Kidnapping the Female Teacher's Best Friend - Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Mu Hanxi’s unreserved, faint smile was more beautiful than a starry night.

Mo Zibei felt her heart give a huge thump. She swallowed hard, suppressing the discomfort in her chest, and softly complimented, “The noodles today were exceptionally delicious. I really enjoyed them.” Mu Hanxi’s cooking was superb. The tomato and egg noodles she made looked enticingly colorful, the tomato sauce was rich, and they tasted smooth, delicious, and savory.

Mu Hanxi couldn’t help but smile again upon hearing this: “Student Zibei is very supportive.” She had finished the noodles and not a drop of soup was left. Mu Hanxi had even reminded her a few times, worried that she might overeat.

Mo Zibei’s face flushed again. She parted her lips, then closed them, looking down at her toes: “I should head back now.”

Mu Hanxi suppressed her smile, bent down, and got her a handbag: “Put the slippers in here.”

Mo Zibei obediently changed back into her own shoes, then carefully placed the slippers into the handbag, and finally put the handbag inside her backpack.

After patiently waiting for her to finish packing, Mu Hanxi said gently, “I’ll walk you downstairs.”

Mo Zibei rubbed the seam of her trousers with her fingertips, being slightly polite: “No need to trouble yourself. I can go down by myself.”

“It’s no trouble,” Mu Hanxi stepped out first. “Eating dinner late, I’ll take it as a post-meal stroll for digestion.”

Since she put it that way, Mo Zibei naturally wouldn’t refuse, and a touch of sweetness blossomed in her heart.

Locking the door, the two walked out side by side. Inside the elevator, Mu Hanxi asked a few casual questions, and Mo Zibei answered each one seriously.

“You don’t have to walk any further,” Mo Zibei couldn’t bear to let her continue when they exited the building door. “Go back. Get some rest early.”

“Alright,” Mu Hanxi didn’t insist further. “Be careful on your way, and ride slowly.”

“I know,” Mo Zibei thought for a moment, then added on her own initiative, “I’ll… text you when I get home.” She had originally intended to say call, but the words changed at the last minute.

“Mhm.”

Mo Zibei gave her a slight wave and turned to walk towards the neighborhood gate.

Mu Hanxi didn’t turn to leave until Mo Zibei was out of sight.

Ordinarily, when riding alone at night, she would cycle very quickly, but Mu Hanxi had specifically told her to go slowly today. Mo Zibei eased her speed, riding back leisurely. The total time was about 10 minutes longer than usual.

When she arrived at the building, climbed the stairs, and entered the house, she found Mo’s father still sitting on the sofa in the living room, waiting for her.

“Dad.”

“Mhm.” Mo Zibei had previously texted him, saying she had something to do and would be delayed, returning late.

Seeing Mo’s father rise, and guessing his intention, Mo Zibei proactively said, “Dad, you don’t need to heat milk for me today. I ate a lot tonight and can’t drink any more.”

Mo’s father paused his steps, then nodded slightly: “Then hurry up and get ready for bed. Sleep early.”

“I know.”

After Mo’s father returned to the bedroom, Mo Zibei quickly went into her own room, eager to send a text message to Mu Hanxi: I’m home.

Mo Zibei bit the back of her hand, staring at the phone screen. After two or three minutes, there was still no reply.

Mo Zibei stood up, rummaged around, and finally found a transparent waterproof bag, put her phone inside, and took it to the bathroom.

She paused her shower occasionally to check the phone, afraid that the sound of the shower was too loud and she would miss something.

As she was lathering her hair with shampoo, a text message sound came from the phone. Mo Zibei turned on the shower, quickly and perfunctorily rinsed the white foam from her head, grabbed the towel hanging nearby to wipe her eyes and hands, and immediately checked her phone.

Mu Hanxi replied: I was showering and drying my hair, just saw it. You have to get up early tomorrow, so go to bed early tonight.

Mo Zibei pursed her lips and smiled.

Putting down her phone, Mo Zibei washed her hair properly again.

