Her looks and figure were decent, but not quite on the same level as Fang Jie.
"I am. What’s up?"
"I’m Liu Yuhan’s mother, Zhang Li. I get a little carsick. Would it be possible to ride with you today?"
"Sorry, Teacher Jiang already arranged for other people to ride in my car, so..."
"It’s okay. I’ll just tough it out on the bus then."
"Mm."
Zhang Li walked away, disappointed, but she gave Lin Jiang’s car a lingering, reluctant look as she left.
After waiting for another ten minutes or so, Lin Jiang saw the teachers leading the students and parents out of the school. They began boarding the bus one after another.
"Come on, come on! If you can’t fit, you can ride in my car! I have two more seats."
Through his rearview mirror, Lin Jiang saw a man in his thirties calling out to the other parents.
’He’s probably another parent who volunteered to drive.’
Interestingly, Zhang Li, the woman who had just asked to ride with him, was standing right next to that man.
’She works fast. Found a new target already.’
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
Just then, someone else knocked on his car window.
Fang Jie and another parent were standing outside. Lin Jiang rolled down the window.
"Hello, Teacher Jiang told me we could ride with you..."
"Sure, get in."
Fang Jie pointed toward the back of the car. "Could you open the trunk? We brought a first-aid kit."
"Okay."
Lin Jiang got out of the car and saw a fairly large first-aid kit at their feet. It really wouldn’t be a good fit in the back seat.
He picked up the first-aid kit and put it in the trunk.
The two mothers started whispering to each other.
"Did you see that? The muscles on his arms were so defined when he lifted that thing. He definitely works out. The lines of his muscles are just gorgeous."
The woman who spoke was named Wei Xue. She and Fang Jie were university classmates, had children in the same year, and both their kids attended Huaihe Second Primary School. They had remained friends to this day.
"He’s so young, it’s pretty normal for him to work out," Fang Jie said.
"That’s what I’m saying! He’s not like the other dads—they’re either pot-bellied or skinny as a monkey. It’s rare to see one with a build as well-proportioned as his."
"We’re grown women, stop swooning. If your husband found out, he’d definitely give you a piece of his mind."
"It’s a no-go for me, obviously, but you’re divorced. You’re a single woman now, so you’re the perfect candidate," Wei Xue said.
"Oh, give me a break. Hooking up with another parent at a school summer camp? If word got out, how could I ever show my face again?" Fang Jie said.
"But word won’t get out! Besides, you’re divorced, you don’t have any baggage. What’s there to be afraid of? And I heard he might not even be Zhao Wenxuan’s parent. I heard the kid call him Uncle Lin."
"It doesn’t matter if he’s a parent or not, I can’t do that. I have to maintain some decorum," Fang Jie said.
"’Maintain decorum,’ she says, but you still buy ’little toys.’"
"I’m a woman, I have needs, okay?" Fang Jie said matter-of-factly.
At their age, it seemed perfectly natural to discuss such things, as long as no one else overheard.
"The fake ones are never as good as the real thing."
"Alright, that’s enough. Stop talking, he’s coming back."
"I’ll get in the back. You take the passenger seat."
With that, Wei Xue got into the back seat and pulled the door shut behind her. Fang Jie tried to open it, but couldn’t budge it.
Resigned, Fang Jie had no choice but to sit in the front passenger seat.
Just then, after putting the kit in the trunk, Lin Jiang noticed the man with the G-Wagon was also looking his way.
Ignoring him, Lin Jiang got back in the car and sat down in the driver’s seat.
After a few minutes, all the students and parents had boarded the bus, and the school’s summer camp officially began.
VROOM VROOM VROOM—
A roar echoed as the black G-Wagon floored it. After one traffic light, it was out of sight.
Lin Jiang, however, followed the school bus at a leisurely pace.
Since they weren’t familiar with each other, the car was quiet. Lin Jiang and the two mothers didn’t speak.
