154. A Turning Point? She and Her Parents

Look at our little Ji classmate.

The gap.

Bawan One: Rest well

Li An appreciated the thought, but he definitely could not accept the red envelope.

Learning that Li An's travel plans had changed, Chen Xuan did not rush to cook when she got home. She played with Bawan for a little while and then called home.

She hadn't called home in almost a week, and she noticed in the weather forecast that Yanshi was also cooling down today.

-

When the daughter's call came in, the couple were having dinner and were just talking about calling their daughter in a little while.

Mother Chen finished her call and looked at Old Chen, who put down his chopsticks and took the phone.

With this chat, ten minutes passed.

Two sentences about daily life, three sentences about work.

You understand your own child best. He believed Chen Xuan could take care of herself in daily life, but he was afraid her personality wouldn't fare well in the workplace.

As someone who had struggled and climbed up through the bureaucratic system for most of his life, Old Chen gave his daughter a lesson, sharing a lot of experience.

This was the first time he genuinely cared about his daughter's work situation. Previously, he had assumed Chen Xuan would come home in September and not leave again.

Who would have thought that her return was simply to formally notify him.

Where in the world are there parents who don't love their children? Although this was a cliché, Old Chen loved his daughter.

Perhaps it was also because he was over fifty years old, or perhaps Chen Xuan's departure in September had truly touched him.

This time, Chen Xuan's departure was very calm—so calm that it made him feel old.

Especially when he saw the shiny gold flute mouthpiece and the eight thousand yuan Chen Xuan had left behind in the bedroom.

That flute mouthpiece used to be his daughter's most cherished possession, and the eight thousand yuan was the living allowance he had transferred to her at the end of July.

What made him feel distressed was that from these two things, he couldn't sense a shred of spite or petulance.

Over this past month, Old Chen often reflected.

What would this family be like today if he had allowed Chen Xuan to go abroad in the first place?

What would this family be like today if, after Chen Xuan gave up going abroad, he hadn't forced her to take the civil service exams and let her do something she actually liked instead?

In truth, he just hoped his child's future would be a little more comfortable.

Recalling the hysterical, raging roar before Chen Xuan's first departure from home, and looking at his daughter's breathless state where she couldn't even cry, he still felt a lingering fear.

Chen Xuan had glared at him with reddened eyes, shouting and asking if he could name even one classmate she had from childhood to adulthood.

He couldn't name a single one.

Thinking it over and over, he felt that as a father, he was failing in certain aspects.

It was his own desire for control that had turned his child into what she was today, and turned the family into this state.

Old Chen thought that if given another chance, he would support his daughter in learning the violin, give her appropriate personal space during her middle school years, and personally send her off to a university in the south.

If time could be rewound, what would this dinner table look like right now?

Pity there were no such things as "what-ifs."

"Alright, no more talking, go eat. Rongcheng is cooling down too, take care of yourself and stay warm."

Saying he wouldn't talk anymore, he added, "By the way, in a couple of days I'll have your uncle mail you some hairy crabs. It's about time to eat them."

November was prime season for plump and delicious hairy crabs. Back when Chen Xuan was home, whenever this season rolled around, the various family members would gather together to eat crabs, and if the mood struck, he would make little Chen Xuan put on a performance for everyone.

"Alright, alright, go eat, and try not to come home too late at night."

He wanted to offer a few more reminders, but Old Chen was afraid that talking too much would make him seem naggy.

After hanging up, he searched his phone for a previously recorded video, chuckled as he watched the helpless little figure holding a flute on the screen giggle for a moment, his heart full of memories.

"This must have been the year Xiao Xuan was in the third year of junior high."

He showed it to his wife.

Mother Chen couldn't help rolling her eyes at the daughter on the screen, pointing and scolding with a raised eyebrow: "Where are you looking? Can't you see that school uniform is from No. 2 High? Does No. 2 High even have a junior high section?"

Old Chen took a closer look and realized she was right. "Ah."

"You know, time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, she's going to be 25."

Mother Chen sighed along, "Ain't that the truth." Pausing for a moment, she nonchalantly probed, "In a couple of years, she'll be getting married."

Hearing this, Old Chen felt a sudden discomfort in his chest, but knowing it was a fact, he could only reply, "Still early, still early."

Mother Chen let out a scoff: "What if one day she suddenly brings someone home? What will you say? Will you let him in the door?"

Faced with his wife's aggressive questioning, Old Chen dodged the topic. "Eat, let's eat."

Seeing this, Mother Chen didn't press the issue further, because she hadn't figured it out herself either.

She was conflicted. Her daughter was far away and had even started dating an out-of-town boyfriend whose family background wasn't great. She genuinely couldn't persuade herself to be satisfied with this, but for now, she still had to help keep it a secret.

Lately, seeing signs that the old man was slowly starting to come around, she certainly didn't want to see the father-daughter relationship deteriorate further over the issue of dating.

Between two evils, choose the lesser.

Sometimes Mother Chen lamented what kind of fate she had.

She found a stubborn head, and gave birth to a stubborn head.

"You're washing the dishes today."

