The meal was almost over, Jianshu sent Zhao Yueling to stay and wash the dishes, and went out for a walk with Meng Ying.

"What's wrong? Is there anything you want to say?" Meng Ying asked straight to the point not long after walking out of the courtyard gate.

She noticed it while eating, or rather, after she left the room. So...

"Is it related to Lingling?"

Jian Shu was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help touching his nose, "Is my expression so obvious?" He had guessed it before she even opened her mouth.

Meng Ying raised her eyes and glanced at her lightly, "What do you think? You two sisters are so absent-minded while eating. Lingling just stared at the mushrooms in front of her and ate them. She clearly doesn't like them very much."

"And you, I only let you eat two meatballs. Normally, you would have bargained with me. Why are you so well-behaved today? Not only me, I'm afraid even Mingjing has noticed that something is wrong with you. Otherwise, why would he have found an excuse to avoid you just now?"

"...I thought I covered it up well." Jian Shu smiled awkwardly. He didn't expect that he had so many flaws.

"You two sisters are so close that you didn't notice anything was wrong. Otherwise, who else could you have hidden it from?" Meng Ying complained about both of them without hesitation, then got straight to the point. "So, what happened to you two today? Did you have a fight or something? You've been acting strange since you came into the room. It's weird."

"Aunt, did anything special happen when Lingling was in high school?" Jianshu did not answer the question directly, but asked another question instead.

Meng Ying frowned slightly. "So it's related to Lingling?"

"When I talked to her today, I noticed that her mood was a little off, so I was a little worried that she might be bullied," Jianshu explained.

"...High school, that should be it." A hint of understanding flashed in Meng Ying's eyes.

"Aunt, you know?" Jian Shu was a little surprised, then frowned slightly, thinking it was not what she thought. "What happened?"

Meng Ying glanced at the sunset glow in the sky and sighed, "Ah, this matter is simple. You should be familiar with the changes in the school atmosphere over the years. The students are no longer like students, and the teachers are no longer like teachers..."

She only dared to say this in front of her family. When she was out, she had to be careful with her words and actions. The higher she climbed, the more careful she had to be. It was the best she and Old Zhao could do to protect their family.

Jianshu moved slightly, perhaps guessing something. A trace of pity flashed across his eyes.

"The city was in turmoil during that time. When I got home from get off work that day, I found Lingling acting strangely. She was secretly crying under her covers. You know she's never been a crybaby. I was scared at the time and thought something had happened to her. I quickly hugged her, comforting her and asking her some indirect questions until I finally figured out what had happened."

"It wasn't her who got into trouble, it was her teacher." Meng Ying paused. "That teacher was very kind to her, or rather, to all students. In fact, with her qualifications, she could have taught at a university. As far as I know, she was offered a place at several prestigious schools, but she turned them all down, choosing to stay in middle school. She said she wanted to build a bridge to university for those children with dreams in their hearts and hopes in their eyes."

In an era where so many people are competing for a single place, only a few are able to study on university campuses. She hopes to help more people, allowing those who are a little bit lacking to make up for it, and letting those who are far behind not lose heart. Perhaps just a small change can change a person's life.

"But...it was her students who dealt her the most devastating blow in the end." Meng Ying sighed softly. She wondered what that teacher was thinking when she faced such a huge change. Did she ever regret her choice?

Jianshu was silent. Hasn't this kind of thing happened many times?

"Lingling..."

"When the incident happened, the school was in class, and she was dragged away in the classroom. Only five students, including Lingling, stood up to protect her. As for the others... she didn't want to involve Lingling and the others, so she shouted them away and followed them away." Meng Ying felt complicated. Although she knew that it was human nature to seek benefits and avoid harm, it was still hard not to feel disheartened when it really happened.

What's more, most of the students in the class have basically benefited from that teacher.

"She was a pure person, spending almost half of her monthly salary on her students. She paid for the tuition of children from less-privileged families in her class. She also persuaded children with good grades whose families refused to let them go back to school, even after repeated visits, using both persuasion and leverage, to get them back to school."

"She's fully aware of each student's progress and even creates customized study plans for them. If they're slow, she'll use her free time to help them catch up, and she'll even contact old friends to gather all sorts of study materials. Speaking of dedication, even real parents can't compare to that."

But in the end, only a few people stood up to speak for her...

"That teacher..." Jianshu asked the question with difficulty, fearing that he would get a bad answer.

If something really happened, Lingling would probably never be able to let it go. After all, even she, an outsider, would have a heart attack and a deep impression after hearing about it, let alone those who were involved.

"She's fine, but I don't know if this can be considered a lucky thing." Sometimes death and life are worse than death, and no one knows which is better.

"After the incident, Lingling cried and asked me if I could help her. Later, her father and I asked people about her situation. After the incident, her husband divorced her, her children also cut ties with her, and her relationship with her family was not good, and they had little contact."

"You know those people. Few who fall into their hands end up well. During that time, she endured a lot. Every day, people criticized her, made her write self-criticisms, paraded her through the streets, and made her sweep toilets... In just two weeks, her hair, once jet-black and shiny, turned mostly white in the blink of an eye, dry and dull like weeds. She looked down and out, a completely different person."

"Lingling went to see her secretly, and when she came back she hid in her room crying. Then she took out the New Year's money she had saved over the years and asked me and her father if we could buy some food for her, so that she wouldn't go hungry." Meng Ying seemed to be the little girl again, whose eyes were swollen like a rabbit and who couldn't help hiccuping when she spoke.

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