Chapter 273

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Why not?"

Seeing Lin Xiyu's expression was off, her maternal grandmother worried herself into confusion and guessed: "Is Guben making you angry? Does he dislike that you have no job?"

"It's not him."

Lin Xiyu's eyes dimmed, and she sighed deeply again.

"If it's not him, who is it?"

Her maternal grandmother's eyebrows knitted tightly: "Could it be his maternal grandmother?"

"No."

Lin Xiyu shook her head in denial.

"Then who is it?"

Her maternal grandmother was stunned, a bit puzzled.

Lin Xiyu lifted her head and looked at her pitifully.

"Uh."

Her maternal grandmother suddenly realized, and couldn't help but laugh in anger: "You girl, so you've been complaining about your maternal grandmother."

"I'm not complaining."

Lin Xiyu complained wrongfully: "I just want to ask, what are you thinking? Do you feel that running a training class isn't a proper job, has no future, and makes people look down on you?"

"How could that be?"

Her maternal grandmother, mindful of her mood, denied decisively: "Your maternal grandmother isn't an old fogey who looks down on businesspeople; doesn't your female cousin run her own company and make a lot of money?"

Lin Xiyu pouted her cheeks and muttered: "Since you also think doing business is quite good, why are you urging me to go back to work?"

"You're different from your female cousin."

Her maternal grandmother said as a matter of course: "She never had a job to begin with; she has to make her own way."

"I have a job......"

Lin Xiyu's eyes were desolate: "Can't I just do what I like?"

"You girl......"

Hearing this, her maternal grandmother finally understood: "Going around in such a big circle, you're still talking about paper-cutting, aren't you?"

"Mm."

Lin Xiyu hummed from her nose.

"You want to give up your job for paper-cutting?"

Her maternal grandmother wasn't muddled; she saw through it at a guess.

"Is that okay?"

Lin Xiyu lifted her head, her eyes full of expectation.

"Silly girl, you have to think this through."

Her maternal grandmother's expression changed slightly, her eyebrows knitted tightly: "Your maternal grandmother doesn't oppose you doing public welfare, but that thing can't be eaten as rice; if you like it, it's fine as a hobby, but if you really give up your future for paper-cutting, your maternal grandmother really worries you'll regret it."

"I'm thinking......"

Seeing her maternal grandmother hadn't explicitly opposed it, her meaning was already obvious; Lin Xiyu smiled bitterly and pulled at the corners of her mouth.

"This matter cannot be taken lightly."

Her maternal grandmother warned again solemnly: "You must consider it carefully."

"I will."

Lin Xiyu didn't want her maternal grandmother to worry, so she obediently agreed and rose to take her leave.

Not getting the comfort and support she had imagined, she left her maternal grandmother's home somewhat desolately and wandered aimlessly on the street alone.

Unconsciously, she arrived at the entrance of No. 1 High School campus.

At this time, it was exactly when high school students were let out in the afternoon; students in school uniforms were coming and going at the school entrance, playing and frolicking.

After a moment of being stunned, her footsteps moved involuntarily toward the main gate of No. 1 High School.

——

Guben knew clearly in his heart that when facing a major life decision, no one would remain calm.

Therefore, he did not deliberately comfort or persuade her, but silently expressed his support, letting his beloved wife go out alone to clear her mind and sort out her thoughts.

He had thought that with four treasures at home always on her mind, where could a mother go? She would go out for a stroll, find a place to vent her emotions, and naturally return by mealtime.

However, some things always turn out unexpectedly and occasionally deviate from the track.

Just like this time: as dusk fell and mealtime arrived, he waited left and right but still no one came back; calling her mobile phone indicated it was switched off.

Unable to contact her, even someone who was usually fully in control and calm and composed became somewhat anxious.

After calling all relatives and friends and still failing to find her, he finally couldn't sit still and went out personally to look for her.

——

Perhaps because she had once been a teacher, Lin Xiyu naturally carried an air of scholarly refinement.

She came to the entrance of No. 1 High School and walked in leisurely; the security guard at the door mistook her for a teacher at the school and did not stop her, letting her in just like that.

No. 1 High School was as in the past; apart from more complete teaching facilities, it had not changed much from what she remembered.

Looking at the familiar teaching building and basketball court, she was deeply moved by the scene, and scenes like a movie kept flashing in her mind of herself attending school here.

—

She was admitted to No. 1 High School at sixteen, and it was then that she met the fathers of the treasures.

Back then, the school grass of No. 1 High School, the renowned Science Stream Top Scholar.

She still remembered the scene when she first saw Guben.

Back then, he was young and full of vigor.

