The Master's Mask Unveiled Again

Chapter 325: Chapter 324: Proud Restraint?

Today, Lu Mian seemed rather unwell, and everyone noticed it.

She lay quietly on her desk, her reddened cheeks pressed against the cold surface, wearing only her flimsy school uniform. Among the students wrapped in sweaters and cotton-padded jackets, she looked particularly slender and frail.

Ding Cai came down and, seeing the abnormal flush on her cheeks and her thin clothing, grew anxious.

“Why are you dressed so lightly? Do you have a cold?”

Lu Mian, languid, lifted her eyelids a fraction, “No.”

A clear attempt to gloss things over.

“Mian, your face is so red, do you have a fever?” Shouhao was almost pressing a mirror right in front of Lu Mian.

Ding Cai hurriedly reached out, pressing the back of his hand against Lu Mian’s forehead, then compared it to his own, his expression changing dramatically.

“Lu Mian, you have a fever!”

And it was severe; her temperature was frighteningly high.

A fever was not something to be taken lightly. If the temperature got too high, it could lead to shock or even brain damage.

But Lu Mian didn’t seem to realize how serious her condition was. She propped herself up to sit straight and tried to smile as if nothing was wrong.

“Really?” Lu Mian slowly picked up a pen, listless as she twirled it twice: “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re burning up. I’m taking you to the infirmary. Su Luo, come and help Lu Mian.”

“Okay.”

Lu Mian didn’t want to go.

The classmates in her room treated her as if she were a precious object, pleading with her to go to the infirmary.

Their class was making quite a commotion, especially loud considering other classes were in session, standing out with its clamor. The head teacher, Xiao Qimo, walked with his hands behind his back, inspecting the classrooms and slowing his pace near Class 25.

He even felt a sense of apprehension as he approached his hometown.

He knew she was in the classroom, and with just a few more steps, he would see her. But the two kisses from the night before seemed to have altered their relationship qualitatively, it was no longer as it was.

He mulled over the previous night, his dense, dark lashes trembling slightly in the sunlight, weighing down on something. Those images were etched into his marrow, every detailed frame retained in its entirety.

He spent the entire night washing in cold water showers.

The youngster next door, however, had slept soundly. He didn’t know if she would forget today or remember it, or perhaps she would concoct a sequence of events in her mind; that was beyond his control.

Yes, Lu Mian was an unexpected occurrence in his life.

As he was lost in his thoughts, it wasn’t until he heard the soft woeful conversations about the infirmary from inside that Xiao Qimo came back to his senses and walked unobstructed into the classroom of Class 25.

Xiao Qimo narrowed his eyes as he looked toward the back seat by the window, where teachers and students gathered around, urgently persuading something.

He pressed his lips together, quickening his stride.

With Xiao Qimo’s arrival, it was like a savage wind had blown through an ice cave, making every student’s heart shiver.

It was pouring rain on an already leaky roof!

Why did Director Qimo come at this time?

Some daring students glanced at Qimo’s cheek, noticing traces of bluish marks, which stood out against the perfect visage of the divine beauty, blatantly reminding everyone of what had happened the night before.

“What’s going on?”

Xiao Qimo’s gaze bore straight into the direction of Lu Mian as he walked and asked, his breath cool as he passed through the path students automatically cleared for him, reaching Lu Mian’s seat.

Lu Mian just happened to look up, her clear eyes unexpectedly colliding with those deep, ink-dark eyes.

Her eyelids flickered slightly, then she expressionlessly looked away. Spinning the pen in her hand, she faced forward, the image of earnest study.

An obvious act of ignoring.

Xiao Qimo: ???

What did this mean?

Turn your back and not acknowledge someone? Use and discard? Draw clear boundaries? Or was it the prideful restraint?

The simple and sweet Ding Cai couldn’t comprehend the intricacies of it all. Desperately sweating, he said, “Director Qimo, Lu Mian has a fever. I was about to take her to the infirmary. It’s very hot, quite severe.”

Running a fever?

The man’s brow clenched tightly. Without a second thought, he instinctively reached out his hand, but—

Lu Mian turned her head, mercilessly dodging!

The students’ expressions were a mix of shock and disbelief: the conflict between Lu Mian and Director Qimo seemed to have escalated to the point of absolute avoidance!

Brother Mian, Sister Mian, Daddy Mian, could you please give Director Qimo a little face?

Everyone silently sweated for Lu Mian, watching as the once again thwarted Director Qimo retracted his hand—frozen midway—they all felt embarrassed for him.

The dignified Director of Education, losing face time and again at the hands of a female student, no normal person could stand it.

Xiao Qimo, however, didn’t feel embarrassed but rather puzzled.

Because this had exceeded the scenarios he had imagined, he had made many assumptions, yet not one of them accounted for the current situation.

His expression was unfathomable, but he was adept at concealing his emotions. Neither Ding Cai nor the students could guess what he was thinking, they could only sense his mood was somewhat heavy.

Xiao Qimo stared at Lu Mian, whose cheeks were flushed, her almond eyes lacklustre, spinning her pen markedly slower than before, until she ultimately gave in.

Why compete with such a little brat?

“Teacher Ding, go ahead and start the class. I’ll take her to see a doctor,” he said.

“How could I possibly…”

“Do you mean to skip class for so many people?” The man’s tone was questioning.

Ding Cai: …

Lu Mian glanced over at him, leaning back in her chair, seated steadily, lips slightly upturned in refusal.

“I’m not going.”

Her attitude couldn’t have been more resolute, as if going anywhere with Xiao Qimo was akin to traversing mountains of blades and seas of fire.

“Lu Mian, little friend, you can’t be like this, please just go…” Ding Cai coaxed her as if she were a child.

Lu Mian was even more determined, her tone colder: “If you’re doing this for my sake, then please stop persuading me. Thank you, Director Qimo, but we need to attend class. Please return.”

Everyone: …

Xiao Qimo: …

This storyline, he was becoming more and more unable to understand it!

So, after all, did Lu Mian remember, or did she not? What exactly did she mean by this?

In normal times, he would’ve indulged her, but now, seeing her obviously in discomfort, he couldn’t pamper her. Ignoring the stares from everyone around, disregarding Lu Mian’s resistance, he stepped forward, giving her a gentle and elegant smile.

Then, he bent down.

He picked her up, chair and all, and carried her straight out.

Ding Cai was caught off guard, instinctively lending a hand in support: “Thank you very much, Director Qimo!”

Everyone: !!!

Fatty Hao and Shouhao: Felt like they had scored some sweet candy…

Director Qimo just now was so domineering, so manly!

The crowd swarmed to the classroom door, watching Xiao Qimo’s retreating figure grow more distant, causing shock and screams in every classroom he passed.

Returning to their seats with heavy hearts, everyone sat back down.

Ding Cai let out a long sigh of relief: “Alright, thanks to Director Qimo, let’s start our lesson.”

He turned and headed towards the podium, only to discover that the students in the class refused to sit down, their expressions varying.

“What’s wrong with you guys?”

Someone finally couldn’t hold back, “Teacher Ding, last night… Lu Mian hit Director Qimo…”

A weak reminder chimed in, “Aren’t we sending a lamb into the tiger’s den?”

Ding Cai’s mind exploded with shock: !!!