bayedsolid Chapter 496 "Infecting the World" - Male Mother (107)
Chapter 496 "Infecting the World" - Male Mother (107)
Chapter 496 "Infecting the World" Male Mother (107)
Teacher Liao has been keeping things from her for quite some time now, and Lu Liruan feels she's gotten used to it.
The next day at work, An Tang saw Lu Liruan arrive looking carefree again and asked curiously, "What's wrong? Did you find out?"
"Ah, no," Lu Liruan said casually, while feeding the fish in the aquarium.
"Huh?" An Tang didn't expect this answer.
"Didn't you ask him any further questions?"
"That's just Teacher Liao's personality. If he doesn't want to talk about it, no amount of asking will change anything," Lu Liruan waved her hand.
"Then you... won't ask?" An Tang had never quite figured out what the relationship between the two was. It seemed that Liao Tingyuan took care of the young girl in every way, treating her like a child. The young girl was innocent and seemed to rely on him a lot.
But An Tang always felt... that it wasn't as it seemed on the surface.
She didn't know the specifics.
But looking at Lu Liruan's expression, An Tang felt that not only did she not know, but this young girl probably didn't know either. It seemed that those involved were confused, and bystanders were even more confused.
“There’s no point in asking what others don’t want to talk about. Besides… there’s no need to dig deep into what others don’t want to say. Maybe… everyone has things they don’t want to talk about or that they don’t want others to know,” Lu Liruan said earnestly, putting down the fish food.
“But sometimes people can develop deeper friendships by exchanging secrets.” An Tang helped Lu Liruan plug in the oxygen pump in the fish tank.
"Maybe." Lu Liruan pouted.
Although she really wanted to know about Liao Tingyuan, whenever she was filled with curiosity, Lu Liruan would tell herself that it was okay not to know, and it wouldn't be good if she pressed him for answers and he disliked her.
Besides... why should I be so insistent on knowing things that others don't want to talk about?
Is it because I've opened my heart to the other person that I must also want them to open their heart in the same way so that I can maintain my balance?
no.
Lu Liruan quickly dismissed the idea in her mind. That's not what she was thinking. It wasn't about exchanging anything, nor was it about voyeurism.
She just wanted to understand him better... but Lu Liruan was already restraining herself from these thoughts. Even if she didn't understand him, she just needed to do what she was supposed to do.
Seeing the little girl deep in thought, An Tang coughed lightly and said, "Let's go feed the quail."
“Let’s go!” Lu Liruan suddenly laughed again.
When I got downstairs, I saw Liao Tingyuan in the yard, picking the tomatoes that had just turned completely red from the vines and putting them in a basin.
"Ah... I guess we can't pick many more, they'll get cold soon." An Tang casually grabbed one and stuffed it into her mouth, then turned around and stuffed another into Lu Liruan's mouth.
"Wash it first and then..." Before Liao Tingyuan could finish speaking, the two of them were already squinting and complaining that their eyes were sore.
"Well."
Then Lu Liruan stuffed one into Liao Tingyuan's mouth.
The three of them silently swallowed the very sour cherry tomatoes.
"How about we plant cucumbers next year?" Lu Liruan suggested, grinning.
“Okay, Tingyuan will plant it anyway.” An Tang nodded.
"Huh? This was planted by Teacher Liao?" Lu Liruan was hearing about it for the first time.
“Otherwise, why would he be so eager to pick them? These are the fruits of his labor!” An Tang laughed. “He didn’t even tell you that, did he?”
Lu Liruan was eating her second cherry tomato and didn't hear it because of its sourness.
"Since it was planted by Teacher Liao, I have to praise how delicious it is no matter what!" Lu Liruan gave Liao Tingyuan a thumbs up and skipped back into the house.
An Tang watched Lu Liruan's retreating figure and raised an eyebrow at Liao Tingyuan.
"If you don't communicate with people at all, they'll lose interest in you."
After saying that, without waiting for Liao Tingyuan's reaction, she turned around and followed Lu Liruan back into the house.
Liao Tingyuan was left somewhat bewildered, unsure of what she meant, but he sensed that it was inextricably linked to Lu Liruan.
Did the little girl say something to her?