After the meal, Song Lian picked up her phone, assigned the task to Old Chen, and sat down on the sofa to open her daughter's WeChat.

Lately, whenever she had free time, she would take out her phone to look at the photos Chen Xuan had sent her over the past month. And you have to admit, the meals that boy cooked every day looked quite legitimate.

You could say he put real effort into changing things up every single day.

Song Lian wasn't stupid. What colleague cooks for you every single day?

Moreover, starting this month, whenever she wanted to make a video call to Chen Xuan at night, Chen Xuan would always say she was busy with work.

Why wasn't she this busy before?

They used to video chat at night, but now it had changed to video chatting during the day at the office.

Wasn't a mother ever young once?

That meant they were living together, didn't it?

Song Lian could do nothing about this. She thought about how her daughter was already turning twenty-five.

Some things were no longer hers to control; even if she wanted to, her hands were tied.

Sigh.

Might as well think on the bright side.

Previously, every time she called and asked Chen Xuan what she was eating, the answer was invariably either snacks or takeout.

At least her daughter was eating on a regular schedule now, and eating healthily, too.

She flipped back and forth through the photos of Chen Xuan's lunches.

Previously, when Chen Xuan told her how outstanding Li An was, under those circumstances—and without seeing it for herself—how much of it could she believe? Naturally, she thought her daughter was exaggerating.

She had to admit she believed some of it now; these photos showed that he truly seemed like a boy who knew how to manage a household.

Even Song Lian herself didn't realize that her mindset was gradually changing.

She thought that with her daughter away from home, having a boy like this to take care of her would give her some peace of mind.

She didn't deny the theory of matching family backgrounds she had brought up in front of Chen Xuan that time.

But in truth, the point she found hardest to accept deep down was—

As a mother who had raised her child with her own hands, she genuinely could not bear the thought of her daughter marrying far away.

Sigh.

One step at a time, see how things go.

Pitiful are the hearts of most parents under heaven.

Lotus Pond Moonlight: Send a picture of that good friend of yours to Mom, will you?

-

Over on her end, Teacher Chen had hung up the phone and was already sitting in front of her computer starting to work. Bawan obediently lay on the computer desk, occasionally scratching its chin or letting out a yawn.

Right at that moment, the phone beside its tail vibrated, startling it into sticking its rear in the air and turning back in alarm.

"Don't be afraid."

Gently stroking Bawan's little head, Chen Xuan picked up her phone.

Looking at the message on the screen, she froze, then smiled.

Then her expression gradually grew strange.

Feeling somewhat nervous, she stood up restlessly and paced around the room a few times.

Even though it was almost November, she could feel her face burning.

She fanned her cheeks with both hands for a moment.

A moment later, she picked up her phone again, opened her photo album, and searched through it.

She selected two photos.

One was *Afternoon Mozart* on the stage of Huayang Theater.

The other was two bamboo dragonflies in the southern alley under the starry sky.

The moment she sent them, she instantly switched away from the chat page and instinctively tapped on the pinned chat with the old man.

Leaf: When are you coming back?

She typed out the words unconsciously.

Half an hour later.

Old man: One more class left, why?

Leaf: Missed you~

-

In the public piano studio, Li An rubbed his nose at this sudden development.

Bawan One: Should I send a voice note for you to listen to?

As the two were chatting, two knocks sounded on the door.

"Come in."

Bawan One: The second child is here, wait for me.

Putting away his phone, Li An began the coaching lesson for a student named Tian Zhenghao.

To be honest, with a standard coaching lesson like this, it was impossible for him to be as meticulous as he was with Ji Yang's coaching sessions.

Individual differences were one aspect; from another perspective, these three children were all potential competitors for Ji Yang two months down the line.

On this issue, he couldn't possibly remain completely impartial, nor did he need to.

Everyone had their own opportunities.

Still the same old saying: you get paid for the work you do.

As long as he delivered enough value for these 250 yuan, that was enough.

"Stop."

Li An interrupted student Tian and personally demonstrated that passage.

"Did you hear that?"

Student Tian nodded vigorously.

Li An then slowed down his movements, executing them with fierce energy: "Momentum!"

"I emphasized this last time: although octaves are a wrist technique, that doesn't mean you completely ignore your arms."

"The octaves here must be executed by combining the power of both the upper and lower arms."

"Again."

Student Tian pondered for a moment, then raised his hands once more.

The music started.

Two seconds later.

"Stop."

"Did you fix your pinky?"

"Again."

A bead of sweat appeared on student Tian's forehead.

He raised his hands again.

After finishing the passage, he looked at Li An with some apprehension: "Senior brother..."

Listening to it, Li An felt it was still lacking. "Go back and practice it hard."

"Come on, let's keep moving forward."

The class time passed in the blink of an eye.

After class, just as Li An had gotten into his car, a message came from Li Muyan asking if she could come over now.

Li An thought to himself, *What is she playing at this afternoon? Isn't she just making trouble for herself?*

Although he thought that, Teacher Wei was still caught in the middle. Today's lesson couldn't happen, and tomorrow wouldn't work either.

