After October passed, Jingzhou had officially entered winter.
Chu Luyu’s interest classes had gradually settled into a stable routine. The larger classes usually had about twenty students, while the smaller ones had around ten. Occasionally, one or two adults would come to sign up for one-on-one sessions, and their class times would be arranged separately with her.
She went to work happily every day, and after work, Jiang Hezhou still came to pick her up. If he really didn’t have time, he would arrange for a driver to come instead.
Chu Luyu had mentioned to him that she could take a taxi home by herself, but for some reason Jiang Hezhou was very insistent. No matter what she said, he wouldn’t relent.
Fortunately, the driver he arranged was a middle-aged auntie who wasn’t much of a gossip. Aside from greetings, she hardly said anything else to Chu Luyu, which made her feel much more at ease.
When the interest classes had been running smoothly for about half a month, Chu Luyu’s so-called stepfather finally made his belated appearance.
This was the first time she had met her stepfather, Chen Huanian, since transmigrating into this short-drama world.
He was pretty much what she had imagined—a middle-aged man with an upright and honest appearance and demeanor.
He came alone, without any other family members, only a driver.
Chu Luyu had just finished class at the time and was taken aback to suddenly see a middle-aged man standing outside the classroom door.
Fortunately, the system quickly reminded her that this was the original host’s stepfather.
Thinking about how he and her mother had fallen out because of her, Chu Luyu felt awkward for a moment. She walked over and called out somewhat uncomfortably, “Uncle Chen.”
Chen Huanian nodded and looked around the place. “I heard from your mother that you handled everything here yourself?”
Chu Luyu nodded immediately. “Yes, I found the place myself, did the renovations, and as for enrollment… Jiang Hezhou helped me a lot, but I also did some promotion on my own, and some students came through the flyers I handed out.”
She didn’t want her stepfather to keep thinking she was a useless mooch, so she tried her best to show off her efforts, but she was honest about the enrollment situation.
When Chen Huanian didn’t respond right away, Chu Luyu thought for a moment, then bowed earnestly toward him.
“Uncle Chen, I know I was immature before and caused a lot of trouble for the family. But as you can see, I’ve completely realized how ridiculous and unreasonable I used to be, and I’m determined to change. So… could you please not be angry anymore?” Chu Luyu bit her lip and looked at him with pitiful eyes. “At least don’t let me affect your relationship with Mom.”
His stepdaughter’s rare display of humility caught Chen Huanian off guard.
The stern expression he had deliberately worn since walking in began to crack.
He cleared his throat awkwardly and said stiffly, “Your mother and I are adults. You don’t need to worry about our matters.”
Chu Luyu’s eyes lit up—did this mean her stepfather wasn’t angry anymore?
She felt she was pretty good at pressing her advantage.
Sensing that Chen Huanian seemed to have truly let it go, she tentatively stepped closer, carefully took his arm, and whined softly, “But I heard from Chen Mian that you two fought because of me and still haven’t made up… Uncle Chen, please don’t be mad anymore. No matter what, it’s all my fault. If you want to scold someone or hit someone, aim it at me—but please don’t stay upset with Mom anymore.”
This stepdaughter used to be completely unruly and impossible to reason with. Every time Chen Huanian dealt with her, he’d get cold looks, eye-rolls, or a tantrum thrown his way.
Being treated like this today, even having her tug at his arm and act coquettish, shocked Chen Huanian even more than before.
Still, he managed to maintain his dignified elder image for a moment. When she said “if you want to scold or hit someone, aim it at me,” he couldn’t help but snort, “How would I dare do anything to you? Forget hitting or scolding you—even if I said one word against you, your mother would come after me with everything she’s got.”
Then he muttered under his breath, “And it’s not like I’m the one refusing to make up. She’s the one who won’t give me an out.”
A while back, Chen Huanian had missed his wife terribly, so he and his secretary came up with a plan to give him an excuse to reach out.
