Chapter 290

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

Ever since Li Ang had the idea of taking on disciples, he had secretly employed quite a few petty schemes, using cheap stationery wholesaled from Lao Dongmen to buy people's hearts, and it truly let him accept a few disciples with passable aptitude.

However, among these disciples was not included the one he valued most.

Lin Xiyu thought she had already made it very clear to him that she had no intention of taking disciples; she did not expect that because of Chen Xiang's voluntary submission, another complication would arise.

Chen Xiang was the one Li Ang had set his sights on, yet he could not recruit him — the child with the best aptitude.

——

Not long after the little ones finished their birthdays, on a Saturday in late September, she went to the Youth Palace for class as usual.

That Chen Xiang would, in front of the whole class, actively request to become her disciple was something she had not anticipated; the subsequent chain reaction was even more beyond expectation.

With someone taking the lead, the other children in the class also grew interested and followed suit one after another.

A dozen or so children ran from their seats and swarmed around her in a rush.

Among them were those few children who had already been bought off by Li Ang and had agreed to become his disciples.

A trace of embarrassment flashed across Li Ang's face; he forced a smile, barely managing not to flip out on the spot.

"Teacher Lin, sorry about this, just taking up a little of your time......"

The person in charge of the Youth Palace happened to push the door open at this moment and waved warmly at Lin Xiyu: "There's an opportunity to go abroad for an exchange showcasing traditional folk culture; do you want to participate?"

"When would we go?"

Lin Xiyu's attention was diverted by the person in charge; she squeezed out of the crowd and walked toward the classroom doorway.

"Mid to late October."

"How long would we be gone?"

"About half a month or so."

"What kind of exchange requires going for that long?"

"This one is organized by the SD Provincial Arts and Crafts Association......"

The Youth Palace person in charge attached great importance to this event and spoke in detail: "Not only our JN City, but intangible cultural heritage inheritors from other cities in the province will also participate, touring various European countries for exhibitions......."

"I'm not an inheritor yet, though; do I have the qualifications to participate?"

"Hu Nainai has passed away; you can bring her works from when she was alive and participate in her capacity as her disciple."

"Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

Lin Xiyu had misgivings: "Everyone else is a proper inheritor; I'm the only poser."

"You just go with peace of mind......."

The Youth Palace person in charge gave her a reassurance pill: "We've already reported your situation upward; this year's Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor selection can be said to be a done deal."

"Thank you, Leader, for your recognition of me......."

Lin Xiyu was grateful to the utmost, not seeing the flash of jealousy in Li Ang's eyes inside the classroom.

——

"Senior Sister, since the children all want to become your disciples, you shouldn't decline."

Lin Xiyu returned to the classroom; Li Ang feigned an unconcerned look and spoke hypocritically on behalf of the children: "I see the kids in our class all have excellent talent; they're all qualified to be your disciples."

"Hehehe."

Hearing his words, the children were indeed all very happy and once again swarmed around Lin Xiyu.

"Teacher Lin temporarily has no plans to take disciples."

Lin Xiyu knew the score in her heart; some children had already agreed to Li Ang, and his suddenly pulling this stunt was clearly meant to make her the bad guy.

For the sake of sharing the same master, she did not quibble further; in front of all the children, she stated her position.

"Sigh."

The children sighed in disappointment, all showing dejected expressions.

"Teacher Lin......"

Chen Xiang was very persistent: "How much longer do we have to wait before you'll take disciples?"

"Teacher Lin has business and needs to go abroad for a period of time......"

Lin Xiyu used the exchange as a pretext to put them off: "The matter of taking disciples isn't urgent; let's talk after I return."

"Fine then."

Chen Xiang's eyes dimmed; he could only reluctantly agree.

The other children were just following the trend and making a fuss; with the ringleader gone, they also lost interest and scattered in a hubbub.

Li Ang quietly let out a breath of relief, sidled over and actively curried favor: "Senior Sister, you're going abroad at this time; what if you can't make it back in time and miss the inheritor application? Why not leave the materials with me, and I'll apply on your behalf?"

"Oh right, almost forgot about this."

Lin Xiyu slapped her forehead, full of annoyance: "Good thing you reminded me; I have to hurry and get the materials ready before going abroad."

"There's still time now......"

Li Ang's mood was complicated; he deeply regretted his momentary loose tongue.

Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor quotas are limited; if Lin Xiyu really couldn't prepare in time and missed the application, wouldn't his opportunity be even greater?

"I'll organize the materials as soon as possible and hand them to you before I go abroad."

Lin Xiyu didn't think too much about it, her eyes showing gratitude: "The application matter, I'll have to trouble you with it."

