CRIMSON NOCTURNE

CHAPTER 9: NEW TEACHER

Chen Jing had no idea about her uncle's troubles. She'd practically forgotten his warning already. Because Yi Fei had invited her and Cheng Yao to dinner tonight. An apology for disappearing that day without a word. Who knew Yi Fei had manners hidden in there somewhere?

She stared at the back of his head from her seat in class, hearts practically floating out of her eyes.

*When did I fall for him?*

She was usually level-headed. But she'd caught the disease that infected pretty teenage girls everywhere: the more indifferent you act, the more obsessed they get. Yi Fei had barely noticed her beauty, and that was exactly why she couldn't stop thinking about him. If he'd been clingy, she'd have been disgusted.

Yi Fei had no idea he'd accidentally snagged another girl's attention while his heart still belonged to Cheng Yao. He was just glad the tension between him and Chen Jing had settled into something like friendship.

But Cheng Yao saw everything. She was stuck in the middle, watching the slow burn between those two. At first she thought about playing matchmaker. Then she'd watched a few too many dramas and changed her mind. *Let fate handle it. Even if they get together now, college will tear them apart anyway.*

* * *

Chen Jing counted the hours until school ended. The moment the bell rang, she was bouncing behind Yi Fei like a hyperactive kid.

Dinner. With Yi Fei. And Cheng Yao.

Yi Fei had never taken anyone out before. After serious deliberation, he suggested the city's trendiest new spot -- a fish restaurant famous for its boiling spicy broth.

Both girls shot him down immediately. "Too hot. Too oily. We'll break out."

Yi Fei sighed and took them to a cheap street-side grill instead.

The food was ordinary, but for Chen Jing it was the best meal of her life. On the walk home, she wouldn't shut up. She told him everything -- her weekend plans, her neighbor's cat, a show she'd been watching. She was desperate to fill every silence.

Yi Fei wasn't stupid. He could sense the shift. But years of self-loathing had built walls around him. The wolf-blood in his veins had always made him feel like a monster, unworthy of anyone's attention. He'd never imagined a girl could like him first. Not even Cheng Yao. He cared about her more than anything, but he'd never said a word, never made a move. He was terrified of scaring her off and losing even the scraps of friendship they had.

*Young love. What a mess.*

* * *

When Yi Fei got home, Wu Lei and Zeng Dan were sprawled on the couch in pajamas, binge-watching something. He frowned and hurried past them to his room.

*Can't they cover up? Do they even see me as a guy?*

"Hey, Yi Fei! Running away from us now?" Zeng Dan's voice followed him. "We made chicken soup. Go eat some. You're growing!"

He ignored the double meanings, grabbed the soup from the kitchen, and retreated.

Good thing his werewolf metabolism handled it. Anyone else would have exploded from all the protein. But for a predator, it was just dinner.

* * *

After his meal, Yi Fei stripped, shifted into his wolf form, and slipped out the window. He'd started a nightly routine -- a full city run, a few hundred klicks, no supernatural speed. Just raw endurance.

He was back by eleven, showered, and in bed. Zeng Dan still couldn't believe his sleep schedule. It was freakishly consistent.

* * *

The next morning, Yi Fei woke at 6:30 on the dot. He bought breakfast, grabbed his share, and headed to school. The sky was overcast -- his favorite kind of weather.

He greeted his classmates -- mostly Cheng Yao and Chen Jing -- and sat down, ready for the day.

First three periods were normal. Chinese, Chinese, Physics. Boring but comfortable.

Fourth period: History.

But the teacher who walked in wasn't the usual balding middle-aged man. It was their homeroom teacher, Ms. Yang, leading a stunning young woman into the classroom.

"Quiet down, everyone," Ms. Yang said. "Mr. Bai is at a training conference. Ms. Li will be taking over history for the foreseeable future. Ms. Li, they're all yours."

Ms. Li nodded. Ms. Yang left.

A room full of teenage boys stared at the most beautiful woman most of them had ever seen.

"Good morning. I'll be teaching your history classes until Mr. Bai returns. My full name is Li Kester. You can call me Ms. Li." She paused at the confused looks. "My name sounds strange? I'm half Hungarian."

She was gorgeous. Even Zeng Dan, who Yi Fei thought was the most beautiful woman alive, couldn't compare.

But something about her felt *off.*

Yi Fei stared, trying to pinpoint what was wrong.

From behind him, a ruler jabbed into his back. Hard. Then again.

Chen Jing glared at him. *So what if she's pretty? She's going to get old. It's not like beauty lasts forever.*

Yi Fei had no idea why he was being attacked.

Ms. Li noticed the interaction. Her lips curled into a faint smile.

"Let's begin class. We'll have plenty of time to get to know each other." She tapped the podium and launched into her first lesson.

Yi Fei was stunned. This woman, who looked like she belonged on a magazine cover rather than in a classroom, delivered the French Revolution with more energy and depth than any teacher he'd ever had. Her command of the material was flawless. Her style was vivid, engaging. She blew the old balding teacher out of the water.

He forgot all about the weird feeling. He forgot about Chen Jing's ruler attack. He was just grateful to be learning.

* * *

By lunch, Ms. Li had politely declined every student's invitation to eat with them and disappeared into the faculty dormitory. Her swaying silhouette left a trail of dreamy sighs behind her.

By the end of the day, rumors were flying. She was the principal's secret daughter. She was a prodigy fresh out of university. She was some politician's mistress.

Ms. Li ignored the noise completely. She settled into the school like she'd always been there. Within a week, she'd won over every history lover in the sophomore year. Even the kids who'd never cared about history before were paying attention.

Her background remained a mystery. But her talent was undeniable.

Cheng Yao, in particular, had grown close to the beautiful new teacher. She was one of the few students Ms. Li seemed to genuinely enjoy talking to.

And Yi Fei, for his part, was just grateful she'd become part of his peaceful, happy life.

[END OF CHAPTER 9]