Reborn: Instead of Chasing the School Beauty, I Chased Her Mother

However, her heart was mostly filled with happiness. After all these tumultuous events, she truly adored this child.

Perhaps, from the moment he helped her reclaim her wages, their fates became inseparably entangled.

Her life really couldn't be without this child.

"Xiao Yan, have you eaten?"

Today, Fang Zhiya's stall did good business, as a few youngsters had just taken away some mixed noodles.

All the tables were crowded with people too.

This gave Fang Zhiya hope that she could repay Li Zhiyan's money.

"Aunt Fang, I haven't eaten yet. I was just thinking of having your food."

Li Zhiyan's sudden words colored Fang Zhiya's pretty face with an enticing blush in just a short amount of time.

She would never forget the past events for the rest of her life. What was this child saying?

He wasn't going to ask for a kiss again today, was he?

They had agreed not to bring up kissing anymore.

"You've got to give me more chili sauce later."

"I've been thinking about your mixed noodles with chili sauce, truly a delicacy of the human world."

As he spoke, Li Zhiyan genuinely grew hungry. He really did love the food made by Aunt Fang.

He could never have enough of it, back and forth.

"Okay, Auntie will make you some noodles."

She picked up the noodles and tossed them into the boiling pot.

At that moment, Fang Zhiya felt her thoughts were far too dirty. Li Zhiyan was just a child, and here she was, thinking all sorts of nonsense.

After a while, she scooped the noodles out, adding a generous amount of chili sauce for Li Zhiyan.

"Xiao Yan, come sit over here by Auntie."

All the other stools were taken by customers, so Fang Zhiya offered her own small resting stool to Li Zhiyan.

He sat down promptly, devouring his meal, and the contents of his sleeves...

were unintentionally spotted by Fang Zhiya.

But she did not ask. As a good elder, she knew she should respect the child's privacy.

That was the mark of a truly qualified elder.

"Auntie, there's quite a crowd eating today, huh."

While eating, Li Zhiyan chatted with Fang Zhiya. Usually, when he had nothing to do, he would improve his relationship with Aunt Fang, especially since he had eaten at her home before.

"Yes, there were quite a few. At this rate, Auntie will be able to repay your money in half a year. Once summer is over, business should pick up quite a bit."

Fang Zhiya was the kind of person who disliked owing money to others. Whenever in debt, she always thought of repaying it quickly.

Owing Li Zhiyan forty thousand, she often thought about it. Of course, Li Zhiyan knew Aunt Fang would definitely repay him.

But he didn't care about it.

"Aunt Fang, don't think about repaying the money all the time. There's no rush."

"But, there is something I wanted to talk to you about."

Li Zhiyan thought it over and decided to give Aunt Fang a heads up about the class monitor's situation.

He no longer needed the excuse of borrowing money to advance their relationship.

He needed another opportunity, of course. The next excuse would be his last.

"What do you want to talk about..."

Fang Zhiya felt a subconscious surge of anxiety. She feared that Li Zhiyan wanted to ask her out for another meal.

She couldn't eat again right after just having had a meal.

"I want to talk about the class monitor's issue."

"Actually, the class monitor keeps asking you for money. Don't you think there's something odd about that?"

Fang Zhiya considered it. She really hadn't thought that much about it.

Her son was raised by her from childhood, always very honest and never lying to her.

It wasn't until he hit puberty that he began to change quite a lot.

Thinking about it now, it did seem strange indeed.

"Are you saying, Xiaolong might be trying to deceive me?

"So he made up all those excuses?"

Li Zhiyan nodded slightly.

"Yes, Aunt Fang, that's what I mean.

"Whatever he said about that class, it's very unlikely to be true.

"But I'm not certain, just be a little cautious."

"Just keep an eye out."

As he spoke, Li Zhiyan's book accidentally fell to the ground, and he swore it was absolutely an intentional accident.

"Aunt Fang, I need to go home now."

"I'll come to see you again in a couple of days."

Fang Zhiya watched Li Zhiyan leave, her heart filled with much reluctance and an inexplicable sense of loss.

He had said he wouldn't bring up kissing again, and today he truly didn't.

Perhaps now he was no longer curious about women.

If that was the case, then so much the better, her education was a success.

"Could my son really deceive me? If so, my own son... isn't as good as Li Zhiyan."

In the past, Fang Zhiya had imagined her son reforming and diligently pursuing his studies.

Back then, she felt extremely happy, but now, it all might be a scam.

"Boss lady, I'll take a mixed noodles to go, with extra chili sauce."

The customer's voice pulled Fang Zhiya back to reality, and she started making noodles with a smile.

"Boss lady, you dropped your book. Is it your son's study material?"

"I got it, thank you."

Fang Zhiya realized it might have been Li Zhiyan who accidentally dropped it; he probably hadn't noticed.

After packing the customer's order, Fang Zhiya picked up the book.

"Xiao Yan really is a studious child."