By the time she finished cleaning up and drying her hair, it was almost 11 p.m.

Mo Zibei took out her books and practice materials and did homework for a while.

She wasn’t very sleepy after finishing her homework. She excitedly took out the slippers from the handbag and put them on, pacing back and forth in her room. Later, perhaps feeling the room was too small, she went to the living room, the kitchen, and the balcony. She paced through every part of the house except her father’s bedroom.

When Mo’s father got up for a drink of water, he ran into her pacing back.

“It’s so late, why aren’t you sleeping?” It was past 1 a.m.

“Oh…” Mo Zibei was slightly embarrassed. “I’m going to sleep now.”

As Mo’s father returned to his bedroom, he felt a little puzzled. Why was his child acting so strangely… He shook his head and didn’t think too deeply about it.

Mo’s father had already had the air conditioner at home repaired. Although it was past September, the weather was still muggy. Mo Zibei turned on the air conditioner every night and covered her navel with a small blanket to prevent catching a cold while sleeping.

Tonight, Mo Zibei didn’t use the small blanket. She folded Mu Hanxi’s denim shirt and placed it over her lower abdomen, covered her eyes with Mu Hanxi’s T-shirt, and finally went to sleep contentedly.

The next day, the alarm clock rang for a long time before Mo Zibei finally got up to turn it off.

Squinting, she changed out of her pajamas and groggily headed to the bathroom. While brushing her teeth, she suddenly remembered she was supposed to go to Zhou Ruoxin’s house for breakfast this morning.

She quickly rinsed her mouth, stuck her head out, and called out, “Dad, don’t make my breakfast today. I’m going to Ruoxin’s house to eat.”

Mo’s father was about to fry an egg for her. He paused his hand upon hearing this: “Will you be late for school if you go to her house to eat now?”

“No, I won’t,” Mo Zibei explained. “Auntie should have already finished cooking by the time I get there.”

Mo’s father didn’t say anything more.

After washing up and packing her school bag, Mo Zibei greeted her father and hurried downstairs.

The sound of the door closing brought Mo’s father back to his senses, and he continued making his own breakfast.

When Mo Zibei arrived, Zhou’s mother had indeed finished breakfast: mushroom and pork wonton (small dumplings), which Mo Zibei liked. The filling had been mixed and the wontons wrapped yesterday, cooked directly this morning.

When Mo Zibei sat down at the table, Meng Yuanhao had already eaten several wontons: “You should hurry and… try it. The taste is truly… amazing.” His mouth was full, and his speech was muffled.

Zhou Ruoxin gave him a look of disgust: “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

Mo Zibei quietly took a sip of the soup, then tried a wonton: “It’s delicious.”

“Then eat more.” Zhou Ruoxin even pushed the side dish toward her.

“I can’t even reach it,” Meng Yuanhao clicked his tongue. “You’re so biased.”

Zhou Ruoxin snapped back: “You’re short and your arms are short, who’s fault is that?”

Zhou’s mother brought over another side dish at this moment and chided, hearing Zhou Ruoxin’s comment: “Ruoxin, what kind of talk is that?” Teenage boys are very sensitive about their height.

Meng Yuanhao was about to retort, but stopped when Zhou’s mother spoke, but his face still looked a bit displeased.

The three finished their wontons and left the house together, cycling to school.

Along the way, Meng Yuanhao remained sullen, clearly still bothered by Zhou Ruoxin’s comment earlier.

It wasn’t that he was petty, but when playing basketball with the boys, he was always the shortest player, and he especially hated it when others brought up his height.

Arriving at the third floor of the academic building, Mo Zibei glanced at Meng Yuanhao, who was still looking down. She reached out and tugged his sleeve, quietly saying, “You will still grow taller.”

Meng Yuanhao’s eyes suddenly lit up. He looked intently at Mo Zibei.

“Drink more milk.” After saying this, Mo Zibei headed up to the fourth floor.

Meng Yuanhao stood rooted to the spot, his eyes stinging: he knew Mo Zibei was never the type to say comforting words or express concern and comfort directly with words. Her action today deeply moved Meng Yuanhao.

