Chapter 335 - 305: Do You Mind Dating an Older Woman?
Chapter 335: Chapter 305: Do You Mind Dating an Older Woman?
After a moment of playful banter, the group of four didn’t delay any longer and quickly returned to Outpost Nine.
Back at the Guardian Hall, Elder Tie’s station, the four of them chatted for quite some time.
Elder Tie had a sumptuous feast of food and wine prepared to host Li Qian, along with Irina and her mother.
A feast like this would be nothing special on the Ancestral Star, but here at Outpost Nine, where supplies were relatively scarce, it was a rare treat.
Elder Tie was in high spirits and drank quite a bit. For him, this was a triple blessing.
Not only had his Pet Beast, the Golden Pearl Bud, evolved, but his Four-Winged Mantis had also healed its hidden injuries and advanced to the Emperor Level. Most importantly, he and Teacher Han Ke had finally made their relationship official.
That was why Li Qian was rather surprised the next day to see Teacher Han Ke preparing to leave with him and Irina. "Teacher Han Ke, why aren’t you staying a little longer?"
"Your Teacher Tie still has his post to guard and can’t leave Outpost Nine for now," Teacher Han Ke explained from atop the Flying Pet Beast. "And I’m a teacher at our Shazhou Beast Taming University with classes to teach, so I naturally can’t stay for long."
"But you two just..." Li Qian still didn’t quite understand.
"At our age, we’re not really looking for ’forever and always’ anymore," Teacher Han Ke said frankly.
Li Qian thought about it and felt that made sense, but he still cracked a joke. "What’s wrong with your age? You don’t look old at all. If you and Senior Sister Yilina were walking together, no one would doubt you if someone said you were sisters."
"You could probably even have a baby with Elder Tie!"
PFFT!
Irina couldn’t help but burst out laughing at his words. But she quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, Li Qian’s right! I’d love to have a little brother or sister!"
"You’re a grown woman, act like it..." Teacher Han Ke shot her daughter a helpless glance. "In a few years, I was getting ready to look after my grandkids."
"Then you’ll be waiting a long time," Irina said, pursing her lips dismissively, the very picture of unconcern.
Teacher Han Ke suddenly turned to Li Qian, and her words nearly made him choke. "Li Qian, you just started university this year, so you must be only eighteen. Would you mind dating an older woman?"
At that moment, Li Qian looked at Teacher Han Ke and felt like he was seeing his parents from his past life nagging him to get married.
A dark cloud formed over his head.
"Teacher Han Ke, please don’t joke around. Senior Sister Yilina is gifted, intelligent, beautiful, charming, gentle, and virtuous. The line of guys wanting to marry her could probably wrap around our entire Shazhou Beast Taming University..."
Hearing Li Qian praise her to the high heavens, Irina’s expression grew darker and darker.
Because a long setup like that usually meant... a "but"!
’Right then, even though I haven’t really thought about such things, that doesn’t mean I can accept being rejected.’
’Women are just like that!’
’If a guy tries too hard, he’s often seen as a nuisance. But if he rejects you without a second thought, you’ll probably end up holding a grudge.’
As it turned out, Irina’s guess was correct. After that long preamble, Li Qian finally spoke, tactfully declining. "So, knowing my own place, I naturally wouldn’t dare to have any presumptuous ideas..."
"Why all the nonsense? I’m just asking you, would you be open to dating an older woman?" Teacher Han Ke asked, a sly smile playing on her lips as she looked at Li Qian.
Li Qian’s head began to throb. Besides Teacher Han Ke’s slyly smiling gaze, he could also feel another, rather peculiar stare.
On this Flying Pet Beast, who else could it be but Irina?
Before Li Qian could respond, Teacher Han Ke pressed on. "Besides, you’ve only known each other for a short while. How would you know Irina is so ’intelligent, gentle, and virtuous’?"
"Unless... you’ve been secretly paying attention to her for a while now?"
"Haha..." Flustered, Li Qian could only laugh awkwardly and try to deflect. "I mostly just believe in fate. Age and all that doesn’t really matter."
As for whether he’d been paying attention to her or not, he wisely kept his mouth shut. His intuition told him that if he got dragged into this topic, it would never end.
"Sigh, it’s really good that you think that way. Let me tell you, with something like marriage, you have to take the initiative. Look at me, even at my age, didn’t I..." Teacher Han Ke used herself as an example. "Don’t just throw yourself into your career. You know the saying, ’build a family, then build a career.’ Family always comes first... Don’t be like some people who just get older and older while their reputation gets worse and worse, until even the matchmakers don’t want to come knocking anymore..."
Li Qian gave an awkward laugh. "Um, Teacher Han Ke, Senior Sister Yilina is still young. There’s no need to be in such a hurry..."
"She’s not young! She’s already twenty-five! In another two years, she’ll have her doctorate!" Teacher Han Ke said, full of worry.
Hearing this, Li Qian couldn’t help but mutter to himself, ’A woman with a Ph.D... better to steer clear...’
At this point, Irina, who had been listening to the nagging, finally couldn’t take it anymore. She looked at her dear mother in exasperation. "Mom, please stop worrying. With my looks and my strength, finding a partner would be a piece of cake."
"Then go find one," Teacher Han Ke retorted.
Irina was at a loss for words, a helpless expression on her face. "Right now, I’m in a phase of rapid power growth. I just contracted a Tidal Sea Spirit. Where would I find the time and energy to date someone...?"
"You’re just full of excuses!" Teacher Han Ke glanced at her daughter and sighed in resignation.
The Thunderous Griffin was remarkably fast, and they returned to Yuntian City just before morning on the second day.
After bidding farewell to Teacher Han Ke and Senior Sister Yilina, Li Qian checked his temporary communication watch. There were already several messages, all urging him to head to the assembly point.
Li Qian sent a reply, then wasted no more time and headed straight for the assembly point.
When he arrived at the assembly point, he found that there weren’t many students left in Yuntian City. Including him, there were only five in total.
Two of them were familiar faces: one was Wang Zonghan, and the other was Ding Ganmao, with whom he was on rather good terms.
"Xiaodingding, you haven’t left yet?" Li Qian said with a smile as he walked over to greet him.
Ding Ganmao lowered his voice. "We’re brothers who’ve been through thick and thin. You hadn’t left, so how could I leave on my own? Also, stop calling me Xiaodingding. If a girl hears that, my lower body and the rest of my life are both ruined."
Hearing this, Li Qian covered his mouth to hide a laugh. "I was just curious and spent a little more time looking around Yuntian City..."