Chapter 112: Teaching the Daughter Kingdom's King a Foreign Language

After a short while, Xu Yuexin and Qiao Qiao, Chen Yixue returned home.

When his daughter‑in‑law finished washing her face and fell asleep, Xu Yuexin stepped out of the bedroom, intending to go back to his Keyuan Community home for a visit.

He planned to bring some daily necessities and also lie in wait along the route Zhu Chen must take on her way back.

"Where are you going?"

Da Yizi leaned on the sofa and asked.

"I'm going back home to get something."

Xu Yuexin replied and walked toward the doorway.

At that moment, he sensed an ominous aura coming from behind.

Turning around, he saw Da Yizi staring at him with murderous eyes, a faint, half‑present cold smile at the corner of her mouth.

Has she discovered something?

Xu Yuexin thought to himself, his hand involuntarily slipping off the doorknob as he stepped back two paces.

"You look so upright, yet you have such a tangled mind."

Da Yizi stared at him intently, her tone cold as she said.

"No, I'm a good person; don't slander me."

Xu Yuexin hurriedly invoked Denial Triple, resolutely saying, "Do I have to report back to you just because I went home?"

He hadn't said anything at all—how did Da Yizi discover it? Xu Yuexin was at a loss.

"Ha, still trying to argue."

"Tell me, why were you absent‑minded when you reached the main gate earlier?"

"……"

Xu Yuexin was left speechless by Da Yizi's question.

Earlier, when he saw the notice at the pork shop, he indeed spaced out for a moment.

He didn't expect that even such a brief lapse could be spotted by Da Yizi.

This woman is no ordinary person!

Xu Yuexin looked up and let out a long sigh.

Of course, he's not a vegetarian either.

"I saw the pork shop's notice saying they no longer supply on tickets; I found it novel."

"So I stared a bit longer—what of it?"

Xu Yuexin defended himself confidently, striving not to show any flaw.

Da Yizi continued to stare at him coldly.

As icy‑smart as she is, she could be 100% certain that Xu Yuexin was lying.

Only she couldn't at that moment find evidence to expose him.

Chen Yixue stared at Xu Yuexin, thought for a long while, then sighed.

"Sigh, just get along well with Qiao Qiao."

"Someone else married such a good daughter‑in‑law—are they even happy?"

"It's not your turn to worry about it."

Xu Yuexin argued sophistically, then slipped back to the bedroom.

Da Yizi was too clever; if this went on, she feared she couldn't hold out.

Fortunately, his daughter‑in‑law remained sound asleep, not awakened by the earlier noise.

But when Xu Yuexin lay down on the bed, she was roused by the movement.

"Water, drink water…"

Qiao Qiao kept her eyes tightly shut, murmuring groggily.

"Milk, plain water, or juice?"

Xu Yuexin asked considerately.

He is a gentle scumbag!

"Just plain water."

"Alright."

Xu Yuexin went outside to fetch water, while Chen Yixue supervised him the whole time, preventing him from again looking for a chance to go out.

"What are you looking at?"

Before returning to the bedroom, Xu Yuexin glared at Da Yizi irritably and said.

Chen Yixue shot him a glance: "You know it yourself."

"Ha."

Xu Yuexin sneered.

The advantage of having little conscience manifested itself now.

After some self‑adjustment, his mental resilience had become quite strong.

Can Da Yizi keep an eye on him for an afternoon, let alone a lifetime?

The next day, Xu Yuexin had a full schedule of classes, while Qiao Qiao only had morning classes.

After sending his daughter‑in‑law back to Unity Lake at noon, Xu Yuexin taught until evening before returning home.

Just after stepping out of the school gate, a familiar face appeared before his eyes.

Zhu Chen arrived.

Zhu Chen also saw Xu Yuexin, and walked toward him.

Pork is now being served openly.

Xu Yuexin, you won.

When she walked up to him, Zhu Chen, confidently yet with a hint of regret, said, "This is the fountain pen you gave me that day; I'm giving it back to you."

After speaking, Zhu Chen took the Hero Emblem Fountain Pen from her Shoulder Bag and handed it to Xu Yuexin.

Xu Yuexin blocked her hand.

No need, you keep it.

Xu Yuexin said briskly, "It's just a fountain pen."

Zhu Chen hadn't expected him to make such a decision, and her hand hovered in midair for a moment.

That's not very good.

Zhu Chen hesitated and said, "We had already made an arrangement…"

You don't want it?

Xu Yuexin asked lightly.

Zhu Chen felt a bit embarrassed by the question.

This is a commemorative award fountain pen from a famous writer.

How could she not want it? "Um, I owe you a lot of favors."

Zhu Chen lowered her head and said, "Taking your things again wouldn't be appropriate."

