Chapter 007: Teacher Qian's Story

By mid-June, the weather had grown hot.

There are many universal truths in this world, and one of them is that bad news spreads like wildfire.

One day in June, a rumor began to circulate around the school. It was said that Teacher Qian, the political science teacher, had been caught in a secret meeting with the head of the grade department during self-study hours. Her husband, who worked as a teacher at another high school in the city, found out, and the two had a huge argument. They were now in the middle of a cold war, and were preparing for divorce.

In no time, this scandal had spread like wildfire throughout the school.

Once the story reached such a point, there was no way it could be contained.

However...

Teacher Qian continued to teach her classes as if nothing had happened, seemingly unaffected by the rumors.

On the third period of the morning, Teacher Qian, dressed in a white shirt, black skirt, and black stockings, sat confidently at the desk, completely ignoring the boys' suggestive glances.

Occasionally, when a few girls would ask questions, she would patiently explain and analyze, observing their reactions, and would nod lightly when she saw they understood.

When no one asked questions, she would casually flip through her textbook, with a serene expression on her face.

In the classroom, only the older student, Bian Xuedao, could sense the simmering volcano of emotions hidden within Teacher Qian.

When the bell rang for class to end, Teacher Qian slowly stood, packed her things, and walked out of the classroom.

In Bian Xuedao's eyes, the way Teacher Qian exited the classroom had an air of finality.

At this moment, Dong Xue slid over to Bian Xuedao's desk.

She pushed her classmate, Guo Dong, aside and sat down in his place.

Dong Xue, who was quite aware of her own charm, had dressed in a fitted T-shirt that day.

She scribbled a few answers on her paper, and while glancing sideways, she caught Bian Xuedao's eyes. Bian Xuedao smiled and made eye contact with her. Dong Xue quickly looked away.

Up close, Bian Xuedao was certain that, given a few years, once this girl attended university and had the time to dress and refine herself, she would undoubtedly become a striking beauty.

He glanced down, noticing that the zipper on her jacket was slightly open, revealing...

Bian Xuedao's heart skipped two beats.

Inside her jacket, Dong Xue was wearing a fitted T-shirt, and from his middle-aged man's perspective, it seemed to be at least a D cup. No, it was probably E.

This... this was...

This was a surprise for him.

The loose-fitting high school uniforms were such a deception!

Her figure wasn't the issue; what really had Bian Xuedao puzzled was that he hadn't expected to be involved in a high school "twilight romance," especially in these final moments of high school.

But he also knew his true love was Xu Shangxiu.

As long as he did well in the upcoming college entrance exam, in three months, he would be able to see Xu Shangxiu at East Sun University. As for the other women, they were nothing but fleeting encounters.

Thinking of Xu Shangxiu, Bian Xuedao glanced at the countdown on the blackboard and forced himself to focus on his studies.

Having taken countless exams, Bian Xuedao knew that every exam was based on the textbooks. The college entrance exam, in particular, emphasized fundamental knowledge, and the questions were designed to test one's understanding of the textbook. If he could master the material, he would be ready for anything.

Dong Xue, however, was feeling upset.

The boy beside her seemed to possess some strange charm. Especially when sitting together, she could clearly feel the confidence, calmness, and a sense of mature weight emanating from him.

Yes, it was maturity.

This kind of aura had an extraordinary impact on young girls like her.

For the first time, Dong Xue wanted to actively approach a boy.

She felt a bit unsure of herself, but her courageous nature pushed her to make the bold decision to sit next to him.

Her plan was simple: she just wanted to get closer to him.

The last days of senior year brought a palpable sense of relief and freedom to the class.

Almost every behavior could be justified as a way to relieve the pressure of the impending college entrance exam. So long as no one crossed the line, it wasn't a big deal, even if boys and girls sat together. Teachers didn't care too much, considering the exams were just around the corner.

During one lunch break, Zhou Hang asked Bian Xuedao about Dong Xue.

High school students often had no qualms about discussing such matters when they felt close to someone.

Bian Xuedao cleverly explained the situation, while secretly complimenting Zhou Hang: "Actually, Dong Xue was trying to ask you, but you always seem so serious, so she didn't dare. She saw me asking you questions all the time, so she decided to come to me. There were several questions I didn't quite understand, and the ones I've been asking you about recently are actually the ones she asked."

Zhou Hang vaguely felt something was off, but he still appreciated Bian Xuedao's explanation.

The first class after lunch was history.

Bian Xuedao, following his review schedule, continued to work on his own.

Suddenly, Guo Dong nudged him with his elbow. When Bian Xuedao looked up, Guo Dong's eyes were fixed on Dong Xue.

Bian Xuedao glanced at Dong Xue and then at Guo Dong, a bit confused.

Guo Dong rolled his eyes and made a gesture with his hands.

Bian Xuedao looked back and realized that Dong Xue had taken off her outer jacket. Underneath, she was wearing a white shirt, and beneath that... was a hint of black.

Several boys sitting behind them had also noticed Dong Xue's "secret," and some of the boys, who were only half-heartedly studying, were whispering to each other, their gazes shining like searchlights aimed at Dong Xue's back.

To these boys, Dong Xue's outfit was far more alluring than Teacher Qian's black stockings.

In Bian Xuedao's eyes, the boys' behavior was full of youthful energy. They saw everything as new and fascinating, innocent in their curiosity. Years later, some of these things would fade from their lives and disappear, leaving them as strangers to themselves.

Before evening self-study began, Dong Xue approached Bian Xuedao and told him to wait for her at the school gate after class. Then she returned to her seat.

The last moments of high school felt like a long desert journey to some students—monotonous, anxious, and hopeless. To others, it was the first real division of social class, with some students doomed to fall behind others. To Bian Xuedao, however, the time that had seemed enough before now felt like it was slipping away faster and faster, and he began to feel a slight panic.

At that moment, Dong Xue walked up to him.

Like a curious little animal, driven by nature, she was drawn in by his male charm.

Though in Bian Xuedao's eyes, Dong Xue was still just a little girl, the fact that she was attracted to him gave him a sense of encouragement.

At first, when Dong Xue sat next to him, Bian Xuedao would be a bit distracted. But as time passed, the scent of her perfume and the strange force surrounding her made him calm and focused, with an incredibly high efficiency in his studies.

Now, Dong Xue had proactively arranged a meeting. Out of respect for her and to protect her dignity, Bian Xuedao had no reason to refuse.

After school, he waited for a while by his bike at the school gate. As the students trickled out, Dong Xue finally appeared, pushing her bike.

She walked up to him, handed him a small metal box, and said, "This is your reward. Now take me home."

After handing him the small box, she hopped on her bike and pedaled toward the right side of the gate.

Bian Xuedao carefully packed the small box and then rode his bike after her.