Chapter 35 Have I been starving you?
Chapter 35
After a week's break, Shen Yanzhou was busy again as soon as he returned to work, and Yu Pan's life returned to normal, continuing to attend Teacher Qin's speech rehabilitation classes.
In fact, Yu Pan can now communicate almost without any obstacles, and she can basically express what she wants to say.
The main problem at present is that my speech is sometimes not smooth enough, and I have unconscious pauses and repetitions. Teacher Qin said that these problems can be gradually improved as long as I persist in practicing more, reading more, and communicating more.
Therefore, the focus of the subsequent lessons shifted to situational dialogues and reading long passages. Teacher Qin would set up various topics to guide Yu Pan to express himself coherently and logically, or have him read newspapers or short articles, paying attention to intonation and rhythm.
For Yu Pan, the daily practice of concentrating intensely on organizing language and controlling pronunciation is extremely mentally taxing.
On days when Yu Pan had to go to class, Shen Yanzhou would come home from get off work to find him collapsed on the sofa, too exhausted to even move a finger.
The progress brought about by the high-intensity practice is also obvious. After more than half a month, as long as she is calm and not in a hurry, Yu Pan can already speak a long sentence fluently.
During conversations, if no one points it out, you would never guess that he used to be mute.
As for Tan Ming, things were pretty much as they had said before. On the morning of the 3rd, the phone rang in Shen Yanzhou's office. It was Tan Ming calling.
Tan Ming said on the phone that he and Tan Bai were about to set off by train.
Shen Yanzhou estimated that it was about time, so the next morning he and Yu Pan went to the train station exit to pick them up.
Lanzhou is a big city, and the train station is packed with people almost every day.
Shen Yanzhou parked the car in the designated area and stood with Yu Pan in a conspicuous spot near the exit, waiting.
The square was much the same as when they first arrived, with tourists carrying large and small bags and vendors pushing carts selling newspapers and snacks.
Yu Pan looked around and her gaze was drawn to a vendor carrying a straw target covered with candied hawthorns.
Shen Yanzhou noticed his gaze and smiled as he took Yu Pan to buy a string of candied hawthorns.
In November, Lanzhou is usually warm enough to wear a denim jacket. The sugar coating on the candied hawthorns hadn't melted, but they weren't very tasty. The outer coating was thick and sweet, while the hawthorns inside were so sour that Yu Pan frowned.
Yu Pan never wastes food. He eats the delicious food quickly and the unpalatable food in small bites, but he never throws it away.
Not long after, a large number of people poured out of the exit.
Yu Pan had sharp eyesight and spotted Tan Ming and the others immediately. She nudged Chen Yanzhou and pointed them out to him.
"Tan Ming! Over here!" Shen Yanzhou called out, waving his hand.
Hearing the sound, Tan Ming looked over and found where Shen Yanzhou and the others were. He quickly pulled Tan Bai, who was still in a daze, to squeeze in.
"Oh, we've finally arrived!" Tan Ming put down his woven bag. "This big city is really something else, there are so many people."
Tan Bai remained silent, seemingly still in a daze.
Shen Yanzhou took one of the bags from Tan Ming and led them to the parking area. Yu Pan followed quietly, still eating her candied hawthorn in small bites.
-
Shen Yanzhou had also traveled by train, so he naturally knew how tiring it was to sit in a hard seat for more than ten hours.
When he and Yu Pan arrived in Lanzhou, they had no choice but to go straight to the hospital after getting off the train.
After picking up the Tan brothers, we didn't rush to take them sightseeing; we went home and settled them in first.
Upon entering, Tan Ming looked around the not-so-large but clean and tidy house, which felt very cozy.
Shen Yanzhou's house only has two rooms. When they come, there's nowhere else for them to sleep except in the study, so they either sleep on the sofa or not.
Tan Ming entered the study and, seeing the bed that was clearly for a single person, casually asked, "Panpan sleeps in this room? This bed looks a bit small."
Yu Pan's face flushed instantly, and she stammered, unsure how to answer. She couldn't very well say that she slept in the master bedroom's double bed with Shen Yanzhou...
