Chapter Seven, Overgrown Summer (01).
Jiangpu City is a small city of the 18th tier. At that time, the English training institutions in the city were not as well-established as they are now. The level of the teachers couldn't even compare to those English major graduates.
Lin Mei remained silent.
Lù Qīngyá bié guò liǎn, nǐng yóumén, yǐnqíng hōngmíng, páiqìguǎn pēn chū yī gǔ wěiqì, tā shēngyīn yě yānmò qízhōng, "... ... Duō guǎn xiánshì."
On the way here, she has been contemplating, with many thoughts intertwining. The initial decision has not changed, but besides that, there is really no need for meaningless stubbornness.
"May I ask, 'Why are you looking for my help?'" The emphasis falls on the word "I".
Are you the new home tutor? Say a few words in English.
Finally, he sighed heavily and said, "Lin Mei, I'm sorry."
Lù Qīngyái lifted his head, "Cried?"
Lin Mei bypassed him and ran towards the safe passage with a clatter.
You said something? It made Miss Lin cry.
Lù Qīngyá méi duō fèihuà, diànhuà lǐ bào le yīgè dìzhǐ, ràng tā guòqù bāng gè máng。
There's really no need, truly unnecessary. What kind of person Lu Qingya is, wasn't that already known back then?
There is a tree outside the building, which is quite old. It is very close to the window, and its shadow sways in the night, separating the building from elsewhere, and the noise is far away.
Lù Qīngyá nǐngméi, "Sāshǒu."
Today, I couldn't bear to hold back this feeling, perhaps because the many years of wandering outside have subtly changed him; or perhaps no matter what situation he and Lin Mei are in, he can't bear to watch her cry in front of him.
Lin Mei hunched her shoulders, her whole body enveloped in the shadow cast by his fall.
As you said, words are just words... It was not my intention. He walked away and said, "Thank you for coming to see me." He took a few steps forward and lowered his head to look at her.
The employer called Lu Liangchou, who has a son who just turned 18 years old at the beginning of June. Due to his less than ideal college entrance examination results, he is planning to send him abroad.
How much money did my dad give you, I will give you double.
Over the years, the reasons for her tears seem to revolve around only one person, Lu Qingya.
Yes. Lao Lu, don't you think it's time to change your bad temper? People have come from afar...
Shen Rui came back after making a phone call and coincidentally bumped into Lin Mei who was walking quickly in the corridor. He was about to say "Lin" but stopped abruptly when he glanced at her face and was stunned.
She dare not blink, afraid that a blink would cause the mist to well up.
For her, the most difficult and painful days have already passed, so far away that she can no longer muster the desire to complain.
Lín Mèi hurriedly took a tissue to collect her emotions, then looked up in the direction of the sound.
Luluangchou welcomed her into the house, placed a glass of ice water on the coffee table, asked her to sit for a while, and went upstairs to call someone.
Lin Mei's face flushed, but she made up her mind and went to leave. She rushed over and grabbed Lu Qingya's arm, saying, "I took money from your father, so I have to take responsibility for you."
When Lu Liangchou was going downstairs, he happened to receive a phone call. After finishing the call, he found out that his disobedient son had clashed with the newly hired tutor. With a stern face, he scolded, "Didn't I teach you to respect your teachers? I'll be out for a while, you better study well with Teacher Lin. When I come back, I'll check your progress."
Lin Mei hesitated for a moment and let go of her hand.
She finally waited for Lu Qingya to take the initiative to bow his head, but it was at this moment when everything had changed. After she wielded her sword and cut off her own wrist, she made up her mind to guard that passionate and once-in-a-lifetime memory alone, and walked on in loneliness for many years.
His hands, which have held cold steel guns and choked enemies' throats, cannot embrace someone at this moment.
Lin Mei paused, a look of astonishment and shock gradually appearing on her face.
