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Xie Bian was an elementary school teacher, so obviously she would carry a lot of EVA foam, toys, and colored paper to use for fun activities at school.
The problem was that she rode the subway. A crowded subway at 7 a.m. People bumping into her constantly, causing her papers to fall to the floor, and people not caring about it, they just step on the papers on the floor without even thinking that they could be for their children.
“Sir, can you lift your foot? I need to pick up the pink paper and you're stepping on it.”
The man looked at Bian's face. She looked about 35 years old, wore colorful glasses that were surely bought at a cheap store, and her hair was extremely black (incredibly, she didn't have a single gray hair on her head, even with so much stress in her daily life) cut in a tacky bob.
He looked down on her and decided she wasn't worth it. That she was less than him, and simply spat on the floor.
“Sir! This is an activity for my students! What if it were your daughter! Would you want your daughter to receive a spat-on and crumpled activity! Give me a break!”
“Are you looking for a fight with me?!”
“I think you two should stop this ridiculous argument.” A dark-skinned woman with white hair grabbed the greasy man's arm. “We don't want any trouble here in the train car at 7 in the morning! Lift your foot and give the sheet to the woman and do it politely.”
“That must be the subway conductor! She's so beautiful... I wish I were 20 years younger so I could have a chance with her...” Suddenly she realized how absurd her thoughts were. “Oh, even if I were 20 years younger, I wouldn't have a chance with her!”
“Here's your ticket, miss... I apologize...”
“That's right, and if you cause trouble with anyone else in the car again (especially her), you'll have me to deal with.”
.
Bian went to work and couldn't concentrate at all. She could only think about that brunette woman who, even with clothes covering her entire body, Xie could see her defined muscles (maybe Xie is just a pervert). But her imagination dissipated when class ended.
“Bye, teacher, my mom is picking me up today!”
“Oh, really?” Bian thought to himself, “I always thought his parents abandoned him...” “Where is she? Has she arrived yet?”
“Yes, the one with white hair is her!”
“Impossible,” thought Bian. "Impossible! It can't be, that beautiful driver (God forgive me, but I can't say perverted words) is the mother of that ugly boy?! He doesn't look anything like her... Ah, we could date and pretend that Robbie got his ugliness from me."
“Hello, I'm here to pick up Robbie. I'm his aunt.”
“He said you were his mother.”
“Hahaha! Robbie, you're so funny!” The driver lightly tapped the child on the head and tried to hide her angry expression. "No! I'm not anyone's mother, I'm just an aunt (who, by the way, is
single)!"
-What did you say?
-Nothing! Nothing! -The woman's face was getting redder and redder, but it was unclear whether it was because of anger or embarrassment. -Robbie, let's go home, hahaha! (You'll see about that, kid).
Bian stared at the woman as she left the school with the boy. “Oh, I didn't even ask his name... I didn't even get her number... I'm useless and I deserve to die alone.” Her morbid fantasies were shattered when suddenly a teacher from another class put a hand on her shoulder:
-Miss Bian! You're going out for drinks with us, aren't you?
-What? With us? What do you mean?....Oh! I've been very forgetful lately, I'm sorry! I simply forgot about the Happy Hour with the teachers today...But I'll be there!.
.
Bian had been fussing over her appearance for hours, she was very insecure. Always thinking about how old she looked, even though she was only thirty-five.
-Everyone will think I'm ridiculous! Of all the teachers at that school, I'm the ugliest! No, even worse! Of all the teachers in the country, I'm the ugliest... In fact, of all the teachers in the world! In the entire universe! Bian curled up into a ball and was already preparing to cry. I'm going to smudge all this ridiculous makeup I put on and I'll look even worse than I do now! Bian took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror one more time before leaving. “I'm going to get drunk and nothing else will matter. I'm not going to care about anything else today,” thought Xie.
.
“Professor Xie, late as always, hahaha!”
“Joseph! Shut up! Don't ruin Happy Hour right from the start!”
“Why did we invite him, Alva?”
"Because (unfortunately) he's a professor
too."
.
The hours passed and most of the teachers had already left to take care of their families. Only Alva, Joseph, and Bian remained at the table.
“Alva! My heart hurts so much...”
“What's the drama this time, Bian?”
“Shut up, Joseph!”
“You're old too! You should understand the pain of being old and not dating...”
“Bian... I'm only forty-five...”
“Exactly! You're too old!”
Alva got up from the table, stressed, and pointed a finger at Bian, wanting to say something, but he was too drunk for that and just left. Joseph accompanied him. Only Bian was left alone at the bar.
“I think I should go home...” Bian said as she wiped her tears. “The bill is left to me again? Ah...”
.
-I can't stand these drunks anymore. I just want to go home. This is the last line, at least. I hope I didn't get drunk (or that there's no one else in the car besides that old lady who doesn't say anything). -But her happiness was short-lived. From a distance, she could hear loud, high-pitched laughter and the sound of high heels walking nearby. -Oh no. It's definitely a drunk!
