The fall I expected didn't come. Instead, I found myself pressed against a warm, firm surface.
"Miss Kasi, are you alright?" A voice asked, snapping me out of my alarmed state. I turned and found Li Qiang, the school's physical fitness instructor, standing behind me. Clad in a white tank top over a fitted black shirt, his athletic build was unmistakable. I quickly nodded, assuring him that I was fine.
"Thank you, Mr. Li," I said, realizing how disastrous my landing would have been without his quick reflexes.
"We're sorry!" a timid voice spoke up. I turned to see a short boy with messy bangs, his face etched with guilt. He was the one who had accidentally collided with me, triggering the whole scene.
"It's alright, just be careful. How about the match?" I asked, glancing at the group of teenagers behind him who were now standing still, their faces marked with worry. They had been running at full speed-I hoped I hadn't caused too much of a disturbance.
"Ah, no! We were just practicing for the upcoming match," the boy quickly explained, his face flushing with embarrassment.
"Next time, watch where you're going. You nearly caused an accident," Mr. Li admonished sternly.
"Yes, sir!" The teenagers responded in unison, respect evident in their tone.
"Alright, get going. Your match is in ten minutes. Don't dawdle," Mr. Li added. With a quick nod, the group dashed off.
"Miss Kasi, what's going on here?" A low, magnetic voice cut in. I turned around to find Mr. Tang approaching. Dressed in gray sweatpants and a plain white T-shirt, his hands casually rested in his pockets. Yet, there was nothing ordinary about his appearance. His tall frame, long legs, and effortless poise made the simple outfit look anything but plain. Some people were just born to stand out.
"Mr. Tang," I greeted him politely with a small nod. His gaze shifted to my left, his eyes narrowing slightly. I followed his line of sight and realized he was staring at Mr. Li's hand, which was still lightly supporting me. Heat crept up my face as I quickly stepped away from Mr. Li. The last thing I wanted was for Mr. Tang to get the wrong impression about the teachers in Mingde international, it wasn't professional for teachers to be rumored to have that " kind" of relationship, especially here in China.
"A small accident occurred. Mr. Li saved me from a fall," I explained, hoping to clear any misunderstandings.
"Oh, we owe Mr. Li our thanks, then. You're not hurt, are you?" Mr. Tang asked, his voice laced with concern. To my surprise, he took my left hand-the same one Mr. Li had been holding-and inspected it carefully.
I was momentarily stunned. I hadn't even fallen; why was he so worried about an injury? "I'm fine. I didn't fall," I clarified, feeling overwhelmed under his scrutiny.
Mr. Tang's shoulders relaxed as he released my hand. "That's good," he said, his tone visibly relieved. "I'm a bit lost, though. Where am I supposed to sit?"
"Mr. Tang should be seated with the chairperson, right? He's up in the upper pavilion. I can take you there," Mr. Li interjected as he offered.
"Really? Even so, I'd rather watch the activities at eye level. It's better to sit with the teachers, don't you think?" Mr. Tang responded thoughtfully.
"In that case, follow me," Mr. Li said, gesturing toward the teachers' seating area.
"Mr. Li, aren't you busy today? You're the sports and fitness instructor, aren't you? Looks like that team over there is waiting for you," Mr. Tang pointed to the far right, where a group of students stood in attention, listening to the referee with a whistle around his neck.
"You're right, Mr. Tang. The teachers' seating area is over there," Mr. Li said, pointing toward Jun Cai and Mei Lín, who were already settled in the teachers' corner. "It's in plain view. I trust you can get there safely."
"Thank you for your help, Mr. Li," Mr. Tang replied graciously with a slight smile.
"See you around, Kasi," Mr. Li said with a smile before striding off, his back straight and confident.
I watched him go, a nagging feeling tugging at me.Their conversation had felt oddly layered, as if more was being said than what met the ear. It always appeared to me that their conversation wasn't so simple, but I couldn't put a finger to it.
"Miss Kasi, are you heading to the teachers' seating corner as well?" Mr. Tang's polite inquiry pulled me from my thoughts.
"Oh, yes," I replied, matching his pace as we walked side by side. It would have been rude to rush ahead.
"Are you getting along with the teachers here?" Mr. Tang asked, his hands now resting behind his back.
"Yes, they're all quite friendly and easy to work with," I answered honestly.
"That's good to hear. And the school itself? How do you find it?" His curiosity was genuine.
"It's calm. The teaching and learning environment is conducive for both students and teachers," I replied.
"Haugshan never disappoints," Mr. Tang said, his hands behind his back. I nodded in agreement. By then, we had reached the teachers' corner. Jun Cai and Mei Lín were already there, their faces lighting up the moment they saw Mr. Tang. The other teachers' reactions were no different. It seemed Jun Cai wasn't exaggerating-Mr. Tang truly had a celebrity status around here.
I took my seat beside Mei Lín, who was still fixated on Mr. Tang.
"Mr. Tang, please sit here," Mei Lín offered eagerly, pointing to the seat beside her.
My lips twitched as I bit back a laugh. It appeared she hadn't even noticed me sitting there.
"Alright," Mr. Tang responded, his voice steady. He walked over to the empty seat beside me. There was a water bottle placed there, a clear indicator that someone else had been sitting there. Yet, who would dare tell Mr. Tang not to sit where he wanted? Certainly not me!
It was at this moment that Mei Lín discovered that I was sitting besides her. She awkwardly chuckled as she sat down besides me.
I couldn't help but think that today was turning out to be far more eventful than I'd anticipated.
68Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5KASVjtBa
