“I never liked wearing baggy clothes from a young age, loose and floppy clothes would make me look clumsy and lifeless, but right up to the middle school entrance exam, the clothes in my wardrobe were always the same style, because you said parents work hard to earn money, children shouldn’t compare food and clothing with others but should compare grades, I accepted that; from a young age I envied other girls with long hair tied in ponytails, I liked their colourful hair ties, but I could only have a student haircut, because long hair in ponytails would waste your time, you said good girls wouldn’t think about dressing up every day, simplicity is the best virtue, I believed that… I wanted so many things, so many times, I tried to tell you my preferences, I’m not a greedy person, even if just once, you were willing to satisfy those small requests of mine, I wouldn’t be so craving ‘freedom’ today!”
Wen Ying’s letter, the first paragraph made Chen Ru frown.
Chen Ru had to admit, after the middle school entrance exam, the clothes Wen Ying chose herself, the hairstyle she got at the hair salon suited Wen Ying better, youthful and bright without being too flashy.
Chen Ru had tried to interfere, Wen Ying didn’t listen, plus the stall selling crayfish brought Wen Ying income, without Chen Ru having to pay herself, Chen Ru couldn’t control what Wen Ying wore or didn’t wear, over time, Chen Ru gradually got used to Wen Ying’s current style of dress.
Now it seemed, the changes in clothing and hairstyle hadn’t made Wen Ying go bad.
But did that mean Chen Ru’s strict discipline before was wrong?
Chen Ru didn’t think so!
Children have no judgement.
Chen Ru didn’t even think children had aesthetics.
Was wearing what clothes or keeping what hairstyle important, thinking about dressing up every day, it was impossible to get into Rongcheng Provincial Key School!
As if guessing what Chen Ru would think, Wen Ying turned the topic in the letter:
“You might think these are all small things, but every one of these small things is unimportant to my growth, you see my current ‘audacious’ behaviour, but you don’t know why I transformed. For a long time, I wasn’t audacious at all, I was very timid, the preferences I didn’t dare express at home, outside I had a people-pleasing personality. In my perception, only by pleasing others without any bottom line would people be friends with me, you probably find it hard to imagine, I was completely marginal at school, I was bossed around by the girls at school, I had to hand over my pocket money to them, only then would they pay attention to me! Thinking about it now is very ridiculous, why should I spend money to buy friends? But at the time, I didn’t find it ridiculous at all, having someone willing to be friends with me was already very lucky, how could I complain!”
These few lines were somewhat scrawled, Chen Ru could guess how unsettled Wen Ying’s heart was when writing this part.
Wen Ying’s description was already very restrained and subtle.
Why didn’t Song Shao want to talk to Wen Ying?
Because Wen Ying was too soft and humble, Song Shao thought she wasn’t worth helping.
Bossed around, pocket money handed over, reading Wen Ying’s private diary aloud in public, this was actually school bullying!
Chen Ru continued reading down, her hand gripping the letter paper tighter and tighter.
The girls Wen Ying mentioned must be Yue Shanni, Fang Hui, those few!
Wen Ying was already in high school, Yue Shanni still chased Wen Ying to “borrow money”, that incident was said to be instigated by Shu Lu, but why didn’t Shu Lu instigate others?
It must be because Yue Shanni often bullied Wen Ying before, Shu Lu thought finding Yue Shanni could intimidate Wen Ying.
Chen Ru was anxious and angry.
Chen Ru always thought Wen Ying had a pretty good three years in junior high, although her grades weren’t the top, she ranked in the top ten in class. Every time at parent-teacher meetings, all subject teachers said Wen Ying was “obedient”, not the kind of naughty student who needed teachers’ attention… these teachers were too unreliable, parents sent children to school, children were bullied at school, did the teachers completely not notice?
Chen Ru desperately recalled.
Once at a parent-teacher meeting, Wen Ying’s class teacher Teacher Kang seemed to remind her, to care more about Wen Ying, saying something like children being too well-behaved might not be a good thing, parents should encourage children to bravely say “no”, give children the courage to refuse unreasonable requests.
So Teacher Kang actually knew something, was reminding her?
Then why not say it directly!
Chen Ru’s brows furrowed tightly, her heart like frying in hot oil.
Hastily finishing the remaining content, Chen Ru forcefully pulled open the door.
Wen Dongrong instantly bounced up from the sofa, showing a ingratiating smile. “Want some fruit?”
Eat eat eat, only knows to eat!
Chen Ru’s eyes blazed with fire. “Did you know about Wen Ying being bullied by classmates at school?”
Wen Dongrong looked blank. “Who bullied her, is there anyone who can bully her?”
Black-hearted cotton could navigate among a group of adults without loss, is there any classmate at school who can bully her?
Wen Dongrong didn’t believe it at all.
Chen Ru suppressed her anger. “I’m talking about junior high!”
“Junior high? Wasn’t it you who managed her studies in junior high, something you don’t know, how would I know…”
Wen Dongrong’s voice grew smaller as he spoke.
Obviously Wen Dongrong also thought of that police station trip, disputes between students escalated to needing police, Rome wasn’t built in a day!
“Of course you don’t know, your own child you don’t care, your love is all saved for that ungrateful little wolf surnamed Shu!”
Chen Ru was venting anger.
But even knowing Chen Ru was venting, Wen Dongrong couldn’t think of words to refute.
Thinking about it now was really ridiculous, in Rongcheng, Wen Dongrong and Chen Ru indeed weren’t big shots, but in their hometown small city, the couple’s jobs were decent, with certain connections and influence.
Such family conditions, perhaps couldn’t raise a heaven’s favoured like Qin Jiao, but raising a confident and generous child wasn’t hard, yet Wen Ying was insecure and timid, bullied by classmates at school and didn’t dare tell parents at home, this was too unreasonable!
Wen Ying now indeed had strong opinions, could decide on investments of tens of millions, but tracing back, when Wen Ying didn’t have such strong opinions yet, when she was insecure and timid, the parents were negligent!
Wen Ying said in the letter she “didn’t dare say”, this wasn’t a matter of one or two days, she didn’t dare say her preferences, nor dare seek help from parents… because she knew saying it was useless, she wouldn’t get help!
Chen Ru slumped on the sofa.
Cursing Wen Dongrong for caring about Shu Lu, cursing Wen Dongrong for being incompetent, Chen Ru herself wasn’t competent enough.
Competent parents wouldn’t let their daughter be bullied at school.
Competent parents wouldn’t let their daughter be insecure and timid.
Wen Dongrong felt very uncomfortable inside.
He said every day Wen Ying was black-hearted cotton, that was between father and daughter, how could outsiders bully her!
The couple looked at each other speechless, the living room fell silent, Wen Dongrong even took out cigarettes he hadn’t smoked for a long time.
The cigarette lit, Wen Dongrong held it between fingers without smoking, in the swirling smoke, his voice heavy.
“What’s done can’t be undone, we all have to look forward…”
