Math Teacher, Please Get Lost (GL) - Chapter 29

Lan Xi was caught off guard by the question. Behind them, a large truck rumbled past the road, dragging out a long blaring horn.

Seeing her unresponsive, Shu Yan tugged at her sleeve. “Senior?”

Lan Xi tilted her chin, stepped back a little, her heel sinking into the soil. “Which one are you talking about?”

Shu Yan hurriedly explained, “It’s…” She glanced around nervously, leaned close to Lan Xi’s ear to whisper a few words, then backed away. “It’s this one.”

Lan Xi blinked, as if slightly startled, then looked at her with a doubtful gaze. “You haven’t even started anything yet, and you’re already thinking about getting to home plate?”

Shu Yan didn’t seem to grasp the exact meaning of the phrase, repeating, “Home plate?”

Lan Xi waved it off. “Forget it. With your experience, no matter how much I say it’s useless.”

Shu Yan protested, “What’s wrong with my experience? You can’t look down on me just because you’re five years older. A woman’s value is in her youth.”

Lan Xi crossed her arms and let out a cold laugh. “Shu Yan, is that your attitude when you’re asking someone for advice?”

“I’m not begging you,” Shu Yan said, “I’m just asking.”

Lan Xi nodded slightly. “Fine. However you handle yourself, that’s how you handle others.”

Shu Yan frowned in confusion. “Handle myself how?”

Lan Xi opened her mouth, hesitated, then said, “You don’t need to worry about that. When the time comes, you’ll understand naturally. It’s like eating or sleeping—innate, self-taught.” She smirked. This wasn’t something she could teach—better to let Yao Shuhan take the lead herself. Look at how Shu Yan had Yao Shuhan wrapped around her little finger; everyone thought Shuhan was the one being bullied, but judging from Shu Yan’s cluelessness, once in bed it might be the other way around.

Things between women—who could ever explain them clearly?

Shu Yan didn’t believe her. “Really?”

Lan Xi grew impatient. “Helping you is helping myself. I’ve said enough. As for what you do, that’s up to you.” She waved her hand dismissively. “If there’s nothing else, let’s leave it here.” Spending too long with Shu Yan only gave her a headache.

“Where are you going?” Shu Yan called after her.

“Yingcai,” Lan Xi replied as she turned away.

“Then we’re heading the same way,” Shu Yan said, catching up.

Inside the taxi, Shu Yan asked, “Why are you going to Yingcai again?”

Lan Xi closed her eyes to rest. “Got something to do.”

“Looking for someone?” Shu Yan pressed.

“Whatever it is, it has nothing to do with you. Don’t worry.”

Shu Yan emphasized, “As long as it’s not Shuhan you’re looking for.”

Lan Xi couldn’t help it—every time Shu Yan acted childish like this, it amused her. “You nag too much. Yao Shuhan is not my type.”

Shu Yan grinned. “Good. As long as you don’t bother her, everything’s fine.”

Leaning against the seat back, Lan Xi laughed and shook her head.

The taxi stopped at the roadside. Lan Xi got out slowly with her bag. Shu Yan thought she was too slow, scooted over to the other side of the seat, and hopped out herself.

At the gates of Yingcai, Shu Yan turned back to glance at Lan Xi, noticing her looking around as if searching for something. She was about to ask when the corner of her eye caught a flash of white. Instantly distracted, she called out, “Kimchi, you sneaked out again?!”

Success! She had captured the filthy little Kimchi once more.

Holding the cat, she rubbed its head. The kitten whined in protest, swiping at her with tiny claws, but Shu Yan easily subdued it. “Hmph! With your half-baked skills, you’re even weaker than your owner!”

“Well, if you’re so great, don’t come back!”

Shu Yan froze, lifted her gaze to see Yao Shuhan standing by the flower bed with arms crossed. Lowering her eyes, Shu Yan smiled faintly. “Shuhan…”

Yao Shuhan ignored her, took the cat from her arms, and scolded it. “You heartless thing. If I catch you sneaking out again, I won’t want you anymore.”

“Meow…” Kimchi drooped its ears and buried its head into her arms.

Without sparing Shu Yan a glance, Yao Shuhan carried the cat away.

Shu Yan rushed after her, grabbing her hand. “Shuhan, don’t ignore me.”

“Don’t talk to me,” Yao Shuhan said coldly, turning aside.

Shu Yan leaned closer, whispering by her ear, “Today I—”

“I don’t want to hear it,” Yao Shuhan interrupted, stepping away.

“Shuhan, I—”

Yao Shuhan quickened her pace, refusing to give her any chance to explain. The truth was, she didn’t even know what she was angry about. She just woke up that morning to find Shu Yan gone, and a wave of disappointment hit her. She thought maybe Shu Yan had just gone for a walk and would be back by lunch. She even made crucian carp soup for her. But she didn’t come home at noon. Well then, surely she’d come back for dinner? But…

As soon as they got home, Shu Yan hadn’t even changed her shoes before wrapping her arms tightly around Shuhan from behind. The cat leapt from her arms in alarm.

“Shuhan, listen. I had something to take care of today, I had to go far. I swear, from now on I’ll never run off without telling you!”

“Ugh, you smell of dust. Disgusting. Get away from me,” Yao Shuhan said, pushing against Shu Yan’s face as it drew closer.

Shu Yan’s heart thumped. Disgusting? Could Lan Xi have been right—that Shuhan found her sloppy and dirty?

But no… she couldn’t let go.

