Chapter 25: A Teacher’s Unexpected Collapse

“Hmm… that’s an excellent drawing.”

As Zhong Tian gazed at the picture Chu Lenghu presented, a genuine exclamation of praise escaped him.

For a beginner, her work was remarkably proficient, prompting Zhong Tian to briefly wonder if she had received formal training.

Here was yet another naturally gifted individual.

This, he mused, was certainly a positive development; at the very least, his teaching duties would prove considerably lighter.

Zhong Tian stretched languidly, remarking, “You possess quite the talent, far exceeding my own initial attempts at sketching.”

“Thank you, Teacher.”

“Haha…” The honorific ‘Teacher’ left Zhong Tian feeling rather discomfited. They were, after all, contemporaries, and even attended the same school.

“Speaking of which, Teacher, will you be staying for dinner?” Chu Lenghu rose, her drawing board tucked under her arm, “It’s already past five o’clock.”

“Oh, no, I can’t… I still need to head home and prepare dinner,” Zhong Tian demurred, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sighed.

After all, he had a habitually lazy elder sister awaiting him, along with the perpetually pampered Su Linxi.

Neither of them possessed the slightest culinary skill.

Furthermore, both consumed an unusually large amount of food, Su Linxi most notably. He often wondered how such a petite figure managed to devour so much.

“The teacher cooks personally? I never would have imagined the teacher to be so…” Chu Lenghu tilted her head, a thoughtful expression on her face, “virtuous.”

‘Virtuous’…

Receiving such an assessment brought Zhong Tian no joy whatsoever.

“Given that my family members are utterly incapable of cooking, if I weren’t there, they’d likely subsist solely on instant noodles,” Zhong Tian explained with a shrug. “Thus, it’s truly best if I head home.”

“I understand. Please take care on your way.”

Zhong Tian nodded, then slipped on his shoes in the entryway. His hand paused for a moment as it made contact with the doorknob.

No, it wasn’t because the doorknob had been touched by Killer Queen; rather…

Zhong Tian reached up, removing the hair tie from his head, and his long hair cascaded down in a natural wave, resting against his back.

“Your hair tie,” Zhong Tian said, extending it to Chu Lenghu, “I almost forgot to give it back.” After receiving her nod of acknowledgment, he pulled open the front door.

His exit, however, was suddenly obstructed by a figure.

“Ah, ah? Te-Teacher Kezhong?” The young man before him froze, a look of utter shock plastered across his face. “You, you… how could you be…”

“Oh, big brother, you’re back,” Chu Lenghu chirped, peeking her head out from behind a slightly startled Zhong Tian.

“Wha-what is… how could this be…”

Zhong Tian felt a pang of awkwardness, yet the young man before him appeared significantly more flustered—he couldn’t even articulate a coherent sentence. Seizing the initiative, Zhong Tian clarified, “Hmm… I’m currently Leng Hu’s painting instructor. I’ll be dropping by every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the summer break.”

“No bother at all, none whatsoever,” the young man quickly regained his composure, then added, “Ah, Teacher Kezhong, won’t you stay for a meal?”

“No, thank you,” Zhong Tian replied, shaking his head. His gaze, quite unintentionally, settled directly on the young man’s chest.

This wasn’t due to some peculiar social etiquette dictating one should stare at a person’s chest during conversation; rather, it was simply the natural consequence of Zhong Tian’s height, which brought his eye level precisely there.

‘What a truly regrettable situation…’

Hmm?

Zhong Tian’s eyes drifted lower, catching sight of a small bag the young man held. A familiar logo adorned the bag—one Zhong Tian recognized as belonging to his elder sister’s company.

A flicker of doubt crossed Zhong Tian’s face as he raised his head, meeting the young man’s gaze.

Driven by an insatiable curiosity, Zhong Tian activated his mind-reading ability. He witnessed the young man entering his sister’s workplace, their subsequent encounter, and the conversation they shared. Before the young man departed, the receptionist had presented him with a bagged photography album, intended as both a memento and a promotional item.

The crucial detail was that he had actually *spoken* with his sister; in Zhong Tian’s experience, his sister rarely exchanged more than three sentences with a stranger.

And had they even discussed him?

As Zhong Tian was still trying to decipher the information gleaned from his mind-reading, an overwhelming, unbidden wave of fatigue washed over him, and the world before his eyes began to spin and sway precariously.

