66: Awkward

Wasn't that Dr. Jin Chen, from Beijing's First People's Hospital? Su Hanyan noticed him at the same time Jin Chen noticed her. He seemed surprised to see her on this bus.

Since they had seen each other, Su Hanyan felt it would be awkward to pretend not to have seen him. So, she waved at him and greeted him: "Dr. Jin!"

Jin Chen pinpointed her location and walked towards her as the lights dimmed in the bus, eventually standing beside her.

For some reason, Jin Chen ended up standing beside her.

Su Hanyan suddenly felt a subtle tension in the air, as if... there was a slight pressure. She had only intended to greet him, but who would have thought this aloof and irritable guy would end up standing right next to her?

What should she do next in the face of someone familiar yet unfamiliar, someone she wasn't sure whether to talk to or not?

Should she start a conversation or stay silent?

Su Hanyan wasn't sure why she was agonizing over this. Perhaps it was because this person had saved her father's life, or perhaps it was because of his cold and moody temperament.

Yes.

They had met twice, exchanged less than ten sentences in total. Maybe if she tried to talk to him, he might not even bother with her.

Or maybe he didn't even recognize her at all!

Thinking this way, Su Hanyan suddenly felt relieved.

"How is your father recovering lately?"

Suddenly, a voice sounded in her ear. Although it wasn't loud, it was clear and cold, startling Su Hanyan.

She snapped back to reality. It turned out he was speaking to her.

"He's doing well! Thank you, Dr. Jin. The surgery was successful, and he should be able to return to work soon." She politely turned her head, smiled at Jin Chen, regardless of whether he could see it.

After this sentence, silence fell again.

As they approached the next stop, Su Hanyan let go of the handrail and walked towards the back door of the bus. "Here I am, getting off soon. Goodbye, Dr. Jin!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the driver slammed on the brakes hard.

Su Hanyan lost her footing and fell backward. She exclaimed in surprise, her feet scrambling in a hurried and chaotic manner, inadvertently stepping heavily on Jin Chen's foot.

Before she could react, her waist was steadied by a pair of hands. Soon, a voice sounded near her ear: "Be careful."

[took us 60 chapters before the first conscious touch with the couple smh]

At this point, the bus came to a complete stop.

Su Hanyan turned to the driver and shouted, "Hey, comrade driver, could you brake more steadily next time? Are you a novice? There wasn't anyone in front of you, couldn't you brake more smoothly? With that sudden stop, I almost threw up my overnight dinner!"

Her shout prompted others on the bus to chime in: "Yeah, comrade, you really slammed on the brakes hard. I almost fell off my seat!"

"Yeah, that's right!"

"Be more careful, safety first!"

It turned out the driver was in a hurry because he had something urgent at home, and this was his last trip.

"I'm sorry, I'll be more careful."

Su Hanyan got off the bus and suddenly remembered she hadn't apologized to Jin Chen. She turned around in a hurry, only to find that Jin Chen had also gotten off the bus and was following closely behind her.

"Just now... thank you!" She glanced down under the faint glow of the streetlight and saw a big muddy footprint on Jin Chen's originally shiny black shoes. She suddenly felt embarrassed. "Your shoes are dirty, um, you should wipe them yourself."

[LMAOOO]

 67: Shoe Lover

Jin Chen glanced down and said softly, "It's okay."

"In that case, I'm leaving! Goodbye, Dr. Jin!" She turned to walk away.

Jin Chen furrowed his brows and asked, "Do you live around here?"

Su Hanyan had already started walking away but stopped upon hearing his voice. "No, I'm here today for some errands! Is there anything else?"

"Where do you work?" Jin Chen asked directly.

"Why do you ask?" Su Hanyan couldn't understand. If it was just casual chat, she could understand asking in passing, but now he was starting a conversation...

Seeing her hesitation, Jin Chen pursed his lips, glanced at his shoe, and said, "I don't know if my shoe will be damaged. If it is, I'll have to ask you to compensate."

Su Hanyan was stunned.

