Chapter 9
On her way back to the gate of Xiangyi Zijun, Lin Ting decided that she would quit her tutoring job tonight, without waiting for seven days.
That evening, before Lin Ting could call, Chen Lan called first, but it seemed to be different from what he expected.
"Teacher Lin, thank you for your hard work these past two days. Uncle Chen said you and Zhiyi are getting along well. Thank you for your help!"
Lin Ting was taken aback. How could they have gotten along well? In the four days combined, the two of them had barely exchanged a single word.
"Aunt Chen, how do you know that Chen Zhiyi and I get along well?"
“I contacted Uncle Chen today. He asked Zhiyi what she thought of the atmosphere in class and whether they got along well. Zhiyi only said that the atmosphere was quite quiet.”
Isn't it quiet? It's disturbing everyone's sleepiness.
Lin Ting felt a little embarrassed. Luckily, it was a phone conversation; if they had been face-to-face, she wouldn't have been able to lift her head.
"Zhiyi is a quiet person. The first time I saw you, I felt that you were a calm, gentle and strong girl, so I was sure that you and Zhiyi would get along well. Sure enough, your chemistry is very good, and you will get along better and better in the future. Auntie is really happy."
"Auntie, thank you for your recognition, but I may not be able to handle it."
"Teacher Lin, what's wrong? Do you feel the salary is too low? We can discuss this in more detail."
"No, Auntie, it's my own problem. My neighborhood is a bit far from my school, and it's not very convenient for me to go back and forth every day."
Nonsense, it's quite convenient, you can get there by just one bus ride. I'm just trying to come up with a reason.
"It's a small matter. Starting tomorrow, I'll have a driver pick you up and drop you off. It was my oversight to make a girl run around outside in this hot weather."
Lin Ting didn't like Chen Zhiyi, but she admired Chen's mother. She was dignified and spoke and acted very gently. It was also clear that she loved her child very much. However, some of her actions did not achieve a balance in the mother-son relationship, but her starting point was definitely love for him. She didn't have the ruthlessness of a powerful businesswoman who could dominate the business world.
"Auntie, that's not what I meant."
"Teacher Lin, actually, we had already looked for several tutors before you came, but they all left after a day. Zhiyi was also very resistant to them. But you are different. You were able to stick with it for three or four days, and it really was your first time. Zhiyi didn't feel disgusted and even thought you got along well, so I think he trusts and approves of you. Actually, we don't care how much his grades improve. We just want to find someone who can guide him and become his friend. Children these days don't have strong psychological resilience. He's too distant from us and doesn't take the initiative to tell us his feelings. He's been suppressing his feelings for too long, and we're really worried that he might have psychological problems."
That's true. In recent years, there have been frequent news reports of students taking extreme actions due to unbearable academic pressure or family conflicts. Various psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, social phobia, ADHD, and autism have emerged one after another. If timely intervention is not provided, it can indeed lead to tragedy.
"So, Ms. Lin, please continue to be Chen Zhiyi's tutor. Thank you."
Lin Ting ultimately couldn't refuse her mother's earnest request and agreed again. However, she also refused the request to have a driver pick her up. Firstly, the sudden appearance of a luxury car at the school gate to pick her up would definitely lead to unpleasant rumors. Secondly, she had another part-time job and didn't want the Chen family to find out.
After ending the call, Lin Ting felt that since she had agreed to Chen's mother's request again, she really had to take on the responsibility of a teacher and not let a mother down. She decided not to sit idly by and wait for her fate, but to take the initiative.
So I turned on my computer and searched for "How to get along with a younger man?" hoping to find some methods online.
Lin Ting grew up in a single-parent family, relying on her mother for support. The only male in her family was her uncle, but they didn't live together. Therefore, her experience with boys was limited to her interactions with male classmates at school. Due to her personality, she was also a loner at school and rarely spoke to male classmates unless instructed by a teacher. In short, she lacked experience.
First, cultivate shared interests and hobbies. It's unrealistic; he doesn't understand highbrow arts like piano, violin, and acting, and her interests in sewing and needlework like making clothes are even less likely to be his. On this point alone, the two of them are completely incompatible.
Secondly, mutual understanding is crucial. This depends on whether the two people's values align. Many beliefs are formed along with their upbringing and life experiences, so is it possible to reach a consensus? It's difficult.
Third, find a pattern in how the two of you get along. If you could find that, you wouldn't need to search for answers online.
Fourth, win him over and make him your devoted follower. What nonsense! Lin Ting got goosebumps all over when she saw this. If that day ever comes, either the earth will have reversed, society will have undergone a revolution, or they will both be possessed by evil spirits.
