Chapter 286 - 208: Fulfilling Her Mother’s Duty?

The voice seemed a little familiar, but she quickly shook her head, figuring she was just hearing things.

She couldn’t help but compare this Mr. Yang Hui to the detestable man she’d met before. The contrast was stark. She recalled how that man had taken advantage of her time and again, embarrassing her and making a fool of her. She even mentally passed judgment on them both: ’Mr. Yang Hui is like a gentle spring breeze and a soft rain, silently nurturing all things. That other man is like a poisonous vine strangling a tree, leaving nothing but barren ground behind.’

At this thought, she let out a self-deprecating laugh. ’These two are just passersby in my life, people I’ll probably never see again, and here I am comparing them. What a waste of time.’

She glanced at the time. The parents should be arriving at the school by now. Once they were all gathered, she and the other subject teachers would take the stage to give the parents a brief report and update on recent school matters.

Her desk faced the doorway. As she graded assignments, she would occasionally look up at the parents who were starting to trickle in. Suddenly, her eyes caught a familiar figure. The nib of Yang Bing’s pen bled an ink blot onto the assignment paper as she instinctively recoiled, her knee banging against the underside of the desk drawer.

Tears of pain nearly welled up in her eyes. ’How could he be in the school building? Why am I so unlucky every time I run into him? Is he my personal jinx?’ Yang Bing thought mournfully. ’Please, God, just spare me. Don’t let me see him again.’

Yang Hui didn’t look in her direction. He had no idea that Yang Bing was a teacher at Qingzhou First Middle School, much less that she was Du’Er’s homeroom teacher.

When he reached the classroom door, he saw the other parents signing a register. He followed their lead, writing his name in the guardian column next to Wenren Du’Er’s. Then he entered the classroom, found Wenren Du’Er’s desk, and sat down. The little girl’s desk was quite neat. Glancing around, he saw that other students had drawn smiley faces on their desks, while some had doodles of pig heads.

He had asked Wenren Du’Er about her seat last night. He was surprised to learn she was in the front row. At 167cm tall, he had been curious how she ended up there. She explained that the classroom seats were rotated every week, giving everyone a chance to sit up front. He figured the teacher probably did this to avoid arguments from parents about their children’s seating positions.

When the time came, Yang Bing walked into the classroom like a breath of fresh air. Ever the poised and elegant intellectual, her eyes filled with panic the moment they met Yang Hui’s. ’What is this jinx doing here?’

She stumbled, nearly twisting her ankle in her high heels again. Thankfully, she managed to grab the lectern in time, avoiding an even more embarrassing scene. She didn’t dare look at Yang Hui again. ’Just looking at him brings bad luck.’ At the same time, she guessed he must be related to Wenren Du’Er, as he was sitting at her desk—a fact Yang Bing was, of course, well aware of.

Yang Hui, for his part, hadn’t expected the clumsy beauty he’d met yesterday to be Du’Er’s homeroom teacher. Up on the dais, Yang Bing had already regained her composure from her earlier panic. She began to speak with confidence, her voice clear and melodious.

She was wearing a blue dress today with a cinched waist. The V-neckline revealed a glimpse of her graceful neck and delicate collarbones. The dress seemed as if it were tailor-made for her, its fabric flowing smoothly over her undulating curves. The shoulder line was straight and elegant, the curve of her bust full without being ostentatious, and the waist was nipped in tight. The skirt fell naturally from the fullest part of her hips, creating a lovely A-line silhouette.

Listening to her speak, one could sense how her professional expertise, innate sexiness, and charisma as a teacher all blended together seamlessly. Her gait on the dais was a gentle sway, her straight spine and the natural swing of her waist moving her entire body, projecting a powerful and confident curvaceous beauty.

Yang Bing was currently explaining some of the Education Bureau’s initiatives regarding child safety. While the other parents were busy taking notes, she noticed that Wenren Du’Er’s guardian was just sitting there like a bump on a log, having brought nothing but himself to listen.

’No, wait. He also brought his eyes to watch,’ she thought. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed he was constantly sizing her up. Yang Bing deliberately used the lectern to shield her shapely body, but when she occasionally turned her back to the parents, she could feel a searing gaze on her full rear. She could even sense that the gaze came from Wenren Du’Er’s guardian—the guy had a prior record, after all.

Because she was already prejudiced against him, Yang Bing felt a bit unnatural during her presentation. She kept feeling a burning sensation on her rear, and even started to worry if that guy’s eyes had X-ray vision.

Having finally finished the part of the presentation she was responsible for as the homeroom teacher, Yang Bing smiled at the parents. "Next, our math teacher will come up to speak with you. And in a moment, could Wenren Du’Er’s guardian please come to my office?"

’I wonder what his relationship to Wenren Du’Er is,’ she mused. ’This obnoxious man looks like he’s only in his early twenties. Could he be Du’Er’s older brother? How could a sweet girl like Du’Er have such an annoying brother?’

Having been singled out, Yang Hui stood up and followed her out of the classroom.

Upon arriving at Yang Bing’s office, they saw another female teacher talking with a young boy. Judging by her expression, she was getting exasperated with the little terror.

Yang Bing asked, "You’re Du’Er’s...?"

"Father!"

Her gaze fell on Yang Hui’s youthful, college-student-like face. ’He’s Du’Er’s father? How does he look so young?’

"Mr. Wenren, please have a seat," she said, gesturing to a nearby chair.

"Du’Er has her mother’s surname. My surname is Yang."

Yang Bing had assumed they shared the same surname and quickly apologized. "My apologies, Mr. Yang. Please, have a seat."