The teacher, Ms. Xu, had a daughter named Xu Kexin who had been admitted to another decent high school in Yunbei City. Although Xu Kexin was a child of a single-parent family, she had been very obedient to her mother, Ms. Xu, since childhood, requiring little parental concern. However, upon entering high school, she suddenly entered her rebellious phase, constantly going against her parents and teachers. The more she was forbidden from doing something, the more she insisted on doing it.
Later, Xu Kexin secretly started dating a boy in the second year of high school and subsequently lost all interest in studying. Her mind was filled with nothing but romance, as if that boy had become her entire world.
When Ms. Xu discovered this, she went to the boy's parents. The two sets of parents united and forced them to break up. The boy was relatively fine after the breakup; he was dejected for a while but quickly adjusted. However, Xu Kexin could not move on. She repeatedly sought out the boy, wanting to get back together.
At that time, the boy, after talking with his parents, had realized how fragile high school relationships were. He refused Xu Kexin's attempts to reconcile multiple times, and eventually, he even started avoiding her.
Xu Kexin felt that her mother did not support her, and at the same time, she knew the boy she loved was avoiding her. On top of that, she had no close friends she could truly confide in. In a moment of despair, she decided to end her life by slitting her wrists.
"Fortunately, Ms. Xu found her in time and rushed her to the hospital, saving her life. But the young girl's emotions were unstable. After being rescued, she became deranged. Such a good child, and now she's still confined in Kangning Hospital!" Teacher Ni said with emotion. "So when Ms. Xu saw you, she thought of her Kexin and didn't want you to be hurt by love. At an age when you most needed to study diligently, you weren't focusing on your education but rather wasting your beautiful youth."
"Perhaps Ms. Xu's intentions were good, but her way of speaking and acting was indeed difficult to accept," Xiao Wenqiang sighed after hearing the whole story. "If she hadn't been so forceful and had been more tactful, perhaps the outcome would have been different..."
Subsequently, Ms. Xu no longer taught math to Xiao Wenqiang's class and was transferred to another grade by the principal. Xiao Wenqiang did not force Ms. Xu to honor the earlier agreement to resign. After all, she still had to bear her daughter's medical expenses alone. It was better to be lenient when one could. But this was all in the past.
That day, after school, Xie Yinuo, with Zheng Xiao, came to find Xiao Wenqiang again. As usual, he suggested, "Let's go! My sister was so awesome today, let's go have a good meal to celebrate!"
"Sure, I must treat you today. I've offered to treat Brother Xiao to a big meal before, and he only chose the cafeteria," Xiao Wenqiang agreed.
"Oh, Sister Qingyan, please don't treat. If I may say so, you probably don't have much allowance, right?" Xie Yinuo refused. "Let me do it!"
Zheng Xiao also nodded beside him. "I'll treat you both! It's not right for two young men to let a girl treat them!"
"Why can't a girl treat? No one is going to snatch this meal from me. I know what I'm doing. You can treat me next time!" If it were the original Mao Qingyan, she would indeed have little money. However, Mao Genhong was now giving her 10,000 yuan in living expenses each month as compensation. Xiao Wenqiang had saved this money and secretly bought a few promising stocks, which were currently yielding significant profits.
At "The Old Place," a restaurant outside the school, after a satisfying meal.
Xie Yinuo couldn't help but exclaim, "Sister Qingyan, you were truly amazing! Someone posted the dialogue of your confrontation with your math teacher on the school forum. Everyone is now conquered by you!" He then gave a thumbs-up.
Xiao Wenqiang smiled shyly and said, "Really? Someone even live-streamed it for me?"
"Yes, yes! This is the written version of a live broadcast! I don't know which classmate it was from your class, but they are quite talented and have strong shorthand skills!"
"I don't know about that either. But what gave me such confidence today is mainly due to Brother Xiao's guidance. If you hadn't tutored me so comprehensively, I wouldn't have been able to steal the spotlight today. Come, Brother Xiao, I'll toast you!" Xiao Wenqiang picked up the juice on the table and clinked glasses with Zheng Xiao.
Zheng Xiao raised his glass to drink with her. Looking at the girl's sparkling eyes, his lips curved into a slight arc, and he smiled with a calm demeanor. "It's mainly because you have good comprehension and memory, which is why you were able to prove yourself in the end."
"Okay, okay, you two stop being so mushy with each other. Let me say it. Brother Xiao, you taught well as a tutor, and Sister Qingyan, you studied well as a student. In short, everyone is great! Come, let's all have a toast!"
The three glasses clinked together with a crisp sound, and then they each drank their juice. Although it wasn't alcohol, they all felt remarkably excited. An emotion called "friendship" slowly sprouted between the three of them. As they spent more time together, it gradually grew into a towering tree.
Spring turned to autumn, and time flew by. In the blink of an eye, Xiao Wenqiang had advanced to her senior year of high school. In the same year, Xie Yinuo and Zheng Xiao also experienced the most important part of their student lives, the college entrance examination, and were admitted to their respective universities.
Outside the window, the heat was oppressive, and the sun blazed. Xiao Wenqiang hid in her room, scooping half a chilled watermelon with a spoon while watching the most popular TV drama of the moment. The male lead's acting was making her eyes ache, and his appearance was not her preferred type.
Suddenly, a pleasant melody rang out: "I see your monsters, I see your pain. Tell me your problems, I'll chase them away..." It was her phone's ringtone, "Monsters."
"Sister Qingyan, want to go out and play? I finally got my driver's license today! Come over, and I'll drive you for a spin!" Xie Yinuo's excited, booming voice came through the phone.
"It's too hot, I don't want to go out," Xiao Wenqiang refused.
"Come on, come on... I've also invited Zheng Xiao! You've been busy with the college entrance exams or getting your driver's license recently. We three haven't gotten together properly in a long time."
"Then... all right!" Xiao Wenqiang thought about it and agreed.
"Okay, hurry up and get ready. I'll pick up Zheng Xiao, and then I'll come to get you!" Xie Yinuo quickly hung up, as if afraid she would change her mind.
As soon as she opened the door, she felt the scorching heat outside. The outdoor temperature was 38 degrees Celsius today. Xiao Wenqiang quickly got into the car and shut the door. Fortunately, the car's air conditioning was very effective.
Xie Yinuo didn't rush to drive. He took out his brand-new driver's license and eagerly showed it off to Xiao Wenqiang. "Look at this, your brother has a license. Isn't it cool? From now on, I'm a licensed driver too. Tell me wherever you want to go, and brother will drive you there!"
"It's cool, but why are you so excited about getting a driver's license? Brother Xiao got his earlier and didn't see him showing off everywhere?" The three had become much closer over the years, so Xiao Wenqiang spoke without reservations.
"What's the point of him getting it a few days before me? I got my own car before him!" Xie Yinuo bragged, patting the steering wheel.
"Hey, hey, hey, that stings! You can't mock me just because I don't have a car!" Zheng Xiao also joked.
"Who told you to be so stubborn! Didn't Uncle Zheng say he would buy you one before? You refused him yourself!" Xie Yinuo didn't quite understand Zheng Xiao on this point. If his father had said he'd buy him a car if he did well on the college entrance exam, he would have enthusiastically agreed.