"Xiao Han, don't forget the promise you made," Chen Zihan said with a smile. "You promised Teacher Liu you'd come second in the class."
"Yeah," Xiao Han laughed and said, "I'll work hard."
"Then let me help you," Chen Zihan giggled. "I'll go over today's lessons with you, so listen carefully."
Afterward, Chen Zihan explained the day's lessons very carefully and attentively.
Xiao Han was naturally not in the mood to listen. Leaning close to Chen Zihan and smelling the fragrance emanating from her body, he felt a restless agitation always stirring within. It was the impulsive kind found in the heart of an adolescent boy.
Chen Zihan's T-shirt was very thin, and through that flimsy fabric, one could see the pink color of her bra and her proud breasts.
As Chen Zihan taught, she did it with great earnestness and care. But she was oblivious to the fact that as she was explaining, her sleeve would often reveal an endless vision of spring.
"Xiao Han, what... what happened to you?" Chen Zihan suddenly looked stunned. "Why are you bleeding from the nose?"
She was astonished to discover that the guy, Xiao Han, was actually having a nosebleed.
"I..." Xiao Han panicked and touched his nose, only to confirm it was indeed bleeding. He turned around, grabbed a bunch of tissues to cover his nose, and said, "I... I'm okay."
Chen Zihan's face turned red instantly, and with her lips slightly parted, she said, "You're such an irresponsible little rascal."
Xiao Han's face was full of embarrassment as he said, "I... I didn't mean to."
"Hmph." Chen Zihan closed her textbook and then walked out with her book in her arms.
"Zi Han!" Xiao Han hastily grabbed Chen Zihan's arm.
"Ah!" Chen Zihan exclaimed.
Because of his excessive force, Chen Zihan fell forward. Xiao Han quickly caught her, and the two ended up falling onto the bed beside them, with Xiao Han on top of Chen Zihan. They looked into each other's eyes, face to face.
Xiao Han's mind was blank, and so was Chen Zihan's.
Gulp...
Xiao Han swallowed, and out of nowhere, he mustered up the courage. He leaned down and kissed Chen Zihan's red lips. Those cherry-red lips, fragrant and enticing, were what many men dreamt of as a holy ground.
Chen Zihan was stunned, her eyes wide open.
A man's knowledge in bed is often innate. Xiao Han used the tip of his tongue to pry open Chen Zihan's teeth and then enveloped her tongue, which was caught off guard and clumsy with surprise. They began to kiss.
Chen Zihan sat there dumbfounded. Her first kiss in seventeen years was given away just like that, taken by Xiao Han without any warning or preparation.
Xiao Han kissed with great pleasure and he didn't know where the courage came from, but his hands began to explore Chen Zihan's body.
Thump!
Suddenly, Chen Zihan erupted with energy, pushing Xiao Han with all her might onto the floor, and then ran out quickly, even leaving her book behind.
Xiao Han quickly chased after her.
"Zi Han!" Xiao Han shouted.
Alas, by the time he got outside, she was nowhere to be seen.
Xiao Han returned to his room with a look of dejection, glanced at the two books on the table, and gave himself two hard slaps on the face.
"Damn it, I'm such a scumbag," Xiao Han reproached himself. Chen Zihan had come to discuss problems with him, but what the hell had he done?
That night, Xiao Han was very upset and restless. It wasn't until three in the morning that he finally fell asleep.
......
Sunday morning, at the Hanmen Training Class.
Xiao Han was still wearing that mask but, after the novelty of the previous day had worn off, the students in the class had grown accustomed to Xiao Han's demeanor, and there weren't as many parents and students crowding around the entrance, nor were there any media reporters stationed outside.
One hundred students, not one absent.
It seemed that yesterday's teaching method was correct. Out of the hundred people present, several dozen were top students from several key high schools in LJ City. If his teaching method had been wrong, they certainly wouldn't have come back today.
Xiao Han was pleased, at least they seemed to have affirmed his approach.
However, Xiao Han was surprised to find Chen Zihan in the class, and more so that she was curiously staring at him. Xiao Han smiled brilliantly at her. Chen Zihan's face turned instantly red, and she hurriedly lowered her head.
He never expected this girl to be so shy. Xiao Han's heart burst into joy at once.
Xiao Han put away his smile and began the class in earnest. Yesterday's class had been a bit tense, but today felt much more relaxed. Even Xiao Han didn't know why, but his ability to adapt was surprisingly quick, and his psychological resilience was exceptional. If it had been just a week earlier, he would have never dared to stand at this podium, not even if it killed him.
