Chapter 49 Early Romantic Remedial Teaching
After that night, the atmosphere between Ye Yuying and Cheng Mingdu became somewhat subtle.
Ye Yuying possessed those brand-new spiked shoes as if she possessed a burning secret.
She was like a cat walking on a tightrope, taking each step cautiously, trying to act normal in front of him, yet unable to resist secretly observing him out of the corner of her eye, hoping to bump into him.
Her feelings for Cheng Mingdu were always fickle; one moment she would avoid him, and the next she would get closer to him.
After giving that extraordinary gift, Cheng Mingdu quickly reverted to his usual mysterious and aloof demeanor.
He doesn't spend much time at home; it seems he's been assigned some task and is going out more frequently.
Just before heading to the gymnasium for training over the weekend, Ye Yuying ran into Cheng Mingdu in the courtyard.
Perhaps it was because the bright white light made it easier to dissect a gaze, Ye Yuying could sense that the look he cast at her seemed to carry more emotion than before. It wasn't tenderness, but a scrutinizing and probing gaze, which was not the kind she had expected.
Her first thought was whether her feelings had been discovered, but she quickly dismissed the idea.
However, this occasional glance made her feel uneasy, and she began to subconsciously avoid eye contact with the two of them, so as to prevent Cheng Mingdu from reading anything more from her eyes.
This realization filled her with constant anxiety, fearing that one day the terrifying scenes from her dreams would unfold in reality—Cheng Mingdu discovered her thoughts and looked at her with a cold and disgusted gaze that she could not bear.
She knew that it would be difficult to hide her feelings from Cheng Mingdu.
This man was too perceptive, too insightful. Her clumsy attempts to conceal her true feelings were completely transparent in front of his all-seeing eyes.
Rather than passively waiting for judgment, it is better to take the initiative and find a seemingly reasonable "home" for this restless and shameful emotion.
She found Lin Zhiyan again.
On Friday afternoon, as soon as the bell rang for the last class, Ye Yuying slung her backpack over her shoulder and was almost the first to rush out of the classroom.
She didn't go home or to the track and field, but went straight to the municipal library near the school.
She knew that Lin Zhiyan, a top student in the reserve force of Rongcheng No. 1 High School, and several of his friends would discuss the competition here every Friday afternoon.
She stood at the library entrance, took a deep breath, and walked in with an almost tragic determination.
Lin Zhiyan and his friends were in a discussion room by the window. In the interplay of light and shadow, through the soundproof glass, one could vaguely see Lin Zhiyan writing his thoughts on the whiteboard, his handwriting elegant and meticulous.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the huge glass window, casting a soft halo on his handsome profile.
When Ye Yuying saw this scene, she thought it should have been the most romantic moment for Lin Zhiyan as the campus heartthrob, and she should have planted love in her heart because of this scene, but she touched her heart.
It remained calm...
Ye Yuying waited until they left before heading towards the discussion room door. Amidst the meaningful teasing from the crowd, she walked straight into the discussion room.
When he reached Lin Zhiyan's desk, he looked up from his work and saw that it was her, a clear look of surprise flashing in his eyes.
"What's up?" He put down his pen, his tone calm, but his eyes held a hint of inquiry, a touch of teasing from an old friend, and a smile played at the corners of his mouth.
"I..." Ye Yuying found it difficult to speak for a moment. She looked at Lin Zhiyan's profile, but the image of Cheng Mingdu wearing gold-rimmed glasses involuntarily appeared in her mind.
She pinched her palm hard, forcing herself to come back to her senses.
"I came here... to apologize to you." She lowered her head, her voice muffled. "I'm sorry, as a friend, I shouldn't have given you a love letter."
Seeing her cautious yet feigned composure, Lin Zhiyan immediately said, "Stop! Those shouldn't be called love letters. Didn't you want to erase me from your heart? How can these be called love letters? Aren't you afraid of scaring people to death?"
He smiled faintly: "Fortunately, I have a good mental fortitude, but..."
He paused suddenly, and after a long while, he looked up and stared directly at her: "I won't take it seriously."
