Loving You in Silence - Chapter 10

Beicheng had been bathed in rain last night, and the morning air held a slight dampness. The sycamore leaves by the roadside swayed with the wind.

At 7:50 AM, Jiang Zi parked her shared bike in a designated area and walked briskly for a few minutes, successfully clocking in before 8:00 AM.

Nearly late on her second day of work, Jiang Zi let out a soft breath. Her car’s license plate was restricted today, so she had to take a thirty-minute subway ride followed by a ten-minute bike ride to make it in time.

On the way to the office, she habitually looked down at her messages when someone tapped her shoulder.

Xia Zhou said with a smile, “Ms. Jiang, did you just arrive? Have you had breakfast yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Oh, I brought some bread,” Xia Zhou took a loaf out of her bag and tucked it into her palm without taking no for an answer. “I bought too much anyway, and since you haven’t eaten, it worked out. I hope it’s to your taste.”

Jiang Zi said her thanks. She tore open the packaging and took a small bite. Sensing Xia Zhou waiting for her reaction, Jiang Zi swallowed and said, “It’s very delicious.”

“If you like it, I’ll send you the address of the bakery.”

The first period had already begun. A few students who were late rushed past them. A couple of the more mischievous ones greeted Xia Zhou before turning their gaze toward Jiang Zi.

Seeing the confusion on the students’ faces, Xia Zhou took the initiative to introduce her: “This is the new physics teacher, Ms. Jiang.”

The students blinked, but before they could speak, the Dean of Students appeared not far off. Holding a megaphone he’d scavenged from somewhere, he gave a few loud “testing” barks. “You lot who are late! Everyone else is in class, and you’re still not in your rooms? Report to the Political Education Office later and have your homeroom teachers come pick you up!”

Jiang Zi was a bit nearsighted. From a distance, she couldn’t see the Dean’s face clearly, only that he was thin and not very tall. Once the students had scrambled away in a panic, the Dean trotted over to them. His fierce expression vanished, replaced by a smile that was almost shy. “Teachers, there’s a basketball game tonight. Our teachers against the Foreign Language School teachers. Any interest in coming to watch?”

Up close, the Dean had an adorable baby face and straight-cut bangs. If she hadn’t witnessed that scene just now, Jiang Zi might have mistaken her for a student.

“Will our pay be docked if we don’t go?” Xia Zhou asked.

“Of course not,” Qi Yan replied. “But it is a chance to contribute to the school’s honor. If you don’t have anything special going on after work, I’d suggest you both come. I heard the men’s team from the Foreign Language School has some real hotties.”

Xia Zhou showed little interest. “Then I won’t be going. My sister has a fracture, so I have to take care of her after work.”

Qi Yan looked at her with expectant eyes. “And Teacher Jiang?”

“I won’t be going either,” Jiang Zi said politely.

Qi Yan asked, “Family matters too?”

Jiang Zi was simply too lazy to socialize, so she lied with a straight face. “Yes, I have to supervise my kid’s homework at home.”

Qi Yan scanned her up and down, her expression nearly crumbling. “Teacher Jiang, you’re married?! And at such a young age?!”

Xia Zhou also looked at her in disbelief. On second thought, Jiang Zi was about her age, nearly thirty, so being married was actually quite normal. It was just hard to imagine what kind of person she would be married to.

“Director Qi, what’s with that face?” Xia Zhou said. “Teacher Jiang just looks very young for her age.”

Jiang Zi: “…” She couldn’t tell if that was a compliment or a dig.

However, it was true. Jiang Zi was twenty-eight this year, but she looked like a fresh university graduate. Despite her history of constant overtime, her skin remained fair and firm; she looked great even without makeup.

Qi Yan had been fooled by her bare face. “She looks like a young girl in her early twenties.”

“Right?” Xia Zhou grinned and reached out to pinch Jiang Zi’s cheek. “The texture is amazing, super bouncy!”

