Zhu Wenshu had never heard such an outrageous request.

She raised her hand, meaning to shake Ying Fei’s shoulder, but the person across from her leaned her face in directly instead.

Zhu Wenshu laughed and lightly patted her cheek.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Ying Fei’s eyes were still a blur, unfocused, and she murmured, “I think I just saw Ling Chen.”

“…”

Zhu Wenshu’s smile froze on her face. “Ling… Chen?”

Ying Fei said nothing, her brows gradually knitting together as if lost in thought.

Then she suddenly looked up, staring at Zhu Wenshu.

Zhu Wenshu’s heart lurched, and she dodged the gaze evasively. “Where? Where was he? I’ll go take a look.”

She started toward the door, but Ying Fei grabbed her. “He’s already gotten in the elevator. He’s definitely gone.”

Pulled back, Zhu Wenshu hesitated a long moment before speaking. “Are you sure you didn’t misread who it was?”

“Impossible.”

Ying Fei shook her head firmly. “Even if someone had a similar face, their build and bearing couldn’t possibly be that alike.”

Zhu Wenshu, who had been a little tense, was amused by Ying Fei’s resolute tone and blurted out, “You sure know him well.”

“?”

“…”

Ying Fei’s blank expression vanished in an instant, like a chick suddenly flapping its wings. “Know him? I only know that he spams marketing content every single day—it’s hard not to see him.”

“Mm.”

Zhu Wenshu sighed theatrically. “Should I go chase after him downstairs right now? Maybe I can still catch a glimpse.”

“As if. It’s freezing out there.” Ying Fei muttered under her breath, “He’s just a man with two eyes and a mouth.”

“That’s not the same thing at all.”

After chatting with Ying Fei for a while, Zhu Wenshu had relaxed considerably from her earlier tension. A mischievous urge suddenly rose in her—she wanted to see what Ying Fei’s attitude toward Ling Chen actually was now.

“So do you think he’s… handsome?”

Ying Fei’s lips pressed into a tight line, her chin trembling slightly. She glanced sideways at Zhu Wenshu and, after a long pause, said, “Three years ago I swore an oath in front of a Buddha statue—if I ever spoke against my conscience, my brother’s career would flop.”

Zhu Wenshu raised an eyebrow. “Hm?”

Ying Fei: “I think he’s hideous beyond words.”

Zhu Wenshu: “…”

Fine, so much for that—the anti-fan stance remained unshaken.

She lowered her head and laughed helplessly.

“Then I think you must have seen someone else.”

Ying Fei fell silent, seeming to still be mulling something over.

“Go to bed early, Feifei.”

As Zhu Wenshu turned to leave, she heard Ying Fei muttering to herself, “How could he possibly be here…”

The moment she took a step, Zhu Wenshu heard a “smack.”

She spun around and saw Ying Fei’s hand, having just slapped her own face, pulling away from her cheek.

“I really am out of my mind!” Ying Fei said, her voice rising as if she’d suddenly woken from a dream. “Isn’t he recording his new album in Li City? Even the drummer posted a group photo just this afternoon—how could he possibly be here!”

Zhu Wenshu: “…”

She widened her eyes in surprise, for the first time doubting Ying Fei’s identity as a fan.

How did this anti-fan know Ling Chen’s schedule better than she did, his actual girlfriend?

“You really are… quite invested in him.”

Ying Fei’s mouth opened and closed for a long moment without finding an excuse, her face turning an interesting shade.

“I’m not invested in him… never mind, you wouldn’t understand.” She swallowed. “Just pretend I was sleepwalking tonight.”

Because Ying Fei was so certain she’d mistaken someone else for him, Zhu Wenshu didn’t dwell on it too much. Still, before falling asleep, she couldn’t help thinking—better not let Ling Chen come over anymore.

Ying Fei disliked him so much that if something happened, Zhu Wenshu really didn’t want to end up at the police station again.

But given their current situation, aside from home, there wasn’t really anywhere else the two of them could be together.

Caught up in this worry, Zhu Wenshu drifted into a hazy sleep.

The next morning, Zhu Wenshu was jolted awake by her phone vibrating.

It had only been a dozen or so hours since the incident with Ling Siyuan, and her nerves were still on edge. She sat up almost the instant her eyes opened and hurriedly dug out her phone.

Looking at it, she wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or even more nervous.