“And…” Ye Yuying mustered her courage, raised her head, and looked directly into his eyes, “I think what you said last time made sense.”
Lin Zhiyan raised an eyebrow slightly, signaling her to continue.
“You’re right. I should focus on my studies now.” Ye Yuying’s gaze was earnest, carrying a vulnerability she herself was unaware of. “My English is very poor, and I’m seriously unbalanced in my studies. I’m afraid… I’m afraid I will really fail miserably.”
She cleverly transferred her longing for and inferiority complex about Cheng Mingdu's world to her pursuit of Lin Zhiyan and academic achievements.
Lin Zhiyan looked at her quietly, as if trying to discern the truth in her words. He remembered her red, tearful eyes, and her words, "So I'm not good enough for you, is that it?"
So that's where the problem really lies. This person, who shines like the sun on the track, harbors such deep anxiety about his studies.
"So..." Ye Yuying's voice lowered, carrying a hint of probing and pleading, "If... if what you said before still stands, could I ask you for help with English?"
She finally revealed the true purpose of her trip.
Lin Zhiyan is definitely not a substitute, but he is excellent in every way and belongs to the same world as Cheng Mingdu.
Ye Yuying tried hard to suppress the awkwardness in her heart, but she was only trying to save herself by looking at others.
She would rather join Lin Zhiyan's army of suitors and be treated like an invisible person that Lin Zhiyan could reject at any time than be controlled by the monster-like emotions in her heart.
If she could develop feelings for Lin Zhiyan, she would be completely free and could then be a proper younger sister.
Lin Zhiyan fell silent.
He looked at the girl in front of him. She had her head down, revealing a section of her fair and delicate neck, and her whole body exuded an aura of stubbornness and helplessness.
He couldn't refuse.
"Okay," he heard his own voice say.
Ye Yuying suddenly looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
Lin Zhiyan looked at her eyes, which lit up instantly, and regained his carefree and easygoing demeanor: "However, I'm very busy. I can only spare two hours on Sunday afternoons each week. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes! Absolutely!" Ye Yuying nodded repeatedly.
"Then it's settled."
*
From then on, the corner by the window in the municipal library became Ye Yuying's go-to destination every Sunday afternoon without fail. Her tutoring sessions with Lin Zhiyan thus began.
Their way of getting along is quite peculiar.
Lin Zhiyan, as expected of a top student from a prestigious university, explained English grammar and problem-solving strategies with clear logic and organization, always able to pinpoint the crux of the problem in the most concise way.
Ye Yuying makes no secret of her past lack of education. Although Lin Zhiyan often criticizes her for being a slacker, he still patiently explains things to her from the beginning.
She channeled some of her explosive power from track and field into learning English.
She was like a dry sponge, absorbing knowledge voraciously. Her powerful memory and logical analysis skills allowed her to make rapid progress after mastering the right methods.
At the same time, she tried to avoid running into Cheng Mingdu alone after returning to the Cheng family home, reducing any atmosphere that would make her overthink. She stayed in her room every day, listening to "Forrest Gump" over and over again, forcing herself to break free from forbidden feelings.
Over time, she finally felt less tormented.
In their own view, this is undoubtedly a harmonious picture of high-achieving students helping those who are struggling and making progress together.
But the setting sun shone through the glass window, bathing their figures in a golden hue. In the quiet air, only the scratching of pens on paper and the soft murmur of the boy and girl discussing their problems could be heard.
The scene was so beautiful, it was almost like a scene from a campus idol drama.
The fact that the two were very close began to quietly spread among their classmates.
Finally, an anonymous letter of complaint was quietly slipped under the door of the homeroom teacher's office. The letter accused Ye Yuying of having "impure intentions, using tutoring as a pretext to engage in early romantic relationships, which seriously affected Lin Zhiyan's studies."
Meanwhile, Cheng Mingdu, who had returned to China but was invited to the homeroom teacher's office three times as a "parent" for a "chat," hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath before receiving a call from the school.
This is the fourth time he has been invited to the school in the short span of half a month since he returned to China.
