There was a saying such as this. Amidst a societal structure which had already basically stabilised, a few generations of hard work would be required for a family to truly climb up from the bottom to the higher rungs of society.
This could be witnessed from the current âecologyâ here. These people were all still Fang Yuqingâs connections at the end of the day. He had been in this social circle ever since his birth.
As opposed to this, Xu Tingsheng had experienced a life in which he had been completely unable to associate with people of this level at all. Having risen to prominence following his rebirth now, he still needed to find a way to seek out a position for himself at such a level.
From this, it could be seen that Huang Yaming and Tan Yao were actually people who were comparatively more resilient as well as ambitious. It actually wasnât easy for them to be navigating such a social circle at all.
Xu Tingsheng had not tried to find a way to get Xiang Ning to leave before this, having allowed her to watch on till now. To put it simply, while he didnât dare to let her see violent, gory scenes, Xu Tingsheng hoped that she could witness how âthe bad bullies themselves were bullied back.â
Xu Tingsheng did not want her to grow fearful and cowardly because of this.
Therefore, he had to give her a reason as well as confidence not to be afraid.
âStill feeling scared?â Xu Tingsheng asked her gently.
âIâm not scared,â Xiang Ning pointed at Xu Tingsheng, shaking her head.
Xu Tingsheng looked down at the flip phone in her hand that had already broken into half. When the hooligans had been getting beaten up earlier, she had tried to call the police. In the end, her handphone had been snatched and flung to the ground by that woman, thus having broken.
After learning this, Xu Tingsheng hooked Xiang Ningâs nose with a finger, âOh no, look. Youâve been bullied again.â
Xiang Ning swivelled her head away, impatiently evading Xu Tingshengâs finger as she called earnestly, âXu Tingsheng.â
Unexpectedly, Xiang Ning had not called him Uncle this time. She had actually called him directly by his name for once.
âHuh?â Xu Tingsheng asked in puzzlement.
âXu Tingsheng, can you not treat me like a child like this? Iâm already 1.61m now; Iâll be sixteen in another half yearâs timeâŚyouâre only five years older than me,â After saying so, she looked at the broken phone in her hand, still being unable to keep the tears from glistening within her eyes as she felt wronged, hurt.
Xu Tingshengâs attention was not on Xiang Ningâs words. Instead, it was on her wronged face. Seeing her like this, he felt pained as well.
He had originally borrowed the car intending to send Xiang Ning and Su Nannan back home. This current situation caused him to change his mind, saying to those hooligans who were still standing by the side, not knowing whether or not they should leave.
âYou lot send Su Nannan back home safely. Nannan, send teacher a text after you get home.â
After saying so, Xu Tingsheng gave Su Nannan his handphone number.
The hooligans hurriedly acquiesced respectfully, especially the one who had called him âtrashâ earlier. He had originally thought that he was going to die for sure. Now that Xu Tingsheng did not pursue things, allowing them all to leave, they were naturally incomparably happy to listen obediently to him and send Su Nannan home.
Xu Tingsheng turned back and told Xiang Ning, âHold Dongdong properly.â
Then, he crouched down, wrapped his right arm below Xiang Ningâs knees and lifted her up with a single arm just like that, smiling, âLook at this crying face of yours. Come on, letâs go get you a new phone before I send you home.â
He decided that he would definitely spoil her well and properly todayâŚthings had been tough on her for so long because of him.
Xiang Ning shifted her body and struggled back down to the ground, insisting stubbornly, âXu Tingshehng, I already said that youâre not allowed to treat me like a child anymore.â
Then, she tugged on a corner of Xu Tingshengâs sleeve, drawing closer. She said âletâs goâ before being âledâ along just like that.
Zhong Wusheng asked Fang Yuqing, âWhoâs that girl?â
Not having seen how Xu Tingsheng had lifted Xiang Ning up, Fang Yuqing said nonchalantly, âIt should be one of the students from his training institute. Sheâs probably scaredâŚor she could be Xiang Ningâs student, and heâs loving everything of hers along with her as well!â
âŚâŚ
Xu Tingsheng flung the Golden Retriever Dongdong onto the back seat before opening the front door and letting Xiang Ning sit in the main passenger seat. Then, he walked around the front of the car and got into the driverâs seat before then driving off into the distance.
Not far away, two people had witnessed this entire process.
Mr and Mrs Xiang had received a call from Xiang Ning as well. They had rushed home from the village hometown where Xiang Ningâs maternal grandmother lived. They had arrived just in time to witness that final scene where Xiang Ning had walked away clutching Xu Tingshengâs sleeve. Then, Xu Tingsheng had brought Xiang Ning onto one of those luxurious cars, driving her away.
