Fortunately, the heavens will eventually warm.

Zhang Pa shouted even louder, "All of you, shut up!" When the classroom finally quieted down, he said, "Two rules. First, no more than two bottles of beer each. You can skip the drink, but you can’t have extra. Second, watch how much you eat—we’re just starting out, and we’re broke."

"No problem!" the students roared back.

Seeing this unruly bunch, Zhang Pa raised his cane. "One more thing—when we leave, I want everyone in a line."

"Come on, do we have to?" the students protested.

"If you want barbecue, keep your mouths shut," Zhang Pa replied. "Let’s go, file out one by one from that side."

With the promise of victory and the lure of barbecue, these usually incorrigible brats actually lined up obediently to leave the school, much to the astonishment of every teacher who witnessed it. It was simply unbelievable.

Zhang Pa brought up the rear, with the chubby kid he’d once beaten walking beside him, sneaking glances at his leg. "Teacher, is your leg really hurt?"

"Are you blind? Don’t you see I’m using a cane?" Zhang Pa barked.

"Cane? Looks more like a weapon to me," the chubby kid muttered.

The students ahead were curious too. "Teacher, I was right next to you during the fight, you moved just fine. Didn’t look hurt at all."

"Want to try me now? I can move even faster," Zhang Pa retorted.

"Forget it. If I knock you down, who’s going to buy us barbecue?" the student scoffed.

Zhang Pa felt wounded and raised his voice, "Focus! Stay in line!"

There were over thirty people for barbecue. Even if each only spent thirty yuan, plus a bottle of beer… just thinking of the total cost made his heart ache. He was supposed to be earning money as a teacher, so why was he paying for a meal already?

No one wants to foot the bill, but now was the best chance to quickly win over these rascals. It was just like the stock market—opportunities don’t come twice. Who knew when there’d be another common enemy? Otherwise, should he just wait for these energetic kids to turn on each other?

The bill came to 1,200, but the owner knocked off nearly a hundred.

"Now get home," Zhang Pa told them. "Share a ride if you’re heading the same way, otherwise squeeze onto a bus. See you the day after tomorrow."

Fighting and drinking are the fastest ways to bond among men; after this day, many students already saw Zhang Pa as their homeroom teacher for real.

Saturday meant dance class—more accurately, it was like a date. Zhang Pa hurried home to finish his work, then left for the Conservatory at four in the afternoon.

When they met, Liu Xiaomei asked an interesting question. "It’s been three days since we last met. Did time pass quickly or slowly for you?"

Zhang Pa answered immediately, "Slow. Excruciatingly slow." For him, it had actually flown by. The past three days were wound tight, spinning nonstop until there was no time to think of anything else.

If someone feels lonely, it’s usually because they have too much free time.

"Why are our answers different?" Liu Xiaomei asked.

Zhang Pa was startled—had he answered wrong? "You think it went quickly?"

"Yes. I have to study every day, and the time just flies by. Before I know it, another day is gone," Liu Xiaomei replied. "Is it because you’re not that important to me?"

Zhang Pa asked again, "Am I important to you?"

"You should be," Liu Xiaomei said. "The books say, ‘A day apart feels like three autumns.’ I should really miss you, but time just goes by so fast."

"It doesn’t matter, as long as you miss me," Zhang Pa said, quick to seize the point.

"Who said I miss you?" Liu Xiaomei snorted. "Let’s get to class."

The two strolled to the elementary school dance studio as if on a date, spending nearly three hours together. The tuition covered two hours, but the lessons always ran long as a form of compensation. After the children left, Zhang Pa received extra stretching and singing instruction.

Curiously, someone was waiting for Zhang Pa outside the studio.

After their private lesson, Zhang Pa and Liu Xiaomei waited for the students to leave before heading out to change their shoes. They saw a young woman smiling at them, with a cute little girl by her side.

Liu Xiaomei smiled and asked, "Still here? Is something the matter?"

The young woman took two brocade boxes from her bag. "My husband bought these as a pair while on a business trip. I don’t wear them, so if you don’t mind, I’d like you to have them."

Liu Xiaomei politely declined with a smile. "Thank you, but I don’t wear jewelry."

Zhang Pa glanced over—sure enough, there wasn’t a single accessory on the beautiful Liu, not even a watch.

"I don’t wear these things either," Zhang Pa added. "It would just feel strange."

The young woman paused, then chuckled softly. "My mistake. It’s after seven already—could I invite you both to dinner?"

If you want to get close to someone, one way is to win over someone they care about.

Her child was taking dance lessons from Liu Xiaomei, and the parent had been trying to build a connection with her, to no avail. Suddenly, Zhang Pa became the new target.

Especially at these after-school classes, the rules weren’t strict. A meal together was nothing unusual.

Liu Xiaomei smiled, looping her arm through Zhang Pa’s. "He’s a teacher too, even busier than I am. We only get to see each other twice a week. Sorry." That was a polite refusal.

The young woman smiled in return. "Another time, then. Maybe there’ll be another chance." She had her child say goodbye to the teachers and waved as she left.

"You used me as your shield," Zhang Pa said.