After a drinking event, the secretary called Chu Yinyin and said that their CEO Chen had drunk too much and asked if she could come pick him up.
But Chu Yinyin’s response was cold—she said she was busy making soup at the moment and wasn’t free, suggesting they take him back to the office or to a hotel to rest instead.
Chen Huanian had been listening nearby and heard every word clearly. He got upset, and the old couple ended up sulking at each other even more.
Chu Luyu didn’t know about this. She only occasionally asked Chen Mian about how the two elders were doing when they chatted. She thought they were still in a cold war because of her and that her stepfather was still angry at her, which had been worrying her.
So when she heard Chen Huanian muttering those words, she immediately felt relieved and much happier.
“So you’re really not angry anymore? And you want to make up with Mom?”
Chen Huanian sighed helplessly. “Your mother and I have been married for nearly twenty years. How could one fight make me forget all her good qualities? I stopped being angry a long time ago—I just didn’t know how to patch things up. When it comes to you, your mother has always been overly sensitive and protective… Maybe I really shouldn’t have said those things back then.”
“What did you say, Uncle Chen? You were absolutely not in the wrong! I really did behave badly before, and I myself feel like I wasted so much of my life. As an elder, giving advice is totally fine! But you also know that my mom had a hard time during her divorce, and we’ve always relied on each other. When it comes to me, she can sometimes be a bit extreme in her favoritism. But ultimately, the problem still lies with me. If I were doing well, there wouldn’t be any rift between you two.”
With that, she glanced around, then looked up at Chen Huanian. “How about this—I’ll set up a dinner tonight and help break the ice between you and Mom!”
…
The cafeteria at the municipal bureau had braised pork ribs and mapo tofu on the menu today.
At noon, Jiang Hezhou took a photo of his meal and sent it to Chu Luyu.
Jiang Hezhou: [The ribs at the bureau are pretty good today. Want me to get an extra portion to take back for you as a late-night snack?]
She didn’t reply for a while. Jiang Hezhou lowered his gaze, lost in thought, then suddenly opened the monitoring app for the interest class.
He had installed the highest-spec surveillance cameras at Chu Luyu’s place back then. The moment he opened the app, an ultra-HD image filled his screen.
He zeroed in on Chu Luyu’s location almost instantly, zooming in. Seeing that only an elderly elder was standing beside her, the brief unease that had risen in his chest slowly settled.
If he remembered correctly, this middle-aged man should be Chu Luyu’s stepfather. When the two families had discussed the engagement, Jiang Hezhou had met him once at a dinner.
Why would he suddenly show up at Chu Luyu’s place? Was something going on?
Before he could think further, a colleague from the team sidled up beside him.
“Xiao Jiang, what are you looking at? So absorbed—I called you several times from behind and you didn’t hear a thing.”
It was Yao Meng and Xu Zhuang. After Xu Zhuang spoke, he leaned over casually next to Jiang Hezhou. Seeing him staring at a set of surveillance footage, he assumed it was a new lead on a case.
“Did you find a new lead? Why are you quietly watching surveillance by yourself?”
Yao Meng had sharp eyes. One glance and she recognized Chu Luyu’s figure in the footage. She pulled Xu Zhuang aside and said, “What new lead? Even if there were new leads on a case, how would they be on Xiao Jiang’s phone!”
Then she smiled at Jiang Hezhou and couldn’t resist teasing him. “Gotta hand it to the young folks—when it comes to romance, you’re way more clingy than us old-timers. What’s the matter? Been apart from your fiancée for half a day and you already miss her so much you can’t stand it? You just have to see what she’s up to right now? So that’s why you asked Old Zhang to recommend an ultra-HD surveillance system—turns out it was for keeping an eye on your fiancée!”
Old Zhang was the officer in charge of information equipment at the bureau, frequently dealing with specialized gear and experienced in selecting products.
