TDLVSC 19
With the teacher-student relationship now established, Jin Shiya felt completely at ease with the project proposal. All of the previous feelings of hesitation and doubt were left behind, as she began discussing the plan with Sherman.
In this situation, it seemed more like Sherman and Jin Shiya were the ones in a teacher-student relationship, and Noland was just a bystander.
True to his role, Noland seemed to be playing the part of an extra, pulling out his phone and playing a match-3 game for an hour.
By 10 PM, Noland put down his phone and interrupted the ongoing conversation between Sherman and Jin Shiya. "Let's go, you should get back to school."
It was then that Jin Shiya realized that in just half an hour, it would be curfew time at her school.
She quickly packed up to leave but found Noland acting like he was going to send her. Jin Shiya hesitated for a moment. "Mr. Harris, I can go back on my own."
"It's hard to get a taxi at this hour. As your teacher, it's only right for me to send you back to school," Noland said.
He walked ahead, one hand in his jeans pocket, the other scrolling through his phone.
After thinking for a moment, Jin Shiya decided not to be overly polite and quickly followed Noland. She gave him a sweet smile. "Then thank you, Teacher."
"That sounds good. Don’t call me Mr. Harris anymore," Noland said, taking the opportunity to climb the ladder.
Jin Shiya was momentarily speechless and could only nod. The three of them entered the elevator. Noland leaned against the handrail, still looking at his phone; Sherman stood silently on the other side; and Jin Shiya could only awkwardly stare at her toes.
Fortunately, the elevator ride didn’t last long. They soon arrived at the parking garage on the second basement floor. The driver had already parked the car, and they saw Noland’s vehicle as soon as they stepped outside.
Sherman opened the door first, waiting for Noland to get in. But Noland didn’t even look up; instead, he opened the door from the other side and got in by himself.
Jin Shiya paused, unsure whether to follow or just wait, but Noland said one word: "Hurry."
Jin Shiya smiled apologetically at Sherman and quickly got into the back seat of the car.
Sherman closed the door and sat in the passenger seat.
The driver drove quickly, as it was late and there was little traffic, making the journey much faster than before.
The car drove straight to the dormitory building.
Jin Shiya said her goodbyes to Noland and Sherman, thanked them for the dinner and the project proposal, then grabbed her small bag and the proposal before heading upstairs.
Noland watched her disappear into the building before signaling the driver to head back home.
Through the rearview mirror, Sherman carefully studied Noland, who was leaning back in his seat, gazing out the window. His mood seemed surprisingly good, even his expression softened compared to usual.
Unable to resist, Sherman asked boldly, "Boss, are you really planning to take Miss Jin Shiya as your student?"
At Sherman’s question, Noland turned to look at him, his cold eyes glinting. "Does my behavior need your approval?"
Sherman straightened up, "I’m just curious… your actions these past few days have been unusual."
Noland fell silent for a moment before turning back to the window. "She’s not a student." Switching to Mandarin, he added, "She’s my apprentice."
Sherman, not a native Chinese, found this difficult to understand but didn’t ask Noland further questions. He knew that when faced with something unclear, it was better to figure it out on his own rather than asking his superior.
He stopped watching his boss in the rearview mirror and instead focused on the tablet in front of him, examining the requirements for the female lead. Every option seemed tailored by Noland, all of them very specific.
Sherman had already looked into RM's artists, and there was only one person who matched the criteria.
What Noland was really thinking, Sherman could never guess.
Translator’s Note:
In this passage, the term "学生" (xuéshēng) is used by Sherman, which directly translates to "student" and typically refers to someone in an academic or formal learning environment. However, Noland corrects him, stating that Miss Jin Shiya is not a "student" but an "apprentice" (徒弟, túdì). The term "徒弟" carries a different connotation, often referring to someone learning a trade, skill, or craft under the guidance of a mentor. This distinction highlights the informal, hands-on nature of the relationship between Noland and Jin Shiya, emphasizing a mentorship dynamic rather than a traditional student-teacher relationship.
