Chapter 167: Your Family Is Here to Pick You Up

Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Your Family Is Here to Pick You Up

Fan Qiuyun snorted. "Fine, I’ll say it. Who teaches singing the way you do? If you don’t know how, then don’t teach. You’ll just end up misleading your students!"

Jiang Moli crossed her arms. "Make yourself clear. What exactly is wrong with my teaching?"

Fan Qiuyun said, "Even if you’re not going to teach staff notation, you should at least teach the musical notes, shouldn’t you? That’s the most basic part of a music class!"

"Staff notation? Musical notes? What are those?"

Fan Qiuyun’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. "You don’t even know what staff notation and musical notes are? Then how did you become a music teacher?"

"They said the school didn’t have a music teacher, so they asked me to fill in. And here I am."

Fan Qiuyun was rendered speechless with anger.

Jiang Moli grinned. "You seem to know what you’re talking about, though. Why don’t you teach a lesson so I can learn from you?"

She then turned to the students and announced loudly, "Next up, we’ll have a professional performance instructor from the Arts Troupe teach you all. Let’s give her a big round of applause to welcome her!"

With that, she began to clap.

The students in the classroom quickly followed suit.

People who frequently perform on stage have a strong desire to show off. With Jiang Moli having already set the stage, how could Fan Qiuyun resist being goaded? She immediately strode to the front of the classroom with an imposing air.

She picked up a piece of chalk and, with a few quick strokes, wrote the complete musical notation for the national anthem on the blackboard. Then, she started teaching the students how to sing, beginning with the individual notes.

’Have to hand it to them, people from the Arts Troupe really know their stuff.’ Jiang Moli was happy for the break and was about to grab a stool to relax when Yang Lijiong approached her.

"Comrade Jiang, I came here specifically to find you. Do you have a moment to talk?"

Jiang Moli gave a wry smile. "And if I said it wasn’t convenient, would you just drop it, Vice Yang?"

Yang Lijiong remained noncommittal. "Let’s go to the empty classroom next door. We shouldn’t disturb the students."

"Fine by me."

Once inside the classroom, Yang Lijiong discreetly sized up Jiang Moli’s appearance.

She had a small, heart-shaped face and slender, arched brows above a pair of bright, almond-shaped eyes. Her frame was petite and delicate—she looked like the type of woman who had been pampered all her life.

’So this is Lu Cheng’s taste. Nothing special.’

"Comrade Jiang, before I came over, I saw your performance application report in the brigade’s political department. I’ve read the script for your ’Anti-Trafficking’ play, and I personally admire it a great deal. I also believe it has significant educational and public awareness value. I intend to add the ’Anti-Trafficking’ play to our troupe’s upcoming performance schedule."

"Sorry, but I refuse."

"Why?"

"This play is my passion project, you could say. You just waltz in here and demand to take it, and then you have the nerve to ask me why? Are you kidding me?"

Outside the classroom, positioned out of their line of sight, Jiang Qing studied Yang Lijiong’s face, her heart pounding wildly.

When Jiang Moli said "Vice Yang," it made her remember something incredibly important!

In her past life, this "Vice Yang" had married Lu Cheng!

Back then, her soul had been following Jiang Moli around, and she’d overheard her gossiping with the other military wives. Moli had mentioned that "Jia Ming’s superior married Vice Yang from the Arts Troupe."

Back in the classroom, Yang Lijiong wasn’t discouraged by Jiang Moli’s refusal.

"Comrade Jiang, feel free to state your terms. If you’d like to be part of the performance, I can do my best to coordinate and get a role for you."

Jiang Moli laughed. "Vice Commander Yang, seeing as you’re so insistent on having my work, I can also arrange a role for you. You can have your pick of any role you like—except for the lead, of course."

Yang Lijiong’s expression remained unchanged, but her eyes grew cold. "I came to you out of respect for your work as its creator. Camp Commander Lu is a soldier. If the organization decides to requisition his wife’s work, do you think he would be in any position to refuse?"