Shen Yanzhou remained calm and replied naturally, "Yes, he usually reads late and sometimes sleeps here. He drags the mattress off the small bed and puts it on the floor to sleep. I'm sorry to have to squeeze in these past few days."
“What’s so unfair about this?” Tan Ming, who was no stranger to hardship, said, “It’s much better than sleeping in a truck.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Aunt Zhou, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen and said with a smile, "Mr. Chen, the meal is ready."
Tan Ming was stunned for a moment, then looked at Shen Yanzhou.
“We have a housekeeper who helps with cooking and cleaning,” Shen Yanzhou explained, then said to Aunt Zhou, “You’ve worked hard today. We might go out for dinner tonight.”
Tan Ming watched Aunt Zhou take off her apron and leave, then looked at the five dishes and soup on the table, which looked and smelled delicious, and once again marveled at the difference in this big city.
The next day, being the weekend, Shen Yanzhou took them around Lanzhou to see the city and visit several famous parks and shopping malls.
He had arranged with Yu Pan before going to bed last night that Yu Pan would introduce the scenic spots and buildings on the way.
Yu Pan was a little nervous doing this job for the first time, but with Shen Yanzhou's encouraging gaze, he explained the parts clearly without any stumbles.
On Monday, Tan Ming went to the company with Shen Yanzhou to familiarize himself with the business.
He and Tan Bai stayed at Shen Yanzhou's house for about a week. During that time, Shen Yanzhou also found a house through someone. It was in the next building, with a similar layout, so they could take care of each other.
After settling into their accommodations, the most pressing issue was Tan Bai's schooling.
This is also what worries Tan Ming the most. Tan Bai's foundation is terrible. He only got into the high school in Baixi Town by spending a lot of money and pulling strings.
Even if Shen Yanzhou found a good school for Tan Bai, Tan Bai would definitely not be able to keep up if he went directly to high school in Lanzhou. So he was planning to tell Shen Yanzhou that maybe he should go to night school instead.
Unexpectedly, Shen Yanzhou spoke first: "Perfect timing. I was planning to hire a tutor for Panpan to study junior and senior high school courses. If Tan Bai is willing, he can come and listen with her. It'll be good to have company. School matters aren't urgent. Let's focus on building a solid foundation first."
Upon hearing this, Tan Ming thought it was a good idea and immediately agreed on Tan Bai's behalf, asking when it would start.
Shen Yanzhou said, "No rush, I haven't told Panpan yet."
"..." Tan Ming patted Chen Yanzhou on the shoulder, "So that's why you suddenly asked my brother to come along, he was waiting for me here!"
Shen Yanzhou smiled and said, "Sorry, Brother Ming."
Tan Ming waved his hand, "No need to apologize, I'm thanking you! Hehe, who knows, maybe my family will really produce a college student!"
Tan Ming finds it wonderful just thinking about it.
Shen Yanzhou didn't say anything more. Ever since he asked Yu Pan if she wanted to go to school and Yu Pan said she didn't want to, he had a new and more thorough plan in mind.
His Panpan is still so young; his world shouldn't forever consist of just this small apartment and himself.
-
That evening, after dinner and Aunt Zhou left, Shen Yanzhou put his arm around Yu Pan and sat on the sofa, asking him what he had done that day before telling him about hiring a tutor.
"Is it the same as Teacher Qin's?" Yu Pan asked, tilting her head.
"Pretty much, it'll be teaching what you learn in school," Shen Yanzhou said. "How about the teacher comes to our house to give lessons, and Tan Bai can learn with you?"
Yu Pan frowned and thought for a long time, but in the end, her desire to learn prevailed. "Okay."
The next day, Shen Yanzhou asked his assistant to find a tutor who could provide in-home tutoring for junior and senior high school students. Money was not an issue; the key was that the tutor had patience.
With these conditions met, teachers were found quickly. There were six teachers in total, categorized by subject, three of whom could teach two subjects at the same time.
After a few days of trial classes, seeing that Yu Pan did not show any obvious resistance, Shen Yanzhou asked them to discuss and arrange a schedule for the classes, just like attending classes at school.
