Since the start of the school year, every time Jiang Wang saw Ji Linqiu, he felt a tug at his heart.
Ji Linqiu was different at school compared to home.
Sometimes, he would bring his work home, grading papers and writing documents late into the night, occasionally wearing silver-rimmed glasses that made his gaze even colder and his pale skin appear even more distant.
Despite being busy with his business, Jiang Wang made it a point to pick up Peng Xingwang from school every now and then.
Even though Hongshan Primary School usually had four security guards at the gate, parents could easily get in to check on their kids by just offering a cigarette. Once familiar, they didn’t even need that.
The time just before the last class ended was often when the kids were the most restless. Peng Xingwang sometimes deliberately looked out to see if his big brother had come to pick him up. If he had, he would rush out as soon as the bell rang, leaping into Jiang Wang’s arms, clinging to him for a while before going back to pack up his books and homework.
It was also during this time that Jiang Wang would catch glimpses of Ji Linqiu in his role as a teacher.
Ji Linqiu always had a textbook or some papers in hand, his expression slightly cold when answering parents’ questions, but turning warm and friendly when bidding farewell to the children.
Normally, Jiang Wang didn’t like people with two faces, but he found himself unable to resist glancing at Ji Linqiu.
It was as if both his aloofness and warmth were equally captivating.
Jiang Wang was even more drawn to seeing Ji Linqiu’s cold and stern side, as it seemed more genuine to him.
Before the end of each class, Ji Linqiu would usually give instructions for the students’ homework. Occasionally, he would glance out the window and spot Jiang Wang standing there with a half-smile, which would make his heart skip a beat.
It’s as if they were sharing some secret.
Jiang Wang knew about Ji Linqiu’s occasional bouts of arrogance and playfulness and understood that Ji Linqiu wasn’t always the perfect, beautiful teacher he appeared to be.
It felt as though a soft spot of his was being held by this man, even without any ill intent, yet it always touched him in some way.
If their eyes met, the atmosphere would become heated, causing them to sweat involuntarily.
Ji Linqiu once complained after returning home:
“When you stand there looking at me through the window, it’s hard for me to keep a straight face—I end up wanting to laugh.”
“Then laugh,” Jiang Wang said, puzzled.
“A teacher shouldn’t always laugh, it makes it hard to keep the students in line,” Ji Linqiu tried to discuss this seriously, but felt this carefree guy wouldn’t understand. “…From now on, just focus on Peng Xingwang. Don’t look at me.”
Jiang Wang obediently complied, only paying attention to whether Peng Xingwang was behaving in class when he came to pick him up.
But then Ji Linqiu couldn’t help but look at him.
And as a teacher, when Ji Linqiu looked out the window, the students would also turn their heads in unison, like a bunch of little sunflowers following the sun.
Ji Linqiu: “…”
Jiang Wang found this amusing and made it a habit to pick up the child frequently, to the point that Peng Xingwang was deeply moved.
He thought, ‘Big brother really loves me, he’s so good to me.’
Little did he know that his big brother was just indulging in some mischievous fun, trying to tease their dear Teacher Ji.
On Friday, Jiang Wang arrived a bit early, with fifteen minutes left before the end of class. Not wanting to disrupt the students, he stood in a distant, secluded corner, playing Snake on his phone. Suddenly, a familiar figure walked quickly past him, then turned back.
With a surprised expression, the figure asked, “Mr. Jiang, is that you?”
Jiang Wang, who was terrible at remembering women’s faces, initially thought she was a business partner from a previous drinking session. But seeing her resemblance to Ji Linqiu, he remembered.
“Aren’t you… Teacher Ji’s sister?”
“Yes, yes, yes, I’m Ji Changxia,” the young woman said, shaking his hand with a grateful expression. “My father has returned home to recuperate. Thanks to your help earlier, we’re really grateful.”
‘So her name is Changxia,’ Jiang Wang thought.
Ji Changxia’s features were quite delicate, and like her brother, she was tall and had a refined appearance. But there was a layer of timidity and conservatism in her demeanor, which dulled her appearance, making her seem more an ordinary passerby.
After observing her, Jiang Wang thought of Ji Linqiu and realized just how much personality could influence one’s looks.
“Did you come all the way from Yuhan?”
“Yes, a friend drove me back to pick up some things. I took some time off to visit my brother,” Ji Changxia said, rubbing her hands together nervously, avoiding eye contact with Jiang Wang and looking around awkwardly. “…My parents asked me to talk to him, to persuade him to come home for the New Year. To be honest, Brother Jiang, I don’t think I can convince him.”
“You might not know my brother well,” she finally mustered the courage to look up. “He seems easygoing, but sometimes he’s very stubborn. Once he makes up his mind, there’s no changing it.”
Jiang Wang thought to himself, ‘We know each other pretty well. Your brother isn’t just stubborn. He’s like a teenager still searching for a chance to rebel.’
When the school bell rang, the children poured out, wearing black and yellow striped uniforms, hopping around like little mud puppies.
Ji Changxia was too scared to approach her brother, shrinking back timidly.
“What are you afraid of?” Jiang Wang asked, curious. “He’s not going to scold you.”
Ji Changxia, now a mother herself, was still terrified of her brother. She pressed her lips together and shook her head nervously.
Before she could explain, Ji Linqiu came out with his lesson plan in hand. He froze when he saw them–
His eyes immediately became sharp.
“Why didn’t you call me before coming?”
“I… I was afraid you’d avoid me,” Ji Changxia’s voice grew weak, her head down. “Brother, Mom and Dad asked me to check on you and to tell you… you have to come home for the New Year this year.”
“It’s been five years since you last went back.”
Ji Linqiu frowned. “Stop acting like I’m scolding you.”
