Chapter 51: Chapter 51: I Don’t Want to Go Home

All the female teachers were stunned.

They hadn’t expected the car to be here for Jiang Xiaoqi.

"Oh my god, Xiaoqi, you’re really something! You got such a handsome boyfriend and didn’t even tell us."

"N-No."

Jiang Xiaoqi grew flustered, her face turning red.

"It’s not what you think. Please don’t misunderstand."

"You’re a grown woman now, don’t be so shy. Besides, he’s driving a Maybach! With a catch like that, you better hold on tight before someone else snatches him away."

"Huh? What’s a Maybach?" Xu Xinrui didn’t know anything about cars; she was completely clueless on the subject.

"It’s a high-end brand under Mercedes-Benz. I heard they cost millions. Ordinary people definitely can’t afford a car like that."

"Holy crap, it’s that expensive? No wonder it looks so good."

Xu Xinrui gave Jiang Xiaoqi a mischievous nudge.

"He came all this way to pick you up. Stop dawdling and go already."

"I’ll get going then. Bye-bye!"

"Go on, go on."

Jiang Xiaoqi opened the door, got into the car, and drove off under the watchful eyes of her colleagues.

Ma Yang and her boyfriend stood rooted to the spot, paralyzed with an awkwardness so intense they could feel their toes curling.

She had just finished bragging that with her qualifications, she didn’t even need the "Outstanding Teacher" title. And in the next moment, the other woman’s boyfriend rolled up in a Maybach.

’Talk about unfair!’

...

Sitting in the passenger seat and looking at the car’s interior, Jiang Xiaoqi felt a little self-conscious.

She knew Lin Jiang was well-off, but she never imagined he drove a luxury car worth millions. In her entire life, this was the first time she had ever been in such a nice vehicle.

"Teacher Jiang, is there anything you’d like to eat?"

"I..." Jiang Xiaoqi started to say something, then hesitated.

"What’s wrong?"

"I made a reservation at a hot pot restaurant, but it might be a bit ordinary. I’m worried you won’t like it."

Jiang Xiaoqi looked at Lin Jiang earnestly. "Why don’t you pick a place instead? My treat."

"By that logic, I guess I can’t eat at food stalls anymore either."

"You actually go to food stalls?"

"Of course. I like that lively, down-to-earth atmosphere."

"Hehe..." Jiang Xiaoqi pushed up her glasses. "I like it too."

"So, let’s go to the place you picked. Just give me the directions."

"Mhm."

Following Jiang Xiaoqi’s directions, Lin Jiang drove to the entrance of a hot pot restaurant called Mountain City.

There were a lot of cars parked out front. ’The food must be pretty good,’ he thought.

Once inside, Jiang Xiaoqi gave her name to a server and they were led to their reserved table.

"Mr. Lin, please, order whatever you like." Jiang Xiaoqi pushed the menu toward him.

"Then I won’t hold back."

"Mhm, please don’t."

Lin Jiang didn’t stand on ceremony. He ordered a few plates of meat and some vegetables, then pushed the menu back to her. Jiang Xiaoqi added a couple more items, and they were done ordering.

That morning, Jiang Xiaoqi had said she wanted to talk about Zhao Wenxuan and have him relay a message to Xu Lin.

But they both knew what her real purpose was. It would be strange to bring up Zhao Wenxuan now.

"Brother Jiang, this is for you."

Jiang Xiaoqi took a palm-sized box out of her bag and handed it to Lin Jiang.

"What’s this?"

"You’ll see."

Lin Jiang opened the box and found a bottle of cologne.

"I didn’t know what to get, so I bought this. I hope you like it."

"I love it. This is the first time a woman has given me cologne. I’ll have to put it somewhere prominent when I get home."

Lin Jiang said with a smile, "But this gift is a little sudden. I’m not sure what the occasion is."

"It’s nothing special, really. I just wanted to thank you."

In a very feminine gesture, Jiang Xiaoqi brushed back the bangs on her forehead.

"You put in a good word for me with Principal Zhou yesterday. He thought about it and decided to give me the ’Outstanding Teacher’ nomination for this term."

’Hm?’

’It’s settled just like that?’

’But Tongzi hasn’t notified me that the mission is complete.’

"Well, that’s a pleasant surprise. Now I don’t have to feel guilty about accepting this gift."

"I’m just glad you don’t mind it."

"Why would I?"

As they chatted, the food they ordered arrived at the table.

"When does the selection process begin?"

This was what Lin Jiang was really concerned about. Normally, the mission would be considered complete as soon as the official announcement was issued.

"The materials have already been submitted to the Bureau of Education. The official announcement should be out in the next few days."

"Then congratulations, Teacher Jiang, on becoming an Outstanding Teacher. Let me toast you with this tea in place of wine." Lin Jiang raised his cup.

"I should be the one toasting you. I’ll definitely take extra good care of Xuanxuan from now on. You can leave all his school matters to me."

Lin Jiang laughed. "Anyone who didn’t know better would think Xuanxuan was my son."

"If you have children in the future, you can send them to my class. I’ll be sure to take good care of them too."

"Then it’s a deal."

"It’s a deal."

Over the course of the meal, Lin Jiang found that Jiang Xiaoqi had a bit of a "girl-next-door" personality.

She was actually around the same age as Li Zhiyi, but she gave off a completely different vibe.

The frameless glasses perched on her delicate nose, in particular, made her seem even more sweet and prim.

’But they say the more someone is like this, the bigger the contrast in their true personality. I wonder if the wisdom of the internet gurus is accurate.’

"Mr. Lin, would it be okay to add you as a contact? That way we can communicate when you come to pick up Xuanxuan in the future."

"No problem. But don’t call me Mr. Lin, it’s too formal. If you don’t mind, just call me Brother Jiang."

As he spoke, Lin Jiang pulled up his QR code.

Jiang Xiaoqi pushed up her glasses, her eyes curving into smiling crescents. "Of course I don’t mind."

She then took out her phone and added him.

Jiang Xiaoqi had asked Lin Jiang to dinner mainly to thank him. Since they didn’t have much else to talk about, the meal was over in a little more than an hour.

"What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

Seeing Jiang Xiaoqi sitting listlessly in the car with her head in one hand, Lin Jiang asked.

"I don’t want to go home."

Lin Jiang: ???

’Is the contrast starting already?’

’I’m not ready for this!’

"N-No, no, Brother Jiang, don’t get the wrong idea! That’s not what I meant."

"What ’wrong idea’? What could I possibly misunderstand?" Lin Jiang asked with a teasing smile.

"Oh, come on, Brother Jiang, stop teasing me."

Seeing her bashful reaction, Lin Jiang smiled. ’She caught on instantly. Maybe there really is a huge contrast.’

"So then, what did you mean?"

"My family is trying to set me up on a blind date. My mom just messaged me and said the guy is still at our house. I really don’t want to go back."

"You’re not looking to date right now?"

Jiang Xiaoqi nodded. "I have no interest in it whatsoever, but my family keeps pushing me. I don’t know what they’re so anxious about. It’s like they think I’ll never get married."

"Oh, that’s simple."

"Huh? Simple?"

"If you really don’t want to meet him, I can help you out."

"Really?"

"Of course."