Chapter 13
"My hometown is a very small town in the south, almost a rural area. The economy there relies on farming or textiles—light industry, as you know, not heavy industry. In the early 1990s, these two sectors were enough to make ends meet. But society progressed, times changed, living standards rose, and educational competition intensified; these two sources of income were clearly insufficient. Many parents chose to work away from home, either in provincial capitals or other large cities, so their children could have a better upbringing and education. Naturally, the children were left in the care of grandparents—these are the 'left-behind children' reported in the news. The family only gets together during the Spring Festival. Do they want their parents by their side? Of course they do. Are they angry about being left behind? No, they understand, because they know their parents are only trying to earn more money so they can have enough to eat and wear and go to better schools. And what about the parents?" They are all flesh and blood of our parents. Who would willingly separate from their children if it weren't for the struggle for survival? But there's no other way. They don't want their children to suffer with them, so they have to leave them with their grandparents and go out to work hard, hoping to earn enough money to reunite with their children sooner. And the children? They study very, very hard, hoping to get into a university in the provincial capital during junior high or high school, or to perform exceptionally well in the college entrance exam and get into a top university in the big city where their parents live, so they can live with their parents after graduation. They know their parents work very hard away from home. Their schoolbags are patched and mended year after year; the older child's clothes are too small for the younger one to wear; their art supplies are all erasable; they don't have custom-made desks—just a chair or stool is enough for homework. When farm work is busy, they even have to buy groceries on their way home from school. During winter and summer vacations, they even help their grandparents with whatever farm work they can manage.
Lin Ting turned to look at Chen Zhiyi again and found that his expression was serious.
"You haven't experienced any of these things, have you? Don't you feel much happier than these 'left-behind children'? And all this happiness is given to you by your parents."
Chen Zhiyi was deeply shocked and didn't know what to say for a moment.
"You just lack your parents' company, but the best material life you enjoy is their silent love. Your starting point in life is already much better than that of us ordinary people. You can get what you want without struggling, while we might work our whole lives and still not achieve it. They say being born into the right family is a skill, and that's exactly what people like you are talking about. If I were you, I would be smiling in my dreams every day."
Chen Ziyu's face darkened even more after hearing this.
Lin Ting stole a glance at him and realized that she might have gone a bit too far. Although it was all the truth, saying it so bluntly made him lose face.
Chen Zhiyi's eyes were firm, and his tone was stiff: "No matter how good their material life is, if they can't even provide the most basic companionship, they are not qualified parents."
"What kind of companionship is considered adequate? Is it being there 24/7, or suffocating companionship where they have to accompany you even when you go out? You know they can't be with you because they're busy with their work, but do you not know their company? Do you not know their working hours? Have you taken the initiative to reach out to them? Why do you always wait for them to come to you? Love between parents and children needs to be reciprocated. One-sided giving or one-sided misunderstanding will cause an imbalance and lead to misunderstandings."
Chen Zhiyi frowned, staring blankly at Lin Tingkan, not understanding why Lin Tingkan could share his thoughts when they were young, but not now.
However, no matter what, the parents' idea that they are incompetent is deeply ingrained and cannot be changed by Lin Ting's long speech at this moment.
"Then why do they always interfere in my life? Don't laugh, but when I was a kid, I even needed their permission to make friends. Every time I wanted to do something, they would remind me to be mindful of the consequences and not bring shame to the family. Family, family, family." Chen Zhiyi repeated this three times, showing that he had been suppressing his anger for a long time.
“Now even my dreams have to give way to the family. I start to doubt whether they truly love me, or whether they only had me to continue the family’s prosperity.” At this point, Chen Zhiyi became emotional, and his eyes reddened.
"There's no denying that they love you; I've spoken with your mother a few times and I can feel it. However, there's a point you have to accept: everyone's life is made up of many things. Once it's not singular, there will be priorities, and it's impossible to achieve perfect balance. Perhaps for your parents, family honor is the top priority in their lives, so they'll always consider the family in any decision they make. They love you, but they can't put that before the family. However, in terms of family ties, you are definitely the most important. When considering things, don't just look at things from your own perspective; try to see things from their point of view as well. They must have their reasons and responsibilities to bear."
This was a perspective Chen Zhiyi had never considered before; it was somewhat shocking, but also perplexing. Did achieving first place mean that nothing else mattered? He didn't have that concept; he felt that everything he held in his heart was of paramount importance.
"So, according to you, if my dream is the number one component right now, then I can put everything else aside for the time being and not worry about anything."
"How should I put it? If this first place is something that is crucial to you right now, and you will regret it to death when you are old if you don't do it, then I think you need to have the courage to burn your bridges."
