Parent-Teacher Conference

The scene shifted. Jiang Junyi stood expressionless at the study door, arms full of stuff, facing Wan Qingyun, who was covering her mouth with a light laugh.

"That's how it went. My elders were way too enthusiastic—insisted I bring all this to you." Jiang Junyi set the things aside.

Including but not limited to: barbecue, steamed buns, roast duck, egg-filled pancake, clothes, crafts, and more.

"It's fine. I like all of it." Wan Qingyun smiled.

Of course, what she liked even more was the Jiang Junyi who'd come back.

Jiang Junyi sat down beside her with a helpless look. "How are we supposed to finish all this?"

"I'll eat it. And Xiao Xiao's here too." Wan Qingyun said softly.

"Really putting you two through it." Jiang Junyi squeezed her fair, soft hand, glancing at Wan Qingyun's slightly flushed cheeks.

"So, everything's handled?"

"Yeah. Faster than I expected, so I flew back right away. Can't waste a single second away from you." Jiang Junyi grinned.

"Um..."

"What's up?"

"Could you... let go a little? My hand's sweating..." Wan Qingyun lowered her head, voice small.

Jiang Junyi glanced down, quickly let go, and coughed twice. "Ahem. It's your fault."

Wan Qingyun blinked. "My fault for what?"

"For being too gorgeous~ baby~"

Here it came—Jiang Junyi's occasional low, husky voice, greasing its way straight into your heart.

"Get out!"

Wan Qingyun smacked his hand. If she weren't blind, she'd have made sure he saw a real eye-roll!

"I've got work to do."

Jiang Junyi nodded, then flopped his head onto the desk, facing her. He stared at that exquisite, stunning face, occasionally smacking his lips like he was savoring something.

Wan Qingyun naturally heard his antics beside her, but she couldn't do much about it—and honestly, she didn't mind this kind of atmosphere.

Time trickled by. Suddenly, Wan Qingyun noticed a faint, steady breathing sound coming from beside her.

She called softly, "Junyi?"

No response.

"Fell asleep?"

Wan Qingyun put down the documents in her hand and rested her head on the desk too, face to face with Jiang Junyi.

Sunlight streamed gently through the window, spilling over them both. An endless warmth rose in Wan Qingyun's heart.

In that moment, she desperately wished she could see.

What did a sleeping Jiang Junyi look like? When he laughed, was he that cheeky, endearing sort of annoying?

Wan Qingyun couldn't help reaching out to touch his cheek.

Every intimate act between people is driven by emotion.

Only the emotion itself changes with the relationship.

Right now, it was the feeling called "love" that moved Wan Qingyun to do this.

"Mm..." Jiang Junyi, feeling the touch on his cheek, slowly opened his eyes.

What met his gaze was a face as beautiful as a painting.

"Whoa... did I ascend to heaven? Looks like I'm seeing a fairy."

"Pfft..."

Wan Qingyun couldn't hold it in and let out a soft laugh.

Who would've thought this guy's first words upon waking were a mouthful of sweet talk?

Still, she didn't pull her hand back. Instead, she gently pinched his cheek. "Are you made of sweet talk? It just flows out of you?"

Jiang Junyi smiled, savoring the smooth, tender sensation on his face. "Before I met you, I didn't even know I had this many sweet words in me."

He scooted his head forward, closing the distance between them.

Now both could clearly feel each other's warm breath.

"Why are you getting so close?" Wan Qingyun sensed it.

"Wanted to get a good look at my Qingyun baby's stunning beauty."

"Smooth talker."

"Then have a taste~~"

"Go on, shoo!"

In the end, it was the thinner-skinned Wan Qingyun who lost!

Wan Qingyun sat up. "Check the time. Don't forget Xiaoxiao's parent-teacher meeting."

Jiang Junyi sat up lazily and stretched. "Got it."

He glanced at the time. Close enough.

"Looks about right. I'll head out first."

"Mm."

Elsewhere, Wan Xiaoxiao's attention had long since drifted from the teacher. Her gaze kept darting toward the classroom door.

Quite a few parents had already arrived early, peering through the windows to spot their kids.

Under her desk, Wan Xiaoxiao's foot tapped the floor repeatedly. She muttered under her breath, "Stupid Jiang Junyi, lousy Jiang Junyi... if you're late, I'll fight you!"

Her old deskmate had been Xu Li, but Xu Li was dead as dead could be.

The official story was that she'd transferred schools.

So now Wan Xiaoxiao had a different deskmate.

Her current deskmate tugged at her sleeve. "Xiaoxiao, about the stuff that needs a parent's signature later... could you ask your uncle to help me out?"

Wan Xiaoxiao turned to look at her timid deskmate. "No problem! Leave it to him! If he won't help, I'll beat him up!"

"Ah... thanks..."

At four o'clock, the Chinese teacher knew the parent-teacher meeting was next, so she left five minutes for parents to come in.

The door opened, and a flood of aunties and uncles poured in, finding their own kids and chatting cheerfully.

Wan Xiaoxiao craned her neck, but she couldn't spot that familiar figure at the main door.

A hint of anxiety crept onto her face. She grumbled, "Lousy Jiang Junyi! Dare to be late, and you're dead—ouch!"

Suddenly, her head stung. She quickly clutched it.

"Kid, were you cursing me?" A familiar voice rang out.

Wan Xiaoxiao turned around sheepishly. "Hehe, bro-in-law~"

Jiang Junyi gave her head a firm rub. "Move it."

"Oh, okay."

At first, both parents and students had to hold the meeting in the classroom. Parents sat, while students could sit in the aisles with books under them.

Once seated, Jiang Junyi glanced at Wan Xiaoxiao's deskmate. His eyes flickered, and a slight curve crept onto his lips.

What a coincidence.

He hadn't expected Su Shuangshuang to be Wan Xiaoxiao's deskmate now!

"Hello. This kid's naturally mischievous—I'm sure she's caused you plenty of trouble. Please bear with her." Jiang Junyi extended his hand, speaking gently.

A faint smile lingered on his face.

Su Shuangshuang, hearing his warm, soothing words, didn't dare meet Jiang Junyi's eyes.

She recognized him too. This big brother was the one who'd helped her out that day.

"It's... it's nothing... I'm the one causing Xiaoxiao trouble..." Su Shuangshuang said weakly, briefly shaking Jiang Junyi's hand.

Jiang Junyi smiled and said nothing more.

"Hey, I don't cause trouble, okay?" Wan Xiaoxiao protested.

"With a personality like yours, it'd be weird if you didn't." Jiang Junyi rolled his eyes.

"Tch..."

Once most parents were seated, the homeroom teacher stepped up to the podium.

"Dear everyone..."

Standard opening, nothing worth mentioning.

The main event was handing out the monthly exam results—a tactic to grab parents' attention and stir students' emotions.

Those with good scores got encouragement; those with poor scores but good intentions might buckle down.

As for the slackers, there was no helping them.

A common school trick.

"Wang Fan, total monthly exam score 350, ranked 100th in the grade. Excellent results. Keep it up!"

A boy with glasses, looking every bit the model student, walked up to the podium.

The parents in the audience beamed with shared pride.

"Qian Duoduo, total monthly exam score 320, ranked 240th in the grade. The teacher sees your improvement. Keep going."

"Sun Nan, 290, ranked 400th in the grade. You need to work harder."

"Wan Xiaoxiao..."