Nearly every teacher at school who had her as a contact had sent her a message; even those without her on WeChat had added her.

She didn’t need to open each one to know what they were asking about.

The most absurd was Zhu Qisen, who had sent seventeen voice messages in a row, none shorter than fifty seconds.

Zhu Wenshu couldn’t be bothered to open them.

[Zhu Wenshu]: What’s going on?

[Zhu Qisen]: You didn’t listen to my voice messages?

[Zhu Wenshu]: My phone’s broken.

[Zhu Qisen]: …

[Zhu Qisen]: I heard you and Ling Chen were French-kissing at the police station?

[Zhu Wenshu]: ??????

She nearly dropped her phone and immediately placed a voice call.

When Zhu Qisen picked up, there was noise in the background.

“Tell me, what happened?! I woke up this morning and saw everyone talking about it—I thought I’d misread it!”

Not hearing Zhu Wenshu respond, Zhu Qisen pressed on. “Did they get it wrong? That’s not possible, right? There’s no way that’s possible!”

“Of course it’s not possible.”

Zhu Wenshu said calmly.

“See! I was just—”

Zhu Wenshu: “I’m a teacher. How could I possibly be French-kissing someone in public?”

Zhu Qisen: “…?”

He paused for a moment. “Teacher Zhu, wasn’t I the one who taught you Chinese?”

“…”

“Is that really the point right now?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

Zhu Wenshu lowered her head, clutching the comforter, and said quietly, “Don’t tell Teacher Xue’er yet. I’m afraid she won’t be able to handle it.”

Zhu Qisen: “…”

Do I look like I can handle it?

There was a long silence on the other end. Zhu Wenshu knew Zhu Qisen was processing the news and didn’t say anything either.

She had no experience dating a celebrity, and at first she hadn’t known what to do—she’d simply tried to keep it hidden.

It wasn’t until last night, when Ling Chen said those words, that she’d finally been sure: being with him could be just like being with anyone else.

Since Ling Chen had no intention of hiding her, what was there for her to conceal?

It was just a bit of a headache being gossiped about by so many colleagues all at once.

“I still can’t wrap my head around it… so, so you two…”

After a long while, Zhu Qisen spoke again. “But that day at the concert, Ling Chen already—holy crap?!”

He finally caught on. “No way, Zhu Wenshu, are you that, that—”

“Okay, that’s enough.”

Zhu Wenshu’s phone kept buzzing, and her head was fuzzy from her cold. She had no energy to go into details with Zhu Qisen. “Let’s leave it here for now. I’ll tell you more when I have time. Just don’t tell Teacher Xue’er yet.”

Sensing Zhu Wenshu was about to hang up, Zhu Qisen said hastily, “Wait, hey! You… ugh, my head’s spinning right now, I’ve got to go proctor an exam. Also, I told Xue’er about last night this morning, and she knows you’re sick and resting at home—she says she wants to come see you.”

“No need, I’m fine.”

The moment she said it, Zhu Wenshu sneezed.

“See, look at you. I won’t say more, I’ve been stopped at this intersection for ages, the cars behind me are basically honking me to death.”

Zhu Qisen hit the gas again, and before hanging up, added emphatically, “Don’t forget you owe me the full story! I’m driving, gotta go—ah crap, why did I just turn right!”

After hanging up, Zhu Wenshu grabbed a tissue and wiped her nose.

She’d run outside last night with wet hair and no coat. It hadn’t seemed serious at the time, but waking up she felt worse—even her nose was completely stuffed.

Not having figured out how to explain things to her colleagues yet, she decided to play dead for now. Before getting out of bed, she sent Ling Chen a message.

[Zhu Wenshu]: I’m a little dizzy. I’ll go to the hospital in a bit.

Then she got up to wash and change, and heated a cup of milk.

Less than twenty minutes later, she checked her phone again, froze for a moment, gulped down the milk in one go, and rushed downstairs.

It was rush hour, and the entrance to the residential compound was crowded. Zhu Wenshu stood on the roadside scanning the area for a while but didn’t see Ling Chen’s car.

Then a hand reached out from a red sedan, waving at her twice.

Zhu Wenshu only then remembered this was the car usually driven by Ling Siyuan’s nanny.

“Why did you come?”

Zhu Wenshu asked, settling into the front passenger seat.

Ling Chen didn’t answer right away. He helped tuck her loosened scarf back in and pulled her long hair free from where it was caught against her neck.

