"Alright, you siblings shouldn't be so lovey-dovey at school. Let's split up for a bit. I'll take senior's sister to the classroom, and Sister Qin can take senior to the staff office!"
Su Shiyu slid her hands between Qi Yan and Qi Ran, pushing them apart as she spoke.
"Uh..."
Suddenly separated, both Qi Yan and Qi Ran showed a trace of surprise on their faces. But Qi Yan knew that if his sister faced certain things alone, half the meaning of her enrollment would vanish.
"Ran, try to make some new friends!"
Qi Ran nodded without a flicker of emotion. She clearly wasn't interested in something as childish as making friends.
"Su Shiyu, I'm counting on you to take care of my sister."
"Such a formal way to address me! I'm not even going to comment, senior. Remember our deal—the seal carving." Su Shiyu winked as a reminder.
"I know. As long as you get the right jade, I'll carve it for you."
"Then we'll head off first."
Su Shiyu took Qi Ran's hand and walked toward the teaching building. Qi Yan watched his sister's retreating back anxiously.
"Instead of worrying about your sister, worry about yourself, rookie teacher." Liu Qin grinned and hooked her arm around Qi Yan's neck. "Nervous?"
Her soft chest pressed against his shoulder, flattening slightly. Qi Yan felt uneasy and broke free, stepping half a pace away. He declared boldly, "Nervous? Not really. I'm somewhat experienced in the real world. I've done plenty of tutoring part-time, and since it's art—which I'm good at—it should be easy..."
"Oh-ho-ho! 'Experienced'? You're quite bold! You little virgin, acting so big when you're just a virgin. Be careful, or troublemakers will make you lose face."
"Is there any student more mischievous than Su Shiyu in this world?" Qi Yan spread his hands helplessly. "She dumped a bucket of paint on me the first time we met. That's way more explosive than chalk dust on a door."
"Maybe there are! To me, Shiyu's just an immature kid. She's not bad at heart. But some students are rotten. They act on impulse without protection, getting girls pregnant young. Before graduating high school, they can't support a child, so they abort. It almost ruins a girl's future. Do you, little virgin, have the confidence to handle such students?"
"This isn't my job as an art teacher! It's for the dean and homeroom teachers. I'll just slack off. Besides, senior... what's wrong with being a virgin? Stop calling me that. If anything, it shows you're a good kid."
"Being a virgin is fine when underage, but you're an adult who dropped out of college. If you're not studying, you should be thinking about settling down, marriage, kids."
"I haven't thought that far! I can't even support myself and my family. I have no right to promise and waste someone else's future."
"Such a manly statement! So you'll build a career before love. For just a virgin, your mindset is quite mature!"
Even the most patient person has limits. No man could be called "virgin" so many times without feeling a ripple inside. After enduring Liu Qin's teasing, Qi Yan decided to fight back.
"Senior, I think you should focus more on marriage, kids, and being a good wife. I recall you're already twenty—"
Before Qi Yan could finish, Liu Qin covered his mouth, forcing him to swallow the rest. She smiled sweetly. "If you dare continue, I guarantee you won't see tomorrow's sun. I'm only twenty this year, remember?"
"Yes, yes, senior. You'll always be twenty, forever a blooming young lady."
Qi Yan yielded to Liu Qin's playful tyranny, consoling himself that arguing with women was pointless.
As they walked and chatted, time flew. The staff office came into view. Liu Qin stopped teasing and smoothed her wrinkled blouse. In public, she maintained her cool image.
She pushed the door open, Qi Yan following closely.
"Morning, Sister Liu."
"Good morning, Liu."
"Good morning, Teacher Liu."
Greetings rose and fell. Liu Qin was clearly popular—a social butterfly who fit in everywhere.
Liu Qin smiled. "Everyone, good morning. Looks like I'm last again today."
A plump middle-aged woman in a floral dress asked, "Liu, is this young man the intern art teacher Qi Yan you mentioned?"
Qi Yan placed his hands on his knees, bowed at forty-five degrees, and said sincerely, "Yes. I'm Qi Yan, interning from the Provincial Academy of Fine Arts at Dongshui Public School. I look forward to your guidance."
"He's also my junior from the art studio. Please take good care of him. Let's warmly welcome our new comrade!" Liu Qin clapped first.
Clap clap clap—
The applause was polite but lukewarm.
Outwardly, Qi Yan was an intern from the Provincial Academy—a lie, but no one would check. It saved trouble from disapproving teachers.
Few teachers were in the office; first period had started. Most subject teachers had already left for class.
Liu Qin led Qi Yan to an empty desk by the window. "This is yours. The view's decent, right?" She pulled an A4 sheet from the drawer. "Here's your schedule. Thirty-six classes total: eighteen junior high, eighteen senior high. I taught all art classes alone—it's inhuman. Now you see why I worked so hard to get you here?"
"Get me here?"
"Ahaha, slip of the tongue! If the principal hadn't almost knelt to beg me to stay, I'd have quit."
"Sharing the load does make it easier."
"Exactly. Originally thirty-six classes a week, now eighteen. You handle junior high; I'll take senior high."
"Understood."
"Finally, your staff ID and office key." Liu Qin placed the green card and key in his hand. "With these, you can enter the school and office."
"You just don't want to wake up early tomorrow, senior."
"Bingo, no prize. I've woken early two days straight—I'm losing my youthful glow."
"Is there a syllabus or textbook?"
"None. Teach whatever you like. Letting students self-study is fine, but assign art homework. Otherwise, mid-term checks or leader visits will be messy. Anyway, first period's ending. I have class. Prepare yourself—you teach third period."
"Senior, wait! At least tell me where junior high is—"
Liu Qin walked out laughing with the plump teacher, not glancing back.
Qi Yan knew she'd heard him—she was deliberately setting him up.
"Um... I also have third period in junior high. I can take you there." A petite girl beside him weakly raised her hand.
