Family with a college entrance examination candidate
The affluent life Lin Qingyue provided, like the most precious nourishment, nurtured Shen Yu to an ever-growing stature and brilliance. Like a rare plant finally transplanted into a greenhouse, he unfurled his curled branches and leaves, revealing his breathtaking beauty previously hidden by dust. His height grew, his shoulders gradually broadened, outlining the refined and resilient silhouette of a young man. Yet, that sense of fragility remained, blending with his gradually settled, quiet temperament to create a more complex, more intriguing allure.
He still abided by his duties, keeping Lin Qingyue's life in order, silently integrating into her daily life and becoming a part of her habits.
Shen Yu knew that his current comfort was like walking on thin ice. He had to constantly prove his "usefulness" to avoid being driven away. He carefully observed all her preferences and habits, turning serving her into an almost instinctive reaction. Every time she frowned slightly, he would quickly search for possible reasons in his mind and prepare in advance. He was afraid of returning to the bullied and hopeless life of the past. This fear was like a whip, driving him to the extreme.
Lin Qingyue found that some of her small habits were quietly being reshaped. She began to get used to the fact that when she rubbed her sore brows, a pair of hands with just the right amount of strength and a scent of cool essential oil would silently take over her movements; on the mornings after a hangover from social events, there was always a bowl of stomach-warming porridge at the perfect temperature placed by her bed. She even tacitly allowed Shen Yu to do homework or read beside her while she was working or reading. He made no sound, just existed, like a docile large canine, exuding a soothing aura. Even when she was away on business for a few days, she would actually feel a slight sense of discomfort.
She still rationally defined him as a "vase", but he was the most beautiful and practical one, and she could not find any reason to discard him for the time being.
And just like that, a year passed.
During an ordinary dinner, Lin Qingyue noticed that Shen Yu was a little absent-minded. His movements in serving dishes were still precise, but his eyes were erratic several times, and his lips opened and closed slightly, as if he was hiding something that was difficult to say.
"What's up?" Lin Qingyue put down her silver knife and fork, and the cutlery made a crisp sound when it touched the edge of the bone china plate. Her eyes fell on his face, with her usual scrutiny.
Shen Yu seemed to be startled by the sound, his heart skipped a beat, and the prepared words got stuck in his throat. Would it be too much to ask for this? He wanted to study, and he knew that taking the college entrance examination was his only chance to change his fate, but he also understood that this was beyond the duty of a "vase". He was afraid to see sarcasm or impatience in her eyes, afraid that this rare peace would be broken. He lowered his eyelashes, staring at the delicate lines on the tablecloth, his voice so low that it was almost inaudible: "Mr. Lin, I am preparing to take the college entrance examination in June this year... I want to go to a cram school..."
Lin Qingyue did not answer immediately. The only sound in the restaurant was the subtle movement of the grandfather clock's hands. Shen Yu's heart sank a little bit with the regular "tick-tock" sound. He could almost hear the sound of his blood flowing. The tingling sensation in his palm became clearer and clearer. He was waiting for her verdict and even began to regret his recklessness.
"Have you thought it through?" After a long time, she finally spoke. Her tone was flat and it was impossible to tell whether she was happy or angry. This made people even more uneasy.
"I just... thought I should give it a try. The teacher said that with my grades... if I try hard, I might have a chance." He didn't dare to look up, his voice trembling with desperation, but he tried hard to express a hint of value, as if to prove that this investment was not without return.
Lin Qingyue's gaze lingered on him for a moment. Over the past year, this young man had indeed provided her with much more value than she had anticipated, including intelligence and insight far exceeding her expectations. To her, supporting him through college was nothing more than a little gold dust slipping through her fingers, not even worth a single bottle of wine in her wine cabinet. But would this investment add more substance to her "collection," making it more presentable? An absurd thought, akin to "cultivation," flashed through her mind.