‘Oh, no!’

The side effect, it was far more intense than he had anticipated—

Zhong Tian stumbled a few unsteady steps before collapsing.

****

“We’re sorry, the number you have dialed…”

Zhong Jing slammed her phone onto the sofa, her brow furrowed in frustration.

She sank onto the cushions, a profound sense of irritation churning within her.

Zhong Tian never returned home late for dinner. Even if an urgent matter arose, he would invariably call ahead to inform her, or at the very least, prepare dinner and leave a note before departing.

Yet now, well past six o’clock, Zhong Tian was neither home nor had he returned any of her calls.

The more she dwelled on it, the more agitated she became, prompting her to stride quickly to the entryway, slip on her shoes, and reach for the doorknob.

“Zhong Tian… he did mention… he was going to teach someone,” Su Linxi stated, still seated primly on the sofa, a bowl of instant noodles cradled in her hands. “Teaching art. Something… must have… delayed him.”

Zhong Jing remained silent, frozen at the threshold of their home.

“There’s absolutely… no need… to worry so much, Zhong Tian’s… elder sister,” she continued, without lifting her gaze. “After all, he’s… an adult now. Your excessive… concern… will only… irritate him.” She peeled back the lid of her instant noodles, her eyes fixed on the dark, simmering broth.

“This flavor… is somewhat… good,” she murmured, swallowing a mouthful of noodles before lifting her gaze towards the balcony. “But I still… wish it were rice.”

“……”

****

“Teacher Kezhong…!”

Witnessing the person before him collapse without warning, the young man instinctively stepped forward, catching Zhong Tian in his arms.

The yielding softness against his chest, coupled with a faint, delicate fragrance, caused him to involuntarily freeze in surprise.

“Nya…” Zhong Tian nuzzled against the young man’s chest, emitting an utterly ‘tough guy’ sound (specifically, a cat’s meow).

Hmm?

The young man, utterly charmed by the unexpected cuteness, silently reached up to cover his nose.

“Brother! Teacher Zhong, he…”

Chu Lenghu crouched beside Zhong Tian, her eyes meeting the young man’s in a shared look of anxious concern.

“…He’s merely fallen asleep.”

Chu Han, a medical professional, quickly composed himself. After a brief examination, he delivered his assessment.

“I think it might be best to quickly take him to the hospital,” Chu Lenghu suggested, her voice laced with worry. “After all, the teacher just collapsed so suddenly…”

“…Let me conduct a more thorough examination before we make a decision,” Chu Han replied. “For now, perhaps we should get him to a room to rest.”

“Umu,” the sleeping Zhong Tian mumbled, snuggling further into Chu Han’s embrace, a sound reminiscent of a Roman emperor (TL Note: A humorous reference to the sound ‘umu’ often associated with Nero in some media, implying a kingly or satisfied slumber).

“…It truly seems he’s merely fallen asleep,” Chu Lenghu breathed out, a measure of relief easing her tension. “In that case, let’s help the teacher into a room.”

****

Before him, a lone figure stood.

She was not particularly tall, and her long, brown hair flowed around her.

Her face, however, remained obscured, allowing him only to discern her gender as female from her slender figure.

Within the pristine white expanse, she stood before a solitary tombstone, her lips moving as if in hushed conversation.

“We will, most certainly, meet again…”

In that instant, the pure white space shattered and collapsed.

“Ah!”

“Are you okay…”

“Ah!!”

Zhong Tian jolted awake, only to be startled a second time by a voice from beside him and the sensation of a touch on his back.

“Leng Hu? How did I get…” Zhong Tian stammered, his eyes wide as he gazed at the girl mere inches away. A wave of fluster washed over him, causing him to instinctively press himself against the wall beside the bed.

His eyes darted around the room, taking in the unfamiliar decor and the sunlight streaming through the window, which allowed him to swiftly deduce two crucial facts.

First, he had spent the night in Chu Lenghu’s room.

Second, he was undoubtedly in for a severe scolding upon returning home.

S.H.I.T…

“Ah, I’m perfectly fine, just a rather peculiar dream… that’s all.”

“By the way, do you recall suddenly collapsing yesterday afternoon, Teacher?” Chu Lenghu inquired.

