Hostility: That Girl Is Very Close to Teacher Liang

Her chest tightened in time with Liang Xiaoqing's cheerful "Done." A soft click sounded at her shoulder as Liang Xiaoqing fastened the bra and asked, "Is it tight?"

"If it's tight, you can loosen the straps at the front."

"...Not tight."

Liang Xiaoqing glanced at her, thinking it looked good.

"Mm, okay, we'll take this one. It fits well."

Jiang Xu caught a glimpse of Liang Xiaoqing's face in the mirror, slightly lowered, studying her back. Her eyes unconsciously narrowed into a lazy, contented expression. Liang Xiaoqing smiled, handing her the short-sleeved shirt: "I picked well. Take it off first, then put on the shirt, and we'll head out to pay."

"Little—" But before she could dwell on it, Liang Xiaoqing had already stepped out.

Thump, thump.

Her heart beat in a steady rhythm. She slipped off the bra she'd just tried on, pulled on the short-sleeved shirt, and looked down at the undergarment that wasn't really worth twenty-five yuan. She stared for a while before snapping back to reality.

She pushed open the door and stepped out.

The light outside was brighter than inside. Liang Xiaoqing took the bra from Jiang Xu's hands, glanced at the one Jiang Xu had tried on, then at another in the shop assistant's hands.

"...No need..." Her ears still burned, and she leaned instinctively toward Liang Xiaoqing.

"We'll take these two, plus the two pairs of pajamas we got earlier. I'll take them all." Before Jiang Xu could react, Liang Xiaoqing headed to the register with the shop assistant.

The assistant beamed, wrapping the clothes quickly. As she collected the money, she chattered on: "Don't worry, you'll wear these comfortably!"

Liang Xiaoqing carried two shopping bags in one hand and held Jiang Xu's hand with the other as they left the store.

Once outside, the noise of the street flooded their ears, and the heat surged toward them. In the blink of an eye, over a hundred yuan was gone. Jiang Xu wasn't worried about Liang Xiaoqing spending too fast; she just felt these purchases weren't worth it.

"The most important thing's done. Want to grab something to eat?" Liang Xiaoqing walked ahead, glancing at her watch. "It's already 11:30. Time flies! Are you hungry? If you are, we'll eat, then head to the supermarket. It's still early." As she spoke, she felt a tug. Turning around, she saw Jiang Xu standing in the blazing sun, her face flushed red, eyes squinting against the light.

Her grip grew sweaty.

"Sister Qing," Jiang Xu said with a troubled expression, "let's return these things."

Liang Xiaoqing asked, "Why?"

"..." Jiang Xu looked awkward. "We don't need them."

Liang Xiaoqing gave her hand a gentle pull, coaxing her forward—she was stronger, after all: "How are they not necessary? They're all essentials! Xiao Xu, what are you worried about? If I have food to eat, you will too. You're with me, so I'm responsible for you. I'll support you until you go to college."

She paused, then continued: "Mm... just like your mother would. For now, I'm like a 'mom' figure to you, so of course I need to buy you these. You're growing into a young woman now. If your mom were still here, she'd get them for you too."

At the hint of that thought, Jiang Xu snapped back to reality, a chill running through her. She realized what Liang Xiaoqing was saying and repeated: "...Mom."

"Mm," Liang Xiaoqing acknowledged. "Xiao Xu, if you really feel bad about it, when you grow up, you can buy things for Sister Qing then."

"..."

What would she buy, then?

She stayed quiet the whole way, feeling a bit sad. The sky was a clear, flawless blue, with the occasional white cloud drifting lazily. Jiang Xu mulled over Liang Xiaoqing's words. She always treated what Liang Xiaoqing said as the most important thing.

"Mm... let's get something to eat first." Liang Xiaoqing didn't have a clue what went on in Jiang Xu's head. After walking this long, she was hungry; a flatbread wasn't enough. They wandered along the street until they reached the place where they used to eat. If they went back too late, they'd have dinner in town before heading home.

It was a noodle shop with a red sign and yellow lettering, weathered from years of service. It was run by a middle-aged couple. Back when Liang Xiaoqing first came here, she'd often eat at this place—usually alone, carrying big bags of supplies, eating her noodles, then hauling everything to her bicycle. Every trip to town left her exhausted.

Now things were better. She wasn't eating alone or carrying things alone. She made time on weekends, when Jiang Xu had days off, to come together.

She led Jiang Xu into the small shop. It was peak mealtime, and the place was crowded. The owner, in his work uniform, was cooking noodles inside, sweating profusely, while his wife ran bowls outside. Smoke billowed from the kitchen window; business was booming. The shop wasn't big, but there was a corner spot just big enough for the two of them. Liang Xiaoqing pulled Jiang Xu to sit there. The tiny, packed space trapped heat, and an old fan on the wall creaked as it wobbled side to side.

Jiang Xu sat inside, sweating. She looked up at Liang Xiaoqing and noticed sweat on her forehead too, her sideburns damp. Liang Xiaoqing set the bags beside Jiang Xu and bent over: "Xiao Xu, hold our spot. I'll go order two bowls of noodles."

The noise was overwhelming, so Jiang Xu didn't catch every word. She stared at Liang Xiaoqing's fair, rosy cheeks. As she bent down, a faint, clean fragrance wafted from her collar, right at Jiang Xu's nose. Jiang Xu breathed it in and nodded.