Jiang Hezhou had always been close with Yao Meng. Hearing her teasing, he didn’t deny it, only smiled faintly and said, “I do miss her a lot. But I only checked the surveillance because she hadn’t replied to my message for a while. I was worried something might be wrong, so I took a look.”
“Hadn’t replied? She’s probably just busy with class!”
Yao Meng had no idea that Jiang Hezhou’s so-called “hadn’t replied for a while” meant only two minutes. And Jiang Hezhou clearly wasn’t about to tell her.
He quietly turned off his phone, offering no rebuttal to Yao Meng’s words.
When the meal queue reached them, Chu Luyu still hadn’t replied. Without hesitation, Jiang Hezhou swiped his card twice and got two meal sets.
“One on a tray, and pack the other one in a takeout container, please. Thanks.”
Shortly after he spoke, the staff handed out two portions of food, exactly as he’d requested.
“Teacher Jiang, here are your two meals.”
The address “Teacher Jiang” caught Jiang Hezhou slightly off guard. He finally looked up toward the counter—
Meng Wantian was standing right there behind the window, wearing the cafeteria’s standard uniform. When she saw Jiang Hezhou approach, she could hardly contain her excitement, her full attention fixed on him.
After running into him here last time, Meng Wantian had gone home and thought about it for a long, long time.
At first, she still couldn’t understand why everything had changed in this life.
That woman was no longer someone everyone despised and rejected, and no one talked about how mismatched she and Jiang Hezhou were.
Initially, Meng Wantian hadn’t dared to approach Jiang Hezhou easily, afraid of altering the trajectory of the previous life. She thought she just had to wait, to endure, and eventually the day would come when Jiang Hezhou would break off the engagement with that woman.
Then, just like before, she would warm him, heal him, and use all the love she had to make up for the debt she owed him in the previous life.
But gradually, as she realized everything was different, she suddenly felt she could no longer afford to wait.
Perhaps it was her rebirth in this life—like a butterfly’s wingbeat that had changed everything.
Since that was the case, she couldn’t waste any more time waiting.
She had to take the initiative. She had to make Jiang Hezhou aware that someone like her existed.
She had always felt there was an inexplicable, intangible sense of fate between them—that they were special to each other. If so, since she could attract Jiang Hezhou in the previous life, she could absolutely do it again in this one.
With that thought, Meng Wantian adjusted her expression and put on the warm smile that Jiang Hezhou had once liked best.
“Teacher Jiang, I’m a nursing student at Zhouhua University. My name is Meng Wantian.”
Jiang Hezhou didn’t react much, just nodded at her casually and asked, “Working here to support yourself through school?”
“Yes, yes.” Meng Wantian smiled, her eyes curving upward.
Seeing her smile, Jiang Hezhou was instantly reminded of Chu Luyu.
When the girl was well-fed, content, or especially happy, her eyes would also curve into little crescent moons. At those moments, she radiated such a strong sense of happiness that it could even affect those around her.
It had been about ten minutes since just now—was she still not done talking with her stepfather? Why hadn’t she replied to his message yet?
With these thoughts in mind, Jiang Hezhou gave Meng Wantian a casual nod and then took his two meal portions to find a seat.
During the meal, Jiang Hezhou checked his phone twice.
Yao Meng noticed clearly and couldn’t help teasing him again. “Xiao Jiang, you’re really different from before now. You used to keep your phone locked in your locker all day at work. Now… tsk tsk. Who was it that said they had no interest in matters of the heart and would just accept whatever marriage arrangement the family made?”
Jiang Hezhou understood what Yao Meng meant and didn’t deny it. He just smiled and said, “I was indeed somewhat arrogant about marriage back then. I’ve since corrected that.”
“That’s the right attitude! But seriously, even though your little sister-in-law here was arranged as your fiancée by the family, she’s genuinely a great person. No wonder you couldn’t help falling for her. Even I, as a woman, find her adorable and likable after spending time with her.”
