Chapter 484

Ye Luotong said speechlessly, not expecting that her teacher would actually slip away today. However, since it was an invitation from the eldest daughter of the Qiao family, they naturally did not dare to stop their teacher and could only let her go to the banquet.

"I'll treat you next time. I'm an adult, I wouldn't let my students spend money on me."

Wu Liang patted Ye Luotong's head and smiled faintly. Of course, he knew that these students admired him very much. He would treat them to a meal next time he had time.

"Uh-huh..."

Feeling the warmth emanating from above, Ye Luotong blushed and nodded like a chick pecking at rice. Teacher Wu Liang's hands were so warm; she wished she could have her head patted like that every day...

The other students booed when they saw Ye Luotong's shy expression. "Ye Luotong's swooning over Teacher Wu Liang again! Hey, this isn't the time for you to be swooning..."

"Then teacher! You must remember what you said, and don't stand us up again!"

"Exactly! We absolutely can't stand you up, or we'll all skip school in protest!"

The other students felt much more at ease after receiving Wu Liang's promise, since the teacher always kept his word.

So there's nothing to worry about; they just need to wait for Teacher Wu Liang to treat them to a meal.

"Of course, you should know me very well."

"So, Classmate Laoshu, can you leave through the door now?"

Wu Liang bent down and pinched the boy's cheek with a faint smile, but the wisp of black energy hidden beneath Wu Liang's smile sent a chill down the spines of all the students present.

Teacher Wu Liang... is so scary... I always feel like Teacher Wu Liang becomes a completely different person when she gets angry...

"An invitation from Qiao Ranxin?"

Wu Liang stared silently at the invitation in his hand, wondering why that beautiful child was so fond of him.

Chapter Ninety-Six

Busy and hectic days always seem too short, and travel is meant to be relaxing. This isn't just the opinion of Ye Luotong and Qiao Ranxin; most students share this sentiment.

Three days have passed since Yao Shi and Wu Liang fell off the cliff. The initial tension and unease have eased considerably with time, and Han Yu and the others are no longer as agitated as they were at the beginning.

For Han Yu, these three days were the most special three days she ever spent. Perhaps it was because she was able to vent her emotions, or perhaps it was because she had a deeper connection with Yao Shi.

Even she herself didn't realize that her hostility and resistance towards Yao Shi had completely turned into liking and closeness, and now she had unknowingly become very close friends with Yao Shi.

She's in a good mood right now. Lately, she's been staying by Yao Shi's bedside every day, taking care of her together with Ye Luotong, reading her stories, or talking about the past.

The Han Yu who used to be unable to resist making sarcastic remarks to Yao Shi has disappeared. Now, she and Yao Shi have an unusually good relationship, which is something that Milutin might have to take a backseat to.

"Yao Shi, open your mouth, I'll feed you porridge."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Han Yu held a bowl of steaming white rice porridge to Yao Shi's lips. A faint smile graced her delicate face, and the gentle look in her eyes made her seem like a virtuous wife and loving mother.

Han Yu's amethyst-like eyes reflected Yao Shi's cheeks. As if afraid that Yao Shi would be burned by the porridge, Han Yu pursed her lips and blew on it before placing the spoon near Yao Shi's mouth.

"Han Yu, I'm actually fine now. I can handle these things myself."

"You don't need to stay by my side all the time. Teacher Ye said before that I have almost recovered. You don't need to go to so much trouble to take care of me."

Startled by Han Yu's unusual behavior, Yao Shi shook her head. She didn't quite understand why Han Yu had suddenly become like a full-time nanny, taking care of her these past few days.

Was it simply because she saved the other person's life on the suspension bridge? If that's the case, then she had already explained it to Han Yu properly before.

This was her instinctive reaction. Even if the person in danger wasn't Han Yu, she would have saved them without hesitation, even if it was a complete stranger.

She had told Han Yu about this many times and told the girl not to take it to heart, but why did she suddenly become like this?

Do you mean that it makes you uncomfortable for me to be here taking care of you, or do you not want me to be by your side?

Han Yu put the spoon back into the bowl and spoke softly, the smile on her face gradually disappearing from the corners of her mouth, and a hint of gloom settling into her cold eyes.

She wasn't just thanking Yao Shi for saving her; she truly considered Yao Shi a friend, a close confidant and rival.

"Han Yu, you know that's not what I meant."

Yao Shi rubbed her aching temples. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Han Yu had suddenly become a completely different person.

What happened in those short three days that could have transformed that sharp-tongued and scheming girl into such a gentle person?

