Monday, outside the university gates.
Meng Shuyun hurriedly weaved through the crowd, her eyes searching anxiously.
She found the student she had spoken to before, who seemed to have been prepared and was waiting for her there.
"Teacher Xie was publicly punished today. The school ordered him to resign and he can no longer work at the school." The student's expression was solemn, and his tone carried a hint of regret.
Upon hearing this, Meng Shuyun's heart skipped a beat; the situation was far more serious than she had anticipated.
She suppressed her inner unease, handed the payment to the student, her brows furrowed tightly into a deep frown.
She was filled with self-reproach; ultimately, it was their family who had dragged Teacher Xie down. If it weren't for Ye Jianguo's interference, Teacher Xie wouldn't have ended up in such a state…
When Su Xiulan learned of this heartbreaking result, she was stunned. She stood there speechless for a long time, her eyes filled with shock and guilt.
She and Meng Shuyun didn't wait long at the school gate before they spotted Xie Lin'an.
Xie Lin'an carried a box and slowly walked out of the school. His face was indifferent, unlike his usual demeanor. Passing students pointed and whispered about him, but he seemed not to care.
However, the moment his gaze fell upon Su Xiulan, a relaxed smile instantly bloomed on his face. He quickened his pace and stepped forward to greet her: "Xiulan, Aunt Meng, what brings you here?"
Su Xiulan was filled with guilt, her eyes reddening. She quickly reached out to help him with his things, her voice choked with emotion: "Xie Lin'an, I'm sorry, it's all my fault that you've been dragged into this."
Xie Lin'an gently turned aside, dodging her outstretched hand, and instead softly comforted Su Xiulan: "This matter has nothing to do with you, so you don't need to blame yourself. I've already thought it through. In the future, I want to do business with you and revitalize our family's store."
When he said this, his eyes were incredibly firm, and the smile on his face was so sincere that it was truly moving.
Upon hearing this, Su Xiulan could no longer hold back her tears, which welled up in her eyes. She quickly turned away and secretly wiped away her tears.
Meng Shuyun stepped forward, gently patted Xie Lin'an's shoulder, and said apologetically, "You were fired from the school largely because of us, and I'm really sorry. I wholeheartedly support your idea of doing business with Xiulan. As long as you work hard and are down-to-earth, you'll eventually make a name for yourself. Don't you young people have a saying, 'Gold shines wherever it is'?"
Xie Lin'an nodded heavily, his eyes filled with determination: "Aunt Meng, you're right, gold will always shine."
The three of them returned to the Xie family home together.
When Grandma Xie heard the news of Xie Lin'an's dismissal, she did not show any sadness or grief on her face. Instead, she sighed with relief: "That's good. I never agreed with him becoming a teacher in the first place, but he insisted on doing it with great enthusiasm. The family shop had been abandoned, but now it can be said that he is back on the right track."
Grandma Xie looked on with a gratified smile as she watched Su Xiulan help with the chores in the yard. Then, she turned her head and seemingly casually inquired about Su Xiulan's situation from Meng Shuyun's perspective:
"I wonder if your Xiulan is married? She's a hardworking, sensible, and kind-hearted girl. I just wanted to ask about her."
Upon hearing this, Meng Shuyun understood what Old Madam Xie meant, and she responded with a smile:
“Young people have their own ideas. Xiulan is divorced and has two children. If she doesn’t want to remarry, I’m willing to support her and her children for the rest of my life. I’m afraid she and Teacher Xie are not a good match.”
Meng Shuyun made no attempt to hide anything; she was well aware of Su Xiulan's situation and the real gap between her and Xie Lin'an.
Moreover, Xiulan has two children to raise. If she marries into another family, she doesn't know what the other family's financial situation is like, and she really can't bear to let her two children live a life of dependence on others.
Upon hearing this, a hint of regret flashed across Old Mrs. Xie's face, and she gently patted her thigh:
“How could they not be suitable? As long as the two young people like each other, it’s a good thing! My Lin’an is already in his thirties and has been teaching at a school all his life, but he hasn’t met anyone he likes. As his mother, I don’t even know how many more years I have to live. I’m really worried sick about his marriage.”
"Children have their own paths to walk, and no one can interfere. When the time is right, marriage will happen naturally. Don't worry, dear sister. As the saying goes, forced marriages are never sweet."
Meng Shuyun said earnestly.
At this moment, Su Xiulan wiped her hands on her sleeves and was about to go inside to call her mother to go back together when she unexpectedly heard the two people inside discussing her marriage! Her cheeks instantly burned, and she was even more surprised that they were talking about her marriage to Xie Lin'an.
Teacher Xie is such a good person, how could he possibly be interested in a divorced woman with a child like me?
She subconsciously shook her head and took a step back, but didn't notice the step under her feet. She lost her balance and fell backward.
She turned pale with fright, her heart pounding in her throat.
Just then, Xie Lin'an reacted quickly, firmly supporting her shoulders with both hands to steady her, and said in a gentle tone, "How could you be so careless? You have to watch where you're going."
Su Xiulan turned around in a panic, then took a step back, scratching her head awkwardly, unsure how to explain, and her words became incoherent:
"I don't know why there was a step under my feet. I was just lost in thought and didn't notice it."
The conversation inside continued. Su Xiulan was afraid that Xie Lin'an would hear them talking about marriage, which would make everyone feel awkward. So she quickly pushed him out of the house and said, "Teacher Xie, my bicycle chain seems to have fallen off. Could you help me fix it?"
Xie Lin'an smiled and nodded slightly.
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