Chapter 22 Part 2: Sweet talk

That gave her a bit more confidence in her own English level.

The English Teacher was very satisfied.

After taking back the Little Bee, she said to the whole class, “Hear that? That’s standard spoken English. Now listen to yourselves and your plastic Chinish accents. Do you know, back when I studied abroad, I worked so hard on my accent just so other international students wouldn’t laugh at me—”

And with that, the English Teacher began reminiscing about her past and telling the story of how she met her rich second-generation husband abroad.

“So you see, just because the gaokao doesn’t test spoken English doesn’t mean you shouldn’t practice it. If you go abroad and people notice your accent, you’ll be so embarrassed, understand?”

The students were long immune to this kind of talk. No one bothered to argue, letting the English Teacher ramble on with gusto.

“When learning English, environment is very important. You need to talk with people more. Listen to Zhōu Línxiāo—he grew up abroad, English is his mother tongue, and the way he pronounces things is on a whole other level.”

Just having said a few words to Xiang Di about her spoken English, the English Teacher naturally continued, “Xiang Di, since Teacher Chen arranged for you to sit with Zhōu Línxiāo, he can help you practice your spoken English and correct your plastic accent.”

A question mark popped over Xiang Di’s head, but before she could answer, Zhōu Línxiāo said directly, “Teacher, I can’t teach Xiang Di.”

“How come?” The English Teacher smiled. “You think she’s too hard to teach?”

“No, you misunderstood. It’s not that Xiang Di is hard to teach—it’s that my own spoken English isn’t that good, so I can’t teach her. I’d be afraid of leading her astray.”

The English Teacher: “Huh?”

“English isn’t my mother tongue,” Zhōu Línxiāo said.

“I wasn’t born in an English-speaking country. I learned English even later than I learned Chinese. All my English teachers said my spoken English had a heavy Spanish accent—even more so than my Chinese.”

The English Teacher was momentarily stunned.

Zhōu Línxiāo smiled slightly and added, “You’ve studied abroad, Teacher. Didn’t you notice? I also have a strong accent. Even people born in English-speaking countries have their own accents. As long as you can communicate, it doesn’t matter what accent you have.”

For a few seconds, an awkward silence hung over the classroom.

Zhōu Línxiāo’s tone was gentle and logical.

The class wasn’t dumb; it was obvious he was subtly making fun of the English Teacher for brandishing her authority.

This left the English Teacher a bit embarrassed, but unable to argue, so she just nodded, “Oh, maybe when I studied abroad, I didn’t meet many native Spanish speakers, so I didn’t pick up on your accent. But since your spoken English isn’t standard, everyone can use Bo Jiangxin’s as the benchmark. He attended International School before, where all the teachers were foreign, so his spoken English must be good.”

She tried to use Bo Jiangxin to restore some dignity to her “spoken English standards.” But Bo Jiangxin refused to play along and replied flatly, “No, my spoken English isn’t great—very Chinese-accented.”

The English Teacher: “_n”

The whole class was silent; nobody dared laugh out loud. Only Ye Minjia, who actually knew how good Bo Jiangxin’s spoken English was, stifled a laugh.

Yeah, right—his spoken English teacher had been a real Londoner back in the day, with that haughty London gentleman’s accent, and Bo Jiangxin was practically a carbon copy of him.

But there was no way he’d stick up for the English Teacher. Not after she looked down on Chinese-style English.

The English Teacher wasn’t actually mean—just loved to show off, using student putdowns to satisfy her vanity.

Xiang Di was just unlucky to be targeted.

The Teacher was now left awkward by Bo Jiangxin’s words, but thankfully, the bell rang. She dismissed class and quickly left the room.

As soon as she left, the students let out their laughter.

Nice.

“Awesome!”

Xiang Di looked gratefully at Zhōu Línxiāo. To thank him, she immediately decided to treat him at the school shop—whatever he wanted, her treat. The shop wasn’t expensive anyway; she could afford it.

Zhōu Línxiāo said, “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go.”

Before leaving, Xiang Di didn’t forget her best friend Liang Qianqian, asking if she wanted anything.

The two of them left the classroom together.

Watching their backs as they left, Liang Qianqian couldn’t help but remark to Ye Minjia, “Zhōu Línxiāo really knows how to get along. Xiang Di’s so introverted, and it took me half a semester to become her bestie—he won her over in one class.”

Ye Minjia pursed his lips, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, then glanced at Bo Jiangxin sitting in the other group.

He really couldn’t understand why the homeroom teacher had paired Zhōu Línxiāo with Xiang Di as desk-mates.

Wasn’t this just to make Bo Jiangxin, the ex, uncomfortable?

Wang Sicheng went to the restroom, so Ye Minjia decided to go over and offer some advice. He stood up and sat right down at Wang Sicheng’s seat.

“Bro,” he started.