“Changxia, if you came because you missed me and wanted to see me, I’d be really happy.”
“This is probably the twentieth time I’ve told you — when you’re doing something, could you think about yourself more and stop being our parents’ messenger?”
Ji Changxia nodded repeatedly, looking embarrassed, but it seemed she didn’t really understand what he was saying.
Jiang Wang quickly grasped the situation and motioned for Peng Xingwang to join them.
The little boy cheerfully greeted Ji Changxia, happily holding Jiang Wang’s hand as they walked away together.
Ji Linqiu had initially put up his defenses, his demeanor becoming sharp.
But when Jiang Wang’s shoulder brushed against his, he suddenly regained his composure, reining in his thorny mood.
Ji Changxia, terrified of causing trouble, kept insisting on staying at a guesthouse, completely lacking the warmth and familiarity of a sibling. Instead, she seemed excessively cautious and deferential.
Jiang Wang sensed that her fear didn’t stem from Ji Linqiu. It felt more like the result of their parents’ long-term pressure, an invisible hierarchy that elevated one child to a pedestal while pushing the other into the dirt.
Why? Because of their gender?
He observed for a few more seconds, then smiled and invited the brother and sister to eat hot pot as if he knew nothing.
“There is an authentic beef hot pot restaurant on Xintang Street. Let’s go, it’s more lively when there are more people eating!”
In the summer, the central region is like entering a steamer, and the water vapor is all dispersed into the air. In the evening, it can be hot and dizzy.
At this time, sitting in a refreshing and cool hot pot restaurant, the heat on the body will be instantly cooled, and you may even feel a little cold.
Ji Changxia didn’t dare to chat, for fear that she would make her brother unhappy if she said something by mistake.
Ji Linqiu leaned over to pour her cold tea, and her mood became much calmer.
“Are you doing well in Yuhan?”
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Ji Changxia said with a wry smile, “My son is a little naughty, it’s tiring to raise him, nothing else.”
Ji Linqiu saw the fine lines at the end of her eyes and hesitated to speak.
“Your sister said you haven’t been home for the New Year for five years?” Jiang Wang waited for the butter pot to boil, and now he was talking about something else, “Why haven’t I heard you say that?”
“No, he is very filial, he just teaches outside all the time and rarely comes back,” Ji Changxia was afraid that Jiang Wang would misunderstand him, and hurriedly explained: “My parents are just afraid of being talked about by relatives, and still hope that he will go back for the New Year.”
The butter pot finally began to bubble slowly, as if it was deliberately dragging it out and refusing to boil.
Peng Xingwang was so hungry that he was chewing brown sugar glutinous rice cakes beside him, and casually said: “The teacher must miss home very much, so go back this year.”
Jiang Wang knocked his head with chopsticks. “Don’t interrupt, kid.”
Ji Linqiu rarely talked about this topic in front of children, but he spoke softly after a while.
“That kind of place… is like a whirlpool.”
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t go back.”
Jiang Wang deliberately glanced at Ji Changxia. The latter was timid and confused, as if he couldn’t understand Ji Linqiu’s resistance.
“If you go back with me for the New Year, your blood pressure will probably rise to the point of bursting the mercury meter1like an analog thermometer.” Ji Linqiu laughed softly. “Those people like to feed children with wine, persuade young people to get married, and force young girls to drink. They do whatever they want.”
Jiang Wang’s expression changed.
“What have you encountered?”
Ji Linqiu didn’t hide it, and smiled coldly.
“When I was 20 years old, I went back for the New Year. An uncle dared to touch my thigh while drunk.”
Ji Changxia panicked. He didn’t expect him to dare to talk about this publicly. She was so ashamed that she couldn’t even raise his head.
“H-he really apologized, and he specially brought a few baskets of eggs to apologize to our parents, saying that he was drunk and made the wrong choice.”
“Brother, don’t neglect our parents because of irrelevant people.”
The hot pot suddenly boiled, and the bubbles that came out almost splashed on people’s hands.
Jiang Wang turned down the fire and helped Peng Xingwang put in the yellow throat tripe and yuba that he liked to eat.
The small compartment fell into a brief silence.
The child seemed to understand, but also seemed not to understand, just worried that they were unhappy.
“What a coincidence.” Jiang Wang said slowly, “When I was having dinner with Xingxing’s father yesterday, he said he wanted to take the children back to the countryside for the New Year.”
“He also promised me that he would never make the same mistake again and would definitely spend a good New Year holiday with the children.”
“Linqiu, I’m alone this Spring Festival, won’t you take me back to play?”
Ji Linqiu didn’t expect Jiang Wang to take the initiative to bring up such a thing, his expression was blank for a moment, and he didn’t agree for a while.
Ji Changxia seemed to have finally found a life-saving straw, and her voice became much louder.
“Brother Jiang, my parents are very hospitable, and my hometown house is also big. Friends often come to play. We have beautiful mountains and rivers there, and we will definitely welcome you!”
Jiang Wang responded naturally, and looked at Ji Linqiu with a smile.
“Take me to celebrate the New Year, I want to eat your chopped chili and old bacon.”
Ji Linqiu was originally tense, but he didn’t expect Jiang Wang to suddenly act like a spoiled child.
He was not sure what effect it would have if he brought this devil back to the countryside.
…Rounding it off, it was like bringing a firecracker home.
The legend of the four extended Cadillacs last semester was still circulating among the new parents and students, and there were actually new students who quietly asked if there was a mixed-blood prince in the class.
Jiang Wang was a person who liked to stir up trouble.
He was still hesitating, and Jiang Wang stretched out his chopsticks to pick up a large piece of shrimp paste in his bowl.
Then he blinked his eyes, it looked very cute.
“Teacher Ji, let’s celebrate the New Year together.”
“Promise me quickly.”