"Alright, then give it back to me."

Seeing this, Xu Yuexin didn't force the issue and took the fountain pen back from Zhu Chen's hand.

The moment the fountain pen was taken away, Zhu Chen felt a slight melancholy, as if she had lost something important.

This is the award fountain pen from the People's Literature Award…

As a literary young woman, Zhu Chen felt nostalgic inside.

"How have your studies been lately, still going smoothly?"

While strolling home, Zhu Chen asked Xu Yuexin.

"Pretty smooth. Is your work going well?"

"Um, it's okay, just so‑so."

Zhu Chen forced a slightly strained smile.

Xu Yuexin could see that Zhu Chen's words were insincere.

Zhu Chen had previously told him about the cold reception she faced at her workplace as a university student who entered before the College Entrance Exam was reinstated.

From the tone and expression in her recent answer, it could be inferred that her days at the unit had become increasingly difficult.

The reason lay in the fact that each unit now faced requirements for the educational structure of cadres, needing to ensure a certain proportion of university graduates in the staff.

Currently, the practice across regions is to promote the batch of old university graduates from the 1950s and 1960s. After the College Entrance Exam was reinstated in 1982, when the first cohort of graduates finished, each unit will need to vacate positions for them.

Since Zhu Chen entered university by recommendation before the College Entrance Exam was reinstated, she naturally became the target to be displaced.

In short, she has to make way for others.

Xu Yuexin paused briefly, feeling he should point her toward a clear path.

"If you don't want to stay in the unit, you could also try continuing your studies."

"For example, take the graduate exam?"

Xu Yuexin looked at Zhu Chen and said.

"Take the graduate exam?"

Zhu Chen's first reaction was surprise: "Can I do it?" In her impression, getting into university was already hard enough; a graduate exam seemed even harder. "Believe me, you can do it."

"Actually, applying for graduate school now is a chance to pick up leftovers."

Xu Yuexin said earnestly.

In 1978, the state announced the reinstatement of the graduate entrance exam, but that year's enrollment quota was very small.

In 1979, the graduate enrollment scale expanded, with a total of ten thousand people admitted nationwide.

This year's graduate enrollment will further expand, and the exam difficulty won't be much.

The prerequisite for taking the graduate exam is having a university bachelor's degree.

Now, the old university graduates from the 1950s and 1960s have just been heavily utilized, all focused on advancing their careers, so few will sit for the exam.

University students after the College Entrance Exam reinstatement are still in school and haven't graduated.

That means Zhu Chen essentially only needs to compete with other university students who were also admitted by recommendation.

These university students have varied educational backgrounds; some graduated from middle school, others only have elementary education.

Zhu Chen had at least studied up to high school, so compared with them, she isn't completely outclassed.

Xu Yuexin explained this reasoning to Zhu Chen, and after hearing it, her eyes brightened.

"You're right; now taking the graduate exam really is a chance to pick up leftovers."

Zhu Chen strongly agreed, "Without your reminder, I really wouldn't have thought of it."

"The graduate exam has two rounds, in January and July. I think you still have time to prepare for the July one."

Xu Yuexin encouraged.

The CCTV version of Journey to the West began filming in 1982, with only the first eleven episodes shot initially.

The Daughter Kingdom episode was filmed in 1986; if Zhu Chen can pass the graduate exam this year, it will never delay her future as Daughter Kingdom King.

Likewise, it won't delay Xu Yuexin from becoming her junior brother.

"I… I'll still prepare for next year's January one?"

Zhu Chen said with little confidence, "I need to spend time improving my English…"

These days the competition for the graduate entrance exam is quite low, but each subject must be passed, otherwise one still cannot be admitted.

Consequently, until the late 1990s, graduate programs in some unpopular majors at both Tsinghua and Peking University still often failed to fill their slots and would accept transfers from other majors.

"Just go ahead and register; I'll help you make up the English part."

Xu Yuexin said firmly, "I got a perfect score in English on the College Entrance Exam."

"Ah? Then that's really much appreciated."

Zhu Chen said, overjoyed.

Having gone through a special period, it's hard to find a teacher proficient in English.

Now, in Zhu Chen's view, Xu Yuexin is practically a living deity to her.

After agreeing with Zhu Lin, Xu Yuexin will set aside two sessions each week to go to Zhu Lin's home and tutor her in English.

Under Xu Yuexin's hand‑by‑hand instruction, her English level keeps improving, and she now recognizes nearly half of the commonly used words.

As her academic level rises, Zhu Chen becomes increasingly grateful to Xu Yuexin, feeling that he is not only her benefactor but also a guide on her life's path.

Xu Yuexin indeed puts a lot of effort into Zhu Chen's English proficiency.

