Chapter 6

Yu Na stood in front of the shelves, her feet as heavy as if they were filled with lead, unable to move.

Qiao Rui walked towards her eagerly, "Teacher Yu, what a coincidence."

"...Uh-huh." Yu Na's gaze secretly glanced behind Qiao Rui and saw Xiao Chen's eyes on the can of iced coffee in her hand.

She instinctively thought that he was staring at this can of coffee because he wanted to buy it too.

Thinking of this, Yu Na looked up and realized that she had taken the last remaining can of iced coffee on the shelves.

It wasn't that she absolutely had to drink this particular one though.

So she handed the can of coffee to Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen: ?

Qiao Rui was also completely bewildered.

But Yu Na just smiled lightly and said, "I just randomly grabbed one, I can drink juice too."

"......"

After understanding, the corners of Xiao Chen's mouth curved up ever so slightly.

What he had actually wanted to ask her was, do you only drink iced coffee for breakfast?

But he didn't get the words out, and naturally took the can of iced coffee from her hand, "Thank you, Teacher Yu."

Yu Na: "......"

Somehow it sounded awkward coming out of his mouth. She withdrew her gaze, no longer looking at him. She turned her head to ask Qiao Rui, "Did you finish your self-reflection?"

"Yes I did, Teacher Yu!" Qiao Rui scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm really sorry about last time, I promise I'll never make the same mistake again."

"Since you complimented my looks, I'll let it slide this time. Just don't bring your phone to class anymore."

"Don't worry! I definitely won't bring it anymore!"

Yu Na patted his shoulder encouragingly.

Since they had run into each other here, there was no need to make Xiao Chen take him to school again.

Yu Na looked at Xiao Chen, her tone carrying a faint sense of distance, yet maintaining the necessary politeness between a teacher and a student's parent. "Qiao Rui, you go take care of your things. I'll take him to class, we have morning assembly soon." However, Xiao Chen didn't hesitate for even a second — "No need."

Xiao Chen glanced derisively at Qiao Rui, leaning forward slightly, "This kid is the king of skipping class, I have to personally see him enter the school. Don't trouble yourself."

"......Alright then." Yu Na randomly grabbed a bottle of juice, tilting her chin towards the outside, "Then I'll go ahead first."

She swiftly checked out and fled the convenience store.

As soon as Qiao Rui heard that he would have to go see the head teacher later, the corners of his mouth instantly drooped.

His good mood for the day vanished completely.

He whined while trying to get out of it, "Bro, not cool, you didn't say anything about seeing the head teacher."

Xiao Chen ignored him.

He grabbed a ham and cheese sandwich from the shelves, and a carton of milk.

Then he went to the snack aisle and picked up a pack of soda crackers.

After Qiao Rui had bought his breakfast, Xiao Chen went to check out everything together.

At checkout, he asked the cashier to heat up the sandwich, then had the sandwich, milk, and crackers bagged separately.

Qiao Rui assumed it was all for himself, but after leaving the convenience store, Xiao Chen handed him the bags, "Give these to your homeroom teacher."

"......Huh? You mean Teacher Yu?"

"Mm-hmm."

Qiao Rui quickly understood something.

His expression also changed from confusion to gossipy amusement. He nudged Xiao Chen's shoulder, unabashedly asking outright: "Bro, you got your eyes on my homeroom teacher didn't you."

He was extremely certain of his guess, "I knew it, with Teacher Yu being so pretty, how could you not be moved?"

"......" Xiao Chen looked away exasperatedly, as if unable to bear watching: "Just take a look at yourself, she just got here and you're already causing trouble, don't you need to show her some apology?"

Qiao Rui's face clearly displayed the words "do you really think I'd believe that".

But he didn't dare talk back, afraid that Xiao Chen would drag him off to the head teacher's office to explain himself if he got annoyed.

So he could only obediently agree, "Yes, yes, bro, you're right."

Xiao Chen sternly reminded him: "Don't say I bought it, say you bought it yourself. Say drinking only orange juice isn't good for your health in the morning. Give her the breakfast, then pay attention and listen carefully in class. Turn around the trash image you've made as her student."

"Fine, fine."

Qiao Rui thought to himself: You're just afraid she'd hate you by association right.

Xiao Chen sent Qiao Rui to the school gates, shaking a fist full of threats at him as a warning.

"Don't cause any more trouble for me again. If you dare call home next time, just you wait for me to deal with you."

"Sir yes sir!"

......There was still time before class. Qiao Rui first went to Yu Na's office.

Yu Na was organizing her things, then got up to go patrol the early morning self-study session in the classroom.

Qiao Rui took out his self-reflection from his schoolbag, and rushed into the office: "Teacher Yu! Here's my self-reflection."

Yu Na took it. The few pages of his self-reflection were stapled together. She flipped through it cursorily, half skeptical as she asked: "5,000 words?"

"Of course, I counted each and every word carefully."

She was also too lazy to verify its authenticity. She actually felt that things like self-reflection assignments were just a waste of time, a waste of life.

Because there were plenty of sample essays easily found online, who would actually deeply self-reflect and examine themselves.

She put the assignment back into the drawer, "Take this as a lesson, pay attention in class from now on."

"Roger that!"

"Alright, go back to the classroom."

Yu Na was about to leave after saying that, but was blocked again by Qiao Rui, "Wait Teacher Yu."

"What is it?"

He was a little embarrassed, handing her the convenience store bag, "This is the breakfast I bought for you."

Seeing the bag, Yu Na was taken aback at first.

She didn't rush to take it, instead she hugged her arms as she interestedly asked back: "Trying to bribe me huh?"

"......Ah no not really. I just saw that you only took a bottle of orange juice at the convenience store right, drinking something so cold early morning on an empty stomach isn't good for your health, so——"

"Thanks." Yu Na saw his awkwardness and amusingly cut him off, pushing the bag back to him, "You eat it yourself, I'm not hungry. If you want to repay me then bring back a good grade on your midterms."

Since Yu Na refused to take it, Qiao Rui shoved the bag into her arms unceremoniously, "Teacher, you have to accept this. Skipping breakfast is super bad for your health."

His mouth was as sweet as honey as he added: "If you fall sick, where else are we going to find such a pretty homeroom teacher."

"......" Yu Na laughed at his words, not pushing it away anymore, "Then I'll reluctantly accept your kindness, thanks. Go back to your classroom for morning prep."

Qiao Rui responded.

But he kept pausing and looking back after every few steps, as if there was something he wanted to say.

Yu Na was in no hurry to leave either, seeing that he had stopped after walking two steps. She couldn't help asking: "Anything else?"

"Yeah, kind of." Qiao Rui hemmed and hawed, then walked back in front of her again, "Teacher, this breakfast, I was asked to pass along."

"Oh?"

Qiao Rui didn't dare to sell out his cousin, but felt stifled keeping it in.

After thinking it over, he just euphemistically gave her a reminder: "Teacher, my cousin is actually a really good person."

After saying that, Qiao Rui didn't bother waiting for Yu Na's reaction. He dashed off like a puff of smoke.