Chapter 228: Bringing Hope!

Chapter 228: Bringing Hope!

“What… What do you mean, beat him to death…? Sister Shanshan, don’t get worked up…” He Xinxin was frightened instead.

She was fourteen and had been raised well. Naturally, talk like that scared her.

“Someone dares bully our Xinxin, and we’re not supposed to beat him to death? What, save him for New Year?” the voice on the phone continued furiously.

In truth, it was mostly bluster.

“That still doesn’t mean you have to beat him to death…” He Xinxin said.

“Xinxin, why are you the one getting scared now? Who is it? Tell your sister!”

“It’s the private tutor my mom found for me…”

“A… a private tutor…?”

The voice on the other end immediately softened.

The girl even laughed.

“Hey! I thought something serious had happened. If it’s a tutor… your mom hired him. How would we dare interfere? Can’t you handle tutors yourself? That last one—didn’t you…?”

“This time is different. He’s awful. He even recorded our conversation… and then I…”

He Xinxin briefly explained what had happened.

She had never hidden from her friends how she drove away private tutors.

There was nothing about it that she felt unable to tell them.

“…Now I don’t even dare let my mom find out. I don’t want to learn drawing, and he said he’ll hit me if I don’t study properly…”

“This old man’s pretty capable. He’s got some tricks,” Shanshan said after hearing the story.

“He’s not an old man. He’s probably in his twenties,” He Xinxin replied.

“In his twenties? A man?”

“Yeah.”

“Hah! I thought your mom had found you another art professor from some school. So he’s young? A college student? Studied art? Just graduated?”

“I… I don’t know. He didn’t say. But he seems pretty rich. He drives a Mercedes.”

“So what if he drives a Mercedes? He’s still working as somebody’s private tutor! Brother Daqi drives a Ferrari! If he’s just some young guy, then he’ll be easy to deal with. No matter how badass he is, that won’t help him! Xinxin, just tell me what you want done. He fucking dares bully you? I’ll have someone smash up his car right now…”

“No! That’s not necessary… If my mom finds out, she’ll scold me…”

“True. We can’t let Auntie find out… Then tell me what you want.”

“Just… get the recording back first, make him apologize to me, and then… then…”

He Xinxin stumbled over her words.

She could not immediately think of anything else.

Anything too harsh would obviously be going too far.

But anything too mild would not satisfy her anger.

“All right, all right. I understand, Xinxin. Leave it to me. I’ll scare the hell out of him,” Shanshan said.

The two talked a little longer.

In the end, they agreed that He Xinxin would bring Wu Chen outside and lure him somewhere convenient for them to act.

More than ten minutes later, He Xinxin emerged from her bedroom.

She had changed jackets, though the new one was still oversized and in the same hip-hop style.

The red mark beside her chin had not yet faded, so she moved with particular care.

The moment she left the bedroom, she quickly slipped into the art room.

“Teacher, my drawings are pretty good, aren’t they…?” He Xinxin had become the very picture of obedience.

Seeing Wu Chen leafing through her sketch studies, she immediately went over and addressed him in an especially sweet voice, looking extraordinarily well-behaved.

“Mm. They’re decent,” Wu Chen said, turning to smile at her. “For your age, they’re very good.”

Then he gestured toward the chair.

“Sit.”

He Xinxin sat down in front of the drawing board.

Wu Chen picked up a pencil and gestured toward the unfinished sketch resting on it.

“The stroke here should be done like this…”

An hour later, it was already past eleven in the morning.

He Shiqin, wearing an apron, was still busy in the kitchen.

She was extremely eager for Wu Chen to teach her daughter and took the matter very seriously.

Since this was the first time she had invited him to lunch, naturally she could not simply cook a few dishes and call it done.

She planned to make eight dishes.

Preparing all the ingredients—washing and cutting everything—had taken half an hour by itself.

By now, several stewed dishes that had gone onto the stove first were nearly ready.

All that remained were the cold dishes and two stir-fries. Those were quick and easy to make, so she had saved them for last.

He Shiqin finished tossing another cold dish.

Then she carried bowls and chopsticks into the dining area and began setting the table.

The living room was empty, but she could faintly hear voices coming from the art room.

The door was slightly ajar.

She walked over and pushed it open.

She was about to say something when she abruptly froze.

Surprise spread across her face.

Then…

delight.