Then, the remaining ten odd luxurious cars had successively driven off, all their occupants clearly being wealthy young people.
Not far away, there were still more than forty armed robust men in black T-shirts whom ordinary citizens usually werenât even willing to go near to. From just a single look at them, it was clear that they werenât the âgood guysâ.
Then, over a dozen people with their faces all bruised and full of blood were dragged onto a van and taken away.
Mr and Mrs Xiang being ordinary citizens, they were somewhat unable to come to terms with what was happening before them. That Xu Tingsheng whom they had originally thought themselves to be so familiar with, who had always been so steady and dependable as they felt assured leaving things to himâŚhad suddenly turned into another person, someone who felt so like a stranger to them.
Mrs Xiang thought of what that niece of hers who was a policewoman had said back in Xihu City, âSomeone like Xu Tingsheng being a home tutor to Xiang Ning isnât normal at all. It just canât be explained away no matter what.â
Her words seemed to be corroborated by what had just unfolded before their eyes.
Mrs Xiang tugged worriedly at Mr Xiangâs sleeve, âWhat do we do?â
âWeâve been around Tingsheng for almost half a year now. Firstly, heâs definitely not a bad kid. He treats us and Little Ning like familyâŚheâs definitely done this for the sake of protecting Little Ning,â Mr Xiang sighed, âButâŚâ
But he did not continue his sentence.
âŚâŚ
Xu Tingsheng bought Xiang Ning a Song S700C phone which possessed a stand.
This could be considered a phone which was currently the closest to a digital camera, especially when selfie functions had still yet to appear. The designer had installed a selfie scope at the front of the phone, allowing oneâs expressions to basically be visible when they took photos.
Xiang Ning happily played with the handphone for a long time, only unwillingly letting go of it when the sales assistant was helping her to install her phone card.
After Xu Tingsheng had paid for it, the sales assistant handed the phone with the phone card installed over to Xiang Ning.
She handed it back, saying, âHelp us test out the photograph function.â
After saying so, she ran back over to Xu Tingshengâs side, clasping his arm and leaning her head against it. She tilted her head slightly, smiling happily.
Taking photos? The both of them?
âUncleâ who disliked taking photographs had no way at all to refuse her this time round. Xu Tingsheng was trying very hard to keep his expression in check, trying to smile as brightly, warmly and handsomely as possible. Also, it would be best if he could appear a little younger, not seeming like an Uncle who had abducted a loli.
The phone rang.
The sales assistant asked, âHow about you answer it first?â
Xiang Ning asked, âWhoâs calling?â
âThe phoneâs just changed. Only the numberâs shown.â
âDonât answer it then. Hang up. The photos first.â
âOkay.â
âOne, two, threeâŚclick.â
âAnother one,â Xiang Ning scooted over from the left side to the right.
âOkay, one two threeâŚclick.â
âGot it,â Xiang Ning got Xu Tingsheng to bend down, lifting her up.
âOkay.â
After having taken around eight photographs, Xiang Ning still remained excited and in the mood.
Xu Tingsheng smiled apologetically to the sales assistant before telling Xiang Ning, âAlright, theyâve got a business to run. They canât just keep taking photos for us. Letâs do it later.â
Xiang Ning thought, âAlright, weâll take them ourselves then. See this mirror? We can take some by ourselves. Letâs drive over to the suburban districts. We can capture Dongdong in it as well.â
If it was selfiesâŚthat was more like how it had been before. Xu Tingsheng remembered those selfies Xiang Ning had secretly taken of them in his previous life. Those memories were like a bottle of honey, sweet whilst also like prickly spikes as they hurtâŚ
As Xu Tingsheng was in a daze, the phone rang again.
Xiang Ning picked up the call. Knowing that she was with Xu Tingsheng, Mrs Xiang did not say too much over the phone, simply asking in a severe tone for her to immediately get back home.
On her way home, Xiang Ning pondered in silence for a long time before suddenly saying in what sounded like a question to Xu Tingsheng whilst also like she was talking to herself, âDo you know, Xu Tingsheng? My Dadâs actually five years older than my Mum. My cousinâs even more remarkable, her husband being a whole seven years older than her. Then, thereâs stillâŚâ
Xiang Ning tried hard to laugh as she pretended that she was really just bringing up a novel, interesting topic of conversation.
Xu Tingsheng seemed to hear a little something from her words, but had no way to respond. Thus, he remained silent.
âXu Tingsheng, what do you think little dogs become when theyâve grown up?â
âBig dogs.â
âWhat about Little Xiang Ning when sheâs grown up?â
ââŚâ
They had taken commemoration photographs today. It was just like those which Xu Tingsheng had relied upon for three years in his previous life as a container for his memories. Perhaps it had been the same for Xiang Ning as well.