Stuff from High School Textbooks Usually Needs to Be Returned to the Teacher

It was nearing ten o'clock at night.

The restaurant patrons had been waiting for an hour and a half, but Jiang Xueming still hadn't returned.

Bu Liuxing and the head chef were in the kitchen, finishing the last few dishes.

Jiang Bailu had circled the main hall and the garden several times, her eyes curiously fixed on the various marine fish in the aquarium.

The two waiters, Jiu Wu Er Qi and San San Ling Yi, were helping to keep an eye on the simmering soup, not in any hurry, chatting idly.

"Xiao Qi, why is your passenger taking so long? Did something happen to him?"

"What could happen? Mr. Xue Ming is very gentle. Slow work makes fine products. He was so careful when he blew my hair, it was super warm!"

Just then.

Bu Liuxing called the caregiver over to serve the last few dishes.

He asked everyone, "All set! Has Ming Ge come back yet?"

Before he finished speaking, Jiang Bailu ran back from the side corridor, shouting as she ran, "He's back, he's back! My brother's back, let's eat, let's eat!"

Everyone sat down at the dining table, waiting quietly.

They heard the sound of something heavy being dragged.

They saw Jiang Xueming, panting heavily, sweat pouring down his face, retreating from the side entrance, only half his body out from behind the screen.

Jiang Xueming asked, "Who are you still waiting for?"

"Uh..." Bu Liuxing felt awkward asking, because Xue Ming's appearance was truly indescribably strange.

A Xing's inner monologue was filled with teasing.

Finally, he asked, "Are you okay, Ming Ge? Um... where's my coach and the two teachers? Didn't they come with you?"

"Mm." Jiang Xueming slowly dragged Li Zongzhu into the dining room, his movements like someone handling a corpse in a murder case.

Witnessing this scene, everyone at the table froze.

Only Bailu's expression was normal, as if she understood her brother very well. She transformed into a ferocious meal-gobbling leader, serving everyone at the table.

No one dared to breathe loudly, and no one spoke.

San San Ling Yi looked terrified, leaning close to Xiao Qi's ear, whispering.

"Qi. Are you sure this is the gentle, warm guy you were talking about, the one who wouldn't even mess up your hair?"

Seventh Brother's mouth twitched, and he replied in an equally hushed tone.

"A man with a few secrets becomes more charming. It was like my old math teacher. When I was in class, I felt he had so many secrets, and I never figured them out throughout high school."

Jiang Xueming carried Teacher Li Zongzhu to the guest seat. Everyone then realized that Teacher Li was still conscious, just extremely weak.

"Thank you, apprentice." Teacher Li's hoarse thanks came from his throat. His eyes were sunken, his lips cracked and bloodless. He propped himself up with his arms, trying to bow with the dignity of a man of the world.

Jiang Xueming returned the bow. "You're welcome, teacher. You've worked hard."

Bu Liuxing still had no idea what had happened and continued to press, "Ming Ge, my fitness coach, and Teacher Liu, who tested your shooting, where are they?"

"Oh." Jiang Xueming was about to answer.

Teacher Li weakly interjected, "Those two scoundrels ran off, one faster than the other, and didn't even take me with them."

Jiang Xueming explained, "Teacher Liu took a look at the combat arena, suddenly got a phone call, said his wife was going into labor, and left."

"That's good news! I can give the baby a red envelope! I'm an uncle now! I used to call others 'uncle,' now I'm an elder!" Bu Liuxing immediately brightened up upon hearing this, and asked, "Teacher Liu went home, what about Coach Zhou?"

Teacher Li took the bowl handed by Bailu and took a sip of the ginseng soup with gratitude, regaining a little strength.

Jiang Xueming continued, "Coach Zhou also said his wife was having a baby, a difficult birth with twins, and he was in a hurry."

"Oh! That's good news too!" Bu Liuxing clapped his hands with a smile, not finding anything amiss. "Hooray, I can give the babies red envelopes again, double happiness."