Her daughter, He Xinxin, was sitting obediently in the chair.

Wu Chen stood just behind and to one side of her, holding a pencil and using it to demonstrate sketching techniques.

And He Xinxin—

her daughter was actually listening intently.

She looked exceptionally obedient.

The sight instantly reminded He Shiqin of several years ago.

Back then, her daughter had been this well-behaved too.

In truth, He Shiqin was somewhat stunned.

So many older masters and professors had failed to teach her daughter.

They simply could not control her.

When Wu Chen first arrived, her daughter had reacted fiercely and even slammed her door.

So what had happened?

Had Wu Chen really brought her completely under control?

Or had he rekindled her interest in drawing?

He Shiqin was overjoyed.

“Mom…” He Xinxin seemed to notice her and glanced toward the doorway.

Wu Chen looked over as well.

“Ah… well, Teacher Wu, thank you for your hard work… Xinxin, study properly. Don’t waste your teacher’s efforts… Lunch will be ready soon. Teacher Wu, you don’t have to rush to teach Xinxin like this. You must be tired… Why don’t you rest in the living room for a while…?”

He Shiqin’s words came out somewhat jumbled.

She was simply too happy.

“Mom, I’m studying with Teacher. Can you not interrupt us?” He Xinxin said, pouting as though displeased.

She was an excellent actress.

This performance was for Wu Chen.

“You little girl…” He Shiqin said with a happy smile.

Then she turned to Wu Chen.

“Sorry to trouble you, Teacher Wu.”

After that, she pulled the door mostly closed again.

He Xinxin glanced sideways at Wu Chen and asked directly, “Teacher, I’m behaving, aren’t I?”

“Mm.” Wu Chen smiled and nodded.

Then he gestured toward the drawing board.

“Look at the board. Let’s continue…”

He Xinxin giggled, then went back to “seriously” studying drawing with Wu Chen.

More than ten minutes later, lunch was served.

He Shiqin called Wu Chen and He Xinxin to wash their hands and eat.

She could not have been happier throughout the meal.

Her daughter really had changed.

At the table, Xinxin even took the initiative to ask Wu Chen questions about drawing. She treated him with great respect, and every word out of her mouth was sweet.

A daughter no one else had been able to teach—

yet Wu Chen could teach her.

He Shiqin became even more eager to formally hire Wu Chen as a private tutor.

Her own life had already gone dark.

All other possibilities had been closed to her.

She had placed all her hopes on her daughter.

She wanted her daughter to improve.

To become exceptional.

To grow up and achieve success and recognition.

When her daughter stopped listening to her, that hope had nearly vanished.

But she had never expected Teacher Wu’s arrival to bring hope back into her life.

After lunch, He Shiqin spoke to Wu Chen again about hiring him as a private tutor.

Wu Chen said he wanted to teach Xinxin a little more and continue observing her. He said He Xinxin was very perceptive and that he still had time that day, so he could test her again in the afternoon.

Naturally, He Shiqin was more than willing.

Once their conversation ended, Wu Chen did not leave.

He chatted casually with He Shiqin for a while and rested. Then he returned to the art room and continued teaching He Xinxin to draw.

Before they knew it—

it was three-thirty in the afternoon.

He Xinxin passed Wu Chen’s test and returned to her bedroom.

Wu Chen remained in the living room, talking with He Shiqin for a while longer.

The two were still chatting when He Xinxin emerged from her room again.

She carried a skateboard in one hand, and a backpack containing protective gear hung from her shoulder.

“Mom, can I go out and play for a while?” He Xinxin asked.

“Mm…”

He Shiqin looked at her daughter and considered it for a moment before smiling.

“Go ahead. Don’t stay out too late. Come home early.”

Her mood truly had improved.

Her daughter had behaved and studied seriously. Now that Xinxin wanted to relax, He Shiqin naturally would not stop her.

After speaking to her daughter, she turned to explain to Wu Chen.

“Xinxin has been skateboarding lately. There’s a group of children about her age who skate in the nearby park.”

“Relaxing once in a while and making more friends is a good thing,” Wu Chen said with a smile.

“Teacher, do you have time?” He Xinxin suddenly asked in a sweet voice. “Would you like to come watch me? It’s really close, just in the park. Drawing isn’t the only thing I know how to do~”

She wanted to bring Wu Chen with her.

To the park!