-Hello!!!! -said Xie as she staggered into the car. -How are you, Fyn Wji? -Bian tried to read the name on the driver's badge -Did I read it right?
-No. It's Wujiu. Fan Wujiu. -“Noisy drunk” the worst kind! Fan turned to glare at the drunk woman, but was startled when she recognized her face and immediately became nervous. “Professor Xie! You're here!” Wujiu immediately ran over to Bian and grabbed her. “Let me help you sit down...”
“Call me Bian! B-I-A-N!”
“All right, B-I-A-N!” Fan flashed a broad smile, something she rarely did. For some reason, Wujiu felt immensely happy when she was around this woman. Maybe it was the sweet perfume she wore that was intoxicating his nostrils and entering his brain, or maybe it was Bian's contagious smile that was making him feel that way. Wujiu lost herself staring at the teacher's smiling face. Those little freckles on her face rising and falling as she laughed nonstop.
“Miss, I need to go home! Let's get on with it! Move this train car!”
Wujiu awoke from her fantasy after the lady scolded her.
After dropping the lady off at the bus stop, Wujiu had decided that he was going to hit on the teacher.
“She's definitely younger than me. Damn. She can't be more than twenty! But... she's so pretty.” Wujiu kept peeking at her every two minutes. "Her hair smells so good too! She definitely uses those expensive products that serve no purpose other than to smell good... Will I have to buy those expensive things when I marry her?!"
-Fan!
-Yes, ma'am? You can call me Wujiu.
-Is Robbie really your son?
"Oh! Did she have to choose the worst possible question?! I can't say YES, because he wouldn't want to date a single mother, and if I say NO, I'd be lying, and Robbie would immediately contradict me. Well, he's not technically my real son. I'm his aunt, and I've been taking care of him for five years since my sister disappeared... Well... I don't know what to say."
Suddenly, Fan felt warm breath on her neck. It was Bian. She had entered the booth.
“Ah! You can't be here!”
“How does this work...?”
“Don't touch anything! Ma'am! Stop that immediately!” Wujiu grabbed her hand, ordering her to stop, but the scene was so strange that the two stared at each other for several long minutes. Both of their faces were hot and red. “Don't touch... anything here...”
-Ahm... But can I sit here? I'm so lonely... I promise I'll be quiet! I promise!
-Sure... Just... Don't touch anything! -“I can't say ‘no’ to her,” thought Wujiu. -Bian... Has Robbie been behaving in class? -Fan tried to strike up a conversation. She needed to hear that woman's husky voice one more time.
-Huh? Robbie! One of my best students! But he talks too much, you know?
-Really? -Wujiu wasn't paying attention to anything she was saying, just watching the woman's red face and her lips that had been smudged with lipstick hours ago. -I'll talk to him then...
.
“Looks like we're here... I'll walk you home, miss.” Wujiu got out of the car, holding Bian for fear she would fall, as she was still very drunk. “Huh?” Wujiu looked up and saw that it was
raining.
“I only have one umbrella...” Xie said as he opened the umbrella. “Maybe I should go home and get another one while you stay here.”
“No!” Fan squeezed herself under the umbrella and grabbed Xie's waist. “I don't have a good feeling about this... Let's share the umbrella.” Actually, I don't mind getting wet.
“No! It's raining so hard, let's squeeze under the umbrella!” Fan grabbed Xie's waist even tighter. “Wow! Your hand is so strong! You're squeezing so hard... It's like I'm your wife.”
When Wujiu heard this comment, her face turned even redder. But she didn't want to show how embarrassed she was feeling.
“You could be my wife.”
“What?”
-Nothing...
-I heard that! I heard that! Hahaha! Imagine me being your wife! I would be very lucky, wouldn't I? You have a really strong and big hand,!
-Miss Xie! I didn't say anything! So don't say such perverted things... Besides, you must be younger than me.
-What? How old are you...?
-I'm twenty-five.
-I'm thirty-five...
-You look much younger than you seem.
-Really?
-Yes, you don't have any gray hairs!
-Speaking of hair, I've never seen your hair! -Xie takes off Wujiu's cap -Wow, your hair is shorter than mine. It's shaved on the sides...-Bian kept playing with Fan's hair.
-Where is your house... The taxi has arrived.
-I didn't even notice when you called a taxi.
The two get into the taxi and Xie Bian gives directions to her building.
A few minutes later, Fan feels a head resting on her shoulder. Bian had fallen asleep.
Wujiu covered Xie with her coat and laid her head on her lap.
.
“Xie, we're here... You need to wake up. Honestly...” Wujiu throws Xie over her back and carries her to the apartment. “The key must be in her pocket...”
Wujiu opens the door when she suddenly feels something touching her.