Thinking about the issues Li Muyan had in her previous lesson, Li An edited a message and sent it over.

Then:

'No class this week. Tomorrow, you need to specially record these two sections and send them to me.'

Li Muyan: I'm already at the classroom door.

-

A moment later.

Bawan One: Perfect, go inside and practice the piano for a bit.

Little brat, trying to play games with me.

Five minutes later.

Li Muyan: Then I'm leaving.

Pondering the whole way, Li An drove home, parked downstairs, and called Wei Sanwan.

He felt he had to report this situation to his teacher.

On one hand, he didn't have the time or energy to babysit an oversized infant; on the other hand, he didn't want the child to develop a resentment toward attending classes and practicing the piano because of emotional friction with him, especially since they had reached the final sprint stage.

"Hello, teacher."

"There's something I need to bring to your attention."

"Muyan didn't have her class today."

"Yes, yes, that's what happened."

He tactfully explained today's situation and the ins and outs of what had transpired over this period to Wei Sanwan.

On the other end of the line, Wei Sanwan knew Li Muyan had a strong personality, but he hadn't expected her to take this kind of attitude toward Li An's coaching sessions.

Li Muyan's grandfather had shown great kindness to Wei Sanwan back in the day, and their two families were considered old acquaintances, which was why Wei Sanwan paid special attention to this child.

Still, business was business, and he believed what Li An said.

Wei Sanwan: "I'll deal with her when I get back, you don't need to worry about it. From now on, when you teach her, scold her whenever you need to, don't hold back."

Li An gave a bitter smile. Wasn't his underlying message clear enough? He couldn't very well blurt out, "I refuse to tutor this kid anymore."

Sigh.

Since the teacher had put it that way, there was nothing more for him to say.

Upstairs.

Chicken wings.

-

Question: What is the probability of failing to make Cola chicken wings?

Probably not low at all.

Just by smelling the burnt scent wafting through the doorway, he could guess.

Looking at a plate of pitch-black objects, Teacher Chen felt a little wronged.

Li An picked up a piece and popped it into his mouth.

Oh?

Not bad at all, actually.

The sweet, meaty aroma masked most of the burnt taste.

"Delicious!"

Chen Xuan didn't believe him.

Li An picked up a piece and held it to her mouth. Teacher Chen bit off a piece of skin-on meat, chewed thoughtfully for a moment, and then her little face lit up with a smile.

Li An found today's dinner exceptionally sweet—not because of the chicken wings, but because he noticed that throughout the meal, Chen Xuan looked at him more than once with that kind of infatuated expression.

Was she hinting at something?

Tonight?

Hehe.

"What are you silly-smiling about?" Chen Xuan asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.

Li An: ?

Sure enough.

Less than two minutes after getting into bed at night, Chen Xuan fell asleep.

Understandable, Chen Xuan had been working way too hard lately.

Li An originally wanted to pull the blanket up for her, but when his arm brushed against her, she instinctively grabbed and hugged it tight.

The steady, rhythmic sound of her breathing echoed in his ear.

A good-night kiss on the forehead brought the third Friday of October to a close.

-

Saturday and Sunday were two days of busyness, rest, and happiness.

By Saturday afternoon, the lessons for all seven children were completed, with zero absences.

The final roster of those registered for the Xinghai Cup Children's Group Piano Competition included cute little Bei, absent-minded little Che, and silly little Wang Xiaohu.

Li An simply couldn't understand why Wang Xiaohu insisted on registering for the professional children's group—what was the point of wasting an extra two hundred yuan on the registration fee?

Che Lin registered for the professional group because she actually had the chops for it, but what did he have?

Hearing that Che Lin had registered for the professional group, what, was his ego bruised?

In the end, Xu Li persuaded him: "It's just the first round anyway, let him be."

A mother truly understands her child best. The word "anyway" was used to perfection here. Li An didn't feel like this statement was a slap to his face; as far as Xu Li was concerned, the stage of the recital had already proven everything.

The only regret was little Liu; just like Marco's reason, she didn't have time.

Song Sheng, on the other hand, was full of enthusiasm and wanted to register little Muzi, but unfortunately, there was no toddler group.

After helping the three participating children finalize their pieces on Saturday afternoon, Li An spent a long-awaited Saturday night date with Teacher Chen.

They went to Li's Braised Meat Restaurant, which Teacher Chen had been craving for ages.

They watched *My Country, My Parents*. While watching the movie, Li An noticed Teacher Chen secretly wiping away tears a few times.

Taking advantage of these opportunities, he frantically snuck handfuls of popcorn from her bucket.

This fact proved that men do change; during their very first movie date, Teacher Li had been the epitome of a gentleman.

Of course, how could a weekend be considered truly happy without partaking in the world's happiest activity?

When the bedroom door clicked shut, Bawan understood.

-

After setting aside time on Sunday to study the band's full score all day long, bright and early Monday morning, right after the morning meeting, Li An didn't head to Classroom No. 4.

This time, he took the initiative to seek out Qin Yong.

With a great conductor sitting right there, such a fantastic resource, why wouldn't he make use of it?