On the first two days of the November holidays, Little Xiang Ning went back to help at her parentsâ store, carrying the dishes, taking the orders, a bit of everything. As business was considerably good at the store, Xu Tingsheng naturally ended up going along with her.
It really felt a bit like the future son-in-law was working hard to demonstrate himself.
Just because of this, having previously been unwilling to dish out the cost for additional employees all along, Mr and Mrs Xiang hired someone and asked Little Xiang Ning to stop coming over. Additionally, they instructed Xu Tingsheng to make sure that she studied properly.
In the end, with her time freed up, Little Xiang Ning spent all her time either using the computer or watching television and munching on snacks.
Back when Xu Tingsheng had been her home tutor, he could still be fierce to her and manage her actions. Now that he was her boyfriend, however, his position had really been weakened.
On 4th October, the dutiful form teacher of the first-tier senior high sent the results for the first examination in the adjustment period before National Day to Little Xiang Ningâs QQ account. Xu Tingsheng was sitting beside her at the time and thus saw this.
While it was an experimental class, to be in sixth last placeâŠ
As for the five people ranked behind her, having been a form teacher himself in his previous life, Xu Tingsheng was well aware that there were many rich or powerful people out there who might forcibly insert their good-for-nothing kids in the experimental class, making up the bottom of the pile.
Now that he thought about it, perhaps he should really have requested that she go to a normal class back then.
Xiang Ning had neither been so gifted in studying nor all that hardworking in his previous life. In this life, it was only thanks to the combination of two years of tutoring, the revision notes that he had prepared for her and her good luck as she had fortunately hit on quite a few key points that she had achieved such frightening results.
At the end of the day, though, she was really just not top scholar material.
Worried that she might have suffered too great a shock from her results, Xu Tingsheng dared not make a sound as he sat there beside her. He carefully observed her expression.
Xiang Ning took a potato chip and put it in her mouth. Crunch, crunchâŠ
âDonât tell my parents about this,â She said expressionlessly.
Taken aback, Xu Tingsheng asked, âBut I really should?â
âIf you do, Iâll tell them that we sleep on the same bed sometimes.â
âHey, Little Xiang Ning, you shamelessâŠâ
âHey, Xu Tingsheng, you dirty ruffianâŠâ
Xu Tingsheng changed his approach and went into teacher mode. He told Little Xiang Ning about the importance of the senior high stage and the significance of getting into a good university. At the end of the day, his words could be summed up into a âstudy properlyâ.
Looking at him, Little Xiang Ning asked, âBut why do I have to study properly?â
Was this really being asked?
âTo get into a good university and find a good job,â Xu Tingsheng said.
âAnd then? Earn income? But however hard I work, I wouldnât be able to earn in a lifetime what you earn in a short timeâŠso, why must I study hard and get into a good university? âŠWill you not want me and not upkeep me otherwise?â Little Xiang Ning rebutted with great conviction.
Xu Tingsheng suddenly felt thatâŠthis really made a lot of sense. Actually, did Xiang Ning really have to study so hard?
âI feel that itâs fine as long as I donât do too badly,â Little Xiang Ning continued.
âAnd this isnât considered bad?â Xu Tingsheng asked.
âIâd still be ranked in the top fifteen in a normal class. I just asked,â Little Xiang Ning said, âAnd thatâs already enough for me to enter a university. Oh, how I wish I was in a normal classâŠcan you help switch me over, Xu Tingsheng?â
Xu Tingsheng was thinking: Iâve really never seen anyone with lower aspirations than you, girl.
But in truth, the merry Xiang Ning of his previous life had just been as lackadaisical as this. In the end, she had only barely managed to get into an ordinary second-rate university. Even so, however, she had still grown up with such an enviable personality and dispositionâŠ
In that case, was there really a need to change this?
Xiang Ning took Xu Tingshengâs silence as an indication to press further.
âAlso, I can start working hard again in my second year, just like when in junior high. You can help tutor me then. Iâll study Humanities just like you, and so youâll be able to teach me then. You can even help me prepare a set of revision materials for the university entrance examsâŠâ
What theâŠwhy did it feel like these words made perfect sense?
In fact, Xu Tingsheng would be able to provide much more help in senior high than for in junior high. Moreover, he had once led twelfth grade classes as a teacher in his previous life. Back then, it had not just been history alone that he had repeatedly researched, especially when leading classes that studied the arts.
As had taken the university entrance examinations recently again in this life, that part of his foundation was even more solid.
