That Girl Who Skipped Class — You're In Big Trouble! - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Xiāo Xuán and Zhāng Xiǎoxiǎo were chatting in the restaurant when five or six girls with drawing boards streamed in, immediately adding a burst of lively chatter to the quiet room. The last one to enter was wearing a black shirt with large English letters printed on it, light blue ripped jeans, and a baseball cap over her wavy chestnut long hair.

“Xuán Xuán,” Zhāng Xiǎoxiǎo whispered, “that girl is quite nice, I’d give her a 90.”

Xiāo Xuán looked up at An Qianyáng and replied faintly, “My student.”

“Oh?” Zhāng Xiǎoxiǎo leaned in curiously, a nonchalant look on her face. “Is she the little darling you mentioned? Call her over to chat for a bit.”

“If you keep this up, I’ll tell Sòng Yíngmíng when she arrives.”

“Ay, ay, don’t do that,” Zhāng Xiǎoxiǎo quickly pleaded. “I was just joking, don’t take it seriously. You absolutely must not tell her, or she’ll give me a hard time when we get home.”

Xiāo Xuán glanced at her playfully.

“Hello, Professor Xiāo.” A girl in An Qianyáng’s booth saw Xiāo Xuán and called out awkwardly. An Qianyáng immediately looked over, and after a brief exchange of glances with Xiāo Xuán, she saw Zhāng Xiǎoxiǎo. The surprise on her face instantly clouded over, and she didn’t look up at the two of them again.

Zhāng Xiǎoxiǎo saw this from the side and couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “Do you think she misunderstood our relationship? How far have you two developed?”

“There’s no development, and it’s none of your business. Eat your food.”

…

An Qianyáng finished her meal and walked out of the restaurant without waiting for the girls to pay the bill. They returned to the previous sketching spot, setting up their drawing boards to continue painting. It was midday, and the sun was a bit harsh. The blinding sunlight chased away the misty, hazy atmosphere on An Qianyáng’s drawing board. She looked up at the scene before her: the outline of the small town was edged in gold, the quiet serenity of the morning had long vanished, replaced by a strong sense of discomfort.

The messy branches on the drawing board fully revealed An Qianyáng’s agitated mood. Her mind was entirely occupied by the image of the short-haired woman leaning close to Xiāo Xuán.

What was that person’s relationship with her? Last time when An Qianyáng asked her out, didn’t she say she was busy with a meeting and needed to check her schedule even for a play? Yet, here she was, comfortably cuddling with someone else.

Damn it, it seemed Xiāo Xuán really had no feelings for her. Did she think a meal was enough to compensate for taking advantage of her? An Qianyáng had never been such a pushover. An Qianyáng tossed her paintbrush onto the palette, took out her phone, and scrolled through her Moments. Xiāo Xuán’s latest update came into view—a photo of a few dishes on a dining table, accompanied by a happy emoji.

An Qianyáng stared at the photo, furious in her heart. She immediately sent a message to Xiāo Xuán: “Are you free tonight? I need to talk to you about something.”

To her surprise, the other party replied instantly: “What is it?”

An Qianyáng: “You said you’d compensate me before. One meal isn’t enough.”

Xiāo Xuán: “What compensation do you want then?”

An Qianyáng: “Are you free tonight? I want to talk in person.”

Xiāo Xuán: “Okay, I’m still in a meeting. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

An Qianyáng used a stomachache as an excuse and headed back to the hotel with her drawing board. She put on heavy makeup and looked at her slightly wicked eyes in the mirror, anxiously waiting for Xiāo Xuán’s call.

The sky gradually darkened, and the streetlights outside the hotel lit up one by one. After receiving the call, An Qianyáng went downstairs and saw Xiāo Xuán standing beneath a streetlight with her arms crossed, her cool temperament being extremely charming.

“Aren’t you going on a date with your boyfriend tonight?” Xiāo Xuán looked at An Qianyáng and gave a faint smile.

An Qianyáng awkwardly put her hands in her jeans pockets and retorted, “Whether I date or not is my business.”

“Honestly, I’ve never seen such a rude student,” Xiāo Xuán dropped her smile. “Tell me, little one, what compensation do you want from me?”

“I want you to pay with your body.”

No sooner had she spoken than a large crowd of tourists passed by them, their laughter slowly fading into the distance.

“Pfft,” Xiāo Xuán laughed, an amused expression on her face. “I don’t think that’s appropriate. How about I treat you to a play instead?” She raised her hand and shook the two ticket stubs she held.

An Qianyáng felt a flush creep up her ears. She insisted, “Fine, but one play is not enough.”

“Okay, then I’ll treat you to one more big meal, and then we’re even, how about that?”

“A big meal that costs 1000 per person, nothing less than 1000,” An Qianyáng snatched the tickets from Xiāo Xuán’s hand, still being obstinate.

“OK, let’s go then. The play starts at 8, and it’s a 20-minute walk.” Xiāo Xuán turned and walked forward, taking An Qianyáng’s arm.

An Qianyáng and Xiāo Xuán walked side-by-side. Nearby were constant streams of pedestrians and snack stalls. Distant river banks were dotted with lights. Xiāo Xuán’s voice cut through the noise of the crowd and reached An Qianyáng’s ear: “You’re not as proud as you look on the outside. You looked quite like a shy boy just now.”

“You’re not as detestable as you look either,” An Qianyáng retorted. “Last time I saw you drinking with many graduates and the dean, your smile was so fake.”

“Oh?” An Qianyáng saw Xiāo Xuán turn her head, looking at her with a half-smile. “It seems you have a lot of misunderstandings about me. Not everyone is like you, with someone so capable of protecting them.”

Xiāo Xuán felt An Qianyáng take her hand. The girl’s voice came quietly: “I think I like you a little. Will you be my girlfriend?”

“No,” Xiāo Xuán laughed. “You must be nearly 10 years younger than me, right? I’m your teacher.”

An Qianyáng turned and embraced Xiāo Xuán, resting her head on her ear, no longer caring about her pounding heart: “So what if you’re my teacher? I don’t want you to be with anyone else. I’ll protect you from now on.” An Qianyáng finished speaking and moved her face closer to Xiāo Xuán, looking into her bright eyes.

Xiāo Xuán looked at An Qianyáng, her voice unusually playful: “Then you’ll have to wait a little longer, because the play is about to start.”