The week of grading exams passed quickly, and the results were finally out.
Ti Nanyi ranked in the upper-middle tier of her class. Maybe it was because of the new English teacher, but she had miraculously scored 120 points in English this time. Not just her—the entire class’s average English score had improved by nearly 10 points.
“Class 1-3 of Grade 10, just go up to the second floor and turn left.”
Over the phone, Ti Nanyi’s voice was accompanied by the sound of waves crashing in the background.
Since the little troublemaker had done well on her exams, Ti Zhe and Ren Yue had taken her on an early vacation.
Originally, they had planned to stay with Ti Xiao until New Year’s Eve, but in the blink of an eye, their “family time” had turned into Ti Xiao spending the holiday alone.
“You didn’t tell me—where’s your seat?” Ti Xiao wandered through the campus, completely lost. “And aren’t most students’ parents coming to this meeting? Why am I the only ‘uncle’ here?”
“My seat is super obvious! You’ll see it the moment you walk in,” Ti Nanyi reassured him.
“Relax, I already told my homeroom teacher that my uncle would be attending the meeting instead. It’s all set—ah, Dad, I’m on the phone with Uncle right now, I’ll be there in a sec!”
“Tell your dad to go to hell for me,” Ti Xiao snapped the moment he heard Ti Zhe’s voice.
Ti Zhe, the ultimate backstabbing older brother, had not only canceled his business trip but had insisted that his little brother attend the parent-teacher meeting for his daughter—all while taking his wife and kid on vacation.
Just thinking about it made Ti Xiao furious.
“Alright, got it! I’ll pass the message along—ow, ow, Mom, don’t hit me! It hurts!” Ti Nanyi, trusting her uncle way too much, immediately threw herself into danger.
“This year, if nothing changes, our English teacher will be hosting the meeting,” she added cheerfully. “So you’ll get to meet him face-to-face—and deeply regret it~”
“Oh,” Ti Xiao scoffed, his sharp tongue flaring up. “Your dear uncle doesn’t care.”
With that, he hung up.
“Class 1-3, Class 1-3…” Ti Xiao muttered to himself as he searched for the high school building.
Since it was parent-teacher conference day, plenty of students had returned to campus, all dressed in their uniforms, strolling around. Thanks to his height, Ti Xiao blended right in with the high schoolers. If he threw on a uniform himself, he’d pass as a student without question.
The private school had a massive campus with state-of-the-art facilities. After walking for a while, Ti Xiao started feeling tired. Luckily, there was a vending machine nearby, so he stopped to buy a hot drink, sipping it as he continued his search.
“Hey, you there!” A voice suddenly called out. “Which class are you from? Why aren’t you wearing your uniform?”
Someone had blocked his path.
Ti Xiao looked around.
Sure enough, he was the only one not wearing a uniform.
Frustrated, he sighed, “I’m a student’s guardian—I’m here for the parent-teacher conference.”
“I’ve heard that excuse a hundred times.” The student shook his head. “Name and class.”
“I’m seriously a guardian,” Ti Xiao said helplessly, finally pulling out his ID to show the kid.
This was ridiculous. Was being short a crime now?!
After that comical misunderstanding, Ti Xiao finally found Class 1-3.
And finally understood what Ti Nanyi meant by “You’ll see it the moment you walk in.”
Each student’s desk had a small gift and a nameplate prepared for their parents.
But Ti Nanyi’s desk?
It had several neatly stacked copies of Little Wolf Pup on top of it.
And on top of those books?
A character standee that read:
“To my dearest Uncle.”
Like hell he wouldn’t notice.
Ti Xiao’s expression darkened as he took his seat. This little brat really piled everything onto his desk. Annoyed, he hurriedly gathered up the manga and standee, shoving them away.
Surrounded by parents whose faces were lined with age, Ti Xiao stuck out like a sore thumb—the only young, fresh-faced one among them. Sitting at a student’s desk, he blended in way too well, and several parents were secretly sizing him up.
He glanced at his watch. The meeting was scheduled to start at half past the hour—it was already 29 minutes past.
As he was looking down, the sound of steady, firm footsteps echoed from the hallway. Leather shoes.
