Chapter 9 Uncle Li
Chapter 9
Wen Yining walked for a while and entered the school gate. The campus was quite lively at this time, with students coming and going in twos and threes. The sun was about to set, and the wind was blowing the poplar leaves by the roadside.
Suddenly someone tapped her on the shoulder from behind, and Wen Yining turned around as if waking from a dream.
Jiang Fengqing and Gu Lingling were panting. "What are you thinking about? I called you several times and you didn't hear me."
"Hmm? No, it's nothing."
"There's nothing wrong with her looking so gloomy, like Lin Daiyu."
Wen Yining touched her face. Was it that obvious?
"Did you fail the trial lesson?"
Wen Yining was introduced to a tutoring job by her senior. It was a group chat where she could take on jobs. The group would post a batch of jobs every day, and she could filter the jobs she wanted by address, needs, subject, price, etc. Then, the person in charge of handing over her information would send it to the parents of the other party, who would then choose. After a successful match, there would be a half-hour trial lesson. If the parents were satisfied, the lesson would continue.
Because of scheduling conflicts, Wen Yining can only take on short-term orders. Although most of them are successful, she occasionally encounters dissatisfied parents who make a wasted trip.
Wen Yining is usually so meticulous about her appearance that she absolutely refuses to go out unless absolutely necessary, so everyone assumed that she went out for an interview that afternoon.
Wen Yining wanted to explain, but the thought of Li Changjing filled her with a deep sense of powerlessness.
It's no use telling her, and Gu Lingling makes a fuss over nothing; she can't keep secrets. Forget it.
The three of them walked slowly back to the dormitory, talking together.
The order that Wen Yining took was actually the next evening. It wasn't close to the school, and it was a bit late, starting at 9:30.
Perhaps it was just bad luck lately, but not long after Wen Yining started talking, the male homeowner returned, and soon a tense conversation broke out in the living room, escalating into a hysterical argument in less than two minutes.
Since the class had reached this point, it was clearly impossible to continue, so Wen Yining could only leave on her bicycle.
Since her grandmother was hospitalized, she hasn't asked her family for any money. Afraid of worrying her parents, she didn't dare tell them that she earned the money through part-time work, and only lied to them that it was a scholarship from school.
I haven't been doing much part-time work lately, and I bought some study materials a while ago, so I don't have much money left.
Wen Yining rode her bike back home late at night. When she got tired, she slowed down. In the distance, the brightly lit high-rise buildings of Beicheng were visible. A row of street racers drove strangely shaped sports cars, making deafening noises as they sped past on the road.
As Chen Yu went on and on about how the school's donations were coming in soon, asked about her life and studies, and hinted that he could help her get a guaranteed spot in graduate school and get into a popular research group, she had a vague suspicion in her mind until he mentioned Li Changjing.
Chen Yu made this phone call intentionally to test the waters.
I thought I had become somewhat familiar with Li Changjing, but who knew that he was so slippery despite his young age? No wonder everyone says that among all the young men in the capital, the second son of the Li family is the most difficult to deal with.
Not wanting to miss out on this aircraft carrier, he wandered around for a while before remembering his student.
"I'll treat you and Mr. Li to a casual meal another day, but I'm afraid he'll be too busy with official business. Please mention it to him for me then."
To avoid being harassed again, she resisted the urge to hang up and got straight to the point, half-jokingly, "Great, I'll definitely go. But I don't have his number. I haven't contacted him since I begged him to help my grandma find a doctor. Senior, do you have his number? Please give me one. I want to call and thank him."
They had almost no contact to begin with, and she didn't believe Chen Yu could have found out so much.
A half-truth is the most convincing, and Chen Yu immediately believed it. After all, these young masters were all the same, indulging in sensual pleasures and frequenting brothels, with little perseverance.
Unwilling to give up, I probed a few more times and found that it really was true.
Now, it was Chen Yu who wanted to hang up.
After a few words of polite conversation, he finally hung up the phone.