To be honest... after leaving the space, Liao Tingyuan was indeed thinking about how to continue getting along with the girl. Although they were still getting along now, eating together, going to and from get off work together, it seemed... that was all.
Nothing was different from before. Liao Tingyuan didn't know what he really wanted. Did he hope for the same thing or something different?
Having lived alone for so long, this was the first time Liao Tingyuan had thought so deeply about his relationships with other people, yet he couldn't figure it out.
Lu Liruan was like a stone thrown into a stagnant pool of water, creating ripples. He was worried that the ripples would subside, but he didn't know how to keep the pool of life flowing.
"By the way, Sister Tang, do you have a partner?" Lu Liruan suddenly realized that she had never seen An Tang's partner before, although Teacher Liao had also said that she did not have a partner.
"Yes!" An Tang drank water to wash away the sour taste of the cherry tomatoes in her mouth.
"Huh? He never comes to work? I see everyone else comes a few days at a time." Lu Liruan thought to herself, "Are there really people this willful?"
"She hasn't come for the past few months," An Tang sighed.
"what?"
"Didn't I tell you? She went to study in another city a few days before you came here."
"You went to study in another city?"
Lu Liruan blinked, thinking she had misheard.
"Yes, she's a sophomore this year. She should be... a sophomore, right?"
"Sis, don't you know your partner at all?"
An Tang clicked her tongue: "It's not that I don't know her, I know her pretty well from high school, since she came here every day for me to tutor her. After she went to college, I felt like she was finally free, and so was I."
"High school?" Lu Liruan repeated.
"Sister, do you still employ child laborers here?" Lu Liruan thought to herself, the more she listened, the less respectable this place seemed.
"Isn't this a special case requiring special treatment?" An Tang could tell what Lu Liruan was thinking just by looking into her eyes. She was such a clear-headed and easy-to-understand girl.
"That was a few years ago. We were short-staffed at the time, so we made an exception and let her work here on a nominal basis. As for why she was assigned to be my partner?"
Before Lu Liruan could ask any questions, An Tang took the initiative to explain: "Because at that time, I was the only one here who could solve high school math and physics problems!"
Lu Liruan: ? ?
Isn't this just like finding a free tutor for the child?
"Only...you?" Lu Liruan glanced at Liao Tingyuan, who had entered the room.
I remember that Professor Liao's academic qualifications were also quite impressive, right?
"Oh, your teacher Liao also tried to be a teacher back then, but the child didn't like him. He said that when he was explaining a problem, he would just start the explanation and then immediately give the result... He explained things very unclearly and incoherently, which was very annoying to listen to."
Seeing Lu Liruan's confused and incomprehensible expression, An Tang assumed that Lu Liruan didn't understand why the child didn't like Liao Tingyuan.
He chuckled and said, "That girl was going through puberty in high school at the time. We can only go along with teenagers during puberty!"
“No…no.” Lu Liruan waved her hand. “I wasn’t thinking about that…”
“I was thinking, why can’t we just start and finish and then end it? Wouldn’t that be faster? Hey? Is there a problem with that?” Lu Liruan blinked, looking at An Tang as if she was choked, and added, “If I’m wrong, just consider me illiterate.”
……
“That child is already very independent at that age, and her family’s situation isn’t very good. Making an exception for her to work here allows her to earn her own college tuition. The boss is actually thinking of her best interests.” An Tang continued to talk to Lu Liruan while tidying up the living room.
"Anyway, she had a fight with me before she filled out her college application, and then she applied to a school in another city. Since she can't transfer to another university, she'll have to stay there until next year."
An Tang didn't say what the argument was about, but Lu Liruan felt that when she talked about her partner, she was talking about a child. When she talked about the two of them arguing, she felt that it was like a child being willful.
Lu Liruan wouldn't bring up something that would offend her, so she simply nodded and asked, "Then why doesn't she go to work in another city? Doesn't she have branches of her company in other cities?"
“I asked her too, and she said she absolutely has to be my partner, or she’ll quit.” An Tang shrugged. “Although she’s an adult, she still has the temper of a child. When she comes back, you two should get along very well.”
Doesn't this just mean I have a childish temper?
Lu Liruan didn't quite understand the logic behind it. Why did they argue first, and then insist on being partners?
