10 Chapter 10
◎I am a greedy person. I want to have everything that others have◎
When Sang Xinqi returned to the living room with the chocolate, Jiang Xun's game was at a critical point.
He took a moment to glance over, his eyes immediately glued to the box of exquisite chocolates, "Give me one."
"You wish." Sang Xinqi took the box closer to her chest as if protecting her food. "This is for Liao Yishen."
Jiang Xun manipulated his game character to turn around sharply and wailed exaggeratedly, "It's such a big box, what's wrong with giving me a piece!"
Sang Xinqi secretly glanced at Liao Yishen. The young man was sitting quietly at the intersection of light and shadow, his eyelashes casting fine shadows under his eyes.
She muttered softly, "I promised to give it to someone else..."
"Okay, okay, okay!" Jiang Xun curled his lips and turned his attention back to the screen. "You value beauty over friendship..." He held the last four words in his mouth and didn't dare to speak them clearly.
When Liao Yishen took the chocolate, his fingertips accidentally brushed against her palm.
Sang Xinqi retracted her hand as if she had received an electric shock, but she saw a smile on his face. He said softly, "Put it in your bag, so that someone won't steal it."
Not a polite smile, but a truly relaxed smile.
When the corner of her lips raised, a shallow dimple appeared on her left cheek.
Sang Xinqi was stunned by what she saw.
"Thank you," his deep voice startled her awake.
"No, you're welcome..." she responded hurriedly, a crimson color creeping up to the tips of her ears.
The warm light from the floor lamp gave her profile a golden edge, and even her hair turned a transparent honey color.
After the game ended, Jiang Xun turned his head and saw Sang Xinqi's appearance, and secretly rolled his eyes.
She was so carefree in front of him, yet so shy in front of Liao Yishen. Was this still her? Was this really still her?
Jiang Xun's gaze was too scorching, and Sang Xinqi felt her ears burning. She couldn't help but turn her head and glare at him.
Instead of restraining himself, Jiang Xun made an exaggerated grimace at her, and even made a "tsk" sound at the end. His ruffian look made Sang Xinqi feel embarrassed and annoyed.
The party finally ended at around ten o'clock.
Sang Xinqi followed her parents to see the guests to the door one by one. The adults stood in the corridor and exchanged a few more words until the elevator arrived with a "ding" sound.
When the elevator door slowly opened, Sang Xinqi's eyes involuntarily followed the tall figure.
She raised her hand and waved gently to Liao Yishen in the elevator, "Bye."
Liao Yishen looked indifferent and only nodded slightly, but a hint of imperceptible tenderness flashed in his deep eyes.
In the elevator, Mother Li looked at her son's cold profile and felt a pang of sadness in her heart. This child was not like this before. Ever since his father passed away, he seemed to be frozen in time. He didn't like to talk and didn't interact with others.
Seeing that he was about to turn eighteen and didn't even have a close friend, she felt anxious.
In the past few years, she took him to see a psychologist many times, but the diagnosis results were always the same. There was no big problem, just that his personality changed due to stimulation, and she suggested that he make more friends.
But her son's unapproachable look made everyone give him a wide berth. At first, she even took the trouble to introduce him to new friends, but he either kept a cold face and didn't respond, or just turned and walked away.
After a long time, she had no choice but to give up.
"Do you usually see Sangsang and Xiaoxun playing together?" Mother Li asked tentatively.
While chatting after dinner, she secretly glanced at the children several times, and once she actually saw a smile on her son's face, a smile she hadn't seen in a long time.
Liao Yishen's eyes remained indifferent, and he just made a "hmm" sound through his nose.
Mother Li, however, seemed to have grasped a lifeline, and her tone brightened. "That's great. I think the two children like it very much, too. They are lively and cheerful. You should let them interact with it more often."
Liao Yishen nodded, "Okay."
-
On Monday morning, Sang Guoyu stood at her daughter's door and called out several times, but there was no movement from inside. Seeing that she was about to be late for work, she gave up and hurried out with her bag.
At this time, Jiang Xun had been waiting downstairs for a full half hour.
He kicked the stones at his feet and looked up at the unit hall from time to time. Apart from the people coming out from time to time, there was no sign of Sang Xinqi. His patience was exhausted, so he rushed upstairs and knocked on the door.
There was a sound of footsteps from inside the door, and then the door was suddenly opened. Sang Xinqi, with a head of frizzy hair, stared at him sleepily, with a look of "Don't mess with me" written all over her face.
Jiang Xun raised his eyebrows, "Did you go steal ducks last night? You're so sleepy."
Sang Xinqi didn't even bother to roll her eyes, she just turned around and walked into the house.
Jiang Xun followed in familiarly, glanced at his watch and reminded, "It's already late."
"Oh," Sang Xinqi walked towards the bathroom without looking back, "Wait for me for twenty minutes."
Jiang Xun shrugged, collapsed on the sofa, took out his mobile phone and started playing games.
