Upon hearing this, Ivy’s face showed reluctance.
She wasn’t here to actually find a job.
She just needed to stay legally.
Otherwise, why would she travel so far?
If the location was too remote, going back and forth would be a hassle, let alone finding someone.
“Yeah, this is just a small place. There are no foreign companies. With your major, it really is hard to find something. There’s no way around it.”
Gu Chen explained helplessly.
“Alright, so where’s the nearest place?”
Ivy paused.
She knew Gu Chen wasn’t lying.
The most important thing now was to stay put.
Even if it was troublesome, she had to accept it.
Otherwise, all her previous efforts would be wasted.
“Well, given your situation, you’d probably have to go to the provincial capital. The distance… about four hundred kilometers.”
Gu Chen had to answer honestly.
“That far?”
Ivy frowned.
If that were the case, she wouldn’t have any time to search.
She hadn’t done any research before coming.
Her impression of this place probably came from foreign media descriptions, like caveman times or something…
“Right, but there’s still time. I’m just stating the worst-case scenario. Don’t worry too much.”
Gu Chen thought about it.
Her visa still had a few days.
Until the very end, no one knew how things would unfold.
Ivy had risked coming here to help his family’s crisis, so he had to do his best to help her.
He comforted her first to avoid affecting her mood.
“Okay, I understand. Thank you.”
To lighten the mood, Gu Chen changed the subject.
“Speaking of which, you came here to find someone, right? Once you find them, are you leaving?”
At the same time, he was curious about her purpose.
Last time at the hospital, they weren’t familiar with each other, so it was natural for Ivy to be guarded.
Now that they had a basic understanding, he wondered if she would reveal a little.
Most importantly, if he could help her find that person, the job problem would be solved.
Two birds with one stone.
“Of course. I just want to fulfill a wish—ask her why she left back then. Though, I’m not sure if she still lives here now.”
Ivy nodded.
“I see. What’s her name? Where does she live? I’m a local. I can definitely look into it for you.”
“Oh, right! Why didn’t I think of that?”
Ivy’s eyes lit up.
She smacked her forehead.
Coming to a unfamiliar place without knowing anyone, she really was like a headless fly.
Having a local help would make it much easier.
And after being taken in, she had lowered her guard toward Gu Chen.
So she said, “Actually, I’m here to find my mom.”
“Your mom?”
“She’s from here?”
Only then did Gu Chen understand the truth.
Judging by her appearance, she was a standard mixed-race beauty, with features leaning toward the East but with blonde hair and blue eyes.
She completely fit everyone’s image of a beautiful woman.
Full of charm.
Her mother must have been a very pretty woman too.
“Yes. Her name is Liu Ruyu. All I know is that she used to live on Willow Street here. I don’t know anything else.”
Ivy had limited information—only a name and a rough address.
When Gu Chen heard “Willow Street,” his scalp tingled.
He blurted out, “What? Your family also lived on Willow Street!?”
His own old address had basically become a holy site.
Why did all foreigners come there to search for relatives?
Earlier, Hoshino Airi had come looking for her brother, also on Willow Street, and still had no leads.
And now Ivy from America was the same.
It didn’t feel like a coincidence.
Liu Ruyu?
What was her relationship with Hoshino Airi’s mother, Liu Ruyan? Could they be sisters or something?
“What do you mean?”
Ivy could understand most Chinese, but she didn’t catch that sentence.
“I met someone before who came to Willow Street to find a relative, just like you.”
“She even mentioned the name…”
Ivy’s mouth hung open, her face full of disbelief.
Crossing the ocean to find her mother, and there was someone else doing the same?
“Remember? Or… can you be more specific?”
Gu Chen pressed on.
“Well… I’m not sure if it’s true, or I would have gone looking the first day I arrived.”
Ivy sighed.
“My memories of my mother are very vague. I only know a general address.”
“My father’s bodyguards will definitely keep looking for me, and I don’t even have a job yet. The situation really isn’t optimistic.”
“Alright. Don’t worry. There has to be a way.”
Seeing her troubled expression, Gu Chen continued to comfort her.
Because to some extent, he could empathize with them.
The three of them were in the same boat.
Gu Chen’s mother had also left when he was very young.
So many years had passed, and he had almost forgotten.
But at least they had some information.
He didn’t even know his mother’s name or face.
Everyone, including his dad, refused to talk about it.
He wondered what they were hiding. It was strange.
If he wasn’t so uninterested, he would have investigated long ago.
A mother who abandoned him—he might as well treat her as dead.
No need to dwell on it.
Living a good life was what mattered.
Speaking of which, Gu Chen suddenly thought: to help Ivy stay smoothly, maybe he could have her work as a teacher.
That seemed feasible.
But then he reconsidered.
She was a college student.
How could a high school hire her?
Once they checked her file, it would be exposed.
So that path was definitely a dead end.
“Oh, right!”
Gu Chen’s eyes lit up.
He asked Ivy, “Would you be interested in being a teacher at our school?”
“A teacher?”
“Yeah. Our school should have the qualifications to hire foreign teachers. You’re a sports student, and you have honors from your school. Being a PE teacher would be more than enough.”
Gu Chen cursed himself for only thinking of this now.
He was studying at a school that could offer her a job, and he had been looking everywhere else.
What a fool.
Because of the Wu Peng incident, the PE teacher position had been vacant.
Li Yanqiu had been covering it temporarily.
But she had been doing two jobs for one salary.
That was taking advantage of a good person.
He would have quit too.
With Ivy joining, everything would be perfect.
From now on, they’d have a knowledgeable and elegant homeroom teacher for Chinese, and a sexy, outgoing PE teacher for sports.
His class was too blessed!