Today's morning class was still full of wit and charm, making the over one hundred students in the class laugh uncontrollably. Complicated and rigorous physics problems turned into humorous and interesting matters under Xiao Han's explanations, which also sparked the students' interest in learning.
Throughout the morning, the classroom erupted in thunderous laughter.
After the morning classes, Xiao Han left through the back door with his textbooks, just like yesterday.
However, when he came out of the classroom, he was shocked to find a familiar face standing at the door.
"Mom..." The word barely reached his lips when Xiao Han hurriedly swallowed it down.
"Teacher, you... hello," Mother Xiao hurried over, speaking submissively, "I... I would like to enroll my son in your training class. Here is the enrollment fee."
As she spoke, Mother Xiao pulled out a stack of cash from her pocket. The money was still warm.
Xiao Han was taken aback, feeling a twinge of sourness in his heart. He hastily said, "I'm sorry, our class is already full, we can't take any more students."
Xiao Han had never expected his mother to find this place. She had even humbled herself to ask for help. In his eyes, his mother had always been a proud woman. She had been a laborer all her life, and many times she could have been promoted if she had lowered herself to seek favor from the factory leaders. But she never had. Yet today, for the sake of enrolling her son in a training class, she had swallowed her pride. This left Xiao Han feeling especially upset.
Xiao Han feared he might give himself away, so he quickly turned and walked off.
As unexpected as it was, Mother Xiao actually followed him, pleading as she walked, "Teacher, my son is a very talented person, the former middle school valedictorian of Wangjiang District. Please, take him in..."
"I'm sorry, but really, it's not possible!" Xiao Han could not stand being badgered any further.
Thump...
Suddenly, Mother Xiao did something that even shocked Xiao Han. She knelt down right there. At that moment, Xiao Han felt as if he was being crushed by a thousand catties, making it impossible for him to breathe.
"What are you doing!" Xiao Han exclaimed sharply, his voice trembling as he went to help his mother up.
"Teacher, please, just agree," Mother Xiao pleaded with a sorrowful face, saying, "My son is really a diligent child. Please take him."
Xiao Han closed his eyes, unable to hold back the surge of warmth that flowed within him anymore. Tears emerged from the depths of his heart.
"No!" Xiao Han said through clenched teeth, refusing. As soon as he was done, he turned and ran.
Behind him, Mother Xiao sat on the ground, her face full of disappointment and loss, tears streaming down her face.
Wow!
After turning the corner, Xiao Han suddenly cried out loud. He took off his mask and shed his disguise. He was still Xiao Han, still the flesh-and-blood Xiao Han. He cried loudly, always afraid and anxious.
Li Dapang's figure appeared in front of Xiao Han.
"Xiao Han, you..." Li Dapang patted Xiao Han's shoulder, saying, "Why do you have to be so heartless?"
Li Dapang had witnessed the whole scene.
"I'm afraid one day I'll be exposed," Xiao Han said, wiping away his tears, his eyelids red.
"Actually, I never understood why you're afraid," Li Dapang said, looking at Xiao Han. "Brother, although I don't understand why you suddenly changed, I will absolutely not tell anyone about this. I swear."
"Big Fatty, my good brother," Xiao Han took a deep breath.
Indeed, his mother's actions today made Xiao Han feel an unprecedented sense of both movement and guilt. His own heartache had worried his mother for years and stressed her out. Now he was finally stepping out from the shadows that plagued his heart. Xiao Han secretly vowed to relieve his mother of her worries about him for the rest of his life, to never let her suffer the slightest grievance on his account. He would make sure his mother lived a good life.
"Xiao Han, no matter what decision you make, I support you," Li Dapang said earnestly, looking at Xiao Han before saying, "I know you have your own difficulties, but if your mom knew how capable you are now, she would probably be very happy. Why don't you tell her?"
"I don't want her to know," Xiao Han shook his head, saying, "My career is just starting. It's not too late to tell her when I achieve real success."
"Okay," Li Dapang nodded, saying, "Let's go have lunch together."
"Sounds good," Xiao Han agreed, saying, "Consider it a celebration of our initial success."
Xiao Han made a phone call to his mother.
The two dined at a nearby food stall. They ordered three dishes, and Li Dapang, that guy, even got three bottles of beer. He was visibly excited and, under the influence of alcohol, became very enthusiastic.
"Xiao Han, I've already told my parents about this," Li Dapang said after taking a big gulp of beer. "It's not like I'm good at studying anyway. They don't object to me doing this."