This man... actually bringing up compensation with her! Could he be quite wealthy? Look at that wool coat, and those trousers are so neat; the fabric must be top-notch.

And he's young, returned from abroad, with a grandfather who's a national treasure in traditional Chinese medicine and a father who's a high-ranking military doctor. How could a family like this be short of money?

Tsk tsk tsk...

Su Hanyan wanted to sarcastically comment on this, but then thought better of it. People earn their money as they do, and what if he's one of those people who loves his shoes more than anything else?

Maybe this Jin-genius in front of her is just like that.

[it's a pun lmaooo]

"Alright." Su Hanyan smiled and gave him her address, "Kai Xuan Spare Parts Factory, Propaganda Department cadre Su Hanyan! If you need anything, feel free to find me! Can I go now?"

Jin Chen silently memorized the address, nodded slightly, and indicated that she could leave.

Watching Su Hanyan's figure disappear at the entrance of the Kai Xuan Spare Parts Factory staff quarters, he took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the dirt off his shoe, then tossed the handkerchief into a nearby trash bin.

Another bus arrived and stopped in front of him. He took out some change from his pocket, paid the fare, and got on the bus.

[GAH WHAT ABOUT ME? LORD WHEN]

After about half an hour, the bus finally stopped at the front gate of a medical university. Jin Chen got off the bus and walked straight towards the university.

He crossed through the campus area, passed through two gated fences, and arrived at the university's staff quarters.

Rows of four-story buildings stood ahead, with a smaller two-story building at the end. Those who lived here were either prestigious professors and scholars in the medical field or individuals who had made outstanding contributions to the university's development.

Jin Chen halted in front of the second row's innermost two-story building. He pressed the doorbell.

The door opened, revealing a spirited elderly woman nearing seventy. Upon seeing Jin Chen at the door, she happily exclaimed, "Oh, my grandson's back! Come in quickly! You must be freezing out there!"

"I'm fine." Jin Chen entered and closed the door, taking off his coat and hanging it on the coat rack by the door. "Is Grandpa and Mom here?"

"Grandpa's still at the old Lu's playing chess and hasn't come back yet. Your mom went out to buy groceries. She knew you were coming back tonight, so she's eager to cook up something nice for you!" Jin Yan said cheerfully.

"Mm."

"Hurry, hurry upstairs. Nonna's been waiting for you to come back tonight!"

"I know, Nonna. I'll go up now."

[I used Nonna because i feel like it's more intimate sounding in English than 'grandma']

68: Hiding and Concealing

Jin Chen ascended to the study on the second floor. Upon pushing the door open, he spotted Lu Feifan seated at his desk, engrossed in a book. He reclined leisurely with his legs crossed, resting on Jin Chen's immaculate desk.

Jin Chen couldn't help but feel annoyed at Lu Feifan's careless demeanor. He walked over directly, snatched his book from Lu Feifan's hand, and placed it back onto the shelf behind him.

"Hey hey hey, what are you doing?" Lu Feifan protested.

"Have you washed your hands?" Jin Chen glanced at him disapprovingly, pointing at his feet. "Get that off my desk right now, or I'll use a scalpel to remove it for you!"

Lu Feifan lazily withdrew his legs. "Why are you so uptight? My legs are tired from standing all day. Can't I just rest them on your desk?"

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Respect the host!" Jin Chen raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, alright. I surrender!"

"Good." Jin Chen opened a drawer and took out a white cloth. "Move aside!"

"Your cleaning cloth is cleaner than my face towel! Your obsession with cleanliness is over the top!" Lu Feifan shook his head. "With all your fuss, I wonder if any woman can put up with you. Yet so many women pursue you. Are they all blind?"

"You should ask them that."

"How boring."

"Why did you come to me?" Jin Chen finished wiping the desk and turned to ask him.

"To ask for your help."

"Help? Me?"

"Yeah." Lu Feifan looked troubled. "About that Su Hanyan, could you help me find her? Honestly, I took a liking to that girl at first sight! My mom and grandma keep dragging me to blind dates. Can't you help me find Su Hanyan, get to know her, and if she doesn't mind, introduce her to my family?"

