Chapter 70: Could the One Gu Yang Likes Be Him?
“You have no idea how unlucky I was last night.”
Xie Wu was still lamenting to Yu Bai and the others, “I literally didn’t do anything—just leaned by the shop entrance for a few seconds, and the shop owner caught me. I ended up sorting cardboard boxes until past seven.”
Yu Bai asked, “Gu Yang just knocked over the boxes, right? You could’ve just restacked them.”
“I wish it were that simple! That owner lady said, ‘Oh, young man, you’re tall and strong—help me flatten these boxes with your feet, then we’ll tie them together so I can sell them.’”
Lu Ji asked, “Couldn’t you have refused? That’s not your job.”
“Hehe, I just wanted to help. Thought it wouldn’t take long, but after tying up the ones outside, there were still a bunch in the storage.”
Xie Wu’s face was the picture of despair. “Her family was making dumplings, though. After I finished, they let me eat a bit, so at least I had dinner.”
“Wait, I have a question.”
Ying Jiayi raised her hand. “You said you were taking Gu Yang to check out Feng Xiaochun, but before you even went in, someone spotted you. While hiding, Gu Yang knocked over some boxes and exposed you. The owner came out to scold you, so you stayed behind to help, and Gu Yang went ahead to eat first.”
“Who saw you? Why did you need to hide? And you stayed behind while Gu Yang went to eat by himself—does he have that much initiative?”
“I feel like there’s someone missing in this story. There should’ve been a third person—someone who discovered you, then took Gu Yang to eat. That would make more sense.”
After this analysis, Xie Wu was sweating profusely.
He originally just wanted to vent, without exposing Xia Chuan, but Ying Jiayi had noticed things to this degree.
“Haha, no way,” Xie Wu laughed awkwardly. “I was just feeling guilty! Besides, what’s wrong with Gu Yang going ahead? He’s an adult—he’ll get inside when it rains, eat when he’s hungry. What’s weird about that?”
Ying Jiayi raised an eyebrow. She was even more certain that Xie Wu was hiding something, but he clearly didn’t want them to know, so she didn’t press further.
“But you’re really reckless, taking Gu Yang straight to her door,” Yu Bai scolded him. “Feng Xiaochun becoming your sister-in-law? That’s way in the future! Right now, people could think you’re a harasser.”
“Too bad you didn’t meet Feng Xiaochun this time,” Lu Ji said. “Since you’ve been recognized, don’t go. Give me the address; I’ll send a reliable junior to check it out later.”
“Hey! You’re my true bro. That last hit wasn’t for nothing,” Xie Wu said, touched, but he still refused. He wanted to go at his own pace.
Even if someone else knew, it wouldn’t necessarily be good for Xia Chuan, even if he trusted the person’s character.
Besides, while helping the shop owner with the boxes, he had been subtly asking around.
The owner loved to chat and shared a lot of gossip.
According to her, Feng Xiaochun was quite unreliable. Even while helping her, she would take frequent leaves to go gamble outside, and her luck was bad—mostly losing.
Also—
The shop owner leaned in, whispering mysteriously.
She had once followed a big businessman. Now, his daughter was Feng Xiaochun’s child.
Apparently, she lacked the means to become a rich wife herself. Over the years, no other men had been around, so perhaps she still hoped for someone.
Xie Wu’s expression turned awkward.
He just wanted to understand Feng Xiaochun’s character, not hear these dubious old stories.
Though he wasn’t close to Xia Chuan, they went to the same school. He tried to change the topic, but the sisters cooking dumplings at the door eagerly joined in.
They said that big businessman was a prominent local tycoon in Jiangcheng, with a listed company. Feng Xiaochun not seeking someone over the years was probably to make her daughter inherit the fortune.
They added that many years ago, Feng Xiaochun had stormed the businessman’s home with her daughter, even though he had a wife and son.
Isn’t that like a mistress provoking the original wife? Normally calm, but surprisingly restless.
Xie Wu thought of Xia Chuan’s indifferent face, unwilling to get close to anyone.
If this were true, then Xia Chuan would be an illegitimate child.
Due to his own perspective, he instinctively felt a bias against illegitimate children, though he knew it wasn’t their fault.
After all, no one chooses their birth.
What a mess.
He sighed quietly.
Setting this aside—it didn’t really affect him.
His priority was to investigate whether Feng Xiaochun’s history was true.
If it was, he would definitely put an end to that couple!
He didn’t understand how his brother fell in love, but thinking of Zhou Qinqin, he felt relieved.
That judgment was truly impressive.
A few minutes before class, the math teacher came in with his lesson plan.
Liu Feng silently observed the unusually empty classroom, noting names in his mind.
Ye Chen was still in the hospital; Qi Lecheng had taken leave.
Lu Ran hadn’t attended class since the previous incident, and Nie Ying often skipped as well.
But it was fine that these two didn’t show up.
“Where’s Gu Yang?” he adjusted his glasses.
“No idea, haven’t seen him all morning—probably something came up,” said vice-class monitor Ying Jiayi.
She wasn’t worried, having already confirmed with Gu Yang.