“Ah, yes, I remember… I must have been utterly exhausted at the time. It’s nothing serious, no illness,” Zhong Tian replied, leaping off the bed, a flush creeping up his cheeks. “Still, I’m truly sorry for causing you all so much trouble!”

Spending a night in a girl’s room, no matter how he looked at it, felt undeniably improper. And the makeshift bedding laid out on the floor…

“Leng Hu…” Zhong Tian began, then trailed off, unsure how to articulate his thoughts.

There was truly nothing more he could add; it was all the fault of his ability’s side effects. He had caused them so much bother, even forcing them to sleep on the floor for the night.

Curiosity, as they say, kills the cat. He resolved to use his ability with far greater caution in the future.

“Well then, I should head back now,” Zhong Tian announced, striding quickly to the entryway to pull on his shoes.

“Won’t you stay for breakfast?” Chu Lenghu followed him out, tilting her head in question.

“Oh, no bother, no bother at all. I really must get home. My family must be terribly worried about me.” Zhong Tian turned back, offering a smile. “See you the day after tomorrow.”

“Ah, okay…”

The door closed softly, and the sound of his footsteps outside gradually faded.

Chu Lenghu stood before the door, deep in thought.

Both his appearance and his demeanor are like a girl’s…

As this thought crossed her mind, a faint blush bloomed on Chu Lenghu’s cheeks.

****

Chu Lenghu’s home was quite close to his own, so Zhong Tian arrived in a short jog, leaning against his front door and panting, hands on his knees. There was no time to cook breakfast; he would simply report his safe return, apologize, then head out to buy groceries for lunch.

The moment Zhong Tian stepped through his front door, a piercing gaze locked onto his face, causing him to involuntarily shiver.

“Sis…”

“So, you’re back,” Zhong Jing stated, rising from her seat. “Where have you been? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Ah, well, due to some unavoidable circumstances, I… I’m going out now to buy ingredients for lunch…”

Zhong Jing slowly exhaled through her nose, then stood before Zhong Tian, reaching out to flick his forehead. “Turn around for me.”

Zhong Tian paused, then complied.

Zhong Jing silently watched Zhong Tian complete a full turn. After a long moment of silence, she finally reached out and gently stroked his head.

“Go on then. Just make sure you’re back soon.”

Zhong Tian’s face flushed at the sudden head pat. To be treated so affectionately by his usually lazy elder sister stirred a rather… subtle emotion within him.

“Okay.”

——

“What are we having for lunch today?” Su Linxi, still in her pajamas, sat at the table, looking remarkably docile as she awaited Zhong Tian’s cooking.

“Something special,” Zhong Tian replied, tying on his apron. “Have you ever had Okonomiyaki?”

Su Linxi nodded. “I have.”

“Then Okonomiyaki it is for lunch today,” Zhong Tian declared. “But speaking of which, why isn’t big sis at work? What’s she doing in her room?”

“She… probably went… to sleep,” Su Linxi said, taking a sip of the freshly poured hot tea, “after waiting for you… all night.”

Zhong Tian sighed.

“Has something similar… happened before?”

“Yes. It was a long time ago, when I was very young, so let’s not dwell on it… Let’s just focus on making the Okonomiyaki.”

Lacking a griddle, Zhong Tian cleaned his frying pan, thinking it would have to suffice as a makeshift alternative (though he harbored some doubts himself).

He then mixed the purchased eggs, Okonomiyaki flour, water, dashi, sliced pork, bacon, and squid bits in proportions for three servings.

This rather brute-force approach was probably unique, he mused, but it certainly was fast.

With that thought, he poured the mixture directly onto the already heated and lightly oiled frying pan.

*Sizzle!* (A truly convincing sound effect!)

That sound was promising; this was clearly going to be good Okonomiyaki.

Moments later, Zhong Tian flipped it, then drizzled sauce over its slightly golden, crispy surface, sprinkling it with breadcrumbs and nori powder.

And, of course, adding a generous amount of katsuobushi flakes!

More katsuobushi was always better, as he loved it!

Then, it was time for plating!

The Okonomiyaki was golden-brown, with a deep, appetizing dark brown center from the sauce. The nori powder and katsuobushi not only served as garnish but also contributed significantly to the flavor. The melt-in-your-mouth katsuobushi also enhanced both the texture and richness.

Truly satisfying.

“If you’re still hungry, I can make some fried rice.”

“No need.”

Zhong Jing replied.

“Alright then.”