She held her tighter. “Please hear me out. Don’t ignore me. I’ll do whatever you say. Anything—except not liking you. That I can’t do.”

Yao Shuhan struggled, but couldn’t break free. She raised her head, eyes locking on Shu Yan’s. “Where were you today?” she demanded.

“The Sunshine Tower,” Shu Yan replied.

“Alone?”

Shu Yan hesitated. At once Shuhan started struggling harder, prying at her hands. Shu Yan blurted, “With Lan Xi!”

A strange silence fell.

“Lan Xi? Why were you with her? Is it that whenever you see a pretty girl, you just stick to her like glue? Out since morning, home this late—looks like you had a great time. So why even come back? Didn’t you want her to interview you? Perfect—just get a hotel room and have a nice, quiet two-person interview!”

Another heavy silence.

Flustered by her own outburst, Shuhan covered her face and tried to flee.

But some traps are not so easily escaped.

Her wrist was seized, her footing slipped, and she fell into Shu Yan’s warm embrace. They tumbled onto the sofa. Shu Yan stared at her intently. “Shuhan, you’re jealous, aren’t you?”

Her heart leapt. She bit her lip and turned away. “I’m not. Don’t flatter yourself, Shu Yan. Stop presuming you know what I’m thinking.”

Shu Yan pinched her chin, forcing her to face her. “Do you know? Every time you lie—” She pressed her fingers against the spot between Shuhan’s chin and throat, feeling the rhythmic beat of her pulse. Lowering her head, she nipped her ear. “—your eyes unconsciously look to the left.”

Yao Shuhan froze. Before she could form a retort, warmth pressed against her lips. Shu Yan’s breath rushed against her face, hot and heavy, her tongue sweeping insistently at her lips, patient, waiting.

The sensation overwhelmed her, stripping away reason. She tilted her head back, hands half-raised to embrace Shu Yan, lips parting bit by bit. Just as Shu Yan took the chance to slip her tongue in, she abruptly shoved her back and sat up, gasping for air, disoriented.

Shu Yan crawled over to hug her again, but Shuhan sat blankly, dazed.

What was happening to her?

Realizing she had overstepped, Shu Yan carefully whispered, “Shuhan?”

Shuhan turned, sighed, and brushed Shu Yan’s loose hair behind her ear, her voice soft. “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have yelled. Have you eaten dinner?”

Shu Yan blinked, then grinned, resting her chin on her shoulder. “Not yet.”

Shuhan pinched the back of her neck. “I’ll heat up the fish soup.”

Shu Yan clapped in delight. “Yay!”

Food always made her happy. Yet she couldn’t guess why Shuhan had made fish soup—because long ago, Shuhan had once choked on a fishbone as a child, and had never touched fish since.

She remembered, back when they had just started high school, their class once went on a weekend outing. Each group had ingredients to cook with. Yao Shuhan was washing vegetables by the river, while Shu Yan bounded over, her jacket tied at the waist.

“Hey, does your group have fish?” Shu Yan asked.

Shuhan lowered her head, cheeks flushing. She recognized that voice instantly. In a tiny voice she answered, “Yes…”

“Great!” Shu Yan exclaimed. “Can I trade for one? Look, I’ve got these two big potatoes. I love fish, but my group didn’t bring any.”

Shuhan nodded and handed her the bag with the fish. “Here…”

Shu Yan beamed, grabbed it, and shoved the potatoes into Shuhan’s hands. “Thanks! These potatoes are really good.”

“No need to thank me…”

By the time she looked up, Shu Yan was already gone.

When she returned with two potatoes and no fish, her teammates scolded her. “What a waste! Always siding with outsiders!”

Face burning, Shuhan stayed silent.

Yes, she was wasteful, siding with outsiders. But what could she do? She liked her.

Back in the present, Shuhan rested her chin on her hands, quietly watching Shu Yan wolf down her food, a tender smile tugging at her lips.

“Shu Yan,” she suddenly said. “Let’s make three new rules.”

Mouth still full of fish, Shu Yan mumbled, “Okay.”

“One,” Shuhan raised a finger, “you can never go out alone with Lan Xi again. Or with any other woman.”

Shu Yan thought she was still jealous, and her heart leapt with joy—so she did care! She nodded eagerly.

Seeing her smug expression, Shuhan sighed inwardly. Shu Yan couldn’t see through Lan Xi, but she could. In a city like this, there weren’t many of “their kind,” and those who were known, everyone heard about soon enough. Lan Xi’s colorful romantic exploits had reached her ears before.

Whatever her intentions, if Lan Xi dared make a move on Shu Yan, that crossed Yao Shuhan’s bottom line. No matter how much she admired her as a writer, compared to Shu Yan she was nothing.

“Two,” Shuhan continued, “in front of outsiders you must never act strangely. We can’t let anyone notice.”

Shu Yan gaped. “Shuhan, are you saying… you’ve agreed to me?”

Ignoring her question, Shuhan pressed on. “Can you promise that?”

Shu Yan nodded furiously. “Yes!”

“And three,” Shuhan said, her voice calm. “I’ll give you three years. If, after three years, you still like me the way you do now, then… we’ll be together.”

Shu Yan swallowed hard, choked by emotion, unable to speak. She sniffled, gulped down a mouthful of hot soup, then finally managed one word: “Okay!”

Three years. Just three years. She would use every moment to fight for their future together, to weave herself into Shuhan’s life, and slowly let Shuhan become part of hers.