The living room became a makeshift classroom. The sofa was moved to one side, and two desks were placed in the empty space. Yu Pan and Tan Bai sat on either side of each other, and a blackboard was hung on the wall.
Some simple, private home tutoring classes for them began in this way.
At first, the tutors seemed alright; they paid well, with only one condition: no scolding students. It was truly a case of little trouble and a lot of money.
I realized something was wrong while I was using it.
Yu Pan is exceptionally good at humanities subjects, especially Chinese and history. His short essays are also very insightful, which makes him a favorite among humanities teachers.
Teachers who teach science subjects have a headache. Yu Pan stares blankly into math, physics, and chemistry, unable to grasp the formulas even after looking at them for a long time, and falls asleep within ten minutes of class.
Yu Pan slept quite comfortably about this, since the teachers were invited by Shen Yanzhou and the other teachers dared not call out to them or say anything.
In the end, it was Shen Yanzhou who came back to see them before get out of class ended. After the teacher and Tan Bai left, he said a few words to him. As a result, Yu Pan felt very wronged and threw down his pen, unable to say anything more.
He felt wronged. They had clearly agreed that he could attend class freely, so why was he going back on his word now?
In the end, Shen Yanzhou had to apologize and make promises to appease the person.
Tan Bai was the complete opposite; asking him to write characters, memorize classical texts, and write essays was like taking his life.
He learns math, physics, and chemistry exceptionally quickly...
Tan Ming's solution to this was simple and direct: just give him a good scolding.
Scolding doesn't work on Yu Pan. Now, when it comes to studying, if Shen Yanzhou raises his voice even slightly when speaking to Yu Pan, Yu Pan immediately shows her sadness and reluctance to study.
Having no other choice, Shen Yanzhou rolled up his sleeves and picked up high school math, physics, and chemistry, which he hadn't touched for several years, learning and teaching at the same time.
Seeing Yu Pan trying to widen his eyes but still unable to stop his eyelids from drooping, Shen Yanzhou was so angry he wanted to laugh but couldn't do anything about it.
Even when Chen Yanzhou was angry, he would only tap the table with his pen and speak gently, "Panpan, concentrate. This problem still uses the same approach I told you about last night..."
"Thump!"
It was the sound of Yu Pan slamming her head on the table.
Life went on busily like this, and before we knew it, the end of the year was approaching.
As the Lunar New Year approached, Yu Pan and Tan Bai's tutoring classes were also suspended.
They didn't return to Xishan Town this year either, and instead spent the Lunar New Year in Lanzhou. On New Year's Eve, following the customs of their hometown, they killed a chicken, burned incense, and offered simple prayers before starting to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.
Tan Ming had no elders at home and was too lazy to travel, so he brought his younger brother to Shen Yanzhou's house for the New Year.
On New Year's Eve, the four of them worked together to prepare a table of hometown dishes that weren't fancy, but were very generous in portion.
After finishing their New Year's Eve dinner, Shen Yanzhou drove them to the riverbank to set off fireworks.
After several months of tutoring, Yu Pan and Tan Bai have become much more familiar with each other. They often chat after class, and sometimes when the teacher knocks on the desk to wake them up, they exchange a knowing glance, showing a bit of a brotherhood in misfortune.
Perhaps because he was spoiled by Shen Yanzhou, Yu Pan was no longer afraid of Tan Bai after learning that Tan Bai was cold on the outside but soft on the inside. Even if Tan Bai had a cold face, he would still dare to approach him as if he didn't see him.
Tan Mingguan called Yu Pan's behavior "getting a good deal and then acting innocent," but Yu Pan was indeed lovable, and people just couldn't bring themselves to say anything harsh to him.
If there are no strangers, Yu Pan is actually quite lively in front of acquaintances. Before he could speak, when he went out to drive trucks with Shen Yanzhou and Tan Ming, he would gesture this and that with Shen Yanzhou in the truck.
Now that he can speak, and the car is full of familiar people, he chatters on and on, saying a few words about everything new and interesting he sees outside.