This time, the homeroom teacher's serious yet somewhat helpless tone on the phone was because of a problem he least wanted to hear, yet seemed to have already anticipated—early romantic relationships.
“Mr. Cheng, I know you're busy, but I feel it's necessary to discuss this with you in person. Ye Yuying has recently been getting too close to another classmate… which has already caused a negative impact. That other person is one of our key students, and I'm worried…”
When Cheng Mingdu hung up the phone, his face had already darkened.
He recalled witnessing the scene at the school gate from inside the car that day, and didn't seem too surprised by the news.
That evening, Cheng Mingdu called her into his study.
This was the first time he had so formally allowed her into his own territory, a place filled with scholarly atmosphere and seriousness.
“Your homeroom teacher and I have discussed this. Your training will be more systematic from now on, and you’ll have more time for academic subjects.” Cheng Mingdu sat behind his desk, his fingers interlaced, looking at her calmly. “I hope you can distinguish between what’s important and what’s not.”
Ye Yuying listened quietly.
"Your athletic talent will give you a lot of potential, but what will ultimately allow you to establish yourself is your overall strength." He paused, then changed the subject, getting to the heart of the matter, "I heard... you're getting quite close to a boy from outside the school?"
Ye Yuying suddenly looked up and met his unfathomable eyes. He was referring to Lin Zhiyan.
"This is a crucial time for you. Whether it's getting into a good school or training, you shouldn't be distracted by unimportant people and things." His voice was devoid of any emotion or pressure.
But the buzzing sound still echoed in her head.
This time, she felt somewhat aggrieved, afraid to see a deep, unfathomable disappointment in those eyes that she had never seen before.
She should explain: "I asked him to tutor me in English..."
Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of guilt that even she could sense, though that was indeed her purpose.
Cheng Mingdu listened to her words without any expression on his face. He just looked at her calmly, his gaze like a sophisticated X-ray machine, as if he could see through all her subtle and unknown thoughts.
“Ye Yuying,” he called her by her full name, “do you need to find another school for English tutoring…?”
Ye Yuying's heart sank. She looked up and met his eyes, which held no anger or disappointment. She felt relieved.
“I can hire the best English tutor in Chengdu for you, one-on-one, and the schedule can perfectly match your training. If you really just want to improve your English…” He paused, each word striking Ye Yuying’s most vulnerable nerve, “Isn’t this the best option?”
His logic was clear and well-organized; with just one sentence, he shut down all her arguments.
Ye Yuying was speechless. She couldn't answer.
Does she have to admit that she approached Lin Zhiyan simply because he was so outstanding, like another Cheng Mingdu, and that she wanted to use him as a "substitute" and "shield" for her forbidden feelings?
She couldn't utter a single word about these complex, dark, and awkward real reasons.
In Cheng Mingdu's eyes, her silence undoubtedly confirmed all the accusations.
Ye Yuying didn't know how she got out of that study; she felt like she had probably lost a few strands of her soul.
But thankfully, her clumsy, self-righteous attempt to save herself worked.
He misunderstood her even more deeply. And she didn't even have a chance to defend herself.
But she wasn't so scared anymore.
A few days later, the pain caused by this misunderstanding was brought to a peak by another piece of news.
As the Cheng family's butler was on a confirmation call about a charity gala, Ye Yuying happened to pass by and clearly heard the butler's respectful reply: "Yes, we will be there on time. Young Master Mingdu has also confirmed that he will personally pick up Miss Ling and attend as her dance partner."
Miss Ling.
This surname, like a key, instantly unlocked Pandora's box in Ye Yuying's heart, releasing all the demons within.
She was almost certain who this Miss Ling was.
He was going to pick her up for a formal dinner.
This is probably a real date.
She recalled Cheng Mingdu's earnest admonition to her a few days earlier about "puppy love" and felt utterly ironic.
He acted like a parent, righteously forbidding her from being "distracted," while he himself was about to openly appear in public with the fiancée chosen for him by his family.
Her ridiculous emotions, which should have been sealed away, were now being subtly released.
The charity gala was held on a Saturday night.
