Chapter 37

When the doctor made rounds in the morning, he gave Lin Qin another full-body examination, confirmed that there were no symptoms of delayed onset, that her physical condition was good, and explained the follow-up care issues before she could be discharged.

Around noon, Lin Li and Zhang Linfang arrived. Lin Ting had difficulty walking, so she relied on Lin Li and Chen Zhiyi to help her into a taxi and return home.

It's at times like these that the importance of having a man in the family becomes apparent.

After arriving home, Zhang Linfang pulled Lin Ting aside and questioned her carefully, "Tell me the truth, are you dating Xiao Chen?"

As soon as she asked, Lin knew what she was up to: "No, he's just one of my tutors."

"Stop trying to fool me. If he were just a student, why would he be so dedicated to helping you and taking care of your mother? His eyes are always on you, as if they're glued to you. I can tell he likes you a lot."

Lin Ting remained indifferent and showed no reaction.

Zhang Linfang nudged Lin Ting with her elbow, but her gaze remained fixed on Chen Zhiyi standing in front of her, sizing him up. "He's dressed quite well, is he from a wealthy family? Are his parents government officials or businessmen?"

Lin Ting remained silent, her eyes filled with annoyance.

"I'm talking to you!" Seeing that Lin Ting was unresponsive, Zhang Linfang's voice became a little urgent.

"I'm just a tutor they hired, not a private investigator. How could I possibly know about his parents?"

"Seize the opportunity. I think this young Chen is quite good. He's good-looking and comes from a good family. Don't miss out," Zhang Linfang said without hesitation.

Lin Ting said helplessly, "Aunt, you're overthinking it. We just have a normal teacher-student relationship, or to put it bluntly, an employer-employee relationship. Once he graduates from high school next year, we'll have no relationship anymore and won't be able to see each other again."

"Once he graduates from high school, he can date freely. Being close to the water tower will give him an advantage. Lin Ting, it's not that your aunt is being nosy, but if you marry into a good family and live comfortably, your mother will also live comfortably. Your uncle and I can't support you and your mother forever. Your brother is also growing up and it's time for him to need money. Besides, he's not as good at studying as you. If he doesn't do well in the future, he'll have to rely on you."

Zhang Linfang paused for a moment. She knew what Lin Ting's problem was, but people should live with their feet on the ground, not just rely on their pride. "You can't resist marriage just because your parents' marriage was bad and it cast a shadow on you. Marriage is about finding a suitable person to live with. Do you really want to live alone for the rest of your life? You don't feel lonely now because we're all here, but what if we're all gone and you're all alone? You'll suffer when you're old, and we won't be able to rest in peace in our graves because we'll be worried about you. Your aunt isn't educated, and sometimes her words and actions aren't very nice, but she really means it for you."

Zhang Linfang is a person with a sharp tongue but a kind heart. Although she likes to take advantage of others, she is sincere towards Lin Ting. Lin Ting still remembers that once when she was a child, she had a high fever of 40 degrees Celsius. Lin Qin was out taking a job and was not at home. Without saying a word, Zhang Linfang picked up Lin Ting and ran to the hospital.

She was 13 years old that year, and not short at all. It was quite a struggle for Zhang Linfang, who was small in stature, to lift her up. Listening to Zhang Linfang's heavy breathing all the way, Lin Ting felt so happy at that moment, having two mothers.

After Lin Qin was settled, Lin Li and Zhang Linfang left.

Lin Ting brought a roasted sweet potato to Chen Zhiyi, who had been standing in the living room looking around, seemingly unfamiliar with everything. "Are you hungry? Have one."

Where did it come from?

"I just ran to the village entrance to buy this. It's called 'Yanshu' and it's so sweet."

Chen Zhiyi broke open the sweet potato, revealing its golden-yellow flesh, took a bite, and said, "Mmm, it's quite sweet." Then he pointed around, "The houses here are quite unique, just like the Jiangnan towns described in textbooks—black tiles, white walls, murals on the walls, so poetic."

"Have you seen too many high-rise buildings? Seeing these bungalows makes you feel a bit poor and shabby."

"No, that's not what I meant." Chen Zhiyi didn't know how to express it. Having lived in a bustling big city for a long time, he was attracted by the strong sense of home life in this kind of rural cottage.

“Our houses are all like this, two rows. The front row is the kitchen and storage room, and the back row is the living room and bedroom. A few years ago, in order to promote the construction of beautiful villages, the government invited a painting master to paint murals on the exterior walls of every house. It’s a local specialty.”

Chen Zhiyi pointed to the peach tree between the two houses, "This is the peach tree you were talking about."