The footsteps drew closer and finally entered the room. The warm classroom air, the quiet murmur of parents chatting—it all made Ti Xiao feel drowsy, like he was back in high school again. His head drooped, and he didn’t bother looking up.
“Good evening, parents. I’m the English teacher for Class 1-3, and I’ll be hosting today’s meeting. My name is…”
The voice was deep, smooth, and intoxicating—its rich tone tinged with a familiar edge.
The moment Ti Xiao heard it, his heart stopped.
His head snapped up, locking eyes with a man who looked equally stunned.
“… Xiao Yao.”
The voice remained as deep and entrancing as ever.
Ti Xiao stared at the figure standing behind the three-foot podium, momentarily frozen.
Xiao Yao was dressed in a deep navy-blue suit, the buttons neatly fastened, revealing a crisp white shirt and a matching dark blue tie. Broad shoulders, a slim waist, long legs—he radiated a refined, almost aristocratic air.
Unlike before, his hair was now slicked back, exposing his smooth, prominent forehead. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his sharp, high nose, adding an extra layer of sophistication.
He looked exactly like the man Ti Xiao had first glimpsed in the school hallway—except back then, he hadn’t seen his face.
Even without seeing his face, Ti Xiao had already been utterly captivated.
Xiao Yao’s initial surprise faded quickly. His gaze swept over Ti Xiao before shifting away, his expression returning to its usual composed state. After all, he’d already known that Ti Xiao was a guardian for one of his students.
He set down the materials in his hand, casually loosening his tie with his fingers as he prepared to begin the meeting.
The room was warm—too warm. Ti Xiao kept his eyes on Xiao Yao, his head growing dizzy as a flush crept up his face.
His skin felt hot. His whole body felt hot.
“The meeting will now begin. Parents, please look at the screen in front.”
Xiao Yao’s voice cut through the air, cool and composed.
It was an instruction to raise their heads.
But Ti Xiao immediately lowered his.
Face planted against the cool surface of the desk, he desperately tried to cool down.
He had just stared at Xiao Yao’s face for at least five full seconds.
If it weren’t for the podium in the way, he might have scanned him from head to toe.
Wait.
Xiao Yao was Ti Nanyi’s English teacher?!
Huh???
HUH???
Was the world seriously this small?!
As the realization sank in, everything clicked.
From the very first time Ti Nanyi had excitedly gushed about her new English teacher—how tall and good-looking he was, how amazing his voice sounded—to the day Xiao Yao moved into his neighborhood, stepping directly into his life.
Then, there was the restaurant—where he and Xiao Yao had unknowingly taken the couple’s booth, and where Ti Nanyi’s classmate had casually mentioned seeing their English teacher dining there too.
Later, Ti Nanyi had spotted her teacher walking out of their neighborhood. Ti Xiao had simply thought it was a coincidence—after all, the area had lots of schools, so it wasn’t strange for a teacher to live nearby.
And during New Year’s, when Xiao Yao had helped Xu Chen with his grammar exercises, effortlessly breaking down complex language rules—Ti Xiao had simply assumed he’d studied abroad.
All the details. All the hints.
Every single “coincidence”—it had been pointing to Xiao Yao all along.
And he hadn’t even noticed.
God, was he actually an idiot?!
Ti Xiao pursed his lips, recalling the way Ti Nanyi had smugly said:
“You two are such a perfect CP!”
“He’d totally be the top in your relationship!”
His cheeks burned even hotter.
“You’ll regret it if you don’t look!” Ti Nanyi’s words echoed in his mind.
…Shit.
He was starting to regret it.
“Hey! Hey! They’re calling you!”
Ti Xiao had been completely zoned out, lost in his own chaotic thoughts.
A voice suddenly snapped him back to reality.
He turned his head, blinking at the parent beside him.
“Huh?”
“The teacher is calling you.”
The words rang in Ti Xiao’s ears like a loud bell, shocking him back to reality. He jumped to his feet, the movement so abrupt that his desk wobbled forward and back.
“Present!” he blurted out—loud and clear.
