Chapter 992: Heart Throbbing
Chapter 992: Heart Throbbing
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Lin Miao stumbled, barely managing to stay on her feet. But she couldn’t afford to dwell on it. She quickly turned and dashed toward Guangwai Middle School.
News of her prison record would spread like wildfire soon, and she needed to act fast. Her plan was simple: find the homeroom teacher, request a week’s leave, and study at home to avoid the inevitable storm of gossip.
Gu Zi. That despicable Gu Zi. Every encounter with her left her with no way out, humiliated and cornered. Her hatred for Gu Zi burned fiercely. If only something unexpected could happen to Gu Zi—something that would prevent her from taking the college entrance exams—she thought bitterly.
When Gu Zi returned home, the front door was still locked, and the house was empty. Su Jing hadn’t come back yet.
Since Gu Zi needed to go to school today and Su Jing had errands to run, they’d agreed that whoever came home first would pick up Su Le from the Gao family. With Su Jing not back yet, it was up to Gu Zi to fetch her little darling.
Arriving at the Gao residence, Gu Zi saw Su Le sitting on the lawn with Grandma Gao and Grandpa Gao.
The little girl was perched opposite the elderly couple, holding a book that was almost larger than her cherubic face. She was teaching them English, her soft, sugary voice stumbling adorably over the foreign words.
Gu Zi couldn’t help but pause and listen, smiling to herself. Only when Su Le finished reading a page did she call out, “Lele.”
The moment Su Le heard that familiar voice, she sprang up from the ground, set the book down, and ran straight into Gu Zi’s arms.
Naturally, Gu Zi scooped her up, planting a kiss on her tiny cheek.
Grandma Gao looked up, laughing. “Our little teacher is amazing! She taught us the names of all the common fruits today.”
Since retiring, Grandpa Gao had been searching for ways to pass the time. After growing bored with chess, he’d recently taken an interest in learning English and roped Grandma Gao into it as well.
When they discovered that Su Le could speak English, they immediately appointed her as their “little teacher.”
Now, whenever Su Le visited, she spent time teaching them vocabulary. Surprisingly, the method worked—both elders had amassed a vocabulary of over 500 words under her playful tutelage.
Gu Zi chuckled. “I should be thanking you both for keeping an eye on Lele. We’ll head home now.” After saying their goodbyes, Gu Zi left with Su Le.
The elderly couple, seeing their little teacher leave, lost interest in studying further. After all, what’s the point of learning if the teacher’s gone?
Back home, Gu Zi took out two bowls of grass jelly she had prepared the night before. She poured milk and drizzled honey over the jelly, creating two servings: one large, one small. Mother and daughter enjoyed their treat in high spirits. The chilled dessert was the perfect antidote to the sweltering heat, refreshing their bodies and minds.
After finishing, Gu Zi took Su Le to the yard. While Su Le played with Big Yellow, their big, affectionate dog, Gu Zi busied herself with laying out the radish strips she had dried earlier in the week.
The blazing sun was perfect for this task. Once she was done, she looked over to find Su Le fast asleep, her tiny head resting on Big Yellow’s belly.
Big Yellow, ever the loyal guardian, lay perfectly still, careful not to disturb his young mistress.
Gu Zi crouched down, stroked Big Yellow’s head as if in approval, and gently picked up the sleeping Su Le. She carried her upstairs, letting her rest properly after a morning full of activity. Feeling sleepy herself, Gu Zi decided to join her for a nap. They weren’t hungry yet—food could wait until they woke up.
Gu Zi drifted off to sleep quickly, only to wake later to the mouthwatering aroma of freshly steamed food wafting from the kitchen. When she went to investigate, she found a large pot of steaming hot dishes waiting for her.
Her heart leapt with joy—there was no mistaking who had done this. Su Shen must have returned.
This man, she thought, shaking her head fondly. She had told him earlier that her trip to school wasn’t anything serious and that he didn’t need to worry. Yet here he was, back again, treating her like she was a child who couldn’t fend for herself.
Curious to find him, Gu Zi headed to the backyard.
Just as she stepped out the back door, she spotted him—tall, broad-shouldered, and utterly absorbed in weeding the vegetable patch. He was dressed simply in a military-green tank top, his perfectly sculpted muscles glistening under the sunlight. The sight was enough to make her momentarily forget everything else.
As if sensing her gaze, Su Shen stood up and began walking toward her. But before he could close the distance, Gu Zi dashed forward, throwing herself into his arms. She tilted her face up to him, her eyes sparkling with admiration. “Honey, you’re so handsome, so good to me. I love you, you know that?” she said, her voice syrupy sweet.
Su Shen, gazing at the radiant woman in his arms, felt his heart tighten. Though his expression remained stoic, his deep voice betrayed his restraint. “Gu Zi, don’t tempt me like this. My self-control around you is… not very strong.”