Transmigrated Into the Stand-In of the Tragic Novel’s Heroine - Chapter 16

“This plan is tailored for the students, and some parts can be omitted, so you can take it easy… Xiao Yu does things with a stubborn streak, and she only managed to recruit one person this past month.”

Xie Qingtang had originally thought it would be other master craftsmen providing guidance, but she hadn’t expected Qi Wang to personally take charge. However, Qi Wang was quite the chatterbox, introducing the situation at Pingyao while complaining.

As for Qi Yu herself, she kept her eyes downcast and appeared not to have heard the old man’s nagging.

“Why so many requirements? It’s Xiao Yu who insists on having someone good-looking, what a fuss,” Qi Wang said, raising his head to look at Xie Qingtang for a moment, then laughed, “She really did find one in the end, a beauty as exquisite as porcelain.”

Xie Qingtang felt a little embarrassed by Qi Wang’s compliment. In her mind, she thought the difficulty in finding people might not be due to this requirement, but rather Qi Yu’s perfunctory recruitment notice—why would someone who came for an art studio be asked to come to Pingyao to learn how to fire porcelain? Few would actually come.

Every May, Gantang High School organizes a practical activity related to history for some first-year students to understand the lives and skills of ancient people. This year, the school happened to cooperate with the Qi family, allowing students to experience the birth process of porcelain.

As a history teacher, Chang Yishao would naturally serve as the team leader for classes five and six of the first year.

Of course, not every student was willing to participate in such a practical activity, and the school did not want to force them, but rather tried to mobilize their interest. This time, because the collaborator was the Qi family, the great artist Qi Yu took time out of her busy schedule to paint a promotional scroll. The brushwork was both meticulous and freehand, depicting the various states of the kiln workers with an elegant, natural style.

“It looks so interesting! The porcelain and this older sister are both beautiful… Is it a personification or a real person?” The students were lively, less restrained and serious in front of Chang Yishao than they were with their homeroom teacher.

“A real person,” Chang Yishao smiled gently. She gazed at Xie Qingtang in the painting, and the topic suddenly shifted. She said, “That delicate and exquisite small cup is a ‘Mu Ye Zhan’ (Wood Leaf Bowl). This Mu Ye Zhan—”

Chang Yishao’s words were interrupted by a giggling student. “Teacher Chang, spare me! It’s break time now! How about a game?”

“You know too little about the heroes; you’ll easily lose,” Chang Yishao gave him a sidelong glance. This student was one of those who played games during history class. He had good grades but was addicted to playing. The last time Chang Yishao learned some techniques from Xie Qingtang and won a few rounds against the student, he never played games in class again, but he kept nagging her to help him rank up. Chang Yishao was both annoyed and amused.

The break time was not long, and she couldn’t stay until the next class. After answering a few of the students’ questions, Chang Yishao packed her lesson plans and computer and returned to the office.

She had just sat down when she heard a loud shout with plenty of spirit.

—Teacher Chang, someone is looking for you!

At this time, Xie Qingtang shouldn’t be coming over, so who could be looking for her? Could it be a student’s parent? Chang Yishao answered and quickly stood up and walked out of the office. But when she glimpsed the corner of a cyan-colored sleeve, Chang Yishao’s expression suddenly darkened.

It was He Yanqin.

How did she find her way to the school? The teachers in the office were chatting, and the one near the door who had shouted was craning their neck to watch the fun. Chang Yishao glanced at He Yanqin, then walked past her, traversing the bluestone path, crossing a small grove, and finally arriving at a quiet, secluded small red bridge.

He Yanjin followed closely behind her, her eyes lowered, her pale face full of grievance and unwillingness.

“Chang Yishao, I have a headache.” He Yanjin looked up, appearing even more haggard without makeup.

Chang Yishao looked at He Yanqin coldly. Seeing no one around, she sneered, “This is a school, you’ve come to the wrong place.”

Whether in the past or present, He Yanjin loved using such tactics to win her sympathy and guilt. Who was she to her now? What did she take Zhou Yunmeng and herself for? This kind of life made her weary and extremely bored.

A thorn was stuck in He Yanjin’s heart. She looked at Chang Yishao aggrievedly and spoke, “Why won’t you forgive me?” If she hadn’t ignored her, how would she have ended up with Zhou Yunmeng? Seeing Chang Yishao unmoved, she took another step forward, trying to grab Chang Yishao’s hand—Chang Yishao’s backward movement was very obvious. “I’m so tired.” He Yanjin spoke again. She blinked, and crystalline tears welled up on her eyelashes, looking like they were about to fall the next moment.

Zhou Yunmeng arranged for her to join the film crew but did not interfere with the matters inside the crew. She was a singer before, not an actress. She didn’t understand anything, so why couldn’t those people make concessions for her? What would Chang Yishao do if she were by her side? She would help her intercede, and she would help her deal with those ugly-faced people, right?

“Are you done talking? Can you leave now?” Chang Yishao spoke flatly. She glanced at He Yanjin, with little emotion in her eyes.

He Yanjin felt a sudden surge of panic from her gaze. She thought of the person in Chang Yishao’s home, and of Chang Hua’s praise for that person—was all this Chang Yishao’s arrangement to anger her? “Will you reconcile with me?” He Yanjin said softly, looking extremely lost and pitiful.

Chang Yishao looked at her appearance with some weariness. Her voice was clear, overriding the sound of the gushing fountain water, like the striking of metal on He Yanjin’s heart.

“Miss He.” This was an unprecedentedly distant form of address.

“Do you need me to contact Miss Zhou for you?” Chang Yishao added, watching He Yanjin’s panicky expression and appreciating the face that suddenly lost all color. A faint smile finally appeared between her brows.

“I, I—” The words about breaking up with her immediately got stuck in He Yanjin’s throat. She was currently signed to Yunmeng Entertainment, and she still had Zhou Yunmeng backing her.

“My girlfriend doesn’t want me to have too much contact with you, Miss He, do you understand this sentence?” Chang Yishao said.

He Yanjin’s face changed drastically. If before she was a pitiful rabbit, now she was like a sinister viper flicking its tongue. “Is it that streamer called Tang Xi? She’s a usurper!” He Yanjin screamed, her voice suddenly rising.

Chang Yishao looked at He Yanjin’s bloodshot eyes, with not much anger or resentment on her face. She said calmly, “Don’t think too highly of yourself. I actually wanted to break up with you a long time ago. When you brought it up back then, it was just right.” Not to mention Zhou Yunmeng was a barrier between them; even without her, they had no possibility whatsoever. She had been tired for years.

Stimulated by Chang Yishao’s words, He Yanjin’s emotions were on the verge of collapse.

And Chang Yishao just stood there, watching indifferently with her arms crossed. There was no pity in those chestnut-colored eyes, not even a pretense of tenderness.

Under this icy gaze, He Yanjin covered her face and fled.

Chang Yishao ‘tsked’ at He Yanjin’s retreating figure, then shifted her gaze to the several brocade carp in the pool.

She sent a message to Xie Qingtang.

【Do you want to eat fish tonight?】

Xie Qingtang saw the message and was a little puzzled.

Was this daily question coming a little too early?

She frowned and replied: “It has bones, no.”

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