Chapter 29
Tao Xi ran back to the empty dormitory on the fourth floor as fast as he could. Without even turning on the light, he ran directly to the balcony, opened the window, and looked downstairs.
There were only a few dim street lights on campus on weekend nights, but fortunately, the short stretch of road leading from the dormitory building to the school gate could be barely seen clearly.
Tao Xi panted slightly, stood on tiptoe and stuck his head out of the window to look down for Lin Qinhe, but he didn't see him for a long time.
Lin Qinhe walked so fast?
Tao Xi waited for a while unwillingly, and finally saw Lin Qinhe's figure appear in the dim night and lights.
He didn't know why Lin Qinhe had stayed downstairs of the dormitory for so long. He just stared at Lin Qinhe's back as he did before, or even more intently than before.
This was the perspective he was most accustomed to and most relaxed at, and he didn't have to worry about being discovered by Lin Qinhe.
Just like when people look up at the moon, they never worry whether the moon cares about their gaze.
But Tao Xi suddenly saw Lin Qinhe stop, then turn around and look up at the dormitory building.
At that moment, Tao Xi's heart contracted violently.
Is Lin Qinhe looking at him?
This guess made his hair tremble with excitement. He hurriedly raised his hand and waved at Lin Qinhe, but suddenly realized that he had not turned on the light yet, so Lin Qinhe could not see him.
Tao Xi quickly ran to turn on the light on the balcony, but when he returned to the window, he saw that Lin Qinhe had turned around and continued walking towards the school gate.
A huge sense of loss loomed over me, followed by a sudden surge of unwillingness.
Tao Xi took out his cell phone from his pocket, unlocked it quickly with his fingers, found Lin Qinhe's phone number, and dialed it in one go.
While waiting for the prompt tone of the call being connected, he looked at Lin Qinhe nervously, and saw that he really stopped and lowered his head as if he was looking at his mobile phone.
The call was connected.
Lin Qinhe didn't say anything, only making shallow breathing sounds. He turned around and looked towards the dormitory building.
Tao Xi didn't know what to say. He made the call on impulse.
"Tao Xi?"
Lin Qinhe whispered his name and looked up at him, as if he knew which room he was in.
Tao Xi opened his mouth, looked at Lin Qinhe in the night, and mustered up the courage to say:
"Lin Qinhe, I want to say goodnight to you."
I also want to say good morning, good afternoon and good night to you every day.
Lin Qinhe seemed to laugh and said to him, "Go ahead."
Tao Xi paused and said seriously:
"Lin Qinhe, good night."
"Taoxi, good night."
Lin Qinhe has a soft voice.
This scene is actually a bit strange. One person is upstairs and the other is downstairs. They are looking at each other. It is not time to go to bed yet, but they are saying good night to each other on the phone.
Tao Xi couldn't help laughing, and her eyes were filled with the twinkling stars again, as if everything was really fine tonight and she could sleep peacefully without any worries.
"I'm done. See you tomorrow!"
Tao Xi hung up the phone as soon as she finished speaking, fearing that she would be reluctant to hang up later.
He watched Lin Qinhe put down his phone, turn around and walk towards the school gate again. He didn't return to his room until he was completely out of sight. He took a shower as usual, washed his clothes and hung them on the balcony, then sat on a stool and started doing the test paper.
But my heart is rare and calm.
It was as if I had gained endless courage from the hug and good night just now, even though it was just a one-sided hug.
He found that every time he was indulging in his ridiculous fate, Lin Qinhe would always pull him out of the dark deep river and let him see that the deep river was actually filled with star dreams.
Just treat everything you saw in the hospital that night as a dream.
After waking up from the dream, we still have to work hard to live a good life.
When Lin Qinhe returned to Hannan Hospital, Yang Duole had already fallen asleep. Luo Zhengyin also earnestly persuaded the two elderly people to go back and rest. Luo Zhengyin was the only one in the ward guarding by the bed.
Luo Zhengyin noticed Lin Qinhe coming in, made a hushing gesture to Lin Qinhe, stood up and checked the drainage bottle on Yang Duole's chest, then touched Yang Duole's forehead lovingly before walking out of the ward with Lin Qinhe.