Representing all new students to swear an oath under the national flag, his whole person seemed bathed in sunlight, shining brightly.

Back then she thought, that boy was truly handsome!

What kind of girl could be so fortunate as to meet him, fall in love with him, accompany him for life, and grow old together.......

Even now, she felt a bit dazed, as if in a dream, unable to believe that the lucky girl was herself.

Enthusiastic cheers came from the basketball court, as if someone was playing a match. The field filled with youthful hormones held even more beautiful memories.

She unconsciously moved toward the basketball court.

—

Guben rode his electric bike along Black Tiger Spring, the Moat, Daming Lake, touring all the streets and alleys of the Old City District but still couldn't find anyone.

After the sun set, a cool breeze blew, making him break out in a cold sweat from anxiety.

"Today's basketball game was amazing, that handsome guy from Class 6 truly deserves to be our school grass of No. 1 High School, handsome and good at basketball."

"Haven't seen such an exciting match in a long time, a three-pointer reversed the game in the last minute, I was so excited I almost shouted my voice hoarse."

"Your lovesick habit just can't be changed, you can't move your legs when you see a handsome guy."

"Don't just talk about me, you were watching pretty happily too."

"I was waiting for you."

"Cut it out, during the game you were more excited than me, your eyeballs were almost stuck to her, don't think I don't know......"

"Nonsense, I didn't."

"You did."

"I didn't."

"You did, you did, arguing is useless."

"I won't talk to you anymore, I need to hurry home, if I don't go back soon my mom will get angry."

"Hey hey, wait for me, why are you riding so fast?"

"Ride faster, stop dragging."

"Coming, coming......."

It was pitch dark.

Two girls in school uniforms rode bicycles past him, the familiar uniforms made his pupils shrink.

The next second, without the slightest hesitation, he turned the handlebars and rode toward No. 1 High School.

—

Lin Xiyu came to the basketball court following the direction in her memory, wanting to find an inconspicuous place to quietly stay for a while, enjoy the basketball game, and clear her mind, so her emotions wouldn't be overly suppressed.

Unexpectedly, she ran into an acquaintance as soon as she arrived.

"Lin Xiyu?!"

Her former Class Teacher Teacher Jia was cheering for the students in her class outside the field, and glanced at her unintentionally, stunned for a moment.

"Teacher Jia?"

Lin Xiyu saw it was Teacher Jia, hurried forward a few steps, and came to her side.

"Is it really you?"

Teacher Jia said with surprise and delight: "Aren't you in Shanghai? When did you come back?"

"I've been back for a while."

Lin Xiyu hadn't contacted Teacher Jia for a long time, and smiled somewhat apologetically.

"Students, come, let me introduce you to......"

Teacher Jia didn't ask further, and happily introduced her prized student to her students: "This is your senior sister, a graduate student in the English Department of East China Normal University."

"Damn, English Department, awesome!"

"East China Normal University, my dream school."

"Senior sister is beautiful and good at studying, simply a winner in life."

High school students most admire the study god type of senior brothers and sisters; hearing she was a graduate student, they boiled over, and many people's eyes sparkled with little stars of worship.

"Senior sister, do you have a boyfriend? Do you think I'm okay?"

Someone also acted independently, wanting to show off in front of the beautiful senior sister, drawing a chorus of retching sounds.

"You should also learn more from Senior sister, strive to get into your ideal school, and bring glory to your alma mater."

Teacher Jia seized the opportunity to rally them, waving her arms, very inspiring: "Come on, students, charge toward your ideal schools."

"Come on!"

The students were also great, shouting in unison.

"Okay okay, disperse now, go watch the game."

Teacher Jia was very satisfied with this effect, her face glowing red with excitement.

"Watch the game, watch the game."

Hearing the order, the students scattered like birds and beasts.

"Xiyu, how do you have time to come to school?"

Teacher Jia chased away a bunch of brats, and only then had free time to talk and chat with Lin Xiyu.

"Something came up, I was passing by the school gate..."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to reveal her worries, so she perfunctorily found an excuse: "I saw the door was open, so I thought I'd come in and take a look."

"You came at quite a coincidence, just in time for the contest."

Teacher Jia didn't think much of it, pointing at the students competing on the court, a face full of pride: "This class of students is very similar to your class back then, there are a few especially outstanding ones, did you see that boy shooting the ball? His name is Si Haoming, his grades are top of the entire grade, he's handsome, plays basketball well, quite similar to Guben back in the day."

"Which person?"

Hearing this, Lin Xiyu's eyes brightened, and she also took a bit of interest in that boy.

"It's the one wearing the black T-shirt, number plate is number 4..."