Jiang Zi froze for a second. She knit her brows almost imperceptibly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Qi Yan watching her with curiosity, looking like she wanted to come over and take a pinch too. Jiang Zi took an inconspicuous step back.

Seemingly oblivious, Qi Yan’s attention shifted behind them. “Oh, I see Teacher Meng. Let me go ask her.”

Xia Zhou found it funny. “Are you going to ask every single female teacher?”

“I have no choice. The Principal gave me this task. You think I enjoy this?” With that, Qi Yan jogged toward Meng Yihuai in the distance, bullhorn in hand.

Jiang Zi glanced back. Qi Yan stood before Meng Yihuai, having to tilt her head up slightly to speak. Meng Yihuai listened quietly, her lips wearing her usual gentle smile.

Without lingering on the sight, Jiang Zi withdrew her gaze and walked toward the office with Xia Zhou.

Just as she sat down at her desk, a video call from An Jia came in. It was night in America. An Jia was in her bathrobe, blow-drying her hair while on the call. “Let me see your new workplace.”

Jiang Zi continued eating her bread, holding the phone in one hand to give a brief scan of the room. “See it?”

“Not bad, not bad. Is the pay higher than before?”

“A little bit.”

“Buy yourself more good food. How are you adjusting to the new place?” An Jia coiled the hair dryer cord and put it in a drawer. “Have you made any new friends?”

Propping her phone against a bookshelf and wearing her Bluetooth earbuds, Jiang Zi took a bite of bread. Her voice was cool and steady. “No.”

An Jia let out a long sigh. “What am I going to do with you?” She sat down and looked at her, genuinely worried. “The thought of you living alone, eating alone, and shopping alone makes my heart ache.”

It wasn’t actually that miserable. Jiang Zi thought for a moment. “Does a ‘meal buddy’ count?”

An Jia: “Who?”

“Meng Yihuai.”

An Jia thought for a full minute before digging the name out of her memory. She didn’t react immediately. “Meal buddy? She teaches at Beixu too?”

“Mhm. She’s the piano teacher.”

“Then you two have a deep destiny.” Recalling what Dai Ruyue had said, An Jia felt a weight lift from her chest. “My ‘sister’ said before that her character is decent and she’s a good person. But still, don’t be too trusting. There are plenty of people who smile to your face but trip you up behind your back. Keep your wits about you.”

Jiang Zi: “I know.”

She hung up the video call and saw a friend request from Qi Yan. Jiang Zi clicked ‘accept.’

A second later:

Qi Yan: Teacher Jiang, I forgot to mention. The basketball game is optional, but you MUST come to the team-building event this weekend. It’s being held to welcome the new colleagues. Don’t feel pressured! It’s just everyone eating, drinking, and getting to know each other~

Qi Yan: We’re looking at Saturday night at 6:00 PM. How does that work for you?

Though she didn’t want to go, she didn’t want to be a killjoy either.

Jiang Zi: That works.

Imagining the scene of being surrounded by a crowd and treated as the center of attention, Jiang Zi felt a bit suffocated. After a pause, she asked: [Is Teacher Meng coming?]

A moment later, Qi Yan sent a voice message. Jiang Zi tapped it and held the phone to her ear.

Meng Yihuai’s gentle, smiling voice rang in her ear: “Teacher Jiang really wants me to come?”

Jiang Zi: “…”

Why was the person in question right there? She felt even more suffocated now. Unable to think of a rational or professional response, Jiang Zi sent a string of ellipses in her flustered state.

A second later, another voice message arrived.

Meng Yihuai: “Hmm? So, do you want me to go or not?”

Jiang Zi listened to it several times. Her grip tightened on the bread bag until it crinkled and deformed. She was torn. To avoid an awkward atmosphere on the day of the event, she figured a bit of honesty wouldn’t hurt.

Jiang Zi: 1 (Slang for ‘yes/confirm’)

On the other side, Qi Yan watched as Meng Yihuai took her phone and sent several voice messages, intentionally switching to a voice that was teasing and enough to make one’s bones go soft.

