She was only about eight or nine years old then, and now ten years have passed. I heard that the driver who hit them was drunk driving. The driver had some connections, so he was only sentenced to a few years and then released. However, he paid Xinran quite a bit of compensation, reportedly over one million yuan (140,000$).
Xinran's father's workplace was considered a good one. They classified his death as a work-related sacrifice, so his salary continued to be paid monthly until what would have been his retirement age.
Xinran's grandparents were also retired senior officials with substantial savings. But since Xinran's father was their only son, the two elderly people couldn't bear the tragedy of burying their child and both passed away shortly after.
They left Xinran a considerable amount of money and two houses.
Teacher Qin's family background was also decent, but her parents heavily favored sons over daughters. After their son-in-law and in-laws passed away, they actually set their sights on the compensation money and inheritance, saying their son needed to get married and demanding Teacher Qin give money to help her brother. They asked for a house and 1.5 million yuan (200,000$).
At that time, Teacher Qin had nearly 10 million yuan (1.4mil $) in assets including real estate. But seeing her parents' ugly faces, she left with Xinran without looking back.
Later, when Teacher Qin's parents saw they couldn't persuade her, they started visiting her home constantly to pester her. But it didn't work, and their relationship grew increasingly distant.
Until the last time her parents showed up, they wanted Teacher Qin to remarry, and the intended groom was actually her brother's girlfriend's older brother. The man was nearly 40, had no proper job, was unmarried and childless. Relying on his family's money, he spent his days womanizing and leading Teacher Qin's brother astray. One day, he saw Teacher Qin's photo on her brother's phone and was immediately smitten, urging his parents to arrange a match with Teacher Qin's parents.
Logically, his family was considered wealthy and wouldn't normally let their son marry a widow. But the parents had no choice; what could do when they only had one son? And the son had made it clear he wouldn't marry anyone else. After seeing Teacher Qin's photo, the elderly couple was also satisfied—her looks could be described as stunning.
Even as a second marriage, it wouldn't bring them shame. With their son constantly nagging, the elderly couple agreed.
Afterward, both sets of parents arranged a dinner to discuss the matter. When Teacher Qin's parents heard that the other family was willing to marry their daughter without asking for a bride price and would even pay 200,000 yuan (28,000$) to take Teacher Qin home, her parents' eyes lit up with greed, thanking them profusely, almost as excited as Fan Jin passing the imperial examination.
After the dinner, without even going home first, they rushed to Teacher Qin's place to tell her about it, proudly saying they had found her another good family. Teacher Qin looked at her parents' disgusting faces, remained silent and only said she would think about it. She knew she had been sold by her parents, not just for money, but also for her good-for-nothing brother.
After sending her parents away, Teacher Qin immediately sold the house, changed her phone number, and went traveling. Half a year later, she got a new phone number and called her parents, saying she wouldn't return and gave them 200,000 yuan as repayment for raising her. Her parents were furious on the other end of the phone, obviously her brother's marriage hadn't worked out.
Teacher Qin didn't bother with them, hung up the phone, removed the SIM card, tossed it in the trash, and left.
It was during this trip that they met us. Eventually, my mother and Teacher Qin became close friends. After hearing Teacher Qin's story, my mother invited them to stay at our home. It was perfect timing since my father was often away on business trips, and our home felt quite empty. Xinran and I quickly became good friends too.
After spending some time together, my mother and Teacher Qin became as close as sisters. My mother simply suggested that they not go back but settle in our city instead. The two cities were thousands of kilometers apart, both first-tier big cities with similar urban lifestyles, so they wouldn't experience too much change in living habits and wouldn't have to worry about being found. Teacher Qin thought about it and agreed; after all, she had no real family left there anyway.
My mother was already an excellent high school teacher. The principal was my mother's homeroom teacher from her student days, a middle-aged beauty in her 40s. When my mother was in high school, the principal was just a college graduate. Who would have thought that by the time my mother became a teacher, she would already be the principal? With my mother's influence and Teacher Qin's substantial financial support, Teacher Qin successfully entered the school as an English teacher.
Afterward, Teacher Qin moved out of our home and bought two large, fully furnished apartments next door to each other in a high-end community near the school. She later sold one to our family at a low price, which made my mother extremely happy. Not only was it close to school, but she also didn't have to separate from her sister-friend. Looking at the new house, my mother couldn't be happier, especially since the entire floor had only our two families.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing. Of course I know about your family's past situation. Please continue."
