Zhuang Li's heart ached. He wanted so badly to reach out and give Bai Ming a hug, but he also knew how abrupt and inappropriate it would be.
He chose his words carefully and said slowly, "Have you ever thought about applying for a student loan?"
Bai Ming shook his head. "I don't want to owe the bank money, and I can't take up this position. I'm tall and strong, so it's easy for me to find a job. Some of my classmates' families are even more financially challenged than mine, and they can't find a job. This position is more suitable for them."
Zhuang Li held his forehead with his hand, looking distressed, but he was smiling in his heart.
The big guy hasn't changed at all, and his inexplicable sense of responsibility is still so strong.
Zhuang thought for a moment and then asked, "How did your parents agree on your child support obligations when they divorced?"
Bai Ming immediately understood what he meant and said bitterly, "They agreed to jointly pay for my upbringing until I turned eighteen. So after I turned eighteen, they rarely sent me money anymore. Teacher, it's useless to sue them. They didn't break the law."
Zhuang Li had guessed this result long ago, so he was not disappointed.
He asked tentatively: "How about I lend you money for your studies?"
"Eh?" Bai Ming was stunned, and finally raised his head and looked straight at the opposite side.
"I'll help you with your rent and living expenses. Just keep track of every single detail. When you graduate and start working, pay me back in installments." Zhuang Li slowly explained his thoughts: "There's no distinction between high and low jobs. As long as you can support yourself, it's honorable. But you have to admit, getting into university gives you a higher starting point, a wider range of choices, and more possibilities for the future. It's always good to read more when you're young."
There was no contempt, sympathy, or pity in his eyes, only pure sincerity. He was truly thinking of Bai Ming. Bai Ming stared deeply into those eyes, his heart trembling uncontrollably.
"Why are you willing to lend me money? Aren't you afraid that I will break my promise and disappear after graduating from college?" Bai Ming asked in a hoarse voice.
Zhuang Li shook his head and chuckled, "I'm really not afraid you'll run away. Someone who would rather work hard to earn money than take up a student loan quota won't break their promise. Someone who stands up to outside thugs to protect their classmates won't disappear without a trace just because of a debt."
Zhuang Li clasped his hands together and placed them on his knees. He leaned forward slightly, staring into Bai Ming's eyes and said seriously, "I believe you."
Bai Ming's eyes gradually became moist.
Zhuang Li said cautiously, "How could I bear to give up such a good child?"
Bai Ming quickly lowered his head to hide his tears.
Zhuang Li said seriously, "Even if your parents have given up on you, or even if you have given up on yourself, I will still try to help you. Let's work hard together for the next few months, okay?"
Bai Ming didn't dare to look up because he was afraid that he would cry, which would be too unmanly. He couldn't speak because his throat was already blocked by the huge emotion.
This is the warmth and care that even parents have never given me.
Zhuang Li reached out, gently ruffled his hair, and encouraged him, "A few months of hard work could change your life's destiny. Why not give it a try? I can teach you all the subjects. Come to me every day after school at noon, and we'll find a quiet place to make up for the lessons, okay?"
Hearing that he could be alone with Teacher Zhuang every noon, listening to his gentle words, Bai Ming's heart was filled with a strong throbbing and anticipation. His scalp felt tingling and itchy when it was touched, making him almost moan with pleasure.
Besides, he actually didn't mind owing Teacher Zhuang money at all, because the loan could maintain their relationship for a long time. Even if the substitute teaching period ended, even if he graduated from high school and left campus, he would still have an excuse to return to Teacher Zhuang.
Borrowing money and running away? That's absolutely impossible.
Bai Ming blinked quickly, trying to evaporate the tears, and the word "OK" was already rising in his throat.
Zhuang Li, however, held his hand and asked earnestly, "Let's work hard together over the next few months, okay?"
Bai Ming's fingertips were trembling, and his heart was trembling with it. He really wanted to shake Teacher Zhuang's soft hand back, but he didn't dare.
But Zhuang Li suddenly lifted Bai Ming's hand, placed it on the tip of his nose and sniffed it gently, then followed Bai Ming's long arm and sniffed the side of his neck.
Feeling the warm breath of Teacher Zhuang, Bai Ming's face flushed and his breathing became heavier. He asked nervously, "Teacher Zhuang, do I smell bad? I always take a shower after closing my stall every day."
Having said that, he was annoyed that his shower was too short. If he had known he would meet Teacher Zhuang today, he would have changed his five-minute shower to a fifty-minute bath.
Zhuang Li said nothing, but reached out and touched Bai Ming's shirt pocket, then touched his trouser pocket, and finally opened the zipper of his school uniform and took out a pack of cigarettes from his sweatshirt pocket.
Bai Ming, who was at the mercy of others, said: "!!!"
"You're smoking at 18, you're killing your lungs, right?" Zhuang Li warned sternly, "You're not allowed to smoke anymore."
Fearless Bai Ming nodded obediently: "Okay, I won't smoke again."
"Quit your job at the late-night snack stall tonight." Zhuang Li ordered as a matter of course.
Bai Ming continued to nod: "Okay."
"Come to my office every day at noon and I'll help you with your studies. You can always ask me if you have any questions."
