The first evening self-study session was nearly over when Wen Ying finally returned to the classroom.
Her luck was poor, as she ran straight into Lin Lin, who had just returned to the school.
Both of them were giving Lin Lin a headache. Lin Lin ordered Wen Ying to stand in the corridor outside the classroom as punishment, then addressed the entire class with a lecture that everyone could tell was aimed at Xie Qian.
None of the classmates knew Xie Qian was Lin Lin’s cousin. With Teacher Lin so angry, the whole class stayed silent.
Xie Qian stood up, taking responsibility to spare the class: “Teacher Lin, to reflect more deeply on my mistake, I’ll go stand as punishment too!”
“…”
In front of the whole class, what could Lin Lin say? She could only grant Xie Qian’s “wish.”
Li Mengjiao chuckled: At least Xie Qian had some conscience, not leaving Wen Ying to stand alone in the corridor.
Xie Qian walked out to the corridor, stopping about half a metre from Wen Ying.
Wen Ying lowered her voice, “Xie Qian, enough already. Not only did you get a parent called today, but you’re also provoking Teacher Lin?”
Xie Qian replied with a question of his own: “Where did you go instead of attending class?”
Wen Ying rubbed her stomach and glared at him.
“Why are you watching me so closely? Can’t I have an upset stomach?”
With so much energy, she didn’t look like someone with an upset stomach.
Besides, she hadn’t even eaten dinner.
Xie Qian noticed Wen Ying’s eyes were slightly red, suspecting she’d been crying. He wondered why she would cry, but Wen Ying naturally denied it.
Xie Qian shuffled a step closer to Wen Ying, pulling a small bread from his pocket and handing it to her.
Both Wen Ying and Xie Qian stood with their backs to the classroom window. After talking to Zou Weijun for so long, Wen Ying felt she deserved at least a small bread as reward. Without hesitation, she took the bread, tore open the wrapper, and started eating.
“Want some yogurt?”
Wen Ying, mouth full of bread, nodded.
At moments like this, the thoughtfulness of school uniform designers shone through. Without the oversized uniform pockets, Xie Qian couldn’t have carried so much stuff.
Xie Qian inserted the straw into the yogurt and handed it to her.
Wen Ying took a bite of bread, then a sip of yogurt.
With Xie Qian being so kind to his friends, why wouldn’t she go talk to his mum?
Every small effort and attempt now, gradually accumulating, would turn trickles into streams, streams into rivers, and rivers into seas, eventually altering the tragic course of Xie Qian’s past life!
Halfway through the bread, the bell rang for the end of class. Lin Lin was the first to step out. Wen Ying stuffed the rest of the bread into her mouth, her cheeks bulging, nearly choking as her throat ached.
The bread could be disposed of as evidence, but the yogurt carton was still in her hand… No, Xie Qian took the yogurt carton, signalling he’d stand by her.
Lin Lin wasn’t blind; how could she not see?
Now she was truly furious with Wen Ying and Xie Qian.
These two were completely disrespecting their teacher!
Lin Lin ordered them to stand until the end of evening self-study and to clean the classroom for a week.
“You two reflect properly. One hands in a blank paper, the other skips class without reason, really—”
Really what, Lin Lin didn’t say.
After Lin Lin left, Wen Ying and Xie Qian exchanged a glance, neither saying a word.
Handing in a blank paper and skipping class—true friends sync their steps.
Lin Lin might have punished them, but she didn’t confiscate the yogurt in Xie Qian’s hand, showing some leniency.
Since day students in the first year of high school started attending evening self-study, Chen Ru would pick Wen Ying up whenever she had time. Though their rented apartment wasn’t far from school, Wen Ying, a young girl riding a bike home at night, still worried Chen Ru.
When Chen Ru couldn’t come, Wen Ying could hitch a ride with Li Mengjiao’s family. As for Qin Jiao, to give her more sleep, her family had her board at school.
If all else failed, there was the bus. Wen Ying wasn’t that delicate. With a teenager’s body but an adult’s mind, she knew not to go to secluded places at night and was very conscious of her safety.
Other day students were similar: boys were left to fend for themselves, while most female day students were picked up by family, unless they lived right next to the school.
Tonight, Chen Ru came to pick Wen Ying up. As soon as the bell for the end of evening self-study rang, Wen Ying dashed off, avoiding Xie Qian’s attempts to question her.
Xie Qian never needed anyone to pick him up specially, though sometimes Lin Lin would give him a ride.
Today, Xie Qian didn’t want his cousin Lin Lin to drive him, as he was also afraid of her questions.
If one parent meeting didn’t work, Xie Qian was prepared for a long battle. But when he chased after Wen Ying to the school gate, he was surprised to find his family’s car still there.
His mum, Zou Weijun, was actually waiting at the gate.
Xie Qian thought Zou Weijun would have gone home long ago. She hadn’t left the house in ages, avoiding unfamiliar environments. Coming to the school once was already a big deal.
He hadn’t expected Zou Weijun to do even more.
Xie Qian tried to control the corners of his mouth, keeping himself from smiling.
The long march had just taken its first step; the battle was far from over!
After Xie Qian got in the car, Zou Weijun couldn’t help glancing at him several times, confirming he was still alive and well, with nothing wrong.
Thinking of the dream Wen Ying mentioned, Zou Weijun still felt waves of palpitations.
As the car started, Zou Weijun suddenly spoke:
“What kind of job do you think I could do?”