"Since my father passed away, my mother has had countless suitors wherever she goes, including many high-quality men. But my mother hasn't been interested in any of them. She's remained celibate all these years. I think my mother is mostly thinking of me, not wanting me to suffer if she remarries."
Xinran said softly.
I also realized that we're both now in our senior year of high school and will soon leave home for university. Perhaps Teacher Qin also wants to find a man to take care of her. After all, no matter how strong a woman is, she still needs a harbor. Although Teacher Qin doesn't lack money, for so many years, apart from my mother as a good sister-friend, she hasn't had any family around. Her inner heart must be very empty.
Thinking of this, my heart sank, though I didn't know why.
It was like having a beautiful jade sitting there. Although it wasn't mine, at least I could admire it every day, and perhaps one day I might have a chance to obtain it. But now someone suddenly appears who not only takes away the beautiful jade but can also play with it as they pleased. This made me feel some resentment and loss.
"Are you saying Teacher Qin wants to remarry?" I asked quietly.
"I don't know, but recently my mother has been going out often and often stares at her phone engrossed. Sometimes she smiles happily, and sometimes she pouts. I don't know who she's chatting with."
Xinran was silent for a moment, and I didn't know what to say either.
"My mother's mood has improved a lot lately. She often has a smile on her face and she has bought a lot of new clothes, all dresses without exception, and some very sexy clothes and stockings."
"That doesn't necessarily mean anything. Teacher Qin is naturally beautiful and loves fashion to begin with, so buying some clothes is very normal."
"No, sometimes she sits on the sofa with the TV on but doesn't watch it. She just sits there in a daze. Other times she hugs her phone, constantly typing and sending messages."
"Maybe she's just chatting with my mom."
"Why don't you understand? My mom has been acting exactly like a young girl in love lately. Every time she comes home with a bunch of new clothes, she tries them on one by one in front of the mirror and takes photos with her phone."
Hearing this, I was already certain that Teacher Qin indeed had a boyfriend, or at least was developing a relationship. Trying on clothes in front of the mirror and taking photos was probably not just for herself to see, but to send to the person on the other end of the phone.
Although I really didn't want to admit it, this might be the truth.
"This past month, my mom has basically been away from home on Saturdays and Sundays. But last Saturday, she came back very late, and her expression was very unusual. It was as if she was struggling with something very important. When she came back and saw me, she just asked, 'Why aren't you asleep yet?' and went to her room. She didn't get up until noon the next day. After making lunch for me, she just sat on the sofa in a daze, occasionally picking up her phone, sometimes even turning it off and restarting it, sometimes picking up the phone to look at it and then forcefully throwing it back on the sofa. I asked my mom what was wrong, but she wouldn't say anything."
"Xinran, don't worry. At least it's not... how should I put it... it's not a bad thing. If you're not willing, you can talk to Teacher Qin."
"Actually, I'm not against my mom dating. I just can't accept it right away. I know my mom has suffered a lot being alone all these years. I also hope she finds a man who loves her and takes care of her, but I just..... I can't accept it right now."
After Xinran finished speaking, she began to sob quietly. I was at a loss for words, not knowing how to comfort her, because I also didn't want this ripe fruit, Teacher Qin, to be picked by someone else. Although I like Xinran, if you asked if I had thoughts about Teacher Qin... it wasn't just me.
Probably if you asked any man who had seen Teacher Qin if they had thoughts about her, the answer would definitely be yes.
I held Xinran's small hand and insincerely comforted her: "It's okay. Nothing is confirmed yet, right? Maybe Teacher Qin really did go to practice yoga. Even if Teacher Qin is dating, if that person is a good man, someone worthy of entrusting her life to, we should be happy for her, shouldn't we?"
Xinran was silent. After a long while, she slowly said, "Mmm."
Seeing that it was completely dark outside and the adults weren't home, I told Xinran I was going back to make dinner and would come over later to eat with her. Then I went home.
Back at home, I sat on the sofa, carefully recalling my conversation with Xinran. After all these years, how did Teacher Qin suddenly fall in love, and without any prior signs? Even my mother hadn't noticed any signs. Our two families live together, and they even work in the same office.