But Wei Xue and Fang Jie were busy having a heated conversation on their phones.
Wei Xue: "Look how handsome he is driving with one hand."
Wei Xue: "And that watch he’s wearing, it looks like a Glashütte. People who wear that brand usually have great taste."
Seeing Wei Xue’s messages, Fang Jie secretly glanced at Lin Jiang.
’Driving with one hand... he really does look charming. So masculine.’
’Most importantly, he’s such a steady driver. That’s a rare quality for someone his age.’
About an hour and a half later, they arrived at Shuangxia Mountain.
Coming here again, he was already familiar with the route.
They were staying in the same hotel as before, which had an entire floor booked out for them.
After everyone was settled in their rooms, it was time for lunch.
A separate area had been sectioned off in the second-floor restaurant just for the students and parents. Many had already changed into slippers, looking much more relaxed.
During the meal, Lin Jiang received a message from Xu Lin. She was already at the airport.
Lin Jiang took a few photos of the meal and sent them to her, telling her not to worry about him.
After lunch, the school teachers took the children to the beach to begin the summer camp activities.
"Parents and students, our next activity is a tug-of-war competition."
Jiang Xiaoqi held a megaphone and announced sweetly:
"A total of 36 parents are here today. We will now divide you into four teams, each consisting of two male parents and seven female parents. You can form your own teams."
As soon as Jiang Xiaoqi finished speaking, many of the mothers instinctively looked toward Lin Jiang.
But they only stole a few glances and didn’t stare.
Among the crowd, only a few parents knew each other. For many, it was their first time at such an event, so no one had the courage to approach others to form a team.
Their children, however, were the first to act, finding their little friends from school.
Seeing this, the parents passively followed along, and the teams were thus formed.
"Quick, quick, Wang Zihao! Let’s be on the same team! My Uncle Lin is super strong. We’re guaranteed to win."
Zhao Wenxuan pulled a little boy over to Lin Jiang. Behind the boy was a male parent.
The two men nodded at each other from a distance, and just like that, the team-up was a success.
"Come on, let’s go! The other mothers are eyeing him like hawks. If we’re too late, someone else will snatch up the prize," Wei Xue said, pulling Fang Jie along.
"Where are we going?"
"To team up with Zhao Wenxuan’s ’parent,’ of course."
"It’s so brazen, just going up to his team like that. It’s not right."
Fang Jie wanted to go too, but she was a little too shy and felt embarrassed.
"Teacher Jiang said we can form our own teams, what are you afraid of? Two parents have already gone over. If you don’t go, I’m going without you."
"Wait for me."
The two women took their children and walked toward Lin Jiang.
Just then, the man with the G-Wagon walked over.
"You two haven’t found a team yet, have you? My team is still short two people. Why don’t you join us?"
"Thank you for the invitation, but we already have a team."
With that, Wei Xue pulled Fang Jie and her child away and walked right up to Lin Jiang.
"Your team isn’t full yet, right? Count us in."
"Alright."
Wei Xue’s question had inadvertently pushed Lin Jiang into the position of team captain.
After that, another mother came over with her child, and Lin Jiang’s team of nine was complete.
Other mothers wanted to join as well, but they were a step too slow and had to reluctantly team up with others.
"See? What did I tell you? If we’d been a step slower, we would have missed our chance," Wei Xue whispered.
Fang Jie glanced at the other teams. Apart from Lin Jiang’s, none of the others had even finished forming.
"Those women have no shame. So many people are watching, you’d think they’d at least pretend to be a little more reserved."
"What era are we living in? You have to seize the moment. It’s not every day you see a young, handsome guy. We’re all mature women, what’s the point of being reserved?" Wei Xue said.
"Looking is fine, but don’t you go trying anything funny."
"Definitely not me. My husband keeps a tight leash on me. I’m trying to create an opportunity for you. You need to get it ’unclogged’ every now and then."

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