"So you will support me in pursuing my dreams, even if those dreams go against my parents' expectations?" Chen Zhiyi asked.
"You dreamed, as I've heard from your mother, that you wanted to pursue a career in the arts and become an actor."
Do you also think this dream is superficial? Or even unrealistic?
"No." Lin Ting shook her head and continued, "If I were you, since my family has the financial backing, I would definitely stick to my dream and prove to them that my choice was right. If I lose, I'll come back and start over. Not many people have the means to pursue their dreams at all costs. I support you! It's rare for a person to have a dream they want to fight for and be determined to have. If you don't take the plunge and try your luck, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
In a daze, Chen Zhiyi saw a hint of envy in her eyes. He was somewhat shaken and asked cautiously, "Sister, are you someone who would do anything?"
The word "sister" startled Lin Ting, making her feel a little unreal. She stared blankly at Chen Zhiyi.
He blushed as he was stared at, and stammered, "You...you're not much older than me, and I feel like calling you 'teacher' makes you sound old. Is it okay to call you 'sister'?"
Lin Ting has done a lot of tutoring, and her students all call her Teacher Lin. This is the first time she has been called "sister." As an only child, she is not used to this title.
"I've already said it's just a form of address, you can call me whatever you want, you can even call me by my full name. As for your question, I've thought about it, and I can't do anything reckless; I'm more inclined to succumb to reality. So I hope you can persevere and realize your dream."
Following up on the topic, Chen Zhiyi boldly asked, "So, what is your dream, sister? Why don't you have the courage?"
Because her family and financial situation didn't allow it, she had to graduate from university step by step, find a stable job to support her family, and live a peaceful and ordinary life without seeking great wealth or status.
Lin Ting changed the subject, "I have many dreams. For now, I hope a little boy named Chen Zhiyi can let go of his inner demons and return to school. After all, at his age, studying is the top priority. Also, I hope he can learn to understand his parents and not always act impulsively, which only deepens family conflicts."
Chen Zhiyi was completely taken aback by the answer. He turned to look at Lin Ting, whose fair face, light eyebrows, delicate nose, and pale red lips revealed an irrepressible tenderness in her calm eyes.
Some feelings, once they begin, are irreversible.
Lin Ting smiled gently, "Can you help me realize this dream?"
"I'll give it a try, but sister, can you be the catalyst for making this dream come true?"
Lin Ting frowned, somewhat puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Chen Zhiyi mustered his courage and said what he most wanted to say during this meeting. "Sister, please come back and continue being my tutor. I promise I'll change my attitude, never argue with you again, and study hard every day!"
At this moment, Lin Tingcai felt that he had the vigor and liveliness that suited his age.
Chen Zhiyi didn't give Lin Ting a chance to refuse, and continued, "I'll give you a raise, and the raise will be deducted from my New Year's money. I mean what I say."
"So you're not going to admit I'm trying to scam your family's money?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhiyi recalled his terrible attitude yesterday and lowered his head in shame. "Sister, please stop talking, my face hurts."
That's such a slap in the face!
Lin Ting chuckled.
Chen Zhiyi asked in surprise, "So you agreed?"
Lin Ting pretended to think, squinted, and nodded, "I can consider it to squeeze someone's New Year's money dry." But the nod was too forceful, and his black-rimmed glasses slipped off his nose.
Chen Zhiyi reached out to take off her black-rimmed glasses, but Lin Ting flinched, looking quite surprised. "What are you doing?"
Realizing he had been presumptuous, Chen Zhiyi quickly withdrew his hand. "Sister, please take off your glasses. You're not nearsighted at all."
Lin Ting's eyes widened. "You, how did you know?"
Chen Zhiyi explained, "I found it yesterday when I was picking up the broken pieces of the glasses. It's not a concave or convex lens, it's a plano lens."
So that's how it is. Lin Ting felt a little embarrassed after being caught by him. She looked away and didn't know how to respond.
Chen Zhiyi muttered to himself, "He's so good-looking, why does he have to wear such unflattering glasses?"
"What did you say? I didn't hear you."
"I mean, if you don't need glasses, why are you wearing them? Are you trying to avoid me?"
Lin Ting took off her glasses, a smile in her eyes, "Haven't you heard the saying, 'The three essentials for an interview are a suit, trousers, and black glasses, and you'll be all set for success'?"
This time, Chen Zhiyi laughed first, "So, did you break this one and get a new one?"
Lin Ting said frankly, "No, it's a group purchase on Pinduoduo. Two sets only cost 9.9 yuan with free shipping."
Chen Zhiyi laughed even louder, and Lin Ting lowered her head and laughed along.
In just one ordinary yet scorching half-day, the two, who were initially at odds, grew much closer.
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