I really couldn't figure out why. I carefully thought about whether there were any high-quality men among the people I had seen in the past six months who stood out. But Teacher Qin was always with my mother, whether she was practicing yoga before or going to work. And there was only one bald chemistry teacher in their office, which was absolutely impossible. What about the other male teachers at school? They had all more or less expressed their love for Teacher Qin before and had all been rejected. Was this person from outside the school? But Teacher Qin always went out with my mother.
If she had met someone outside and exchanged contact information, my mother would definitely know. But judging from my mother's behavior lately, she doesn't seem to know at all. So it must be someone from school, but who could it be? Teacher Qin wouldn't be interested in the unattractive men at school. I couldn't figure it out, it made no sense at all.
Then I suddenly thought of someone, but immediately dismissed the idea. This person was my father. But my father was away on business in Africa all year-round, and brsides my mother's figure and looks were no less than Teacher Qin's. My father had no reason to chase after other women.
The main thing is, Teacher Qin had said before that she likes dominant men, likes the feeling of being protected by a man. She yearns for the life where the man works hard outside while she cooked meals and prepared bath water at home, waiting for him to return. From Teacher Qin's description, she seems like a traditional Japanese "Yamato Nadeshiko" type of woman.
But from Teacher Qin's behavior in life, she is also a particularly strong woman. This might just be a natural contrast. It's just that her cold and aloof exterior has deterred most people, and even those who have bad intentions would be kept at a thousand miles away by Teacher Qin's coldness.
Thinking about this, and then looking at my father, who acts like a mouse seeing a cat when he sees my mother, he's definitely not Teacher Qin's type. So it's definitely not possible. Sometimes even I can't help but snap at him a couple of times. How could Teacher Qin possibly like someone like that?
That leaves the students, which is even more impossible. Not to mention that high school freshmen and sophomores aren't even adults yet. Even among the seniors, only some have just turned 18. Although all the students at school drool over Teacher Qin, she is known as the "Ice Beauty" and :Northeastern tigress" at school. Students tremble in fear when they see her, let alone dare to flirt with her. From Teacher Qin's perspective, even if she wanted to find someone, she couldn't choose a student. This would not only be unethical, but Xinran and my mother wouldn't agree either. Otherwise, wouldn't Xinran have to call her classmate her stepfather?
After having dinner with Xinran in the evening, I comforted her a bit before we each returned to our rooms.
"Wake up, wake up, the sun is shining on your butt!"
"Mom, why do you enter my room without knocking? Haven't I told you? I'm 17 now. You should knock before entering my room."
"You're flesh from my body. I need to knock to enter your room? Is there any part of you I haven't seen?"
"Yes, yes, you're right. Why are you waking me up so early on a weekend?"
"Your Aunt Qin and I are planning to go to the mall to buy some clothes. Do you want to come? We can get you some new clothes too."
"Is Xinran going?"
"She said she just bought new clothes, so she's not going."
"Then I'm not going either."
"Alright, stay home and behave. Breakfast is on the table. Your Aunt Qin and I are planning to have hot pot for lunch. Make your own lunch, make extra, and invite Xinran over to eat together. Son, perform well. Xinran is my future designated daughter-in-law. If you don't take care of her, I'll spank your butt when I get back."
"Okay, okay, I got it. You can go now."
I reluctantly got up, got dressed, brushed my teeth, and washed my face. When I finished, I saw my mother still sitting in the living room.
"You haven't left yet?"
"I'm waiting for your Aunt Qin."
"Oh, I see."
I walked to the dining table and started eating breakfast. Looking at my mother on the sofa playing with her phone, she was wearing a pink knitted light dress today. The neckline wasn't very low, but my mother's G-cup was a bit too large. Even with a conservative neckline, you could still see a deep cleavage.
My mother's huge breasts, though large, showed no signs of sagging. They pushed up high against the sweater, and you could even see the black lace edges of her bra through the sweater seams. Obviously, this dress was a bit small on my mother. If the sweater didn't have good elasticity, it would probably have been torn apart.
The dress tightly hugged my mother's slim waist, then flared out again over her hips. Because she was sitting, her buttocks were compressed, making her hips look even wider. She wore sheer stockings on her legs, with her legs pressed tightly together. My mother's legs were not only straight and long but also very fleshy and perfectly round.