568. Xiao Hui
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For several days in a row, Chen Yao hadn’t returned to the rental apartment to sleep, leaving Lin Nan all alone in the empty room each night. Over time, her resentment grew deeper.
To keep Xiong Da’s spirits up, he tried his best to spend time exercising and gaming with Tu Junhui, filling their schedule to the brim to distract him from the fact that his love life was as barren as a desert.
Darn Xiong Da’s ex-girlfriend!
Not only did she mess with Xiong Da’s head, but she also snatched away my boyfriend!
During the first lesson of the day, Lin Nan sat beside Chen Yao with a mix of concern and grievances about his absence, glaring at him like she was ready to chew him out.
“What’s up?” Lin Nan leaned over to check out Xiong Da’s pronounced dark circles and his increasingly hunched posture.
He sat there with his fists clenched and a dazed look in his eyes, as if someone had swapped his brain for a potato.
Seeing Xiong Da like this wiped away Lin Nan’s resentment. She gently poked Chen Yao’s shoulder and whispered, “Why does he look more and more lifeless?”
Despite Chen Yao’s efforts to help him, Xiong Da looked like he was dealing with a serious case of withdrawal.
“He only sleeps two or three hours every day. How is he supposed to have any energy?” Chen Yao replied with a bitter smile. “We can’t just stay up all night with him, either!”
What to do now?
Lin Nan thought Xiong Da might bounce back in a few days, but at this rate, it looked like he’d be stuck like this for at least ten days or two weeks.
To keep Xiong Da preoccupied, the moment class started, Tu Junhui and Chen Yao launched into a game of PUBG, while Lin Nan slumped over her desk, feeling blue.
This was no longer just Xiong Da’s problem.
Thanks to him, Chen Yao hadn’t returned to the rental apartment for days. Their only chances to meet were during class or sneaking into the boys’ dorm during lunch, which made Lin Nan feel like her boyfriend had been stolen away.
Finals were right around the corner, and most students were busy preparing for their last exams, buried under a blizzard of design assignments.
Most students were scrambling to jot down notes during class and cram for exams, hoping to scrape through. After class, they focused entirely on their design projects.
Lin Nan worried Chen Yao might flunk due to Xiong Da’s drama.
Until lunchtime, she hadn’t managed to say more than a few words to Chen Yao. She wanted to coax him into going home to sleep that night, but given Xiong Da’s dismal state, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
She trudged under the blazing sun, holding an umbrella, unsure of what to do, and decided to take the long way around, leaving through the front gate of the school.
Just as she stepped outside and had followed the crowd of students, she suddenly stumbled back two steps, looking bewildered at a girl standing by the road.
There was no bus stop near the school’s front entrance, but students often gathered here for ride-hailing. Some private cars also pulled over to pick up students, so it was common to see them eagerly waiting on the sidewalk.
But Lin Nan’s eyes were glued to that girl, staring at her as if she were trying to remember something.
That figure looks familiar? Didn’t I just see her a few days ago?
The girl seemed to notice her gaze and turned around, smiling warmly and nodding, although she appeared a bit uncomfortable.
That face seems familiar, and since she’s nodding at me, we must know each other.
Lin Nan scrutinized the girl’s features, her brow furrowing in slight rudeness, until the girl turned away, clearly uninterested in her.
Mmp! Isn’t that just Pan Maoxin’s future stepmother? From the same school as me?
She had spotted the girl once at Pan Maoxin’s house but hadn’t really paid attention since she didn’t care much for other people’s family dramas. But wasn’t she called Xiao Hui?
Back then, Xiao Hui looked like she had graduated long ago — at least twenty-five — exuding a mature vibe. Today, however, she looked like a typical college student.
Must have been the makeup last time. After all, who wouldn’t want to look a bit more sophisticated when meeting Pan Maoxin? If she looked like this now, Maoxin would object more to having a “stepmother.”
Lin Nan had no real connection with this girl, barely knew her name as Xiao Hui, and originally thought it was best to stay out of family matters. What’s this coincidental meet-up about?
Ignoring the girl, Lin Nan leaned against a nearby lamppost, pulled out her phone, and pretended to be busy while waiting for her ride.
After a moment’s thought, she playfully sent Pan Maoxin a video call.
Moments later, Pan Maoxin picked up, and Lin Nan sneaked the camera to capture Xiao Hui in the frame.
“I ran into your future stepmother.”
“What the heck? Such luck?” Pan Maoxin sounded like he was in the cafeteria, with a noisy background.
“Yup, she’s probably from the same school as me.”
Pan Maoxin suddenly perked up. “You need to tail her! We need some dirt to make sure my dad doesn’t actually bring home a stepmom!”
“What are you thinking? I just happened to bump into her to show you. I’m hanging up now.”
Crazy boy, want dirt? Might as well think this is some palace drama.
After teasing her student, Lin Nan lost interest in Xiao Hui, about to walk away when a sleek black car rolled up and stopped in front of the girl.
Lin Nan froze, gazing at the car.
The girl smoothly opened the door, smiling as she slipped inside. Through the tinted windows, Lin Nan could vaguely see a thin middle-aged man in the driver’s seat.
Yup, definitely Pan Maoxin’s father.
Lin Nan nearly burst into laughter but managed to suppress it. Just as she turned to leave, the car stopped beside her.
As the window rolled down, Pan Maoxin’s dad waved from inside, “Teacher Lin, you’re also from this school?”
“Yeah.” Lin Nan immediately donned her polite tutor persona, flashing a slight smile, “What a coincidence.”
She wanted to say hi to Xiao Hui sitting in the back, but wasn’t sure how to address her, especially since that girl turned away, clearly not wanting to chat.
“Where are you off to? Need a lift?”
“No thanks, just a few hundred meters ahead.” Lin Nan shook her head with a smile, declining.
That old geezer better not be eyeing my youthful beauty!
She originally thought highly of Pan Maoxin’s dad; after all, he was supportive and respectful with their tutoring arrangements. But now, she wondered if he was just another old pervert.
Turns out it doesn’t matter how old they are; all men seem to love young, pretty girls!
Lin Nan politely refused, and he didn’t press further, only saying, “If you can’t find an internship next semester, please continue teaching Maoxin. I’ll give you a raise.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Watching Pan Maoxin’s father drive away, Lin Nan finally eased a breath, rubbing her stiff, smiling cheeks.
How those waitstaff keep up fake smiles all day, she’ll never know!