Relying on being the class teacher, Teacher Jia overbearingly used her hands to push aside the two male students blocking the front, very excitedly pointing him out for her to see.

"Oh oh, I see him."

Lin Xiyu saw the two unlucky fellows dared to be angry but not speak out, suppressing a laugh she squeezed in from the middle of the crowd.

Right at this moment, that boy dribbled to the basket, banked a shot and scored, causing a burst of cheers on site.

"Teacher was right, wasn't she."

Teacher Jia got even more excited, also clapping and cheering loudly.

"There is a bit of a resemblance."

Lin Xiyu nodded solemnly in agreement, but in reality with 200-plus degrees of myopia, the distance was too far, she fundamentally couldn't see the person clearly.

"Si Haoming, Si Haoming!"

That boy's technique was indeed not bad, before long he sank another ball.

The scene boiled over even more, the girls' excited screams pierced the eardrums.

"Youth is nice!"

Lin Xiyu watched the familiar scene, the corner of her mouth curling up slightly.

"You're not that old yourself..."

Teacher Jia laughed and teased: "How come you talk so old-fashioned?"

"I'm already thirty."

Lin Xiyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Compared to their seventeen or eighteen, there's already a generation gap, youth is no more, a person has no second youth."

"Compared to Teacher, you're young again."

Teacher Jia, worthy of being a class teacher, knows how to do ideological work: "Thirty is the prime of life, precisely the time to strive, also an important turning point in life, this age most easily gains the Leader's attention, Promotion and advancement, even if encountering some setbacks, there's still Opportunity to make a comeback, Gain success."

An important turning point in life...

Lin Xiyu's thoughts stirred, she took this sentence to heart.

——

On the basketball court the excitement continued, Teacher Jia was also drawn in by the intense confrontation, returning her attention to the contest.

Lin Xiyu alone fell into deep thought, her gaze seemed to be staring at a person, but in reality her thoughts were flying, long since unknown where they had drifted off to.

On the basketball court, Si Haoming suddenly sensed someone had been staring at him, somewhat startled he turned his head to look.

Just in this moment of stunned distraction, the basketball was stolen by the opponent, driven to the basket, clawing back two points.

"Si Haoming, what's wrong with you, kid?"

"Why are you spacing out while playing ball?"

"Did you get stunned looking at a beauty? Can't even play ball anymore."

Same-class teammates, some dissatisfiedly shouted, some also noticed a certain small detail, jokingly teased him.

"You're the one with too much nonsense."

Si Haoming retorted back annoyed, but his ear roots suspiciously flushed red.

"Defense, defense......."

A new round began, the opposing players' shouts made the team members' attention return to the contest once again.

Si Haoming also dispelled distracting thoughts, wholeheartedly devoting himself to the contest.

"Xiyu ah, you seem to have something on your mind?"

Teacher Jia saw something was off, waved her hand in front of Lin Xiyu's eyes.

"Ah?!"

Lin Xiyu returned from her thoughts, blankly blinking her eyes.

"What are you thinking about?"

Teacher Jia looked at her rather amusedly: "Such a wonderful contest and you can still space out."

"I was thinking about that sentence you just said..."

Lin Xiyu smiled sheepishly: "Perhaps I'm currently at a turning point in life, once the choice is wrong, it'll be a lifetime of regret."

"I knew it."

Teacher Jia realized: "How would you suddenly appear on campus, definitely here to find me with something, how about this, you wait a bit, after the contest ends we'll have a good chat."

Lin Xiyu: "......."

Could she say it?

Coming here really was a coincidence.

She really didn't come here deliberately to find someone, hey!

——

Teacher Jia is a warm-hearted person, treats her proud students even more warmly, after the contest ended, she forcibly dragged Lin Xiyu to her office.

Lin Xiyu couldn't refuse, moreover she indeed had worries, needed to pour them out, so she went along with her wish, spoke out all her heart's words.

"Teacher Jia, do you also think that me resigning from my Shanghai job, taking Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritance as my lifelong pursuit, is asking for trouble?"

"Xiyu..."

Upon hearing this, Teacher Jia was stunned for a good long while before sighing faintly, "You've really given Teacher a huge problem."

Lin Xiyu smiled bitterly: "I also couldn't decide for myself, so I thought I'd come out to clear my head."

"This question is really too hard to answer."

Teacher Jia didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Teacher admits it was a bit rash; I shouldn't have taken it all on myself, thinking I could help you."

"Teacher, just say your true thoughts."

Lin Xiyu smiled understandingly, turning around to comfort her instead: "It's fine, I can take it."

"You really want to hear it?"

Teacher Jia asked tentatively.

"Yes."

Lin Xiyu answered very resolutely.