Monts later, Wei Ming regained so clarity.
He looked at Tang Weiwei anxiously and said with deep emotion, “Weiwei, believe . I really like you. I like you more than anyone else ever could.”
Now that everything had been laid bare and Tang Weiwei had rejected him in person, Wei Ming, who was already out of the picture, couldn’t accept losing her so easily. He tried to use his sincerity to move her, hoping for one last chance.
“I’m sorry. I already have a boyfriend,” Tang Weiwei said softly, her head lowered. She couldn’t bear to look into his eyes and see his sadness.
“Why? I like you, Weiwei. I’ve liked you since high school. I’ve liked you longer than anyone else ever could. I’m willing to protect you, care for you, and love you for the rest of my life. Please, Weiwei, just give a chance, okay?”
When Tang Weiwei learned of Wei Ming’s feelings for her, she approached him not rely to reject him. Her intention was to make things clear so he wouldn’t waste any more of his ti and energy on her. Her intentions were kind.
But despite her clear rejection, Wei Ming remained stubborn and unwilling to let go.
Tang Weiwei felt helpless but wasn’t angry—yet. She simply spoke in a slightly colder tone, “I’ve made myself very clear. I’m leaving now.”
After saying this, she turned to head back to Xu Xiuwen.
“Wait,” Wei Ming called out hurriedly.
“What else is there?” Tang Weiwei asked, puzzled.
“It’s impossible. You’ve only been in college for a year. How could your personality change so much that you’ve already gotten a boyfriend? You must be lying to , right? And even if you did get a boyfriend in college, how could it be such a coincidence that he’s also from Wumu Town? I don’t believe it.”
Tang Weiwei couldn’t help but soften her stance. She explained, “Why would I lie to you? Xu Xiuwen is indeed my college classmate, and no, he’s not from here. He’s just accompanying back to visit my grandmother.”
She added as an afterthought, “Xu Xiuwen treats very well, and I like him very much.”
Seeing the happiness in Tang Weiwei’s eyes, Wei Ming realized he truly had no chance. But instinctively, he still refused to believe it. He reached for one last straw.
“Is he really that exceptional? Weiwei, our school is a top-tier university, better than yours. I’ve not only won scholarships but will also beco student council president. I’m definitely better than him. After I graduate, I’ll have a bright future. I’ll earn 3,000 yuan—no, 5,000 yuan a month. I can make you happy and give you a good life. Break up with him, okay?”
Tang Weiwei had wanted to speak with Wei Ming out of consideration for their past as classmates. She didn’t want to waste his ti and had intended to be kind.
But Wei Ming’s stubbornness, especially his assertion that he was better than Xu Xiuwen, began to irritate her. Her tone turned much colder.
“Wei Ming, Xu Xiuwen is more exceptional than anyone. He’s already started his own company.”
Start his own company?
Wei Ming didn’t believe it at all. How old could Tang Weiwei’s boyfriend be? How could soone his age possibly start a company?
He was convinced Tang Weiwei was lying to him.
“Weiwei, believe . Give five years, and I’ll definitely make a lot of money. By then, I’ll buy you whatever you want.”
“That’s enough. Stop talking.”
Tang Weiwei took a deep breath, her tone polite yet distant.
“I already have everything I need. I don’t lack anything. Thank you, and I sincerely hope you find a girl who’s truly right for you in the future.”
With that, Tang Weiwei turned to leave.
At that mont, Wei Ming had a sudden realization. If he let her walk away now, this girl would never belong to him again.
He lost control and rushed forward, trying to grab Tang Weiwei to stop her from leaving.
However, Tang Weiwei sensed his intentions. Just as he reached out, she swiftly dodged to the side.
Wei Ming stood there in a daze, watching the girl he loved dearly run back to her boyfriend in a small jog.
The gentle sumr breeze not only lifted the hem of her skirt but also blew away the remnants of his high school crush.
“No—”
…
Tang Weiwei jogged back to Xu Xiuwen, her breathing slightly hurried.
When she looked up, she was t with Xu Xiuwen’s warm and gentle gaze, accompanied by a faint smile.
Xu Xiuwen didn’t ask what she had said to Wei Ming just now. He trusted Tang Weiwei. Besides, the expression and actions Wei Ming had shown earlier said it all.
Afterward, Xu Xiuwen and Tang Weiwei headed to her high school to visit her horoom teacher.
Wumu High School was already on break for the sumr, but the school had provided dormitories for the teachers. Tang Weiwei’s horoom teacher, Teacher Lu, lived in one of the teacher dorms.
The two of them arrived at the door of Teacher Lu’s dorm and knocked.
