Chapter 116: Teacher, student
When Yang Chen arrived at Zhonghai’s Yizhong, it was still not time yet for his appointment with TangTang. Yang Chen leisurely got off the car and smoked in front of the school’s entrance alone, while thinking about some matters.
Many of the students and teachers who came and went saw this young man stand beside a brand new BMW while smoking to wait for someone, and they had some thoughts about it. They obviously thought in the direction of a ‘sugardaddy’ or something similar.
Yang Chen wasn’t very knowledgeable in this aspect, he only saw a lot of people looking towards him, so he thought that they were attracted towards him because he was dressed exceptionally stylishly on this day, and had a despotic aura.
When Yang Chen finished his first cigarette and was about to smoke his second, a refreshingly dressed slim figure walked out of the school. This person wore a bluish-white checkered shirt, and a dull three-quarter skinny jeans. While the jeans exhibited the beautiful curves, the pair of white calves were exceptionally attractive.
“Jingjing.” Yang Chen called out to the lady. He was initially considering whether or not to take a look inside the school, it was a surprise for him to coincidentally bump into Li Jingjing.
When he previously met Old Li’s family together with Jiang Shuo for a meal in the restaurant, he had already noticed the irregularity in Li Jingjing’s mood, but since Old Li and his wife were present, it wasn’t right for him to say something about it. Besides, Li Jingjing herself didn’t seem to want to speak to him.
Because he had been busy over the last few days, he forgot to take the initiative and contact Li Jingjing. Perhaps he himself didn’t have the habit of contacting this lady himself, so he didn’t clear away the doubts he had.
Li Jingjing looked at Yang Chen with pleasant surprise in her eyes, she walked up and asked in a hopeful manner, “What are you doing here, Big brother Yang? Were you waiting for me?
Seeing the girl full of anticipation, Yang Chen felt that he was very cruel, but he still spoke the truth, “Erm… I’m waiting for someone, it’s a student in a school, we’ve an appointment to go play games.”
“Oh……” Li Jingjing lowered her head with disappointment, then stood where she was without a sound.
Yang Chen awkwardly smiled, “It’s just a wimpy kid, and I was free anyways, so we’re going to play some games. Actually, I’m not very familiar with this kid either.”
Li Jingjing forced a smile, “Big brother Yang, you’re being a bad influence for my school’s students, as a teacher shouldn’t I chase you away?”
“That kid took the initiative, I’m being passive.” Yang Chen defended himself.
“Is it a boy or a girl?” Li Jingjing softly asked.
“A girl, just a stinking brat.” Yang Chen didn’t cover up the truth.
Li Jingjing grudgingly looked at him, “Big brother Yang, this isn’t right of you, you’re already married and shouldn’t get involved with too many girls. Furthermore, she’s a highschool student, there’s still a long life in store for her, she should be studying properly, what you’re doing may interfere with her studies.”
“It isn’t what you think it is, we’re just normal friends. She said that she didn’t have anymore classes today, that’s why she’s accompanying me to play games, I wouldn’t lead someone astray, please be rest assured, Teacher Li.” Yang Chen said with an embarrassed smile.
Li Jingjing nodded, but turned silent again. Anybody could make out the feeling of being wronged that she held inside from her little face.
Yang Chen sighed, then asked: “Previously, I bumped into your family having a meal with Jiang Shuo, is it about you and him?”
Li Jingjing bit her lip, “Yep… Dad and Mom wants me to formally go out with Group Leader Jiang. Group Leader Jiang has been wooing me all this time, I… I don’t know what to do.”
“Do you like him?” Yang Chen asked.
“I… I don’t know……” Li Jingjing shook her head, “I don’t hate Group Leader Zhang, although he sometimes does things too boisterously, I don’t view him as a bad person, he has always treated me well. Dad and Mom have been through hardship their entire lives, I want to provide them better living conditions, and I don’t have the heart to reject them, so… so I am still considering.”
“Your mom should’ve told you to never come into contact with me again, right?” Yang Chen asked with a smile.
Li Jingjing raised her head in shock, “Big brother Yang, how did you know that?”
“Because you’re not someone who tells lies. That day, I watched your expression change, yet you forced yourself not to speak to me, so I guessed that you had a load on your mind.”
Li Jingjing unhappily said, “You knew that I had a load on my mind… yet you didn’t take the initiative to give me a call… I thought you were angry at me, Big brother Yang, I thought you planned to never care about me ever again……”
This soft voice made Yang Chen feel guilty inside, it seemed like he was indeed not caring enough towards the women around him. Perhaps this was the dilemma of a great man, always feeling like there wasn’t a need to think too much about things, and barely taking a lady’s sensitive feelings into consideration. He never knew that Li Jingjing had been brooding over this phone call he hadn’t made.
“Actually, things aren’t so bad. Perhaps it’s because I’m not used to it, and someday I may really fall in love with Group Leader Jiang……” Li Jingjing said, “After all, something like feelings can be slowly fostered, I can’t possibly hold on to an unrealistic happy ending my whole life, I must have my own life.”
Yang Chen stared blankly at her, he never expected to hear such words from Li Jingjing all of a sudden. Hearing such words, he didn’t have anything to say, when all was said and done her path had to be decided by her herself. Despite finding Jiang Shuo unworthy, he couldn’t just blabber it out. While feeling a little ashamed, he said in a relieved manner, “In the short time you’ve been a teacher, the way you speak has changed, but I feel happy for you.”
