Chapter 61

Chapter 54: Yuxi and Yuting

In the morning, instead of going into the classroom, he went straight to the office building. He waited for two minutes in front of Ye Yuting's office. The first to arrive was Feng Yan, who still had a lingering charm. When she saw Wen Liang, she was momentarily stunned, standing there unsure whether to enter or retreat, her face awkwardly made up.

Wen Liang stepped aside, clearing the way, and smiled, "Good morning, Teacher Feng. Please go in. I'm here to ask for leave from Teacher Ye."

Feng Yan didn't expect Wen Liang to be so polite and immediately reciprocated with a warm smile, "Oh, it's Wen Liang. Come in and sit down. Teacher Ye will be here soon. I just saw her signing in downstairs."

She opened the door and welcomed Wen Liang in, even pouring him a cup of water and placing it on the table. Wen Liang thanked her and asked, "Teacher Feng, I heard your son works at the cotton mill. How is the situation there?"

"He works in the security department. The benefits aren't as good as they used to be, but it's better than other factories, and the salary is still being paid."

Mentioning her son, Feng Yan's face softened with a gentle smile. This was the key to controlling the conversation. If you had nothing to talk about with a woman in her forties, just bring up her son, and it would always work. Wen Liang nodded, knowing that the cotton mill, with its diverse products and low costs, could hold on for a while, but it would eventually face the pain of reform. "That's really good. The machinery factory is having salary issues..."

When Ye Yuting pushed the door open, the scene before her almost defied her imagination. Feng Yan was sitting in a chair, and Wen Liang was standing by her desk, chatting and laughing, the atmosphere very harmonious. Just looking at this scene, who would have thought that these two had been like enemies just yesterday?

"Teacher Ye, you're here. Wen Liang is here to ask for leave. You two can talk. I have to go to class."

Feng Yan greeted Ye Yuting warmly and even made plans to chat with Wen Liang later. After she left, Ye Yuting looked at Wen Liang with a half-smile, teasing him, "I thought I had you figured out, but I never expected that after you scolded her so harshly yesterday, you could still chat with her so amiably today?"

Wen Liang shrugged and smiled, "My flattery skills are just as good as my scolding! Respect for teachers and the way of learning means not denying a person's worth because of their flaws. We should look at Feng Yan from both sides."

"Stop!" Ye Yuting covered her ears, making him stop. Every time she heard Wen Liang's nonsense, she felt like banging her head against the wall. What she didn't know was that this impulse had been felt by Zuo Yuxi, Ning Xiaoning, and Ji Su. Xu Yao, a bit silly, was still listening with great interest.

"Wen Liang, I know you're doing this for the teachers. Thank you!" Ye Yuting wasn't stupid. Although Feng Yan had apologized to her and Huang Mei as Wen Liang predicted, her attitude was still somewhat hostile, making the office atmosphere heavy and awkward. Huang Mei, being young and with poor mental fortitude, even wanted to change offices by the end of the day. Today, Wen Liang's actions allowed Feng Yan to save face, and everyone was happy. It was truly impressive for someone so young to be so considerate.

Wen Liang laughed and took out the leave note from his pocket, saying, "Talk is cheap. If you really want to thank me, just approve the leave, Teacher Ye?"

Ye Yuting was both amused and exasperated, picking up a pen holder from the table as if to throw it. Huang Mei ran in happily, shouting, "Sis Ye, Feng Team Leader just greeted me and smiled..."

Wen Liang seemed infected by her happiness, a smile involuntarily appearing on his lips. He didn't regret his actions yesterday, but he could imagine that although Feng Yan wouldn't openly cause trouble, as the team leader, they would see each other often in the office. It wouldn't be good for Huang Mei and Ye Yuting if things got too tense.

"Teacher Huang, please maintain your professional demeanor! Your silly smile might make it hard for you to find a husband..."

Huang Mei only then noticed Wen Liang standing to the side. She quickly straightened up, adjusted her blouse, and cleared her throat, saying seriously, "Wen Liang, why are you called to the office so early in the morning? You're making mistakes too often, aren't you?"

Ye Yuting joined in, waving the leave note, "He's asking for leave, another day! Huang Mei, don't you have a class first period? What are you doing here chatting?"

"Alright, I'll go. You treat this student like a treasure... Ha ha, don't hit me, I'm leaving."

Wen Liang watched the two female teachers playfully bicker, feeling a mix of emotions. Was it because he had no presence, or was he just a friend to women?

"Teacher Ye, please approve it. I really have an urgent matter today!" Once Huang Mei left, Wen Liang started pestering her. Skipping class wasn't a big deal, but since he had become close to Ye Yuting, he thought it was best to follow the proper procedures.

"Wen Liang, the first diagnostic test is coming up in a few days. This test is very important as it will determine your position in the eyes of the teachers and students, affecting many aspects in the future. I hope you focus on your studies and don't disappoint the teachers who like you, and don't... disappoint me!"

