In a small but clean eatery, Qin Chuan and Teacher Yang ordered two bowls of noodle soup and several kinds of braised snacks, eating quietly.
For Teacher Yang's status, she had tasted all sorts of delicacies and had no need to visit luxurious restaurants. Moreover, a small county town couldn't possibly have such high-end dining establishments.
Instead, this kind of specialty snack, passed down through generations and sold for many years, really suited her taste.
After the meal, Yang Zimo lavished praise on the local food, patting her round belly and declaring that this meal alone would make her gain at least two liang.
Qin Chuan seized the opportunity to observe Teacher Yang's perfect figure and reached out to touch her, only to be discovered by Teacher Yang, who smacked his "An Lushan's claw" and chided, "What are you doing?"
"Heh heh, I just wanted to see if you've really gotten fatter," Qin Chuan said with a thick skin and a smile.
"Scram! We're still outside. You're a big boss, aren't you afraid of being discovered and labeled a pervert!" Yang Zimo wouldn't do anything so unrestrained in public.
"Damn it, if I touch my own woman, who dares to say anything? Let them stand up!" Qin Chuan was furious.
Just then, a phone rang. Qin Chuan took out his phone and stood up, saying, "I'm going outside to take a call."
Teacher Yang nodded.
Outside the eatery, Qin Chuan answered the phone, "Hello, sis!"
"Xiao Chuan, when are you coming back?" Li Ya asked from the other end.
"I'm having dinner with some friends. If it's too late, I won't be coming back!"
"Don't wait for me, go to bed early!"
Li Ya instructed, "Then drink less."
"Mhmm, I know."
It was a common occurrence for Qin Chuan to have meals and drinks with his buddies, so no one suspected anything.
However, just after he hung up with Li Ya, another call came in, this time from his mother.
Seeing the caller ID, Qin Chuan felt a headache coming on. There was no doubt that this call would be a scolding. But he couldn't avoid it. After a moment of hesitation, Qin Chuan finally answered. He had prepared himself for the scolding ever since Teacher Yang met his parents.
As expected, to his utter lack of surprise, the moment the call connected, his usually gentle mother directly began to yell, "Qin Chuan, where are you now?" Jiang Cuihua didn't even call him affectionately by "Xiao Chuan" or "Laosan," but directly included his surname.
"Mom, I'm eating out!" Qin Chuan said with a grin.
"With whom?" Jiang Cuihua continued to question.
"Teacher Yang!" Qin Chuan answered truthfully. He knew his mother would find out anyway.
"You son of a bitch, how could I give birth to someone like you!" Upon receiving Qin Chuan's direct confession, Jiang Cuihua erupted. She seemed to have reached her boiling point, and the anger she had held back all day burst forth like a mountain flood. She unleashed a torrent of abuse, forcing Qin Chuan to move the phone away from his ear for fear of damaging his eardrums.
After a long while, he brought the receiver back to his ear. "Hello! Hello! You son of a bitch, what are you doing? Are you still there?"
"Mom, I'm here! I'm here!" Qin Chuan said softly, trying to appease her. "I've been listening to your teachings!"
"Get lost! I always thought you were the most worry-free one in the family, but it turns out the opposite is true!" Jiang Cuihua was so angry that she started cursing. When rural women lose their temper, their scolding is full of firepower, covering all aspects, and even a good-natured person like Jiang Cuihua was no exception.
At this moment, Qin Chuan heard his father's voice from the other end of the line, "Give me the phone!" Then, his father's voice came through.
"Xiao Chuan, I'm asking you, have you and Teacher Yang always been together?"
"Yes, from beginning to end, we've never broken up!" Qin Chuan admitted frankly. There was no longer any need to hide it.
"What about Li Ya?" Qin Shuren questioned again.
"We haven't broken up either. I've always kept in touch," Qin Chuan replied.
Qin Shuren: "..."
Then, his usually gentle father also exploded, cursing in anger, "You... you scoundrel, how could you do such a thing!"
"Have you ever thought about what the consequences would be if either Li Ya or Teacher Yang found out you're seeing two people at once?"
Qin Chuan fell silent. This was a difficult question to answer, as it was also his greatest fear.
"Also, Li Ya is so good. She's beautiful, capable, and has helped you so much. Except for being a bit older than you... she has almost no other flaws. How can you, you scoundrel, do this to her?"
Qin Chuan weakly retorted, "I really am sorry to Li Ya, but... Teacher Yang is also very beautiful, and very capable..."
"So, are you saying you plan to choose Teacher Yang and give up Li Ya?" Qin Shuren pressed.
"Who said I'm giving up Li Ya? We're all adults now, we should learn to be greedy. I want both!" Qin Chuan replied.
On the other end of the phone, Qin Shuren was almost angered to death by his son's answer. He was speechless for a long time, and finally, in his exasperation, he cursed, "You rascal, do you think you're an ancient emperor with three wives and six concubines, wanting them all? Why don't you marry all the beauties in the world to warm your bed!"
"Dad, I have to go, Teacher Yang is calling me!" Qin Chuan decisively chose to hang up the phone. If he continued talking, his father might come looking for him with a butcher's knife.
Returning to the small eatery, Yang Zimo was busy typing on her phone. She looked up when she saw Qin Chuan and simply said, "You're back!"
Qin Chuan grunted, "Let's go. I'll show you the nightlife of this small county town at night."
"Mhmm, wait a moment, I just need to finish this message!" Teacher Yang said.
Qin Chuan didn't ask who Teacher Yang was messaging and quietly waited. About ten seconds later, Yang Zimo finished her message, and arm in arm, she and Qin Chuan walked out of the eatery.
Unconsciously, it was already eleven o'clock at night. The streets of the county town were becoming less crowded as people went home to sleep.
"Xiao Mo, should we go back to my place or find a hotel?" Qin Chuan asked.
"Of course, we'll find a hotel!" Teacher Yang replied without hesitation, her attitude quite firm. "But it's just for me to stay alone, understand!"
"If I stay at your place, who knows what bad things you'll do to me. I don't want that!"
Qin Chuan put on a wronged expression, "Teacher Yang, how can you be so wary of your boyfriend all the time!"
"Every time I see you, at most, we just kiss and hug. Nothing more extreme has ever happened!"
Yang Zimo immediately widened her eyes, her voice rising by three decibels, "Are you saying nothing more happened?"
Qin Chuan looked completely innocent, then seemed to recall something and looked enlightened, "Oh... you're talking about the time it was your birthday? That night I..."
"Shut up! Don't you dare mention that night again!" Teacher Yang quickly reached out and covered Qin Chuan's lips, her pretty face blushing deeply.
"Okay, okay, I won't say it! I won't!"
"Let's go to the hotel!"