Awakening Elementary School System in University

Chen Lin chuckled inwardly.

’Wow, this little girl is quite the schemer!’

’She really commits to the act.’

’He had clearly just used "visiting the university" as an excuse to take her out for a day of fun. But as soon as she got back, she immediately put on this act, pretending she’d been so inspired by the scholarly atmosphere at Yannan University that she was now determined to study hard.’

’With acting skills like these, it’d be a waste of talent if she didn’t go to film school.’

Sure enough, Liu’s next words were, "Chen, when you have a free moment, could you take our Yaoyao back to your university to soak in the atmosphere again? I think we should use this method more often; it’s clearly very effective!"

The moment she finished speaking, Chen Lin saw Yaoyao’s bedroom door quietly open a crack.

The little girl’s head poked out from the crack, perfectly in Liu’s blind spot. Seeing Chen Lin looking her way, she winked playfully and flashed him a V-for-victory sign.

Chen Lin smiled impassively at Liu. "Of course, Liu."

A very satisfied Liu ushered Chen Lin into Yaoyao’s bedroom. Just as she always did, she quickly brought in a plate of sliced cantaloupe, reminding them to "eat plenty of fruit" and "not get too tired" before leaving with a smile and closing the door.

"Alright, Yaoyao," Chen Lin said, pulling over a chair and sitting down with a kind, amiable smile. "Let’s get started."

The smug smile on the little girl’s face instantly vanished, replaced by a long, miserable expression as she reluctantly pulled a math worksheet from her backpack.

Seeing this, Chen Lin cleared his throat and began a new round of his "inspirational lecture" in a solemn, heartfelt tone.

"Yaoyao, you see how high your mother’s hopes are for you. If you just work a little harder now and learn as much as you can, you’ll be able to get into a good university, find a good job, make lots of money, and give your parents a good life. You can support them when they’re old..."

Outside, Liu, who had just reached the living room, heard this speech coming from the bedroom, and an even more satisfied smile spread across her face.

’This Teacher Chen is really something else! I feel so at ease leaving my child with him!’

She nodded, completely reassured. Turning, she walked over to the sofa, switched on the TV, and gleefully continued catching up on her favorite drama series.

Inside the room, Chen Lin waited until he heard Liu’s footsteps fading away. Only then did he pull a manila envelope from his own backpack and hand it to Yaoyao.

"Here. Your photos. Hide them quick, before your mom finds them."

"Thank you, Chen Lin!" Yaoyao’s eyes instantly lit up. She took the envelope, tucking it away under her drawer as if it were a treasure. Then she leaned in with a hopeful expression. "Chen Lin, where are we going next time? Can we go to an amusement park?"

"Don’t get too excited," Chen Lin said, reaching out to gently flick her on the forehead. "Final exams are right around the corner. It’s time to settle down and focus on reviewing."

He watched her cheeks instantly puff out in a pout and continued, "Besides, today is my second-to-last tutoring session with you for this semester. I’ll come one more time next Saturday, and that’s it. After that, I have to study for my own finals, and then I’m heading home for the summer."

The expression on Yaoyao’s face instantly froze.

Her bright, cheerful face from a moment ago fell at a visible rate. A film of moisture quickly clouded her big, sparkling eyes, and her lower lip trembled, on the verge of letting tears spill down her cheeks.

"Huh?" Her sudden reaction left Chen Lin a little flustered. He quickly tried to comfort her with a smile. "What’s wrong? It’s not like I’m never coming back. I’ll be here again when the next semester starts, right?"

Yaoyao sniffled, wiping her eyes hard with the back of her hand. She choked her tears back and nodded, her voice thick and nasal. "Mm-hmm..."

Seeing her looking so pitiful, Chen Lin’s heart inexplicably softened.

For the rest of the session, Yaoyao’s eyes remained red, but her attitude was more serious than ever before.

...

...

Before they knew it, the tutoring session had stretched on for nearly three and a half hours.

Before leaving, Chen Lin officially told Liu that the following week’s session would be the last one for the semester.

Liu was very understanding, nodding and telling him to prioritize his own studies. She even went to the kitchen and returned with several nicely packaged boxes of coffee, insisting on stuffing them into his backpack.

"Chen, take these. Drink them when you’re pulling all-nighters to study for finals. They’ll help you stay awake!"

"Thank you, Liu," Chen Lin said quickly.

Yaoyao walked him all the way to the elevator, waving goodbye until the doors slowly slid shut.

After leaving the apartment complex, Chen Lin glanced at his phone. It was already close to five-thirty. He hailed a ride-share directly to the Back Street Bar.

The car pulled to a stop beneath the neon sign of the Back Street Bar.

Chen Lin paid for the ride, then pushed open the door and walked into the bar.

At this hour, the bar wasn’t crowded. Customers were scattered about in small groups of two or three, and the air was filled with the faint, mixed scent of lemon air freshener and alcohol.

Brother Wang was leaning against the bar, methodically polishing a stemmed glass with a clean cloth. When he saw Chen Lin walk in, he gave a slight lift of his chin and broke into a familiar smile.

"You’re here. Punctual today."

"Brother Wang," Chen Lin said, walking up to the bar and pulling out a stool. He got straight to the point. "I need to tell you something. Today’s probably my last time singing here for the semester."

He had expected Brother Wang to be surprised, or at least to ask why.

But unexpectedly, Brother Wang only paused his polishing for a second before resuming the same unhurried rhythm.