Wen Yining stood still and let out a deep sigh of frustration. After a moment of silence, she rode forward with her head down, expressionless.
Passing by a small road near a square, I could see from afar, under the tall, dim streetlights, a hunched and thin old woman was slowly tidying up the things in front of her.
As I got closer, I could see that the old lady was packing up the vegetables she sold at her stall. The vegetables were neatly arranged and sorted on a cloth spread on the ground.
The old man seemed to be having a bad time; there was still a lot of food left over.
The bicycle slowly rode past the old woman, carried by inertia. Wen Yining looked down, her gaze sliding from the old woman's withered brown hands to her overly thick clothes for the season, a worn-out thin coat, and then to her gray hair.
The bicycle passed the old man and rode a few meters ahead. Suddenly, the sound of brakes rang out on the quiet road. Wen Yining sighed resignedly, turned the bicycle around again, and stopped in front of the old man.
The girl's voice was calm and soft: "Grandma, how much are your vegetables?"
The shared bike basket was full of vegetables. To prevent them from falling out, the plastic bag was tightly tied to the handlebars. It was too heavy. Wen Yining suddenly rode off, and the handlebars wobbled violently, almost causing her to fall. She barely managed to keep her balance and ride forward by gripping the handlebars tightly with her thin wrists.
Wen Yining only started to feel guilty after riding all the way downstairs, afraid that Gu Lingling and Jiang Fengqing would scold her again for being a clay bodhisattva who was indulging in charity for spending two hundred yuan on a bunch of useless vegetables that cost only a few dozen yuan.
Looking left and right, she walked to the dormitory supervisor's door, made up a bunch of excuses to give the vegetables to the supervisor, and then returned to her dormitory feeling guilty.
—
That day, while Wen Yining was hanging clothes to dry in her dormitory, she suddenly received a call from a tutor. The person on the other end was looking for a long-term tutor to help a third-grade student with all subjects. The tutoring hours were Saturdays and Sundays, from 4 pm to 6 pm, two hours each day.
Although it was a generalist position, the salary offered was simply too high. It was rare for a part-time college student like her, who hadn't graduated yet, to earn such a high salary. It was even higher than what she used to earn working herself to the bone all night at the "palace," and it happened to coincide with her free time.
The thought of the "temporary palace" sent a jolt through her mind, and she immediately thought of Li Changjing.
As before, he never contacted her again after that day, as if he had forgotten her.
But Wen Yining dared not relax, fearing that one day she would look up at school and he would appear in front of her.
It was like having a nightmare.
"Okay, girl, let's do it this way. Add me on WeChat and I'll send you the address!"
When sending her address, the employer also sent a message specifically instructing her not to wear perfume when coming to class.
Wen Yining didn't like using perfume and didn't find the conditions strange. Looking at the address, which wasn't exactly close to her, she decided to give it a try.
She first checked the student's grades on WeChat to get a general idea of his situation, and then immediately made a detailed study plan and printed out practice questions based on his specific needs.
She left two hours early on Saturday.
The community is located in a prime area of the northern part of the city, a villa area with a Chinese style. From the outside, it doesn't look as dazzlingly glittering as its price tag suggests. Instead, it's shaded by green trees and looks more like a quiet park than a residential community.
The security guards at the entrance are very strict; you have to swipe your card to enter and exit.
Because it was her first time visiting, her employer, Ms. Liu, was waiting for her at the door when she arrived.
A woman in her fifties, with her hair neatly combed and dressed cleanly and smartly, was just as amiable and cheerful as she had been on the phone—a typical North City resident.
Wen Yining was somewhat surprised. She thought that a nanny would be waiting for her in such a family, but she didn't expect that the employer would come to pick her up in person.
It seems they place great importance on their child's education.
Wen Yining quickened her pace to cross the road, secretly becoming even more serious in her heart.
As soon as Aunt Liu saw her, she greeted her with a smile, looked her up and down, and said in a thick northern accent, "Oh my, I was shocked when I saw her! How did this girl grow up to be so beautiful! So delicate and refined, she's even prettier than in the photos!"
