Chapter 10: Do You Have a Girlfriend?

  "Mom, I didn't do anything wrong to Teacher Lan. Today I went to the police station because they caught a thief and I went to help with the record. That kid Yuan Hao is just listening to rumors." Xie Feiyu also couldn't care less that Lan Xiang was right there, and directly gave an answer, otherwise who knows how long this would have dragged on.

  "Are you saying you didn't do anything wrong to Teacher Lan? Is someone else slandering?" Xie Chunyan was stunned.

  "No, look, I'm back now, aren't I?"

  "Didn't he really play a rogue on you?" Xie Chunyan still didn't believe it, if it was just a joke, how could it have opened to her? So she aimed her gaze at Lan Xiang again.

  "Xie Feiyu really didn't... didn't do anything to me... a rascal." Lan Xiang spoke up for Xie Feiyu, but in her heart, she thought of the scene that afternoon when he had his big hands rummaging around her chest. Did this count or not?

  "Oh my, son, it's better that you didn't, you scared the life out of me!" Xie Chunyan exclaimed after getting confirmation from Lan Xiang, opening her arms wide and tightly embracing Xie Feiyu in a hug, her voice trembling with tears.

  "Mom..." Xie Feiyu also felt like there was something stuck in his throat, itchy and scratchy, even his voice had changed tone.

  "Son, what's wrong with your hand? Are you hurt? Let mom take a look."

  "Mom, it's nothing, just a scratch, don't look at it, it'll be fine in two days."

  Is this still the useless student she normally sees? Lan Xiang asked herself in her heart. Then, quietly raised her hand to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eyes.

  The mother and son hugged for a long time, and Xie Feiyu finally remembered that there was also a Lan Xiang teacher beside him. He awkwardly broke free from Xie Chunyan's arms and said to Lan Xiang: "Teacher Lan, I'm sorry."

  "Xie Feiyu, you haven't let your teacher down. Your teacher should thank you instead. If it wasn't for your help, I don't know what would have happened." Lan Xiang said with a smile. "Alright, nothing's wrong now. Xie's mom should be at ease too, right? It's getting late, do you want to head back first?"

  "Teacher Lan, can I ask for a day off on behalf of Tianyu? I want to take him home for the night, today is his birthday." Xie Chunyan said, wiping away tears from her face.

  "Of course. Xie Feiyu, is today your birthday? Look at me, this teacher only knows how to care about your grades. Xie Feiyu, happy birthday! Another day I will definitely make it up to you with a birthday gift." Lan Xing turned her face towards Xie Feiyu, and from her eyes, Xie Feiyu saw only sincerity.

  "Thank you, teacher, I don't need any gifts. How could I let you give me presents?" Xie Feiyu said gratefully.

  Coming out of Lan Xing's room, Xie Chunyan was very happy. Arriving at the garage, she pushed out her own Suzuki scooter and stopped beside Xie Feiyu.

  "Mom, I'll drive, the headlights are dazzling at night." Xie Feiyu took over the steering wheel from his mother, and Xie Chunyan looked at her tall son in front of her and quietly moved to the back seat.

  Xie Chunyan's hands were wrapped around Xie Feiyu's waist as the car drove out of the campus, heading home.

  "Fei Yu, what's going on today?" Xie Chunyan asked out of her own curiosity.

  "Mom, that's what happened." Xie Feiyu briefly told her about the events of the day, selectively omitting his own afternoon class. As for computers, Xie Chunyan didn't understand them either, so she didn't pry further. Whatever Xie Feiyu said, she believed.

  After listening to Xie Feiyu's story, Xie Chunyan fell silent for a while. Then Xie Feiyu felt his mother's hand tighten around his waist and her head lean against his back.

  "Fei Yu, you've grown up and know how to protect women now." Xie Chunyan said softly. "Just like your dad back then."

  "Mom, did Dad really die in a car accident? Why doesn't our home even have a single photo of him?"

  "What are you talking about? Do you think I'd joke about this? Haven't I told you before? It's not that your dad didn't leave any photos, it's just that I was afraid of being heartbroken when seeing his photos, so I burned them all in one fire."

  "Mom, what does Dad look like?"

  "As handsome as you. Alright, let's not mention your dad anymore, okay? Today is your birthday, I've prepared a lot of dishes that you love to eat at home. This afternoon, I called you and you told me you were in class, then the call couldn't get through."

  "Mom, what did you call me about this afternoon?" Xie Feiyu asked Xie Chunyan with a seemingly careless tone, although he had judged from the situation earlier that Lan Xiang hadn't told on him.

  "It's just telling you to come back for dinner." Xie Chunyan replied: "Right, son, do you have a girlfriend?"

  "Nope. Mom, why are you asking this today? Didn't you always oppose me from having a relationship? Are you trying to get something out of me?"

  "No. Because today I suddenly feel that you've grown up, 19 already, when I was as old as you, I was already pregnant with you." Xie Chunyan's tone was very ethereal, as if she was answering Xie Feiyu, yet also reminiscing about that past youth.

  Back to the small "Sunshine Supermarket" opened by Xie Chunyan, it was already 8:40. There were no lights in the house, and usually only Xie Chunyan took care of the store alone, because although the sign said "Supermarket", it was actually just a small grocery store doing business with neighbors on Ping'an Road in this city.

  Xie Feiyu stopped the car, Xie Chunyan got out first and opened the rolling shutter door, turned on the light, and let Xie Feiyu squeeze the car into the space between the shelves.

  "Oh, Fei Yu, is your arm okay? Why don't you stop the car and deliver a bag of rice to Auntie Zhao next door? She wanted it this afternoon, but I didn't have time to send it over after all the commotion. I'll go stew that little chicken for you."

  "Mom, you don't know your son, this little injury is nothing. I'll just send her over. By the way, it's so late, don't bother, just heat up some leftovers and eat something simple." Xie Feiyu said while parking the car.

  "No, mom is happy today, son has grown up and finally done something in school that makes me proud, I should reward you well." Xie Chunyan had a smile all over her face as she quickly went upstairs to the second floor.

  It seems that I haven't done anything to make her proud in all these years at school? Xie Feiyu was taken aback by this remark. After thinking carefully, he really couldn't think of anything, what a sweat!

  Xie Feiyu carried a bag of rice from the store to the neighboring shop next door. The neighboring shop was a flower shop, and the owner was a pretty woman named Zhao Ziqing, who was probably around thirty years old now. It was said that she had already divorced and usually lived alone in the shop. Because the two shops were close together, and both owners were single women, they got along extremely well with Xie Chunyan, often chatting and playing cards together when there was nothing to do.

  As for Xie Feiyu, his impression of her was nothing more than her fiery figure and those enchanting eyes that seemed to be dripping with water at any moment. Zhao Ziqing was a woman who appeared very flirtatious to outsiders, yet for some reason, she had never been seen getting close to any man. On the other hand, Xie Feiyu would often receive her teasing, as if seeing him made her determined to make his face turn red with embarrassment. So Xie Feiyu's attitude towards meeting her was one of both love and fear, although he liked her mature womanly charm, he couldn't resist her enchantment.