Volume 1, Chapter 11: The Ribbon

Mu Yao was quite well-known within the circle, and with her exquisite makeup and costume, she was a sight to behold. Even though the comic convention was less crowded than usual, she was still surrounded by a tight wall of people.

"Hey, I heard 'Yao Yao' came to the event today. Did you manage to get a photo or any merch from her?"

"No, but I got something else. Ta-da!"

"Is this... a personalized autograph?! You actually got a personalized autograph from Yao Yao? What’s on the back? Homework problems? Is Yao Yao actually a student? Hahahaha..."

"Look closely, Miss. These are clearly elementary school problems. There’s no way Yao Yao is an elementary school student!"

The two girls walked away, chatting and laughing.

The venue was noisy, but their conversation was captured perfectly by Gu Nanxiao, replaying in his ears.

"Yao" and "Yao" — the pronunciations were quite similar.

The person who was casually giving away homework problems... could she be the strict, responsible, and beautiful Chinese teacher that Gu Nanqing spoke of?

He scanned the venue, his gaze lingering on a crowded corner. The crowd was too dense; he couldn't catch a glimpse of the girl. He could only track her position by the oversized decorative hat she was wearing.

Gu Nanxiao retracted his gaze, silently tucking the suspicion away in his heart as he returned to his duties.

Around five or six in the evening, Mu Yao smiled as she sent off the last few people lingering around her.

"Click." Her pen, which had worked all day, finally got a moment of rest.

Turning her head, her eyes brightened when she spotted a familiar figure.

"Gu Nanxiao..."

"Teacher Yao Yao, can I get a photo?"

Different voices drifted from two directions. The familiar tone made Gu Nanxiao instinctively search for Mu Yao, only to watch her walk right past him toward someone else.

So, "Yao" really was "Yao." The unreliable teacher who gave away homework.

Between photos and personalized autographs, Mu Yao had managed to give away all the leftover worksheets she had on hand before the convention ended. This time, Gu Nanxiao saw it all clearly. Caught red-handed!

Is this how some people... act as teachers? Tearing up their students' worksheets and giving them away so casually?

Gu Nanxiao took a breath, then slowly let it out as a thought occurred to him. This wasn't his business. If Gu Nanqing had such a teacher, it was his own luck.

*

"Boss, let me tell you, T— oh, sorry to disturb you." Xie Yangfeng pulled the car door open, intending to get in.

"Bang!" The door was slammed shut again.

Time ticked by. Ten seconds later, Xie Yangfeng returned. This time, he had put away his usual playful demeanor, transforming into a serious police officer.

"Police here! Confess, what trouble have you caused?!"

Mu Yao: ...

She pursed her lips. To be honest, she didn't know how to explain the current situation.

"Gu Nanxiao, I'm done here. The organizers said I can leave. I'm heading home now..." Mu Yao said, lifting her skirts as she turned to leave.

Gu Nanxiao raised his hand, hesitating for a few seconds as he looked at the girl's complex dress.

Mu Yao’s stride came to an abrupt halt. She turned back, stunned. How could this person... pull on the ribbon of her dress?!

Mu Yao watched with wide eyes as the ribbon, which had been attached to her dress, fell to the ground due to gravity. Her heart was bleeding. The other end of the ribbon remained firmly in the culprit's grasp.

Gu Nanxiao was equally surprised; he had only given it a light tug. The dress looked so elaborate, yet the craftsmanship was completely shoddy. He opened his mouth slightly, wanting to say something, but seeing the girl's eyes turning red, any explanation felt hollow.

A thousand words eventually distilled into a single sentence: "I'm sorry."

Mu Yao's eyes were indeed red, a mix of grievance and anger swelling in her chest. She bit her lip gently, turning her head away to avoid looking at him.

A shadow loomed over her.

"I'm sorry. I'll compensate you. You're wearing lipstick; don't bite your lip."

Feeling the silky texture against her hand, she realized Gu Nanxiao had coiled the ribbon and placed it gently into her palm.

Mu Yao released her lip. She was just in pain; she wasn't listening to Gu Nanxiao. She kept her eyes on the ground, refusing to interact with the man.

"I'll be done in a moment. You go back to the car and wait for me. Be good."

Gu Nanxiao raised his hand, glanced at the still-fuming Mu Yao, circled his arm, and flicked some dust off her clothes.

Mu Yao arrived at the parking lot with the car keys. Regret—extreme regret. She should have just taken the keys and hailed a taxi, regardless of what happened to Gu Nanxiao.

Facing Xie Yangfeng’s questions, Mu Yao couldn't explain clearly and chose to remain silent. As the suspect refused to cooperate, Xie Yangfeng’s expression grew colder.

Suddenly, he was hauled out of the car.

Xie Yangfeng turned around, irritable, only to meet Gu Nanxiao’s icy gaze. The lone wolf of the grasslands instantly transformed into a husky.

"Boss... your car..."

"Friend, mind your own business. If you have something to say, say it quickly." Gu Nanxiao checked his watch impatiently.

"Oh... oh? You actually have a female friend! Is this the girl from the comic convention? The one you asked me to look after during the psychological evaluation? Hey, Boss, don't walk away, Boss!"

Gu Nanxiao walked faster. "Bang!" The car door slammed shut in front of Xie Yangfeng.

Gu Nanxiao rolled down the window and shot a cold look at the husky outside, who looked as excited as if he’d discovered a new continent. He gave a push and drove off, leaving him in the dust.

"Boss! Do you have to be so heartless? I wanted a ride! Typical, prioritizing romance over brotherhood..." Xie Yangfeng kicked a pebble in frustration and pulled out his phone to call a taxi.

Mu Yao didn't know what the two were saying outside, but she was exhausted.

After passing a traffic light, Gu Nanxiao belatedly realized it was unusually quiet in the car. He looked through the rearview mirror into the backseat. The girl was sleeping soundly, still clutching the piece of ribbon in her hand.

A quiet Mu Yao was completely different from the feisty girl he usually knew. Gu Nanxiao chuckled, easing his foot off the gas pedal.

She really was completely defenseless.

The suburbs occasionally required crossing speed bumps, and the gentle jolts caused the girl’s body to sway slightly.

"Mmph," a small sound of dissatisfaction caught Gu Nanxiao's attention. He frowned slightly, clicked his tongue, and slowed the car down even further.

They arrived home safely.

"Awake?"

Mu Yao opened her eyes groggily, finding Gu Nanxiao sitting in the driver's seat, looking at his phone. She looked around; the car had clearly been parked in the underground garage for a while.

Mu Yao got out, embarrassed. "Thanks for today. I won't keep you any longer. To thank you for the ride, I'll give Gu Nanqing extra homework tomorrow."

With that, she gathered her skirts and hurried away.

Gu Nanxiao nodded, watching her receding figure with a soft chuckle. Someone was going to have a rough day tomorrow.