Bo Jiangxin didn’t even lift his head. “What do you want?”

“You know the saying ‘the squeaky wheel gets the grease,’ right? Don’t tell me you don’t get it?”

Bo Jiangxin turned, frowning at him. “What?”

“Just now in class, you helped Xiang Di out, right? Why didn’t you go claim credit with her? Xiang Di’s treating Zhōu Línxiāo at the shop—you’re not even included.”

Bo Jiangxin kept his head down, focused on his own stuff. “No, you’re overthinking it.”

“Then why did you say your spoken English isn’t good? Trying to be humble?”

“My spoken English is just average.”

“Oh, really?” Ye Minjia grinned. “Then all those oral English trophies in your room—your dad bribed the judges for you?”

Bo Jiangxin closed his eyes, put down his pen, and said impatiently, “What are you getting at?”

“I’m not getting at anything.” Ye Minjia shrugged. “Xiang Di and her new desk-mate are all sweet and close. If you don’t care, then pretend I never said anything.”

That word “sweet” was a bit prickly. Bo Jiangxin narrowed his eyes, lip curling. “What’s so sweet?”

Ye Minjia patted him on the shoulder. “Anyway, it’s sweeter than being your desk-mate.”

Just then, Bo Jiangxin heard Ye Minjia’s inner voice mocking him.

【With your poisonous tongue, just touching your lips together would kill you. You can’t even spit out a single sweet talk—what are you gonna compete with?】

Sweet talk?

Bo Jiangxin scoffed.

Did they think he didn’t know what that little rascal really liked to hear was dirty talk? The rougher, the more she liked it.

Her face might be sweet, but everywhere else was dirty and yellow.

Before they reached the school shop, Xiang Di had insisted she’d pay, but when it was time to swipe the card, Zhōu Línxiāo suddenly produced a School Smart Card from his pocket and blocked her way with it.

“Your intention is enough, miss. As for treating, let us gentlemen handle that.”

And just like that, Xiang Di found herself being treated instead.

She didn’t want to take advantage and insisted on paying Zhōu Línxiāo back—she’d treat him to lunch in the cafeteria.

Zhōu Línxiāo said there was no need, but she insisted—if not today, then tomorrow.

It made Zhōu Línxiāo laugh helplessly. “If you keep this up, I’ll start to think you’re just looking for excuses to eat with me.”

Xiang Di let out an “er,” worried he’d misunderstand. “Then forget it, I’ll just transfer the money to you. Do you have WeChat? I’ll scan you.”

Zhōu Línxiāo said he did and brought up his WeChat QR code.

Xiang Di gave a “Hehe, bet you didn’t know this” look and kindly explained.

“You don’t have to add each other on WeChat to transfer money. Just show me your payment code and I can scan it.”

Zhōu Línxiāo tilted his head at her, olive eyes open and honest. “I know. But I want to add you on WeChat.”

“…Ah? Okay, let’s add.” Xiang Di remembered her classmates’ reminders. “I’ll also add you to our Class Group.”

So envious—he could just say it straight if he wanted someone’s WeChat. She’d been wanting Bo Jiangxin’s WeChat for almost three years, and the last time she got it was just to transfer him money.

And for some reason, even when she was so polite, so courteous, and so careful with Bo Jiangxin, he just ignored her again.

Why?!

Xiang Di sighed, pulled out her phone, unlocked it, and opened WeChat. The screen automatically displayed the chat interface, and Zhōu Línxiāo caught a glimpse of her pinned chats—her top chat was an avatar of a ragdoll cat.

“Whoa, Zhōu Línxiāo just joined the group!”

Someone suddenly shouted in the classroom.

Instantly, everyone with a phone pulled it out to see what Zhōu Línxiāo’s WeChat was like.

“That was fast—who invited him?”

“Look at the small print—it was Xiang Di.”

“Nice, Xiang Di moves quick. Brought him in so fast.”

Liang Qianqian took out her phone, eager to check out Zhōu Línxiāo’s Moments.

But his Moments weren’t public, so she could only sigh in disappointment. Next to her, Ye Minjia also sighed.

Liang Qianqian said, “Didn’t you say you already had Zhōu Línxiāo in the bag? Why haven’t you added his WeChat?”

Ye Minjia didn’t answer, just sighed again.

Zhōu Línxiāo was added to the Class Group by Xiang Di. What did that mean? It meant she and Zhōu Línxiāo had already added each other.

At this rate, they’d probably make it official tomorrow, register the next day, and by the day after, Bo Jiangxin would be singing as a guest at their wedding.

Thank you for the special invite to witness your love. Ye Minjia opened the Music Software and immediately shared the link to that song with Bo Jiangxin.

Bo Jiangxin was just searching for an answer on his phone and replied quickly: 【?】

Ye Minjia: 【Learn it.】

Bo Jiangxin: 【?】

Ye Minjia: 【You’ll need it in the future.】