When they reached the riverbank, many people were already setting off fireworks. The sky was bright, and there were many fireworks vendors nearby.
They came prepared, having already bought a large box. Shen Yanzhou opened the trunk and let them take what they wanted.
Tan Bai likes things that explode loudly and fly high.
Yu Pan doesn't play with those things; he just likes long, thin sparklers—they have nice names and the sparks are beautiful.
-
After the New Year, Yu Pan's speech rehabilitation classes were officially suspended. Shen Yanzhou somehow got another color TV and put it at home, intending for Yu Pan to listen more and practice speaking on her own.
This was quite something; Yu Pan became completely fascinated by this black-shelled, talking creature with images.
He no longer sleeps in the morning or goes to bed at night. He loves to sit in the living room watching TV all day long, and even if there are no dramas on, he can still enjoy watching the commercials.
This situation continued for a while, and Yu Pan finally lost some interest in the television, only watching her favorite programs at fixed times.
Before they knew it, they had made up for almost half a year of classes.
On a Saturday evening in August, Yu Pan sat cross-legged next to Shen Yanzhou on the sofa, intently watching a program about animals.
Shen Yanzhou held a project report in his hand, but he didn't really look at it. His gaze kept falling on Yu Pan's profile.
When it was time for the commercial break, Yu Pan would habitually go and bother Chen Yanzhou.
Shen Yanzhou put down the report in his hand, hugged him, and casually mentioned, "Panpan, Tan Bai's procedures are almost done, and he should go to school to register next month."
Yu Pan hummed in response, but didn't react much, and kept her head down fiddling with Chen Yanzhou's collar.
Shen Yanzhou paused, trying to make his voice sound relaxed, "What about you? Do you want to try going to school too? Be in the same class as Tan Bai, be a day student, and be able to go home every day."
Yu Pan stopped fiddling with Shen Yanzhou's collar. He looked up at Shen Yanzhou, his brows furrowed.
He didn't like school very much because people there used to laugh at him for being mute.
But he's better now... Actually, he's still a little curious about that "normal" student life...
Yu Pan was deeply conflicted about this.
He didn't answer immediately. He crawled out of Chen Yanzhou's arms, hugged his legs, and continued watching TV, but his mind was clearly not on the program.
Shen Yanzhou didn't rush him, giving him ample time to think.
She thought about it for a week. During that time, Yu Pan went to class, ate, slept, and watched TV at fixed times as usual, but she was noticeably quieter and would sometimes stare out the window in a daze for half an hour at a time.
Shen Yanzhou saw all this and thought to himself that if Yu Pan really didn't want to, then he could continue to hire a tutor, finish the high school curriculum, and then register her as a student to take the college entrance examination.
Moreover, some people in the workplace have recently been talking about sending their children to study abroad. Although he felt it might be too far for Yu Pan, it was still an option... In short, it depends on Yu Pan's own willingness.
A week later, one evening, the two finished dinner and were clearing away the dishes together. As Yu Pan was wiping the table, she suddenly called out, "Brother."
"Hmm?" Shen Yanzhou put the plate into the sink and looked back at him.
Yu Pan held the rag, as if she had made a great decision, "I want to... give it a try."
Before Shen Yanzhou could even feel happy, Yu Pan added, "But..."
“But when I come home from school… I want to eat something delicious.” Yu Pan said earnestly, and emphasized, “Especially on Friday nights, it has to be better than usual.”
Shen Yanzhou chuckled upon hearing this, walked over, and reached out to pinch his cheek. "Have I been starving you? Hmm?"
"Mmm... let go..." Yu Pan pouted as her lips were pinched, and she could not speak clearly. She could only protest in a muffled voice.
Shen Yanzhou smiled and let go of his hand, then ruffled his hair. "Alright, alright, I promise you. I'll talk to Aunt Zhou and make sure Panpan has something delicious to eat every day after school, especially on Fridays, when I'll cook a big meal, okay?"
Yu Pan nodded in satisfaction, rubbing her reddened face, but she was still a little dazed.
He's going to school.
He's going to high school.
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