Yu Wenli knew where her struggle lay and cut to the chase, "Soft-heartedness is acceptable, but you must also be prepared to pay the price for it."
Wen Tingxue looked at him, uncomprehending, "What do you mean?"
"Wen Di isn't the real reason for you wanting to transfer classes, is he?" Yu Wenli countered.
Wen Tingxue lowered her gaze and remained silent.
Indeed.
Yu Yahe was the biggest reason she wanted to transfer.
Secondly, it was Yu Wenli; she wanted to be classmates with him.
But... Wen Di had already apologized...
"Yi Yi."
Yu Wenli reached out and ruffled the young girl's somewhat long hair, speaking softly. "When making choices, you must consider the long term and, more importantly, follow your heart. Never act on impulse."
With that, he said no more.
He had said enough.
Wen Tingxue thought for a while, her head beginning to ache, and decided to stop thinking about it. She turned and grabbed his hand as he played with his phone, asking, "Did you deliberately get that question wrong?"
The young girl pouted slightly, looking as if she wanted to question him but held back, an incredibly endearing and innocent expression.
Yu Wenli's Adam's apple bobbed. "What do you think?"
His slightly husky voice was particularly alluring in the night.
Wen Tingxue unconsciously let go of his hand, only to have it clasped tightly by him in the next instant. She was then pulled closer to him. His scorching warmth enveloped her completely, making her ears flush red.
And yet, he deliberately whispered in her ear!
"I'm sorry, my intention was to make people remember your excellence. I didn't expect it to backfire and cause you to be misunderstood."
When he handed out those two papers, he could already guess the outcome. He had also prepared a countermeasure early on. He just hadn't expected things to erupt so quickly, causing her to suffer.
Wen Tingxue was so captivated by him that it took her a long time to regain her senses and speak. "Even if I wasn't the top of the grade, they wouldn't have believed my grades anyway, Yu Gege. It's not your fault."
The blame could only fall on the fact that she had transferred from Lucheng No. 7 Middle School.
The monthly exam results landed in the hands of Yu Xiuxiu and Wen Zhongen.
The two of them were so happy they personally cooked a meal. Although the presentation wasn't the best, it was the thought that counted. Wen Tingxue happily ate a few bites.
Little Nine wrinkled its nose in disgust and waddled away. Wen Zhongen was quite annoyed but could do nothing about it.
"Yi Yi."
Wen Zhongen smiled and took out his wallet. "With your top-of-the-grade results, Daddy should reward you with something. Here, swipe it as much as you want!"
"Slap!"
Yu Xiuxiu hit him unhappily. "What do you mean? 'With your top-of-the-grade results'? Are you saying if your daughter ranked last, you wouldn't let her swipe it?"
"No, no, no." Wen Zhongen realized he had said the wrong thing and quickly tried to cover it up. "It has nothing to do with your grades. Don't feel any pressure. No matter what grades you get, Mom and Dad will always love you. Oh, Dad means you worked hard on the exam, so buy something you like to relax..."
The more he spoke, the more muddled he became. Yu Xiuxiu glared at him in exasperation, then took Wen Tingxue's hand and said slowly, "Yi Yi, don't listen to your father's clumsy words. We really don't require you to get exceptionally high grades. We just hope you can grow up safely and happily, and find a career you love. That's enough."
Having seen parents who were overly focused on grades, Wen Tingxue felt a warmth spread through her heart upon hearing this.
"Mhmm." She nodded emphatically. "Actually, I'm very happy just being with Mom and Dad."
This was the truth. Her happiest times were after coming to Jiangcheng. It felt like her life had a new beginning.
Saturday was a day of continuous rain. Perhaps it was because Qingming Festival was approaching. Listening to the pitter-patter of the falling rain, Wen Tingxue wanted to sleep until dusk.
Unexpectedly, Yu Wenli called.
"Aren't you coming for tutoring?"
His calm voice carried the scent of rain, and Wen Tingxue immediately woke up. She realized he had already called her three times before this, all of which she had dismissed as alarms.
"..."
After a few seconds of awkwardness, the young girl rubbed her eyes and said, "Didn't it already end?"
The grogginess of just waking up, coupled with her hoarse voice, sounded particularly alluring. Yu Wenli paused for a moment and chuckled, "This time it was luck."
Wen Tingxue blinked and, after a moment, understood. The accurate prediction of exam questions didn't mean she could achieve the same results next time. Besides, private tutoring for English oral communication cost thousands per session. It was better to just piggyback on his lessons. Not only was it more effective, but it was also free.
The young girl immediately got out of bed. "I'll be right over."
"Mhmm." Having successfully coaxed her, Yu Wenli wasn't in a hurry anymore. "Take your time, don't fall."
The morning went as usual. In the afternoon, she had an interview. Wen Tingxue didn't want him to know, so she vaguely said she was going out with Xie Jinye. Yu Wenli was silent for a few seconds and nodded.
By the time she took a taxi to the office building, it was already three in the afternoon. Xie Jinye, following the instructions from the phone call, led Wen Tingxue to the interview location. There were more models interviewing than Wen Tingxue had imagined, at least a hundred. Tong Jiayi was among them.
"Yo, what's going on here?" Tong Jiayi walked over in high heels, her made-up eyes even more exquisite. Even her condescending demeanor looked beautiful. "Are any cats and dogs qualified to be models now?" She covered her nose and scrutinized Wen Tingxue with a critical gaze.
Xie Jinye rolled her eyes. "What's it to you!"
Tong Jiayi snorted. "I'm kindly reminding you, I've already secured this opportunity. You don't need to waste your effort." With that, she turned and left. She was probably quite famous in the modeling circle, with people following her. Therefore, it wasn't surprising that she was ultimately chosen. It was just a shame for such a good opportunity.
Wen Tingxue looked at the fine rain with a hint of disappointment. She didn't know how long she would have to wait to encounter such a chance again. Money was truly hard to earn. Xie Jinye bit her lip and comforted her, "It's okay, I'll look for more for you. We'll definitely find something better!"
"Thank you," Wen Tingxue managed a weak smile. Because of this, she didn't have a very happy weekend. Yu Wenli asked her several times, and she could only give evasive answers. The only thing she was thankful for was not falling behind in her studies. However, looking at the test paper in front of her, Wen Tingxue had no desire to start.
It was Sunday, and he usually disappeared around eight or nine in the evening. According to their agreement, he should have taken her with him, but he hadn't. Wen Tingxue looked out at the inky night sky, feeling a little upset. He said he wouldn't break his promise... what a big liar!
Just as tears were about to fall, voices could be heard from downstairs. Wen Tingxue ran out joyfully, "Yu..."
"Sister."
However, Que You was twirling his car keys as he came up. The person she expected didn't appear, and Wen Tingxue bit her lip with a sense of disappointment.
"Que You Gege." She obediently greeted him, and Que You smiled with satisfaction. "Alright, don't frown. Yu Ge didn't break his promise; he asked me to pick you up and take you over."