"Where have you been? Lele has been looking for you." Luo Zhengyin closed the door and asked Lin Qinhe in the corridor.
Lin Qinhe looked at Luo Zhengyin's red eyes and said briefly: "Send Taoxi back to school."
Luo Zhengyin then remembered that the classmate named Tao Xi had come inexplicably that night and left inexplicably. She felt puzzled and asked:
"Just let Xiao Chen take him back. Why do you have to go along?"
Lin Qinhe did not answer her question, but said, "You should also go to bed early, as there is a concert tomorrow."
Luo Zhengyin shook her head and raised her hand to rub her brow. She was really tired after a whole night of worrying. She couldn't help but confide in her son:
"I'm worried. Every time Lele gets sick, I always think of A Sui. If I had been able to keep her at all costs and not let her go to such a far place with nowhere to go, would she have been..."
Luo Zhengyin began to choke up halfway through her speech, and her nerves, which had been strained all night, finally relaxed.
Lin Qinhe handed his mother a tissue. He looked at the empty bench opposite him, was silent for a while and said, "It's been a long time since the incident happened. Aunt Fang certainly doesn't want you to feel guilty for her for the rest of your life. She won't blame you."
Luo Zhengyin wiped away her tears with a tissue. In fact, she seldom mentioned Fang Sui in front of Lin Qinhe. She knew that her son didn't like Fang Sui, but she didn't know why tonight. She always felt uneasy and flustered in her heart, as if foreshadowing some foreshadowing of fate that she had overlooked.
"Qin He, Mom knows that you can't understand it in your heart, and you blame me for not letting go of the past. Maybe when you grow up and meet the most important person in your life, you will gradually understand my feelings, but I hope you will never be like Mom, causing lifelong regrets because of cowardice and hesitation."
Lin Qinhe said nothing. This was the first time his mother had confessed to him so openly about her feelings for Fang Sui. A long time ago, he did blame Luo Zhengyin and had a trace of hatred for the dead woman.
He has lived under the shadow of Fang Sui since he was a child. Her traces are everywhere in his house, and even his own name is in memory of her.
He was also upset about Luo Zhengyin's extreme preference for Yang Duole, but like his father, he would not show most of his emotions. Everyone thought he was naturally mature and indifferent to everything.
But a long time ago, he also had expectations for his own home, expecting his home to be as simple and happy as an ordinary family, and expecting his parents to give him all the attention and love.
Later he gradually let it go. After all, if it weren't for Yang Duole, Luo Zhengyin might still not have been able to get out of depression, and he wouldn't even have the chance to see his mother.
He could only hope that his loved ones were safe and didn't ask for anything else.
Lin Qinhe held Luo Zhengyin's hand and whispered, "I don't blame you. I just hope you can be happier. This is also my father's wish."
Luo Zhengyin was slightly startled, then smiled and said, "Come to think of it, I haven't seen your dad for a long time. Is he okay?"
Lin Qinhe hesitated to speak, but finally couldn't help but said: "He is very good and has always cared about you."
Luo Zhengyin was silent for a while. She was not completely unaware of what Lin Zeshi had done for her. She also took the initiative to ask Lin Zeshi for a divorce, but Lin Zeshi did not agree. After that, Lin Zeshi was afraid of disturbing her and almost never showed up in front of her again.
She did not continue the topic, but instead said, "That classmate named Tao Xi looks a bit like A Sui. You seem to like this friend very much?"
Lin Qinhe frowned and said in a deep voice: "He is not like anyone else."
His tone was serious, but he did not refute the second half of the sentence. Luo Zhengyin knew that he had said something wrong, so he smiled and said:
"Since you like this friend, you can invite him to your home when you have the chance."
Lin Qinhe's brows relaxed a little and he hummed.
Tao Xi did not say good night. He had a dream all night. He dreamed that he was lying on a hospital bed with cold tubes inserted into his body. His grandparents were wiping their tears and calling him "good grandson". Lin Qinhe was holding his hand and seemed to be saying something.
He tried hard for a long time in his dream and finally heard Lin Qinhe calling him "Le Le".
Tao Xi woke up in shock, still feeling the pain from having tubes inserted all over her body.
