AMRWFA -Chapter 279 A Burning Love

“Teacher Ruan, your flowers!”

Hearing someone call her, Ruan Yaoyao assumed—just like before—that it was a fan delivering flowers.

But when she stepped outside, she saw a complete stranger—a young man.

He wore a light gray linen top, paired with slightly darker cropped pants of the same tone. His calves, exposed below the hem, were strikingly pale. He had white ankle socks and spotless white branded sneakers.

His features were delicate—refined brows, a straight nose bridge, and soft pink lips with a pleasing shape. The slight upward curve of his mouth carried a faint sense of joy and the vibrant energy unique to youth.

With looks like his, even among the trainees from the talent show Ruan Yaoyao was currently filming, he would stand out easily.

So she was certain—she didn’t know him at all.

Especially when she noticed the large bouquet of red roses in his arms—before he even approached, she had already come to a conclusion:

He must have the wrong person.

“Hello! Who are you looking for?”

What she didn’t expect was that the moment the young man saw her, his eyes lit up as if they were glowing.

“Teacher Ruan, I’m here to see you.”

Ruan Yaoyao: “You are…?”

“Teacher Ruan, my name is Shao Jicheng. I’d like to get to know you—can we add each other on WeChat?”

His gaze was intense and sincere, leaving her momentarily unable to refuse.

“You don’t seem to be one of the trainees from the show, right? I don’t remember seeing you.”

“So Teacher Ruan doesn’t remember…” Shao Jicheng looked a little disappointed, but still smiled. “A few days ago, when you treated the trainees to dinner, I saw you at the restaurant. I was standing with Quan Yuxi.”

Ruan Yaoyao thought for a moment. She only remembered that near the end of the dinner, she saw Quan Yuxi standing alone in a corner and called out to him, asking if he needed a ride.

【Was there someone beside him at that time?】

【Can’t remember.】

“Oh, so you’re Quan Yuxi’s friend. Then you’re here to see him, right? I can call him out for you.”

“No, Teacher Ruan, I’m here to see you,” Shao Jicheng said. “I really came specifically for you. It has nothing to do with Quan Yuxi. If I wanted to find him, I could just contact him directly.”

“So you’re not here because of him?”

“No. I’m here for you.”

“Then… what do you want with me?”

【We’re not even familiar!】

Shao Jicheng said, “I fell in love with you at first sight. I want to pursue you.”

Ruan Yaoyao was stunned. “What did you just say? I didn’t hear clearly.”

Ruan Zhihe was equally shocked: This kid… is he trying to take a shortcut?

Trying to pull strings and become a trainee?

“I said, I fell in love with you at first sight. I want to pursue you,” Shao Jicheng repeated sincerely.

Ruan Yaoyao asked cautiously, “Are you trying to become a trainee and want me to pull some strings for you? Did Quan Yuxi tell you he joined later?”

“No, I’m not trying to use any connections. My family is wealthy—if I wanted to be a trainee, my parents would have arranged it already.” Seeing her misunderstanding, Shao Jicheng quickly explained, “I really like you. I know you won’t believe it—you think I’m too young and immature—but everything I said is true. I’m not lying. I’ve liked people before, I know what it feels like, but I’ve never met anyone who makes my heart race like this, who keeps me tossing and turning at night. I’m certain—I like you…”

Ruan Yaoyao returned in a daze, holding the large bouquet of roses.

After snapping back to her senses, she confirmed with Ruan Zhihe, “I didn’t hear wrong just now, right? Someone confessed to me—said he likes me?”

It wasn’t like she had never been confessed to before. But she hadn’t expected that at her age—already a grandmother—someone around the same age as her daughter would confess to her.

She wondered: 【Could he have confessed to the wrong person?】

Meanwhile, Ruan Zhihe looked at Ruan Yaoyao’s youthful face and suddenly realized something—

After cultivation, Ruan Yaoyao looked far too young. Standing next to that young man named Shao Jicheng, people would only think they were well-matched, not notice the huge age gap.

At most, they’d assume it was a slightly older-woman-younger-man relationship—with only a small age difference.

“Aunt Xu, he really did confess to you just now. If you’re worried, should we have someone look into him?”

Ruan Yaoyao: “…Let’s check. I think he’s trying to pull strings.”

Emotionally, she wanted to believe him.

But rationally…

Sorry, but under normal circumstances, what twenty-something young man would confess to a woman in her forties?

Unless… he really didn’t want to work hard anymore.

But judging from Shao Jicheng’s temperament, his family background didn’t seem poor—why would he have such thoughts about relying on a rich woman?

Ruan Yaoyao even called Quan Yuxi over and subtly tried to get information about his friend.

“Oh, Shao Jicheng? I think his dad runs a company, but I don’t know the details. We don’t really talk about that.”

“Then what do you talk about?”

Quan Yuxi said a little awkwardly, “Sometimes when training gets tiring, we play Honor of Kings together.”

Ruan Yaoyao understood—they were gaming buddies.

“Honor of Kings, huh? Play a few rounds with me sometime.”

“Teacher Ruan plays too?”

“When I have time.”

【Even if I don’t, I will now—for that kid.】

【If I don’t figure out his intentions, I won’t feel at ease.】

Once again, Ruan Yaoyao realized the limitations of her “labels.” When encountering someone outside those categories, it was hard for her to figure them out.

Fortunately, she had help from the national team. Soon, she learned about Shao Jicheng’s background.

But when she found out, she felt terrible—

Because she knew his father.

Jisong.

Her ex.

That’s right—Ruan Yaoyao had yet another ex.

【How many exes do I even have?】

She counted silently in her head.

【1, 2, 3, 4…】

Ruan Zhihe was shocked: How many?!

Didn’t Aunt Xu get married shortly after college? Where did she even find the time to date so many people?

If Ruan Yaoyao knew what she was thinking, she’d definitely say: “How could I not have time? It’s not like I needed to study.”

That’s right.

While others were studying hard in school, Ruan Yaoyao had too much free time and decided to find herself something to do—

Dating.

Date more, and eventually you’ll figure out what type you like.

Some relationships lasted only a day before she regretted them.

As she put it, “Even dating for one day is still dating.”

“Achoo—”

Shao Song sneezed. Listening to his wife’s constant complaints gave him a headache.

He said, “Shao Jicheng is already grown up. What’s wrong with letting him go out on his own? Doesn’t he deserve some independence?”

“Independence, independence—that’s all you ever say! Aren’t you worried he’ll be led astray?” She Hui snapped, clearly dissatisfied. She complained that Shao Song was always busy with work—how much attention had he really given their son?

Wasn’t she the one handling everything?

The so-called “widowed parenting” people talk about online—that was exactly her situation.

Shao Song didn’t argue. She wasn’t wrong—he had been busy working, leaving all family matters to her.

But he had no choice. Back then, he was in the critical stage of starting his business, overwhelmed and unable to spare time for them.

But to say he didn’t care—that was absolutely not true.

He couldn’t give them time, but he never failed to provide financially. Whenever she asked for money, even if he had to borrow, he would get it for her. Later, when his business succeeded, he no longer needed to borrow, and he could finally give his wife and son a better life.

Shao Jicheng walked in just as his mother was complaining. Seeing his father still patiently listening and gently comforting her as always, he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Dad, what did you do to upset Mom again?”