Twenty minutes later, Sang Xinqi came out with a neat high ponytail and went straight to her exclusive design studio.
Jiang Xun caught a glimpse of the bag she carried out, and his eyes lit up immediately, "Is there really no share for me?"
Sang Xinqi waved the bag in front of him and said firmly, "No."
-
When the two hurried to the cram school, Teacher Meng was already teaching. When she saw them push the door open, she just raised her glasses slightly and said, "You're late. Hurry and sit down."
Sang Xinqi and Jiang Xun smiled embarrassedly and walked quickly to their seats.
As they passed Meng Qixiang's row, Tao Wen quietly mouthed, "What's going on?"
Unfortunately, neither of them understood and could only respond with an awkward smile.
Soon, they were attracted by Mr. Meng's vivid lectures and immersed in learning. Time passed quickly and it was lunchtime in the blink of an eye.
After Teacher Meng pushed the wheelchair away, Sang Xinqi suddenly stood up and took out a few exquisite paper bags from her backpack. "Gifts for you."
She said with sparkling eyes.
Tao Wen couldn't wait to open the bag, and inside was a black T-shirt.
On the right chest was embroidered a butterfly with its wings spread out, ready to fly, and below it was a vivid black cat, looking up at the butterfly as if it would pounce on it at any moment. "Oh my God!"
Tao Wen exclaimed, "Sangsang, did you embroider these cats and butterflies yourself?"
Sang Xinqi nodded shyly.
Tao Wen couldn't let go of the lifelike embroidery and said, "You are so amazing!"
Meng Qixiang and Shen Yanyan also opened their gifts.
Meng Xixiang's was the pattern of a young football player that he had been longing for, with a cartoon character shooting the ball handsomely. Chen Yanyan's was a pattern of an emerald green butterfly resting on a green bamboo, fresh and elegant.
Seeing that everyone had opened their gifts, Liao Yishen, who had been silent all the time, also slowly unwrapped his gifts.
His design is the simplest. On the left chest is a Q-version photo of the six of them having dinner together, and where the hem meets the back is a silhouette of a person riding a bicycle.
Sang Xinqi stared at his expression nervously until she heard him say softly, "It looks good," then she smiled brightly.
"I'm the only one who doesn't have it?" Jiang Xun shrugged pretending to be aggrieved.
Sang Xinqi raised her chin proudly, "Yes, you are the only one who doesn't have it."
"Alas—" Jiang Xun sighed exaggeratedly, making everyone laugh.
Sang Xinqi finally couldn't hold it in any longer, "Aren't there enough clothes I made for you?"
Jiang Xun shook his head and said in a dragging voice, "I am a greedy person. I want to have everything that others have."
Sang Xinqi: “…”
"Go away..."
Watching the intimate interaction between the two, Liao Yishen suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.
He turned his face away, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the silhouette of the cyclist on the T-shirt, and an indescribable emotion surged in his heart.
In the afternoon, after Teacher Meng finished the content that was not completed in the morning, he arranged for everyone to study on their own.
At around four o'clock, the students made an appointment to play ball to relax.
The sports field in summer is always hot and humid, the only drawback is the scorching heat.
Happy times are always like quicksand through fingers. In the blink of an eye, the one-month tutoring time has entered the countdown to the last two weeks.
Tao Wen held her chin in her hand, her tone filled with reluctance, "I have a day off tomorrow, and then I have 12 more days of classes before the end. I feel sad just thinking about it."
Jiang Xun nodded in agreement, "I was reluctant when I first came here, but now I can't bear to leave."
"Don't try that on me!" Sang Xinqi mercilessly exposed his sensationalism.
Jiang Xun chuckled, causing everyone to laugh too.
Suddenly, Jiang Xun turned to Meng Qiqi and carefully asked the question hidden in his heart, "Actually, I've always wanted to know about Teacher Meng... but I'm afraid it will make you sad." He blinked, his expression sincere but a little nervous.
Liao Yishen rarely spoke, "Is it not difficult to ask now?"
Jiang Xun scratched his head and smiled foolishly, "Meng Qiqi, will you be sad?"
Everyone: "..."
Meng hoped to know that he was simply concerned, so she continued, "Three years ago, a student in my uncle's class jumped off a building."
"I seem to have heard of this," Sang Xinqi said softly, "I thought it was just a rumor."
"It's true," Meng Xiwang's voice deepened, "but the news was quickly blocked. The student's parents were extremely strict with him. Whenever he didn't rank in the top five on an exam, they would beat him until he was covered in bruises."
"Oh my god!" Jiang Xun exclaimed, "This is too cruel. I suddenly feel that my parents have a heart of mercy towards me."
Chen Yanyan chuckled softly, and Tao Wen laughed out loud.
Meng Qixiang continued, "In the second semester of his senior year, the boy finally couldn't bear the pressure anymore and came to my uncle for help."