"If you're going to take the exam, prepare seriously," she finally said, her tone still calm, as if she were deciding what to have for breakfast tomorrow. "Give me a clear list of what review materials you need and where you're having difficulties. I'll arrange for my assistant to find you a high-quality one-on-one tutor. Money is not a problem."
The situation took a turn. Shen Yu suddenly raised her head, her eyes suddenly lit up with incredible surprise, so bright that Lin Qingyue was momentarily distracted. The pure, almost overflowing joy in her eyes was something she rarely saw in this world full of calculations and interest exchanges.
"Thank you, Ms. Lin! I'll definitely do my best! And I won't neglect any housework!" He spoke even faster, his face flushed with excitement. He was almost incoherent with emotion, and could only express his gratitude and determination in the most straightforward terms. He vowed to himself to get good grades and never let her down. He had to make himself more valuable, more worthy... to be by her side.
Lin Qingyue looked at his rare lively expression, and a strange and subtle loosening seemed to occur in a hard corner of her heart. She calmly looked away, picked up her knife and fork again, and used the movement of cutting food to cover up the slight discomfort.
"Yeah." She only uttered a single syllable in response.
Soon, Wang Jing efficiently hired two top-tier tutors from top universities to teach comprehensive liberal arts and math and science. Shen Yu's academic career entered an unprecedented period of intense intensity. He squeezed out nearly all of his spare time, often working late into the night. Lin Qingyue would sometimes return home in the early hours of the morning and, passing by his closed door, would catch a glimpse of a warm light streaming through the crack.
She never urged him to rest, but one day later, the midnight snack placed at his door changed from simple milk to a more elaborate nourishing stew. This subtle change made Shen Yu's nose slightly sour when she held the warm stew pot.
A bond, more complex than that between master and pet, quietly grew like a vine during their silent, day-to-day interactions, slowly and stubbornly entangling the two. Shen Yu's feelings for Lin Qingyue, amidst awe and gratitude, were quietly mingled with a vague admiration that he himself hadn't yet grasped. He wanted to become better, better enough to be worthy of standing at the edge of her light, better enough so that she would never have a reason to abandon him.
…
The college entrance examination began with the chirping of cicadas in the summer and ended quietly.
On the day the results were released, Lin Qingyue left work early. When she got home, Shen Yu was standing in front of the huge French window in the living room, looking at the lights outside.
Hearing her enter and approach, he slowly turned around, his hands tightly gripping the phone, his fingers white with clenched fists. He said nothing, but solemnly handed the phone screen to her.
The screen displayed his name, ID number, and total college entrance exam score. It was over twenty points higher than the first-tier score. Considering he hadn't had much time to fully prepare for the exam, this was truly remarkable.
Lin Qingyue raised her eyes and looked at Shen Yu. He was looking at her with a pair of clear eyes, unblinking, full of nervousness and expectation - her approval seemed to be more important than the admission letter.
A strange feeling, akin to relief, gently crossed Lin Qingyue's heart. It was as if she had carefully invested in a seemingly insignificant stock and unexpectedly received a very good return.
"I did well on the test," she said, her tone still calm, but those who knew her well might have noticed a slight loss of her usual coldness. She even felt the corners of her mouth trying to curl upwards, but she quickly suppressed it. "What major do you want to study?" she asked, a rare question.
"Finance... or management, okay?" Shen Yu's voice was a little cautious and tentative. He wanted to get closer to her world, even if it was just a small step.
Lin Qingyue thought for a moment and recommended a prestigious local university. It wasn't one of the most prestigious schools, but it had a solid academic ethos and excellent graduate employment rates. She had a friend who had studied abroad and was currently teaching financial management at the university.
"I'll let my assistant take care of the tuition and living expenses. The school is not far from here, and this apartment is still reserved for you. Remember to come back when you don't have classes or on weekends." Her tone was flat, as if she was giving a job, but the meaning of her words was very clear: she would continue to provide him with a place to stay and was willing to bear all his expenses for the next few years.