Once she got her phone back and scrolled through the chat history, Qi Yan was speechless. On the surface, Qi Yan was a “ruthless” Dean of Students, but in secret, she was a total fangirl who stayed up late writing 10,000-word fanfics about her favorite pairings. She adjusted her non-existent glasses and looked at the beaming Meng Yihuai as if seeing her for the first time.

She said solemnly, “Teacher Meng.”

Meng Yihuai looked down at her. “Yes, Director?”

“This is my phone, not a place for you two to flirt.”

“…Director, your vision is too narrow.”

The previous physics teacher had taught the two classes with the best grades in the eleventh grade. Being a newcomer, Jiang Zi took over these classes directly. They were full of top students who looked down on everything.

Because Jiang Zi was young and had a deceptive appearance, despite her reserved personality, students would frequently ask her random, tricky questions during class. After class, they would bring high-difficulty “bonus questions” straight to her.

Facing the students’ deliberate challenges, Jiang Zi remained unfazed. She taught dutifully and rarely found a question she couldn’t answer. Even if she hit a snag, she could speak substantively after a moment of thought. After a week of adjustment, the students were thoroughly impressed.

In the blink of an eye, it was Saturday. The forecast showed low temperatures, and it was easy to catch a cold at night. Jiang Zi wore a thin shirt under a long black trench coat. It had come with a matching belt that emphasized her slim waist, but she hesitated and ultimately chose not to wear it. Grabbing her bag, she took a taxi to the designated meeting point.

The team-building event was set on a boat docked by the river. As night fell, the neon lights were brilliant and magnificent, reflecting on the river and illuminating the rippling currents.

She wasn’t late. From a distance, she could see Qi Yan, Xia Zhou, Bai Feng, and others. Xia Zhou waved at her enthusiastically. Xia Zhou took her arm affectionately, rubbing her cheek against Jiang Zi’s coat. “I’m freezing to death. I didn’t wear enough layers.”

Bai Feng said gentlemanly, “I can lend you my coat. It really is cold by the river.”

“Is that okay? Men and women shouldn’t be so close…” A gust of wind blew from the river, and Xia Zhou shivered. Bai Feng took off his coat and handed it to her. “Just give it back when we get on the boat.”

After hesitating for less than a second, Xia Zhou decisively took it. Even after putting it on, she refused to let go of Jiang Zi’s arm.

After waiting a while longer, a few more teachers arrived. Meng Yihuai was the last one, arriving right on the dot. She was wearing a short red dress that ended above the knee, paired with a black blazer. Her long legs were clearly exposed.

The moment she appeared, everyone fell silent for a second. Someone gave a rogue-like whistle and teased, “We were just waiting for you, Teacher Meng.”

“Is that so?” Meng Yihuai’s gaze landed on the fingers tightly gripping Jiang Zi’s arm. She raised an eyebrow. “Then I’ll punish myself by drinking a glass of juice later.”

“Can’t you drink tonight, Teacher Meng?”

“I drove here. It’s inconvenient.”

With that, the group moved onto the boat. They had pre-booked a private cabin. Once settled, the servers began bringing out the food. Xia Zhou took off the coat, returned it to Bai Feng with a giggled “thank you,” and sat down next to Jiang Zi.

While the server was refilling the tea, Xia Zhou asked, “Are there any small blankets on the boat? Could I have one?”

“Yes,” the server replied. “Just one?”

Then, Jiang Zi spoke up: “I’d like one too, thank you.”

“Of course. One moment.”

Two minutes later, the server returned with two fluffy blankets. Jiang Zi took one and unfolded it. Meng Yihuai was scalding her utensils with tea when she suddenly felt something draped over her lap. A wave of warmth hit her.

She turned her head and met Jiang Zi’s sincere eyes.

“Teacher Meng, be careful not to let your legs get cold.”