"Teacher, what brings you here?" Startled by the sudden appearance of her audacious teacher, Shi Qing found herself flustered and at a loss for words.
It was still class time, with countless eyes fixed on them. Although this wasn't the first time he had visited, his previous arrival had been discreet, taking place before class started when few were paying attention.
But now, under the gaze of so many onlookers, he walked in boldly and unceremoniously took a seat right beside her. Shi Qing's cheeks turned a deep shade of red, embarrassment mingling with discomfort.
"I came to check on my precious little Qingqing," Xiang Ri teased with a smirk. Beneath the desk, his hand wandered onto her leg with a casual audacity, though his face remained composed, feigning innocence.
"Teacher..." Shi Qing whispered, her voice tinged with reproach as her face flushed even deeper. Her delicate hand pressed firmly against his misbehaving one, determined to stop its advance.
With a wicked chuckle, Xiang Ri flipped his hand, capturing hers effortlessly. "Qingqing," he said softly, "I need your help with something."
"What is it, Teacher? Please tell me," she replied, noting his serious tone. Despite the awkwardness of her hand still being held, Shi Qing dared not refuse.
While lightly stroking her soft, cool fingers, Xiang Ri spoke nonchalantly, "Would you mind giving me your father's private phone number?"
"Huh?" Shi Qing blinked in surprise, but without hesitation, she scribbled the number on a slip of paper. Only afterward did she ask curiously, "Teacher, why do you need my dad's number?"
Xiang Ri shot her a sly look, his tone teasing. "Naturally, I plan to talk to him about giving me his daughter's hand in marriage."
"Ah!" Shi Qing let out a soft cry of surprise, raising a hand to cover her flushed face. Realizing that one hand couldn't hide her burning cheeks, she lowered her head shyly, almost like a frightened bird retreating into its nest.
Her bashful demeanor only made Xiang Ri's heart stir. He fought the urge to pull her into his arms, restraining himself only because of the setting. Instead, he leaned in slightly and continued to tease her. "So, Little Qing, what do you think of my suggestion?"
"I... I don't know," Shi Qing stammered, her voice barely audible. Her heart overflowed with a bittersweet emotion as she recalled Chu Chu's words from earlier that morning. Even her ears felt hot, as though they were being roasted over a flame.
"What do you mean, 'I don't know'? If your father agrees, would you agree too?" Xiang Ri prodded further, his hands encasing hers as he gently kneaded her fingers.
"I..." Shi Qing's head dipped even lower. She wanted to pull her hand back, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't escape his firm grip. Just as despair began to take hold, the bell rang.
"Class is over." Shi Qing felt an inexplicable sense of relief. Standing quickly, she said, "Teacher, I need to go to the restroom. Please, let me go." She avoided his gaze entirely as she spoke.
"Is that so?" Xiang Ri saw through her excuse but decided not to press further. He had teased her enough, and if he continued, she might truly flee in panic. Besides, there were other matters demanding his attention.
With a faint smile, he released her hand. "Alright, but next time, you must give me an answer. No more dodging."
Shi Qing nodded hurriedly, her mind focused solely on escaping.
Yet, just as she took a few steps, Xiang Ri stopped her once more. "Oh, Little Qing, one more thing. Let Chu Chu know that I might not come home for lunch today. Also, make sure both of you move back to the house. When I return this afternoon, I expect to see you and Chu Chu there. If not, I'll be very upset."
Without waiting for her reply, Xiang Ri strode out of the classroom, leaving Shi Qing standing in place, her thoughts in disarray.
Shi Qing stomped her foot in frustration before hurrying back to her seat. After a moment's hesitation, she took out her phone and dialed a number.
"Hello, who is this?" A stern voice answered on the other end.
"Mayor Shi?" Xiang Ri asked in an even tone.
"Who are you?" The voice grew sharper, evidently surprised to be contacted by a stranger. If it weren't for the fact that this was his private number, known to only a select few, the call would have been terminated immediately.
"Don't you recognize my voice, Mayor Shi?" Xiang Ri replied brazenly, half-suspecting the old man's memory was failing him with age.
There was a brief silence on the other end, as though the recipient were piecing things together. After a moment, a voice filled with anger rang out, "It's you!? Did Qingqing give you my number?"
"Indeed," Xiang Ri admitted without hesitation, knowing full well that the mayor could easily deduce the truth.
"Speak, what do you want?" Suppressing his fury, Shi Zhongzheng demanded, clearly aware that this unexpected call wasn't without purpose.
"It's simple. Could you help me get in touch with someone important? Preferably someone in the military or, alternatively, involved in scientific research."
"What are you planning?" Shi Zhongzheng asked warily, his instincts telling him this wasn't a trivial matter. His suspicions deepened as he recalled certain incidents from five years prior.
"Nothing sinister, rest assured. It might even benefit you. After all, you're my future father-in-law, aren't you? How could I possibly mean you any harm?"
At the mention of "father-in-law," Shi Zhongzheng let out a cold snort. Once Xiang Ri had finished speaking, he replied, "You should know that such information is classified. It's impossible for me to share it with you."
"Oh, you won't tell me? That's fine. I'm not in any rush. But I must warn you—what I have in my possession concerns highly sensitive national secrets. If something were to happen..." Xiang Ri left his sentence unfinished, though the threat was unmistakable.
"What is it?" Shi Zhongzheng asked sharply, his interest piqued.
"A truly invisible aircraft—one that is undetectable by radar and even invisible to the naked eye."
"Are you certain?" Shi Zhongzheng's tone turned grave, his breathing quickening.
"Of course! I stumbled upon it abroad," Xiang Ri lied shamelessly, conveniently omitting the painstaking effort it had taken to acquire such information.
"So, you intend to contribute it to the nation?"
"Absolutely not!" Xiang Ri scoffed, shamelessly replying, "This is a transaction, don't you see? Surely you wouldn't want to see your daughter living in hardship with me, would you? At the very least, I need to ensure my family's basic needs are met."
"Basic needs?" Shi Zhongzheng's voice was laced with sarcasm. "With the wealthiest man in the country as your father-in-law, are you seriously concerned about such trivialities?"
"You've been investigating me?" Xiang Ri bristled momentarily but quickly composed himself. It wasn't difficult for someone like Shi Zhongzheng to dig into his background. "Fine, I won't quibble over that. Just give me the contact information. And make sure it's someone reliable!"
Shi Zhongzheng ignored his demand, his tone icy. "I don't care what entanglements you have with that Chu family girl. But if Qingqing suffers in any way, you'll bear the consequences. As for the number, I'll give it to you—but I'll only say it once. Remember it if you can." With that, he recited a string of digits.
Xiang Ri, whose memory was far from poor, committed the number to heart with ease. Once he had memorized it, he asked, "What's the person's name, and what's their role?"
"His surname is Chen, and he's a general," Shi Zhongzheng replied curtly before hanging up without another word.