"Yes, every spring the peach blossoms bloom, and in summer they ripen into heavy peaches. I'll send them to you next year when they're ripe."

"Can I come and eat by myself?" Chen Zhiyi asked somewhat timidly.

Lin Ting smiled and said, "Great, welcome!"

Chen Zhiyi chuckled as he ate the sweet potato, the taste in his mouth becoming even sweeter.

"I see nine cut marks on the tree trunk, what are they?"

Upon hearing this question, some vague memories flashed through Lin Ting's mind. It had been so long, so long, that she thought she had forgotten them all.

"From the age of one to nine, I would use a peach tree to record my height every year on my birthday, and then carve it out with a knife."

"Then why are there only nine?"

Lin Ting gave a wry smile, "Because we won't need it anymore in the future."

Chen Zhiyi sensed that she had something difficult to say, so he didn't press her for details.

“How are you going back? With my mom like this, I’ll definitely have to stay a few more days. There are only two trains a day from the county to Jinshi, one at 7 a.m. and one at 2 p.m. There’s still time. You can take the 2 p.m. train back.”

"I'm not going back today," Chen Zhiyi said urgently.

"So, are you planning to go back tomorrow? You're a high school student; you can't just ask for leave anytime," Lin Ting asked.

"Don't worry, Uncle Chen is back from his business trip today. He'll come pick me up early tomorrow morning to take me home."

That's fine, Lin Ting was still worried about letting him take the train back alone.

"Lin Ting!" Lin Qin called from inside the room.

Lin Ting and Chen Zhiyi thought something had happened and quickly ran inside.

"Mom, are you feeling unwell?" Lin Ting sat down on the edge of the bed, her face full of worry.

Lin Qin: "It's alright. I just remembered you haven't had lunch yet. Why don't you take Xiao Chen to town to eat some of our local specialties and treat him properly for me? If my leg wasn't injured, I would have cooked for myself."

Chen Zhiyi: "Auntie, I'm not hungry. Teacher Lin just gave me a roasted sweet potato. It was quite sweet and delicious."

"Silly child, what hunger can one sweet potato satisfy?"

"Mom, I'm going to buy groceries and cook dinner early. You need to eat something good to nourish yourself."

"You must be tired, so go to a restaurant and grab something to eat. Just bring me some food back."

"No, I'll cook. I'll go buy the groceries now."

Chen Zhiyi stood in front of her and said, "I'll go with you."

Lin Ting said softly, "The market is not far ahead. I'll be back soon. You stay home with my mom. I'm afraid it will be inconvenient for her to help me take care of her."

"OK!"

Lin Ting slung her bag over her shoulder, picked up her vegetable basket, and walked out of the house.

Lin Qin smiled and patted the bedside, "Xiao Chen, come and sit down, don't just stand there."

Chen Zhiyi walked over and sat down respectfully.

He talked to Lin Qin while looking around the room.

The room was small, and the cabinets, bed, and dressing table were all old, with styles and designs from decades ago, but they were well maintained; some paint was chipped but the room was clean.

"The things in the room are all antiques, probably over 20 years old. They were all handmade back then, and although they look worn out now, they are very durable. They are all made of solid wood."

"Hmm, there aren't many things that can be made purely by hand anymore. They're all industrially produced. They look nice, but they're not necessarily practical." As he spoke, he noticed a wooden frame in the corner that he had never seen before.

Lin Qin noticed the question in his eyes and, before he could ask, explained, "That's an embroidery frame, used to hold the embroidery fabric in place. Our area is known as a famous embroidery town, and many women make a living using this skill."

“I know, Teacher Lin is also very good at embroidery. I’ve seen her embroider.”

"Is Lin Ting bad-tempered? Is she difficult to get along with?"

Chen Zhiyi was surprised by her question. "No, Teacher Lin is very easy to get along with."

"I know my own daughter well. She may seem cold and unapproachable on the surface, but she's actually slow to warm up. Once you get to know her, she'll become very friendly."

"I know that I barely spoke to Ms. Lin for the first few days. To be honest, I was a little scared at first." Chen Zhiyi said with a shy smile. "After spending more time with her, I found that she is a very good person. She is very patient, caring, and passionate about the things she likes. This is something I should learn from."

"She's always been very principled. If she likes someone, she'll give them her whole heart and protect them. If she doesn't like someone, she won't even glance at them. My brother's son is six years younger than Lin Ting. When Lin Ting was in sixth grade, he was in first grade. Once, he was bullied at school and went to Lin Ting crying. Lin Ting rushed to his classroom and gave the bully a good beating. I still remember how that boy looked when we went to the school to deal with it. He had a black eye and was trembling with fear. Later, rumors spread at school that Lin Ting was the daughter of a gang leader, fierce and domineering, and that even the younger kids wanted to be her boss."