"Marriage is such a casual matter for you?

"How can you call it casual? This is love at first sight! If I like her, it's for a lifetime!" Lu Feifan declared.

Jin Chen remained silent for a moment, then said, "Find her yourself. I can't help you with this."

"What? Aren't we friends? Why can't you help? Don't you know people at the Municipal Public Security Bureau? Just ask them to check Su Hanyan's name. It's a simple task, isn't it?"

Jin Chen looked at him coldly. "The city of Beijing is vast, with countless people sharing the same names. How do you expect me to find her? Is the Public Security Bureau run by your family? The police have plenty to do every day. They don't have the time to check people's backgrounds for you."

"Well..." Lu Feifan pondered for a moment. "Then what should I do? My heart aches for that girl!"

"Hmph." Jin Chen smirked coldly. "Just get lost! You said the same thing about the last girl. Yet after a few days, it was all over. If you're not serious, don't go messing with that girl."

"Last time was just to appease my grandma and mom! This time, I'm serious!"

Jin Chen smiled and said nothing.

"Wait a minute!" Lu Feifan seemed to sense something amiss. "Old Jin, tell me the truth. Do you know where that girl lives? Where she works? Be honest with me!"

"Yeah, I know." Jin Chen didn't hide it from him.

[he just loves messing with lu feifan lmao i bet he looks so smug i want to chomp his cheeks—]

"I... I... I can't believe it!" Lu Feifan jumped up in excitement. "Do you have no conscience? Aren't we like brothers? Why are you hiding this from me?"

69: Remembering That Woman

"Why should I tell you?"

"I'm your brother!" Lu Feifan patted his chest. "Since you know, just spill it. I want to pursue that girl!"

"No."

"Why not? Do you like her?" Lu Feifan asked.

"So what if I do? Do I need to report everything to you?"

"I mean, if you don't like her, I'll go for it," Lu Feifan grinned. "Old Jin, let me tell you this: even if you like her, I'm not afraid! Just wait and see. I bet that girl likes my type. I'll find her, you'll see!"

"What if one day I also like that girl?" Jin Chen asked.

"Hahaha. Old Jin, so you do know how to like someone? I thought you were going to be a monk for life! Even if you like her, so what? You expect me to back off just because you said so? No way, it's fair competition!" Lu Feifan laughed heartily.

"Fine. If you're done, you can leave. I'm tired today and want to rest for a while," Jin Chen dismissed him.

"Alright, I won't bother you." Lu Feifan knew about Jin Chen's condition, which couldn't handle excessive stress, leading to an illness if overworked. "Rest well. By the way, Zhou Ningkai's birthday is tomorrow. We're having dinner at a restaurant in the evening. Do you have time to join?"

"No time. I have surgeries scheduled all day tomorrow," Jin Chen replied. "Besides, I don't know him well enough to have anything in common."

"Okay then, I'll let him know you're busy."

"Thanks. Bring a gift on my behalf!" Jin Chen added courteously.

"Sure."

Jin Chen watched as Lu Feifan left through the main door. Feeling somewhat exhausted, he closed his eyes and leaned against the cool wall.

Today was tiring, but thankfully, his illness didn't act up.

He knew why. It was because he had interacted with that girl tonight.

"Su Hanyan..." He remembered her.

---

Meanwhile, Su Hanyan was earnestly teaching English to the notoriously rebellious son of the factory director. She had no idea that her name had been mentioned countless times by others.

"Student Zhang, if you really can't remember the grammar, it's okay. Just memorize the passages and sentences. The more you read, the better your language sense will become. When you encounter similar questions, even if you don't know how to solve them grammatically, you can still rely on the sentences you memorized."

"Too annoying, too annoying! I don't want to learn this damn English," Zhang Tiancai covered his ears. "Just leave, I hate this English. I don't want to hear anyone talk about it!"

Su Hanyan smiled faintly. "You're really unworthy of your name! You call yourself a genius, but I think you're just a fool! Are you embarrassed? I taught myself English and can outperform you by miles! You can't even match my level, yet you dare call yourself a genius!"

