Time Travel Begins the Moment I Divorce My Wife - Chapter 20.2

Sun Xiangnan shrugged. “Alright, I’ll hold you to that.”

When the time came, the school gates swung open from the inside. Ji Xunchi and Sun Xiangnan, now having exchanged names, followed the crowd inside.

They found Class 15 of the ninth grade. The parent-teacher meeting proceeded smoothly at first Ji Xunchi sat in Sun Xiangnan’s seat, unfazed by the straight F report card, listening attentively to the speeches from the podium.

Then came the real test.

“Parent of Sun Xiangnan, could you stay back for a moment?”

As the meeting ended and Ji Xunchi followed the other parents out, the homeroom teacher’s voice stopped her.

She retracted her right foot from the doorway, turned back, and stood at attention with a polite smile. “Of course, teacher.”

This must be the psychological endurance test L had warned her about.

After everyone had left, the homeroom teacher glanced at Sun Xiangnan, who had just walked in from outside, and asked Ji Xunchi, “I haven’t seen you here before. May I ask, what is your relationship to Sun Xiangnan?”

Realizing she had forgotten to coordinate this with Sun Xiangnan beforehand, Ji Xunchi was about to improvise when Sun Xiangnan, standing beside her, spoke up first to answer for her.

“Teacher, you said before that it would be best for a truly mature elder to attend this parent-teacher meeting for me. I gave you my word.”

She pointed at the tall and stunningly beautiful Ji Xunchi. “My stepmom isn’t she a real elder? Mature enough? Qualified enough to attend the meeting for me?”

The teacher’s smile froze instantly.

Ji Xunchi: “?”

Today’s role, stepmom?

This part-time gig seemed a bit more intense than expected.

At the same time.

“Stepmom?”

A cool, composed voice rang out in the silent classroom, the tone slightly rising with icy skepticism.

Hua Jiangyu stood expressionless by the door, her voice frosty as she spoke: “Sun Xiangnan, tell me, since when do you have a stepmom?”

Oh no!

Sun Xiangnan’s previously triumphant expression instantly faltered, not daring to turn around.

Why was her cousin here?!

Sun Xiangnan suddenly felt a headache coming on, her usual cocky demeanor crumbling.

But if she had a headache, Ji Xunchi’s was even worse.

Side-facing Hua Jiangyu, she couldn’t fathom how even a part-time job could lead her to run into her.

Ji Xunchi remained frozen in her half-turned position, discreetly fishing out a large pair of sunglasses from her bag to shield her face.

Closer, closer.

Just as she was about to put them on, the equally flustered teacher finally found her voice again: “What exactly is going on here?”

The teacher’s helpless, bewildered gaze landed on the only familiar face Sun Xiangnan.

Hua Jiangyu strode in with a stern expression, silently taking her place to Sun Xiangnan’s right.

“Hello, teacher. I’m Sun Xiangnan’s cousin.”

Hua Jiangyu broke the silence: “Her father is too busy with work to make it, so as her cousin, I should be able to represent the family at this meeting, right?”

The teacher reflexively replied, “But the parent-teacher meeting just ended.”

Hua Jiangyu: “…”

She lowered her head, slightly embarrassed. “I got lost.”

The teacher: “Oh, I see!”

Glancing at Sun Xiangnan, who now looked unusually meek sandwiched between the two, she asked cautiously, “So this is definitely your cousin, right?”

Sun Xiangnan risked a nervous glance at Hua Jiangyu’s stony expression and forced a smile. “Yes, she’s my cousin.”

The teacher then turned to Ji Xunchi, who had remained silent the entire time. “And this lady?”

Sun Xiangnan squeezed her eyes shut and declared with dramatic resignation: “My stepmom.”

The money was already spent, and her cousin had caught her red-handed. Sun Xiangnan decided to double down, she was determined to stick to this story in front of the teacher, no matter what!

Ji Xunchi offered an awkward yet polite smile, her lips beneath the sunglasses a striking red. She nodded gracefully, confirming Sun Xiangnan’s claim.

The teacher adjusted her glasses, surveying the complicated family dynamics, and said slowly, “Since you’re both here as guardians, why don’t we discuss Sun Xiangnan’s situation together?”

Ji Xunchi lowered her voice, slipping into character as she replied, “I’m fine with that, teacher.”

Though the teacher found it odd that Sun Xiangnan’s young stepmom sounded so hoarse, she didn’t dwell on it and instead turned to Hua Jiangyu.

