Let’s Squander A Billion First!

Chapter 956: Chapter 956: A Day as a Teacher (25)

Lu Zhou called directly.

After listening to Qiao Lian’s account, Lu Zhou hesitated for a long time before muttering, ”Maybe she just feels sorry for you, without that intention. Don’t overthink, she’s much older than you.”

Qiao Lian looked at the crowd below, fingers clasping the railing of the corridor: ”She held my hand.”

”Cough, cough...”

Lu Zhou couldn’t stop coughing.

It took a while for him to recover: ”Qiao Lian, what do you mean? You don’t like her, do you?”

”...I don’t know.” Qiao Lian lowered his eyelashes.

”Qiao Lian, she’s much older than you, don’t do something foolish!!” Lu Zhou said, ”Let’s meet up, wait for me at your school gate.”

”...I’m not free right now.” Qiao Lian said, ”I’ll contact you later.”

Qiao Lian hung up the phone.

By this time, there were no students left in the corridor. Chuzheng stood at the stairs, signaling him to come over.

Qiao Lian stuffed the phone back into his pocket, hesitated, then walked towards Chuzheng.

”Didn’t sleep well last night?” Chuzheng asked him.

”It was okay.”

”Then why were you falling asleep in class? Is my lecture that hypnotic?” What’s wrong with my lectures! You don’t even look at me!

”...I was a bit sleepy.” Qiao Lian said, ”I’m sorry, teacher, I didn’t mean to.”

Chuzheng casually held his hand and led him downstairs.

The girl’s hand was warm, delicate, and soft.

Pressing against his palm, intertwining.

Qiao Lian’s heart raced wildly.

He glanced back and, not seeing any students, breathed a sigh of relief.

”What do you want to eat?” Chuzheng asked without a care, ”I’ll take you to eat.”

”Anything... is fine.” Qiao Lian’s thoughts were a little muddled, forgetting to withdraw his hand.

Noises of playful banter started in the stairwell, prompting Qiao Lian to hastily withdraw his hand, standing to the side.

Several students rushed down from upstairs, slowing down when they saw Chuzheng and greeted her.

”Hello, Teacher Ruan.”

Chuzheng nodded calmly, and the students quickly left, their playful voices soon disappearing.

Chuzheng glanced at Qiao Lian and extended her hand again, pulling him downstairs.

”Teacher...”

”Hmm?”

Qiao Lian pursed his lips and eventually followed her obediently downstairs.

As they were almost at the ground floor, Chuzheng released him nonchalantly.

Qiao Lian moved the hand Chuzheng had held to the front, slightly gripping it with the other hand.

-

Regarding the cultural festival, Chuzheng heard from other teachers that the principal had harshly reprimanded Su He and docked two months of his pay.

The cost for repairing the piano would also have to be covered by Su He.

The principal, seeing him as just a young girl, finally gave him some discount.

But it was still quite a bit of money, enough for Su He to worry about for a while.

The attitude of the school’s teachers towards Su He became subtle; nobody wanted to be harmed by someone like that, so who would keep close ties with him?

During the period when Su He was having a hard time, Chuzheng was quite leisurely, waiting for Qiao Lian to finish school every day.

When there were people around, she would go downstairs first and wait for him in a secluded place.

When there was no one, she would naturally hold his hand and lead him downstairs, letting go only once they reached the bottom.

Qiao Lian wasn’t sure if what he was experiencing in such a short time was heart-throbbing or thrilling.

In any case, he didn’t want to break such a situation.

Qiao Lian rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.

A shadow slightly dimmed the light before him.

The hand on the table was briefly gripped: ”Pay attention in class.”

Qiao Lian was too startled to move, afraid of drawing others’ attention.

Chuzheng merely squeezed it slightly before releasing it and walked to the back.

Looking back, Qiao Lian realized no one noticed him, all eyes were on their books.

Not daring to daydream anymore, he opened his book and listened as Chuzheng taught.

He only relaxed once the class ended.

”Qiao Lian.”

Meng Yu approached with two of his followers.

”What’s up?”