It really did not seem like getting Little Xiang Ning into university would be very difficult at allâŠ
âYou find that my words make a lot of sense, right?â
âSo, thereâs no need for me to study so hard. Iâve also agreed with Lu Min to attend the same university as her. Her results arenât so good. She says she spends too much time studying relationship problems. Sadly, there isnât such a major in university. Itâs really too bad, huhâŠâ
Xiang Ning was like a victorious rooster that day as she crowed around triumphantly.
It was only when Xu Tingsheng was preparing dinner that evening that she came over to the kitchen with a face full of panic.
âDinnerâs not ready yet. What is it?â Xu Tingsheng asked as he poured the prawns out of the pot.
âParent, teacher, meeting,â Little Xiang Ning bemoaned with a tragic expression on her face.
âCan you go, please? Xu Tingsheng, Iâll tell my teacher that Mum and Dad arenât free. Well, they really arenât free! So, could you go on their behalf?â Little Xiang Ning shook Xu Tingshengâs arm and pleaded.
âThen Iâll tell Mum and Dad that we sleep together sometimes.â
After the 11th, the afternoon Yanzhouâs first-tier senior high resumed its lessons, Xu Tingsheng wore clothes as old-fashioned as possible and went to the parent-teacher meeting for Little Xiang Ning. He had certainly attended these before, but only in the capacity of a teacher.
Besides a few who helped to serve tea, students were restricted from being present at these meetings.
Little Xiang Ningâs form teacher was a young female teacher of twenty-seven. She had average looks and was surnamed Bao.
For her to be the form teacher of an experimental class at this age, she must have led her first batch of twelfth grade students in a very outstanding manner. Xu Tingsheng sat at a corner of the room and listened. This Miss Bao did not embarrass anyone outright as she praised those who should be praised and left those who should be criticised for later.
Only when the teachers for the other subjects came in to speak and better acquaint themselves with the parents did she begin looking for the parents of those âproblem studentsâ and engaging them in private one by one.
Little Xiang Ning was most certainly considered a âproblem studentâ as well. In a place like the experimental class of a cityâs first-tier senior high, inferior results were themselves problematic.
âHello, may I ask how you are related to Xiang Ning?â Miss Bao and Xu Tingsheng sat across from each other by her office desk.
âIâm her Uncle, no, I mean brotherâŠâ Xu Tingsheng said.
Miss Bao looked doubtfully at Xu Tingsheng.
âIâm her big brother,â Xu Tingsheng declared confidently and reaffirmed, âHello, Miss Bao.â
âAh, I see. Well, youâve probably seen Xiang Ningâs results?â Miss Bao asked.
âActually, Xiang Ning is extremely good in all other aspects. I really like her,â Miss Bao smiled, adding, âThis is not obligatory speaking.â
Xu Tingsheng also smiled. He believed that these were not pleasantries, though he himself had once used a lot of that. When teachers talked to parents about their children, they would surely have to start off by saying that they were actually pretty smart, that they had potential etceteraâŠ
âShe just isnât very diligent and focused in her studies,â Miss Bao looked left and right and, upon confirming that there were no other teachers nearby, lowered her voice and told Xu Tingsheng in what was virtually a hushed whisper, âI suspect that Xiang Ning isâŠin an early relationship.â
Xu Tingsheng gulped and swallowed his saliva.
âThat shouldnât be, rightâŠâ He said with rather great difficulty.
âShocked, right? I know. Actually, whether it is you parents or we teachers, itâs always this that weâre most worried about. This already isnât just a matter of studying alone. Xiang Ning is a girl, and prettyâŠit would be likelier for somebody to cheat her, and thenâŠyou catch my drift?â
âSo, you should really pay more attention to this when you get back. Letâs keep in touch.â
âIâm actually quite certain of this. Sometimes, Xiang Ning falls into a daze when attending lessons, smiling to herself. As a teacher, I know that look is a hundred percent indicative of young girls in a relationshipâŠyou know what I mean, yes? Youâve been in a prior relationship?â
âOh, yesâŠyes, I know what you mean.â
âWell, according to Xiang Ning, your parents are busy running a store. In that case, we will have to communicate more on this, work closely together to resolve this problem once and for all. We must not let this impede Xiang Ningâs future.â
âHuh? Resolve? What do you mean by that?â
When Xu Tingsheng narrated his interactions with Miss Bao to Xiang Ning afterwards, she was clutching her stomach and laughing as she rolled around on the groundâŠhaha, asked an Uncle, and it was hilarious, hilarious!