Starting Off By Confessing To My Classmate's Mother

"Don't say such nonsense! I'm planning to remarry my husband at the end of the year," Rao Shiyun said firmly, trying to sound resolute. "Xiao Yan is just a child. Don't tease him like that."

Twenty years of marriage was no joke. The decision to reconcile wasn't spur-of-the-moment but rather one agreed upon long ago.

Though she genuinely liked Li Zhiyan—a lot—she didn't want to entangle herself in something destined to end in pain for both of them. She had to weigh the twenty years of history with her husband and the well-being of her son. Unless both of them disappointed her to the core, remarriage was inevitable.

"Why are you being like this, Shiyun? Saying such things in front of the boy," Li Meifeng interjected. "Look at Xiao Yan—he seems so disappointed. This child treats you so well, like a second mother, even drinking so much for your sake. Are you really okay with breaking his heart like this?"

Rao Shiyun glanced at Li Zhiyan, catching the fleeting look of disappointment in his eyes. Her chest tightened with an ache she couldn't explain.

Desperate to defuse the tension, she quickly changed the topic.

"Xiao Yan, I heard you're good at massages?"

"Mm," Zhiyan nodded earnestly. "I've studied traditional Chinese massage, Rao Auntie."

"Well then," she said softly, a trace of a smile returning to her face. "Come by and help Auntie with a massage sometime. My neck's been sore from working too much."

"Alright, Rao Auntie."

As she spoke, she reached out and pinched Zhiyan's cheek lightly. Her eyes were filled with a complicated mixture of emotions—an affection that straddled the line between maternal and something far more confusing.

What kind of feelings were these? She couldn't tell anymore.

Different types of love seemed to be bleeding together, creating a messy, unrecognizable tangle in her heart.

---

After Rao Shiyun and Li Meifeng left, Li Shiyu bounded over with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Boss Yan, you're something else!" he said with exaggerated admiration. "You've got both Liu Zifeng's mom and Yu Sisi's mom wrapped around your finger!"

He grinned devilishly, leaning in closer. "Keep it up, and maybe they'll each give you a little brother or sister to play with. Imagine making them babysit for you—how awesome would that be?"

"..." Zhiyan stared at him, speechless.

This dog of a friend—when did he start talking like Li Meifeng? Ever since she showed up, it felt like his life was flooded with constant innuendos.

"Boss Yan, I'm telling you—you're the ultimate MILF slayer. You could—"

"Hello, Teacher Jiang!"

The words died in Li Shiyu's throat as he spotted Teacher Jiang Xian stepping into the café.

With her crisp white blouse and knee-length pencil skirt, Jiang Xian exuded the polished elegance of a mature woman in her prime. Her fair complexion glowed under the warm lighting, and the faint scent of her perfume lingered as she walked in.

She had only caught snippets of their conversation but couldn't make out the details.

Her eyes swept over the bustling café, the rows of computers occupied by teenagers. She seemed genuinely surprised.

"Li Zhiyan, what's going on here? How is your café suddenly so full?"

Before Zhiyan could respond, Li Shiyu chimed in eagerly, "Teacher Jiang, it's all thanks to Boss Yan! He revamped the café's management system and ran some brilliant marketing campaigns. That's why business is booming now."

Jiang Xian's gaze settled on Zhiyan, a look of astonishment flickering across her face.

This boy, whom she had always known as quiet and unremarkable at school, suddenly seemed like a stranger to her. A talented stranger.

"Zhiyan, you're amazing. It seems I never really understood you back then," she said, a trace of regret lacing her voice.

Seeing the admiration in her eyes, Zhiyan felt a rush of satisfaction. He stepped closer, gently taking Jiang Xian's delicate hand in his.

"Teacher Jiang, I truly respect you. In my heart, you've always been like a second mother to me. I just never had the chance to express it before."

Jiang Xian was taken aback by his sincerity. Warmth spread through her chest as she looked at him.

This child... cared so much about her? And yet, she had barely given him a second thought all these years.

"Good boy," she said softly, patting his hand. "I understand now. And from now on, I'll make more time for you. If you ever need to talk, you can always find me online or in person."

"Let's go upstairs. I need to check if any students are hiding up there," she added with a smile.

Zhiyan followed her, his heart brimming with quiet pride.

---

As Jiang Xian climbed the stairs beside him, Li Shiyu watched them from below, his face a mask of awe.

"Boss Yan, I swear—you're a legend!" he muttered to himself. "The homeroom teacher's household is about to get a lot livelier... probably time for a second child!"

---

Jiang Xian finished her inspection, finding no trace of the high school students she had come to root out. Afterward, Zhiyan walked her to the street corner, chatting with her the entire way.

Her heart warmed at the thoughtfulness of this boy, so much so that she couldn't stop smiling the entire evening.

Back home, she found herself messaging Zhiyan on QQ.

They exchanged stories about their days, little anecdotes that brought laughter and lightness to her mood.

When her husband, Yan Zhengjin, returned home from an evening of private tutoring, he was startled to see his wife smiling so much.

"What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

"I'm chatting with Zhiyan on QQ," Jiang Xian replied casually, not even looking up.

Yan Zhengjin froze. Of all the students in the school, the one he disliked most was undoubtedly Li Zhiyan.

This boy never brought him gifts, never paid him homage like the other students' families. He had no value in Zhengjin's eyes.

"Zhiyan?" His tone was heavy with irritation. "What could you possibly be talking to him about?"

"Oh, just everyday things," Jiang Xian said lightly. Then, with a teasing smile, she unbuttoned the top of her blouse. "Speaking of everyday things... I bought something special today. How about we—"

Yan Zhengjin's face turned pale. He muttered something about needing to grade papers and fled to his study, leaving Jiang Xian shaking her head in exasperation.

Thirty like a wolf, forty like a tiger, she thought wryly. What's the point of being married if I have to endure this drought alone?

---

Meanwhile, at home, Zhiyan received a new system notification that left him stunned.

Task: Liu Yaolong's mother, Fang Zhiya, has been evicted as her home is seized by the court. She sprains her ankle while carrying her luggage to find a rental. Currently, she is in the park, in pain and despair.

Objective: Comfort and assist Fang Zhiya, ensuring she finds shelter. Massage her ankle to alleviate her injury.

Reward: 50,000 yuan.

Zhiyan leaned back, processing the details.

Fang Zhiya's extreme sensitivity flashed through his mind—how just a single touch seemed to drain all her strength.

This task was going to be far trickier than it sounded.

"Fifty thousand..." Zhiyan muttered under his breath. "It looks like I'm in for quite the challenge."