Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

Mr. Stiller was aware that Professor Lininger had been invited by Tina, but the other parents were not privy to this fact. They were baffled by the affectionate manner in which Professor Lininger treated Tina. It took a while before someone finally spoke up, “What’s going on? How does Professor Lininger know Tina?”

“I’m just as puzzled. Isn’t Tina from the countryside? Professor Lininger has always taught at Kongham University and seldom leaves the capital. How could he know a country girl?”

“The way Professor Lininger and Tina are interacting, it seems like they’ve known each other for quite some time!”

The crowd was abuzz with their various comments.

Their voices were loud enough for Tina to overhear. With a slight lift of her eyes, she glanced at them and said to Professor Lininger with a smile, “I’ve gained some weight.”

She had indulged in too many strawberry cakes recently and had put on two pounds.Original from NôvelDrama.Org.

Professor Lininger pinched her cheek, “A little weight gain is good. You were too skinny. You need to eat more and get a bit plump. It looks better that way.”

Tina was speechless.

To look like a pig?

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Professor Lininger said, “Where is this class you mentioned? Lead the way quickly. We need to assess their true abilities to formulate a learning plan.”

He then glared at Tina with mock annoyance, “You little rascal, finding trouble for me. At my age, I have to face such a huge challenge.”

Tina chuckled, “You’re a professor who has taught many doctoral students. This challenge is nothing for you.”

“Tsk!” Professor Lininger clicked his tongue twice, “It’s been years since we’ve met, and you’ve become quite the charmer.”

And indeed, his heart felt warm. At his age, he liked to hear pleasing words. However, he wasn’t someone who took kindly to flattery from just anyone.

Tina smiled and turned to Mr. Stiller, “Mr. Stiller, I’m going to take Professor Lininger to room 22D.”

With that, she and Professor Lininger headed toward the office exit.

Her words set the parents off like a bomb had exploded.

“What!! Professor Lininger is going to teach Class 22D? You must be joking?”

“Mr. Stiller, what are you playing at? First, you bring in a clueless Tina Reed as the Lead Teacher, and now you’ve invited Professor Lininger’s team to teach 22D? Aren’t you going too far?”

“What’s with Class 22D? A bunch of good-for-nothing rich kids with no future. Shouldn’t Professor Lininger’s excellent team be teaching the key classes? Mr. Stiller, by doing this, aren’t you wasting educational resources?”

Mr. Stiller, already irked by them, replied with a stern face, “Do you think Professor Lininger is someone you can just invite on a whim? Haven’t you heard that I’ve invited him over a dozen times before without success?”

“But you have invited him this time, haven’t you? And now you want to waste this precious opportunity on that bunch from 22D? Let me tell you, if you go through with this, I will report you to the education authorities!”

Mr. Stiller couldn’t help but laugh out of frustration, “Professor Lininger was invited by Miss Reed, who is the Lead Teacher of 22D. Naturally, his classes will be for 22D. Go ahead and report me. I have done nothing wrong and am not afraid of any investigation!”

He had long reached his limit with these parents.

The parents’ eyes bulged with disbelief.

“Professor Lininger was invited by Tina? Are you kidding us? She’s just a village girl!”

“Mr. Stiller, could you at least make up a believable lie? Does Tina look like she has the capability to invite Professor Lininger?”

“Is there some unsavory deal between you and Tina that you’re protecting her at every turn?”

The parents were highly agitated, their words growing increasingly offensive.

Mr. Stiller’s face turned beet red with anger. He had never imagined these people could stoop so low. Tina was just nineteen, young enough to be his daughter, and yet they slandered them so vilely.

Disgusting!

Initially, Professor Lininger thought these people were school teachers discussing something with Mr. Stiller, but it soon became clear that was not the case. He even heard someone calling Tina a village girl, which turned his expression sour. He turned and asked Tina, “What’s all this about?”

Before Tina could respond, the parents addressed Professor Lininger directly, “Professor Lininger, you are a highly respected professor at Kongham University, and we are all thrilled to have you teach at Ensford High School. But why would you teach class22D?”

“That class is notorious. None of the students there are studious; most of them don’t even know the material of Grade 9. Teaching them would be a waste of educational resources.”

“Professor Lininger, please reconsider and teach a key class instead. Their test scores have been good, and with your team’s guidance, they could get into top universities.”

“Tina is just a country girl who came from the countryside. Who knows what methods she used to deceive you. You should be careful.”

“And Mr. Stiller, what spell has been cast on you to appoint Tina as the Lead Teacher for 22D? She hasn’t even been properly educated. Why her? Moreover, 22D is dangerous. Whether you and your team can leave there unharmed is questionable.”

Professor Lininger listened to their endless chatter, his face darkening more than the bottom of a pot. He was so furious that he bellowed, “Nonsense!”

At his roar, the parents fell silent.

Mr. Stiller stood aside obediently. Professor Lininger’s words had far more effect than his own. These parents were indeed the kind who bullied the weak and feared the strong.

“Who said Tina is a village girl? Who said it? Stand out!” Professor Lininger demanded angrily, “A bunch of shortsighted fools, looking down on country folk? Isn’t the food you eat grown by them? How dare you disdain them?”

“And who said Tina hasn’t been to school? Stand out! I want to see who’s had their brain kicked by a donkey!” Professor Lininger had many students, and Tina was his favorite. Seeing her insulted so grievously made him furious.

“Professor Lininger, you can’t speak like that. It’s true that Tina is from the countryside and that she hasn’t been to school. You can’t defend her just because she’s involved with Mr. Stiller,” a parent retorted defiantly.

“Shut your nonsense!” Professor Lininger, usually a gentle man, was driven to curse by his anger, showing just how incensed he was, “You bunch of scoundrels, spewing lies and daring to slander Tina… Ron, contact the lawyer. I want to sue them to the ground! They won’t apologize to Tina, it’s on you!”

The rest of Professor Lininger’s team was equally angry. Usually, they had a good relationship with Tina while discussing academics, but now that they heard her being slandered, they couldn’t hold back.

Ron immediately said, “Yes, I’ll contact the lawyer right away.”

“Professor Lininger, you are a renowned professor at Kongham University. How could you be swayed by Tina’s deception and fail to distinguish right from wrong?” When the parents heard Professor Lininger was going to sue, they accused him.

Because of Professor Lininger’s presence, his team usually stayed quiet. But now, Ron could no longer restrain himself, “Tina is Professor Lininger’s student. She earned two doctoral degrees in medical science and biochemistry from Kongham University at the age of sixteen. You say she hasn’t been to school? And you accuse her of having an affair with Mr. Stiller? Just based on these two points, our team could sue you until your family go bankrupt!”