At this point, his tone became excited, "I felt at the time that my uncle shouldn't have tried to persuade him, let alone talk to his parents..."
The classroom was completely silent, and everyone listened with bated breath.
"But his parents didn't take the teacher's words seriously at all, just superficially dealing with it. Later, the boy failed the exam again and was beaten again when he got home..." Meng Xiangqi's voice trembled slightly. "The next day during morning reading, he walked up to the rooftop alone and jumped..."
Sang Xinqi's heart trembled, "How desperate he must have been at that time."
"They must have been utterly desperate," Meng Xiangqi sighed, then added indignantly, "Afterwards, the parents came to the school and made a scene, putting all the blame on my uncle, saying, 'We've been disciplining our children this way for years, so why did something go wrong just because you were trying to give them some guidance?'"
"Because of this, my uncle was fired."
Meng Xiangqi lowered his head. "After staying at home for a long time, he wanted to go out and relax, but the student's father..." His voice choked, "He was hit by his car on purpose."
"The perpetrator fled, and my uncle's leg was..." Meng Qixiang couldn't finish his words.
Jiang Xun stood up suddenly, his fists clenched white, "This family is completely heartless! It's clearly their own problem!"
"Who could have imagined that human hearts could be so vicious?" Meng Qixiang said with a wry smile. "But the man was eventually caught by the police and sentenced."
Sang Xinqi said firmly, "It's best if people like this stay in prison forever."
Tao Wen gently patted Meng Qixiang's shoulder and said, "God will punish the wicked."
Meng Xiwang nodded.
Sang Xinqi suddenly said seriously, "Perhaps if his son turns into a ghost, the first people he'll seek out will be this cruel pair of parents."
Her serious look made everyone burst into laughter.
When those lively eyes inadvertently met Liao Yishen's slightly upturned mouth corners, her heart suddenly skipped a beat.
"Sangsang, you are so cute!" Tao Wen laughed so hard that she fell over.
Jiang Xun also joked, "It's a ghost!"
Sang Xinqi muttered unconvincedly, "If you believe it, it exists. If you don't believe it, it doesn't exist."
They talked about this topic for quite a while, but time passed quickly, and before they knew it, they had been talking from five o'clock to half past six.
Before we knew it, the get out of class was over and we just continued chatting.
Tao Wen suddenly sighed, "I've been like this since I was a child," and the topic somehow turned to her hair.
"The hair that grows out is naturally silver," Tao Wen lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously curling the ends of the wig, "I have to wear the wig forever."
Chen Yanyan opened her eyes wide in surprise, "Why don't you dye it?"
"It's useless," Tao Wen shook her head. "The roots of the newly grown hair are very obvious, and dyeing it too much will damage the hair. I always cut my hair very short and then wear a wig." She gently touched her wig. "You get used to it after wearing it for a long time."
Sang Xinqi said guiltily, "It's all my fault. I reminded you of this sad story again."
"What's there to be sad about?" Tao Wen raised her head and a bright smile appeared on her face. "Don't blame yourself."
Her curved eyebrows and eyes make her look like a little sun.
"I'm so envied! When I go to college, I won't wear a wig anymore. I'll just have my natural silver hair."
She winked playfully, "Nowadays, many people dye their hair silver, but mine is all natural!"
Her optimistic words actually made everyone feel distressed. Jiang Xun quickly responded, "That's right! I was thinking of dyeing my hair gray before. How cool!"
"Really?" Tao Wen's eyes suddenly lit up. "Actually, I think it's pretty good too."
Jiang Xun nodded vigorously, "Of course! When my parents can no longer control me, I'll be the first one to dye my hair!"
Tao Wen laughed out loud at his amusement, "Sure, sure."
The originally heavy atmosphere in the classroom was diluted by the laughter of the two people. The setting sun shone through the window, shining on Tao Wen's wig, reflecting a warm halo.
"Tomorrow is a rest day. What are your plans?" Meng Qixiang asked, looking around.
Sang Xinqi held her cheek and thought for a moment, "I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll just stay home."
"I finally have a day off, I can't just bury myself in studying." Meng Qixiang's eyes suddenly lit up. "How about... everyone come over to my house to play? Of course, if everyone has things to do, forget it."
"I'll go!" Jiang Xun was the first to raise his hand in response, then turned to Sang Xinqi, "What about you?"
"Okay, okay," Sang Xinqi nodded repeatedly.
Tao Wen and Shen Yanyan smiled at each other, "We have no problem either."
Everyone's eyes fell on Liao Yishen at the same time, and he nodded slightly, "Okay."
Sang Xinqi looked at Liao Yishen quietly, and couldn't help but recall the scene when they first met half a month ago.
At that time, he was like an iceberg that never melted all year round, and his whole body exuded a coldness that kept strangers away.
Now, he not only actively participates in conversations, but even occasionally smiles faintly.
"That's settled!" Meng Qixiang clapped his hands happily. "I'll be waiting for you at home at ten o'clock tomorrow."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