Soon, a man’s voice ca from inside—deep, slightly coarse, not particularly pleasant but very kind.
Tang Weiwei called out happily, “Teacher Lu, it’s , Weiwei! I’ve co to see you.”
Teacher Lu imdiately recognized her voice.
“Weiwei, why are you here...”
Before the door even opened, Xu Xiuwen could already imagine Teacher Lu’s smile.
The next second, the door opened from the inside.
Xu Xiuwen saw a middle-aged man.
Teacher Lu was not very tall, and his appearance was quite ordinary. Despite wearing glasses, his eyes were full of life, and his smile radiated kindness.
He was dressed in a white shirt, which had clearly been worn for a long ti and had beco slightly yellowed and faded. He paired it with an old black pair of pants and wore traditional leather sandals, the kind with a back strap that could be flipped up to wear as slippers.
“Hello, Teacher Lu,” Tang Weiwei said politely and warmly.
Xu Xiuwen followed her lead and greeted, “Hello, Teacher Lu.”
Hearing the second voice, Teacher Lu turned his attention to Xu Xiuwen.
The smile on his face froze abruptly.
“Co in,” Teacher Lu said coolly.
Tang Weiwei couldn’t understand why Teacher Lu’s expression had changed so suddenly. The smile on her face disappeared as well, replaced by a look of nervousness as she stepped into the room.
The dormitory assigned to Teacher Lu by the school was a modest one-bedroom, one-living-room, one-bathroom unit.
As soon as you enter the front door, you’re in the living room.
The living room isn’t big, just about a dozen square ters.
There’s not much furniture in the living room, just a wooden table and a few long benches.
In the corner near the window stands a stove, which, judging by its design, serves as a simple kitchen.
After stepping inside, Xu Xiuwen placed the cigarettes and alcohol on the table and said, “Teacher Lu, this is just a little token of appreciation from and Weiwei.”
From the mont Xu Xiuwen entered, Teacher Lu’s face had been sour.
Upon hearing Xu Xiuwen’s words, he replied bluntly, “I don’t want them. Take them back.”
Tang Weiwei was sowhat surprised, unsure why Teacher Lu was acting this way.
Though she hadn’t fully supported Xu Xiuwen’s idea to buy cigarettes and alcohol in the first place, now that he had already bought them, she had hoped Teacher Lu would accept.
Tang Weiwei said softly, “Teacher Lu, please just accept them.”
The mont Tang Weiwei spoke, Teacher Lu’s deanor changed, and he agreed to accept.
Xu Xiuwen noticed that Teacher Lu seed a bit unwelcoming toward him.
At that mont, Teacher Lu suddenly asked, “Weiwei, who is this?”
Hearing this, Tang Weiwei lowered her head shyly.
Xu Wen stepped forward and said, “Hello, Teacher Lu. I’m Weiwei’s boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend… Hmph.” Teacher Lu snorted coldly.
He didn’t say much to Xu Xiuwen but turned to Tang Weiwei, his expression growing serious. “Weiwei, what did I tell you? You can’t slack off for a single mont during your four years of college. You need to focus on your studies. Have you forgotten how you promised back then?”
Tang Weiwei panicked imdiately. “I’m sorry, Teacher Lu.”
Xu Xiuwen couldn’t stand it any longer and said, “Teacher Lu, while you are Weiwei’s teacher, dating is Weiwei’s personal freedom, don’t you think?”
“Freedom?” Teacher Lu sneered. “Take your things back. I don’t need them.”
“Whether or not you need them has nothing to do with . Since I’ve brought them here, I’m not taking them back. If you don’t want them, feel free to throw them out or burn them.”
“Who gave you the right to talk to like this! I’m Weiwei’s teacher. Don’t you know how to respect your elders?” Teacher Lu was furious.
“If you hadn’t ntioned it, I would’ve thought you were Weiwei’s father, restricting even her choice of partner. Turns out you’re just her teacher.”
“You little punk!” Teacher Lu was so enraged by Xu Xiuwen’s retort that he started coughing.
Seeing this, Tang Weiwei beca even more anxious. She rushed over to check on him, pleading with Xu Wen with her eyes to stop.
Xu Xiuwen saw her expression and reluctantly agreed.
Tang Weiwei patted Teacher Lu’s back, and his coughing gradually subsided.
Teacher Lu then said to Tang Weiwei, “Weiwei, it’s fine if you want to date, but not with him. I don’t approve of him.”
Xu Xiuwen imdiately fired back, “That’s not your decision to make.”
“You little punk!” Teacher Lu cursed again.
