The money sent to Su Jin was not accepted by her.
Chu Xin didn’t pay much mind to it. ‘Perhaps she’s sleeping,’ he mused. ‘After all, speaking so earnestly can be quite exhausting.’
He glanced at the time; it was precisely five o’clock.
Ji Yue Xuan had only replied with an ‘OK’ emoji before falling silent.
There was no rush. He could simply take the subway, and his reservation at the high-end restaurant could be delayed until past seven.
At this hour, the streets of the duplex residential area were largely devoid of pedestrians. A gentle, cool evening breeze swept through, bringing Chu Xin a sense of profound comfort and significantly easing his tension.
He instinctively glanced at the two houses nearby. Quan Zhu Meng’s residence remained unlit; he wondered where she had gone, likely occupied with work.
The neighbor who often snuck over in the dead of night, however, had lights on. It seemed they were having dinner, so there was no reason to take a detour at present.
The Su family’s home was situated in what could be considered a suburb of the bustling city, yet it bordered a commercial district. This was precisely where Chu Xin frequented the gym, and conveniently, the subway station was located nearby.
As for Maria Academy, it required taking subway Line 2 to the opposite side of the suburbs.
It wasn’t a great distance, making this location quite excellent. Not only was it away from the noisy city center, but it also offered convenient transportation, with the subway station accessible on foot. Only occasionally would vehicles pass by.
It was, in essence, an ideal place for retirement.
He opted against the slightly circuitous route he’d taken at noon, choosing instead his usual path.
In truth, the midday route was the more direct way to the shopping mall. The path he now followed was actually a detour, though it was closer to the gym.
Still, the difference in distance was negligible, and this particular road offered a more tranquil journey.
Upon reaching the subway station, the atmosphere became noticeably livelier. Perhaps because tomorrow was Monday, a diverse array of people passed through, carrying backpacks and dragging suitcases. Occasionally, office workers emerged from their shifts, while young women in JK uniforms from nearby schools sometimes entered.
After swiping his card and waiting briefly, he entered the train car. It wasn’t crowded; mostly middle-aged men, dazed from business dinners, occupied the seats.
This came as no surprise to him. Though it was a wealthy villa district, its proximity to the bustling heart of Tianhai City meant many people worked or owned property there. Encountering a few drunkards was to be expected.
However, due to excellent public safety, incidents like ‘perverted train passenger’ often depicted in fiction were unlikely to occur.
He found an empty row and settled down, idly scrolling through videos from this world.
Watching his reflection in the dark glass opposite, he sighed, acknowledging that he had indeed integrated into this world.
The subway slowly began to move.
He had estimated the arrival time and decided to rest his eyes for a while, gathering his energy for whatever lay ahead—a habit he always maintained.
Yet, no sooner had he closed his eyes than a faint, alcoholic yet not acrid, fragrance assailed him. He frowned, his eyes snapping open.
He saw a mature woman, clad in what appeared to be a nun’s habit, sitting beside him, thoroughly intoxicated. Her legs, encased in white over-the-knee stockings, were crossed in a relaxed ‘erlang’ position.
The pure black high heel on her upper foot was barely hooked by her toes. She seemed utterly at ease, leaning back with her hands on the seat, her neck craned, almost embracing Chu Xin.
Her left hand still clutched a half-empty can of beer, which clinked against its sides with the slight tremor of her leg.
Chu Xin sighed. ‘To think I’d run into her now, of all times.’
In this world, there was likely only one person who wore a nun’s habit yet loved to drink.
That was Chu Xin’s homeroom teacher, the head nun of Maria Academy, a position akin to a head maid, though Chu Xin didn’t fully understand it.
Why she also served as a homeroom teacher was beyond Chu Xin’s knowledge, but he was certain she was indeed a faculty member of the academy.
However, another rumor circulated about her: she was an exceedingly troublesome woman, prone to telling lewd jokes.
Once she set her sights on someone, they would be lectured incessantly. Despite her fondness for alcohol and seemingly unreliable demeanor, she was considered an extremely competent homeroom teacher.
Chu Xin watched her, still craning her neck without further movement. ‘Should I just run now?’ he wondered. ‘Changing seats would save me a lot of trouble.’
He had been singled out by his homeroom teacher upon his enrollment, often being called to her office after school and subjected to her unwavering gaze for half an hour.
Just as he was about to rise, the homeroom teacher beside him commanded, “Sit down.”
Her voice was magnetic and incredibly mature, transforming what could have been a harsh reprimand into something quite pleasing to the ear.
Chu Xin was startled by her words and quickly sat back down. As he did, the woman next to him promptly slumped into his arms. The beer can in her hand clattered to the floor, though he couldn’t recall when it had emptied.
Chu Xin’s body stiffened. He dared not breathe, and only after seeing that no one around them seemed to notice did he manage to somewhat calm his nerves.
He simply stared at his reflection in the window, afraid to move.
After a while, he heard soft breathing emanating from the homeroom teacher in his arms. It was then that he realized she had fallen asleep against him.
Yet, the mature scent emanating from her continued to flood his senses, causing Chu Xin, who had been on the verge of relaxing, to hold his breath once more.
The homeroom teacher, dressed in a nun’s habit, was named Tina. She possessed long, silver-white hair and a face of exquisite maturity, capable of captivating countless men. However, as previously mentioned, all the teachers at Maria Academy were women, so her charm rarely had an opportunity to fully manifest.
At this moment, however, she lay in Chu Xin’s arms, muttering, “Bring me another drink…”
Chu Xin sighed. ‘Most likely, the ‘old crones’ from the academy had another gathering,’ he thought. They seemed to drink even more wildly than men. Yet, despite their wildness, the selection process for Maria Academy teachers was stringent, ensuring no behavioral issues arose.
He had heard all this from Su Mother, who apparently had a good relationship with them and would sometimes share gossip with Chu Xin in her free time.
Chu Xin subconsciously glanced at Tina. Apart from her love for alcohol, she seemed to have no other flaws. Her profile, as she lay on his lap, was simply captivating.
However, Chu Xin’s train had arrived at his station. He gently shook Tina, but received only a soft “Hmmpf” in response, and nothing more.
Gritting his teeth, he muttered an apology for the offense before carefully moving her head. Yet, he couldn’t simply abandon her. He sighed, contacted her fellow teachers, and then hurried away.
But as the train doors closed and the carriage began to move again, Tina sat upright, showing no signs of being intoxicated whatsoever.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, gazing in the direction Chu Xin had departed, a thoughtful expression on her face.
****
Chu Xin exited the station and checked the time. It was just past five-thirty, not yet six. He navigated the now much busier commercial street, relying on his memory.
He straightened his clothes, which had been disheveled by Tina, and walked towards the villa district, where the foot traffic steadily decreased.
Just as he was about to reach the villa entrance, a pair of soft, fragrant hands suddenly covered his eyes from behind.
“Guess who I am~” a voice playfully whispered.