CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 97: SHEILA YARDLEY

Aidan Lockwood joked, "I’m not used to it, with you gone, I suddenly feel like there are so many things I need to take care of."

"It’s better now, Lynn is pretty capable."

Aidan chuckled softly and then asked Shannon Quinn, "Are you and she close?"

"Not really, we didn’t talk much at school, then she went abroad and we lost contact. Recently ran into her at an exhibition, she said she wanted to come back to develop her career and asked me to introduce her. That’s when I mentioned it to you."

Aidan just nodded, looking ahead quietly driving, and didn’t express any opinion.

The car drove into the school, and the campus atmosphere felt different from the outside, making people relax unconsciously.

Through the car window, watching a boy on a bicycle carrying a girl along, her view followed for quite a distance.

She wasn’t really a student at this school, as her family was unwilling to pay for her schooling.

Most of the time, she tagged along with Aidan Lockwood into the school, sometimes acting as his teaching assistant, sometimes sitting in listening to his lectures. Aidan’s appearance was a turning point in her life.

"Hello, Professor Lockwood."

As soon as the car stopped under the teaching building, Aidan got out of the car, and a girl in a T-shirt and light-colored jeans, holding a fashion design textbook, greeted him politely and was about to head inside the building.

Aidan waved to stop her, "Sheila Yardley, come over here."

The girl paused and turned to run over, "What’s up, Professor Lockwood? I’m rushing to your class; if I’m late, there won’t be any seats left."

Seeing Shannon Quinn getting out of the car, Sheila exclaimed excitedly, "TA Quinn?! Professor Lockwood often uses your work as examples for us; I really like your style."

Shannon gave a faint smile to thank her, and Aidan said to Sheila, "Don’t you usually work part-time outside? How about you come work at my company instead?"

Sheila widened her eyes, looking pleasantly surprised but then worried, "Professor, I’d love to work at your company, but I’m still just learning, and I don’t know much yet. I’m afraid I’ll be useless there."

"It’s fine, start as an assistant. The salary might not be as high as a designer’s, but it’s definitely better than your part-time job. Plus, you can gain some experience. If you’re interested, I’ll arrange it for you."

"If that’s possible, I’d be thrilled! Thank you, Professor Lockwood!"

"Okay, come see me after class."

Sheila joyfully thanked them, politely bid farewell, and ran into the teaching building.

"Is this the student you plan to arrange for Lynn?"

Aidan locked the car door and walked towards the faculty office, saying, "Yeah, a very studious young girl, she reminds me a lot of you back then."

"Like me? That must have worried you to death."

Aidan smiled and said, "Her mother is sick and has been hospitalized for months, no savings, and she has a younger brother who’s not in school anymore. The siblings are earning money for their mother’s treatment."

"She seems quite optimistic..."

"Weren’t you the same back then? You never told anyone what your family situation was like."

Shannon just smiled without speaking, walking with Aidan upstairs.

Regardless of the time, young, handsome, and talented professors like Aidan were always well-received at school.

Almost everywhere, students greeted him, and his classes were always full, not just popular among female students, but also among males competing to attend.

Entering the office, Aidan sighed, "When you were learning from me, you might have been younger than her, and now you’re about to be a mom."

"So you need to hurry up too; you’re so popular with the ladies, shouldn’t you find someone and settle down?"

"It’s bad enough being nagged by my mom, now you’re starting too? Come over and grab these two books, you’ll need them for class later."

It wasn’t her first time as a teaching assistant, nor was she that clueless young girl who knew nothing anymore. So in class, Shannon Quinn was quite adept, and the two class sessions ended quickly.

After the bell rang, Shannon stood at the podium organizing the tools used in class, when a male student with glasses approached and asked, "TA Quinn, can I get your contact info?"

Shannon looked up at the boy in front of her; actually, she wasn’t much older than them. Maybe because she was married, she always felt like the students in front of her were just kids, and she replied with a smile, "I’m just an old geezer, why would you need my contact information?"

"I heard you’re only twenty-two, I’m nineteen. My mom said if a woman is three years older, she’s a treasure, and you look as if you’re eighteen, we’re a perfect match."

Shannon, with a kind smile, watched another male student come up and knock on the glasses-wearing boy’s head, "Get lost, TA Quinn is a fairy; you, a mere mortal, can’t defile her!"

Even if it was a joke among boys, girls joined in the fun too: "TA Quinn, do you have Professor Lockwood’s contact?"

Shannon replied formally, "You can all follow our class’s public account, a lot of articles are written by Professor Quinn himself, and whenever he has time, Professor Quinn reads your comments."

"TA Quinn, let me help you carry that!"

"I’ll help too; just let me take this, your hands are so delicate, what if they get hurt?"

"Well, thank you both, just take it to the textbook room."

"No trouble at all, TA Quinn, you should come to the school with Professor Lockwood more often. We feel more focused in class with you around!"

Almost the next period’s bell had rung by the time everyone slowly dispersed.

In the office, Aidan poured Shannon a cup of water, teasing, "You’re more popular than I am."

"The student surpasses the master, right?"

"A bit smug, aren’t you?"

"Hehe, Professor Lockwood always said, ’When it’s time to shine, don’t hold back.’"

"Not in this context!"

"Knock knock," came the sound of knocking on the door.

"Come in."

With Aidan’s permission, Shannon watched as the office door slowly opened and Sheila Yardley peeked in with a shy smile, "TA Quinn, Professor Lockwood."

Aidan nodded and asked her, "Do you have any classes this afternoon?"

"Not today."

"Then prepare to go to the studio with me. Shannon, take her over, will you? I still have some matters to handle here at the school."

"About the car..." Shannon grinned knowingly at Aidan.

Aidan handed her the car keys, "Drive safely."

Shannon had been eager to test drive his fancy car, took the keys with delight, and dragged Sheila along out.