Chapter 618 - 614: Strange Hu Xiuqiao
Gu Jiaojiao glanced at the exam papers, then her gaze fell on Hu Xiuqiao’s cheeks, which were faintly flushed with anger. She found it a bit strange.
’I’m not close with Hu Xiuqiao, but I always help out when she’s too busy. I don’t think I’ve done anything to offend her, have I?’
Hu Xiuqiao also knew her reaction had been a bit odd. She gave an embarrassed smile and said in a helpless tone, "I just saw a mouse go by, so I instinctively jumped back. Did I scare you?"
’A mouse?’
Gu Jiaojiao whipped her head around. She despised creatures like mice; she always imagined their teeth could gnaw on human bones. The mere sight of one made her skin crawl.
"Where is the mouse?"
Although Hu Xiuqiao was also an educated youth sent to the countryside, she was no stranger to things like mice. She hadn’t expected Gu Jiaojiao’s huge reaction and thought she was being overly melodramatic. On the surface, however, she still spoke gently, "It probably ran off already."
’She’s this scared of a single mouse? Anyone who didn’t know better would think she was some pampered young lady from a rich family.’
’I have no idea what a man like Leng Yuan sees in someone so delicate.’
’She can’t do any heavy lifting or manual labor. She’s not the type to build a life with.’
In just a few short moments, Hu Xiuqiao had already found countless faults with Gu Jiaojiao.
Gu Jiaojiao ignored Hu Xiuqiao, still looking around for the mouse. Just then, the door was pushed open, and An Dongyang walked in, wearing an overcoat and looking very scholarly.
At first glance, he truly looked like a scholar. Humble, kind, refined, gentle—every adjective that came to mind painted the picture of a tender-hearted teacher.
He walked in, greeted Hu Xiuqiao, and when he saw that Gu Jiaojiao hadn’t looked over, he couldn’t help but ask, "What’s wrong, Teacher Gu?"
Hu Xiuqiao shot An Dongyang a meaningful look before saying, "There was a mouse just now. Teacher Gu is very afraid of mice. It’s a good thing you’re here, Mr. An. You can help Teacher Gu take a look."
A moment ago, only Hu Xiuqiao and Gu Jiaojiao had been in the office. An Dongyang’s arrival made it three. But after her comment, Hu Xiuqiao walked out, leaving An Dongyang and Gu Jiaojiao alone in the room.
A flicker of delight crossed An Dongyang’s face. A calculating glint suddenly appeared on his otherwise gentle features, like a coarse impurity discovered in a piece of fine jade, instantly ruining its value.
Just as An Dongyang was about to step forward, the door was pushed open again, and Leng Yuan walked in.
As he walked past An Dongyang, his shoulder knocked into the other man’s.
Instantly, the impact sent An Dongyang stumbling toward the desk. He propped himself up with one hand on the desk and clutched his aching shoulder with the other. As he lifted his gaze to Leng Yuan, his eyes swept over the man’s shoulder.
’Is this guy’s shoulder made of iron? Why did that hurt so much?’
Leng Yuan glanced at An Dongyang. "Mr. An, my apologies. I didn’t realize you were so weak you couldn’t even take a little bump."
They sounded like words of apology, but coming from his mouth, they carried a distinct hint of provocation.
An Dongyang: ...
’Is this man deliberately provoking me?’
But Leng Yuan’s face betrayed no other emotion.
An Dongyang watched him for a moment and decided he was overthinking things. Leng Yuan probably hadn’t meant to provoke him.
Leng Yuan paid no mind to whether An Dongyang was offended by his actions. He strode directly to Gu Jiaojiao’s side and asked in a gentle voice, "What’s wrong?"
Gu Jiaojiao told him about the mouse. A dangerous glint flashed in Leng Yuan’s dark eyes. Then, he reached out and patted his wife’s head. "There are no mice. I blocked up all the holes in this room. Teacher Hu must have seen wrong."
He knew his wife was afraid of mice. On the very first day Gu Jiaojiao became a teaching assistant, every single hole in the office a mouse could get through had vanished.