10

After school, my old group of friends came to find me again.

"Qiaoru," a girl with a Chanel bag slung over her shoulder said, hugging my shoulder,

"We haven't seen you coming out to play recently."

"She's a good student now, focusing on studying," another girl said sarcastically. "How could she play with us delinquents?"

"Come on! There's an event tonight, with a live band you love. Let's relax and have a drink?"

I hesitated, looking at them.

I really was tempted.

I've been so tired these past few days, waking up earlier than chickens and sleeping later than dogs. I've worked so hard.

Sometimes I even feel tired eating.

Going out for a drink... it feels like it's been so long.

I've made so much progress, can't I just relax a little?

Just this once.

"Fine, let's go take a look."

I carry my bag and followed them to hail a taxi.

"See," my friends said, laughing, "our families are all so wealthy, why bother working hard reading boring books?"

"They'll just end up working for us anyway, a bunch of poor people!"

I didn't say anything, just followed them into the bar.

At this hour, it's usually not too crowded, but with the event today, there are already quite a few people.

Handsome men and beautiful women walk in one after another, the sparkling lights on the ground dazzling and colorful.

"Let's start with a 3888 set," my friends said, sitting in a booth and passing me the pad. "Qiaoru, what will you drink?"

I just randomly clicked on a drink and sat in my seat, zoning out.

A few guys came over and asked if we wanted to have a drink together.

I feel the deafening music and the loud noises, suddenly feeling out of place in this environment.

This used to be almost like a second home to me, but now I feel really out of place.

A guilt that is indescribable suddenly welled up inside me.

I shouldn't be wasting time here.

During this time, how many words have I memorized?

What should I do with my vocabulary for today?

"Qiao Ru, what's wrong with you, drink!"

One of the girls pushed me and poured me a beer.

Just now, one of the guys took out his phone and asked me, "Leave your WeChat?"

Looking at all this, I only feel an empty and uncomfortable heart.

I told myself, I have to leave here!

Saying goodbye, I suddenly stood up and threw out a line, "I have something to do," and ran out.

Behind me, people were shouting at me, "Where are you going? Drink and then leave!"

"It's not too late! You're tired, take a break!"

Those voices, like the whispers of a demon, tempted me to fall again, and I fled the bar like a fugitive, haphazardly hailed a taxi and stuffed myself in.

It wasn't until I got in the car that I breathed out a sigh of exhaustion.

Looking at the bustling traffic and vibrant lights outside the window, I felt a bit of unspeakable sadness in my heart.

But I quickly snapped out of it, because I knew I was going to be home late today and I didn't know how Yin Xiucheng would scold me.

He might even hit me.

However, the previously suppressed mood seemed to be easing.

That sense of guilt also disappeared.

...

When I returned home, Yin Xiucheng was indeed waiting for me in the room.

I was a little guilty and pretended nothing had happened as I walked in.

"Where did you go?" He stood by the window, his black hair naturally scattered and reflecting a few golden strands.

I licked my lips and said awkwardly, "I didn't go anywhere, I had something to do today..."

Yin Xiucheng turned around and looked at me fixedly.

"Did you drink?"

This guy's nose is even more sensitive than a dog's. I only drank a little and he already smelled it.

When the lie was exposed, I was a little angry and annoyed, so I threw my bag on the table and said directly:

"Yes, I went to drink. I've been studying for so many days, what's wrong with taking a break?"

Yin Xiucheng looked at me with a cold gaze.

"How many points did you score? I asked, was it 559, 27th place? It's impossible to get into a first-tier university, at most you can get into a second-tier one."

"Qiao Ru." He looked down at me slightly, his contemptuous gaze not even trying to hide.

"Do you think you're very amazing?"

His words deeply hurt my self-esteem and I angrily said,

"I've only been studying for two months, all you can do is say I'm stupid, that I'm not good enough. Do you have any right to say that?!"

Yin Xiucheng crossed his arms and said, "Do you want me to go against my conscience and say that you're doing well?"

"Qiao Ru, what qualifications do you have to go out and drink? Do you know how far you are from the top scorer?"

"Do you really think you can get into Tsinghua with just this? Tsinghua wouldn't even take you in their technical school!"

"It's none of your business!" My rationality snapped and I yelled.

However, as soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted it.

I've made so much progress and Yin Xiucheng deserves a lot of credit for it.

He's been teaching me every day here, never complaining, and he won't even accept money from my mom.

Why wouldn't I be grateful that a Tsinghua graduate and postgraduate is tutoring me, a high school student, for nothing?

But before I could say anything, Yin Xiucheng's expression changed.

His thick eyebrows slightly raised and a flash of anger passed over his face.

"Fine, these are your words. It really isn't my business.

"I really am a busybody, like a dog catching mice."

Saying this, he strode out the door and slammed it shut.

I felt my eyes well up and, disregarding my pride, I ran out and followed him.

I saw the elevator door about to close and fiercely stuck my hand inside!

The elevator squished my hand and then reopened, causing me to scream in pain.

"What's wrong with you, Qiao Ru!"

Yin Xiucheng came out and grabbed my wrist, "What do you want to do now?"

Tears uncontrollably flowed down my face and I choked out, "I'm sorry!"

"Yin Xiucheng, I'm sorry, please forgive me!"

His eyebrows furrowed, as if he wanted to scold me, but the words that came out were softer.

"...Fine, I give up, crybaby."

...

Sitting at the table, I sniffed and took out my test papers.

"Stop crying!" Yin Xiucheng roughly wiped my face with a tissue, "How can you have the face to cry!"

"Why did you only get a few points? Did you study all the way to the dog's belly?"

I opened my mouth to wail, but he quickly covered my mouth.

"Okay, okay, I'll admit you've improved a lot. Hurry up and look at the mistakes you made.

"We did similar questions before, so why did you still get this one wrong?"

...

"This, could it be that I didn't explain it? What have you been listening to?"

...

"And this one, if I remember correctly, you've made similar mistakes for the third time. Qiao Ru, listen carefully with your ears upright!"

...

That night passed quickly and slowly in reviewing the test papers with Yin Xiucheng.

Around 10pm, he put down his pen and seriously looked at me,

"Qiao Ru, what do you think you are learning for?"

Without hesitation, I said, "To beat Qiu Ting and Jiang Shu Hua!"

Yin Xiu Cheng didn't say anything, standing up and walking to the bedside.

He was tall, about 188, and had a tall, slender figure.

The night enveloped him, and his profile was buried in the shadows, not very clear.

"Qiao Ru, we learn for ourselves."

Yin Xiu Cheng's voice was soft, falling into the boundless night.

"I hope you can understand that learning is not everything, but learning can give you the opportunity to choose.

"We don't want to be able to choose only one path in our lives that we can only walk on, and learning will allow you to open higher doors."

"Only then," he turned to look at me, his eyes deep, "will you have the right to choose your own life."

I looked at him blankly, opened my mouth but couldn't say anything.

Yin Xiu Cheng seemed not to expect a response from me either, and walked over to pat my head before taking the bag and leaving.

Before leaving, he left a sentence:

"This performance is good, there is great progress, continue to work hard."

I watched his back, and couldn't help but let out a silly smile at the corners of my mouth.