Lin Fan picked up ten jin of ribs and five jin of pork belly, paid, and left.
Luo Dazhuang stared at Lin Fan's retreating back, his heart filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment.
"Still looking?"
Li Guifang sidled up behind him, sneering, "Still letting Xiao Fan take you to the city, tsk tsk!"
"Dazhuang, I think you're a toad chasing a frog, ugly but full of tricks!"
Li Guifang shook her head and clicked her tongue, her tone full of mockery.
"Scram!"
Luo Dazhuang's temper flared, and he slammed the butcher's knife onto the chopping board.
"Fine, I won't delay you going to the city. Go have your spring dream!"
Li Guifang jeered sarcastically, "Oh, some people have no shame..."
"You say that one more time?"
"I'll say it a hundred more times, what about it?"
"What are you going to do to me?"
"I..."
The couple's bickering began anew.
...
Lin Fan hitched a ride and soon arrived at Hope Primary School.
Hope Primary School was built through the joint efforts of ten villages and towns. The name was chosen to signify that the children carried the hope of the motherland!
On a grander scale, it could also be interpreted to mean that children carried the hope of the world!
Lin Fan first greeted the gatekeeper, then headed towards Jiang Edoxue's office.
Inside the teaching building.
The sound of neat recitation filled the air, bringing a pure smile to Lin Fan's face.
When he was studying, the conditions were much worse.
There were five leaky old houses, with red brick floors, and not even cement was used.
Now, a three-story building had been erected.
There was everything from a football field and basketball court to a garden.
"Hmm~"
Lin Fan's gaze casually swept across a classroom on the first floor, and his eyes were captivated by a familiar silhouette.
"Class, 'two wood' should be written here."
"Forest, 'three wood' is 'sen'..."
Jiang Edoxue, wearing a pair of delicate glasses on her nose, wrote two elegant characters on the blackboard with chalk.
After writing, she turned and asked, "Remembered?"
"Remembered!"
A neat chorus of voices responded.
Lin Fan chuckled, never expecting that Jiang Edoxue, who was always like a timid rabbit in front of him, would be so dignified and stern in front of the children.
He stepped forward and, like the children, began to listen to the lesson.
Jiang Edoxue had come to Hope Primary School with a passionate heart, unwilling to let the rural children fall behind from the start.
Therefore, she taught with exceptional seriousness.
She also hoped that one day, these children could leave their remote villages and soar into the skies.
Yet, she never imagined that the outside world might not be better than the countryside.
Not only was there a lack of natural flowers and plants, but it was also full of dangers.
Over ten minutes passed, and she didn't notice a tall figure outside, peeking in, and occasionally smiling to himself.
It was a lively and mischievous little boy, who wasn't paying attention to the lesson, who noticed this first.
Then, with his pointing, more children started looking out the window.
The commotion finally caught Jiang Edoxue's attention.
Bang bang bang!
Jiang Edoxue tapped the desk with a blackboard eraser and scolded, "What are you doing?"
"If you don't want to listen to the lesson, go stand at the back!"
The classroom immediately fell silent.
All the students sat up straight, daring not to make any further movements.
"Tea... Teacher..."
A weak voice sounded.
Yaya, the granddaughter of Aunt Li, pointed out the window and reminded, "Uncle Xiao Fan seems to be looking for you."
Jiang Edoxue suddenly turned her head and saw Lin Fan standing outside the window, looking like a monkey.
Lin Fan was grinning foolishly, staring intently at Jiang Edoxue.
Jiang Edoxue's face suddenly turned red.
"You all study by yourselves. Teacher has something to do and will be back soon."
Jiang Edoxue, feeling shy and uneasy, said this and then ran out.
As soon as she left, the students boldly looked out the window.
Although young, they already had a vague understanding of matters of love between men and women.
The handsome and radiant Lin Fan and the beautiful and dignified Teacher Jiang indeed looked like a couple!
"Why are you here?"
Jiang Edoxue's face was flushed with embarrassment, and her tone held a hint of complaint.
"I was passing by the school and thought... I'd come see you, and also deliver the money I promised to donate to the school."
As the words reached his lips, Lin Fan had a flash of inspiration and reversed the order.
He wondered if it was because he had encountered more women that he had become more adept at this, even his fibs were so natural.
"Then why didn't you have someone call me? Why stand here looking?"
"The children saw you!"
Although Jiang Edoxue said this, she was secretly pleased.
Lin Fan reached into his pocket and said, "I'll give you the money, and then I'll leave."
"Don't!"
Jiang Edoxue had already been missing him. Now that they had finally met, she couldn't bear to let him go so easily.
She took out her dorm key and whispered, "Go to my dorm and sit for a while. I'll find you after class. It'll be quick..."
As she spoke, she suddenly noticed the items Lin Fan was carrying and asked, "What are you holding?"
Men usually brought gifts when visiting their girlfriends.
However, why did these gifts look like pork and ribs?
"I..."
Lin Fan realized it was time to spin another tale.
Otherwise, how could he explain?
Should he tell the truth?
That he bought them to eat with his sister-in-law and Song Yue back home.
Absolutely not!
"I bought them in town to help you replenish your body."
Lin Fan put on a naive and honest smile.
"You..."
Jiang Edoxue was amused and speechless, "You give girls ribs and pork when you visit them?"
Lin Fan gave a wry smile, "Five jin of pork belly and ten jin of ribs. That's enough for you to eat for a long time."
"Alright, alright."
Jiang Edoxue waved her hand, "Hurry to my dorm and sit down. Don't delay my class here."
"Okay."
Lin Fan replied, then took the key and walked towards the dorms.
"Really... silly~"
Jiang Edoxue watched Lin Fan's retreating figure and chided him playfully.
Over the years, many men had pursued Jiang Edoxue, but he was the first to bring pork and ribs as a gift.
She simply couldn't understand his thought process!
Even if he didn't give jewelry or cosmetics, a bouquet of roses would have been acceptable!
Pork!
How could he think of that!
Jiang Edoxue gave him a charming eye-roll as she looked at his retreating back.
But...
A man like this wouldn't be able to be unfaithful, even if he wanted to!
Who would like a man who gave pork as a gift?
Steady, reliable, and capable!
Of course, if some vixen tried to seduce him, that would be another story.
Thinking this, Jiang Edoxue's mood instantly lifted.
She was as happy as if she had found a treasure, skipping and bouncing.