Laughter erupted around the room. Even Xiao Yao, standing on the podium, couldn’t hold back a chuckle, his eyes crinkling in a gentle, warm smile.
“Alright, alright, this ‘student’ can take a seat now,” Xiao Yao said with a teasing wave of his hand.
Still caught in the lingering laughter, Ti Xiao dumbly sat back down, only realizing what he had just done the moment his butt hit the seat.
The teacher had called on the parents of top students to share their thoughts—not for students to respond like they were in class.
And yet, he actually answered like a student.
Like an idiot.
Present? Present my ass.
Face burning, Ti Xiao buried himself against the desk, sinking as low as possible, hoping that the parent in front of him could block Xiao Yao’s line of sight.
He didn’t dare look up. He just knew Xiao Yao was secretly laughing at him.
God, he wished he could dig a hole and bury himself alive.
Still hiding, his thoughts drifted back to what had happened before.
Ti Nanyi had once gossiped excitedly about Xiao Yao—about his “boyfriend,” his “blonde-haired, blue-eyed girlfriend,” and how she even felt bad for the cute guy he went out to eat with.
Now, things made sense.
The “girlfriend” was probably Naomi, and as for the “boyfriend”…
That would be him.
Ti Xiao’s face flamed all over again.
Even that copy of “Little Wolf Cub” had definitely been confiscated by Xiao Yao—probably just shoved in his bag because he didn’t bother bringing any textbooks.
…Kinda cute, actually.
Not that he was listening to anything Xiao Yao was saying.
The notebook he brought to take notes? Useless.
Instead, he stayed slumped over his desk, replaying every little moment in his head. Occasionally, he’d steal a glance at Xiao Yao, watching him effortlessly command the room, his expressions animated as he spoke.
When the meeting ended, a swarm of parents immediately surrounded Xiao Yao, bombarding him with questions about their children.
Some even had the audacity to ask if he was single.
Ti Xiao hastily gathered his things, planning to sneak out while Xiao Yao was distracted.
He had already embarrassed himself enough for one day—no way was he risking another moment of eye contact.
He made it all the way to the door when—
“Ti Xiao, stay behind for a moment. I need to talk to you.”
Shit.
If Xiao Yao had said “Ti Nanyi’s guardian,” he could’ve just pretended not to hear and bolted.
They could just talk another day—or never, even.
But he had said his name.
And just like that, his feet wouldn’t move.
Sitting stiffly in his seat, Ti Xiao stared down at his hands, resting on his lap, cursing himself.
Why?
Why did he stay?
Was he seriously so weak to Xiao Yao’s voice that he couldn’t just leave?!
Annoyed, he glanced up at Xiao Yao, but quickly looked away.
Wait, hold on.
Why was he the one acting guilty?
Xiao Yao was the one who never told him he was a teacher!
His confidence surged.
He straightened his back, determination setting in.
Fine. He was gonna give Xiao Yao a piece of his mind.
By now, most of the other parents had left.
Xiao Yao was still chatting with the last few, ever so patient, occasionally smiling—that polite, scholarly smile that showed just a few teeth.
His suit jacket was off, sleeves rolled up, the gold-rimmed glasses perched elegantly on his nose.
…He really did give off that untouchable, refined vibe.
“Have you stared enough?”
As soon as the last parent walked out, Xiao Yao strode up to Ti Xiao, placing one hand on his desk, leaning in slightly.
“Huh?”
Ti Xiao snapped out of it.
“No—yes! No, wait—I wasn’t looking at you!”
“If that’s not a guilty conscience, I don’t know what is.”
And the more he tried to explain, the worse it got.
Ti Xiao covered his face again, feeling especially shy today. Peeking through his fingers, he saw Xiao Yao still watching him with an amused smile, and he quickly clamped his hands over his eyes to block him out completely.
“Let’s go. I need to lock up the classroom,” Xiao Yao said as he shut off the computer and projector. “Let’s head home—I’m starving.”
The walk from the teaching building to the school gates was still a bit of a distance.
Students and parents hadn’t all left yet, and the campus was still buzzing with chatter. Ti Xiao walked beside Xiao Yao, the two of them strolling through the school grounds.
