Math Teacher, Please Get Lost (GL) - Chapter 23

Shu Yan moved her foot aside and glanced around. It was already quite late, and the street was completely empty.

She tilted her chin slightly. “You don’t like me anymore, do you?”

Yao Shuhan opened her mouth, paused as though searching for the right words, and said, “I thought I’d already made it very clear to you that night.”

“Because back then you were young, reckless?” Shu Yan picked up her words.

“Yes.” A watery sheen flickered in Yao Shuhan’s eyes. “That’s exactly it.”

Shu Yan nodded, stepped back slowly, the cold wind brushing her ears. “Alright. No problem.”

Yao Shuhan’s chest tightened as if she couldn’t breathe. She looked at her anxiously.

Shu Yan said, “Whether you really don’t like me or you’re just saying it, I’ll take it as real.”

Yao Shuhan clenched her fists, biting down on her lip.

Shu Yan went on, “So from this moment on, I’ll be the one chasing you. Twelve years ago you chased me, twelve years later I’ll chase you.”

!!!

Yao Shuhan was jolted, stunned—Shu Yan, what are you even saying?!

Already a few steps away, Shu Yan suddenly stopped retreating, hurried forward, grabbed her hand, and shouted, “Teacher Yao, please give me another chance!”

Yao Shuhan felt as if her head had been struck hard. A swarm of bees buzzed around her mind, loud and dizzying, making her brain feel like it was about to shut down.

“You… what did you say?”

Holding both of Yao Shuhan’s hands, Shu Yan blew warm air into them, rubbing hard to heat them up. “Yao Shuhan, I’ll repeat it. Listen carefully. Back then, you confessed to me, and I rejected you—that was my blindness. Just now, I confessed to you, and you rejected me. That makes us even. From now on, I’ll pursue you. Please give me another chance.”

“I won’t agree to this.”

“Don’t be so absolute.”

“I’ll never like you again.”

“Then I’ll chase you anyway, because I like you.”

Yao Shuhan lowered her gaze. “Shu Yan, you’ll regret this.”

Shu Yan shook her head, pressing a finger against her lips. “Not necessarily me. Maybe you’ll be the one to regret it—regret not saying yes right now.”

Some things weren’t as simple as Shu Yan imagined. Yao Shuhan sighed inwardly. How could she explain it to her? Homosexuality was considered an illness, something to be treated in a psychiatric center. Homosexuals were seen as outcasts—mocked, insulted, abandoned even by their own family. At that time, even if you loved someone deeply, what could you do? Even if I can give up everything for you, Shu Yan, could you? What would you do?

Shu Yan, you’re still so infuriating. Every time you corner me until I have no way out.

“Shu Yan,” Yao Shuhan laughed bitterly, “you’re seriously f***ing sick.”

Shu Yan grinned cheekily. “Gladly.”

Yao Shuhan walked along the riverside with her head down. Shu Yan followed, smiling brightly. “Teacher Yao, if one day you find yourself liking me again, tell me immediately.”

Yao Shuhan ignored her.

“And if you do like me, let’s be together, okay?”

Yao Shuhan wanted to ask her: would you tell your parents then? But the words stuck in her throat; she couldn’t say them.

When they reached the central park, Yao Shuhan suddenly asked, “Shu Yan, do you remember the three rules we made back then?”

Shu Yan froze. “I remember.”

“First,” said Yao Shuhan, “don’t talk to me unless necessary.”

Shu Yan rubbed her neck. “I… I do talk a bit much. But, hey, you know, one hand can’t clap alone. If you reply, of course I’ll keep talking. And besides, living together without talking—that’d be weirder, wouldn’t it?”

“Second,” Yao Shuhan interrupted, “our things must be kept separate.”

Shu Yan blurted, “But you were the one who slept in my bed first!”

“And third, don’t go into my room.”

“I didn’t mean to.”

“You broke every single rule.”

