Chapter 19 The Educated Youth Who Abandoned Their Wives and Children
No sooner had Huang Dong finished speaking than Ji Huaizhi entered the courtyard.
"You're here?" Ji Huaizhi said helplessly, "You're here, so what did you bring?"
Wang Youfa: "We brought these for our little nephew."
Ji Huaizhi brought out a small dining table, and Xiao Tian helped move the chairs.
Huang Dong laughed when he saw this: "Your son is really sensible, unlike the children of our relatives, who are such naughty kids."
Ji Huaizhi took out some peanuts and melon seeds: "I actually hope he's a bit mischievous; a child should act like a child."
"Huaizhi, we're here." Jiang Li and another English teacher also came in carrying some things.
Huang Dong glanced at Jiang Li with a puzzled look, at that form of address...
"Excuse me, Ji." It was Wang Ying who spoke, handing over two cans of food she had bought on the way.
Wang Ying is an English major and the teacher they found to tutor the children in English.
"Why are you being so polite? Come on, have a seat." Ji Huaizhi invited them to sit down, then glanced up at the kitchen: "My wife is busy in the kitchen by herself, I'll go in and take a look first."
"We're all acquaintances, so don't stand on ceremony, okay?"
Ji Huaizhi said to them with a smile.
Jiang Li looked rather unwell; she realized that Ji Huaizhi had ignored her.
Wang Youfa sighed, "You wouldn't have guessed that Ji Huaizhi dotes on his wife so much. And his wife is quite pretty, just a bit dark-skinned. She would definitely be prettier if she were fair-skinned."
Upon hearing Wang Youfa's words, Jiang Li lowered her head and said, "Isn't it dark when you're doing farm work in the village?"
"I wonder what you're doing in the city? Aren't you just a burden to Huaizhi?"
The other three looked at her with some confusion after hearing her words.
"What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?" Jiang Li asked, puzzled.
Wang Youfa, being simple-minded, said, "You're wrong. They're husband and wife, how can they be a burden?"
She peeled a peanut and popped it into her mouth: "Besides, it's definitely best for a husband and wife to be together. Who in the family wants to live apart?"
Wang Ying nodded in agreement.
Jiang Li's smile was awkward, and there was no joy in her eyes.
Huang Dong had been watching Jiang Li closely, and hearing her words just now confirmed his suspicions: "Jiang Li, this gift you gave is a bit too much."
Everyone's attention was drawn to what Jiang Li had brought: several packets of White Rabbit milk candy, several packets of pastries, and, if they weren't mistaken, a box containing fountain pens.
Wang Youfa couldn't hide his surprise and picked it up directly, without Jiang Li stopping him.
"Sister, is this Hero brand pen? It costs 15 yuan apiece," Wang Youfa exclaimed.
Wang Ying also leaned closer to look: "Is it that expensive? I also have a fountain pen that costs about two yuan, which seems about the same."
Jiang Li felt that they were ignorant and embarrassed. She thought about how her family's circumstances were different from theirs, and that it was just a 15-yuan fountain pen.
She originally wanted to give Huaizhi a Parker pen; if they saw it, they would be absolutely overjoyed.
“I noticed that Huaizhi’s fountain pen often leaks ink, so I thought I’d give him a gift that would be practical.” Jiang Li tucked her hair behind her ear: “So I just grabbed a fountain pen from home.”
Wang Youfa gave a thumbs up: "Take whatever you like!"
"Taking any of these would be almost equivalent to our wages for 20 days of tutoring."
Jiang Li felt her vanity was overflowing and she felt a little smug.
Wang Youfa touched the pen and continued, "Sister Li, my birthday is next month. Why don't you check if there's anything else in your house that I can take freely?"
Jiang Li coughed lightly: "I'll go back and take a look later."
"With Jiang's family being so well-off, she shouldn't need to work part-time for Huaizhi," Huang Dong said casually.
“I remember Huaizhi saying that if tutoring centers need teachers in the future, they should recruit students who are struggling financially at school.”
Ji Xiaotian came out of the inner room and sat outside to listen to what they were saying.
He needs to keep an eye on this wicked woman.
Wang Youfa nodded: "Yes, you should know that Huaizhi thought of all this and helped students from families with financial difficulties. The school now knows about it and approves of his actions."
"It's also a good opportunity for classmates to gain experience."
Wang Ying nodded, her eyes filled with admiration: "Ji is really amazing. To be honest, I can now study and earn money at the same time. My mother-in-law has been giving me a nicer look lately."
"My dad is the best!" Ji Xiaotian shouted upon hearing this.
It made the four of them laugh.
Jiang Li didn't look too good. Her family was indeed the best, but she just wanted to continue working as a tutor here.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have an excuse to see Ji Huaizhi.
Thinking of this, Jiang Li's gaze fell on the two people cooking in the kitchen, and she just happened to see Ji Huaizhi feeding Chen Chunya.
The two seem to have a very good relationship.