"Did you mind?" Liu Xiaomei asked with a smile.

"Not at all," Zhang Pa replied, always earnest.

"How’s work? Are the kids well-behaved?"

"Kids? There’s no such creature in my class," Zhang Pa replied.

Liu Xiaomei laughed. "Then what are they?"

"It’s hard to say," Zhang Pa sighed. "But don’t worry. To walk through your front door with my head held high, I’ll do my best not to get expelled."

"You really are something," Liu Xiaomei said, still laughing.

By seven, the weather was turning cool. Zhang Pa suggested hotpot, to warm up before heading home.

Liu Xiaomei declined. Hotpot would leave a strong smell on her clothes. "Let’s have spicy skewers instead."

"What kind of logic is that?" Zhang Pa asked. "Hotpot leaves a smell, but spicy skewers don’t?"

"Are you coming or not?" Liu Xiaomei asked.

"Of course. I have to," Zhang Pa surrendered at once.

Every Wednesday and Saturday night, the restaurants near the conservatory became the stage for Liu Xiaomei and her mysterious boyfriend’s public displays of affection. Everywhere they went, people watched and whispered. Liu Xiaomei was simply too famous, too beautiful, and had been single for too long. Zhang Pa, the new addition, was a hot topic.

Do you remember the young man with the red rose whom Zhang Pa met during his first dance class? He appeared again.

As Zhang Pa and Liu Xiaomei exited the elementary school gate, the red rose youth sat in a car parked further back, pointing Zhang Pa out. "That’s him."

Two burly men sat behind him, their faces thuggish, grinning wickedly. "No problem, Young Master Ning. Break a leg, right?"

The red rose youth nodded, opened his bag, and tossed over a wad of cash. "Make it clean."

"Consider it done." One of the big men split the money in half by eye, handed one share to his partner, and the two got out of the car.

Ten thousand for one broken leg—a high price.

At that moment, Zhang Pa was in high spirits, a stunning woman at his side. Such happiness—well, to put it crudely, it was a huge ego boost!

Cheerful, he kept telling her internet jokes, trying to make Liu Xiaomei laugh.

Liu Xiaomei was delighted, but told him that telling jokes was fine, as long as he didn’t hop around like a performing monkey.

"It’s to add to the atmosphere," Zhang Pa protested.

"So being a performing monkey is atmosphere?" Liu Xiaomei teased.

"Don’t insult monkeys," Zhang Pa said, mock-offended.

Liu Xiaomei, fair and lovely, was even more beautiful when she smiled—so dazzling it was hard not to stare. The two thugs following behind them murmured, "What are they laughing about?"

"That girl’s got a great figure. No wonder Young Master Ning won’t give up."

"No kidding, I wouldn’t give up either."

Trailing about ten meters behind, their conversation wasn’t too conspicuous.

But Zhang Pa and Liu Xiaomei were taking a shortcut through campus—hardly any passersby would walk with them from start to finish. After another round of showing off their affection in front of conservatory students, they were on their way out when Zhang Pa whispered, "Two people are following us. Who do you think they’re after?"

"Definitely you," Liu Xiaomei replied. "I’ve been walking around campus alone for days without trouble. Now with you here, someone’s following."

"Fair enough," Zhang Pa conceded.

"What do you want to do?" Liu Xiaomei asked.

"Eat spicy skewers," Zhang Pa decided.

"That works," Liu Xiaomei agreed.

So they went to eat, laughing as usual. Zhang Pa shared some online jokes about spicy skewers—some funny, some less so, but none so bad he choked.

The two thugs weren’t stupid. They didn’t follow them into the restaurant, but ate at a place across the street.

After dinner, Zhang Pa walked Liu Xiaomei home, with the two idiots still tailing them. Clearly, they’d been told not to act while she was present.

That put Zhang Pa at ease.

Only after Liu Xiaomei had gone upstairs did he head back. The two thugs waited outside the complex.

"If he doesn’t come out, maybe he’s not leaving. You think they’re together for the night?"

"Didn’t think of that. Damn," the other cursed.

As impatience set in, Zhang Pa finally walked out. The two exchanged glances and quickly withdrew.

Zhang Pa sauntered down the street, glancing around as he headed for the conservatory entrance.

Cars lined the road outside the complex. Zhang Pa walked down the center. As he passed a van, noise erupted behind him. He didn’t hesitate—leaped across to the other side of the street.

At that moment, a man burst out from the front of the vehicle, another from the back, each wielding a knife. If Zhang Pa had been distracted, he’d have been cut for sure.

But his reaction was too quick for them. They hesitated before attacking again.

Zhang Pa was ready: he swung his bag at one, ducked low and closed in on the other, landing a punch to his groin. Then he spun around to deal with the first.

One-on-one was simple. No need to wrestle for the weapon. As the knife came down, Zhang Pa sidestepped, closed in, and chopped the man’s neck, ending the fight.

In a flash, one was doubled over clutching his groin, howling in pain; the other lay on the ground, unmoving. Zhang Pa asked the one still conscious, "So, what were you planning to do to me?"

"Big… big brother, we… we got the wrong guy," the man stammered, drenched in sweat from the pain.