"Vice Yang, I’ve got to say, I’m impressed. Our military’s long-standing rule is to not take so much as a needle or thread from the people, yet here you are, bold enough to engage in blatant robbery, openly defying regulations. What a heroine!"

Yang Lijiong clearly realized she had misspoken and quickly softened her tone.

"Comrade Jiang, I misspoke. My intention was to promote your work to a wider audience, so that everyone in the military region, and perhaps even people across the province and the entire country, could see it. But since you’re not willing, we can just forget it."

With that, she turned to leave.

She walked away slowly, expecting Jiang Moli to change her mind and call her back.

’Who could possibly refuse the temptation of having their work seen by the entire nation?’

However, she didn’t know that Jiang Moli’s goal was to earn Disdain Value.

Jiang Moli didn’t even glance at the bait she’d dangled, heading straight back into the adjacent classroom.

Yang Lijiong was left standing in the hallway. Her expression was unreadable, but she was in a foul mood.

Seeing Yang Lijiong leave, Jiang Qing subconsciously followed her.

"Vice Yang."

"Yes?"

Yang Lijiong’s attitude was cold and distant, but Jiang Qing paid it no mind. "Jiang Moli has been like that since she was a child—arrogant and conceited despite having no real talent. If she hadn’t gotten lucky and married Camp Commander Lu, she wouldn’t even have the chance to be speaking with you."

Hearing this, Yang Lijiong’s expression grew thoughtful. "She’s your stepsister, no matter what. Aren’t you afraid of being reprimanded by your elders for badmouthing her in front of an outsider?"

Jiang Qing gave a bitter smile. "We don’t have a good relationship. Besides, I haven’t had any contact with my family since I got married."

Yang Lijiong wasn’t interested in other people’s family drama. "If you have something to say, just say it. I have important matters to attend to."

Jiang Qing said quickly, "Vice Yang, I know why you’re here. In terms of both status and ability, you are vastly superior to Jiang Moli! If she hadn’t gotten in the way, you and Camp Commander Lu would have been a match made in heaven."

Watching Yang Lijiong’s tall, graceful back, Jiang Qing felt a surge of excitement.

Yang Lijiong’s ability, cunning, and rank were several times greater than that of Meng Wei and Qiao Wenjing combined.

’If Yang Lijiong makes a move, won’t Jiang Moli be in for a world of hurt?’

Back in the classroom, Jiang Moli gave Fan Qiuyun a thumbs-up and praised her, "A professional really makes all the difference. The students are so much more focused. It seems they really like your teaching style. How about you come back and teach another class tomorrow?"

Fan Qiuyun said haughtily, "I don’t have time tomorrow. The troupe has rehearsals."

"That’s a real shame."

With an expression of regret, Jiang Moli announced to the students, "The performance instructor from the Arts Troupe won’t be able to teach you tomorrow."

’Yes!’

’We don’t have to stay for extra lessons tomorrow!’

"Don’t worry, I have time. Tomorrow, same time as always. Gather in the classroom after school. I’ll be taking attendance, and any absent students will have to copy the lyrics 30 times as punishment."

A student protested, "Teacher Jiang, you said 20 times before!"

"Today is today, and tomorrow is tomorrow. The day after, maybe it’ll only be 10 times. Or maybe it’ll be 50. It all depends on my mood."

’Oh my god, this teacher is so arbitrary!’

[Disdain Value +7. 70,000 Yuan Credited.]

"Teacher Jiang, your husband is here to pick you up!"

Hearing the students’ commotion, Jiang Moli looked outside the classroom.

The setting sun showed only the lower half of its crimson face, and the sunset clouds painted the horizon in a magnificent sea of fire.

Lu Cheng strode toward the classroom, his figure silhouetted against the light.

"Class dismissed!"

The students cheered and poured out of the classroom.

Fan Qiuyun left the classroom with the students. As she passed Lu Cheng, she stopped, about to call out to him, but he strode right past her without slowing down.

The breeze he created nearly blew her hat off.

’Hmph. He’s just a camp commander. What’s there to be so arrogant about?’

She shot a resentful glare at Lu Cheng’s back, then turned and stomped away in a huff.