Jiang Li felt somewhat resentful, even a little jealous.
Huang Dong saw this scene clearly; Ji Huaizhi is truly outstanding.
Even though they're married with children, they don't lack female admirers.
However, he still had to remind his brother not to make mistakes. Although it's not like before when messing around with women would lead to criticism, it's still a stain on a college student's record.
"Dinner is ready."
"We're going to rip you off today," Wang Youfa said, rubbing his hands together.
Wang Ying helped Chen Chunya serve the dishes.
The two exchanged a few words and seemed to get along quite well.
"So many dishes, Teacher Ji really went to a lot of trouble," Huang Dong teased.
Ji Huaizhi laughed and punched him lightly.
"Before we start the meal, let me formally introduce you. This is my wife, Chen Chunya. I must say that I was able to get into Capital Normal University entirely thanks to my wife's support."
Chen Chunya smiled shyly; she hadn't expected Huaizhi to say that.
“When I was studying for my exams, she shouldered the heavy burden of the family. She also raised the children so well and sensibly. I felt that I, Ji Huaizhi, had such a wife. What more could I ask for?”
"Come on, let's do it!"
After taking a sip of his drink, Huang Dong laughed at him: "You're just blatantly showing off. Apart from you and Wang Ying, none of us here have a partner yet."
"Exactly, you're just showing off."
Ji Huaizhi served food to Chun Ya and the child, saying, "Then just consider it me showing off."
"These are Huang Dong and Wang Youfa. You've met Wang Youfa before; they're roommates and have a good relationship. This is Wang Ying, a classmate majoring in English, who also teaches English at the tutoring center."
Although Chen Chunya was shy, she knew that Huaizhi was introducing her to his friends.
At this point, I greeted and spoke to them in a natural and open manner.
She didn't want to embarrass Ji Huaizhi.
Jiang Li watched this scene without saying a word.
She felt that Ji Huaizhi was her ideal type, so perfect.
But he is someone else's husband and someone else's father.
Seeing how much he cherishes his wife, I feel sad that I didn't meet him sooner.
"Jiang Li, why are you so quiet?" Wang Youfa noticed that Jiang Li didn't seem very interested.
All eyes turned to them. Chen Chunya knew something was amiss, and asked gently:
"Is the food not to your liking?"
Jiang Li forced a smile: "No, it's just that you guys are having a good time chatting, so I didn't want to interrupt."
Wang Youfa: "You're being too polite. You're not usually like this."
Only Huang Dong, who had figured out the truth, smiled inexplicably at Ji Huaizhi.
Ji Huaizhi knew what he had seen through as soon as he met his gaze, and felt helpless, thinking that he needed to solve the problem.
In fact, he had always kept his distance from Jiang Li and was even more indifferent to her than to other classmates. When they were recruiting a female teacher and she applied for the job, he even considered refusing her.
However, the two were not familiar with each other at that time, and most importantly, she was the only girl applying for the job.
The reason he proposed hiring impoverished students from the school as tutors was to pave the way for persuading her to drop out later.
~
After dinner, everyone helped tidy up the house. As they were preparing to leave, Huang Dong looked at Jiang Li, who remained motionless:
"Jiang Li, aren't you leaving yet? There won't be any more shuttle buses soon."
"I'll wait a moment." Jiang Li wanted to speak a few words to Ji Huaizhi alone.
My main intention was to personally deliver this pen to him.
Ji Huaizhi then said, "I just happened to need to talk to Jiang Li about something."
Wang Youfa didn't think anything was wrong, but Wang Ying's gaze towards Jiang Li was a little strange, while Huang Dong looked at Ji Huaizhi with amusement.
Chen Chunya looked out from the inner room.
Upon seeing this, Ji Xiaotian said, "Mom, I want to go out and play."
"Go out later."
Chen Chunya said without looking up.
Ji Xiaotian was a little worried: "I want to go out and see what that woman is going to say to Dad."
Chen Chunya then turned around and asked, "Xiaotian, why do you seem to particularly dislike Aunt Jiang?"
Ji Xiaotian pouted and said, "This auntie is bad. She will take Dad away and then kick us out."
"And we'll encounter bad people."
Ji Xiaotian still can't forget that dream, but he can't quite express it clearly.
Chen Chunya smiled as she looked at her son's adorable face, and pinched his cheek: "Xiaotian, are you dreaming?"
"Dad won't do that. We need to trust Dad. Besides, this is an adult matter. Xiaotian, you still need to be a polite child, okay?"
Not wanting to disappoint his mother, Ji Xiaotian reluctantly agreed.
Outside the door—
Jiang Li took out a fountain pen: "Huaizhi, I noticed your fountain pen seemed to be leaking ink, and I happened to have an extra one at home, so I brought it to you."
Ji Huaizhi didn't look at the pen in her hand: "Jiang, let's call each other classmates. It's not appropriate for you to call me Huaizhi."