Xu Zhuang had been listening to their conversation and suddenly interjected, “Little sister-in-law is great in every way, but she’s too protective of Xiao Jiang. Last time we ate together, she cleared out everything on our plates just to get Xiao Jiang to eat more fish mint and century eggs… Lucky I ate fast, or she’d have taken my share too.”
Yao Meng looked exasperated and shot him a glare. “You’re never going to forget about those century eggs, are you?”
Xu Zhuang gave a simple, honest laugh.
Just then, Meng Wantian walked over from not far away. She was still wearing her cafeteria uniform and holding a can of soda water.
“Teacher Jiang.” She smiled and greeted him. “I sat in on one of your lectures before with a senior from the forensic medicine department. I thought what you taught was amazing, and I really admire you.”
With that, she placed the can of soda water beside his tray. “Please have this—my treat.”
It was a black iron can of soda water, the brand Jiang Hezhou usually drank.
But he was certain he had never drunk this in the cafeteria, nor had he ever had it at the bureau, except for the rare two times he ordered takeout. Most of the time, he drank the bulk water dispenser like everyone else.
So now, looking at the can of soda water, he didn’t move for two or three seconds.
Seeing that he wasn’t responding, Meng Wantian grew anxious and added, “Teacher Jiang, I know you usually don’t accept gifts from students, but this is just…”
Jiang Hezhou looked up and interrupted her. “How do you know I like to drink this?”
His voice was cold, even carrying a hint of interrogation.
Meng Wantian had never been treated this way by Jiang Hezhou in her previous life. She froze on the spot, not knowing how to respond.
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Yao Meng quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
“What’s wrong with you, Xiao Jiang? Is the recent case stressing you out so much that you’re treating a young student like a suspect? She just offered you a drink.” Then she turned to Meng Wantian. “Don’t mind him. Teacher Jiang has been too busy and tired lately—his mood might be a bit tense.”
Meng Wantian’s gaze remained fixed on Jiang Hezhou. Hearing Yao Meng’s words, she simply shook her head and said, “It’s fine.”
Jiang Hezhou was silent for a moment, thinking about something. Then he looked away, his attitude indifferent, with a hint of distance.
“It’s not easy for you to be working here to support your studies. You should take this drink back. Since you know I don’t accept gifts from students, there’s no need to send anything in the future.”
As they left the cafeteria, Yao Meng was still talking about it.
“That young student just admires you as a teacher. Why did you have to be so stern?”
Jiang Hezhou didn’t know how to explain what he felt. He had a nagging sense that this girl wasn’t acting casually—she seemed to know his preferences and was deliberately getting close.
Even if she had only given him a can of his favorite soda water today, even if it was just that one coincidence, he still found it unsettling.
With that thought, Jiang Hezhou asked Yao Meng, “How long does a part-time shift usually last for someone working in the cafeteria?”
“Three or four months? Why?”
Jiang Hezhou paused, then said in a low voice, “I’ll transfer half a year’s worth of part-time wages to you later. Could you talk to the cafeteria for me and tell that student not to come anymore—so she can focus on her classes back at school?”
Yao Meng didn’t think much of it, assuming he was just worried about his student neglecting her studies because of the job.
“Look at you—if you care so much about your students, why put on that serious attitude just now? Do you scare people like that when you teach at school too?”
Jiang Hezhou didn’t want to dwell on it. Just then, his phone rang—it was a call from Chu Luyu. His expression immediately changed.
He gave Yao Meng a look to indicate he was stepping away to take the call, then quickened his pace, bringing the phone to his ear.
“Hello—”
His voice carried a gentleness he himself didn’t notice, with a hint of a smile in his tone.
Yao Meng caught it, and comparing it to his attitude toward that female student just now, she couldn’t help but sigh.
“This Xiao Jiang… he’s totally wrapped around his fiancée’s finger.”
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