“What are you two talking about?”
Peng Guoqing edged closer. “Help, someone explain this question to me!”
Xie Qian had gone to the courtyard to take a call. The room now held only Wen Ying and the other two. Peng Guoqing was clearly not yet used to the small class. He had thought Teacher Liang’s tutoring was terrifying enough. In the end, Peng Guoqing was too naive.
Teacher Liang only tutored single subjects. Xie Qian could mix questions from all subjects into one test paper, with the subjects interweaving, “you in me, me in you”. Peng Guoqing was already starting to doubt his own intelligence.
Li Mengjiao turned her head and burst out laughing. “You cannot even do such a simple question. How did you get into a 211 university? Why not consider developing an artistic talent?”
Peng Guoqing’s face flushed red. “I have no artistic talent!”
Li Mengjiao was referring to the art entrance exam.
The art exam could be prepared for through intensive training.
For example, fine arts.
Some students had never learned to draw before. With a year of crash training, they could still pass the exam. Because these exam items were very targeted. With a bit of talent plus a lot of practice, one could see significant improvement in a short time.
Some students truly had diverse interests and loved the arts. They were set on pursuing music, fine arts, performance, directing, and so on. While another portion did not actually like it. They took this path as a shortcut to the gaokao. Their cultural subject scores were too poor. Without the art exam or special recruitment, there was no way to enter a good university!
Li Mengjiao felt that with Peng Guoqing’s current level, the chances of rushing into a 211 university next year’s gaokao were really too slim.
The former university slacker Wang Shuang had successfully landed at a Modu 211 university. Li Mengjiao did not know whose intelligence was higher between Wang Shuang and Peng Guoqing. Most ordinary people’s intelligence levels were actually not that different. Tentatively placing Wang Shuang and Peng Guoqing in the same tier.
With the same intelligence level, Wang Shuang had matured a bit earlier than Peng Guoqing.
By the end, Wang Shuang had almost gone mad from studying. Could Peng Guoqing do the same?
Li Mengjiao meant well in reminding him. Peng Guoqing did not want to be ungrateful. He was just bitter inside! Everyone knew he had boasted about getting into a 211 university. Wang Shuang had not taken the art exam route. If he went down that shortcut, would it not make him seem dumber than Wang Shuang?
For a young person like Peng Guoqing, face was sometimes bigger than the sky. As the saying goes, head can be cut off, blood can flow, but hairstyle cannot be messed up. And men sweat and bleed but do not cry… Qingqing was bitter inside, but Qingqing could not say it.
“I will explain it to you.”
Everyone was in Xie Qian’s tutoring class. Wen Ying was like the senior sister. When Teacher Xie was absent, the senior sister had to take care of the junior brother proactively.
Junior brother Peng clearly had not forgotten what happened earlier. After Wen Ying explained the question, he asked what the two had been chatting about.
“If there is anything I can help with, do not hesitate to ask.”
Peng Guoqing used all his strength to squeeze into Xie Qian’s core social circle. Pleasing the two senior sisters in the tutoring class, especially the suspected “teacher’s wife” Wen Ying, had become something he always wanted to do.
Wen Ying mentioned casually, “Nothing much. I said that when I went to Tianjiao, I ran into Teacher Zhang Guangzhen. He seems to be hiding something from me. Mengjiao said to just go and ask him directly. No need for your help. You are not familiar with Teacher Zhang.”
“…Oh.”
And this was nothing much?
Xie Qian was in big trouble!
Peng Guoqing’s gaze drifted.
Actually, Peng Guoqing was quite familiar with Teacher Zhang.
Zhang Guangzhen had been invited to Modu to revise a script and stayed in the same hotel as Peng Guoqing. Peng Guoqing followed Xie Qian as a little brother. How could he not know Zhang Guangzhen!
Teacher Zhang’s personality, well, how to put it. His mind was very pure. His likes and dislikes were all written on his face. Peng Guoqing did not dare play tricks in front of Xie Qian. If given the chance to deceive Zhang Guangzhen, he could trick him down to his last pair of underpants!
But Peng Guoqing did not dare say it.
Peng Guoqing knew what Zhang Guangzhen was hiding. He was also hiding the same thing from Wen Ying. Both had been entrusted by Xie Qian and did not dare tell Wen Ying the truth.
Wen Ying felt Peng Guoqing’s expression was a bit off. Just as she was about to press him, Xie Qian returned from his call.
During the break, before Wen Ying could speak, Peng Guoqing stood up and said loudly, “Teacher Xie, I have more questions I cannot do. Can you explain them to me alone?”
It was not in vain that Peng Guoqing desperately winked to hint. Xie Qian instantly understood and nodded lightly. “Sure. Wen Ying and Li Mengjiao, rest for a bit first. You stay and continue.”
Peng Guoqing was busy wanting to deliver intelligence to Xie Qian. Wen Ying was even more confused and turned back twice.
“I now feel that it is not just Teacher Zhang who is acting strange.”
Even Peng Guoqing was acting all odd.
It seemed like something had happened that they all knew about, but only keeping it from her.
Li Mengjiao had a big heart and did not mind. “You mean Peng Guoqing? That person is weird to begin with. Apart from him, who else have you seen dye their hair green!”
Wen Ying thought seriously and could not help nodding. “You make a good point.”
Li Mengjiao hummed a tune smugly.
“You wait. I will go ask Teacher Zhang and get back to you.”
At the same time, Peng Guoqing was expressing loyalty in front of Xie Qian.