...
Lin Ting searched online for a long time, opening page after page, and found all sorts of answers, but none of them were of any use.
She gave up, closed the webpage, and decided to deal with things as they came. She secretly decided to give the two of them another week to adjust to each other. If they really couldn't get along, no amount of persuasion would help, and they would part ways.
On the fifth day, when Lin heard this, Chen Zhiyi finally got off the tatami mat and sat properly at his desk. He had even changed his clothes; instead of his loose loungewear, he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and casual pants. His hair was also neatly combed and no longer sticking out in a mess. He finally had the energetic look that a high school student should have.
For a moment, Lin Ting wondered if the effects of the sleeping pills hadn't worn off and that she was seeing things. She blinked a few more times to make sure it was real, and then smiled incredulously.
Chen Zhiyi didn't even look up, his tone languid, "Teacher Lin, if you want to laugh, just laugh out loud. What's the point of laughing secretly?"
"Oh, maybe I took the wrong medicine today."
"Hmm, that's a veiled remark," Chen Zhiyi sneered, resting his hand on the back of the chair. He looked up at Lin Ting and said casually, "Teacher Lin, you're quite good at making fun of people."
Lin Ting raised an eyebrow, smiled but didn't say anything. He looked at the desk and then saw the book he had just been reading - "The Guide to Art Exams".
"Want to take the art exam?"
"What? Teacher Lin also wants to be a mouthpiece for my parents?" Upon hearing this, Chen Zhiyi immediately dropped his lazy demeanor and became cautious.
Lin Ting curled her lips, looking disgusted. "You really think too highly of me. I don't have that much free time."
Chen Zhiyi clearly didn't believe her. He pulled his arm back from the back of the chair, sat up straight, and continued flipping through the book on the table, leaving Lin Ting with a cold profile.
Lin Ting wasn't annoyed. She pulled out the other side of the desk, sat down in her usual chair, and prepared to have a good talk with him. The topic had come up, and this was an opportunity. "College students aren't as free as you think. How can they have time to call every day? Besides, my job at your house is to tutor you. I know my limits. Apart from my own job, I don't listen to, hear, or see anything else. To put it bluntly, these are all your family matters. What right do I have to interfere? You don't need to be so wary of me."
Chen Zhiyi glanced at Lin Ting out of the corner of his eye. He spoke calmly, making it impossible to tell whether he was telling the truth or not. He then continued flipping through his book, pretending not to have heard and not to care.
"It's normal for children's ideals to conflict with their parents' expectations, but where does this journey of life ultimately lead? The one at the helm is oneself, not one's parents or anyone else."
"You..." Chen Zhiyi hadn't expected her to say that.
"When I first came to your house, Uncle Chen told me a lot about you. To be honest, I think you're a person with backbone, knowing what you like and being able to stick to your own beliefs. Listen to your parents' words if they make sense, and just let them go if they don't. There are many forms of resistance. The best results are mutual compromise and everyone is happy. The worst results are like what you're doing, where you don't even know if you're going to kill the enemy, but you've already hurt yourself a lot. Think about it, this year you've been staying at home, your studies have been put on hold, and it hasn't even gotten your parents to compromise. Why bother? It's because your parents have good conditions; they can afford to support you even if you stay home forever. Isn't that why you dare to indulge yourself?"
Chen Zhiyi slammed the book shut, his face a mixture of confusion and anger. "What do you mean by that? Are you calling me a parasite in the family?"
"I wouldn't dare. Isn't what I'm saying true?"
Chen Zhiyi stood up abruptly, his face flushed with anger. He felt as if the veil covering his body had been ripped off in an instant, leaving him no time to prepare.
Lin Ting could tell he was provoked. This was exactly the result she wanted—to make him face reality. Rebellion and perseverance require unwavering courage, not just superficial actions or a self-righteous insistence on one's own beliefs that only wastes precious time. "If I were you," she said, "I wouldn't gamble my studies to force my parents to back down, especially at such a crucial time. Instead, I would study even harder, using all my resources to achieve my dreams. Even without any help from my parents, I could still do it, showing them my determination. Remember, dreams are earned through hard work, not through struggle."
"Your silent rebellion is just hoping to gain your parents' understanding and approval, so that they can help you on your journey to pursue your dreams. But if your parents keep disagreeing, are you just going to keep dragging this on? How long are you going to wait? Or what if you're determined to take this path, but you're all alone on it? You'll have to solve any problems you encounter, including financial, networking, and resource issues, all by yourself. Can you handle that? Haven't you thought about these realities of being out of school for so long? If you haven't, I suggest you listen to your parents' arrangements. It might not be what you want, but it's definitely the right one for you."
