Hearing this, Shi Anlan felt a jolt inside.
Before Zhou Nuan, whether it was Xu Zhi’s kindergarten teachers or his previous elementary school homerooms, no one had ever dared to speak like this in front of him—she was the first.
Those people only offered lofty flattery or praised the child excessively, as if he were a prodigy.
No one had ever pointed out Xu Zhi’s issues, let alone asked him to make time to accompany his child.
He squinted, thoughtfully studying Zhou Nuan once more.
Was she truly fearless, or did she genuinely care about the child? He still didn’t know.
But he had listened to her words.
“What Teacher Zhou said makes sense. From now on, I will make time to be with him.” After a few seconds of silence, he spoke in a deep voice.
Zhou Nuan’s heart, which had been hanging in midair, finally settled.
Seeing Shi Anlan remain silent earlier, she had feared she had caused trouble again.
Indeed, for ordinary parents, her words were a perfectly normal expectation from a teacher.
But Shi Anlan? He was the city’s top official, a decisive figure. And a mere elementary school teacher dared to speak to him this way? Probably no other teacher in the entire school would.
Suddenly, a few streaks of lightning flashed outside the window, followed by a booming rumble of thunder.
Within seconds, a torrential downpour descended.
Zhou Nuan glanced out the window, growing uneasy.
The weather had been fine when she came, so she hadn’t brought an umbrella.
Now that the home visit was nearly done, this sudden heavy rain left her wondering how she would get home.
Her anxiety did not escape Shi Anlan’s notice.
“How did you come, Teacher Zhou?” he asked in a low voice.
“By taxi.”
“And where do you live?” he asked again.
“Chaoling Apartments,” she replied.
Shi Anlan furrowed his brow.
The place was neither far nor near.
If she tried to take a taxi now, she would get soaked before even reaching her building.
The rain was relentless.
“Anything else you need me to do, Teacher Zhou?” he asked, smiling at her.
“No,” Zhou Nuan shook her head, realizing he was seeing her out.
She hurriedly stood. “Xu Zhi’s dad, I… I won’t bother you further.”
“I’ll see you off,” the man said, rising as well.
At first, Zhou Nuan didn’t think much of it. She assumed he meant to accompany her to the door.
It wasn’t until she saw him changing his shoes like she did that she realized…
“No, it’s not necessary, Xu… Xu Zhi’s dad, I can take a taxi myself,” she quickly protested.
“In this heavy rain, are you sure you want to go alone?” he asked, brow slightly furrowed.
She thought it over. Indeed, she’d be drenched before even getting into a car.
In this situation, having a parent escort her wasn’t unreasonable.
“Then… I’ll trouble your driver,” she said politely.
“The driver’s off duty,” he replied calmly.
“Ah?” Zhou Nuan jumped. “Then… what about Shi Yan?”
“She can’t drive,” he said nonchalantly.
In Xu Zhi’s room, Shi Yan internally yelled: Husband, are you kidding? When have I ever not known how to drive? At worst, I just don’t drive well!
“Ah?” Zhou Nuan finally understood. Secretary Shi meant…
He was going to drive her himself?
No, absolutely not!
“Since the driver’s off duty, then… Xu Zhi’s dad, I won’t trouble you. I’ll leave first.”
She slipped on her shoes and hurried toward the elevator.
She thought Shi Anlan wouldn’t follow.
Yet the man kept pace, calm and steady, standing beside her at the elevator.
Shi Anlan’s floor wasn’t low; it took the elevator some time to arrive.
Watching the numbers change on the elevator panel, Zhou Nuan felt her heart pound uncontrollably, aware of the presence of the man towering half a head above her.
“Ding!” Fortunately, the elevator arrived quickly.
Zhou Nuan almost ran into the elevator, saying as she moved, “Secretary Shi, really, it’s no trouble.”
“I said it’s no trouble,” the man said, sounding slightly impatient. He followed closely and pressed the basement parking button before she could.
An invisible pressure enveloped her. Though the elevator was empty, she felt suffocated.
She instinctively edged away, trying to create distance.
Shi Anlan glanced at her silently.
The basement parking arrived quickly; Shi Anlan stepped out first.
Zhou Nuan had no choice but to follow.
At this point, refusing would be ungracious.
The man stopped in front of a black SUV.
Not knowing cars well, she couldn’t recognize the license plate, but it looked commanding.
Yes—commanding! She thought, this matched Shi Anlan’s aura perfectly.
“Get in,” he gestured toward the passenger seat.
Zhou Nuan didn’t want the passenger seat. But she also knew she absolutely could not sit in the back.
Otherwise, it would be outright disrespect.
So she opened the passenger door.
“Buckle your seatbelt,” Shi Anlan instructed as she settled in.
“You said you live in Chaoling Apartments?” he asked, glancing at her while she fastened her seatbelt.
“Yes.”
Shi Anlan thought for a moment—that was where he had met the little girl last Saturday.
Zhou Nuan assumed he would need navigation, but the man started the car and drove toward the exit.
She was surprised. “Xu… Xu Zhi’s dad, you know that place?”
“Heh,” the man chuckled lightly. “Of course.”
His sense of direction was naturally stronger than a woman’s. Having had special military training, any place he’d been, he could easily find again.
Zhou Nuan didn’t know what to say, instinctively curling up and trying to minimize her presence.
The car fell into silence, the quiet broken only by their breathing.
After a few turns, the car entered the main road.
Rain pelted the car roof, creating a sharp pattering sound, contrasting the silence inside.
“Teacher Zhou seems afraid of me?” Shi Anlan asked, hands on the wheel, glancing at the silent woman beside him.
“N-No, of course not… I’m not!” The sudden question made Zhou Nuan startle, almost sliding off the seat. She gripped the seatbelt tightly.
The man chuckled. “And yet you say you’re not?”
“I…” Zhou Nuan pouted, feeling aggrieved.
Could she blame herself? His presence was overwhelmingly strong!
“Teacher Zhou, we are not in a professional relationship. You are my child’s homeroom teacher, and I am a parent of a student in your class. You don’t need to fear me,” his pleasant voice echoed in the car.
Is that so? Zhou Nuan thought skeptically, glancing at the man beside her.
That glance nearly made her regret looking.