Every so often, they’d pass a couple of other teachers in formal attire. Xiao Yao would nod at them in greeting, and they’d return the gesture—but their gazes always lingered on Ti Xiao.
“So this is Mr. Xiao’s partner?”
“Didn’t expect him to be into guys.”
“But… his partner’s kinda short, huh?”
Luckily, Ti Xiao didn’t hear any of it—or he probably would’ve been furious.
“You really don’t have anything to explain?”
After walking in awkward silence for a while, Ti Xiao finally couldn’t hold it in any longer and huffed in frustration.
How long was he gonna keep up this act?!
Xiao Yao looked at him innocently. “Explain what?”
His tone was innocent.
His expression was innocent.
He even tilted his head to the side like he was genuinely confused.
And just like that, Ti Xiao instantly surrendered.
He slumped in defeat.
…Okay. Maybe there really wasn’t anything to explain.
He had never actually asked Xiao Yao about his job.
“Hmm?” Xiao Yao hummed when Ti Xiao didn’t respond.
“Nothing, nothing!” Ti Xiao quickly turned his head away, forcing himself not to look at Xiao Yao’s face.
An English teacher. A height-difference ship. The cold, untouchable top and the weak, innocent bottom…
Ugh.
Everything he knew came from Ti Nanyi’s nonsense.
Xiao Yao never actually lied about his job.
He just never asked.
So technically, Xiao Yao hadn’t deceived him.
If anyone had put up a false image, it was himself.
“You mean my job?”
Xiao Yao, somehow, saw right through him.
“Huh? What? No—” Ti Xiao stammered, denying it three times in a row.
A cold wind swept through the campus, rustling the dry leaves that hadn’t been swept away.
Xiao Yao smiled, pulling his puffer jacket tighter over his suit.
“I guess I should’ve told you.”
Seeing how flustered Ti Xiao was, Xiao Yao took the blame himself.
“I only found out yesterday that your niece is my student.”
Ti Xiao stayed silent, stepping on a pile of leaves with a satisfying crunch.
“I thought I’d seen her around the neighborhood before. You even have the same last name.” Xiao Yao chuckled. “Can’t believe I didn’t put it together. Guess I’m kinda dumb.”
He was clearly trying to lighten the mood, even mocking himself in the process.
Ti Xiao sighed internally.
You’re not dumb. I’m the dumb one.
It was so obvious he was an English teacher.
How did he not figure it out sooner?
But…
The reason he wasn’t talking wasn’t because he was mad.
It was because he didn’t know what to say.
He felt… a little resentful.
But also… kind of happy.
There was this sweet, unexplainable feeling mixed in.
His phone buzzed in his hand.
It was a message from Ti Nanyi.
[So? Parent-teacher meeting over? Did you see our English teacher? Regretting your life choices yet? Hehe.]
Even through the screen, Ti Xiao could practically hear her smug little voice all the way across the Pacific Ocean.
Xiao Yao, noticing his silence, thought he was actually mad about the whole job thing.
His eyes flickered with concern, watching him nervously.
Ti Xiao turned off his phone screen and looked up—just in time to meet Xiao Yao’s gaze.
He’s right here, beside me.
What’s there to regret?
Suddenly, everything felt lighter.
His mood brightened in an instant.
Regret?
Hell no.
The thought made him grin.
By now, they had already walked past the school gates and reached the grocery store Ti Xiao usually shopped at.
His mischievous side kicked in.
“I want curry for dinner.”
“Alright.”
Xiao Yao, seeing that Ti Xiao was finally talking to him again, agreed without hesitation and headed straight for the store.
They grabbed a box of curry roux and some chicken drumsticks.
Then, Ti Xiao started piling up snacks, and Xiao Yao—naturally—let him buy whatever he wanted.
After tossing a bag of chips into the cart, Ti Xiao’s eyes landed on a shelf of Spring Festival decorations—red banners, lanterns, Chinese knots…
The whole store was decked out in festive New Year’s cheer.
“Hey, Xiao Yao.”
Ti Xiao scratched the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed.
“Hm?” Xiao Yao pushed the cart forward.
“How are you spending New Year’s this year?”