“I asked you a question,” Zhu Wenshu repeated. “Why did you come?”

“Tsk.”

Ling Chen looked at her, exasperated. “Why do you keep asking me that question?”

Not understanding what he meant, Zhu Wenshu blinked in confusion.

Ling Chen gave her earlobe a light pinch. “Shouldn’t I have come?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Zhu Wenshu raised a hand to scratch where he’d pinched her, the itch lingering. “It’s just—you’re Ling Chen.”

“Ling Chen is yours,” he paused, “boyfriend.”

“I know.”

Zhu Wenshu’s lips curved gently, her voice going soft. “I just thought the hospital would be too crowded.”

Ling Chen smiled along with her. “It’s exactly because it’s crowded that I can’t let my girlfriend go there all alone.”

On the way, Zhu Wenshu saw Ling Chen take a call. The person on the other end seemed to be Ling Xingyan.

When he hung up, Zhu Wenshu asked, “How did yesterday’s matter turn out?”

The question made the atmosphere in the car noticeably heavier.

But Ling Chen’s expression stayed relaxed, as if he wasn’t taking it too seriously. “Ling Xingyan’s still handling it.”

Zhu Wenshu nodded, then asked, “Will they be sentenced?”

Seeing Ling Chen frown, she added, “I’m not trying to weigh in—I really don’t know much about this kind of thing.”

“It’s fine that you’re asking, Yuanyuan is your—”

Ling Chen turned to glance at Zhu Wenshu, and as if anticipating what he was about to say, she pressed her lips together, looking uncomfortable.

Ling Chen changed his phrasing. “—student.”

“Oh.”

That wasn’t actually what concerned Zhu Wenshu. She lowered her head and said quietly, “I’m more concerned about what you want to do—after all, they’re your own maternal grandparents.”

“Not anymore.”

Ling Chen said it without any particular tone.

Zhu Wenshu waited a long moment for him to say more. She looked up at him and saw the morning light falling across his pale face, his eyes calm and unreadable. Sensing it wasn’t the moment to press further, she let the matter drop.

Thinking about it, she realized her question had been unnecessary anyway.

If there had still been any family affection between those two elders and Ling Chen, they never would have done what they did.

But Zhu Wenshu’s silence had clearly stirred something in Ling Chen.

With just a few dozen meters left before the hospital, he suddenly asked, “Do you think I’m unfilial?”

“Huh?”

Zhu Wenshu was startled for a moment—at first the tone had sounded almost like a joke, but Ling Chen’s expression was very serious.

So she shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

The car had stopped by the roadside. Ling Chen said nothing, just quietly watching Zhu Wenshu.

She lowered her head, undoing her seatbelt, and said, “I’ve never really liked the word ‘filial’ anyway.”

Ling Chen’s expression softened, and he said gently, “Then what do you like?”

Zhu Wenshu felt a little embarrassed saying it. She picked up her bag, and just as she was about to open the car door, she turned back to smile at him.

“Loving each other.”

She said it and immediately hopped out of the car, waving at him through the window before he could react.

“I’m just going in to pick up some medicine. Don’t follow me, wait here.”

Ling Chen didn’t say anything, just lowered his head and started undoing his own seatbelt.

“I mean it.” Zhu Wenshu knocked on the window. “Be good.”

“…”

A man over six feet tall seemed to be frozen in place by the words “be good.”

Ling Chen pressed his lips together, stopped undoing his seatbelt, and gave Zhu Wenshu a sidelong glance, eyelids lowered.

“Hurry up,” he said, expressionless. “I don’t have much patience for being good.”

After Zhu Wenshu walked off, Ling Chen watched her back for a long while, a restless urge rising in his chest.

This couldn’t go on.

A couple that couldn’t even go to the hospital together barely counted as a couple.

After a moment, he suddenly took out his phone and called Ling Xingyan.

“I was just about to call you,” Ling Xingyan said as soon as he picked up. “I know how serious this matter actually is—if we really pursued it, the penalty wouldn’t be that severe anyway. But those two old people have been begging me all night. I’ve thought it over a lot—rather than that, I think it’s more effective to use this to scare them off, and honestly, I don’t want to keep dealing with them either.”

“What do you think?”

“I think you don’t need to worry about my opinion.”

