Xie Mingchen gazed at her with gentle eyes.
Hua Rui, enveloped in that warm gaze, felt nothing but discomfort all over.
She quietly moved the hand wearing the diamond ring beneath the table.
The young girl’s little actions were all noticed by Xie Mingchen.
From high school until now, this young woman before him had captured his heart at first sight.
Like an elder, he silently accompanied her, watching over her.
The high school where he once taught was the best elite school in the capital city. The children studying there were all from prominent families, either wealthy or noble.
The name of Huatian Group was even more renowned, like thunder echoing in one’s ears.
That young girl from the Hua family was known nationwide as the “little wife” of the son of the wealthiest man.
Xie Mingchen understood it all. He didn’t want to fall in love, yet he remained hopelessly infatuated with that young girl.
His love was restrained and controlled, never revealing itself in front of her.
However, wherever she was, there would always be that tall figure and that ever-present, caring gaze.
During high school, he took several classmates on a sketching trip to the south, among them was Hua Rui.
The ancient town in Jiangnan was where Xie Mingchen was born. Both his parents were professors at a local university in the city.
He took his classmates to his ancestral home, where they enjoyed mugwort rice balls made by his grandmother amidst the natural scenery of small bridges and flowing water.
The young girl frowned and whispered quietly:
“Teacher Xie, thank your grandmother, but I really can’t get used to the taste.”
“Then I’ll make you osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root separately?” Xie Mingchen looked at the young girl tenderly.
“Great, I like that!”
He took the young girl to buy the freshest lotus roots harvested from the lake, personally picked osmanthus flowers from the tree, and cooked osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root for her himself.
Under the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, the young girl with waterfall-like long hair, wearing the osmanthus flower crown he had woven, obediently ate the glutinous rice lotus root and said sweetly:
“Teacher Xie, it’s really delicious! This is the best glutinous rice lotus root I’ve ever had.”
Xie Mingchen looked at her, his voice gentle:
“Ruirui, whatever you like, I’ll learn carefully and make it for you!”
The young girl smiled happily: “Teacher Xie, sending hearts!”
What the young girl didn’t see was the infinite adoration in Xie Mingchen’s eyes.
And how he slowly finished the mugwort rice balls she hadn’t eaten.
He had already graduated with a master’s degree from a prestigious university, which allowed him to teach at the best school in the capital city.
Yet, for the sake of the one in his heart, he studied tirelessly in his spare time, earned a doctorate, and in the same year she entered the Central Academy of Fine Arts, became a university teacher there.
Still her teacher!
Xie Mingchen snapped out of his memories: “The hand is drawn very well, with clear lines.”
Hua Rui looked up, her deer-like eyes meeting Xie Mingchen’s gentle gaze. She immediately lowered her head, pretending nothing had happened.
Xie Mingchen calmly walked back to the podium. Soon, his phone vibrated.
He glanced at it; the message was from Hua Rui. She said: “Teacher Xie, I’m sorry!”
She was apologizing to him? Xie Mingchen’s heart churned.
He had always treated her like a child, showering her with affection while maintaining the distance of an elder.
Could it be that she knew everything?
During the break, he passed by her desk and whispered: “Come out for a moment!”
Hua Rui lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong and silently followed him to his office.
“Sit down!” he said gently but firmly.
Hua Rui sat down silently, lowering her head to look at her small shoes.
Today, Madam Hua had specifically dressed her in a beautiful skirt paired with an elegant pair of leather shoes.
“Have you had breakfast?”
Hua Rui replied softly, “Yes, but I didn’t finish it. I was a bit late today.”
“You should finish it from now on. It wasn’t much to begin with.”
“Understood, Teacher Xie.”
Hua Rui glanced up at him discreetly. Thankfully, the man looked refined and handsome, his expression gentle and not angry.
“What do you mean by ‘sorry’?” Xie Mingchen stared at her. “Look at me, and don’t lie!”
Hesitantly, Hua Rui raised her head. In her deer-like eyes, a misty sheen of tears had already formed. “I… got engaged!”
“Oh, congratulations, Ruirui!”
Hua Rui carefully listened to his voice, which remained as calm and gentle as always, completely unruffled.
Her heart sank. She had thought she was special, but perhaps she had been overthinking things all along?
So, she lowered her head again. “Teacher Xie, I’m sorry for bothering you! It was just me overthinking.”
As she finished speaking, tears she couldn’t hold back streamed down her face.
Xie Mingchen’s heart felt as if it were being tightly squeezed, aching deeply.
Yet, on the surface, he remained composed. “Don’t cry, Ruirui! You deserve congratulations. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters!”
The class bell rang, and Xie Mingchen helped the young girl up.
“Go wash your face. The skincare products you like are still in that drawer. I’ll head back to the classroom first!”
Hua Rui often visited Xie Mingchen’s office.
He would always bring various homemade delicacies for her to enjoy alone after class.
After eating, she would wash her face and hands, reapply her skincare and makeup, and then reluctantly leave.
She had long grown accustomed to Xie Mingchen’s special care for her.
In high school, she hadn’t understood it. But in university, when Xie Mingchen appeared on the first day of class with his usual gentle tone, saying, “Hello everyone, I’m your Chinese painting teacher. My name is Xie Mingchen,” the tall, refined man’s gentle gaze fell upon her. Sitting in the front row, Hua Rui felt her heart race for the first time.
She couldn’t believe it was just a coincidence—just like how the man who brought her breakfast every day never did the same for other students.
He never spoke of it, and she never asked. Hazy and ambiguous, until now, when she suddenly got engaged!
A long while later, the young girl finally returned to her seat in the classroom.
While lecturing, Xie Mingchen glanced at her casually.
The girl who used to watch him attentively during class now had red eyes, looked listless, and kept her head down, avoiding his gaze.
Xie Mingchen sighed softly, steadied himself, and continued teaching.
After class, the students gradually left the classroom. Xie Mingchen looked at the gloomy girl.
“Student Hua Rui, you weren’t paying attention in class. Find time to contact me privately for extra lessons.”
“Who said I wasn’t paying attention?” Hua Rui muttered softly.
“Then tell me, what did I talk about?”
“You talked… words!” Hua Rui said with a hint of smugness.
Xie Mingchen couldn’t help but laugh. “You little rascal! Are you still coming to my office?”
Hua Rui lowered her eyes. “No, I have something to do today.”
Just then, her phone rang.
Hua Rui glanced at Xie Mingchen, hesitated for a moment, and answered the call.
“Hello? Little Uncle!”
“I’m waiting for you in front of your teaching building. The black Maybach.”
“Changed cars?”
Lu Jianshen smiled faintly, the little one remembered that last time he had sent her home in a different car.
“Uncle isn’t short on cars. Whichever one you want to ride in, we’ll switch to that one!”
“Showing off wealth is shameful!” Hua Rui’s mood clearly improved.
“Come on out, I’m waiting for you!”
…