Ye Yuting's eyes were as dark as ink, bright like morning stars, her expression sincere and earnest. Wen Liang didn't want to argue and nodded, suddenly saying, "I don't know why, but I suddenly felt that your eyes and brows resemble someone, even though they are completely different styles, they really do..."

Before he could finish, Ye Yuting signed the leave note and threw it to Wen Liang, scolding, "Go quickly, don't bother me here."

The Qingzhou Education Bureau was located on Chang'an Road, just three streets away from the city government. This had its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage was that it was convenient to communicate with city leaders, but the disadvantage was that the leaders communicated too frequently. It was said that Director Li Dingguo often had headaches at noon. Who wouldn't join him for a meal when various department heads came over? Sometimes, if the leaders hadn't coordinated, two or three groups would come one after another, and Li Dingguo would have to rush from one to another, drinking at each. This led to a popular saying in the bureau: "A hundred-year plan, leaders are the foundation; ten years of drinking, a hundred-year director." It became a laughing matter.

Wen Liang called Zuo Yuxi from a tobacco and liquor store, and they met at a high-end Western restaurant on Chang'an Road. Zuo Yuxi wore a professional outfit: a white diagonal-collar shirt, a black tight-fitting suit, simple and elegant, paired with purple high-heeled shoes with patterned edges. She looked sharp and graceful. Wen Liang skillfully cut his steak, and Zuo Yuxi, propping her chin, watched him with interest, "Impressive, don't tell me Wen Huiming often brings you to places like this? I was actually hoping to see you make a fool of yourself today."

"Left Sister, it's hard to make me look foolish, but it seems I've seen more than just that from someone."

Zuo Yuxi's face turned slightly red, and she tapped Wen Liang's plate with her fork, "Are you asking for a beating? How long has it been, and you still tease me like this? Just wait, I'll get you back, and you'll be embarrassed!"

Wen Liang smiled, "I suddenly remembered a joke..."

Recalling the boat joke, Zuo Yuxi quickly stuffed a piece of steak into Wen Liang's mouth to stop him from talking. This instinctive action showed that she already considered him very close. Otherwise, try eating from a beautiful woman's utensils, especially in a Western restaurant.

"Alright, stop being so playful. What's so urgent that you called me out?"

Wen Liang looked at Zuo Yuxi again, "Yeah, it does look a bit like..."

"What?"

"Nothing," Wen Liang changed the subject, speaking softly, "I contacted Xu Fuyan, but haven't heard back. However, I think there's a high chance we'll meet tonight." Wen Huiming's message hadn't come yet, but as long as Xu Fuyan wasn't foolish, he had no reason to refuse Zuo Yuxi's offer in the current situation.

Zuo Yuxi's hand holding the knife and fork paused. At this moment, even she felt a bit nervous, looking up at Wen Liang without a word.

"Trust me, everything will go as planned, and there won't be any mistakes!" Wen Liang reached across the table, placing his hand on hers, which was cold.

Zuo Yuxi put down her knife and fork, clasped his hand, and smiled, "I trust you!"

They looked into each other's eyes, the warmth in their hearts growing. After a long while, they smiled at each other, feeling deeply connected.

"By the way, you said you'd meet him tonight. Why did you call me out so early?" The atmosphere had been too intimate, and Zuo Yuxi tried to adjust her mood, but her pouting looked more like a playful complaint.

Wen Liang slapped his forehead, "Sis, we need to discuss how to handle it tonight. We can't just say, 'Old Xu, strip and go all out, we'll be your strong support, don't be afraid!'"

"Ha ha," Zuo Yuxi laughed, pointing at Wen Liang, "You dare to joke about your future father-in-law. Be careful, Xu Yao will get you."

Wen Liang smiled, "We're just good friends..."

Zuo Yuxi gave him a playful glare, "Are you taking leave today to wait for Wen Huiming's call?"

"Right, that's a good question! I have your phone number, so we'll be together all day today."

"You little rascal," Zuo Yuxi stood up to pinch his ear, complaining, "That number is only known by my closest people, no more than three in all of Qingzhou. How could you give it to someone else?"

"But it's Xu..."

"Not even Xu Fuyan! I don't want anyone to disturb me outside of work hours. Now, this number is useless, all because of you."

If someone saw Zuo Yuxi, the coldest beauty in Qingzhou's political circle, acting like a little girl, they might have a heart attack.

Zuo Yuxi was becoming more and more womanly! However, Wen Liang found her inability to focus on the important things frustrating. "Okay, okay, just this once, no more. This is a special time, a special decision. I guess I need to get a pager!"

Seeing Wen Liang's pained expression, Zuo Yuxi chuckled and took out her phone, pushing it across the table, "Here, take it. I can't use this number anyway."

Wen Liang shook his head, "I'm still a student. It wouldn't look right for me to have a phone. Left Sister, don't tempt me, or I might really take it."

Zuo Yuxi smiled, not insisting, and they chatted and laughed for two hours. Finally, the monotonous ring of a phone broke the silence.

After hanging up, Wen Liang smiled, "Seven o'clock tonight, Chunxi Road 17. Xu Fuyan is very sincere, inviting us to his home."

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