"Senior Sister, no need to be polite; this is what I should do."

Li Ang's words sounded beautiful, but a complex, indiscernible light flashed in his eyes.

——

Lin Xiyu had not expected that a junior brother from the same master would, for a single quota, do something that stabbed his senior sister in the back.

Li Ang failed to dispel distracting thoughts; on the eve of the application, he unintentionally learned from the Youth Palace's person in charge that this year's selection quota was only for one person, and extreme selfishness made him lose his reason.

On the day of submitting materials, he went against his conscience and wrote only his own name on the application form.

Lin Xiyu knew nothing of this matter; at this moment, she was shining brilliantly at an overseas exchange exhibition.

A foreign reporter covering the exhibition learned she was not an inheritor, questioned her identity, and made it clear he wanted to make things difficult for her.

A person with genuine talent and learning — what provocation need they fear?

The image of the Thousand Years' First Female Talent had long been deeply engraved in her brain; without drawing, she could skillfully and freely cut it out.

The scissors wandered nimbly in her hands; Yi'an Jushi, a representative figure of Spring Water Culture, appeared before foreign paper-cutting enthusiasts with her unique charm.

The moment she put down the scissors, thunderous applause erupted in the exhibition hall.

All participating personnel were convinced by her skill; that foreign reporter also had to rein in his arrogant air, pretended to be very admiring, and stuck out his thumb.

Lin Xiyu faced the camera with a smile, explaining to the audience present in English.

Pure Received Pronunciation won unanimous praise from the foreign friends once again.

This traditional culture exhibition from the ancient Eastern country, because of her outstanding performance, attracted much attention; local people who originally did not care about Chinese traditional culture came flocking after seeing news reports, causing quite a stir locally.

——

Early November, Jinan.

The touring exhibition concluded perfectly; Lin Xiyu returned to the country with the exchange group, and the Youth Palace's person in charge personally came to the airport to receive them.

The two met, and the other party opened with a heavy blow: "Xiyu, there's something I want to confirm with you? You didn't submit the Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritor application materials? Why is it that the news I heard from an insider says your name isn't on this candidate list."

"Ah?!"

Lin Xiyu cried out in alarm; her first instinctive reaction was that it was impossible. Seeing the person in charge's solemn expression, not like he was lying, her mood instantly sank to the bottom of the valley.

Seeing her expression was off, the person in charge's eyes showed worry: "Was it because you left in a rush for the overseas exchange and didn't have time?"

"I told my husband to help me submit the materials; maybe he was delayed by something."

Lin Xiyu was concerned for Hu Nainai's reputation; not wanting to speculate wildly before figuring out the truth, she did not name Li Ang.

"Sigh."

The person in charge sighed regretfully: "I thought so too; such an important matter, how could you forget? When I first heard your name wasn't on the candidate list, I also found it inconceivable. I originally wanted to call you, but considering the registration deadline had passed and you were abroad, I didn't want to affect your mood, so I kept putting it off and didn't ask you."

"This matter is a bit suspicious......"

Lin Xiyu was anxious and confused, no longer in the mood to chat further: "I'll go home and ask clearly first, then we'll talk."

"Alright then."

The person in charge patted her shoulder comfortingly and did not press further.

——

Lin Xiyu kept an extra eye out; she didn't go find Li Ang herself, but first contacted the other two senior/junior brothers and sisters, explained the situation, and the three of them went to his door together.

Facing questioning, Li Ang at first denied it was intentional, pushing the responsibility onto his own mother.

He said the old lady hadn't paid attention, sandwiched the kraft paper bag holding the materials inside old newspapers, and sold it all to the waste station together; by the time he discovered it and went looking, it was too late — the forms and works were all contaminated by dirty water, thoroughly turned into waste paper.

"Do you take everyone else for idiots?"

Wang Lei didn't believe it; a fist flew out and knocked him to the ground.

"You could even do this kind of thing; are you worthy of Hu Nainai's nurturing?"

Zhang Jie was also furious, pointing at his nose and scolding.

"How am I unworthy of Hu Nainai?"

Li Ang saw he couldn't conceal it, steeled his heart, simply stopped pretending, and retorted sharply: "We're all Hu Nainai's disciples; why can she apply but I can't?"

"No one's stopping you from applying; each according to their ability."

Lin Xiyu was deeply disappointed in him, a trace of pain flashing in her eyes.

Not heartache for herself, but heartache for Hu Nainai.

That old lady also wouldn't want that, shortly after her passing, among her few disciples, someone would stab a fellow disciple in the back for fame and profit, doing such a thing with no moral bottom line.

"You say it nicely......."