She locked herself in her room, listening to the music player over and over again. Forrest Gump's gentle voice flowed in her ears, but it did nothing to calm the turmoil in her heart.
She couldn't help but imagine the scene—a brightly lit banquet hall, elegantly dressed guests, Cheng Mingdu in a sharp suit, standing beside the graceful and beautiful Miss Ling.
Will they dance together? Will he gaze tenderly at his heroine like the male protagonist in all stories?
Every imagined scene felt like a slow, agonizing torture of her heart.
As night deepened, just as she was about to be consumed by this feeling of despair, she heard the sound of a car engine shutting off from across the courtyard.
He's back.
Ye Yuying's heart tightened suddenly. Driven by an uncontrollable thought, she quietly opened the door and, like a ghost, hid in the shadows of the second-floor corridor, peering through the carved railings at the brightly lit hall below.
She wanted to see it, just one look. She wanted to witness her own heartbreak, to see what the legendary Miss Ling really looked like, and to see how gentle Cheng Mingdu was when he was by her side.
The door was pushed open, and Cheng Mingdu's tall figure walked in. Behind him, as expected, was a young woman dressed in an exquisite evening gown. The woman was slender and graceful, with a dignified air and long, elegant curly hair.
However, what happened next was completely beyond her expectations.
There was nothing intimate between Cheng Mingdu and Miss Ling that she had imagined. They maintained a polite and courteous social distance. Cheng Mingdu didn't even help her with her coat; he simply stepped aside to let her in first.
"Alright, you've worked hard tonight, mission accomplished." Miss Ling turned around and gave Cheng Mingdu a helpless yet slightly playful smile, her tone as familiar as that of an old friend. "I can finally report back to my parents. Once I return to Singapore next week, I can finally escape all this nagging. This is the first time I've looked forward to the start of school so much."
Cheng Mingdu stood at a distance, his expression relaxing somewhat, with a hint of weariness: "Likewise. I wish you success with your art exhibition in Singapore next week."
"Thank you for your kind words." Miss Ling smiled, her gaze inadvertently sweeping towards a certain direction on the second floor. "By the way, that sports prodigy who's been making headlines in Rongcheng lately is your stepsister, right? Our family's sports magazine even had a small feature on her. My cousin is on the provincial team and he's very impressed with her. He told her to keep up the good work; she has a bright future ahead of her."
"I'll tell her. It's late, be careful on the road." Cheng Mingdu nodded, his tone calm, without losing any sense of propriety or politeness.
"Alright, my driver's here. I'm off." Miss Ling waved her hand dismissively and turned to leave the Cheng family home.
From beginning to end, their interaction resembled... a polite exchange between business partners, a tacit debriefing after a family mission was completed. There was not a trace of ambiguity, nor a hint of affection.
An overwhelming, surging joy and relief swept over her in an instant, washing away all the gloom and bitterness of the past few days.
Downstairs, Cheng Mingdu saw Miss Ling off and turned to go upstairs. He seemed to sense something, and turned back to glance towards the courtyard.
"Brother." She stood a few steps in front of him and called his name softly.
The sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet courtyard, carrying a hint of lightness and excitement that she herself was unaware of, a feeling that came after the rain had stopped.
"My city league finals are next month!" She proudly raised her chin, like a child eager to report their academic achievements to their parents. "Teacher Yang said that as long as I perform normally, I have a great chance to represent Chengdu in next year's provincial middle school games!"
She finally shared this belated joy with the person she most wanted to share it with. She waited expectantly, anticipating his response.
Cheng Mingdu listened quietly, the courtyard lamp casting a soft glow on his handsome face. He looked at her eyes, sparkling with excitement, and remained silent for a moment.
"Next month?" he repeated, as if calculating something.
Ye Yuying nodded vigorously, full of anticipation.
"Then... I might not make it." Cheng Mingdu's tone was calm, but tinged with regret.
Ye Yuying's smile froze instantly.
Seeing the moment her eyes dimmed, he realized his words might have been a bit too direct, so he added, "I'm going back to school next week..."
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Author's Note: 50 red envelopes
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