Wen Yining was a little embarrassed by the praise and smiled, "Auntie, you flatter me."
Upon entering the gate, there weren't many flowers or plants in the courtyard, only a huge tree with lush foliage and a magnificent canopy, its shade covering almost half of the courtyard.
Upon entering the foyer, the auntie took out disposable slippers and then turned around to take out a bottle of disinfectant spray from the cabinet. "Hey, the person in this house is a germaphobe. Every time you enter our house, you have to go through this process. Don't mind it, young lady."
This is actually a bit disrespectful. Aunt Liu said, observing her without making a sound. The little girl had her hair in a bun, wore a white shirt, and was holding her schoolbag. She smiled good-naturedly, without being angry or humiliated. She was still as quiet and composed as ever.
Regardless of what they really think, at least they put on a good show.
Wen Yining didn't really care. Aunt Liu was probably referring to her son or daughter. She had encountered many quirks from her previous part-time jobs, and she was used to it. Everyone has their own way of life, and besides, it was just a matter of cleanliness.
I sprayed myself thoroughly with disinfectant before entering the living room.
Upon entering, the house is decorated in a typical Chinese style, understated and elegant, with a subtle and unassuming wealth. Apart from vases and ornaments, there are no household clutters on the table. It is clean and elegant to an excessive degree, with a cold and aloof air of nobility.
It's clear that someone in their family is indeed a germaphobe.
Trial classes are not only for parents to test teachers, but also for teachers to test students. If they feel that the teacher cannot lead the students to meet the requirements of the contract, they should not sign it.
Wen Yining took this lesson very seriously. Although the student, Liu Yuanyuan, was a bit lively and active, he was willing to learn and was relatively obedient. He just needed some coaxing and encouragement. Moreover, he had a good foundation and was easy to teach.
After the lesson, both parties were quite satisfied. After reaching an agreement, they immediately signed the contract. Aunt Liu even prepared a pass for Wen Yining to enter the gate.
This is the first time in Wen Yining's life that she has earned so much money.
This period runs from now until the first month after summer vacation. By this calculation, she can not only earn enough for her tuition and living expenses this semester, but also cover all her expenses for next semester.
The subway in Beicheng was still packed with people on the weekend. When Wen Yining rode her bike back, the landmark buildings in Beicheng in the distance were already lit up with neon lights. Looking at the magnificent sunset on the horizon and feeling the warm evening breeze blowing in her face, she felt light as if she wanted to ride the wind and go up to the sky.
When they told their roommates about it, all three of them were incredibly excited. Gu Lingling and Jiang Fengqing came from well-off families, but they were genuinely happy for Wen Yining. Gu Lingling even started fantasizing about the three of them working together to expand and strengthen the education business, from a tutoring center to a listed company. The more she fantasized, the more excited she became, laughing and joking around, which was heard by the girls in the next dorm, who came over to tease them.
Wen Yining herself was also very careful, knowing that someone in their family was a germaphobe, so she would always change her clothes and shoes and pay attention to her appearance before visiting.
Gu Lingling glanced at her while holding her phone and saw her going to the balcony to collect the clothes. "Your employer is really something else. He should live in a sterile room."
Wen Yining hesitated on the balcony, unsure which outfit to wear. Gu Lingling casually said, "Just wear whatever you like. You're so slim, fair-skinned, and have long legs, you look good in anything."
As she spoke, she suddenly remembered something, put her phone on the table, and cried, "Sigh, summer is coming, I really have to lose weight and can't eat anymore!"
Wen Yining collected the clothes and went inside, casually picking up the cake from her table and placing it on a high shelf. "Okay."
Gu Lingling: "..."
—
Wen Yining went there several times, but only Aunt Liu and her grandson were at home. She never met anyone else or the "germaphobe" that Aunt Liu had mentioned.