Li Ang's long-accumulated jealous hatred completely erupted at this moment: "What 'each according to their ability'? A pre-determined candidate — what qualifications do you have to say that? You know best in your own heart; someone already helped you pull strings long ago. As long as you signed up it was yours; what fairness is there to speak of?"

"Even if you failed this time, you could wait for the next one, right?"

Wang Lei glared at him with hating-iron-not-becoming-steel: "There isn't only one Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritor; why must you be so extreme, doing such a despicable thing?"

"I can't wait for the next one."

Li Ang screamed with a torn throat, as he spoke he even brought a few degrees of sobbing: "You fundamentally don't understand, how I've survived these years, working myself to death month after month, holding down several part-time jobs, still unable to save much money; dating a girlfriend I still have to watch her family's faces; without a proper job, even their dog looks down on you."

"If you have difficulties you can tell us."

Zhang Jie felt uncomfortable listening, her tone softened: "We're not unreasonable people either."

"Senior Sister Lin......"

Li Ang thick-skinnedly begged: "Count it as me begging you; this matter, just treat it as doing a good deed and yield it to me. Your family conditions are good, you don't care about this bit of money; I'm different. Two thousand yuan a month in subsidy is really important to me. With the inheritor identity, only then can I hold my head high before outsiders, no longer let them call me useless, good-for-nothing......"

"You think this is about money?"

Lin Xiyu's mood was complex, her eyes full of heartache: "You only see my life is better than yours; have you ever thought what I've experienced these years? To not betray Hu Nainai's entrustment, what have I given up?"

"Senior Sister Lin, I know I'm wrong; you hit me, scold me, I'll accept it all."

To achieve his goal, Li Ang gave himself a few slaps: "As long as you don't expose me, spare me this once, I'll kneel and kowtow, serve like an ox or horse......"

"What use is you kneeling?"

Wang Lei sneered: "Even if you knock your head broken, the mistake already committed cannot be made up for."

"Why should I spare you?"

Lin Xiyu's brows and eyes were cold and stern: "Someone with a crooked heart like you isn't fit to be Hu Nainai's disciple, isn't fit to inherit her Old Man's dying wish."

"Senior Sister, please."

Seeing her unmoved, Li Ang truly thickened his face and knelt down.

"Ai ai......"

Zhang Jie's eyes showed she couldn't bear it: "You, how come you really knelt?"

"You doing this, is it to force Senior Sister to forgive you?"

Wang Lei saw through his intent, wishing he could kick him one foot.

"Senior Sister, please."

Li Ang ignored Wang Lei, lowered his body, posturing as if he really wanted to kowtow.

Lin Xiyu dodged aside, at his rogue behavior quite speechless.

Whichever side she dodged to, Li Ang knelt and turned his body toward that side.

Lin Xiyu was choked with anger, one foot braced against his shoulder.

This time, Li Ang wanted to kowtow but couldn't, frozen in place unable to move.

——

"From today on, you are no longer my Junior Brother, and there's no need to meet again in the future."

Lin Xiyu, grateful for Hu Nainai's kindness, didn't want her Old Man to have no peace even after entering the earth, and in the end couldn't harden her heart to expose Li Ang.

Li Ang escaped a calamity; although he achieved his goal, he also thoroughly lost people's hearts.

Wang Lei and Zhang Jie, fearing they'd be implicated, likewise classified themselves as those Senior Sister would not associate with, firmly drawing a clear line between themselves and him.

Lin Xiyu didn't want a bad mood to influence her relatives; returning home she forced a smile, wanting to hide it, not tell anyone, however, her unusualness still couldn't escape Guben's eyes.

"Gone from home half a month, finally back, and not even a smile on your face, what's going on, who provoked you? Tell me, I'll go vent anger for you."

That evening, Guben saw the babies were all asleep, soft entanglement hard grinding, stubbornly pestered his wife until she had no temper left, told him the truth.

"You just let him off like that?"

Guben's brows and eyes flashed a trace of cold sternness.

"Otherwise what?"

Lin Xiyu smiled bitterly: "How else could it be? If I really beat him up to vent anger, I'm afraid he can't take a beating; if he's injured or crippled I'd still have to implicate myself."

"Letting him off just like that, too cheap for him."

Guben wanted to vent anger for his wife: "By my say, should throw him into the cemetery, let him repent before Hu Nainai's tombstone, kneel three days three nights......."

"Such cold weather, you want him to die?"

Lin Xiyu didn't know whether to cry or laugh: "This is November, in the cemetery it's cold and damp, staying one night could cost half a life."

"Whether he has the life to endure it, depends on himself."

Guben rubbed his fists, having the idea to immediately put it into practice.