This girl's persona has completely collapsed, which makes her feel very strange. The gentle Han Yu is really making her uncomfortable. If she had to choose, she would still prefer the old Han Yu.

"You still have complaints about being taken care of properly? You won't listen to reason, will you!"

Seeing that Yao Shi wasn't cooperating, Han Yu simply stopped pretending and slammed the bowl down on the bedside table, turning her head away in displeasure.

These past few days, she has been trying her best to play the role of a gentle and polite girl while taking care of this woman, fearing that Yao Shi's bad mood might worsen her condition.

Moreover, Ye Luotong had specifically instructed her not to provoke Yao Shi, so she had no choice but to pretend to be a well-behaved girl and stay by Yao Shi's side these past few days.

"The Han Yu we know and love is back."

Seeing Han Yu's sudden change in expression, Yao Shi chuckled with relief. This girl was indeed deliberately putting on that act, but no matter what, she still preferred the current Han Yu.

The image of a well-behaved girl doesn't suit Han Yu. If it were He Xue, she wouldn't feel any incongruity, but it's clearly not suitable for Han Yu. Han Yu is best suited for this kind of slightly arrogant feeling.

It's possible that she's gotten used to Han Yu's personality, so it feels awkward when the girl suddenly changes to a different personality.

"I'm just afraid that what I said will upset you. Do you think I want to act like a soft girl like He Xue?"

"You know I usually speak without thinking, and now that you're sick, if I say something that makes you angry, you'll definitely be unhappy."

Han Yu rolled her eyes at Yao Shi and muttered to herself, "In short, she's doing this for the good of this expressionless maid."

She didn't want Yao Shi's condition to worsen, and she also didn't want Wu Liang to have any issues with her because of this.

So you're still worried about me?

Yao Shi narrowed her eyes and smiled faintly. Her dimples made her face look extra gentle, like a plum blossom blooming on a snow-capped mountain. Yao Shi's smile was many times more beautiful than her usual cold and aloof self.

"If I wasn't worried about you, would I have stayed here taking care of you for three days straight? Would I be out of my mind?"

Han Yu snorted twice, and after seeing the smile on Yao Shi's face, he breathed a sigh of relief. The huge weight that had been hanging over his heart finally lifted.

It seems that the maid with facial paralysis is indeed fine now. Her body is recovering very well, and if nothing unexpected happens, she should be fully recovered by tomorrow.

"But why have you suddenly become so cheerful? What happened to you?"

Han Yu stroked his chin and asked with a suspicious look. He had to admit that this woman was really beautiful when she smiled. Her already stunningly beautiful appearance became even more captivating after she smiled, making people want to take a second look.

What's going on? How did Yao Shi suddenly learn to smile? Not long ago, she was a cold, emotionless machine.

"Because the young master said I have a beautiful smile."

Yao Shi lowered her head and looked at the diamond ring that was sparkling on her fingertip. The young master had said more than once that she looked beautiful when she smiled and that she should smile more.

This is the young master's wish, and also his preference. If smiling can make the young master happy, then she is naturally willing to do so.

And...

"As the young master's lover, I naturally want to show him my best side."

Yao Shi lifted the covers, sat up straight, and chuckled softly. She was no longer the maid who didn't know how to face her feelings...

Chapter 97: They're back, they're all back

"Mom, it's cold outside."

Qiao Xinying looked at Qiao Ranxin, who was leaning against the balcony alone, and said in a low voice. She knew why her mother had come here at this time, and she also knew why her mother had suddenly started smoking.

Cigarettes are something my mother has always hated, but she only smokes them when she's in a bad mood or has something on her mind.

Logically, Wu Liang and Yao Shi's rescue should be a cause for celebration, but the fact that their mother is hiding here alone, smoking to drown her sorrows, seems suspicious.

"Oh, why haven't you gone to rest yet? It's already very late."

Qiao Ranxin, who was deep in thought, was startled by her daughter's words. The cigarette, which was almost burned out, fell to the ground, its faint light standing out against the vast darkness behind her.

Her pretty face, adorned with powder, was tinged with pallor, and a hint of panic flickered deep within her cherry-pink eyes. Her restless little hands twitched in the air a couple of times before finally resting stiffly on the armrest beside her.

She hadn't expected anyone to come at this hour, and even less did she expect that the person who came would be none other than her daughter.

Her feelings were complicated. Even though Ye Luotong had pointed out her confusion, and even though she had faced her own feelings, she still didn't know how to face her daughter.

As a mother, how could she possibly say something like, "My daughter and I both like the same man"?

It wasn't that her love was wrong, it was just that her love came a little late, but the consequence of it being late was the thing she couldn't accept the most.