"Don't insult my name! Can't I fail to learn it? I just hate English and don't want to learn it!"

"Don't make excuses for your incompetence. If you really don't want to learn, that's fine. Just admit you can't do it! A man who can't handle a few sentences of English isn't worthy of university!" Su Hanyan organized her books. "That's it, I'm leaving! And just so you know, whether you listen or not, I'm still getting paid. Thirty per month. If you're willing to waste it, I can't stop you!"

Zhang Tiancai was just a kid after all. Provoked by Su Hanyan, his spirits soared. "Who are you to act so arrogantly? Just because you know a few sentences of English? Let me tell you, I'll improve my grades by thirty points a month. If I don't improve, I'll crawl like a dog in the family compound!"

[hook, line, sinker.]

"Good! That's the spirit!" Su Hanyan gave him a thumbs-up. "I'll be watching. See you next class!"

70: Private Tutoring

"Wait." Zhang Tiancai shouted at her unkindly, "Are you just going to leave like this?"

"What do you mean?" Su Hanyan turned to look at him.

"You've taken my dad's money, and yet you haven't taught me anything all evening. Don't you feel guilty?" he challenged.

"Hmph." Su Hanyan was both annoyed and amused. "Have I taught you? It's you who hasn't learned, not that I haven't taught! I spend two hours here with you every day, not a minute less. If you care about your dad's money, then take your learning seriously, got it?"

With that, she smirked, opened the door, and walked out.

As the door closed, Zhang Tiancai's irritated voice echoed from behind, "Just wait and see. If my grades don't improve next time, I'll curse you!"

Zhang's mother came out of the kitchen with a bowl of fruit and happened to hear her grandson's outburst. She looked at Su Hanyan awkwardly and chuckled, "This little rascal talks nonsense all day. Sorry if he upset you, but please don't react like him."

Su Hanyan smiled lightly, "It's okay. This age is rebellious. He's still young, I don't mind."

"Ah, he wasn't like this before. It's all because of his parents' divorce," Zhang's mother shook her head, offering the fruit to Su Hanyan, "Miss Su, have some fruit!"

"No thanks, Grandma! It's getting late, I need to go back to the factory. I'll come by tomorrow," Su Hanyan declined.

"Wait a moment. Let me call Zhang Hong to see where he is. It's too dangerous for a young girl like you to go back to the factory so late," Zhang's mother worried about her safety on the way back and wanted her son to escort Su Hanyan.

"It's okay, Grandma. It's still early. I can catch the last bus, and it's convenient to get off at the factory gate. I'll go now, you don't need to call the factory manager."

Worried that the old lady would call the factory manager, Su Hanyan hurriedly picked up her bag and came out of the room, trotting downstairs.

As soon as she came out, she happened to meet Zhang Changlong downstairs, talking to a few neighbors as if discussing the children's academic performance.

She thought she should go and say hello to Zhang Changlong, so she walked up to him and said, "Factory Manager, my class today is over, and I'm going back now."

"So late, I'll take you." Zhang Changlong said.

"No need, no need, it's convenient to take the bus, and it only takes a dozen minutes!" Su Hanyan quickly waved her hand to refuse.

The neighbors asked, "Is this the English tutor you hired for the genius?"

"Yes. Our factory employees are very good at English," Zhang Changlong briefly introduced Su Hanyan's situation to the neighbors.

"Oh, if that's the case, my Mi Mi's English is not good."

"My child's English is not good either. I'm just not interested in it at all. What should I do?"

"I'm also worried. My child is not good at anything. I'm afraid he won't be able to get a good job if he doesn't pass the college entrance examination."

The neighbors discussed their children's situation one after another.

"Ah, then ... Factory Manager Zhang! Can I let my child come and listen to Miss Su's class tomorrow?"

"I want to go to my house, okay?"

"Okay!" Zhang Hong was very generous and waved his big hand decisively. "In this way, let these children come and listen to see how effective it is."