“What?”
Xie Qian didn’t catch on at first but quickly realised what Zou Weijun was talking about.
Zou Weijun said earnestly, “I’ve considered your suggestion. I want to try working. I don’t know what I’m qualified for yet, so I’ll start with something easy.”
One parent meeting had this much effect?
If Xie Qian had only suspected before, now he was certain: Wen Ying must have spoken to his mum, which was why she waited until the end of evening self-study and decided to work outside.
But what exactly did she say?
Her eyes were red, as if she’d been crying.
Surely she didn’t cry and beg his mum to treat him better?
Xie Qian’s brows furrowed.
Seeing her son’s expression, Zou Weijun grew even more uneasy.
That girl named Wen Ying suggested taking Xie Qian to a psychologist. Zou Weijun wanted to, but how could she bring it up?
Perhaps she could book a psychologist in her name and have Xie Qian accompany her, so he wouldn’t know the appointment was for him.
Zou Weijun kept mulling over how to arrange this. For the entire evening, she didn’t have a moment to think of Xie Jinghu.
…
Chen Ru rode her bike to the school gate to pick up Wen Ying today. It was clear when she left home, but by the time Wen Ying finished school, a light rain had started.
Chen Ru hadn’t brought an umbrella, but fortunately, the rain wasn’t heavy.
Even so, by the time the mother and daughter got home, their hair and clothes were wet. Chen Ru told Wen Ying to shower, but she herself felt rather displeased.
Chen Ru wasn’t good at hiding her emotions, and Wen Ying noticed her unhappiness.
Wen Ying thought Teacher Lin had informed Chen Ru about the standing punishment, but Chen Ru didn’t mention it at all.
So it wasn’t about her mistake.
Could it be that Old Wen had messed up again?
“Mum, is Dad—”
“What about your dad? He’s coming to Rongcheng tomorrow. Got something to say to him? Hurry up and shower!”
Wen Ying grabbed a towel and rushed to the bathroom, “Just asking.”
So the mistake wasn’t Old Wen’s either.
Could it be something frustrating at work?
That seemed unlikely.
With so many big clients falling from the sky, her mum’s job at the bank should be going smoothly.
How could Wen Ying know that a mere rain would make Chen Ru so sentimental?
That afternoon, Chen Ru had signed up for an English tutoring class. The organisation also had branches in the suburbs. Chen Ru paid two registration fees: one for herself and one for Wen Dongrong.
The tutoring classes were mainly on weekends. Both Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong’s English skills were quite poor. They initially planned to self-study, but looking at the postgraduate exam materials, they didn’t know where to start.
Memorise vocabulary?
They’d need to know how to pronounce the words first!
Their memory wasn’t what it used to be when they were younger.
After paying, Chen Ru felt some regret, spending the afternoon wavering.
Without pursuing a postgraduate degree, Chen Ru wouldn’t lose her job.
Or she could take a correspondence course to meet the bank’s internal requirements, which would be easier for her.
But a correspondence diploma wouldn’t teach her much.
Chen Ru’s indecision vanished by evening.
She noticed that many parents picking up their kids drove cars, while few rode motorbikes like her. Rain or shine, it didn’t affect their ability to fetch their children.
Wen Ying was carefree, sitting on the back of the motorbike, even waving goodbye to classmates in cars.
Wen Ying didn’t mind, but Chen Ru felt uneasy.
The provincial capital was different from their hometown. There were far more wealthy people here. Chen Ru wondered if, after renovating their home, the next step should be buying a car.
Nothing too expensive, just a four-wheeled car to shield from wind and rain.
Or perhaps, don’t rush the renovation and buy a car first?
This idea was quickly dismissed.
Owning two apartments in Rongcheng but still renting, paying rent while servicing a mortgage, was far too uneconomical!
If they renovated, they could live in one apartment and rent out the other, using the rent to offset the mortgage. That was the sensible approach.
The house had to be renovated first, then they’d save for a car.
Chen Ru thought it over. She had to pursue the in-service postgraduate degree. People without money were always this conflicted. If her income kept growing, saving for a car wouldn’t be too hard.
From start to finish, Chen Ru focused on increasing her own income, not pressuring her husband, Wen Dongrong.
Wen Dongrong’s job had state-regulated pay, nowhere near that of a successful bank client manager. If Chen Ru pressured Wen Dongrong financially, it would only push him toward trouble—she didn’t need to force him to earn big money, but she also didn’t want him to coast too comfortably. If she was going to study, Wen Dongrong had to join her!
Renovation, buying a car—after transferring to the provincial capital, Chen Ru’s needs kept growing. This pressure pushed her to grit her teeth and strive for her career.
The next morning, Chen Ru left with her bag, warning Wen Ying before heading out:
“Your dad and I are busy these next few days and can’t keep an eye on you. Focus on your homework at home and stop thinking about going out to play all the time!”
Wen Ying agreed readily, asking if Chen Ru would be back for dinner, offering to cook.
Chen Ru, distracted, shook her head and left fifty yuan on the table.
“Just take care of yourself!”
Wen Ying grinned as she pocketed the money, now certain her mum was hiding something.
Since last night, Ms. Chen Ru had been acting off.
After Chen Ru went downstairs, Wen Ying followed.
She was shocked to see Chen Ru meet Wen Dongrong at the bus stop, both boarding the same bus.
—What kind of parents were these, ditching their daughter on the weekend for a date?!