"I asked Teacher Ye, and she said that your mental state is not very good right now. I am very worried about you."

"Why did you leave your room all alone? And why did you finally resolve your inner conflict? If you can listen to Teacher Ye's words, why can't you listen to mine?"

Qiao Xinying was wearing only a thin, pure gauze short skirt. Her smooth and delicate calves were exposed and dazzlingly white in the night, and her bulging breasts were covered in a patch of white.

Her figure wasn't stunning, but it was still pretty and surprisingly soft. However, compared to a sexy beauty like Qiao Ranxin, she seemed a bit immature.

The evening breeze lifted Qiao Xinying's long hair, silver hair and pink eyes, and she was no different from Qiao Ranxin. Whether it was their faces or anything else, they were frighteningly similar.

"Xinying, there are some things I don't want to tell you..."

"Wu Liang is an outstanding man, I have told you that before."

"My prejudice against him, my dislike and disgust for him, all disappeared in just one month."

"During the time I spent with him, I not only understood why you cared about the other person, but I also unknowingly fell in love with him."

Qiao Xinying walked slowly to Qiao Ranxin's side, stomped out the cigarette butt that was still glowing faintly on the ground, and leaned over the handrail to look at the distant night sky.

The night sky was dotted with stars like scattered silver pieces. Recalling the days she had spent with Wu Liang recently, two pale pink blushes appeared on her delicate cheeks.

"Just as you said, Mom, anyone who spends time with Wu Liang will be captivated by his personal charm. Miss Shi, Miss Milutin, and Han Yu are all examples of this."

"But I was foolish enough not to notice that the person closest to me was the same, and I even valued Wu Liang more, spending more time with him than with Miss Shi."

Qiao Xinying continued talking to herself. She realized it was too late. Although she had considered this possibility before, she hadn't taken it to heart.

Mother does care about Wu Liang, but she always felt that it was just a kind of concern from an elder to a younger generation. After all, Wu Liang is Wu Xingsheng's son, so it's understandable that mothers care about him.

But if you think about your mother's recent state of mind, it's easy to see that she, like you, has unknowingly become obsessed with Wu Liang.

Moreover, her mother was different from her; her mother understood Wu Liang better than she did, understanding Wu Liang's past, present, and everything about Wu Liang.

Since Wu Liang was born, his mother has been paying attention to him. Even Miss Shi, who has been with Wu Liang for many years, cannot compare to this. His mother has watched Wu Liang grow up little by little.

If we're talking about who has been paying the most attention to Wu Liang, then only her mother has the right to stand up for her. Why didn't she notice this?

"Mom, I can roughly guess what Teacher Ye said to you, and I can also guess why you suddenly became so depressed, like a different person."

"Why should we care about your daughter's feelings? Why should we care about the person your daughter likes? You told me that her love life is her own business."

Qiao Xinying suddenly turned around and grabbed Qiao Ranxin's hand. It was icy cold, which was her first reaction after grabbing her mother's hand.

A bone-chilling cold current traveled through Qiao Ranxin's fingertips. She didn't know how long her mother had been standing there alone, nor how many days her mother had endured with guilt.

Looking at Qiao Ranxin, who was only wearing a thin nightgown, she suddenly felt that her mother looked exceptionally thin and frail, so weak that a gust of wind could blow her over.

This was not the mother she remembered. Although her mother was usually rather easygoing, she was by no means a weak and helpless woman. On the contrary, she was very strong.

The reason why the mother became like this is because of her, because she cares about her feelings, because she cares about her opinions, because she worries about her emotions, and because the mother and daughter both fell in love with the same boy.

"I should be happy that my mother and I like the same person."

While she was still in a daze, Qiao Xinying suddenly rushed into Qiao Ranxin's arms, hugged her slender waist tightly, and said what was on her mind.

Is it wrong for a mother and daughter to fall in love with the same person? No, it's not. Love is a matter of freedom, and this just proves that both mother and daughter have excellent taste.

"Xinying... you've said everything... what am I supposed to say now...?"

Qiao Ranxin smiled bitterly, never expecting to hear these words from her own daughter. Perhaps Wu Liang himself was a miracle, which was why she and her daughter were both so devoted to him.

"Shouldn't we leave now? Let's leave the rest of the time to the principal and Xinying."

He Xue had been peeking from a corner, raised her head and looked up at Milutin, Su Qian, Ning Shuang, and the others. Principal Qiao's true feelings should now be fully revealed.

"Well, let's go back, otherwise Wu Liang will become suspicious."

Su Qian smiled as she looked at the mother and daughter in the distance. In this world, probably only Wu Liang could take in this mother and daughter.