The bell rang for the end of the school day.
Everyone filed out of the classroom, their day's lessons concluded.
"Brother Hong, are you going home or staying in the dorms?" Wu Jinbin asked.
"Dorms? What are those?" Zhou Hong frowned slightly.
"No way, you don't know what university dorms are? I figured you were local, so I asked if you were going home or staying in the dorms. Oh, right, it's your first day, you probably haven't been assigned a dorm yet."
"Heh, no worries. I'll be staying at my 360-square-meter penthouse for now."
"Wow." Wu Jinbin was immediately awestruck.
The classmates who overheard Zhou Hong mention his 360-square-meter penthouse were secretly shocked, especially the girls, who suddenly found Zhou Hong a bit more attractive.
"Alright then, Brother Hong, see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
Wu Jinbin headed back to the dorms.
After leaving the teaching building, Zhou Hong took out his phone and called Teacher Yang Xi.
"Hello, Zhou Hong, what is it?" Yang Xi answered quickly, her voice full of gentleness.
"Teacher Yang, it's the end of school now. I'm free tonight, so I'll come home with you. Let's get your mother's illness cured first," Zhou Hong said directly.
"Mmm-hmm." Yang Xi was deeply moved. She hadn't expected Zhou Hong to be so concerned about her mother's illness.
"Then wait for me for a bit. I'll need about half an hour. I'm still in the office grading assignments," Yang Xi said.
"It's fine, I'll wait for you no matter how late it is."
"Mmm." Yang Xi suddenly felt an indescribable warmth, as if a warm current was melting from her heart and spreading throughout her body.
About half an hour later, Zhou Hong saw Yang Xi walking over from the administration building.
"Zhou Hong, I'm sorry for making you wait."
"It's nothing."
"Let's go then. You'll have dinner at my place tonight. I'll have my dad prepare a few extra dishes."
"Hehehe, that's too kind of you," Zhou Hong said with a shy smile.
"You treated me in the afternoon, and now you're going to treat my mother in the evening. I don't know how to repay you. I'm the one who should be polite," Yang Xi said with a face full of shame.
"Look at what you're saying. You should treat your teacher even better than your wife," Zhou Hong chuckled.
Yang Xi's face flushed slightly. She was a little confused, wondering why Zhou Hong said that again. Could it be… he was hinting at something?
However, since Zhou Hong hadn't said it explicitly, she didn't dare to guess wildly, lest she be presumptuous.
Zhou Hong and Yang Xi walked out of a side gate to the bus stop outside the school and stood there waiting for the bus.
"Why is it taking so long? Teacher Yang, why don't you buy a car? It would be so convenient to have your own car," Zhou Hong asked, feeling that he should also go and get a car soon.
"Buying a car costs money," Yang Xi said, a little speechless. Where would she get the money for a car? Even if she had the money, she would save it for her mother's treatment.
"It's okay, you still have thirty million here that you haven't used."
"No, this money has nothing to do with me," Yang Xi quickly shook her head.
"Why are you so stubborn? Fine, I'll pick out a car another day, and I'll buy one for you too," Zhou Hong said with a smile.
"No," Yang Xi refused immediately. She and Zhou Hong were just teacher and student. How could she accept a car from Zhou Hong?
"This is no fun, I was even thinking of buying you a house sometime," Zhou Hong said.
"You…." Yang Xi seemed a bit incredulous. Zhou Hong was actually thinking of buying her a house. What did he want? Was he pursuing her?
"Zhou Hong, I can't accept this for no reason. You've already treated my illness and my mother's illness. I'm already very grateful, truly," Yang Xi quickly persuaded him. She was afraid that if Zhou Hong really bought her something, it would be hard to explain if others asked. Moreover, if she really wanted a car and a house, the rich second-generation individuals who had pursued her before could have provided them.
"Teacher, I noticed you have to wait so long for the bus every day to come to school, which is why I wanted to give you a car. Alright, we'll talk about this later."
Yang Xi could only sigh helplessly. Her heart felt a little unsettled. In the past, many rich second-generation individuals had offered to give her cars and houses, but her heart had never been unsettled because she was adamant about not accepting them.
But now, hearing that Zhou Hong also wanted to give her a car and a house, her heart was in a turmoil. She didn't know why.
After a fifty-minute bus ride, they finally got off.
"This public bus stops and goes, and it took so long to get home. Teacher Yang, no matter what, I'm going to buy you a car next time," Zhou Hong said with a firm tone.
Zhou Hong didn't think there was anything wrong with giving his teacher a car. On their Zi Xiao Continent, it was common to give a scholar a carriage.
"Sigh!" Yang Xi sighed softly, not knowing how to refuse him.
Soon, Zhou Hong arrived at a slum area, in front of a dilapidated house.
"This is your home?" Zhou Hong looked at the very old small building and said.
"Yes. My home is pretty run-down, isn't it?" Yang Xi gave a bitter smile.
"It's indeed run-down, even worse than my biological parents' home. It seems I need to hurry up with the matter of buying you a house."
"Zhou Hong, please don't. This is not proper."
"I'm just worried about you."
"Thank you. But for me, this is insignificant. As long as my family is healthy, that's all that matters."
"Alas! Since that's the case, let's compromise. I won't buy you a house, but you must accept a car. If you don't even accept a car from me, then you're not treating me as your student at all," Zhou Hong said without room for refusal.
"But…!"
"There are no 'buts.' It's settled."
Yang Xi sighed helplessly and finally nodded, "Then I'll accept it, but I have two conditions."
"Haha, that's more like it. Just tell me what your conditions are."
"First, I'll choose the car myself, and it must be within fifty thousand yuan. Second, no one else can know about it, and the owner must be you. I'll just be borrowing it to drive."
"Don't worry, I won't tell a soul that I gave it to you."
"Mmm, let's go in then."
Zhou Hong followed Yang Xi into her home.
"Dad," Yang Xi called out.
"I'm here," an old man from the kitchen quickly walked out.
"Hello, Uncle," Zhou Hong also greeted him.
"Hello, hello. You must be the divine doctor that Xi Xi told me about," Yang Xi's father asked excitedly.
"I dare not say that. I only know a little," Zhou Hong replied humbly.
"Xi Xi said that the ailments she's had since she was little have been cured by you. I find it hard to believe. I'm so happy today."
"Haha, Uncle, you don't need to be so polite. Yang Xi is my teacher. If a teacher has difficulties, a student must do his best to help."
At this moment, a frail woman also walked out of the house.
"Mom, this is the Zhou Hong I told you about," Yang Xi quickly introduced her mother.
"Doctor Zhou, please have a seat. Our home is simple, I hope you don't mind."
"Auntie, you flatter me. Please sit down first. Let me examine you," Zhou Hong said.