The family sat down together. A Xing sat at the head of the table, enthusiastically serving dishes to the guests and chattering about family matters.

"My mommy isn't back, she's traveling. I'm a bit clumsy, so I just made a few things. Please don't mind."

"The flower crab and blanched choi sum are mine. The rest are from the aunties. There's milk toast, char siu, asparagus and mushrooms. The main dish is old ginseng stewed with pork shank. This isn't Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, but my mommy can make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. I'll have her make it for you next time, it's delicious. I can eat so much and grow so tall and strong thanks to her cooking."

After a few polite words, Bu Liuxing started competing with Bailu for food.

The younger sister was not shy at all. She hadn't been to many fancy restaurants with her older brother in HK. At the dinner table, she became a rival to her brother A Xing.

Jiang Xueming, while serving himself, also helped Teacher Li refill his cup and served him food.

Teacher Li Zongzhu found it strange—why was this student suddenly so humane? He flusteredly accepted Xue Ming's kindness. "Thank you. Thank you."

Jiang Xueming smiled and used his serving chopsticks to put a few more pieces of ginseng into Teacher Li's bowl. "You're welcome. I hope you recover quickly, teacher. I'll have many more things to ask you in the future."

Teacher Li's expression changed, and his eyes became extremely terrified.

Jiang Xueming continued, "I want to improve my bone density. In sparring, resistance to impact is very important. Pain causes my muscles to cramp. I once vomited due to severe pain and abdominal cramps. This is a very dangerous situation.

If I want to train, my bones need to develop micro-fractures from repeated impacts. These micro-fractures will then grow new bone, making them stronger. This is a long process. The nerve endings in my muscles will also slowly die off, weakening my sense of pain. Is that right, teacher? That's why I'll be looking for you often in the future."

"No, no, no, no. Let's not talk about work at the dinner table." Teacher Li Zongzhu was practically sputtering. "Eat your food properly."

"What a shame," Jiang Xueming mused. "The fitness coach left too early. Otherwise, I could have messed around in the gym a bit longer."

As the guests at the dining table overheard Jiang Xueming and Teacher Li Zongzhu's hushed conversation, a strange atmosphere filled the entire restaurant.

Bu Liuxing understood. It seemed that Brother Xue Ming had worn out the two teachers to the point of being unrecognizable. The fitness coach had even rushed home to have a baby upon hearing the news.

After eating their fill, everyone dispersed into the living room. Some rested, while others chatted idly.

Jiang Xueming personally escorted Teacher Li back to her room. With the teacher trembling in fear, he solemnly bid her goodnight.

As he walked out of the room and into the corridor, he thought: This Teacher Li is truly professional and responsible. If I were to hire her based on the fee for a combat training class, my seven million would probably not last long.

He had already drafted a long-term training plan and had a relatively accurate understanding of his own capabilities. The areas that needed strengthening were this body, which lacked strength, had fragile bones, and was prone to injury and pain.

Under the guidance of the cleaning lady, he returned to the room Bu Liuxing had arranged for him.

It was a two-bedroom, one-living-room suite, with a small study in addition to the bedroom.

The study contained a computer and a drawing tablet, as if A Xing had prepared it specifically for Xue Ming, knowing that Xue Ming could draw.

The floor-to-ceiling mirror in the study could be opened, revealing a barrier-free passage leading directly to his sister Bailu's room. It would only take him about ten seconds to reach Bailu's side.

To the left of this passage was the garden, and to the right was the path leading to the main entrance. He could jump down in case of danger, but it was over five meters high. Jumping directly down would likely result in injury, and it was difficult for ordinary people to climb up.

After Xue Ming surveyed the indoor environment, he checked the time.

It was 11:15 PM. He decided to take a shower, change, and get ready for bed.

Soon, the sound of trickling water could be heard from the bathroom.

Just then--

--Xiao Qi crept stealthily from Bailu's room.

