Step by step, a gentle breeze leads to a smooth path

Chapter 29 Is beauty the original sin?

"Ahem, well, it's like this, Teacher Zuo, you're quite famous in the surrounding villages. Not only do the kids like you, but many young men also like you and want to marry you. Of course, they know there's a big difference in their social status, and they don't think you're good enough for them, which is why they haven't made a fuss about it in front of you."

Ms. Zuo blushed; no wonder there was a bunch of wildflowers on her desk from time to time.

"Cough cough cough, now that the news of your departure is out, some people might get restless. Plus, I was wandering around near your school the other day, cough..." Song Wanli coughed a few more times, then touched his cane a little embarrassedly.

Seeing that everyone was staring at him, he continued, "I heard two people talking inside the wall. It was during class time, and the campus was very quiet. I heard them mention your name and say that this was the only way to keep you here for a long time. I felt something was off about their tone. I wanted to see who they were, but I was afraid of alerting them, so I thought I had to warn you."

“This is definitely not a good thing. Teacher Zuo, just do as I say. You can come back to live with Tingnan at our house. We'll feel at ease then.” Qian Shuzhen guessed that it might be some underhanded methods used to deal with women.

"Teacher Zuo, come stay at my house, I'll protect you," Song Tingnan immediately offered.

"Hehehe, Ting Nan, how can you, a little girl, protect me? Should we each bring a brick or a stick?" Actually, Zuo Jinyue had been feeling uneasy ever since she submitted her resignation, and she had also noticed some uncomfortable gazes fixed on her.

She initially thought it was someone who was jealous of her, but now it seems the school is refusing to release her and is resorting to underhanded tactics, which is a bit troublesome.

This was a rare moment of relaxation at the Song family home, and not wanting to frighten the child, I thought I'd tease Tingnan a bit.

“Teacher Zuo, you may not know, but my daughter Tingnan has been practicing martial arts with her master for almost a year. Her master says she has a great talent for martial arts and can easily handle one or two men now,” Song Wanli explained, then added boastfully, “My daughter Tingnan’s master is very famous. Even her little apprentices have to show her some respect. The kids all call her Brother Nan! With her around, most people would have to think twice before trying to mess with you.”

"Uncle!" Isn't it your son who calls Brother Nan by his nickname?

"Listen to Father Nan, what's Master Nan's name? How old is she?" Teacher Zuo suddenly asked excitedly. "Ah! Her master's name is Gao Haoran, about fifty years old, I think? He looks energetic while practicing martial arts, so I'm not sure about his age. What's wrong, Teacher Zuo?"

Zuo Jinyue seemed a little flustered; they were about the same age. Zuo Jinyue took a couple more sips of tea to calm herself: "I was too excited. You probably don't know why I came here?"

I really don't know. Since I don't have children in school, I don't pay attention to school and teachers.

Everyone quieted down and listened to Zuo Jinyue's detailed account: "My family was originally from Shanghai, which is very far from here. That year, Shanghai fell to the Japanese, and everyone was fleeing for their lives. My grandfather donated all his money to the government, but still... He had no choice but to take our whole family back to our hometown in Xiangdong to escape the war. When we got off the train, my parents were protecting me, but we were swept away by the crowd and got separated from my grandfather and the others. So I had to run towards Xiangdong on my own."

Zuo Jinyue recalled those days of fleeing famine, gripping her teacup tightly: "We encountered a small group of wandering Japanese soldiers. They robbed us of all our money and even targeted my mother, and even me when I was only ten years old, even though we disguised ourselves as very ugly. But they didn't look at faces... My father was a weak scholar, completely defenseless..." Zuo Jinyue could imagine her mother's beauty and figure; in those chaotic times, beauty was a cardinal sin. Moreover, the Japanese soldiers didn't spare any woman they saw, including a sixty-year-old woman—they were simply beasts.