Chapter 42
It was quite late when Chen Zhiyi returned to Xiangyi Zijun. In a good mood, he just wanted to get back to his bedroom and talk to Lin Ting on the phone. He finally understood why Du Yuan could talk on the phone with his girlfriend for so long before; he had even complained about it then, but now he was truly proven wrong. He was stopped by Uncle Chen just as he reached the top of the stairs.
"Young Master, I'd like to have a word with you."
Chen Zhiyi knew what he wanted to say and could have refused, but out of politeness, he sat back down on the sofa in the living room, considering how long he had taken care of him like a grandfather, and said directly, "Uncle Chen, I know what you're going to say, but I also know very well what I'm doing and what I want. You don't need to worry."
Hearing him say that, Uncle Chen stopped beating around the bush and said, "So you like it..."
Before Uncle Chen could finish speaking, Chen Zhiyi said with certainty and a smile in his voice, "Yes, I like Teacher Lin."
This startling remark even made Aunt Chen, who was carrying hot tea, shudder. Water spilled all over the coffee table, and she hurriedly picked up a napkin to wipe it up, anxiously glancing at Uncle Chen as she did so.
This is no joke.
Uncle Chen remained calm. "You call her Teacher Lin, shouldn't we draw a clear line?"
"That's in public. In private, I always call her 'sister.' Besides, she's just a temporary tutor. There's no need to make a big deal out of it or elevate it to a moral level. I just like her. There are plenty of people in this world who like older women and have been their teachers. It's not a problem." Chen Zhiyi was very straightforward.
"That's because you're at a different stage of life. If you were to graduate now, go to university, and have someone you like, Uncle Chen wouldn't say a word. But what's most important to you right now, young master? I believe you know perfectly well. And whether in public or in private, Teacher Lin is your teacher now. You need to be mindful of your status; people's opinions can be terrifying."
"But the college entrance exam is over, and she won't be my teacher anymore. Besides, my grades didn't plummet because I liked her; on the contrary, they kept improving. What are you worried about?"
Seeing that he was speaking with conviction and hadn't grasped the problem, Uncle Chen had no choice but to resort to his trump card: "What would happen if your parents found out about this? Would she still be able to tutor you?"
Chen Zhiyi was never worried about his parents finding out his feelings; he was always open and honest about liking someone. However, he was afraid of hurting Lin Ting. He had witnessed high school seniors getting into relationships and having their parents called in, resulting in heated arguments between the couples. Relationships are between two people, but in the end, all the blame fell on the girl. The boy's parents' scolding, the teacher's accusations, and her own parents' disappointment felt like three mountains were crushing the girl. Chen Zhiyi glanced at the fear, helplessness, and shame in her eyes and remembered it.
So he agreed to wait for Lin Ting to finish the college entrance exam together. He fantasized that as soon as the last exam was over, he would rush out of the exam hall and the first thing he would do was hug Lin Ting in the crowded street, and then hold her hand and walk through the crowd.
He also knew that if his parents found out, they wouldn't be able to completely break off relations, but a gentle knife can also be deadly. Lin Ting had finally agreed to stick her head out a little from her hard shell, and he couldn't let her retract completely again.
"Uncle Chen, it was me who had a crush on her from beginning to end, and it had nothing to do with her."
This surprised Uncle Chen. Even the pampered young master had his share of setbacks. He continued listening to him.
"It was her encouragement that allowed me to return to school, and it was her contribution that convinced my mother to agree to let me take the art exam. More importantly, the academic performance that you value is also thanks to her hard work. So she has lived up to her role as a tutor and has not let my mother down. If it were someone else, all of this might have gone back to square one."
The last sentence, a blatant threat, left Uncle Chen speechless.
Chen Zhiyi sat down next to Uncle Chen, patted him on the shoulder, and said calmly, "Uncle Chen, I can assure you that I can prioritize and will do my best in next year's big exam. I will not let you down. It is also the key for me to open the door to my dreams. But falling in love with someone is not something I can control. I have laid my heart bare to you. If you insist on telling my parents, I don't mind, but you can guess what the consequences will be."
After saying that, Chen Zhiyi went upstairs.
A few days later, Lin Ting returned to Jinshi. He originally wanted to rest for a while, but at Chen Zhiyi's strong insistence, he went to his house that same day.
It was Chen Zhiyi who opened the door, his face beaming with a bright smile, as if he were worthless. Lin Ting frowned, signaling him to tone it down.
She was uneasy facing Uncle Chen. She had a feeling that he had seen through something in her hometown, but he treated her the same as before, which made her feel relieved. However, she was still uneasy, like someone who had done something wrong behind their parents' back and was afraid of being found out.
Rationally, it was a mistake; emotionally, for the first time, she listened to her heart.
The two went upstairs one after the other. When they reached the corner on the second floor, Chen Zhiyi grabbed Lin Ting's hand and quickly went upstairs.
The sound of hurried footsteps made Uncle Chen sigh.
Upon entering the study, Chen Zhiyi embraced Lin Ting tightly, as if he had been wandering in the desert for a long time and suddenly saw an oasis, feeling a burning desire. The familiar fragrance of gardenias in his breath was his intense relief.
They're being so blatant, launching a direct attack. Lin Ting sighed, rubbing his forehead, realizing he still had too much courage.
Lin Ting opened her arms, her face serious. "Be careful, be more reserved."
Chen Zhiyi didn't care and remained cheerful, acting like a spoiled rich kid, a far cry from his cool and aloof persona when they first met.
