For the Rest of My Life (有生之年) by Twentine ~ Chapter 16

“Apologize to He Lao Shi!” Yan Rui Ping says angrily.

Wan Kun doesn’t speak up, his gaze is on He Li Zhen, it makes somehow He Li Zhen’s heart beats so hard.

Yan Rui Ping sees that he is not saying anything, he cannot endure anymore. He lifts up his mop and wants to hit him again.

“Wan Kun!” He Li Zhen suddenly yells. Yan Rui Ping stops and looks at her.

He Li Zhen looks at Wan Kun so seriously, she says: “Say that you did wrong today.”

Wan Kun says nothing, Yan Rui Ping: “You——“

“Yan Lao Shi.” He Li Zhen says to Yan Rui Ping: “Let me talk with him.”

Yan Rui Ping feels his throat is sore. He nods and goes to the side with Hu Fei. Hu Fei passes him a cup of hot tea. He drinks several gulps.

He Li Zhen looks at Wan Kun’s eyes and says seriously: “If you are unwilling to attend the class, you can just sleep on the back. You also can stay at home and not attend. Since you are at the class, you are a student. You have duty and responsibility to listen well to the class. You have no right to disturb other students! This time I can let it go, but if it happens one more time, I’ll ask you to not come to my class anymore.”

Wan Kun just be silent and looks at her.

He looks indifferent, he doesn’t feel scared, yet he seems like he is holding his laughter. From her words, he seems to realize that she is asking a favor from him.

That’s right. He Li Zhen knows him quite well. He Li Zhen doesn’t let him apologize because she realizes that with Hu Fei and Yan Rui Ping are here, he will not speak up to apologize.

Perhaps every teacher understands this one. But she knows that Wan Kun is too stubborn. He just likes a stone.

The time Yan Rui Ping and Hu Fei are resting, He Li Zhen just criticizes them briefly. Then she says: “Just let this go. I hope that you will not mistake again. We as teachers are confident for your future. Just leave now.”

Wan Kun laughs coldly. He says nothing and just leaves with Wu Yue Ming.

“Hey, hey——“ Wan Rui Ping doesn’t expect this situation to happen, He Li Zhen stands in front of them and she says: “Yan Lao Shi, just let this be.”

Hu Fei comes over and says: “If you don’t teach them well, they will make mistake again. If you let them think you are easy to bully then in the future you will lose your chance to teach.”

He Li Zhen says: “I already give them another chance. If they make mistake again, I’ll not let them off.”

Both male teachers look at each other and sighs. Yan Rui PIng says: “You ah are too softhearted. You shouldn’t be softhearted to someone like that. They are too troublesome.”

He Li Zhen lowers her head a bit and walks with both male teachers to the corridor. She says: “…. Really.”

She returns to the office room and sits down on her seat. She feels a bit tired.

Then suddenly there’s a knock on the door. He Li Zhen turns her head to look over. She notices that the crying Wu Wei is standing in front of the door.

“Ahyoo.” He Li Zhen doesn’t know whether she should cry or laugh. “Wu Wei, come in. What happened?”

“He Lao Shi….” Wu Wei comes inside and says: “Lao Shi, it’s all my mistake.”

“What do you mean your mistake? What is your mistake?”

“If I didn’t read wrongly….”

He Li Zhen recalls the moment, she feels that indeed it’s funny. But for caring for Wu Wei’s mood, she holds herself back.

“It’s okay, it’s not your mistake.”

“But——“

“Come here, don’t cry anymore.” He Li Zhen pats his back. “For this matter don’t take it into your heart. You are a grown up man, you shouldn’t cry easily.”

Wu Wei chokes and tries to contorl his tear.

He Li Zhen says: “Okay, go home and have a meal. Forget this.”

Wu Wei says, “Em. Then I’ll go home first Lao Shi.”

“Okay… ay!” He Li Zhen suddenly thinks of a matter and calls after Wu Wei. Wu Wei turns his head and says: “What is it, Lao Shi?”

“You——“ She thinks about it and looks around. Hu Fei is not back yet. Liu Ying is reading book, Peng Qian is doing online shopping. She stands up and says to Wu Wei: “Come, let’s talk outside.”

Wu Wei and He Li Zhen go out to the corridor. He Li Zhen asks him. “Does Wan Kun find troubles for you?”

Mentioning Wan Kun makes Wu Wei feels a bit afraid, he curls back.

He Li Zhen sees that Wu Wei looks like a chicken meatball.

“No… not yet.”

Not yet.

He Li Zhen is a literature teacher, she asks: “Did Wan Kun use to find trouble withyou?”

Wu Wei says; “Not really.”

He Li Zhen recalls how Wan Kun looked at Wu Wei during the class, he is like a lion with a fat zebra.

“Wu Wei, if Wan Kun finds you trouble, then tell me.” He Li Zhen says.

Wu Wei nods and He Li Zhen says: “Do you have a pen?”