Judging from An Tang's demeanor, she seemed to care deeply about the child, as she spoke of him more than usual.
The feelings between people will unconsciously be revealed in their behavior and speech; this is an uncontrollable human nature.
What would Teacher Liao be like when she talks about herself?
When it was time to get off work, Lu Liruan and Liao Tingyuan went to the supermarket to buy groceries together. Then, they wondered if it was just their imagination, but Teacher Liao seemed to be talking a lot more than usual today.
"I don't actually like celery that much," he said abruptly, looking at a bunch of bright green celery.
"Huh?" Lu Liruan was thinking that the weather was getting cooler and watermelons were starting to rise in price when she heard Liao Tingyuan say this.
"If you don't like it... then don't buy it."
Lu Liruan casually pulled the celery out of Liao Tingyuan's hand and put it back in its place, wondering why he was staring at the celery if he didn't like it.
Liao Tingyuan looked at his empty hand and realized that the little girl's attention was not on him at all. He lowered his eyes and looked somewhat confused.
Actually, he didn't know what to do. He just suddenly remembered what An Tang said: to make people understand him better... but what should he understand?
In the end, Liao Tingyuan bought vegetables, and Lu Liruan bought watermelon. One went home with a heavy heart, while the other went home carefree.
"I'll cut it up and bring it down later, or would you like to eat it at my place?" Liao Tingyuan asked, carrying a watermelon.
"I'll go up myself! I'll go in first then~"
The door closed in front of him, and Liao Tingyuan stood at Lu Liruan's door for a while before turning around and continuing upstairs.
Lu Liruan ultimately failed to understand Liao Tingyuan's sudden expression.
A few days later, Lu Liruan met An Tang's little partner.
In the video.
The other person was dressed in a cosplay outfit, had exquisite makeup, and spoke in a crisp, clear voice.
Lu Liruan noticed that An Tang, who was usually very good-tempered and always smiling when she was with her, became a bit long-winded when facing her little partner. She repeatedly reminded the child to be careful outside, that it was okay to play outside, but not to play too late, and to take care of his health.
"I know, I still need to study hard..." the child sighed.
"No matter how well I study, or what major I choose, won't I end up working with you after graduation?"
“That’s not what I meant…” An Tang said with a hint of helplessness.
“It’s not mandatory to work here. If you really don’t want to do it, you’re very good at your major, so if you really want to do another job, just do it!” An Tang picked up a water glass and gulped down a few mouthfuls.
Lu Liruan, being very perceptive, poured her another cup.
The girl on the other end of the video saw it.
Suddenly, she moved closer to the camera, her eyes almost touching it: "Sister An'an, who is she? You didn't... find a new partner behind my back, did you?"
Lu Liruan: ? ?
WTF?
As soon as I turned my head, I saw the girl with her large, exquisitely made-up eyes staring at me intently, as if she were looking at a robber who had broken into my home.
“Uh…” Lu Liruan was at a loss.
An Tang sighed helplessly: "No, I didn't find another partner behind your back."
“She’s your brother Tingyuan’s new partner, you have to call her sister.” An Tang pulled Lu Liruan over.
Lu Liruan sensed that the girl's hostility had significantly decreased.
"You really need to be careful out there, don't make us worry, okay?"
"You don't need to worry about me about that. Isn't it my forte to distinguish between good and bad people? I'll buy a ticket and go home after the National Day holiday."
Lu Liruan sensed something unusual in her words.
After hanging up the phone, An Tang nodded at Lu Liruan's probing gaze: "Her ability is to intuitively sense whether the people she comes into contact with have good intentions or bad intentions. Although it doesn't work all the time, it's still a way to protect herself."
Haha, they really do have all sorts of abilities.
Lu Liruan never expected there to be such a thing.
A few days later, Sister Fang and Yan Muyu came again. Compared to the last time, Yan Muyu seemed even more eager to get to work.
"You...really want to work?" Lu Liruan asked softly.
"Yeah! If I don't work for a while, I won't be able to sleep at night!"
Lu Liruan's lips twitched... It really is true that everyone has their own destiny. She was born to be busy, but Lu Liruan also began to wonder if she had been idle for too long. Was she really going to stay unemployed forever?
Before I could even start work, my boss was already coming back from his business trip.