Tears welled up in Shen Yu's eyes instantly. He lowered his head suddenly, not wanting her to see him losing control, but his shoulders couldn't help but tremble slightly. His voice choked: "Thank you... Mr. Lin... Really, thank you so much... I..." He was incoherent and could no longer speak.
After his parents passed away, his relatives considered him a burden, and no one wanted to take him in. He could only manage his studies while working odd jobs to support himself. Many places were afraid to hire him because of his young age, and finally, with nowhere else to go, he ended up working at places like "Yese." Constantly forced to take leave meant he fell behind in his classes, and without the money for tutoring, his grades were mediocre. He had never dared to dream of attending university, but now, this woman before him had given him everything.
Lin Qingyue looked at his slightly trembling, still frail shoulders, hesitated for a moment, then reached out a little stiffly and patted his shoulder. The movement was a little stiff, completely unlike her usual crisp and decisive style.
"Okay, it's no big deal." Her voice was still not gentle, and even had a bit of habitual impatience, but the tacit, clumsy comfort seemed to have finally opened the floodgates. Shen Yu raised his head, and tears finally fell, crossing his fair cheeks.
Through his tear-blurred eyes, her cold face seemed to be shrouded in a shimmer of light. He was overwhelmed with emotion: no one had ever been so kind to him, giving him a roof over his head, food and clothing, and now, a bright future. He adored her, felt grateful to her, and felt she could do anything. Even at that moment, he felt he would give her anything she asked of him—including himself.
When his emotions completely calmed down, Shen Yu finally realized that he had been so nervous and excited waiting for the scores today that he had forgotten to prepare dinner. Panic and self-blame immediately appeared on his face: "I'm sorry, Mr. Lin! I, I forgot to cook! I'll do it right away, it will be ready soon!" He rushed to the kitchen.
"No need to do that." Lin Qingyue stopped him, "Let's go out and eat."
"No need, Mr. Lin, I'll be quick, really!" Shen Yu insisted, with a pleading look in his eyes. He seemed eager to do something and express his gratitude in the only way he was good at.
Lin Qingyue looked at him like this and nodded without insisting, "Okay. Then make three servings."
Shen Yu was stunned for a moment, and saw Lin Qingyue had taken out her mobile phone and dialed the number.
"Jingjing," she said to the other end of the phone, her tone was the usual calm at work, but after listening carefully, there seemed to be a difference, "Shen Yu's college entrance examination results are out, not bad... well, more than 20 points above the passing score. Buy a cake and come over, let's have dinner together, it's a celebration."
Wang Jing on the other end of the phone seemed to say something with a smile, but Lin Qingyue just said "hmm" lightly and hung up.
Shen Yu finally reacted, and his heart warmed again. He quickly put on his apron and went into the kitchen, his movements more neat and attentive than ever before. He wished he could put all his gratitude and joy into this meal.
After a while, Wang Jing came in, carrying a beautiful cake box in one hand and a bunch of fresh sunflowers in the other. As soon as she entered the door, she smiled and said, "Congratulations, Shen Yu! That's great!"
Shen Yu came out of the kitchen, took her gift, and smiled a little embarrassedly: "Thank you, Sister Wang, thank you for your help all the time."
Lin Qingyue motioned Wang Jing to sit down. Soon, Shen Yu brought the meal to the table, which was more sumptuous than usual.
Under the warm yellow light, the three of them sat together. Wang Jing spouted off one cheesy joke after another, sharing a smattering of newly-heard gossip about wealthy families, feuds, and celebrities. Lin Qingyue, while still quiet, appeared relaxed, occasionally offering a few words.
Shen Yu ate quietly, and laughed from time to time because of Wang Jing's words. His eyes occasionally fell quietly on Lin Qingyue. He felt that the moment in front of him was as beautiful as a dream that he didn't want to wake up from.
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