Chapter 28
As expected, Xin Ran enlivened the atmosphere at the tea table once again. The transformation of the fencing coach from being cold and sarcastic to becoming an enthusiastic fanboy was simply amazing.
Even He's father and He Ying couldn't help but look at Xin Ran with higher regard. Chi Xia once again witnessed this guy's strong social skills. What can't such a person accomplish?
After a brief moment of excitement, let's get back to the main topic.
Mr. He: "Ms. Xiao Chi, how is Ying-zai doing at school?"
He Ying stole a glance at Chi Xia, but Chi Xia didn't look at her directly. "You should know your son better than anyone else."
Mr. He coughed lightly, glared at He Ying, and said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, Teacher Xiao Chi, Ying's mother and I are both very busy. We are on business trips for 300 days a year, so we really don't discipline our child enough. We've caused you and the academy trouble."
I thought Chi Xia would say something polite and understand the difficulties of being a parent...
"It's good that you've realized the problem. Spend more time with the child in the future." After saying that, Chi Xia turned to look at He Ying, "Besides fencing, what other special skills do you have?"
He Ying thought for a moment, "Does being able to communicate with a dog count?"
Mr. He's expression changed instantly, and his voice became stern, "Yingzai! I've said it many times, that's—"
"Take me to see which dog you interact with and how you communicate with it," Chi Xia interrupted He's father, standing up to look at He Ying.
He Ying looked at her father cautiously, a little unsure whether she could share this "special skill".
Although Xin Ran was chatting with the fencing coach, he still noticed what was happening here. He smiled and said, "There's nothing shameful about a child having a hobby. Hobbies have no distinction of high or low status. Communicating with animals is a very impressive talent."
The fencing coach was completely captivated by Xin Ran and quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, Coach Xin is right. He Ying is a very talented child."
Mr. He seemed to be confused by the word "talent." The He family was large and wealthy, and they had spent a lot of manpower and resources to help He Ying awaken her talent, but all their efforts had been in vain. Now, suddenly hearing someone use these two words to describe He Ying, he was filled with mixed feelings.
As He's father, almost in tears, recounted He Ying's exceptionally difficult path to awakening her talent to Xin Ran and the others, Chi Xia followed He Ying to the backyard.
"Although you spoke a fair word today, I still don't like you, and I won't listen to you obediently in the future. Don't even think about it—"
"You're overthinking it. I'm the teacher and you're the student. Mutual respect is all we need to do."
The two walked across the arched bridge between the front and back yards. The pool beneath the bridge shimmered under the moonlight and lamplight, creating a unique sense of tranquility.
He Ying seemed to hesitate for a moment, but couldn't resist her curiosity, "Ye Feng's birthday party, you were invited, right?"
When Chi Xia and the others arrived at the banquet that day, Ye Feng led them to the west side through a side door. They did not see any other banquet guests, so it is uncertain whether He Ying also went that day.
However, since He Ying asked that question, Chi Xia guessed that he had not received an invitation.
Although the He family is also very powerful, in the class, the only ones who can truly be associated with the Yu family and Ye Feng are probably Cheng Mo and Feng Xiao.
Chi Xia: "I was on a home visit that day and happened to run into them."
He Ying nodded, "I see. I knew Ye Feng wouldn't have invited you specifically."
Someone like Ye Feng, who openly invited Chi Xia to his home to get a leave slip on his birthday, and then deliberately didn't give it to her afterwards, what else could that be but an invitation?
However, He Ying seemed to care a lot about this, so Chi Xia didn't refute him and let him interpret it as he pleased.
She remembered that on the first day she entered Class 3, the person who competed with Ye Feng in picking out insect eggs was He Ying. He seemed to care a lot about Ye Feng and always followed Ye Feng around, calling Ye Feng "Brother Feng".
"You and Ye Feng have a very good relationship." Chi Xia stepped onto the cobblestone path and said a statement casually.
He Ying laughed, "You think so too? Many people think so too, but I know that I'm not on Ye Feng's friend list. You might not believe it, but I wasn't invited to his birthday party."
Chi Xia glanced indifferently at the young man's youthful features. "You admire Ye Feng a lot?"
“Yes.” He Ying didn’t shy away from the topic. “He always knew exactly what he was doing and what he wanted, while we just followed him aimlessly, trying to see the world the way he did. But I understand that the world we see is actually different from his.”
They arrived at the backyard, and Chi Xia saw a large doghouse in the corner. "Everyone sees the world differently. The world he sees may not be as wonderful as the world you see."
He Ying frowned. "Teacher, it seems you are not aware of Ye Feng's background and strength."
"Maybe," Chi Xia said, pointing to the dog kennel. "Where are your puppies?"
“Yes.” He Ying was overjoyed. He quickly led Chi Xia closer. The dogs inside heard the noise and rushed out. The huge Alaskan Malamute wagged its tail at He Ying first, but changed its attitude when it saw Chi Xia.
"Woof woof woof!" it bared its teeth and roared at Chi Xia.
Chi Xia did not back down, but stood still. He Ying squatted down and said, "Wangzai, be quiet. She is my teacher, not a bad person."
The giant Alaskan Malamute tilted its head and squatted down, its gaze sweeping over Chi Xia, still full of vigilance, and howled a few times at He Ying.
Chi Xia also squatted down. "What did it say?"
He Ying stroked the big dog's head, and the dog lay down, but its eyes remained fixed on Chi Xia.
He Ying: "It said you have a lot of hostility about you."