Hua Jiangyu, meanwhile, was still reeling from the shock.

She stared in near disbelief at the half of Ji Xun’s profile that was visible smooth lines, fair and delicate skin. Though half of her features were obscured by sunglasses, upon closer inspection, familiar details could still be discerned.

From a distance earlier, she had been stunned to see how much the person Sun Xiangnan had brought to stand in for the parent-teacher meeting resembled Ji Xun. But she never expected that the moment this person spoke, her voice would be identical to Paradise’s from online.

Hua Jiangyu’s gaze drifted downward, assessing her figure.

An exaggerated hourglass shape full curves with a slender waist.

And then there was the dress.

Hua Jiangyu’s pupils constricted sharply.

This was the same dress that had appeared in the photos Paradise had sent her before. The decorative stitching along the collar was identical.

With so many coincidences piling up, the truth was practically pieced together and laid bare before Hua Jiangyu’s eyes.

This person was Paradise!

“Sun Xiangnan’s cousin? Sun Xiangnan’s cousin?”

The homeroom teacher raised her voice to get her attention.

“If you’re busy, we can have Sun Xiangnan’s step mother stay instead,” the teacher said, stumbling slightly over the word “stepmother.”

Sun Xiangnan couldn’t help but twitch her lips.

“Stepmother”? Seriously, what was her teacher thinking?

Hua Jiangyu pinched her fingers and shook her head. “No, it’s fine. Please go on, teacher.”

When Hua Jiangyu’s scorching gaze finally shifted away, Ji Xun exhaled a quiet sigh of relief in her heart.

The way she had been staring so intently just now Ji Xun had almost thought Hua Jiangyu recognized her.

But today, to meet Sun Xiangnan’s standards for the parent-teacher meeting, she had deliberately gone for a mature makeup look and even padded her figure to create an exaggerated hourglass silhouette completely different from her usual proportions. Not to mention, she had stealthily slipped on sunglasses. With so many layers of disguise, Hua Jiangyu, who wasn’t that familiar with her yet, shouldn’t be able to recognize her.

The homeroom teacher couldn’t help but glance a few times at Ji Xun’s bold, stylish sunglasses, suppressing the urge to lecture her, and instead focused on discussing Sun Xiangnan’s issues.

“Academically, Sun Xiangnan’s performance has remained consistently stable,” the teacher said stiffly. “I understand your family already has plans for her future, so I won’t say much about her grades.”

Ji Xun thought of Sun Xiangnan’s report card dead last in every subject and subtly rubbed her fingers together, giving her a covert thumbs-up.

Sun Xiangnan kept a straight face, feeling the icy aura radiating from her right side, and didn’t respond.

The teacher continued, “But in other areas, I do have to address some concerns about Sun Xiangnan.”

At this, she seemed to recall something, her expression turning complicated as she looked at Sun Xiangnan, who had been unusually well-behaved since her “cousin” arrived. Her tone was weary. “Sun Xiangnan’s romantic entanglements require your family’s attention.”

“To put it plainly, based on my understanding, Sun Xiangnan seems to be involved with multiple people at once.”

Sun Xiangnan’s head snapped up. “That’s not true! Which bastard is spreading rumors about me again?!”

Hua Jiangyu smacked Sun Xiangnan’s arm sharply. “No swearing.”

The teacher shook her head, giving Sun Xiangnan, who was now pouting indignantly a deeply troubled look. “After investigating, I did confirm she isn’t actually involved with multiple people. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem.”

The teacher sighed exhaustedly.

Normally, if a student were caught in an early romance, the homeroom teacher would step in to guide them toward ending it. But Sun Xiangnan’s current issue wasn’t just about dating.

“Student Sun Xiangnan is suspected of inciting other female classmates to break up with their boyfriends, causing them to fight over her. She’s also been involved in altercations with male students, spreading rumors and gossip throughout the entire school.”

The homeroom teacher spoke wearily, “To be honest with both parents, we’re in the critical period of the high school entrance exams. If she continues like this, it will seriously disrupt the class’s learning environment and affect other students.”

Ji Xunchi: “…”

Hua Jiangyu: “…”

Sun Xiangnan protested indignantly, “It’s not all my fault! At most, I just advised them about their breakups. If they like me, it’s because I’m charming. Those boys were either scumbags or stingy they couldn’t compete and took their frustration out on me. Is it my fault for standing up for myself?”