Li Jingjing mischievously rolled her eyes at him, “I have to be this way, I can’t possibly be bawling my eyes out the moment I see you, right?”
Looking at the girl’s bright and charming face under the warm sunlight, Yang Chen had the urge to give her face a pinch, but immediately felt that he shouldn’t. After all, he wasn’t a family member or a lover to her, if he kept doing such intimate actions yet wasn’t able offer an explanation, he wouldn’t even know what to call himself. So he put his hands into his pockets.
The atmosphere between the two was unusually awkward, even a pair of strangers who were meeting for the first time wouldn’t have such difficulty conversing.
Right at this time, a young lady ran out of the school wearing a yellow jacket and a black skirt. Seeing Yang Chen, she happily waved and shouted, “Uncle! Who’re you chatting with!?”
TangTang who was bursting with youth seemed exceptionally happy, she practically hopped her way to Yang Chen, but when she noticed Li Jingjing who stood beside Yang Chen, TangTang’s supple red lips formed an ‘o’, like a frightened little rabbit.
“Teach… Teacher Li… why’re you here… haha……” TangTang laughed in an incredibly awkward manner.
As if she had understood something, Li Jingjing said with a smile, “So the student Big brother Yang is waiting for is TangTang, what a coincidence.”
Yang Chen gave a start, then seemed to understand in a flash, “This girl is your student?”
“I am her form teacher.” Li Jingjing playfully stared at TangTang, revealing her dignity as a teacher, “TangTang, how many times have I told you, you have to work hard as a third year high schooler, don’t keep thinking of playing games. If you keep this up, I’ll have to give your mother a call y’know?”
“Ehhh……” TangTang stretched a hand and hugged onto Li Jingjing’s elbow, then rocked it coquettishly and said, “Teacher Li, I’ve already completed the computer exams today, so I’m going out to play with Uncle a little. I guarantee that I won’t just care about having fun, I’ll definitely hand in all of my assignments on time. Besides, didn’t I get into the top ten of my whole cohort? I’ll definitely do well, don’t you worry. You always use my mother to oppress me, that’s being too cruel to me!”
“One shouldn’t become arrogant when they succeed, it won’t do for you to be this conceited!” Li Jingjing seriously lectured.
TangTang raised both her hands in surrender, “Fine fine, Teacher Li, Great Beauty Li, please let me off, I’ve already made an appointment with Uncle. Besides, you’re acquainted with Uncle, Teacher Li, give Uncle face and let me off this time……” As she said then, TangTang moved to rock Yang Chen back and forth, signalling him to speak.
Yang Chen creased his brows, he secretly came to the conclusion that this brat was hiding something, but at this point he could only cooperate and say, “I think you can let her pass this time, Jingjing. It’s important to occasionally let loose as well, I’ll supervise her and not let her go overboard as she plays.”
Li Jingjing didn’t want to fall out with Yang Chen, so she could only nod and say, “Fine then, but TangTang, you have to return home on time. Don’t make your mother worry anymore.”
“Alrighty.” TangTang giggled, “I guarantee that I wouldn’t disappoint Teacher and Mom, it’s fine like this, isn’t it!”
Li Jingjing laughed and scolded her for being a sly sprite, then said nothing more.
TangTang was like a runaway convict, she dragged Yang Chen away and rushed towards the car, afraid that Li Jingjing would go back on her words and force her to stay in the school to study.
Yang Chen bitterly smiled and said goodbye to Li Jingjing, then got into the car.
Watching the car disappear into the distance, Li Jingjing who quietly stood there sighed. She turned around and walked off, her figure from behind seemed rather dejected.
On the other hand, TangTang who sat in the car patted her chest, “What a close shave, Uncle you’re too much, how could you coincidentally know Teacher Li? You nearly frightened me to death!”
“I’m friends with your Teacher Li’s father.” Yang Chen explained.
“Really?” TangTang spoke with disbelief, “But why is it that I find the way Teacher Li stares at Uncle seem rather vengeful? Uncle, you couldn’t have done something bad to Teacher Li, right?”
“Was it?” Yang Chen hadn’t noticed such deep vengeance in Li Jingjing’s gaze, he dryly laughed and said, “How could that be, I’m a married man.”
TangTang pouted and said, “Uncle you can stop pretending, in this day and age there are too many men who are cheating on their wives. My mom said it to me before, there aren’t many good men, especially in the city, they’re all fellows who have the face of a human but the heart of an animal.”
“Hey, don’t slander me, I’m not that sort of person.” Yang Chen said with an upright face. In his heart he muttered: This is all for the kid……
TangTang chuckled happily and said, “Uncle, what are you panicking for? Those words weren’t even directed at you, but to be honest, it would be good if Uncle could successfully woo Teacher Li, when that happens I wouldn’t need to act so timidly anymore. Uncle, you have no idea, ever since Teacher Li became my form teacher, I’ve been watched strictly. Furthermore, Teacher Li contacts my mother often, this is so unbearable!”
Yang Chen didn’t expect that Li Jingjing was this good of a teacher, her greatness was plain to see from the fact that she managed to actually control this problem child. He smiled and uttered, “You can stop grumbling, tell me where to go.”
TangTang frowned, her fair face displayed beautiful dimples, “Zhonghai eSports Centre.”