Chen Zhiyi found it unbelievable. Was he sure it was the Lin Ting he knew?

It's like falling into the world of Jin Yong's martial arts novels. You see Wang Yuyan, who seems ethereal and otherworldly, but the moment the mask is torn off, she transforms into the female demon Mei Chaofeng.

What a stark contrast!

Lin Qin talked on and on about Lin Ting's childhood, and Chen Zhiyi wasn't annoyed at all. He was interested and loved to listen, wanting to know every detail that he hadn't been a part of.

When Lin Ting returned from grocery shopping, she heard cheerful laughter coming from the main room.

Chen Zhiyi has this kind of magic, which makes strangers accept him quickly. Before, he could exchange contact information with the other three in the dormitory in just the time it takes to eat a meal.

It might be lucky for a guy to get a girl's contact information in a short time, but getting three at the same time shows that he has something special about him and is very likable.

The closer you get, the clearer you can hear it; it turns out they're revealing the truth.

"This photo was taken when she played Snow White in her kindergarten talent show. The seven dwarfs are the ones in black clothes around her. She was so vain, she wouldn't take off her princess dress even when she went to bed at night."

"This is a photo from her 7th birthday. She had just lost her two front teeth and was speaking with a lisp. She didn't want to have her picture taken at the time, so you can see how dark her expression is in the photo."

"And this picture of her crying uncontrollably with a bandage on her forehead is from when she was eight years old. She was competing with her friends to climb a tree. She was very competitive and tried her best to climb, but she slipped and fell from the tree, hitting her forehead on a brick. She bled a lot and needed several stitches. She still has a scar to this day. I took this picture to keep as evidence so that I can scare her if she misbehaves in the future."

Seeing this photo reminded Chen Zhiyi of the first time they met when they were children. However, back then, it was Chen Zhiyi climbing a tree and looking quite embarrassed. It seems that "tree climbing" has a deep connection between the two of them. Chen Zhiyi couldn't help but smile.

"But there were no more opportunities like that later."

Chen Zhiyi asked in confusion, "Is it because she's grown up and become more sensible?"

Lin Qin paused for a moment, then smiled helplessly, "Yes, she's become more sensible, but as a mother, I still hope my child will always be happy."

Looking at these photos, he could imagine that Lin Ting was a lively, cheerful, and slightly mischievous child, who could even command the other children.

Whether she's laughing, crying, or making a fuss in the photos, she's vivid and interesting, making you feel that she's so alive and full of vitality.

Why does she always seem so indifferent now, as if nothing can faze her or hold her back?

Is this the price of growing up? Will it turn a person into someone else?

Then the person in question walked in, saying, "So you were talking about me behind my back."

Lin Qin smiled and explained, "Just chat with Xiao □□ about your childhood."

Lin Ting shoved the photo album behind her back. "I'm his teacher now, that's enough."

Lin Qin thought she was embarrassed: "We were just chatting about everyday things. Xiao Chen isn't an outsider. Besides, my daughter was so cute when she was little."

Chen Zhiyi pursed his lips and chuckled, "Yeah, Teacher Lin was much cuter and more interesting when she was little."

Lin Ting shot him a sharp glare.

Lin Qin quickly changed the subject, "What about the groceries you bought?"

Lin Ting: "It's in the kitchen."

Lin Qin was about to get up when Lin Ting stopped her, saying, "Mom, you should lie down and rest. I'll cook."

Lin Qin: "My legs are inconvenient, but my hands are fine. I can help with picking vegetables, cooking, and other tasks. It's too tiring to cook for one person."

"It's not like I've never cooked before. Why can't I feed another person? Just lie there and relax." Lin Ting's attitude was firm.

Chen Zhiyi spoke up from the side: "Auntie, you should lie in bed. I can help you out."

Lin Ting looked at Chen Zhiyi with surprise in her eyes, the meaning of which was clear: don't be stubborn.

"I used to help Aunt Chen a lot at home." Chen Zhiyi looked at Lin Ting with a sincere expression, making it hard to tell if he was being genuine.

Having someone keep you company while you cook, even if you can't help, is nice to have someone to chat with.

Lin Ting gently pressed Lin Qin back onto the bed. "Mom, dinner is up to me and Chen Zhiyi."

"That's not a good idea, he's a guest."

"Auntie, you just said I'm not an outsider." Chen Zhiyi said, feeling wronged.

His aggrieved expression made all three of them laugh.