Viciousness? This is the second person to use this word to describe themselves today, but it doesn't seem strange that an assassin is so vicious.
He Ying: "Wangzai, where does this hostility come from that she's a teacher?"
Big dog: "Woof woof woof..."
He Ying turned her head and carefully examined Chi Xia. "It said you're in a bloody mess and have been having bad luck lately, so it told me to stay away from you."
Chi Xia smiled as she looked at the soft, chubby dog head. "When can you two start communicating?"
He Ying blurted out, “On my 15th birthday, a special guest came to our house. Wangzai rushed out of the kennel and kept barking at the person. No matter how the maid tried to drag him away, it was no use. In the end, I calmed him down. After that, I felt like I could understand what he was saying.”
Chi Xia and the dog looked at each other. "Why did it bark so loudly at that person that night?"
He Ying: "It told me that the person wouldn't live much longer and had a very unpleasant smell."
Chi Xia turned to look at He Ying, "So, how is that person?"
He Ying's gaze shifted slightly downwards. "The following weekend, that man was shot in the head by a member of an assassin organization, his brains splattered all over the face of the woman he had been having sex with."
Chi Xia raised an eyebrow slightly, "You know so much, did you understand what Gouzi said and investigate it yourself?"
He Ying shook her head. "It was my dad who investigated. I told him that I could understand what Wangzai was saying, and to prove that I wasn't lying, he hired a private investigator."
Chi Xia seemed to understand that perhaps He's father already knew about his son's talent, but he didn't think highly of this type of talent, or rather, he thought it was unlucky, so he kept suppressing He Ying, trying to force him to awaken other types of talent.
Seeing Chi Xia remain silent, He Ying asked softly, "Teacher, do you believe what I'm saying?"
Chi Xia nodded. "He Ying, do you know what your talent is?"
He Ying shook her head, "I'm useless, my talent value is zero. My dad took me to get tested."
Chi Xia: "Can you only understand your dog's speech, or can you understand everything other dogs say?"
He Ying: "The other dogs can understand very little."
Talent also requires deliberate practice. If you have awakened your talent but continue to neglect it, the nerve cells that control your talent may degenerate.
However, allowing He Ying to openly challenge her father does not seem like a good idea.
Chi Xia stood up, and the dog's gaze followed her, its eyes remaining unpleasant.
He Ying stood up as well. "Teacher, is there something you want to say?"
Chi Xia nodded and pointed to the swing under the flowering tree in the backyard, "Let's go over there."
He Ying laughed, "Even the teacher likes this kind of girly stuff."
Chi Xia walked over and sat down. "I don't like squatting. It feels like I'm taking a dump."
He Ying was amused by her again, "You're very different like this, I thought..."
Chi Xia looked up at the young man standing to the side with his arms crossed. "Did you think I was just a cold lecturer who would resort to violence when I was unhappy?"
"I didn't say that." He Ying recalled being kicked that day and was still a little annoyed. "I had already applied medicine when I got back, and you hit me so hard."
"I thought you were really something, all arrogant. You're just a paper tiger," Chi Xia teased, then added seriously, "You've already awakened your talent."
“How could that be? My dad said it’s not talent, it’s just a silly game between a kid and a dog.”
Chi Xia didn't rush to explain. She said, "I suggest you use a different dog to communicate with, or even any animal that can make noise, such as a cat, a mouse, or a tiger. You can find opportunities to practice quietly on your own, and as long as it's safe, you don't need to report everything to your father."
He Ying looked at Chi Xia, somewhat excited. He lowered his hands and stood up straight, feeling that he was being too deliberate. He then stretched out one foot, still deliberate, and shook his wrist again.
"Since you're so free, why don't you give me a push?" Chi Xia patted the swing, signaling He Ying, who was so excited she wanted to move around, to give her a push.
“…Okay.” He Ying laughed as she pushed the swing up, then carefully stopped it.
"Just laugh when you're happy. What's with all the shyness a grown man has to do?"
"You're the one being coy. Um, thank you."
The swing swung very high, and He Ying's restrained laughter came and went. For the first time, Chi Xia felt like a little girl, experiencing a bit of unbridled joy in the rising and falling wind.
On the way back to the living room, He Ying whispered, "Teacher, can you keep this a secret for now? I don't want my dad to know."
Chi Xia: "Okay."
"Thank you. Teacher, I have another question: can talent be brought into play?"
"Can."
"That talent... can it be chosen?"
Chi Xia glanced at He Ying. Even the most arrogant and unruly student is still a child who longs for recognition, especially from family.
The problem was obvious. He Ying had considered that his father might not like his "special talent," so he tried every means to find a different one for him.
Chi Xia: "There's no doubt about it, your father loves you very much."
He Ying: "I know."
“Talent can be chosen. Gene technology has developed to an unimaginable level. Just like organs can be transplanted, so can talents. However, matching is very difficult, and the survival rate is less than 1%.”
As they approached the fork in the road leading into the living room, He Ying stopped. "Teacher, are you sure understanding animal language is a talent?"
Chi Xia: "I'm sure. But you haven't practiced enough, and your nerve cells aren't active."
He Ying nodded, as if she had made up her mind. "I know what to do, teacher. Thank you so much."
Chi Xia: "No need for verbal thanks, let's get something practical."
He Ying: "...Teacher, what do you want?"
Chi Xia gave a professional fake smile, "You know what I mean."
He Ying: "...You really are someone no one can like."
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