“That wasn’t my fault.”

Yao Shuhan looked her in the eyes. “See? You can’t even keep your promises.”

Shu Yan’s face stiffened. She glared back at her, then after a long pause, spat out, “Just you wait.”

Yao Shuhan only shrugged and, once home, collapsed straight onto her bed.

She was exhausted.

Could she really keep treating Shu Yan’s pursuit with coldness?

Or would she, as Shu Yan had said, end up regretting it?

If this had been twelve years ago, she wouldn’t have hesitated—she would’ve said yes in a heartbeat. Back then, her heart was full of nothing but love. But now… now she was afraid. Afraid that being with Shu Yan wouldn’t last, that someday they’d be exposed. She could give everything, but could Shu Yan? What if, one day, Shu Yan told her, “I’m sorry, I love you, but we really can’t be together”? Wouldn’t that be an even uglier regret?

So, for now, things would have to stay this way. Step by step.

The new semester began. The sparrows by the canteen slop buckets had returned, chirping and hopping merrily, thrilled that after a whole winter break someone was finally feeding them again. That morning, a crowd gathered outside Class 13’s door—teachers and students alike.

A young man in a baseball cap was setting up a camera aimed at the classroom. Wang Xiao tugged on Guo Xiaoxiao’s oversized school-uniform sleeve. “Xiaoxiao Xiaoxiao, where’s your mirror?”

Guo Xiaoxiao hurriedly dug a little mirror out from between two stacks of books in her desk. “Here. What do you want it for?”

Wang Xiao pointed toward the camera. “Look, we’re going to be on film. I gotta watch my image.”

Guo Xiaoxiao giggled. “They’re not interviewing you. What image are you worried about?”

“Xiaoxiao Xiaoxiao, where’s your mirror?” Another tug on her other sleeve.

She turned and found Zhao Kaiqi pulling at her. “Why do you want a mirror too?”

Zhao Kaiqi shyly brushed his bangs aside. “They’re recording, I’ll be on film too—I need to look good.”

Guo Xiaoxiao squinted at him, then at the bright red pimples across his forehead. She swallowed a laugh, pulled a wide headband out of her bag, and handed it to him. “Here, take this.”

Zhao Kaiqi held it up, confused. “I asked for a mirror. What am I supposed to do with this?”

Guo Xiaoxiao poked his forehead. “Tie it on your head. Works better than a mirror.”

When Wang Xiao saw him with the headband, he couldn’t hold back a laugh. Patting Zhao Kaiqi’s shoulder, he said, “Trust Xiaoxiao, she won’t steer you wrong.”

Zhao Kaiqi: “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Teacher Yao’s coming! Teacher Yao’s coming!” someone shouted from outside. The classroom instantly erupted—everyone scrambled back to their seats.

A moment later, Yao Shuhan walked in, accompanied by a poised and elegant woman. She carried a notebook in her left hand and a Parker pen in her right.

Yao Shuhan stepped onto the podium with a smile. “Today we have a guest. Let me introduce her—this is Lan Xi, a writer for Book & Tea. She’ll be spending the next few days with our class to conduct some interviews. I hope everyone cooperates with her.”

“Hello, Sister Lan Xi!” the kids chorused cheerfully.

Lan Xi lifted her notebook slightly to her lips and smiled. “Hello, everyone.”

“Lan Xi-jie, what are you going to interview us about?”

“Lan Xi-jie, you’re so pretty!”

“Lan Xi-jie, are you here especially to interview our Teacher Yao?”

The students fired questions nonstop. Lan Xi, a little overwhelmed, looked at Yao Shuhan for help.

Yao Shuhan gave her a reassuring smile and patted the desk. “Alright, quiet down, everyone. Miss Lan Xi has work to do. Pay attention in class, and if you behave well, who knows—you might even see yourselves in the magazine.”

“Wow, awesome!”

“I want to be in the magazine too!”