Getting back to the main point, the two sat down at the desk.
"Auntie, how are you feeling? Now that you're back, is there anyone to take care of her?"
“I spent some money to hire the aunt next door to take care of her for a while. My uncle and his family also visit her from time to time, so there shouldn’t be any problems. She can also operate the wheelchair skillfully, so getting around is no problem.”
"That's good."
"That, that?"
"What's wrong?" Chen Zhiyi asked, looking at Lin Ting's hesitant manner with some confusion.
"Did Uncle Chen talk to you after you got home?"
"Yes, yes, I confessed."
"You confessed?" Lin Ting was so surprised that she stood up from her chair.
Chen Zhiyi stood up, pressed her shoulders to make her sit down, and comforted her, "Don't be nervous. I'm just admitting that I have a crush on you and I promise it won't interfere with my studies or the college entrance exam."
"And what was his reaction?"
"What kind of reaction can there be? Feel sorry for me, right?"
"pity?"
"Exactly. He's been single since birth, and now that he finally has a girl he likes, it's still unrequited love. Isn't it a pity for such a promising young man?"
"Speak properly."
"Which sentence wasn't said properly?"
Seeing Lin Ting's furrowed brows and worried expression, Chen Zhiyi stopped teasing and became serious.
"I'm being honest with him out of respect for him, and also out of respect for you and me. Even if my parents or other people question me, I won't hide it. The only thing that makes me sad is that I can't say it proactively at this stage. I don't want those rumors and gossips to affect you, and I'm worried that you'll get hurt or back down. But if others ask me, I will definitely tell them the truth. And I dare to be so straightforward because I'm confident that what they, including you, are worried about will never happen. I will continue to work hard with this love, improve my grades, pass the art exam smoothly, get into my dream university, and finally stand shoulder to shoulder with you, openly and honestly!"
A warm feeling welled up in Lin Ting's heart, like the rising sun piercing through the clouds and shining into her heart, dispelling the gloom in her mind. She realized that there was still someone in this world who firmly chose to be herself, no matter what happened.
"But then, there's something even more I'm looking forward to doing with you."
"What is it?" Lin Ting asked.
Chen Zhiyi deliberately kept everyone in suspense, saying, "You'll find out when the time comes."
Lin Ting squinted, sensing something was amiss. "Couldn't it be with someone else?"
Chen Zhiyi raised his head, absolutely certain, "No, it can only be you, only you."
Lin Ting pouted, probably guessing what he wanted to do. His thoughts were written all over his face. She felt guilty for turning a fine young man into a love-struck fool.
"By the way, are you free this Saturday?" Chen Zhiyi asked.
Lin Ting thought for a moment, "There's a joint job fair on Saturday by six major universities in Jinshi. It's a large event with many companies from all walks of life participating. I'd like to go and take a look."
"Saturday is your birthday." Chen Zhiyi raised her voice; sure enough, she had forgotten her own birthday.
Lin Ting suddenly realized what was going on and casually remarked, "It's Christmas Eve again?"
"It's also your birthday." Chen Zhiyi was very dissatisfied with this statement.
"Birthdays are nothing to me, I stopped celebrating them a long time ago." A hint of sadness flashed in Lin Ting's calm eyes.
Chen Zhiyi was heartbroken to hear her say that. Knowing the cause of the illness, he felt even more that her father was not a human being.
He wanted to make up for all the happiness, rituals, and birthday wishes she had lost over the past ten years.
Chen Zhiyi placed his hand on the back of her hand, his eyes filled with tenderness. "This year, I'm here for you. I want to celebrate your birthday with you."
"Never mind, it's just an ordinary day. I have to go to a job fair that day."
"But this isn't an ordinary day for me. It's because of this day that you came into my life, and that I was able to meet you." Chen Zhiyi held her hand in his palm, his voice gentle and tender, seeping into Lin Ting's heart.
A child's birthday is supposed to be a day of suffering for the mother, but in Lin Ting's eyes, her own birthday was also filled with betrayal and shame. She didn't want to build her happiness on her mother's pain.
Many times, she had seen her mother secretly crying on her birthday.
She once thought that her birth was a mistake, and the most memorable and celebratory day of each year became the saddest day for Lin Ting.
But today, someone told her that the day she looked down on the most was his lucky day.
Her birth was the right thing to do, and it was worth it.
She looked at Chen Zhiyi holding her hand, and she moved her fingers, slipping them between his fingers so that they were intertwined.
Chen Zhiyi noticed her wavering and seized the opportunity to catch up with her. "What time does the job fair end? I'll come pick you up?"
"It started at 2 p.m. and is expected to end around 5 p.m.
What kind of birthday party do you want? Should we invite your roommates too?
"No need, they're all busy with their internships lately and most of them aren't in the dorms. Just the two of us are enough. We don't need any formalities, just a nice meal will do."
"That's too casual!"
Lin Ting chuckled, "This is how I always celebrated my birthday. The whole family would sit down for a meal, then cut a small cake, and finally set off fireworks in the yard—not the big kind, just sparklers. We were poor back then, so we didn't buy many, but waving them around was so much fun. Another tradition was to carve a record of my height on a peach tree."
So that's how those nine marks came about.
"Isn't it simple? But I haven't celebrated my birthday like this for more than ten years. My dream birthday is for my family to have a happy meal together."
Chen Zhiyi didn't say anything, but he tightened his grip on Lin Ting's hand.
For her, this simplicity had become futile.
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