"Besides, this pen is too valuable; you should take it back."
Jiang Li's face stiffened.
She felt a burning sensation on her face; she had never been so humiliated before.
"I just feel that we're friends, there's no need to be so formal. Does Chun Ya have a problem with that? We're just classmates, she wouldn't be like this..."
Seeing that she was pretending to be stupid and then brought up his wife, Ji Huaizhi said, "No, it's just that I feel it's inappropriate."
"The other reason I kept you here is to tell you that I previously proposed to the school to give priority to tutoring positions to students from impoverished families. This way, they can have more time to study and also have an opportunity to work and study."
"Of course, it's not that you didn't do a good enough job, but that some classmates need your salary more."
"I believe Jiang Li can understand what I did."
Jiang Li was somewhat incredulous: "You're going to expel me from the tutoring class?"
Ji Huaizhi asked in confusion, "How could it be an expulsion? It's just that other classmates from poorer families need this job more."
"Why didn't we need impoverished students before? Are you discarding them after they've served their purpose?" Jiang Li felt she had been tricked.
Ji Huaizhi: "Because I cooperated with the school. I cooperated with the school for the safety of this tutoring center. This was also a requirement put forward by the school, not targeted at you."
Jiang Li didn't believe it: "Then why was Wang Ying allowed to stay? Is she poor?"
Ji Huaizhi said helplessly, "Jiang, you may not know this, but Wang Ying has two children. Only her husband earns money in the family. Her father-in-law has been bedridden for many years, and her mother-in-law has to take care of the children and the sick at home and also make matchboxes."
“She only spends a few yuan of her monthly allowance of 16 yuan.”
Seeing her gaze, he continued, "You mean Wang Youfa? His family also has heavy burdens. Even if he hadn't come to help me back then, he would have found a part-time job later."
"I know this is sudden, but I will give you two months' salary as compensation this month."
Jiang Li seemed to have nothing to say.
Because he had indeed said before that he would recruit students from impoverished backgrounds in the future, but he didn't expect to be rejected.
"Just because my family is well-off, does that mean I should be discriminated against by you?"
Jiang Li suddenly looked up and stared intently at his face: "Don't you feel any remorse for your wife when you ask me to leave?"
"She can't accept that I'm by your side, and she can't accept that I call you Huaizhi. She's jealous that I went to university with you, so she made you drop me, right?"
"I don't want to take that extra month's salary; I'd rather not take the salary at all."
Jiang Li's gaze grew increasingly infatuated: "Huaizhi, I just want to be with you, I just want to be by your side..."
"Jiang, you've crossed the line."
Ji Huaizhi's voice was cold and hard, his gaze sharp: "Not to mention that my wife has never had any prejudice against you, she has never even mentioned you in front of me."
Why would she think of you that way?
Jiang Li felt as if a hole had been torn in her heart; his words left her no room for embarrassment whatsoever.
"Please don't impose your ideas on my wife."
"Why?"
Jiang Li wanted an answer.
"Why choose her? I have a family and I'm good-looking. I can make it easy for you to stay in City A and even get a job that others would covet."
"As long as you're willing to divorce her, everything else will be handled by my father, and no one will ever mention her again."
Jiang Li felt she could just lay her cards on the table.
She'll be able to win him over the moment he wavers even slightly.
"Student Jiang."
Ji Huaizhi's gaze made her heart skip a beat.
"Even without the school's requirement, I still can't work with you."
"Please leave."
Ji Huaizhi didn't want to say anything too harsh.
Although this expulsion was specifically targeted at her, she was still given enough dignity.
But now that she's directly using her ultimate skill at his face, he has no choice but to make her quit.
Ji Huaizhi went straight into the house and closed the door. After everyone left, Ji Xiaotian went up to him and said, "Dad, I don't like this aunt. Can you not go to work with her?"
"It just so happens that this aunt has other things to do and can't help out at Dad's tutoring class anymore, so Xiaotian doesn't need to worry about these things anymore."
"I noticed you two were a bit agitated just now, and it seemed like you even had an argument?"
Chen Chunya asked in a low voice, "Will it affect you?"
She did hear some of it, but she didn't know if any of the other neighbors heard it.
After all, Jiang Li's voice was too loud.
“It’s okay, I have the school as an excuse, and she doesn’t dare to say outside why she’s not allowed to go to tutoring classes anymore. I just didn’t expect her to say that to me, who has a wife and children.”
Chen Chunya: "It's all because my man is too good."
Ji Huaizhi laughed: "Don't make fun of me. If this gets out, I might lose all my reputation."
Chen Chunya felt a pang of sadness: "Do you think my son and I are a burden to you? If it weren't for me, you could have found a college student like yourself."
Ji Huaizhi sat down next to her: "The other college students aren't you."
Chen Chunya felt a warmth in her heart: "I've made up my mind. I will work hard to be worthy of you."
"I hope that when people see us, they will say that we are a perfect match."
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