My College Teacher is My Children's Mom

At the dinner table, the three of them chatted as they ate.

Unexpectedly, Shen Tiantian's mother and Lin Feng were from the same hometown, both hailing from Meicheng. Shen Tiantian's father was the Mayor of Modu, currently busy with work, and wouldn't be home for a few days.

Shen Tiantian's mother clapped her hands. "What a coincidence! I remember there was a boy named Lin Feng in my junior high class. Could that be you?"

Lin Feng asked, "Which junior high did you attend?"

"The Second Middle School."

"Which class?"

"I was in Class Eight from the first year to the third."

"Then that was me..."

Shen Tiantian's mother was astonished. "It really is you! My goodness, you've changed so much I didn't even recognize you." She smiled. "Do you still remember me? Liu Qing. I was the English class representative."

Lin Feng thought for a moment and shook his head.

He thought again. "I have a faint impression now."

Liu Qing turned to Zhang Yuxi. "Back in school, he was quite the rebel; the teachers couldn't handle him. He played around a lot, but luckily his grades were good—always above average—so the teachers just turned a blind eye."

Zhang Yuxi was taken aback. She turned to glance at the man she considered the "perfect" husband.

Rebellious in his youth? She couldn't imagine what Lin Feng must have been like back then.

Liu Qing put down her chopsticks. "I have our middle school graduation photo. I'll go get it for you."

Lin Feng was mildly surprised; he'd lost his own years ago.

Liu Qing went downstairs and returned with a faded old photograph, handing it to Zhang Yuxi. "See if you can spot him."

At first glance, Zhang Yuxi couldn't find Lin Feng anywhere in the picture. After looking more closely, she uncertainly pointed to a boy in the back row with a frosty, cool expression on his face. "Is it him?" she asked, her voice full of doubt. The boy in the photo looked so different from the Lin Feng of today. Yet, after carefully examining every face, she felt that only this boy bore a vague resemblance to him.

Seeing where she pointed, Liu Qing exclaimed, "That's right! How did you figure it out?"

Zhang Yuxi was stunned, not expecting to have guessed correctly. After comparing the photo to the man beside her, she was at a loss for words. The boy in the picture was handsome, and he indeed carried an air of defiance.

Lin Feng, still eating, explained, "I was young back then. All I thought about was sneaking out to internet cafes and messing around with my classmates. Looking back, I don't even know what I was doing; I just didn't want to study."

He had seen what Zhang Yuxi was like back in middle school: beautiful, innocent, with a warm smile. She was always the prettiest one in photos with her classmates. It was obvious she was a well-behaved girl from a good family, which turned out to be true. Not like him, who had aimlessly drifted through his junior high days.

Zhang Yuxi took a picture of the photo with her phone, planning to print a copy to keep later.

At the table, Liu Qing told Zhang Yuxi many stories about Lin Feng. "He was something of a prominent figure back in school. His family was wealthy, he was handsome, and on top of that, he was always getting into trouble. You wouldn't believe what a good fighter he was. Some students even said that he and a few others were the 'Four Young Masters'."

Zhang Yuxi almost choked. "Four Young Masters?"

Lin Feng was even more confused than she was. "That happened?"

Liu Qing nodded. "Yes! A lot of girls had crushes on you. They wrote you love letters and gave you chocolates."

Lin Feng had no memory of any of it, but Zhang Yuxi listened with great interest.

After Lin Feng finished cleaning up, he went to play with the children. When lunch was over, they saw it was getting late and time to head home for an afternoon nap.

"Just sleep here," Liu Qing insisted. "We have plenty of rooms."

The children were having so much fun that Zhang Yuxi and Lin Feng didn't have the heart to make them leave.

Lin Feng smiled. "In that case, we'll impose on you."

Liu Qing laughed. "Don't be silly. We were classmates, and our kids are classmates. Plus, you and my husband are both from the same hometown."

This triple connection drew them all closer.

While the children played nearby, Liu Qing and the couple chatted.

"Ever since I had Tian Tian, I've been a full-time mom. I haven't worked in over four years," Liu Qing began. "My entire life revolves around her." As her husband earned more and more, her life as a mother felt increasingly quiet. "Thankfully, I have Tian Tian to keep me company, so the days go by pretty quickly."

Zhang Yuxi detected a hint of resentment and loneliness in Liu Qing's voice. "Now that Tian Tian is in kindergarten, have you thought about going back to work?"

Liu Qing grimaced. "Work? What could I possibly do? I'm not young anymore, and employers always want relevant experience. Besides, I don't even know what I'm suited for."

She had graduated from a well-known university where she met her husband, but she got pregnant right after graduating and never had the chance to gain any real work experience. She was sure no company would hire her.

Zhang Yuxi was surprised. "You're only twenty-six or twenty-seven, right? You're not even thirty, and you're calling yourself old?" Liu Qing was the same age as Lin Feng, which made Zhang Yuxi older than her.

Liu Qing did the math in her head. "You're right. I'm not even thirty yet." She seemed conflicted. "When I was pregnant with Tian Tian, I always told myself I'd go back to work once she started kindergarten. But now... I have no idea what skills I have. And I'm a bit socially anxious..."

Zhang Yuxi thought for a moment. "Why don't you come to our university as an intern teacher?"

Liu Qing was taken aback. "What? A teacher? Elementary? Middle school? High school?"

Zhang Yuxi smiled. "University."

Liu Qing's eyes widened in shock, and she immediately shot the idea down. "No, no way! Are you joking? A university lecturer? I could never do that! In my mind, I feel like I only just graduated myself! Besides, why would a university want someone like me? Absolutely not!"

Zhang Yuxi tried to persuade her. "You should at least give it a try. How can you write yourself off without even trying? Don't worry about whether they'll accept you. I'll arrange everything with the school. All you have to do is prepare. If it really doesn't work out, it won't be too late to quit then."

Tempted by Zhang Yuxi's words, Liu Qing asked hesitantly, "Do you really think I can do it?"

"Give it a try," Zhang Yuxi encouraged. "Give it your all and believe in yourself!"

After a moment of internal struggle, Liu Qing gathered her courage. "Okay, I'll give it a try!"

With that settled, Zhang Yuxi and Liu Qing got busy discussing the details. An auntie and Lin Feng would handle putting the children down for their naps.

Tian Tian had her own room, a beautiful pink princess suite where everything was pink. The second and third child gazed at it with wide, envious eyes.

Oh my goodness, they wanted a room like this so badly!

Tian Tian had her own wardrobe, a toy shelf, and even a little table with a tea set fit for a princess's afternoon tea.

The boys slept in the guest room. Ever since starting kindergarten, they had outgrown any fondness for the color pink. Lin Feng lay with them, chatting as they drifted off to sleep.

"Dad!" one of them mumbled. "Can we have our own rooms?"

Actually, Lin Feng already had a plan to give the children their own rooms, but he intended to wait until summer to implement it.