Xu Xiuwen responded calmly, “You’re a teacher, yet you’re cursing like this. Don’t you know how to set an example?”
“I’ll show you an example, you little brat!”
“Go ahead and curse all you want. I won’t stoop to your level.”
…
In no ti, Xu Xiuwen and Teacher Lu were arguing back and forth.
Teacher Lu, unable to win the argunt, resorted to hurling insults, while Xu Xiuwen countered with calm, logical responses.
Tang Weiwei was dumbfounded by the scene.
When she finally ca to her senses, she quickly shouted, “Both of you, stop arguing!”
Hearing Tang Weiwei’s voice, Xu Xiuwen felt a twinge of guilt for the promise he had made to her earlier. He knew that staying any longer might lead to another argunt with Teacher Lu.
So he simply said, “I’ll wait for you outside,” and walked away.
Teacher Lu’s dormitory was located on the westernmost side of the school. To the east stood a classroom building, and to the south was an open space for sports. It couldn’t even be called a proper field—just an expanse of dirt without any cent paving, primitive and unrefined.
The entire high school was quite small, lacking even a basic football field. However, there was a basketball court and a single ping-pong table. The facilities looked outdated and underdeveloped.
Although this wasn’t a remote mountainous area in the southwest, the school’s conditions weren’t much better than those found there.
For Teacher Lu to persist in teaching under such circumstances was quite admirable.
At this mont, Xu Xiuwen regretted his earlier argunt with the teacher. Still, he couldn’t entirely bla himself—Teacher Lu’s tone earlier had rubbed him the wrong way. Xu Xiuwen didn’t mind being scolded, but he couldn’t accept the teacher forbidding Tang Weiwei from being in a relationship.
As Xu Xiuwen strolled around the school, Tang Weiwei eventually found him standing in the open space. Seeing her approaching, Xu Xiuwen asked, “Are you done talking to him?”
“Mm. Let’s go,” Tang Weiwei replied softly.
“I’m sorry,” Xu Xiuwen said. “I ca to accompany you to see your horoom teacher, but I ended up arguing with him.”
Tang Weiwei smiled and shook her head. “It’s okay. I know you both an well.”
“What do you an?”
Instead of answering directly, Tang Weiwei started sharing stories from her high school days.
In her recounting, Teacher Lu had always taken good care of her. Xu Xiuwen remained silent as he listened.
After a pause, Tang Weiwei asked, “Do you know why Teacher Lu treats so well?”
“No,” Xu Xiuwen said.
“Actually, Teacher Lu was married and had a daughter. Because he always prioritized his students, there was an accident, and his daughter passed away. His wife couldn’t bear the blow and eventually divorced him. Teacher Lu often told that if his daughter were still alive, she would be about my age. I know part of the reason he’s so kind to is that he sees as his daughter.”
“Xu Xiuwen, I grew up without a father, so I don’t know what having one feels like. But Teacher Lu has been really good to .”
“I’m sorry, Weiwei. I didn’t know any of this,” Xu Xiuwen said, deeply regretful.
“It’s really okay. I’m not upset, and neither is Teacher Lu. He just thinks I’m inexperienced and worries that I might et the wrong person or be deceived. But I know you won’t hurt , and that’s enough.”
“Mm.” Xu Xiuwen couldn’t help pulling Tang Weiwei into his arms.
“On the day we get married, let’s invite Teacher Lu, okay?” Xu Xiuwen said.
“Mm-hmm,” Tang Weiwei replied.
In Xu Xiuwen’s arms, Tang Weiwei tilted her head up to look at him.
Her bright, clear eyes reflected his image, and under the sunlight, she looked as pure as a lily—soone who made people want to protect and cherish her for a lifeti.
“It’s getting late. Let’s head back early,” she said softly.
“Alright.”
Xu Xiuwen released Tang Weiwei and prepared to go ho with her. Just then, he noticed sothing from the direction of the teachers’ dormitory.
Through the window of Teacher Lu’s ho, soone was standing there—it was Teacher Lu.
Feeling a sense of sympathy for him, Xu Xiuwen had no intention of continuing their earlier argunt. Instead, he suddenly waved his hand and shouted loudly, “Teacher Lu, next ti I’ll co back with Weiwei to visit you again!”
—
Author’s Note:
In her previous life, Tang Weiwei had studied all the way to earning a doctorate and eventually beca a teacher.
Because she had promised her horoom teacher not to date while in school—and because she didn’t really feel like dating—she had never been in a relationship.
Even by the ti Xu Xiuwen was reborn, she still hadn’t experienced love.
This will be explained gradually in the story. Just giving a small spoiler here in case anyone gets confused.
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