At that moment, he suddenly wasn't jealous of Yang Duole anymore.
As the midterm exam approached, the atmosphere in the class became increasingly tense. Even Bi Chengfei stopped playing basketball at noon and stayed in the classroom to cram for the exam.
Tao Xi knew that cramming was far inferior to clinging to Lin Qinhe's thighs, so he talked to Lin Qinhe about the questions in various ways every day. He gradually realized that Lin Qinhe had become more and more indulgent towards him since he went to the hospital that day. At least Lin Qinhe would answer his questions every time, although he still spoke very little.
This made him start to become more and more demanding. He even asked Lin Qinhe to solve questions in his quilt in the middle of the night, and Lin Qinhe basically responded to all his requests, just like an intelligent question bank AI.
If Lin Qinhe didn't reply, he would send the emoticons he got from Bi Chengfei, one after another, cats, dogs, chickens, geese, like the animal world.
After sending twenty messages, Lin Qinhe finally replied to him with a string of ellipsis.
Lin Qinhe: What’s the topic?
Tao Xi: On top
Lin Qinhe: Too lazy to translate
Tao Xi sent the photo of the question he took over. It was a math problem, as difficult as an Olympiad question. He spent twenty minutes trying to solve it but still couldn't.
In less than three minutes, Lin Qinhe wrote down the complete solution and sent it over.
Tao Xi sent a GIF of a rooster jumping.
Lin Qinhe:?
Taoxi: Sour Chicken Jumping
Lin Qinhe: ...
As soon as the club activities ended on Sunday, Qiao Yitong took Tao Xi straight to his grandfather Qiao Henian's house.
The old man lives in an old red-roofed house in the city center. It has an excellent location but is quiet in the midst of a bustling city. Out of courtesy, Tao Xi also spent a huge amount of money to buy a bunch of expensive fruits that she had never eaten before. She was thinking about whether she should bow to Qiao Henian as a sign of respect when she sees him later.
When they arrived at the Qiao family mansion, they saw Qiao Henian, wearing a gray cloth old man's shirt and rubber boots, planting vegetables in the garden. He didn't look like a great painter at all. When he saw his granddaughter and Tao Xi coming in, he didn't even raise his head and directly ordered, "Come to work!"
Qiao Yitang, wearing a short skirt, was extremely unhappy and slipped away under the pretext of going to the toilet. Tao Xi called out "Hello, Grandpa Qiao" and put down the fruit and walked over. He had been doing farm work since he was a child, so his movements were quick and smooth, and he helped Qiao Henian finish the work in no time.
Qiao Henian then straightened up with his hoe and looked at Tao Xi. His eyes were sharp and sharp, and Tao Xi's palms were sweating from being stared at.
"What's your name?"
"Taoxi, the xi of stream."
Qiao Henian nodded and said, "From now on, you will be my student, Qiao Henian."
Tao Xi looked at Qiao Henian in shock, unable to believe it was so simple. Qiao Henian carried a hoe and walked towards the villa, muttering all the way: "Finally I found someone to help me grow vegetables."
"..." Tao Xi never thought that he would become a disciple of a great painter through his vegetable growing skills.
"Are you not coming over yet?!" Qiao Henian turned around and urged.
Tao Xi hurriedly and respectfully followed Qiao Henian to the studio on the third floor.
"Why do you want to learn painting?" Qiao Henian sat on the rosewood armchair, drank a few sips of water, and finally asked the right question.
Tao Xi thought about it and said frankly: "First, because I like it, and second, because I want to make money, a lot of money."
Lin Qinhe once told him that his paintings should have higher value and be appreciated by more people. His understanding was that his paintings must be sold for more money, enough to buy a house and start a family.
Qiao Henian narrowed his eyes, nodded and smiled: "Not bad, you are honest enough and don't act pretentiously in front of this old man."
"I've seen your paintings, they're a bit spiritual, but they're still far from making a lot of money as you said. Come over during your holidays and farm for me, and I'll teach you, how about that?"
Tao Xi nodded in agreement and said respectfully, "Thank you, teacher."
Qiao Henian looked at Tao Xi again and couldn't help but say, "You really look like a female student of mine many years ago. Unfortunately, that girl looked well-behaved but had a very stubborn personality. She ruined her life and bright future for an unworthy man."
