LABICTTS_ARCHIVE_CH12:Chapter Twelve The Fuse

LIKE A BOAT IT CIRCLES TO THE START

Chapter Twelve

The Fuse

---

“Teacher, can we not have class today?” Li Duyou asked Zhou Xiao.

What?! If there wasn’t going to be class, why didn’t he say so earlier?

She could’ve gone on her date with Zhao Fanzhou!

“Why not? If there’s no class, I’m leaving.”

Actually, that might be even better—she could go surprise Zhao Fanzhou.

“No, no, not cancel. I mean… we just talk. Uh, practice speaking.”

“Fine.”

Whatever. The one paying is the boss.

“So… what should we talk about?”

Zhou Xiao hated small talk the most.

“Anything.”

Why is he smiling so brightly? His teeth are so white.

“Why did you want to learn Chinese?”

“In Korea, a lot of people study Chinese.”

Weird, Zhou Xiao thought. Aren’t we the ones obsessed with Korean dramas? Why are Koreans learning Chinese now?

Must be because they finally realize how profound Chinese culture is.

Give us back our Dragon Boat Festival! Or choke on a rice dumpling!

She started imagining stuffing zongzi down Li Duyou’s throat and couldn’t help but giggle.

“Teacher, why are you laughing? You look so kawaii when you smile.”

Wait—he’s Korean, right? Why is he using Japanese?

She used to get shy when he complimented her, but now she was immune.

His compliments were so cheap—they could be for anything.

She remembered once he pointed out the window and said, “Teacher, outside, very beautiful bird.”

She looked out and saw a scruffy little bird on the wire.

With her limited biology knowledge, she figured it was probably a sparrow dreaming of being a phoenix.

“Teacher, what did you do during thinking-of-love period?”

Excuse me??

If he didn’t look so innocent and clueless, she would’ve thought he was flirting.

“Thinking-of-what period?”

“Thinking-of-love period.”

Alright, she’d let the foreign student’s awkward Chinese slide.

Zhou Xiao took a deep breath.

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

He looked confused.

“You don’t know thinking-of-love? Aren’t you a Chinese teacher?”

Seriously?! She nearly strangled him.

“Take out your dictionary. Show me.”

Turns out, the Korean word for “puberty” was translated in the dictionary as thinking-of-love period (思春期) or youth period (青春期).

So apparently in Korea, kids go through puberty by being love-struck?

Who the hell wrote this dictionary?!

After a long explanation, he finally understood the difference.

Zhou Xiao couldn’t help but admire her own patience.

---

After much chaotic chitchat, their session finally ended.

Zhou Xiao checked her watch—4:30.

Damn it! She was supposed to meet Zhao Fanzhou at 4:00 at the International Student Building.

She rushed down the stairs.

“Teacher!” Li Duyou called after her.

“I’m leaving too. Let’s go together.”

Ugh.

She had no choice but to walk with him.

As they rounded the corner, she saw Zhao Fanzhou on the phone.

Zhou Xiao pointed him out.

“That guy on the phone? He’s my boyfriend.”

Hint, hint: GO AWAY.

Fortunately, direct hints worked better on foreigners.

Li Duyou just nodded and followed her toward Zhao Fanzhou.

Zhao Fanzhou had noticed them the moment they came downstairs.

His eyes narrowed.

So this was the student she’d been teaching… and he looked like he walked out of a Korean drama.

He hung up. “I’ll be there. She’s here now. Bye.”

He turned to them, waiting for her to introduce them.

Two baby-faced people standing side by side. Honestly, they looked kinda cute together.

When he’d asked what her student looked like, she’d just brushed it off with “normal.”

Late and keeping secrets.

Strike one, strike two.

He was ready to teach her a lesson.

Zhou Xiao could feel the air fill with gunpowder.

It was just 30 minutes late, seriously?!

Xiao Lu’s boyfriend waited forever every time she did her makeup.

Why was she getting treated like this?

“Uh… this is Li Duyou. This is Zhao Fanzhou.”

She really didn’t want to introduce them.

Li Duyou, haven’t you heard of respecting your teacher? You’re about to get your teacher in trouble—please leave.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

They shook hands politely.

Then—awkward silence.

Neither of them moved.

Both were clearly waiting for her to make the call.

She gave an awkward smile.

“We’re leaving. Bye.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Li Duyou flashed a dazzling smile that startled her.

I didn’t lend you money—why are you smiling like I just saved your life?

---

All the way down the street, Zhou Xiao kept glancing at Zhao Fanzhou.

Sure, he always had that blank expression, but today it felt… dangerous.

“Okay, I’m sorry, I was late. Don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad,” he said.

Yeah, right.

When he was mad, he always looked calm.

“Alright, alright. You’re not mad. Let’s go eat!”

She tugged on his hand playfully.

He said nothing.

He was brainstorming how to stop her from seeing that Korean brat again.

Best case? She quits the tutoring job.

She felt a little embarrassed.

Geez, it was just thirty minutes.

He forgot how long she had to wait when he was stuck in his boring meetings.

At dinner, he still wore that stony face.

She tried several times to lighten the mood, but he didn’t respond.

Suddenly—

🎵 “You are the song inside my heart…” 🎵

His phone rang.

The ringtone was something she had set for him as a joke.

He always rolled his eyes at it and tried to change it—until she “physically convinced” him not to.

She glanced at the screen.

Jia Yichun.

Regret flashed through her.

He picked up.

“Hello.”

Then immediately stood up and walked outside.

Wow, she thought. Just a phone call and you act all secretive? What are you hiding—liver disease?

She watched him through the glass door, talking with focused tenderness.

“…Calm down first. Don’t cry.”

She rarely heard that gentle tone from him.

As she passed by him, she muttered, “Going home. Don’t wanna overhear things I shouldn’t.”

He grabbed her hand, covering the mic, and glared at her.

“Where are you going?”

“You’re busy with your precious phone call. I’ll leave you alone.”

“Why are you being so unreasonable?”

His voice was laced with irritation.

Oh? Gentle to others, pissed at me?

Unreasonable, huh?

You haven’t seen anything yet.

She snatched his phone—

Click.

Flipped it shut.

“There. That’s unreasonable. Now you know.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

He reached to redial, holding her with his other hand.

She suddenly leaned in—and bit his hand.

Hard.

He didn’t expect that.

In pain, he let go.

And she dashed off.

If she ran that fast in high school, she wouldn’t have had to retake the 800-meter exam.

Zhao Fanzhou froze for a second—then snapped his phone shut and chased after her.

EUN: JIA ALCOHOL REALLY IS BAD NEWS...SIGH....A GREEN TEA BISH PERHAPS.....? 

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