Wu Wei is startled: “Pen?”

“Em.”

“Yes.” Wu Wei takes out his ball point from his backpack and passes it to He Li Zhen, she says: “Paper?”

Wu Wei takes out his notebook, He Li Zhen flips it open and writes the numbers. Wu Wei looks at it and says: “What is this?”

“My phone number.” He Li Zhen passes it to Wu Wei, she says: “If Wan Kun and Wu Yue Ming try to make things hard for you, call me.”

Wu Wei is moved, He Li Zhen says: “Go back, put your notebook back to your backpack.”

“Em!”

Wu Wei leaves.

He Li Zhen also wants to go back with all the diaries.

After two hours.

He Li Zhen is sitting on her chair and watches her golden fish, then reads all her students’ diaries.

She notices that the writing on this diary looks familiar, the signature looks familiar too.

Wasn’t he leaving?

How could he give the diary?

Why should he write the things to make her angry?

He Li Zhen snorts coldly. The gold fish seems to notice it.

She flips open the diary. It’s the first page.

On the lower right of the first page of the diary. It’s quite rare to see his non-bold cursive calligraphy.

He writes——

[I’m sorry.]

She is at loss. She cannot regain herself for a moment. At last, she lifts up her pen and plans to write a comment. Yet she is confused what should she write. At last, she just closes the notebook and laughs.

“Little b*st*rd…” He Li Zhen scolds.

She writes.

[Study well, each day a step forward.]

Wan Kun doesn’t come to the school the next day. He Li Zhen calls Wu Wei to return all the diaries to the students.

The time Wu Wei comes to take the diaries, he is smiling so bright. He looks like he is seeing “Buddha’.

He Li Zhen feels awkward. Wu Wei opens up his handbag and takes out something out. He flips it around and then takes out a box. He puts it on He Li Zhen’s table. Then he holds the diaries. He says: “Lao Shi, this one my hometown special local product. My Ma made it so I bring some for you.”

“Local product?” He Li Zhen looks at the box. She opens the box and notices six small dango. There’s a green color and white glutinous rice. It seems so sweet.

“Lao Shi, eat one.”

He LI Zhen looks at Wu Wei’s expecting eyes. She takes one and tastes it.

Honestly, the taste is a bit weird.

It’s a glutinous rice but it’s not all of them. There’s stuffing inside it. He Li Zhen chews and chews, it tastes somehow like a grass.

“How is it?” Wu Wei says. “My Ma made it yesterday.”

He Li Zhen turns her head and looks at Wu Wei. She says: “Em, it’s quite good.”

“Then Lao Shi eats it, I’ll take the lunch box later on.”

“…. Em.”

After Wu Wei leaves, Peng Qian turns her head and looks at him. “Yah Yah Yah, He Lao Shi, what is that thing?”

He Li Zhen passes it to her. “Try to taste it.”

Peng Qian is interested in eating and drinking, she eats one and frowns.

“What is it? It’s too fishy.”

He Li Zhen shakes her head and says: “I don’t know, but it’s local speciality.”

Hu Fei gets inside and He Li Zhen brings the lunch box over. She says: “Hu Lao Shi, taste one.”

Hu Fei places his coat on the chair and asks: “What is this?”

“From a student.”

“Which one?”

“Your class, Wu Wei.”

“Ah, that chubby one.” Peng Qian adds.

Hu Fei nods, “Em, he is a good student.” He says and eats, “It’s just his mind…” He is a teacher, it’s not good to describe a student badly, he says: “He is too sincere.”

“Puhh…” Peng Qian laughs and Hu Fei also laughs.

“He is studying so seriously ah.” He Li Zhen says.

“Right, he is the most serious one.” Hu Fei says. “In the future, he definitely will have a great prospect.”

“Oh right, He Lao Shi.” Hu Fei seems to remember something, he says to He Li Zhen. “Come here for a while, there’s something I want to talk to you.”

He Li Zhen and Hu Fei go outside, Hu Fei asks her: “Then for Li Lao Shi’s matter, have you considered it?”

“Em? What Li Lao Shi?” He Li Zhen doesn’t understand.

“Ay, you don’t know about it?” Hu Fei is confused, “Li Chang Jia, the one that teaches middle school English, didn’t he say something…” Hu Fei lowers his voice. “about cram school?”

He Li Zhen takes a breath.

She has a lot of things on her mind so she just forgets about it.

“You forget about it right.” Hu Fei says.

He Li Zhen says: “Few days ago I was too busy, I forget about it.”

“So will you go?”

He Li Zhen says: “Okay.”

She is answering so firmly, Hu Fei is a bit startled: “You have decided it?”

“Em.”

If he asked her few days ago, she would be confused. But now she doesn’t care too much.

She doesn’t know when she get her money back from Wan Kun. If she doesn’t earn any money, her life will be affected.

“Okay, I’ll let Li Lao Shi know.” Hu Fei says, “He will be happy.”

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