He sighed, regret in his eyes, his face became serious again, and he asked Tao Xi sternly: "Are you in love?"
Tao Xi was stunned and shook his head quickly, "Not yet."
Qiao Henian's expression softened a bit, and he stroked his beard and said, "Not bad, unlike my useless granddaughter who only knows how to fall in love all day long. Since you are my student, you must listen to me. You are not allowed to fall in love before you graduate from high school. Do you understand?"
Tao Xi was somewhat reluctant, and for this hesitation, Qiao Henian glared at her.
"Got it, teacher."
He agreed with reluctance, not understanding why these two people cared so much about his premature love.
That afternoon, Tao Xi stayed in the studio and learned oil painting from Qiao Henian. After learning, he realized that his painting skills, which were acquired by talent, were nothing at all.
It was already past six o'clock after school. Tao Xi followed Qiao Henian down from the third floor to the living room on the first floor. He saw two people sitting in the living room. One was Qiao Yitong who was eating the fruit he bought, and the other was Lin Qinhe.
Tao Xi could hardly believe his eyes. He stood there staring at Lin Qinhe in a daze.
Qiao Henian spotted Lin Qinhe at a glance, walked over and said jokingly with a smile: "Lin family kid, you have grown so tall. I told your grandfather several times to let you come over to play, but you didn't come. Why did you think of visiting me today?"
Lin Qinhe stood up, smiled at Qiao Henian, and said politely: "Grandpa asked me to come and deliver the invitation to the birthday party at the end of the month." Then he handed the invitation on the coffee table to Qiao Henian with both hands.
Tao Xi felt that his heart was like a hydrogen balloon floating up to the sky in an instant. He walked a few steps to Lin Qinhe and looked at him with sparkling eyes.
Lin Qinhe lowered his eyes to look at him and asked calmly, "Why are you here?"
Qiao Yitang on the side couldn't help but rolled his eyes towards the ceiling.
Qiao Henian closed the invitation and glanced at Tao Xi. He found that his new disciple was like a stray puppy seeing its owner when he saw Lin Qinhe. He smiled and said, "This is my new student. How come you are classmates?"
Tao Xi couldn't help but say, "Yes, we are still desk mates!"
Lin Qinhe glanced at Tao Xi again, then raised his hand to check the time and said to Qiao Henian, "It's getting late, Grandpa Qiao, I'm going back first. You must remember to attend the banquet."
Qiao Henian waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, I will go in a wheelchair even if I break my leg."
Qiao Yitang said in a long voice: "Grandpa, have you forgotten that your mouth was blessed?"
Qiao Henian smiled indifferently. Seeing that Lin Qinhe was about to leave, he said to him kindly, "I won't keep you here. Check carefully to see if there is anything you forgot to bring. Don't drop anything here. I'm going out to play mahjong tonight."
Lin Qinhe said to Qiao Henian: "I only brought one invitation."
He paused, a smile appeared on his lips, and said:
"But now you can take one more person with you."
Tao Xi's already sparkling eyes became even brighter. She looked at Lin Qinhe, pointed at herself, and asked in a low voice, "Me?"
Qiao Yitang couldn't help but pointedly said, "How else could it be me? My boyfriend is coming to pick me up soon."
Lin Qinhe raised her eyelids at Qiao Yitang, and Qiao Henian glared at her angrily:
"That's outrageous! You've even come to my doorstep for dating! Look at your two junior classmates, they're both very handsome and talented, but they don't date like you every day. They study hard and do their best. When will you learn from others?!"
Qiao Yitang raised his hands in surrender: "Okay, okay, I was wrong, I was wrong, you two should leave quickly, and don't poke my grandfather's lungs."
"Who else could poke my lungs except you, a disobedient person?!" Qiao Henian was furious and chased after Qiao Yitang to curse.
Amid the chaos, Lin Qinhe reached out and gently pushed Tao Xi's shoulder, whispering, "Come on, I'll take you back."
Tao Xi followed Lin Qinhe out of the Qiao family's villa as if she was walking on cotton.
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Xiao Tao started his career
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