Math Teacher, Please Get Lost (GL) - Chapter 26

The alley had no lights, pitch-black. From the other end, Shu Yan heard hurried footsteps. She looked up and saw Yao Shuhan bundled in a thick down jacket. Yao Shuhan immediately spotted Shu Yan leaning against the wall at the corner, and with just two or three strides she ran over. Her hat slipped off, hair a little messy.

Yao Shuhan was furious. She shouted,
“What the hell are you doing wandering outside so late instead of going home!”

Shu Yan wasn’t scared or angry. She bent over, hands on her knees, staring at the condoms in the vending machine.

Yao Shuhan slapped her on the back.
“I’m talking to you!”

Shu Yan jutted her chin forward.
“Look.”

“Look at what—” Yao Shuhan’s gaze dropped, and she froze, her face instantly flushing red. “You…”

Shu Yan tilted her head back, grinning mischievously.
“So, which one do you think works better?”

Unable to take it anymore, Yao Shuhan stomped on her foot.
“Which one works better? Try them all, compare, then you’ll know!”

Hopping in pain, Shu Yan scratched her chin awkwardly.
“Eh, that doesn’t sound right. These… don’t they need two people to use?”

“Psycho!” Yao Shuhan felt she was insane—running out on such a cold night just to chase after a lunatic. And instead of being grateful, Shu Yan was spouting nonsense. It was utterly ridiculous.

“Hey.” Shu Yan didn’t move her feet, just reached out, grabbed Yao Shuhan’s wrist, and yanked her closer. Moments like this made her appreciate Yao Shuhan’s fragile, weakling physique: one pull, she came over; one push, she toppled.

Sure enough, Yao Shuhan stumbled, about to fall backward. Shu Yan hurriedly wrapped an arm around her waist.
“How about we find a time to try them out?”

Yao Shuhan froze, throat tightening.
“Try… what?”

Shu Yan glanced at the vending machine.
“What you just said.”

Yao Shuhan stared at her in silence for a beat, then suddenly narrowed her eyes into a smile. She pinched Shu Yan’s nose and leaned closer.
“If you really want to try, we don’t need those. Don’t think I’m easy to push around.”

Shu Yan shrank her neck back, stunned. She had expected Yao Shuhan to be mortified, fly into a rage, and chase her through the streets. She had even planned her escape route. She hadn’t anticipated this reaction at all. For a moment, she was dumbfounded.
“No need for those… then what do we use?”

Yao Shuhan patted her cheek, huffed, then extended a middle finger out of her oversized sleeve.
“Bai-li-le (Beilele).”

Shu Yan was dumbstruck, jaw dropping.
“Huh?”

Yao Shuhan’s eyes flickered, lashes fanning. She turned her head away, ears burning.
“I’m telling you, I know more than you. Don’t think about taking advantage of me. Let’s go home. Or not—if you want to hang around outside, do what you want. I won’t care anymore…” Her voice trailed softer and softer. She glanced back.
“Did you see Lan Xi today?”

Shu Yan ruffled her hair in frustration, pulling out the hair tie and letting it fall loose.
“I never took advantage of you…”

Yao Shuhan’s gaze darkened as she walked toward the alley entrance.
“Don’t trouble her. Sister Lan Xi’s work is busy. She only agreed to interview me because of Master Lu’s face. Do you really think she would otherwise spare the time to talk to me? If she promises you anything, it’s just politeness. Don’t take it seriously…”

Her voice was calm but chilly in the night air, and Shu Yan felt a pang of disappointment. She smoothed her messy hair, then gently tugged at Yao Shuhan’s sleeve corner, calling softly,
“Shuhan…”

Yao Shuhan paused, then held the hand tugging at her clothes. It was icy cold. She frowned, tucking Shu Yan’s hand into her own coat pocket, wrapping her hand around it.
“What?”

Shu Yan peeked up at her cautiously, pouting. Then, waddling sideways like a penguin, she leaned against Yao Shuhan, nuzzling her neck with her nose. Her hair brushed against Yao Shuhan’s cheek, itchy; when her hair shifted, the cold wind rushed down her collar, making her shiver.

Shu Yan sniffled, the tip of her nose red with cold.
“This afternoon, did you see it?”

Shu Yan was taller and stronger, leaning her weight against her. Yao Shuhan’s frail frame could barely support it, so she wrapped an arm around Shu Yan’s waist, step by step moving forward.
“I saw Lan Xi kiss you. You’re a woman. How can you be so careless? You’ll let anyone kiss you?”

Shu Yan buried her face against her neck, muffling a laugh.
“I only let you kiss me.”

Expression unchanging, Yao Shuhan smacked her on the butt. Shu Yan yelped dramatically, then giggled.

“Shu Yan,” Yao Shuhan said seriously, “didn’t you use to look down on my orientation? Why are you like this now?”

Shu Yan brushed her lips against the skin over her artery.
“You tell me.”

Yao Shuhan sighed.
“If I don’t be with you, will you go be with other women?”

Shu Yan nodded.
“Mm.”

Yao Shuhan grew upset.
“Can’t you just find a man and live a proper life? Maybe you’re just rebelling now—you might not actually like women. And if you really do, have you thought about your—”

Shu Yan tilted her head up, staring straight at her, her voice hoarse.
“Yao Shuhan, if you won’t be with me, will you be with some other woman?”

Yao Shuhan faltered, trapped by Shu Yan’s unwavering gaze. She wanted to look away but Shu Yan forced her chin back, locking her eyes with hers.