Zhou Ruoxin walked a few steps, then turned around to find Meng Yuanhao still standing foolishly at the stairs of the third floor.

“What are you spacing out for? Class is about to start.”

“Hmph,” Meng Yuanhao collected his thoughts and snapped back, “None of your business!”

“Tch, who cares about you!” Zhou Ruoxin left with a stomp of her foot.

“Always so fierce and moody,” Meng Yuanhao muttered to himself. “Let’s see who dares to marry you in the future.”

Zhou Ruoxin had walked far away and didn’t hear him, or else they would have had another big fight.

After lunch, Meng Yuanhao dragged Mo Zibei to the basketball court.

“Don’t you have basketball friends?” Mo Zibei hadn’t played much basketball and could only dribble. “Why are you asking me to practice with you?”

“I don’t want to play with those guys,” Meng Yuanhao felt a little constrained around them. “I have a specific purpose: I want to practice to grow taller.”

Mo Zibei pursed her lips and didn’t speak.

“If you practice with me, you might grow taller too.”

172 cm for a girl was considered quite tall, but if she could grow a few more centimeters, Mo Zibei was willing.

They went to a corner basketball court. Meng Yuanhao borrowed a ball from someone, then explained the basic basketball essentials and techniques, also demonstrating the movements for her.

Mo Zibei had good sports coordination and high comprehension, so learning was not difficult for her.

“Excellent!” Meng Yuanhao applauded without reservation, praising Mo Zibei after she successfully jumped and shot a ball with standard, correct form.

Mo Zibei rubbed the tip of her nose, picked up the ball, and continued.

Cheng Shu stood a short distance away, holding a basketball under one arm, watching. Seeing Mo Zibei sink another shot, he leaned his head and said a few words to his friends, then ran over smiling: “Mo Zibei, I didn’t know you could do this.” When he was still a few meters away from Mo Zibei, he bounced the ball on the ground with one hand and passed it to her.

Mo Zibei abruptly caught it: “I can’t. I’m just fooling around.”

Meng Yuanhao picked up the ball Mo Zibei had shot earlier, walked closer to her, wiped the sweat from his forehead with his shoulder collar, and tilted his neck to ask, “Who is he?”

“A card friend.” Mo Zibei had no intention of introducing the two.

“Hello, my name is Cheng Shu,” he smiled and extended his hand toward Meng Yuanhao. “I’m in the class next door to Mo Zibei’s, and one of her card friends.”

“Um, I’m Meng Yuanhao,” he politely shook his hand. “I’m Mo Zibei’s childhood friend.”

“Maybe we can play ball together sometime,” he said, then asked Mo Zibei, “Are you free this weekend? I can organize a game. We can play poker at night.”

“I have plans. Maybe next time.” Mo Zibei declined.

“Alright, let’s arrange it another day,” Cheng Shu pointed to his waiting friends. “I’ll get going now.”

Mo Zibei hummed.

After he left, Meng Yuanhao handed Mo Zibei a bottle of water: “I feel like that guy is quite easy to get along with.”

Mo Zibei didn’t answer. She drank a few sips of water and said, “Let’s go back to the classroom and take a nap.”

“Okay.” Meng Yuanhao returned the borrowed basketball.

On the way, he asked, “If you could grow taller, how many centimeters would you want to grow?”

At Meng Yuanhao’s question, Mo Zibei couldn’t help but think of the time in the elevator when she measured Mu Hanxi’s height, around 168 cm, up to her eyebrows…

“Three centimeters.” When she reached 175 cm, Mu Hanxi would probably be up to her eyes, and even if Mu Hanxi wore high heels, she would only be on par with her. That would be just fine. Thinking of this, she suddenly smiled.

Seeing her smile, Meng Yuanhao was confused: “What are you laughing about?”

“Nothing,” Mo Zibei stopped smiling and looked up at the sky. “It’s a beautiful day.”

Meng Yuanhao looked up. It was just an ordinary sunny day. He couldn’t see anything particularly good about it…