"good."
"Let's eat, the food is getting cold." Zhuang Li opened the food bag and took out the lunch boxes one by one.
Bai Ming quickly helped him lift the lid and get the chopsticks.
Zhuang Li put the largest fish into Bai Ming's bowl and reminded him, "Consume more protein so that you can grow taller in the future."
Bai Ming's eyes were hot, and he felt like crying. He had never heard such a common concern before. He buried his head in his food, his ears red as he said, "I'm already 1.88 meters tall."
His height is probably the only thing he can be proud of.
Zhuang Li chuckled and said, "This is just the beginning. You can grow taller in the future."
Bai Ming couldn't contain his joy and ate his rice even harder. After a long while, he mustered up the courage to pick up a piece of braised pork for Teacher Zhuang and muttered, "Teacher, you should eat more too. You're too thin."
"Good boy." Zhuang Li praised him habitually.
Bai Ming's ears instantly turned red like two irons. He always felt that Teacher Zhuang's tone was so soft, like cotton candy. Even though he was only hearing it in his ears, he could taste the sweetness on his tongue.
He took a few mouthfuls of rice, then turned his face to the window and smiled secretly.
---
After dinner, Zhuang Li checked in on Bai Ming's progress and felt a surge of anxiety. This idiot boy had forgotten all the knowledge he'd learned in three years of high school. He needed to start over from junior high school, otherwise he wouldn't understand at all.
"Forget it, I won't make up for it today. I'll go back and make a few mind maps to help you sort out all the knowledge points from easy to difficult. Come back tomorrow at noon." Zhuang Li rubbed his temples.
Bai Ming nodded in shame, and looked back every few steps as he left, actually feeling reluctant to leave.
Being a troublemaker, he actually had the urge to stay in the office. He must have lost his mind.
Bai Ming walked back to the office while questioning himself, took out his phone, and whispered, "Teacher Zhuang, can we add each other on WeChat?"
Zhuang Li leaned back in his chair, looked up at him, and a nasty smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Who allowed you to bring a cell phone to school? It's confiscated!" After saying that, he took away the phone with a broken screen.
Bai Ming: “!!!”
He knew that his brain must be broken!
As he turned to leave, dejected, a smiling voice came from behind him, "Scan the QR code yourself. No cell phones in class, you hear me?"
Bai Ming turned around suddenly, his face full of surprise. He quickly picked up his broken phone and scanned the QR code.
Teacher Zhuang’s profile picture is a red-haired fox with squinting eyes and a smile. It looks very similar to him and is very cute.
Bai Ming touched the portrait, his heart itching. He bowed deeply to Teacher Zhuang again, then ran away with a joyful heart. When he came into the sunlight, he took a deep breath, and his chest, which always contained a lot of gloomy energy, suddenly felt more open than the blue sky above his head.
He jumped up and pumped his fist, a happy smile on his face.
Zhuang Li leaned against the window, looking at the lively big guy, and couldn't help shaking his head and laughing.
7480 sighed, "The moment the gods met you, they were revived to full health."
Zhuang Li chuckled and said, "I am the same. When I met him, I was filled with strength."
After dealing with the top priority, he turned on the computer and activated the virus lurking in Chen Liang's mobile phone.
At the same time, Bai Ming was walking into the classroom with his hands in his pockets. When he met a classmate who was blocking his way, he didn't say anything but just kicked him lightly.
The classmate was about to start scolding, but when he turned around and saw Bai Ming's cold face, his strong chest and the bulging muscles on his arms, he suddenly wilted and hid in the gap between the chairs with a smile.
Bai Ming walked unhindered to the last row and sat down with his legs spread out on both sides of the aisle, occupying a large area.
The classmates who were playing around him quickly moved away from this area to avoid accidentally stepping on his feet and being beaten by him.
Zhuang Li really should have come along to see Bai Ming's true face. The nickname "Education Bully" wasn't given for nothing.
"Brother Ming, what did Teacher Zhuang talk to you about?" his deskmate asked curiously.
Xu Jingjing, who was sitting in the front two rows, looked back at them, her ears perked up.
"What he talked to me about is none of your business?" Bai Ming took a pile of textbooks out of the drawer and ordered, "Please help me check if these textbooks are complete and if any are lost."
My deskmate diligently checked everything and shook his head, saying, "Brother Ming, nothing's lost. Everything is here, brand new."
Bai Ming finally felt relieved. He pulled out a chemistry book and flipped through it while cursing, "Fuck, what kind of nonsense is this? I can't understand a single word."
Classmate: "...Ming, this is the structural formula of the compound. If you don't understand it, don't look at it. Why make it difficult for yourself? You don't have to go to college."
Bai Ming scratched his hair, finally realizing what he had just agreed to. Getting into university is harder than climbing to the sky!
At this moment, Chen Liang, who was sitting in the front row, suddenly let out a shrill scream, then pulled off his headphones and yelled frantically: "There's a ghost, there's a ghost! I heard—"
A name was already rising in his throat, but he swallowed it back. He looked at Lu Ze beside him, then at Xu Jingjing in the front row, and whispered in fear: "There really is a ghost! Really!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