The teacher rubbed her temples in frustration. “You see? This is the attitude she gives me when I try to correct her. I hope you, as parents, can cooperate in disciplining her.”

Ji Xunchi adjusted her sunglasses and asked bluntly, “Teacher, is it true that the boys Sun Xiangnan mentioned were either scumbags or stingy?”

The teacher hesitated. “Some female students have confirmed it.”

Ji Xunchi smirked and declared righteously, “Well, there you go. Isn’t it normal for girls not to like guys who are both scummy and cheap?”

She chuckled lightly. “Don’t underestimate these students just because they’re not yet adults. They can clearly tell who’s good, who’s bad, and who’s worth being with.”

Realizing that Sun Xiangnan’s attractive stepmother wasn’t siding with her, the teacher turned to the younger-looking Hua Jiangyu. “But she shouldn’t be influencing female classmates to change their sexual orientation either!”

Hua Jiangyu’s expression turned cold as she restrained herself. “Teacher, I don’t agree with your statement.”

“Just because my cousin did something good for them, which made them develop feelings for her, does that mean she’s accused of influencing their sexual orientation?” Hua Jiangyu’s voice was icy. “Moreover, from what you’re implying, it seems you believe girls liking girls is abnormal? Forgive my bluntness, but as a teacher who should embody tolerance and open-mindedness, holding such a narrow-minded view is rather disappointing.”

Her last remark was cutting, and the teacher’s face paled, then flushed clearly unprepared for such sharp words from someone so young.

Sun Xiangnan gazed at her cool-headed cousin with stars in her eyes.

Ji Xunchi lazily picked up the conversation. “Teacher, the phrasing might be rough, but the reasoning isn’t. Besides, disrupting the class’s learning atmosphere isn’t solely Sun Xiangnan’s fault, right? Clearly, everyone shares some responsibility. Why single out our kid? By the way, have you spoken to the other students’ parents yet?”

As she uttered the last sentence, Ji Xunchi’s demeanor shifted subtly, exerting an invisible pressure that left the teacher breathless.

The teacher’s heart skipped a beat. “I was planning to, but I wanted to speak with you first.”

Originally, she had intended to deal with Sun Xiangnan the troublemaker first before addressing the other students. For those who remained stubborn, she would work with their parents to resolve the issue.

But she never expected the whole plan to fall apart at the very first step.

Ji Xunchi’s voice carried a teasing lilt, though her words held weight. “Teacher, when it comes to students, it’s best to treat them all equally, don’t you think?”

The teacher instinctively looked up at her, only to meet the impenetrable darkness of her sunglasses. Flustered and suddenly ashamed, she faltered.

Quietly watching Paradise skillfully steer the conversation like a seasoned negotiator, effortlessly controlling the rhythm of the discussion with the teacher, Hua Jiangyu lowered her eyes.

Noticing the faint flush on the homeroom teacher’s face, Hua Jiangyu pressed her lips together and spoke up, “Regarding Sun Xiangnan disrupting others, I’ll have a proper talk with her when we get back. If it’s her fault, we won’t just let it slide.”

The homeroom teacher’s face immediately lit up with a smile as she hurriedly steered the conversation away: “Alright, alright, then there’s nothing else for today. Thank you both for coming all this way.”

Sun Xiangnan instantly beamed with triumph, as if she had just won a battle.

But when she turned to face her cousin’s stunning yet frosty expression, her smile froze.

Yes, this matter was over, but there were other issues waiting to be settled.

At the school gate, a cool breeze swept by, and Ji Xunchi couldn’t help but exchange a glance with Sun Xiangnan.

Hua Jiangyu glanced at the poised and elegant Paradise in her high heels and spoke first: “Stepmother? Since when did your dad remarry? I had no idea.”

Sun Xiangnan: “…”

The sponsor was in a tight spot, and Ji Xunchi, who hadn’t received the final payment yet, rubbed the goosebumps on her arms and forced a smile, attempting to defuse the situation. “Well, I can explain this.”

As the words left her mouth, she couldn’t help but curse inwardly.

Why was her mouth failing her now? Think of something good to say, quick!

Hua Jiangyu ignored her, focusing solely on Sun Xiangnan.

The latter braced herself and blurted out a lie: “I hired her to play the role of a stepmother. That’s her specialty, so what else could I do?”

Ji Xunchi: “?”

You’re pinning this on me?

But who was she to argue? The client was always right.

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