CHAPTER 314: CHAPTER 314: THINKING OF SOMEONE I DISLIKE (1)

"Ruanruan, what’s wrong?" Ke calmly parked the car by the roadside, then turned to ask with concern.

"Ruanruan..."

The call was so real, as if ringing right beside her ear. Suddenly, Ruan Pianran’s consciousness withdrew from the dream, and she slowly opened her eyes.

"Ruanruan, did you have a nightmare?" Ke called for quite a while before Ruan Pianran woke up. When she opened her eyes, they not only gleamed with tears but also with fear and terror. Ke thought she indeed had a nightmare.

Ruan Pianran hadn’t thought about these things for a long time. She deliberately tried to forget, worked hard to not care, strived to maintain a calm mindset, free from resentment and hope, quietly living in her own world, minding her own business. However, Ke’s appearance stirred her longing for her brother and awakened the memories buried deep in her heart. At this moment, waking up, her heart was painfully torn.

More than ten years had passed, and she didn’t know if her mother and brother had forgotten her, or if they were living in hardship, unable to come back to find her, or if they had encountered some disaster...

Ruan Pianran dared not think seriously. No matter which reason, none were acceptable to her, hence she kept avoiding, pretending everything was fine, firmly believing she could live well alone. And indeed, she could live well on her own.

Her heart was a torrent of a thousand thoughts, yet except for the momentary panic when she woke up, Ruan Pianran remained calm and collected, casually telling Ke, "I’m fine."

But you clearly don’t look fine?

Ke glanced at Ruan Pianran and thought silently. However, as a gossip lover who liked to get to the bottom of things, he sensed that Ruan Pianran didn’t want to chat with him, so he wisely refrained from further questioning, turned his head, and continued driving towards Jin City.

"What about the student representatives? Why aren’t they with us?" Ruan Pianran looked out the window and saw the car heading to the highway, realizing she had been too careless to forget about the students.

"They weren’t meant to go with us." Ke lightly tapped the steering wheel with his finger, answering casually.

"How are they traveling then?" Ruan Pianran asked, full of doubt. The principal had told her that the bilingual school had sent a car. She didn’t ask for details assuming it was meant to pick up both her and the student representatives. Only now did she realize the car was exclusively for her.

Why?

She was just a regular teacher, without power, influence, or fame, merely a minor figure. Why send a special car for her?

"It’s too crowded with everyone in one car, the school sent another car for them." Ke, without prior preparation, responded calmly and quickly made up a reason.

Too crowded?

This business car seats seven, with her and the student representatives it would only be five people. How could it be crowded? Even if the school had money, this seemed like a waste of resources.

Ruan Pianran couldn’t quite agree with the school’s arrangement but didn’t want to complain to Ke about it. At this moment, she was more concerned about the students’ situation, "When do they leave? Once at your school, are they arranged to stay in the dormitories? Do they eat lunch and dinner in the cafeteria, or will they have to fend for themselves outside?"

Ke listened to Ruan Pianran’s string of questions attentively and smiled as he answered, "All these have been arranged, you don’t need to worry."

"What about me? When do I start classes?" The principal had only notified her to leave immediately for Jin City without detailing the schedule, so Ruan Pianran chose to ask clearly once and for all.

"Tomorrow or the day after, the specific time will be notified." After speaking, Ke looked at Ruan Pianran and then asked, "Ruanruan, can I have your phone number?"

"Let me have your number and I’ll call you." Ruan Pianran didn’t refuse, took out her phone, noted down Ke’s number, and then dialed it.

After exchanging numbers, the car fell silent. Ruan Pianran closed her eyes and slept again, soon falling into a peaceful slumber.

"Ruanruan, we’re here."

Once again, Ruan Pianran was awakened by Ke’s clear voice. She rubbed her drowsy eyes, then turned to look outside the window and found the car parked in front of a tall building.

"Ke, where is this?" Ruan Pianran smoothed her long hair, then looked at Ke outside the car window and asked.

"An apartment near the school." After speaking, Ke went straight to the trunk to get Ruan Pianran’s luggage.

Apartment?

Isn’t she supposed to stay in the school dormitory?

Ruan Pianran got out of the car with confusion and then asked, "Why not stay in the school dormitory? Isn’t that more convenient?"

"The teacher dormitory at school is full." Ke held Ruan Pianran’s luggage and looked at her sincerely.

Upon hearing this, Ruan Pianran glanced at the tall building ahead, thinking, the rent here must be expensive, even if rented, it’s at least four figures monthly! But since she doesn’t have to pay out of her pocket, there’s no need to feel troubled, so she might as well settle in here!

After a while, Ruan Pianran followed Ke into the building, past a clean and tidy lobby, and took the elevator to the thirteenth floor.

Ding, the elevator doors opened, Ruan Pianran stood still, not moving. She waited until Ke stepped out before she did, then continued following him, turning into a corridor and stopping in front of room 1303.

"Ruanruan, this is where the school arranged for you to stay. You can organize your things first; I’ll order takeout for you later." Ke said while taking out a room card from his pocket, swiping it at the slot, and the door opened.

"No need to bother; I have food prepared." Ruan Pianran said with a smile as she took her luggage and the room card from Ke.

"Then take a good nap, I’ll take you out for dinner tonight."

"No, thank you." Ruan Pianran declined again, "I’m quite familiar with this place, I won’t get lost. You go ahead with your own things, just call me if needed."

"Alright, then I’ll go, goodbye." Without needing to accompany her for food or drink, Ke was instead pleased with the ease. He smiled showing his white teeth, cheerfully bid goodbye to Ruan Pianran, and turned to leave.

Ruan Pianran had a very long dream, all her experiences from childhood to adulthood seemed to be edited into a lengthy movie, clearly replayed over and over in her dream.

When she woke up, Ruan Pianran felt a coolness on her face, touched her cheeks, and the distinct wetness silently told her — she had cried!