Ling Chen said, “They tried to hurt your own son. Do whatever you want. They have nothing to do with me.”

Ling Xingyan was quiet for a moment. “Alright, don’t worry, they won’t be showing up again.”

Busy with something, Ling Xingyan was about to hang up. “Alright, I’ll leave it there. Get back soon, I need to go—”

“Wait.”

Ling Chen suddenly spoke.

Ling Xingyan: “What is it?”

Ling Chen looked toward the hospital entrance, at the figure disappearing inside, and said, “Are we family?”

Ling Xingyan: “?”

He figured Ling Chen must be upset about the whole grandparents situation, and his tone softened. “Of course we are. We’ll always be family. Even if your career tanks, we’ll still be family.”

Ling Chen: “Family should love each other, shouldn’t they?”

Thinking Ling Chen must really be hurting, Ling Xingyan said generously, “Right! We love each other!”

Ling Chen said flatly, “Then find some time to come help me get rid of the formaldehyde in my apartment.”

Ling Xingyan: “?”

Ling Chen: “I want to move back into my own place.”

—

Zhu Wenshu took longer than Ling Chen expected to come back out.

He kept glancing toward the hospital entrance, and just as he was about to call her, he saw that familiar figure walking out.

She was walking with her head down, her steps slow, looking not particularly happy.

Once she was back in the car, Ling Chen turned to study her expression.

“What’s wrong?”

Zhu Wenshu shook her head. “Nothing, it’s nothing.”

“Nothing that concerns you is ‘nothing.'”

He tipped her chin up to make her look at him. “What exactly happened?”

Zhu Wenshu blinked. “The doctor said I’m beyond saving.”

Ling Chen: “?”

“…”

He pressed his lips together. “Talk properly.”

“Ugh, it really was nothing.”

Zhu Wenshu let out a long sigh, patting the wrinkles out of her clothes over and over. “Just that when I was picking up my medicine, some old man cut in line. I tried to reason with him and he wouldn’t listen, being completely unreasonable—it made me so angry.”

Ling Chen really hadn’t expected this was what had upset Zhu Wenshu.

He smiled. “When are you going to learn to stop trying to reason with people?”

Zhu Wenshu glared at him. “I’m a teacher. Of course I have to be reasonable.”

“Teachers are people too. You’re allowed to get angry when it’s warranted.”

Ling Chen cupped her face, looking at her seriously. “Want me to teach you?”

Zhu Wenshu ignored him.

“With some people, reasoning doesn’t work,” he said. “Do you know how to snap at people?”

Zhu Wenshu said lazily, “No.”

“Then let me teach you.” Ling Chen’s mouth curved. “Next time, just say it straight: get lost. Got it?”

Zhu Wenshu played with her scarf and said half-heartedly, “Get lost~”

Ling Chen: “…I told you to curse, not act cute.”

He tilted his head, thinking. “‘Old man’—can you say that with attitude?”

The self-reference actually carried quite a lot of swagger.

But looking up at Ling Chen, Zhu Wenshu suddenly found the whole thing hilarious.

A huge celebrity, teaching an ordinary schoolteacher how to curse people out.

She looked at him and started laughing.

“…”

Ling Chen pinched her cheek. “I’m teaching you to swear at people, take it seriously.”

“Okay.”

“Say it. ‘Old man.’ Quick.”

Zhu Wenshu nodded, eyes shining as she looked at him.

“Hug me, old man.”

“…”

He’d meant to teach her how to get angry, and instead she’d left him with no temper at all.

Ling Chen sighed, resigned, and reached out to pull her against him.

Catching the scent of her hair, he lowered his head and, following the motion, kissed the corner of her mouth.

—

After getting home, Zhu Wenshu had just made herself some medicinal powder drink when she got a call from Shi Xue’er.

“Teacher Zhu, are you feeling better?”

“Much better, it wasn’t really that serious to begin with.”

Zhu Wenshu said.

“How is it not serious! Zhu Qisen said you didn’t even wear a coat last night, you must have frozen!”

There was the sound of car horns in the background. “I bought you some fruit, and I made chicken soup too—I’m on my way over right now.”

“…huh? No need, really, I’m fine!”

“Don’t be polite about it. Zhu Qisen said you got sick because of Ling Chen’s nephew. As fans, we have to show our appreciation somehow. Just wait a bit, I’ll be at your place soon.”