Bailu whispered instructions, "My brother is taking a shower. Seize the opportunity."

"Thank you!" Xiao Qi took out a milk candy from her bag and handed it to her sister-in-law.

As Seventh Brother tiptoed and pushed open the floor-to-ceiling mirror, the alarm Xue Ming had prepared earlier went off.

The edge of the mirror tugged at a cotton thread, pulling the mobile phone to the ground, which then emitted an alarm sound.

Xiao Qi froze. She hadn't expected Mr. Xue Ming to do something like this. She looked back at Bailu.

Bailu shrugged, her eyes innocent and helpless.

Xiao Qi had no choice but to brace herself and move forward.

She immediately saw--

--Jiang Xueming pushed open the bathroom door upon hearing the noise, revealing only a crack. He made eye contact with Xiao Qi from a distance.

Through the crack, Xiao Qi saw bloodshot, tired, and terrifying eyes, as if ready to devour someone at any moment.

"Hehehe, sorry," Seventh Brother chuckled awkwardly, backing away. "I'll leave now, I'll leave."

Jiang Xueming said, word by word, "Which way are you leaving?"

Seventh Brother immediately turned around. "Oh! I'll never enter Bailu's room again. I. I'll leave this way, through the main door."

While Seventh Brother was fiddling with the room's door lock, Xue Ming called out to Xiao Qi, wanting to discuss something important.

"Wait a moment, I have something to discuss with you."

Seventh Brother sat by the small table in the study, playing with her fingers.

She was restless and preoccupied, like a student who had done something wrong and was waiting for their homeroom teacher's reprimand.

When Xue Ming had exposed her identity earlier, she had felt extremely uneasy.

In the past, she had only been a petty informant at the train station, delivering notes and tea for the big figures above.

For example, who had recently arrived at the station, whether they looked easy to bully, their routes, where they lived, and so on. This was the trade Seventh Brother had relied on for a living.

It was also called being a [newsboy]--

--She had been a newsboy for many Armadillo Hunters, and later became an informant. After the station arrested many informants, she abandoned her old name and spent several years in prison with the Reclamation Team, doing hard labor for years. After her sentence was up, she changed her identity, becoming a server, becoming Nine-Five-Two-Seven.

Thinking of this, Seventh Brother began to feel anxious.

She covered her forehead, thinking that if Xue Ming found out about this dark past, it would likely not end well.

"Even if he returns to the station, the first thing he'll do is ask BOSS to replace me with a server who has no criminal record," Seventh Brother murmured, clutching her hands tightly, her nails digging into her palms.

"Is A Xing's server here?" Jiang Xueming asked casually while still in the shower. "If so, please call her over as well. Be polite, I have something to ask for your advice."

"Oh, oh, oh." Although she didn't know what Xue Ming wanted to ask, Seventh Brother felt a little better now that she had company, like a bad student. "That girl is called Three-Three-Zero-One, just call her Three-Three."

The two servers whispered outside Xue Ming's door.

Seventh Brother nervously asked, "Three-Three, do you think he guessed what I did in the past? I feel like he was subtly trying to get information out of me. He's so sharp."

Three-Three replied, "Go with the flow."

"Seventh Brother" still wasn't at ease. "I feel like a bad student who didn't study at all but the final exams are already over and I'm waiting for the teacher to deliver the death notice."

San San pushed up her glasses, her attitude nonchalant. "That's not called a death notice, it's called a grade report, or a letter of parental love."

"Seventh Brother" continued, "Look at me. Look at me carefully. Am I pretty?"

"Extremely pretty, as beautiful as Wang Zuxian." San San showered "Seventh Brother" with compliments. "When I was eating dirt and moving bricks with you in the Reclamation Team, I thought you were most beautiful when you were eating dirt."

"Seventh Brother" was confused. "Why when I was eating dirt?"

San San frankly replied, "Because back then you were too busy eating dirt to talk."