In the afternoon, Aunt Liu sent a message to Wen Yining, asking her to pick up Liu Yuanyuan from the swimming pool before class.
After picking up Liu Yuanyuan, the two walked to the entrance of the community and saw a very beautiful pure white stray lion cat with heterochromia. The two, one big and one small, hit it off immediately and went to a nearby convenience store to buy ham to feed the cat.
The kitten was cautiously eating when it was suddenly startled by passing traffic and ran under a car.
The two immediately gave chase.
Liu Hengheng lay on the bluestone ground and stuck his head under the car, calling to the cat: "Mimi, come out, don't be afraid!"
Wen Yining, who is 1.7 meters tall, knelt on one knee on the ground holding his bag and bent down to look, but she couldn't see anything.
"Meow meow meow~ Come out quickly~"
"Teacher, please call it out quickly!" Liu Hengheng pouted and reached out to shake Wen Yining.
"Okay, okay, teacher, let's try." Wen Yining has no resistance to being coquettish, especially by children.
"Mimi, meow meow meow~ Come out."
Meow~ Meow~ Meow~
Wen Yining tried to imitate Liu Hengheng by meowing at the ham sausage for a long time, but the cat hid well and was too afraid to come out or leave.
As she was shouting, she suddenly realized what was happening, coughed awkwardly, straightened up, turned around and looked around, and breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the community valued privacy, and even if you lived in the same community, you would rarely run into anyone.
"Liu Hengheng, let's not call it that anymore."
"Why?"
Wen Yining squatted down and looked at the child. In her soft voice, she earnestly explained to him, "First, it's because it's frightened that it won't come out. Also, we're almost at the end of the day and need to hurry back to class. Second, since the teacher is an adult, squatting down and meowing like this makes her seem... intellectually challenged, which would damage the teacher's image."
"No, no! Teacher, teacher~" Liu Hengheng was about to whine and beg her again.
A soft sound suddenly came from very close overhead. Wen Yining, kneeling on one knee, looked up as if sensing something. Because she was catching the cat, her body was almost pressed against the car. Right at her forehead, less than ten centimeters away from the driver's seat, the tinted window suddenly and smoothly rolled down.
She stared blankly at the glass, not yet reacting, when the dark glass reflecting her shadow rolled down, clearly revealing the face of the person in the driver's seat behind the glass.
With pale skin, delicate and handsome features, wearing a black jacket, white shirt, and red badge, and with glasses perched on his high nose, he had a face that exuded nobility and prestige.
Wen Yining stared blankly at that familiar yet unfamiliar face for a long time before she reacted. She looked down at the sausage in her hand and remembered how she had just looked. "Crack!" The sky collapsed.
She instinctively stood up, but didn't notice that the rearview mirror was right above her head. Li Changjing was holding a phone in his hand, and his other hand reacted quickly to block it. Wen Yining bumped into his palm. The soft yet hard touch didn't hurt, but it made her heart tighten.
Wen Yining was momentarily at a loss for how to react. She subconsciously took a step back, but then suddenly thought that it was better if he saw her. Li Changjing didn't seem like the type of person who would be interested in someone mentally challenged. He had better think she was mentally challenged and never want to see her again.
Li Changjing withdrew his hand, his seemingly gentle yet unfathomable eyes staring at her as he made a phone call. "In that case, let's stick to the previous protocol. After all, I've served as Comrade Li's bodyguard for two years. You make the arrangements, and I'll personally go there later."
Without even having time to marvel at how coincidental it was, Wen Yining's first reaction was to leave.
Fortunately, he was on the phone, so she was able to skip the social engagement.
Wen Yining turned around with Liu Hengheng's bag on her back and hurriedly tried to pull Liu Hengheng away, but he didn't move. She tried harder, but he still didn't budge.
She lowered her head, and Liu Hengheng, who was usually mischievous, lively, and fearless, stood stiffly in place, his eyes wide, his expression fearful and timid, and he called out weakly in a small voice, "Uncle Li."
A note from the author:
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