Teacher Qi was confused.

When Sun Tian was assigned to work at the school, Zhao Gang became very enthusiastic and friendly. Later, he practically started following her around all day – how could anyone say they weren’t dating? Teacher Qi didn’t particularly like Zhao Gang’s flirtatious nature, but she wasn’t very close to Sun Tian either, so she couldn’t just start badmouthing Zhao Gang right away. That would only create enemies. As a married woman, she didn’t like Zhao Gang’s type, but what if the young girl liked him?

When Teacher Qi showed concern, Sun Tian revealed everything she had been wanting to say. Zhao Gang’s self-importance, his overwhelming enthusiasm, his constant lecturing of her, her countless rejections – others always assumed she was just being shy. Zhao Gang seemed to deliberately misunderstand, appearing before her and talking at her regardless of whether she responded or not… Teacher Qi’s eye twitched as she listened.

“You don’t like Teacher Zhao at all?”

Sun Tian shook her head like a rattledrum.

Teacher Qi was speechless and felt physically repulsed. Zhao Gang was taking advantage of the young girl’s shyness, creating social pressure, and being pushy – just like a hooligan. He had targeted Sun Tian because of her gentle nature. Thinking about how she had unknowingly joked about their relationship before, Teacher Qi felt guilty.

“Little Sun, I think you should tell your family about this. Elders have more life experience and can help you analyze and handle the situation.”

This girl was truly too honest – Principal Sun was her uncle, yet she had let Zhao Gang harass her for so long.

Teacher Qi’s suggestion was for Sun Tian to “report” the situation. If she didn’t want to date him but he was forcing the issue, it was time to tell the adults. And who were Sun Tian’s elders if not Principal Sun?

After Teacher Qi’s repeated encouragement, Sun Tian agreed that the situation couldn’t remain ambiguous any longer.

Very troubled, Sun Tian told everything to her Second Aunt, including her feelings about Zhao Gang and the several times he had asked her for strange favors.

“He insisted on accompanying me to Fengxian, but Xiao Lan and I are both women – it’s not appropriate.”

Mrs. Sun chuckled.

So they hadn’t wronged Zhao Gang – hadn’t Xia Xiao Lan’s words matched up exactly?

Was his insistence on going to Fengxian City because he was worried about Sun Tian, or was he trying to take advantage of female students?

The preliminary examination was such an important matter, yet Zhao Gang was trying to pull this kind of stunt. Mrs. Sun wanted to strangle the bastard – on one hand, pursuing Sun Tian, probably to gain connections with the Sun family, but he couldn’t even pretend properly. On the other hand, he was trying to harass pretty female students – what did he take her niece for?

Mrs. Sun certainly wouldn’t blame Xia Xiao Lan. That girl had it tough and was focused solely on her studies. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have immediately told her about Zhao Gang’s suspicious behavior.

The problem lay with Zhao Gang!

It seemed he had not only pursued other female teachers before – and that was putting it nicely. Mrs. Sun suppressed her anger.

“Don’t worry, I understand everything now. Our Tian Tian is a grown woman and should find a proper boyfriend. Don’t worry about Zhao Gang – I guarantee he won’t bother you anymore.”

If he was just a fleeting fancy, they couldn’t let Zhao Gang block her niece’s path to a proper marriage.

Mrs. Sun felt regretful. Thinking the young people were just shy, she hadn’t interfered in Sun Tian’s relationship matters. If Zhao Gang had pestered her into marriage, it would have truly ruined Sun Tian’s life. How would she and Old Sun explain that to Sun Tian’s parents? To have something happen right under Old Sun’s nose!

After comforting her niece and telling her to go to Fengxian with Xia Xiao Lan, Mrs. Sun told Principal Sun about the situation. He was also very angry: “Zhao Gang is being ridiculous! He has teaching duties – instead of focusing on teaching students, he’s thinking about all sorts of nonsense!”

