“Follow you? Do you think I’d bother?” Li Huanying sneered. “This is called ‘if you don’t want people to know, don’t do it.’ You think I wouldn’t notice that you act one way in front of me and another behind my back?”
“Sorry, Mom. But I… I really like her.” Jiang Hao knew he couldn’t keep lying once exposed, so he admitted defeat.
“I’ve told you before: the person you marry must be someone who can benefit you. I’ve already investigated her situation—her father is injured at work, her mother has no proper job, and she has a younger brother. She’s just an elementary school teacher. How could she possibly help you?”
“Stop fantasizing. Break up with her immediately.” Li Huanying’s tone left no room for refusal.
“Mom, can’t I marry someone I like?” Jiang Hao tried to argue.
“Can liking someone put food on the table? Can it bring you any benefits? Jiang Hao, you’re a man. You should focus on your career and future instead of getting lost in trivial love.” Li Huanying’s rare moment of earnestness was heavy with meaning.
“I just want to marry her,” Jiang Hao murmured.
“Cut ties with her immediately. If I see you again, it won’t be so simple!” Li Huanying’s face hardened as she delivered the final warning.
“And Ruo Xi said she has a good impression of you and hopes to develop further,” she added, recalling something.
Ruo Xi had been Jiang Hao’s blind date yesterday. Her family was well-off; her mother worked for the city government, and her father held a position in the provincial capital. According to Li Huanying, this girl could definitely help Jiang Hao’s career in the future.
Jiang Hao was indifferent.
He had no great ambitions and never intended to pursue a career.
Growing up in an official family, he despised the scheming and backstabbing of political life.
To him, life was short, and his greatest ideal was to be with someone he liked, enjoying good food, drinks, and fun.
As for lofty political ideals or grand ambitions—they were like a mirage, visible but untouchable, and he didn’t want them.
Thinking of the girl he met yesterday, who was attractive but arrogant, Jiang Hao felt uneasy.
Dating a girl like that would force him to suppress himself, leaving no sense of pride or dignity as a man.
Unlike Zhou Nuan—gentle, considerate, and understanding.
The thought of spending a lifetime with someone like her made life seem joyless, yet he was powerless.
He was just a low-level bureau officer with limited income, entirely dependent on Li Huanying.
Defying her could cut off all his expenses, leaving him helpless.
Accustomed to luxury and lavish spending, he couldn’t imagine life without money.
But he couldn’t give up Zhou Nuan so easily.
Sigh, he’d take it step by step. Maybe Li Huanying was just trying to scare him!
September 10th was Teacher’s Day.
Zhou Nuan received all kinds of gifts from her students that day.
Some brought flowers, some gave cards, and some handmade crafts.
Of course, some included gift cards or cash with the cards.
For these, Zhou Nuan usually only accepted the card; the gift cards or cash were returned untouched.
The thought behind the gift could be appreciated, but the items themselves could not be taken.
This was her principle as a teacher, just as she maintained her boundaries with Jiang Hao.
Unexpectedly, she was surprised by the gift from Shi Xuzhi.
In addition to a card, he had given her a beautiful hairpin.
A boy giving a hairpin? Zhou Nuan was puzzled.
The hairpin was stylish, finely made, and likely expensive.
She tried it on and found it very pretty.
Finally, unable to resist, she asked Shi Xuzhi about it.
The boy blinked and said, “I just thought Teacher Zhou would look pretty wearing it, so I bought it.”
“Who took you to buy it?” she asked.
One had to admit, the choice of hairpin was excellent.
Her first thought was Shi Yan, who usually took care of him.
But Shi Xuzhi’s answer surprised her again.
The hairpin had actually been bought with his father, Shi Anlan!
A busy government official, the head of the city, went with his son to buy a hairpin for his teacher?
Who would believe that?
“Why did your dad go with you?” Zhou Nuan asked, curious.
“Because I told him I wanted to buy a gift for my teacher! Dad asked what I wanted, and I said a hairpin, so he took me to buy it.” Shi Xuzhi explained thoroughly.
Zhou Nuan was stunned. The hairpin suddenly felt unbearably heavy in her hands.
If anyone knew that the city official went with his son to buy this hairpin, would she even survive the gossip?
Curious, she asked, “Why did your dad go? What about your mom?”
Upon hearing this, the boy’s expression immediately darkened.
“I don’t have a mom.” He lowered his head, his voice barely audible.
No mom? Zhou Nuan’s mind raced to the blank “mother” field on his school record.
“Did your parents separate?” she asked gently.
“I don’t know,” the boy shook his head. “I’ve never met my mom.”
Ah? Zhou Nuan lost her composure.
She had assumed the absence of a mother meant divorce with custody given to the father.
But no—he truly had never met his mother.
A child who had never seen his own mother—what must that feel like? She didn’t know.
No wonder he was shy, quiet, and even timid.
Zhou Nuan felt an unexpected pang in her heart.
She knelt, stroked his head, and whispered, “I’m sorry, Teacher shouldn’t have asked.”
“It’s not your fault, Teacher Zhou,” Shi Xuzhi looked at her and spoke again.
“Because I don’t have a mom, I wanted to give you something. I thought, if it were my mom, would she look as good wearing this as you do?” he said softly.
Zhou Nuan’s heart stirred once more.
Shi Xuzhi truly inspired sympathy.
She gently hugged the boy and whispered in his ear, “The hairpin is beautiful. Teacher likes it very much. Thank you.”