"Shut up! You're just a lousy tutor, what right do you have to talk nonsense here? You yourself said this is my family matter."
Lin Ting stood up and looked at him. She could clearly see that Chen Zhiyi's eyes were red and the veins on his forehead were showing. This noble young master, who had never known the hardships of the world, was forced to take a bloody lesson in reality.
Bloody? Not so bad. There are plenty of people worse off than him, including myself. It just stepped on his pride and made him realize that what he was doing was absurd and meaningless.
Lin Ting could have gently reminded him, but she felt it was unnecessary. They were both adults and should be able to handle this much.
Lin Ting put away the books on his desk, and Chen Zhiyi shouted, "Don't touch my things, you have no right to touch them."
Lin Ting smiled. Sure enough, she was still a child in the ivory tower, speaking in such a childish way. She simply closed the book, moved it to a different position, and replaced it with the college entrance examination past papers she had brought from her bag.
"I think this is probably the last time I'll come to your house. Whether you listen to what I just said or not, I shouldn't have said so much to you. When your mother came to me, her main purpose was to help you resolve your inner conflict and return to school. She never asked me to report on your recent situation, let alone ask me to persuade you to give up your artistic dreams. It was all your own imagination. I'm four years older than you and have more life experience. Having dreams is a good thing, but being able to persevere is even more commendable. Realizing dreams requires determination and action. With determination, no one can stop you, but without action, you will achieve nothing."
"Alright, I've said everything I needed to say. I don't think I need to wait for your mom to fire me; I'll resign tonight."
After saying that, Lin Ting turned to leave. As she put her hand on the doorknob, she turned to look at Chen Zhiyi and said with a smile, "I really look forward to seeing your performance on screen someday."
Chen Zhiyi stood there, stunned, unable to describe his feelings. It was like being slapped and then given a sweet treat. Her words made him feel ashamed, but in the end, she offered him a blessing for his dream. This was the first time his dream had received support and understanding.
He watched Lin Ting's departing figure. Her walking posture was the same as when she was sitting, straight and upright, head held high and chest out, with excellent posture, as if her waist would never break under any circumstances.
She's such a strange girl!
You might say she's boring, but her words are like soft knives stabbing into your lungs. You might say she's aloof, but she's gentler to stray cats than to people, and when she sits next to you, she's so quiet you can barely breathe. Yet, you just can't ignore her presence.
These past few days, Chen Zhiyi would steal glances at her from time to time. The moment he saw her, he sensed that beneath her heavy black eyelids, seemingly calm eyes were churning with turbulent emotions, suggesting she was a person with a story.
I was drawn to her and wanted to explore her story, but I restrained myself from getting closer.
Unexpectedly, this time it's completely hopeless.
Chen Zhiyi felt a pang of regret. She was right about everything she'd just said; nearly a year of struggle had not only been ineffective, but had also trapped her in an endless predicament.
Escaping reality, feeling lost, hostile towards everyone, and somewhat giving up on oneself.
Being suddenly exposed was extremely embarrassing, so he spoke without thinking, but he didn't intend to drive her away.
He wanted to keep her; she was the only one who understood him and dared to speak the truth to his face, which was rare, but her proud head wouldn't lower.
Chen Zhiyi sat back down at his desk and put together the past exam papers he had received over the past few days. The papers were covered with annotations, some handwritten and some typed. The key points were highlighted with colored pens, and the solutions were detailed and logically clear. It was a carefully prepared set of review materials, leaving no room for ambiguity. Even school teachers might not be this dedicated.
Lin Ting walked downstairs and bumped into Uncle Chen, who was carrying a fruit platter.
When Uncle Chen saw Lin stop listening, he realized something was wrong; it hadn't even been an hour yet.
Before Uncle Chen could ask, Lin Ting spoke first, "Thank you for taking care of me these past few days, Uncle Chen. I won't be coming from today onwards. I will explain it to Aunt Chen."
After saying that, he left quickly, without giving Uncle Chen a chance to ask why.
Uncle Chen sighed, thinking this time would be different, but the result was the same.
Uncle Chen understood Chen Zhiyi's thoughts. Ultimately, it was because he was too estranged from his mother and felt that these tutors were his mother's spies who were paid to monitor him. How could he possibly trust them?
He went upstairs anyway. The study door was open, and he saw Chen Zhiyi sitting at his desk, staring blankly at a pile of review materials. He slowly ran his hands over each document, as if he cherished them.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com