To raise her reading level, Xu Yuexin specifically goes to the foreign language department's reading room to read English‑language newspapers, memorizes the content verbatim, and then writes it down from memory at home to give to Zhu Chen.

"These are all original English reports; the exam might draw questions from them."

Xu Yuexin reminded, "When your vocabulary expands, read these; if you don't understand something, don't look it up in a dictionary—guess the meaning from the context yourself."

Compared with the previous two sessions, the difficulty of the 1980 graduate entrance exam has increased significantly.

Moreover, these days the graduate entrance exam content is not uniformly set, and Xu Yuexin reasonably suspects that the Xiehe Yixueyuan Zhu Chen is applying to will raise the foreign language difficulty, testing reading and such.

After all, many English medical papers have not been translated yet, requiring students to study the original texts.

Zhu Chen feels an enormous pressure when she sees the original material Xu Yuexin sends.

"So difficult, I feel I'll never master it."

In the study, Zhu Chen, staring at the dense English articles, says with a headache.

"Hard work pays off for those who are diligent."

Xu Yuexin places his hand on her shoulder and says, "Look, at first you didn't recognize many words; now you've mastered nearly half, haven't you?"

Zhu Chen feels Xu Yuexin's intimate gesture and can't help blushing.

"Keep memorizing words; later I'll teach you the passive voice grammar."

Xu Yuexin says calmly.

"Hmm…"

Zhu Chen replies vaguely, her heart fluttering.

Xu Yuexin, indeed… has thoughts about himself.

Zhu Chen can't help feeling troubled by this.

…

After another round of instruction from Xu Yuexin, Zhu Chen can now skim through English original articles and answer simple questions based on the text.

Considering the typical English proficiency of this era, Xu Yuexin judges that even the most difficult English exam at Xiehe Yixueyuan is no more challenging than that.

"Having learned to this extent, it should be about enough."

"You can continue self‑studying at home; come to me if you have any questions."

In Zhu Lin's study, Xu Yuexin tells her, who is studying,

"Ah, you won't come over anymore?"

Zhu Chen stands up from the chair, her tone tinged with surprise, and says, "I haven't mastered the perfect tense yet."

"Regarding the perfect tense, I've covered everything that needs to be said. I see you take notes seriously; just study by comparing with your notes later."

"English itself is a subject well suited to self‑study."

"Then… okay."

Zhu Chen says dejectedly.

At this moment, Zhu Chen's mood is very complicated.

On one hand, after confirming that Xu Yuexin is interested in her, she feels a heavy sense of guilt, for he is a married man.

On the other hand, she greatly admires Xu Yuexin, feeling that since she met him he has helped her a lot.

Especially during the period of learning English, she spent long periods in close contact with Xu Yuexin, and has developed a different feeling toward him.

She can't quite define what this feeling is; she only knows that upon learning Xu Yuexin will leave, she feels very upset.

"What, you want me to stay here?"

Seeing that Zhu Chen is not very happy, Xu Yuexin smiles and asks.

"You also have your own matters to attend to; forcing you to stay isn't right."

"By the way, I've seen your wife; she's very beautiful, and she looks quite good."

Zhu Chen hopes this way to remind Xu Yuexin to stop overstepping, lest she be at a loss.

"Hmm, I love her very much."

Xu Yuexin states.

Zhu Chen is confused: if he loves his wife so much, why would he… have thoughts about her?

Just as Zhu Chen doesn't know how to answer, Xu Yuexin takes her hand and says, "I can still love other people."

Zhu Chen is stunned.

Loving more than one person at the same time? And with this attitude?

That truly shatters her worldview.

Zhu Chen's dignified face turns serious, and she pulls her hand away.

Xu Yuexin had helped her a lot, and she thought it necessary to pull him back onto the right path when he first began to stray.

"Comrade Xu Yuexin, your thoughts are dangerous; they must not be allowed."

Zhu Chen straightened up and warned, "It will harm you."

"Oh? So it's your turn to be my teacher?"

Xu Yuexin chuckled lightly.

Zhu Chen felt a little embarrassed by the question: she had spoken those words out of a moral instinct.

Now, after calming down, Zhu Chen regretted a bit, wondering if what she said was perhaps too hurtful to him.

"I didn't mean it that way."

Zhu Chen explained somewhat embarrassed, "I just think you're living quite well now, and there's no need to risk ruining that life by doing something, something…"

Zhu Chen found herself unable to finish, not knowing how to express her meaning politely.

This time, it was Xu Yuexin who wore a serious expression.

"But, you're worth it."

Xu Yuexin looked at Zhu Chen's beautiful eyes, full of deep affection, and said.

Zhu Chen's heart raced at his gaze, not knowing how to respond.

(End of chapter)