"Mhm!" "Seventh Brother" pursed her lips, not taking her good sister's teasing to heart. She seemed to have made up her mind. "I'm going to confess to him. I."

San San waved her hand, telling "Seventh Brother" to calm down.

"Don't rush. Look at how flustered you are, like you're nervous about a math teacher.

Can't you just change your grade report yourself? If Teacher Xue Ming gives you, this bad student, a failing grade in his heart, you can just talk a big game and add a zero to the exam paper. That kind of move is easy, right?"

"Seventh Brother" calmed down, took out her makeup mirror, and started powdering her face and filling in her eyebrows.

"Good."

The two then heard the sound of water in Xue Ming's room stop, followed by the rustling sound of clothes being buttoned.

Jiang Xueming's voice came from inside the room.

"Thank you for waiting, both of you. Please come in. Sorry, I had a bit of an intense workout today and wanted to be clean and presentable before seeing anyone."

"Hey, Xiao Qi," San San reminded her again before pushing the door open. "When you see the teacher later, don't get too excited and confess everything right away. We've been in the same class before, and as your good sister, I'll definitely cover for you."

"Mhm, mhm, mhm." "Seventh Brother" became the leader of the crazed head-nodding group again. "Definitely, definitely."

The two pushed the door open and entered.

In the misty room--

--the scent of shampoo and body wash lingered.

Moonlight streamed through the iron railing of the terrace, falling in front of the study.

Xiao Qi saw Jiang Xueming sitting by the desk in the study, having changed into proper clothes. His slim-fitting pants clung tightly to his hips and legs, and he was barefoot on the floor.

His shirt was still damp, his hair not completely dry, and his skin was clean and fair, with a rosy hue, no longer like the tripe vendor busy in a greasy kitchen.

The man looked serious, staring intently at the drawing board.

The cold air from the air conditioner blew out, his lips slightly parted, exhaling white mist with his breath. He bit the pen holder with his lips and teeth, the bruises on his right hand not yet completely faded. He seemed to have encountered a difficult problem.

Xiao Qi's legs gave out at that moment, and she collapsed into her good sister's arms.

San San quickly hugged Xiao Qi. "Is it that serious? Sister?"

"It's a bit of an exaggeration," Xiao Qi still felt a sense of daze and dizziness. She stood up straight and secretly whispered, "But isn't this teacher too amazing?!"

Jiang Xueming spoke to the two attendants at the door about business.

"I promised A Xing before that I would help him open a coffee shop at the station. I've decided to go back to the station in the middle of this month to talk to BOSS about the armed employee permit. Even if it means I have to continue riding, it's okay. Once I get this permit, the Armadillo Hunters won't bother me, an armed employee, anymore.

Also, about this coffee shop, I'm not very knowledgeable about interior design, I've only drawn a sketch. If we're opening a shop at the station, I'll need to ask you about issues like food hygiene, location, and rent."

Xue Ming had just finished exercising and eating, and then taken a hot bath.

The air conditioner couldn't dissipate the residual heat from his body, and the miscellaneous matters in his mind were also disturbing him.

He unbuttoned the collar of his shirt, his chest half-hidden, and fanned himself by his ear, hoping to cool down.

"I hope you don't tell A Xing about these things. He told me he's a Leo, and August is coming soon. After the renovation is complete, I want to give him a birthday surprise. Did you two hear me? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Xiao Qi covered her nose, speechless.

San San handed her a handkerchief. "Are you having a nosebleed?"

Xiao Qi's expression was normal. "No, those are tears."

San San rolled her eyes. "Your facial features are quite peculiar."

"They are tears of emotion, of nostalgia." Xiao Qi wiped her nosebleed and was immersed in her sixteen-year-old middle school memories. "Is this what a teacher-student romance feels like?"

Jiang Xueming picked up the drawing board and turned to look, looking completely bewildered.

Xiao Qi muttered to herself, "He's so gentle, he's so considerate, he's so cute."

San San wrote in the employee record book.

"She's so embarrassing."