Luluangchou took the door and left, Lin Mei glanced awkwardly at Lu Qingya, thinking that such a big person, she couldn't discipline.
Lin Mei paused for a moment, quickly stuffed the lesson book into her bag, and hurriedly caught up.
Lù Qīngyá zhàn zài shàng bàn céng, shǒu bì dāzhe fúshǒu, tàn chū bàn biān shēntǐ wǎng xià kàn.
That handsome young face was filled with impatience, glancing sideways at Lin Mei.
Lin Mei has studied abroad in the UK for one year and has also interned at a well-known English training institution in China. Whether it is spoken or written, her proficiency level is quite impressive.
Lù Qīngyá kùazuò shàng qù.
He turned his gaze to Lin Mei, "Teacher Lin, if Lu Qingya doesn't listen, feel free to discipline him."
Lin Mei seemed a little displeased, thinking to herself that this "student" was really impolite.
When he did something wrong, he beat around the bush to approach her, teasing her, or trying other ways to turn the page, but he would never admit his mistake straightforwardly, let alone say "sorry".
Shen Rui was surprised, but it was not convenient to go after him. When he returned to the ward and took a look, Lu Qingya was sitting with a gloomy expression, looking rather unwell.
Lin Mei spoke softly: "I want to apologize to you. I didn't mean to say it that way back then. It was just a slip of the tongue."
She took the bag, pulled out her lesson plan, and nervously said, "Lu... we have class here, or...?"
This apology contains a lot of content, with a hint of unconscious remorse revealed.
At ten o'clock this morning, Lin Mei's phone rang. She received a call from an unknown number, but it was the voice of Lu Qingya when she answered.
This person has taken pride to the extreme, that is, this aspect has made Lin Mei, who was in the past, often feel both love and hate.
Lin Mei lifted her gaze to look at him.
A hurried and hurried sound of footsteps echoed in the stairwell.
Lù Qīngyái looked at her, with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Do you know why the previous few tutors were dismissed?"
He was kicked in the bent knee by Lu Liangchou, his body slightly lowered, but he stood up again. He yawned, looking like he hadn't woken up yet, and walked down the stairs to the living room on the first floor, lazily leaning on the genuine leather sofa.
Lin Mei was stunned for a moment.
Mr. Lu! Wait!
There was a moment of silence.
Lin Mei couldn't help but look up and saw a tall and big boy walking out of the room upstairs, with messy hair, wearing a gray T-shirt, all wrinkled.
Lu Qingya is someone who doesn't apologize. At least in her memory, she has never heard him apologize.
The person across from me chuckled lazily, sounding like they were joking a bit, "Because you're my teacher."
Eight years of time separated the two people like a deep abyss, on one side is the self in the bloody military camp, on the other side is Lin Mei, who has settled down and started a family.
Lin Meiteng stood up.
She looked at him, her lips trembling slightly, her eyes clearly turning red, anger rising in her heart, choking her throat: "... ... Lu Qingya, you are just a self-righteous ... ...".
Lù Qīngyá hùorán qǐshēn.
It seems like fate played a huge joke on me.
He wanted to rush over and hug her, but he only clenched his fingers and suppressed this irrational impulse.
This is not a matter of money...
For the first time in my life, I understood what it means to have the intention to kill the thief but be powerless to turn the tide.
The wind outside the window rustled the leaves, and they both thought of nine years ago at the same time. Back then, the days were as hot and passionate as summer, easily evoking the phrase "forever and ever"...
Lin Mei met Lu Qingya for the first time during the summer vacation nine years ago. At that time, she was 20 years old, had just graduated from college, obtained the qualification for graduate school recommendation, traveled around after graduation, had nothing to do at home, and was introduced by a friend to work as a tutor to teach English.
Lù Qīngyá shénqíng hěn dàn, "Nǐ shì bùshì juédé, wǒ lái dāng bīng jiùshì wèile nǐ shuō de nà jù huà?"