He had replied with a simple “.” if he was free.
“I see…he didn’t inform the teacher either,” Liu Feng sighed. Once it was just sleeping in class, now it had escalated to truancy.
“What about the class monitor? Went to fetch water?” he asked hopefully.
“No idea, he came to sit briefly and left—probably had something to do,” Ying Jiayi continued.
She didn’t ask about He Ming’an either, since he was reliable.
“Ah? But he didn’t inform the teacher either…” Liu Feng felt his heart break.
When he first came to Guanli as a teacher, his impressive resume got him assigned to Class 11.
Despite being 25, he looked like a high schooler. The students didn’t respect him, calling him “Xiao Feng” and ignoring “teacher.”
Naturally, he felt immense pressure, unsure how to handle them, especially since these were kids from wealthy families.
Luckily, He Ming’an intervened, and the students started calling him “Teacher Liu.”
Before the class bell, he collected himself and taught the under-half-class.
After class, he returned to his office.
Just as he sat down, there was a knock at the door.
A young female teacher entered, holding a small cake.
“Teacher Zhou,” Liu Feng stood up quickly.
Smiling, she set the cake on his desk. “Finished your class, Liu Teacher? I baked this myself—just a little for you to try.”
Liu Feng’s heart warmed, face shy. “That…that’s perfect. I’m a bit hungry.”
She laughed. “Can’t chat now, our senior year team meeting awaits—let’s have lunch another day.”
He walked her to the door, exchanged a few words, then reluctantly said goodbye.
But his gaze lingered on her back.
“Wow, Teacher Liu has quite the luck with ladies.”
The voice came from the door he leaned against, startling Liu Feng.
He turned to see Gu Yang.
God, this student is ghost-like.
Despite the shock, Liu Feng asked as a teacher: “Why didn’t you come to class today?”
“Sick,” Gu Yang replied lazily.
“Uncomfortable? Where?” Liu Feng immediately asked, concerned.
Gu Yang pointed to his heart. “My heart is sick.”
Liu Feng: “…”
A science guy, and this is beyond my expertise.
His mind raced, trying to guide a student’s emo feelings—stress and emotional imbalance in senior year is normal—but clearly, this wasn’t typical.
Luckily, Gu Yang didn’t linger. He asked curiously: “Did that teacher like you?”
The topic caught Liu Feng off guard; his neck turned red.
“I’m not really discussing this with a student…”
“Teacher, do you like her?” Gu Yang asked again.
Liu Feng froze. They locked eyes, Gu Yang blinked innocently.
A sudden realization struck him—could it be that Gu Yang liked someone?
At eighteen, feelings were normal. He remembered his own secret crushes.
But back in middle school, he saw a friend dating another girl, both failed exams—so he locked away his heart until after college.
He decided to advise Gu Yang as a senior.
“It’s not about liking someone. My relationship with Teacher Zhou is good,” he cleared his throat, “but such things require the right time—not just mutual feelings.”
“For example, when both of us have stable jobs and can see each other often…”
“That means you like her.”
Gu Yang interrupted.
Liu Feng blushed, saying nothing.
“Teacher, how much do you like her?” Gu Yang’s gray eyes stared, misty and ungraspable.
The topic became intense; Liu Feng stiffened.
“How far would you go for her?” Gu Yang stepped closer; Liu Feng backed away.
“Could you live and die with her?”
He stumbled against a plant, steadied himself, continuing to retreat.
“If she dies, could you go with her? If you die, could she go with you?” Gu Yang spoke slowly, each word lingering.
A chill ran up Liu Feng’s body.
“Why such heavy topics? Can’t we talk about something positive?” Liu Feng asked.
Gu Yang paused, then continued, head tilted, eyes misty.
“But isn’t life and death separation common?”
“And…isn’t romantic sacrifice kind of…romantic?”
Liu Feng stumbled back onto his chair, glasses fallen, posture messy.
Yet his gaze remained firm: “No. That’s unhealthy.”
“One’s life belongs only to them. No matter what happens, never give up hope—it’s the only way to be fair to those around you.”
Gu Yang paused, looking down at him from above.
Time felt endless for Liu Feng.
Finally, Gu Yang spoke again, expression neutral: “You have a point.”
Liu Feng, relieved, felt like a student praised by a teacher.
But the next second, Gu Yang bent slightly, placing a hand gently on his chest.
A faint, teasing smile: “But Teacher Liu, how can you be alone with your student?”
“If I counter-accused, could you ever explain it?”
“Better be careful from now on.”
He remembered that in the original story, Liu Feng was accused of sexual harassment by a female student after being seen alone with her. Years later, Song Yinxing’s accidental observation revealed the truth, but by then, Liu Feng had already been expelled and his life had gone poorly.
After this warning, Gu Yang removed his hand and waved: “I’ll go now, bye~”
Unseen by him, Liu Feng instinctively held the spot Gu Yang had touched, realization dawning.
Could the person Gu Yang likes…be…him?
Liu Feng’s expression was like being struck by lightning.
No…this can’t be happening—