At the mention of being in a magazine, the class buzzed with excitement, sitting upright, hoping the camera would catch them.

Yao Shuhan glanced around and spotted Zhao Kaiqi with the band tied across his forehead. She walked over. “Zhao Kaiqi, what on earth is that on your head?”

Embarrassed, Zhao Kaiqi brushed his bangs again. “Class rep, this is the magical accessory Xiaoxiao lent me—to improve my image.”

Remembering his acne, Yao Shuhan frowned. “Take it off. You look ridiculous.”

“Teacher…”

“Teacher Yao, bullying my subject rep again?” A teasing voice came from the doorway. Yao Shuhan turned to see Shu Yan leaning against the podium with a yardstick in hand, smiling. “What, bullying me wasn’t enough? Now you’re bullying my subject rep too?”

When had she ever bullied her?!

Yao Shuhan shot her a glare, walked closer, and muttered, “You’re sick.”

Shu Yan smiled lightly, leaned down, and whispered into her ear, “Sick—only for you.”

A flush spread across Yao Shuhan’s cheeks. She quickly turned to Lan Xi. “Lan Xi-jie, let’s go, I’ll show you around the school.”

Lan Xi rested her chin on her pen, watching the two of them with amusement. Smiling faintly, she said, “Alright.” She then walked up to Shu Yan and extended her hand. “Hello, I’m Lan Xi. Nice to meet you.”

Shu Yan hesitated briefly, darted her eyes sideways toward Yao Shuhan, then shook her hand. “Hello, Miss Lan Xi,” she said with a wink. “I’m Shu Yan. And Lan Xi, you’re really beautiful.”

“Thank you.” Lan Xi pressed her lips together in a smile, then turned back to Yao Shuhan. “Teacher Yao, shall we?”

Yao Shuhan seemed lost in thought, only coming to when Lan Xi called her. “Huh? Oh, yes.”

As they stepped out the door, Shu Yan’s voice followed: “Lan Xi-mei, your interviews don’t have to be just about literature, you know. You could branch out—for example, interview a certain beautiful math teacher.”

At that, Lan Xi laughed and turned her head back. “Shu Yan, are you talking about yourself?”

Shu Yan nodded. “Mm-hm.”

Lan Xi glanced at Yao Shuhan meaningfully, then smiled. “That’s an interesting suggestion. I’ll think about it.”

“Lan Xi-jie, let’s go,” Yao Shuhan urged, heading down the stairs.

Shu Yan made a polite gesture of invitation. Lan Xi gave her a deeper look. “Teacher Shu, let’s talk more when we have time.”

Shu Yan lifted her chin. “Always free.”

Walking alongside Yao Shuhan, Lan Xi asked, “You and Teacher Shu seem close?”

Yao Shuhan lowered her eyes. “We’re just… normal.”

“I saw you two leaving together the other day,” Lan Xi continued. “Do you live together?”

“Mm,” Yao Shuhan replied casually.

Lan Xi murmured thoughtfully. “She’s very… intriguing. I could do a feature piece on her. Something like ‘The Charming, Witty, Beautiful Math Teacher.’ What do you think?”

Yao Shuhan couldn’t help scoffing. “You really think that is witty?”

Lan Xi chuckled. “Don’t you? I find her quite interesting.”

Yao Shuhan gave a short laugh. “Beautiful math teacher, huh?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Well, whatever. If you like it, go ahead.”

Lan Xi’s expression grew curious. “Forgive me, Teacher Yao, but… why do I feel like you seem to have a grudge against her?”

Yao Shuhan froze, coughed lightly, and quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, that building there is the administration office. Let’s take a look.”

“No need. Teacher Lu already gave me a tour of the whole school a few times.”

Yao Shuhan blinked. “Then why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Lan Xi only gave her a mysterious smile, not answering. “Instead, why don’t you accompany me outside the school for a bit of a walk?”