6 is a boy!"

…

The two went back and forth, arguing like elementary school students until they were both red in the face. Finally, they turned to Jiang Xuli in unison. "Brother Li/Jiang Xuli, what do you think?"

Jiang Xuli: "…"

Suddenly, the teenager thought of Jin Ran.

The ease with which she explained concepts, the way her pen flew across the paper, crafting challenging problems in mere seconds—she seemed entirely in her element, as if she had a whole world of knowledge in her mind.

Chen Xunliang also caught on. "Your stepmom is an exception."

Wang Shuya didn’t understand what Jiang Xuli’s stepmother had to do with this, and it sounded like she was exceptionally good at math.

Feeling somewhat unconvinced, she couldn’t help adding, "I scored 130 on the last math exam."

"Pfft, Brother Li scored a full 150!"

He boasted, as if he were the one who got the high score.

Jiang Xuli, snapping back to reality, gave him a cold look: "You're a guy too, and if I remember correctly, you ranked tenth from the bottom in math this time."

Chen Xunliang: "..."

Ouch, that hurt, bro.

That sting lingered until after class, when Jiang Xuli was called to the office by the homeroom teacher because of the fight.

"Damn it! It must've been those jerks from Class Seven who snitched!"

Chen Xunliang was furious.

Wang Shuya, putting their argument aside, started to worry. She still remembered Jiang Xuli's stepmother. Even though Jiang Xuli insisted it had nothing to do with her, as a girl, she felt she understood other girls better.

Just imagine—if someone she liked had a child with someone else, she’d absolutely despise that child: "What if they call his parents?"

Chen Xunliang considered the possibility too and gritted his teeth: "No way, I gotta go see."

While the two were anxiously worrying about their friend’s future, Jiang Xuli, at the center of it all, was totally unbothered.

Or rather, he didn’t care at all.

For one, he didn’t think he’d done anything wrong; for another, even if they called his parents, his dad wouldn’t show up—most likely, he’d send his special assistant instead, which practically meant no one was coming.

As for Jin Ran, she wasn’t even on Jiang Xuli’s radar.

So when he followed the homeroom teacher into the office with an indifferent attitude and saw the familiar woman sitting among the teachers, chatting and laughing cheerfully, his quick mind short-circuited for a second.

But he quickly realized he’d misunderstood—she wasn’t there as a parent.

Because he heard his homeroom teacher greet her warmly: "Teacher Jin, welcome! From now on, we’ll be colleagues!"