Zhu Wenshu: “…”

The way she put it, it sounded like she’d gotten sick for Ling Chen’s own son.

She felt helpless, but since Shi Xue’er was practically at her door already, she didn’t refuse.

A little while later, sure enough, the doorbell rang.

Zhu Wenshu opened the door to find Shi Xue’er loaded down with bags of things, and couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re acting like I’ve been through some major illness—I just caught a chill. You’re being way too kind.”

“Not at all, not at all.” Shi Xue’er stepped in and set the things on the table. “I’m also here representing our fan group to check in—what exactly happened?”

Seeing that Zhu Wenshu’s complexion looked a bit pale, Shi Xue’er quickly added, “Drink some soup first, no rush, no rush.”

Zhu Wenshu wasn’t quite sure how to explain the situation to Shi Xue’er, since it involved Ling Chen’s family matters.

But Shi Xue’er was already there, and she couldn’t just send her away, so she poured herself a bowl of chicken soup and started sipping it while thinking about how to phrase things.

A few minutes later, Ying Fei came out of her room.

She saw Shi Xue’er, froze for a moment, then turned toward the kitchen without a word.

Shi Xue’er didn’t pay her any mind, sitting eagerly next to Zhu Wenshu. “How is it? Good?”

“It’s good.”

Zhu Wenshu felt a little awkward drinking alone, so she said, “Do you want some too?”

It was a cold day, and Shi Xue’er’s hands and feet were still cold from the wind on her way over, so she nodded. “Sure, let me grab a bowl.”

Seeing her stand up, Zhu Wenshu quickly set down her own soup. “I’ll get it for you.”

Just as she said that, Ying Fei came out of the kitchen with an empty bowl and set it in front of Shi Xue’er.

Shi Xue’er cleared her throat. “Thanks.”

“No need to thank me. Drink up.”

Ying Fei said flatly, “By the time you see the news about your Ling Chen’s meltdown, you’ll need plenty of soothing soup.”

“…”

Both women in the living room froze.

“What meltdown?”

Shi Xue’er asked blankly. “Did he evade taxes?”

“…”

Ying Fei twitched her mouth. “Haven’t you seen Weibo just now?”

“What?”

Zhu Wenshu pulled out her phone even faster than Ying Fei had, and the moment she refreshed Weibo, sure enough, there it was, trending, posted just over ten minutes ago.

[@Entertainment Bus]: Breaking! A top-tier A-list celebrity was seen French-kissing a woman in a car this morning, utterly inseparable—has this been a secret relationship for years? See you Monday!

Zhu Wenshu opened the comments, and the top one read—

@GoodOmenWhenComing: Ling Chen and Classmate Little Silkworm?

Zhu Wenshu glanced at it once and closed the app, staring blankly at the floor.

“Oh my—”

Shi Xue’er, having read the Weibo post, burst out laughing. “Is that all this is? I thought it was something serious. We’re all dying to know who Classmate Little Silkworm actually is.”

Ying Fei: “…”

Shi Xue’er: “Ugh! What are these paparazzi even doing? They got the photo today and they’re still saying ‘see you Monday’? Just expose it now! I want to see the photos! And I’m only satisfied with high-def, uncensored ones!”

“…”

Shi Xue’er: “It’d be even better if there was video. I could watch it like a K-drama, like eight hundred times.”

Zhu Wenshu suddenly stood up, grabbed her phone, and ran back to her room, shutting the door.

She turned around, leaning her back against the wall, breathing hard, and dialed Ling Chen’s number.

In the few seconds it took to connect, Zhu Wenshu’s legs had already started to give out.

She’d considered the possibility of being photographed, but she’d never imagined being caught on camera kissing.

How was she supposed to keep up her image as a teacher after this!

“What’s wrong?”

Ling Chen’s voice came through, calm.

“What do you mean, ‘what’s wrong’!”

Zhu Wenshu kept her voice low, stamping her foot in frustration. “Didn’t you see the news just now?”

“Oh, that.”

Ling Chen said, unhurried, “I heard.”

“?”

Zhu Wenshu blinked. “How are you so calm about this? We got photographed!”

“It wasn’t us.”

His tone was remarkably composed, without a trace of panic, which left Zhu Wenshu even more confused.

“How can you be so sure it wasn’t us?”

Ling Chen: “I didn’t use tongue when I kissed you today.”

Zhu Wenshu: “…”