The noodles came quickly. Liang Xiaoqing carried them, steam rising, maneuvering carefully through the narrow aisle. Jiang Xu stood up to help, taking one bowl—it was piping hot. She set it down, and Liang Xiaoqing placed hers on the table too, sitting and pinching her ear: "Hot, hot."

The air grew heavier, and the steam from the noodles hit their faces, making it worse. Only when the fan swung their way did they feel a hint of coolness. The two of them were squeezed together, but Jiang Xu didn't mind, and neither did Liang Xiaoqing. They shifted their stools a bit away from the men at the next table.

Liang Xiaoqing handed a pair of chopsticks to Jiang Xu.

"Eat up. After this, we'll go to the supermarket."

Jiang Xu took them, set them in her bowl, and turned to see Liang Xiaoqing already eating. She figured Sister Qing must've been hungry.

It wasn't an ideal place to eat, but Jiang Xu didn't think it was bad. Liang Xiaoqing ate faster than her. The noodles were scalding, so they took time to cool. Eating so earnestly, Liang Xiaoqing's face was covered in fine sweat, even her nose, flushed pink. Midway through, she rolled up her sleeves, like she was gearing up for a big fight.

Jiang Xu handed her a tissue: "Sister Qing, wipe your sweat."

Liang Xiaoqing took it.

Jiang Xu's mood finally lightened.

She was about to focus on her noodles when a voice, loud with excitement, made her heart leap again.

"Teacher Liang! You're eating here too!"

Jiang Xu tensed up instinctively.

Liang Xiaoqing looked up and saw a slightly round face, also dripping with sweat: "Teacher Wang." She smiled.

Wang Qing felt flattered, and upon seeing Liang Xiaoqing's smile, he decisively turned and slid his own bowl onto their table.

"I thought I saw you, thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Didn't expect it to really be you!"

"..." Liang Xiaoqing chuckled and exchanged pleasantries. "You're in town for shopping too?"

Wang Qing grinned: "No, Teacher Ding and I went to the county seat." He sat on the outside, facing Liang Xiaoqing. As he spoke, the man beside him turned around too: "Hello, Teacher Liang." Ding Peng was darker and thinner than Wang Qing, and he was married. Word had it his wife was a woman from the county seat, her parents running a small business, living comfortably. That explained her fiery temper—she'd come running to Shuiqing Town every few days, clearly smitten with Ding Peng, though they'd often bicker within minutes of talking.

The teachers at Shuiqing Middle School all knew Ding Peng's wife; Liang Xiaoqing knew a bit too, from Yang Man. She looked at Ding Peng and teased, "Teacher Ding, you must be here to see Sister Wang, right?"

Ding Peng, a straightforward man, nodded awkwardly.

Wang Qing chimed in with small talk, and Liang Xiaoqing responded a few times but mostly focused on her noodles, just nodding along. By the time she finished, Wang Qing was still mid-bowl, having spent most of the time talking.

Four people squeezed around one tiny table—it was cramped.

"...This is the best noodle place on the street, isn't it..."

Liang Xiaoqing nodded in agreement. She finished, wiped her mouth, and was about to leave. "Teacher Wang, you and Teacher Ding take your time. I still have things to do, so I'll head off." With that, she started to get up to pay.

Wang Qing fumbled a bit, wolfing down two quick bites: "You're leaving already?" Seeing her rise, he stood up too and blocked her path: "Let me get it, let me get it. Now that we've run into each other, there's no way I'm letting a lady pay."

Jiang Xu watched it all from the side. She remembered him from before, and his behavior grated on her for no reason.

Liang Xiaoqing declined: "No need, no need, Teacher Wang."

Wang Qing reached out to stop her, and an unintentional brush of contact was unavoidable. As his hand was about to touch Liang Xiaoqing's wrist, Jiang Xu stared at him, a nameless hostility rising toward this seemingly genial man.

She stepped forward and took Liang Xiaoqing's hand first, preventing them from touching. Liang Xiaoqing looked at her, and Wang Qing did too, probably trying to figure out who she was. To others, Jiang Xu's identity didn't matter. Neither of them spoke. Liang Xiaoqing's hand hung down, but Jiang Xu didn't let go—she even pulled her closer: "Sister Qing, let's hurry. It's so hot in here." She was genuinely hot, her palm sweating against Liang Xiaoqing's, feeling like a fire.

Liang Xiaoqing then said to Wang Qing, "Teacher Wang, we still have things to do. You and Teacher Ding take your time." Without waiting for a reply, she let Jiang Xu lead her forward, paid, and left.

Wang Qing slumped back down, sighing: "Ah!"

Ding Peng patted his shoulder: "You were too eager. Take it slow."

Wang Qing scratched his head, then nodded.

Ding Peng added, "Don't worry, Teacher Liang is a steady person, not the type to look down on others."

Wang Qing: "..."

Ding Peng said, "You're colleagues. You'll have plenty of chances." Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "The girl with Teacher Liang—who is she?"

She was gone, and Wang Qing buried himself in his noodles: "She's a student she sponsors. I heard from Teacher Yang. The girl's family had some trouble. She's had a rough time."

"Oh." Ding Peng, his bowl still half-full, said between bites, "No wonder. That girl is really close to Teacher Liang. But... did you do something to upset her? Especially just now."