“Teacher Zhang, although I have only spent a few days with him, he does not seem very smart. The Jiaxin matter is about to be exposed. Xie Qian, should you proactively confess?”
Whether said early or late, it would be said. Hearing it from someone else’s mouth was not as good as Xie Qian saying it himself.
Peng Guoqing did not know why Xie Qian wanted to hide it from Wen Ying. But Xie Qian was a film company boss, Wen Ying was a screenwriter. In the same industry, how could it be hidden?
This was the perfect opportunity to confess!
Xie Qian was pondering.
Zhang Guangzhen was not Yuan Fenghui. Yuan Fenghui lied as naturally as eating and drinking. Forcing Zhang Guangzhen to lie was too difficult!
Perhaps, it really was time to confess.
Although Jiaxin had not yet achieved real results, Zhang Guangzhen’s script had already been approved and was in preparation for filming. Once the series aired, the ratings should be good.
At first, Xie Qian started the film company with selfish motives. But after taking over Jiaxin, he was indeed treating it seriously.
“I understand.”
Deciding to tell Wen Ying about the existence of Jiaxin Film Company, Xie Qian felt a sense of relief himself.
That evening, after the tutoring ended, Xie Qian asked Wen Ying to stay.
“There is something I want to tell you.”
Xie Qian’s attitude was solemn. Not only was Wen Ying curious, even Li Mengjiao was very curious.
Peng Guoqing thickened his face and said he wanted to hitch a ride on “Senior Sister Li’s” special car. This guy actually coaxed Li Mengjiao away by madly flattering her, leaving space for Wen Ying and Xie Qian to be alone.
After Zou Weijun returned to the capital, Xie Qian had not moved.
This house was big enough for mother and son. Once Zou Weijun left, it became even bigger.
September was one of the most comfortable months in Rong City. There was still the autumn tiger scorching during the day. In the evening, it was neither cold nor hot. The autumn breeze was gentle, like a lover’s hand brushing over Wen Ying’s hair tips.
The courtyard of Xie Qian’s house was neither ostentatious nor grand. In this season, it was not desolate either. Instead, it had a fresh and literary romance.
Housekeeper Liu Auntie poked her head from behind the curtains, then swished it back.
Oh my oh my.
Xie Qian was like a tall green bamboo, elegant and aloof, born extraordinary. Ordinary people would not even dare approach him proactively.
Wen Ying was a cluster of autumn begonia beside the green bamboo, budding and waiting to bloom. That kind of approachable and lively beauty made people happy just looking at her.
Liu Auntie still had some cultural foundation. Otherwise, she could not get along well with Zou Weijun and her son Xie Qian.
Now it was not that Liu Auntie wanted to act cultured. But in this scene, it really felt like an idol drama… Could it be that Xie Qian planned to confess?!
Confessing was not impossible.
In Liu Auntie’s opinion, these two had only each other in their eyes. Whether confessing or not, it was just breaking the window paper.
She knew it, but Liu Auntie was still very excited.
Liu Auntie did not know this was the joy of shipping a CP.
The two parties being fiercely shipped by Liu Auntie were now each lost in their own thoughts.
Xie Qian was organising his words.
The matter of Jiaxin Film Company had to be explained from the beginning. He needed to sort it out.
While Wen Ying was bewildered.
Xie Qian asked her to stay but did not say what it was. It inexplicably reminded her of May this year. It was also in Xie Qian’s courtyard. The wisteria flowers were still blooming then. Xie Qian stood under the flower tree for a long time without speaking. Her heart beat very fast. Then Xie Qian gave her a paper-folded “☆”… Today was so similar to that time!
Could it be that Xie Qian was going to give her another wish-granting “☆”?
That was not impossible either.
Collecting one more, Wen Ying would have three “☆”s!
Collecting five would allow a wish. Although Wen Ying had not thought of what to wish for yet, being able to “wish” to Xie Qian itself was enough to make Wen Ying extremely excited.
She just did not know why Xie Qian wanted to encourage her this time. Could it be because she had recently corrected her study attitude?
Ah, whatever. The process does not matter. What matters is the result!
When wanting to criticise someone, one can always find reasons.
Similarly, when wanting to reward someone, one can always find shining points.
“What do you want to say? Is there something for me?”
Wen Ying’s tone was full of expectation. Xie Qian was stunned. He had nothing to give.
Just as he was about to speak, Xie Qian’s phone ringtone rang abruptly, breaking the fresh and literary atmosphere of the small courtyard in the evening.
The caller ID had no name, just a string of numbers. Xie Qian had not saved this number in his phone book.
But this number, Xie Qian remembered.
Thanks to Xie Qian’s excellent memory, he would not forget a number after seeing it once.
“Whose call is it? Why are you not answering?”
After returning from Modu, Xie Qian seemed busier. People often called Xie Qian, mostly for business matters.
Business matters were too complicated. Xie Qian would not tell Wen Ying every single one. Wen Ying did not know much about Xie Qian’s business.
But Xie Qian’s personality was decisive. Calls he did not want to take, he would hang up directly. It was rare for him to hesitate like now. Wen Ying could not help being a bit curious.
With Wen Ying’s curious expression, the sky had darkened. The small path lights in the courtyard lit up. Xie Qian was backlit. He could see Wen Ying’s face clearly, but Wen Ying could not see his expression. He directly showed the phone screen to Wen Ying.
“It is an unknown number. Do you think I should answer?”