Even if Zhao Gang was dating Sun Tian, Principal Sun wouldn’t have agreed to let him go to Fengxian.

The school had arranged accommodation at the guesthouse in Fengxian so that student Xia Xiao Lan could focus on her exams. Could these young people not bear to be apart for a moment? Going to Fengxian just for dating – what if it affected Xia Xiao Lan’s exam?

Now knowing that Zhao Gang liked to act unilaterally, Principal Sun had no more reservations.

He planned to have a good talk with Zhao Gang – was the young man spending so much time pestering Sun Tian because his teaching duties were too light, leaving him with too much free time?

When Principal Sun went to find Zhao Gang, he was told that Zhao Gang had taken leave.

“Leave for tomorrow?”

Of course, ordinary teachers taking leave didn’t need to alert the principal.

Principal Sun wondered what exactly Zhao Gang was planning!

The distance from Anqing County to Fengxian City was about the same as to the provincial capital.

Fengxian and Shangdu were in different directions. The time it took to travel to Fengxian was enough to reach the provincial capital. When Xia Xiao Lan was doing business before, she never considered Fengxian – since the distance was the same, Shangdu’s economy was definitely more developed.

This was her first time going to Fengxian.

She and Sun Tian took the bus from Anqing County together, bringing Ge Jian along.

Li Dong Liang had been sent to Fengxian City first to arrange another room at the guesthouse that No. 1 Middle School had arranged for Xia Xiao Lan, right next to her room.

Sun Tian glanced at Ge Jian several times. Xia Xiao Lan smiled and introduced him: “This is my relative from out of town. He also has some business in Fengxian, so he’s coming with me.”

Sun Tian didn’t think much of it. With her understanding, she would never have imagined that a female student like Xia Xiao Lan would hire a bodyguard. The word “bodyguard” wasn’t even in Little Sun Teacher’s knowledge base. Ge Jian was quiet and reserved, only greeting Sun Tian briefly before falling silent. Sun Tian’s attention was focused on Xia Xiao Lan.

What should she say to Student Xia?

Ask if she was prepared for the preliminary exam. That might make Student Xia nervous.

Then ask if her family had caused any more trouble. No, no, that wasn’t a happy topic either.

In terms of mental age, Sun Tian was like a young girl compared to Xia Xiao Lan, and she had no ulterior motives. Seeing her struggle to find conversation topics, Xia Xiao Lan held back her amusement:

“Teacher Sun, are you and Teacher Zhao dating?”

Sun Tian was stunned – was this an appropriate question for a student to ask?

But Xia Xiao Lan was smiling warmly, her expression relaxed, neither teasing nor disrespectful. Sun Tian unconsciously began to relax. Nothing was embarrassing about discussing it – if she couldn’t even tell a student, how could she explain it to her confused colleagues?

Sun Tian shook her head: “Teacher Zhao and I are just colleagues.”

Xia Xiao Lan wasn’t trying to meddle – Sun Tian had helped her before, so she worried about her being taken advantage of.

“But everyone says you’re dating, and I see Teacher Zhao being very enthusiastic. Teacher Sun, if you don’t like Teacher Zhao, you should make that clear early on.”

Even students thought this way – Sun Tian felt more certain she had done the right thing.

She had already made things clear with Zhao Gang, talked to Teacher Qi, and told Second Aunt.

In front of her student, Sun Tian didn’t mind saying it again. When she mentioned refusing Zhao Gang’s offer to accompany them to Fengxian, Xia Xiao Lan’s eyes flickered. Zhao Gang wanting to go to Fengxian shouldn’t have anything to do with her preliminary exam, right? It would be better if there was no connection. Xia Xiao Lan felt she had no interaction with him, but Zhao Gang’s behavior when he stopped her at school last time seemed like he wanted to establish some connection with her.

How could Xia Xiao Lan care about someone like him? But if Zhao Gang insisted on approaching her, Xia Xiao Lan wouldn’t mind teaching him a lesson.