Shu Yan asked seriously,
“Are you going to marry a man and have his child?”

Silence.

After a long time, they stepped out of the alley. Not far away was the gate of Yingcai School.

Suddenly Yao Shuhan said,
“No.”

Shu Yan clutched her tighter, whining like a child,
“Then don’t be with any other woman either.”

“If you don’t be with women, I won’t be with anyone.”

“No,” Shu Yan protested, “I like you.”

Yao Shuhan gave a bitter smile.
“Shu Yan, rejecting me back then was the right thing for you to do. Why torture yourself like this now? Not all feelings can blossom just because two people want them to. Why won’t you listen, why won’t you be sensible? Do you think I’d ever harm you?”

“Yao Shuhan, let’s make a promise, okay?”

Yao Shuhan looked at her. That thin face, those forever half-lidded fox-like eyes, the faint fuzz on her lips—her expression full of earnest hope.

Blinking, Yao Shuhan asked,
“What promise?”

Shu Yan lifted her head, cleared her throat, suddenly brimming with energy. She tapped Yao Shuhan’s nose, and in a firm but low voice solemnly declared,
“I, Shu Yan, hereby declare war on you, Yao Shuhan! From today on, I’ll like you more each day—more and more, deeper and deeper—until my love grows strong enough to stand on its own. I’ll prove to you that Shu Yan can love someone with everything she’s got, and that my love is no weaker than Yao Shuhan’s.”

By the dim halo of the streetlamp, Yao Shuhan’s eyes flickered, but she lowered her gaze, silent.

Shu Yan continued,
“Say my lifespan is 100 years. I’ve already spent 3/10. With the remaining 7/10, I’ll use it to chase you. Yao Shuhan, will you agree?”

Yao Shuhan hung her head, wordless.

Shu Yan chuckled, ruffling her hair.
“No answer means you accept. Actually, whether you agree or not, you have to accept. Because…”

She draped an arm over Yao Shuhan’s shoulders, gazing at her delicate face.
“Because I don’t believe you don’t love me.”

Shu Yan thought to herself: Lan Xi was right. Even if she and Yao Shuhan got together now, she couldn’t give Yao Shuhan a complete future. She’d only make her more worried, more sad. So while she grew her love for Yao Shuhan each day, she had to work on other things too.

But… wasn’t Yao Shuhan worried about those things herself?

Her thoughts froze. She looked into Yao Shuhan’s eyes—those lips pressed tight, always radiating an unyielding strength. But looking deeper, sometimes Yao Shuhan’s stubbornness was frightening.

Why hadn’t Yao Shuhan gone home for New Year, instead sleeping in her bed?

Why had Shu Yan never seen her contact her family, never even heard her mention them?

After half a year together, she hadn’t met any relatives of Yao Shuhan, not even friends. Besides colleagues, she seemed to have no one at all…

Why?

“Shuhan, Shuhan,” Shu Yan coaxed, crowding into her space with a grin. “Smile, won’t you? Don’t look like this.” She tugged at the corners of her mouth downward. “Not pretty.”

Yao Shuhan kneed her lightly in the butt.
“Annoying! Upstairs.”

“Ah—” Shu Yan clutched her butt and hopped, then obediently climbed the stairs.
“Shuhan, can’t you be a little gentler with me?”

“I’ve always been gentle.” Yao Shuhan fished out her keys as she walked up.

“Hehe, let me do it.” Shu Yan eagerly took the keys, opened the door, and lined up the slippers.
“Teacher Yao, after you.”

Yao Shuhan ignored her, carrying on as usual. It was nearly 2 a.m. by the time they got into bed.

Just as she was about to switch off the light, the door rattled. She rolled her eyes and went to open it.
“What now?”

Shu Yan pushed back her bangs, bent down, and shut her eyes.
“I want a goodnight kiss!”

Yao Shuhan wanted to kick her.
“How about a goodnight kick instead?”

Shu Yan grinned, shaking her head.
“No way. No kiss, no sleep~”

Crazy!

With no choice, Yao Shuhan lowered her head, scowling. But before her lips touched Shu Yan’s forehead, she was suddenly pulled into a soft, warm embrace, lips pressed together, a tongue brushing across her lips.

Yao Shuhan’s breath hitched. She jerked back, face red, about to scold Shu Yan. But Shu Yan winked at her playfully, lips curled. Instantly, all Yao Shuhan’s anger fizzled, leaving only her racing heartbeat and the searing burn in her throat.

Shu Yan waved, closed her door, then peeked out again, voice gentle.
“Thank you, Teacher Yao, for the goodnight kiss. Sweet dreams.”

That night, Yao Shuhan tossed and turned, hugging her pillow, baking herself restless. When she finally drifted off, she dreamed of Shu Yan chasing her all around the globe for kisses, the universe littered with empty milk-tea cups. Then out of nowhere, the Youlemei milk-tea jingle rang out:
—What am I to you?
—You are my Shuhan.

“Ah—!” Shu Yan shot up in bed, clutching her head.
“Crap, I’m going insane.”

Meanwhile, in the guest room—

Shu Yan hid under her blanket, trembling with her phone in hand. Her lips twisted into a strange grin, cheeks flushed red—whether from the heat of the covers or something else, it was impossible to tell. On the screen was her latest search:

Beilele finger sleeves for lesbians — giving her a whole new sensation.

Damn. Yao Shuhan, just what have you been through these past twelve years?

Shu Yan covered her face. It seemed she really couldn’t underestimate Teacher Yao anymore…