From Lu Qingya's perspective, he could clearly see the emotions on her face.
When the student skips class, this tutor must still hold her position. When the person leaves, she sits on the living room floor and prepares for the next class by flipping through the reference books line by line.
Shen Ruichong's back reminds me: "She took the safe passage!"
Lù Qīngyá shēngyīn yīyàng de shāyǎ, "chéng."
Lù Qīngyá hóulóng lǐ fā kǔ, shēnshǒu mōzhe kǒudài zhǎo yān, yān diāo zài zuǐ lǐ, yòu qù zhǎo dǎhuǒjī, zhè huí méi zhǎozhe. Tā fánzào de bǎ yān juē zài chuāngtái shàng, yānsī sàn chūlái, kōngqì lǐ yī gǔ wèi er.
Being questioned so bluntly by others, to be honest, Lin Mei is not very happy. But the salary for this job is high, and she can save enough money for a trip to Dunhuang in just one month - except for tuition fees, she doesn't ask her family for money, and she relies on herself to earn money for living expenses and entertainment.
Before she went, she did her homework and knew that the land price in that villa area was high. However, when she actually entered the house, she found that she had underestimated it - the interior decoration was luxurious and exuded a "wealthy" atmosphere, but not the "low-key luxury" kind of "wealthy", rather a low-level imitation of elegance.
Lù Qīngyá liǎng jiǎo diǎn zài dìshàng, zhuǎn guòtóu.
On the early morning of the first day of July, as the sun just rose, the plants in the front yard emitted a fresh scent. In the yard, there was a heavy motorcycle parked on the parking lot, with a black and red body. It shone brightly under the sunlight, clearly not a cheap item.
He seemed to be listening but not really listening, until Lin Mei stopped, then he lifted his eyelids and said, "Is it over?"
Lin Mei's English speaking skills are among the best in the class. She is often described as having a serious personality, to the point where it can be dull at times. "English" is one of the things she takes very seriously. She often carries an MP3 player in her pocket and uses meal and running time to listen to English news programs. She has a good memory and a high sensitivity to language, which is her talent, but beyond talent, she has put in a lot of effort that has been ridiculed by many people.
At that moment when their eyes met, Lin Mei herself didn't even know that there could be so many emotions surging up all at once. Inside, there was not only hatred, but also love.
Lù Qīngyá tí yǎn kàn tā, "Xiàng wǒ dàoqiàn, shì wèile ràng zìjǐ liángxīn hǎoguò yīdiǎn? Nà xíng, wǒ jiēshòu."
During the following week, Lin Mei still arrived punctually and still asked a seemingly useless question, "Aren't you going to class?" Lü Qingya still responded with a blast of motorcycle exhaust.
Don't you attend class?
She swallowed the last two words, picked up the handbag resting on the bed, and turned to walk out.
At the appointed time, Lin Mei went to the Lu family to report.
Before her eyes was a hazy scene. She rubbed her eyes hard, tightly grasping the index finger that was dampened by the mist. In a hoarse voice, she said, "I didn't come here to argue with you. Let's turn the page on this matter."
Lù Qīngyá téng dì qǐshēn, jìngzhí cháo ménkǒu zǒuqù.
Lín Mèi Lì stood by the window, pulled out a tissue from her bag, pressed it against her face, held back her tears, and tried to let her emotions subside.
According to his/her past personality, he/she is not prepared to reconcile. Words spoken cannot be taken back, and one must be willing to bear the consequences of their actions.
Lin Mei paused for a moment, without thinking of anything else, she chose something familiar and whispered, "The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me..." (The Catcher in the Rye)
Lin Mei held the water cup and looked around. She hadn't been sitting for long when she heard the sound of a door slamming from upstairs, followed closely by Lu Liangchu's cursing: "... ... Stop hanging out with your gang of friends all day long, can't you save me some worry... ..."
The motorcycle "vroom" sound, turned out of the gate, and quickly drove away.