HLM -Chapter 1145 Coming to Steal the Bride

He parked the car by the roadside and observed the surroundings of the school.

It was almost time for Eva to finish work, and a few kids came speeding over on their bicycles.

They noticed the Buick, but the car had one-way tinted film, so they couldn’t see Wang Bo inside. They just glanced and rode past.

As they passed, one of the kids shouted loudly: “Rick, why can’t you give up? The mayor picks up Teacher Eva every day. If he knows what you’re trying to do, you’re dead meat!”

Rick was the ringleader, riding a golden bicycle, with another kid sitting behind him, looking full of youthful pride.

Hearing this, Rick shouted, “I’m not afraid of him! I’m not afraid of anyone!”

Another kid laughed loudly: “You’re all talk! You’re clearly scared of the mayor. Otherwise, why do you run away every time you see him?”

Rick defended himself: “I just don’t want to make Teacher Eva uncomfortable. My mom says, if you love a woman, don’t make her sad.”

Wang Bo scratched his head inside the car. What kind of logic is that?

After a while, the school gates opened, and Eva walked out laughing and chatting with Teacher Catherine.

Seeing this, the kids immediately got excited. The little kid on the back of Rick’s bike hurriedly opened a plastic bag he was holding, revealing a bunch of vibrant lavender inside.

Wang Bo guessed they had dug the lavender up from the town’s flower field and put it in a small pot. He wasn’t sure what they were up to.

Rick wiped his hair and ran over with the flower pot, handing it to Eva. “Irina, please accept my gift. These flowers are as beautiful as you, and they naturally belong to you.”

Catherine giggled and asked, “Hey, kiddo, what are you doing?”

Rick looked serious. “I’m going to confess my love to the girl I adore!”

Catherine laughed even harder. The other kids booed in disapproval, so she covered her mouth and returned inside the gate, becoming just a spectator.

Eva looked at the pot and said, “Rick, first of all, I need to tell you that lavender isn’t technically a flower—it’s a fragrant plant, classified as a semi-shrub.”

“Secondly, tell me, did you take this from the town’s flower field? That’s not okay. You can’t destroy our flower fields.”

The boy hurriedly said, “I didn’t destroy it! Look, I put it in a pot. Later, when you return it to me, I’ll replant the lavender.”

Eva held the pot in her arms. “You gave it to me. How can I give it back now?”

Rick beamed. “Then does this mean you accept my love?”

Eva shook her finger, smiling. “No, no, no. I only accepted your gift. I haven’t promised you anything.”

The boy looked very disappointed. “But if you accepted my gift, doesn’t that mean you agreed to be with me?”

Eva chuckled softly. “Of course not. But I didn’t accept your gift for nothing. I’ve taught you a lesson: women can be very cunning creatures—the prettier, the craftier. For example, right now, I’ll accept any gift you give me, but that doesn’t mean I’ll say yes to you.”

Rick’s expression fell. “Why? Irina… weren’t you my goddess?”

Eva’s face went serious. “Call me Teacher Eva! And how do you plan to make up for the damage you caused to the flower field?”

Rick looked at the flower pot pitifully. “Can you at least return the lavender to me?”

Eva shook her head. “Sorry, it’s no longer yours.”

“No!”

Wang Bo finally understood. These kids came to loiter around the school every day because one of them had a crush on Eva and was deliberately trying to woo her.

He had encountered this before. Kids in New Zealand were like this—chivalrous. When they liked a girl, they would go and confess their love.

When Little Dale first went to school, boys would bring her food and drinks every day, hoping she would become their girlfriend.

But Little Dale accepted everything they gave her and shared what she couldn’t eat with friends. As for the requests to be their girlfriend, she ignored them completely.

Some boys even got upset and tried to take their gifts back, but once they encountered Little Dale, there was no way to get them back. They tried using force but were beaten by her several times. After that, nobody bothered asking her to be their girlfriend, and she was left in peace.

Wang Bo guessed that Little Dale might have learned this from Eva.

Eva’s words and actions clearly saddened Rick. His goddess image crumbled, and the poor boy’s eyes turned red, almost to the point of tears.

Wang Bo laughed and got out of the car to comfort the kid.

Officially, this was his romantic rival, but such a cute rival coming occasionally was fine.

As soon as he got out, the kids panicked and pedaled away on their bicycles.

The little kid on the back of Rick’s bike held the handlebars and sped off with the group.

This left Rick alone, unable to get back on his bike. He was stuck there.

Wang Bo waved. “Kid, your friends left you behind.”

Rick, clearly not very brave, hid behind Eva and shouted, “Mayor, don’t hit me! Fair competition! Fair competition!”

Wang Bo laughed at his expression. “Fair competition? Fine. According to Maori tradition, we’ll have a fight. Whoever wins gets to take Teacher Eva.”

Rick despaired. “Then I give up!”

Eva patted his head and handed the pot to him. “Since you gave up, you withdraw from the contest for me. Come on, I’ll take you back to town.”

Rick was stubborn. “I’m not getting in the mayor’s car. I’d rather walk home, even if it breaks my legs!”

“You’ll be late. Your parents might spank you.”

“Alright, I’ll compromise just this once. I won’t ride with you again.”

Wang Bo drove first to the flower field and replanted the lavender.

The lavender hadn’t bloomed yet, but it was thriving. Its subtle and enduring fragrance drifted with the breeze, making the area feel like a fairyland.

On Sunday, he took Eva to Oak City to buy a car. The town was still small. Though there were repair shops and rental services, there was no 4S dealership yet.

Wang Bo picked a red BMW Z4 sports car for Eva. She looked like a Valkyrie controlling flames while sitting inside.

But after trying it, Eva refused. She wanted an SUV instead, a Volvo XC90. “The Z4 is too low, darling. It’s inconvenient for hills, and the space is too small. Later, when we have kids, it won’t be practical.”

Wang Bo didn’t mind. As long as Eva liked it, that was enough.