Meng Yu leaned on the desk, staring at him intently, ”What’s your relationship with Teacher Ruan?”

Sweat formed in Qiao Lian’s palms, his heart racing.

Did Meng Yu see something?

”Why does Teacher Ruan always favor you, is your family paying her to look after you?”

Qiao Lian was taken aback.

Then he relaxed.

”You’re overthinking it.”

Meng Yu wanted to say more, but someone called out from outside: ”Brother Yu, Teacher Ruan is calling you.”

Meng Yu: ”...”

Frustrated, Meng Yu went to the office.

Qiao Lian leaned against the back of the chair, took out his phone after a while, and deleted and edited his typing multiple times before ending up with nothing. He turned off the phone and tossed it back into the desk.

He lay on the desk, then buried his head in his arms after a short while.

-

Lu Zhou caught Qiao Lian at the school gate, directly yanking him onto a flashy motorcycle, riding off in a cloud of dust.

Meng Yu came out with his group just in time to see it.

A somber expression crossed his face.

”Meng Yu, good luck in the competition.” Chuzheng passed by.

”Teacher, I’m already a senior, isn’t it a bit much to still participate in this math competition, plus I’m from the humanities!!!!” Meng Yu suddenly roared.

”Hmm, you should strive to be a genius who excels in both arts and sciences.” Chuzheng encouraged insincerely.

”...”

Feels like I’m being messed with!!

Chuzheng walked a distance, glancing in the direction where Qiao Lian left.

That had to be Lu Zhou, right?

Chuzheng felt sure she wasn’t mistaken, so she happily decided not to worry about it.

Good Person Card also had his own life.

Over on the riverside, Lu Zhou stopped.

Qiao Lian dismounted looking unwell, taking a while to steady himself against the railing.

Lu Zhou patted his back: ”Are you okay?”

Qiao Lian shook his head.

The two found a place to sit.

”Tell me, what’s going on.”

Qiao Lian gazed at the river: ”It’s just what it is.”

”Really?”

Qiao Lian thought for a moment, then slowly nodded.

Lu Zhou twitched his mouth: ”Don’t joke with me, my young ancestor, how old are you, really wanting to date, find a girl your age... If you don’t know any, I can introduce you, all guaranteed to be good ones.”

Qiao Lian shook his head.

Lu Zhou: ”Don’t worry, it won’t be anything shady.”

”Lu Zhou, you don’t understand.”

Lu Zhou flared up: ”Damn right, I don’t understand, how did you fall for your teacher!!”

”Didn’t you say she’s beautiful and has poise?” Qiao Lian looked at him, puzzled.

”Isn’t that different?” Lu Zhou panted angrily, ”She’s much older than you.”

No matter how beautiful or poised, being so many years older, she could only be a pretty older sister!

”Am I not allowed to like someone older than me?”

”...” Lu Zhou scratched his head, ”Who likes girls older than them, a couple years is fine, but she’s much older, and she’s your teacher.”

Guys all like girls younger, petite, and adorable.

Who would go out of their way to find someone who could be an older sister!!

”Do you know what kind of uproar it would cause if this got out? It affects not only you but her career too.”

Qiao Lian was silent, the river reflected in his eyes, waves slowly rising.

”How far have you two progressed?”

Qiao Lian shook his head: ”Not progressed at all.”

She hadn’t said anything.

Besides occasionally holding his hand, she hadn’t done anything.

Lu Zhou turned Qiao Lian by the shoulder, forcing him to look at him: ”Qiao Lian, I’m telling you, while nothing’s happened yet, pull out quickly, if push comes to shove transfer schools, come to mine, I’ll watch out for you.”

Qiao Lian brushed his hand off, hugging his knees, silently looking at the river.

”Think carefully, you haven’t even started university, by the time you graduate, how old will she be? Qiao Lian, it’s just a temporary emotional impulse, don’t mistake someone’s kindness for affection.”

”Don’t harm yourself, and don’t harm her.”

The river breeze gently blew across his cheeks.

The wind made Qiao Lian’s eyes somewhat sore, and his heart ached intensely.