Chapter 50: Conversation

Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Conversation

The teachers’ office was neither too big nor too small, but its layout of desks maximized every inch of available space. Right now, six teachers were inside, occupying about two-thirds of the desks.

Chen Jingle’s appearance made the teachers’ eyes light up. Just by standing there, he exuded a distinct aura.

They wondered, "Wow, a handsome guy! Is he looking for Teacher Li? Oh my." The teachers turned their gazes toward Li Beixing, their expressions turning a bit gossipy.

Li Beixing herself was a bit bewildered. She hurriedly stood up and said, "I’m Li Beixing. May I ask who you are...?"

Chen Jingle was also a bit surprised. He wondered, "Is this the woman Chen Qiyun kept clamoring about, the one she wanted to get contact info from for me?"

She was indeed quite beautiful and possessed an elegant temperament. At a glance, it was obvious she came from a very good family background; it was rather difficult for ordinary households to cultivate such refinement. The old saying that one’s environment molds their aura and lifestyle shapes their body was definitely not empty talk.

Take Chen Jingle himself as an example. Back when he was working himself to the bone as a corporate drone, he looked incredibly wooden and lifeless, completely unnoticeable in a crowd. It wasn’t until he went home to recuperate for over half a year, peacefully lying flat, that his aura gained a bit of lazy, leisurely ease. And the appearance of the system had transformed him once again.

Li Beixing’s first impression was beautiful and elegant. Furthermore, due to her profession as a teacher, she had a strong scholarly air about her. This was true even without her wearing glasses.

"Hello, Teacher Li. I’m Chen Qiyun’s older brother," Chen Jingle introduced himself.

"Ah? Oh, oh. Please have a seat. Would you like some water?" Hearing that he was Chen Qiyun’s older brother, Li Beixing was momentarily stunned again before realizing what was going on. Chen Qiyun had obviously dragged her brother here to act as her guardian.

She thought, "Is this the older brother Chen Qiyun mentioned? He really is quite..." Li Beixing didn’t know how to describe him. She could only say that this man, with this face, was genuinely pleasant to look at. However, remembering the things Chen Qiyun had said, she felt a bit strange inside.

The other teachers, meanwhile, were somewhat disappointed. So he wasn’t a suitor after all. Well, truthfully, they just felt the two looked quite well-matched.

The title of the most beautiful teacher at No. 8 Middle School undoubtedly belonged to Li Beixing. Ordinary male teachers had enough self-awareness when they saw her temperament and attire; they were too embarrassed to pester her. There were suitors from outside the school, but they disappeared after being rejected a few times. This was somewhat strange. After all, Li Beixing had graduated and been working for over two years, yet no one had ever heard her mention anything related to romance.

In private, the teachers in the office were curious about what the Beixing Family did for a living. When faced with her colleagues’ inquiries, Li Beixing would only smile and reveal that her family ran a small business. But everyone knew it was definitely more than that; she was most likely a young lady from a wealthy and prominent family.

"Thank you. Plain water is fine." As he walked into the office, an older teacher nearby handed him a chair. Chen Jingle hurriedly took it and thanked them.

Looking at his manners, she decided he didn’t seem like a difficult parent to communicate with. Of course, there were also some who appeared very polite at first, only to become incredibly agitated the moment their child’s issues were brought up. She figured she would just wait and see.

"Mr. Chen, here’s the situation," Li Beixing said, handing Chen Jingle a cup of warm water. She organized her words, but as her gaze landed on his face, her voice caught in her throat.

She wondered, "Are we sitting a bit too close? Why haven’t I ever noticed this distance being so intimate when talking to students?" She wanted to scoot back, but the office only had so much space. Next to her was another teacher’s desk, and in the middle was the aisle.

She had no choice but to force herself to stay calm. "First of all, there are no major problems with Chen Qiyun. The main reason for inviting a parent here today is to discuss her overall grades and whether they can be further improved. After all, the three years of middle school are already halfway over, and next semester she’ll enter the final sprint before the high school entrance exams. Secondly, I’d like to understand some of her plans for high school in the future.

"Although I’m not her homeroom teacher, as a core subject teacher, I’ve observed Chen Qiyun for quite a long time. She has natural talent and comprehension, but she’s a bit lazy. A lot of times, she needs to be pushed to get things done, and if she isn’t watched strictly, she immediately starts slacking off. Unlike other students, she doesn’t utilize her own initiative to actively complete her studies. I want to know if her parents have ever paid attention to this issue during her upbringing? Have they properly guided and educated her?"

When speaking about serious matters, Li Beixing’s expression grew a bit more solemn. No longer a rookie teacher, she knew perfectly well that conversations with parents needed to be effective. At the same time, she had to establish her position clearly, avoid any overstepping, and objectively describe the situation based on facts. Moreover, she needed to complain less and show more care and understanding.

"Thank you for taking care of our Qiyun, Teacher Li." Chen Jingle nodded. "The situation is like this. Chen Qiyun’s parents are quite busy with work, basically leaving the house at 7 AM and returning at 7 PM, so their supervision is limited. Furthermore, their education levels aren’t high, making it difficult for them to provide enough help with her studies.

"She usually spends most of her time with her grandparents. The problem is that her grandparents are semi-illiterate and quite old. Coupled with the doting nature of grandparents and the fact that she’s the youngest in the family, they tend to spoil her and even indulge her, at most giving her a few verbal reprimands.

"Before her sister got married, she could keep her in line and tutor her a bit. But her sister got married two years ago, so now, basically, no one can control her."

Li Beixing thought, "Isn’t this purely shirking responsibility?" Her brows instantly furrowed. "Mr. Chen, you must understand that family education is just as important as school education. You can’t just wash your hands of it because you can’t control her. Besides, aren’t you her older brother? How could you not be able to control her?"

"I’m her cousin. Our two families don’t live together," Chen Jingle said, his lips twitching into a wry smile.

Li Beixing paused in surprise before pondering aloud, "But things can’t go on like this. With her talent, if she works hard, she can still aim for No. 1 High School. If she doesn’t, even No. 3 High School will be a struggle. I’m sure Mr. Chen must have some understanding of the standards of the various high schools in our city."

Chen Jingle nodded and countered with a question, "I wonder, how has Chen Qiyun’s attitude toward learning been at school lately?"

"It’s actually been quite good. She feels a lot more diligent than before." Li Beixing thought about it and gave a slight nod.

Chen Jingle smiled. "Yes, she’s been coming over to my house from time to time lately. Honestly, I don’t really like asking about her studies every time we meet. Teacher Li, you were a student once too; you should know that a child right in the midst of puberty is quite resistant to elders constantly interrogating them about their academics.

"What I can do is provide some companionship, guidance, and encouragement during her free time. As for the rest, I believe we still mainly have to rely on the education and guidance of the school and her teachers. After all, she spends far more time at school than she does with me."

Li Beixing was momentarily taken aback but quickly recovered. "Mr. Chen is right," she said seriously. "This is exactly what we have always been doing. Not just for Chen Qiyun, but for every single student."

Chen Jingle gave an apologetic smile. "I know Chen Qiyun can be a bit rebellious at times, so my suggestion is to prioritize guidance and encouragement. For her, praise works much better than criticism, and even a little appropriate psychological manipulation is acceptable. I can’t speak for others, but she’s said plenty of good things about Teacher Li to me in private. So if the words come from Teacher Li, she probably won’t resist."

Li Beixing remained utterly speechless. She screamed internally, "Chen Qiyun, exactly what kind of things have you been telling your brother about me in private?!"