Zhang Lingling: "Cheng Qing actually lives alone in Fanhe City... and has always made a living by running a stall."
The three celebrities looked at Zhang Lingling again, and Liu Suoyu frowned in confusion: "Isn't she a fencing instructor?"
Zhang Lingling laughed and said, "That's now, it wasn't like that before." After saying this, it turned out that Zhang Lingling was the one who knew Cheng Qing the most among the four.
Losi felt a pang of sadness and looked at Zhang Lingling with a hint of grievance, asking, "How did you know all this?"
Zhang Lingling chuckled again: "Before coming here, we spent two days together in other places. During our chat, we shared some news about ourselves."
Seeing the strange looks on the three celebrities' faces, Zhang Lingling scratched her head and whispered, "You know too little about Teacher Cheng. Where are her parents? How many siblings does she have? Even... does she have a boyfriend?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Suoyu gritted her teeth: "If she really has a lover, it's going too far for her to flirt with Xiao Luoxi."
Zhang Lingling quickly waved her hand: "I don't know if it exists, I was just saying."
Lin Shandie had a sudden inspiration: "How about... we ask them later?"
Her gaze swept over everyone, and Losi swallowed hard, offering no rebuttal.
It was only then that she truly realized that in 14 days she had learned far too little about Cheng Qing, so little that she didn't even know if Cheng Qing had a lover...
***
Cheng Qing still led the three students from the racing team. Due to the short timeframe of two days, she could only do her best to teach these three students the techniques for actual fencing combat.
And finally, he told them, "Fencing is an extremely physically demanding sport, but the three students on the fencing team are also beginners, so you are not without a chance. Especially Mr. Qi Shenghui, you have a certain foundation and should have a chance to score points."
Qi Shenghui asked her with a smile, "Aren't you afraid that if you teach like this, the fencing team won't have an advantage?"
Cheng Qing chuckled: "I haven't given your fencing team any information, nor will I give your information to the fencing team. I'm a teacher, and my job is to teach all the students under my tutelage well."
Qi Shenghui admired him and studied diligently for another two hours.
Around noon, Cheng Qing returned to the living room with three students. The members of the original dessert team had also returned from the racetrack.
Upon entering the living room, the teams on both sides noticed that although the fencers were making cakes, their eyes seemed a little off.
Qi Shenghui shuddered: "What kind of looks are those? You scared me to death."
The three fencers turned their heads in unison without answering.
Qi Shenghui: "..."
Cheng Qing chuckled and walked past the three racing team students, saying, "Don't worry about them. They probably discovered something interesting while making the cake." As she spoke, she walked past the three fencing team students and went to the refrigerator in the kitchen, opening the cabinet door and taking out a bottle of water.
Zhang Lingling couldn't help but nervously turn around to look at her, still shocked: she never expected a big star to like Teacher Cheng. This was like a phoenix rising to the top in one fell swoop, saving her 10 years of hard work!
Cheng Qing noticed Zhang Lingling's gaze, but instead of acting immediately, she drank the water first.
Then, before Zhang Lingling could look away, he smiled and caught her peeking, asking, "Why are you looking at me?"
Zhang Lingling choked, seemingly speechless, and almost blurted out the truth in her panic. Fortunately, Lin Shandie was prepared and called out, "Who's making lunch today?"
Lin Zichen rolled up his sleeves and headed to the kitchen, turning back to say to everyone, "Well, I'll do my best, please don't mind."
It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it, because as soon as he did, everyone's attention turned to Lin Zichen again. Having gotten used to Teacher Cheng's superb cooking, they had no idea what Lin Zichen was planning to prepare.
Seeing that the time was right, Lin Shandie walked over to Luo Xi, winked at her, and then said with a smile to everyone, "While Zichen is cooking, why don't we have a chat?"
As he spoke, he took Losi over, and Cheng Qing immediately sensed something was wrong. He had spent two weeks with the three students, and now these people clearly seemed to be up to no good.
But Cheng Qing didn't expose them. Instead, she took the water and followed them, sitting directly opposite the fencing team, crossing her legs, and watching the three of them with a smile.
He looked like a headmaster, which made the three people opposite him feel so frustrated they almost vomited blood.
Fortunately, Lin Shandie held on. Seeing that everyone had come over, she said, "Let's talk about first love today! First love has always been a beautiful word. What was everyone's first love like?"
Kong Mingyan stared wide-eyed at Lin Shandie, his face filled with shock: "You've even added programs to your show???"
The others were also stunned and turned to look at Lin Shandie. How dare you!
Lin Shandie lured the snake out of its hole, thinking that if she spoke first, the others would be too embarrassed not to speak. Therefore, she spoke passionately: "When I was in middle school, I gave a love letter to a male classmate, and I was rejected."
Sure enough, it's human nature to gossip, and everyone was shocked and amazed.
"Wow!!!"
"Won't you regret it to death?"
"Who is it? Is he handsome?"
After all, first love is something that's mostly in the past, and with so much time gone, fans usually just treat it as a bit of fun. Many top celebrities have talked about their first love in interviews, and it's hardly caused any negative reactions. Therefore, people haven't taken Lin Shandie's revelation of her first love too seriously.
Lin Shandie said with a smile, "He was the most handsome guy at my school. Many girls in the school liked him. I was so unsophisticated back then."
Everyone praised Lin Shandie's beauty, and with Lin Shandie leading the way, the others naturally followed suit.
The first person to respond was Feng Qiuyi, who said with feeling: "I also liked a girl in my school when I was in high school. She was gentle and kind, but I didn't do well in school at the time, so I was too embarrassed to go to her."
Everyone laughed and said that the girl must regret missing out on you.
After chatting amongst themselves, everyone's attention soon turned to Losi.
Losi, who was still listening to the story, felt the gaze on her and paused: "Should I say something too?"
Cheng Qing, who was sitting opposite her, sat up straighter and looked at her.
When Luo Xi saw Cheng Qing looking over, she paused for a moment. With the mindset of not wanting to lose, she raised her head slightly and said proudly, "I've been confessed to by people since elementary school. Both boys and girls like me and have confessed to me."
Everyone looked at Rossi, somewhat amused. The question was about her first love; when had she ever mentioned popularity?
Of course, many celebrities were actually quite plain-looking before they debuted, just like any other ordinary student in school. It was only after being groomed and styled that they learned to smile broadly and developed their extraordinary charisma.
But Losie is a girl who has been delicate since childhood. Losie has mentioned this on other shows. When she was little, she was often hugged by other children because of her appearance.
On one occasion, a little boy even cried and begged his mother to take Losie home.
Losy, who was breathtakingly beautiful from a young age, naturally felt the advantage that her looks brought her. Throughout her schooling, graduation, and work, her good looks gave her a significant advantage.
After hearing Luo Xi's words, Lin Shandie didn't mind that Luo Xi's answer was off-topic. Instead, she turned to Cheng Qing excitedly and asked, "Where is Teacher Cheng?"
Unexpectedly, the topic skipped over the guests who hadn't answered yet and went straight to her. Cheng Qing was stunned for a moment before slowly saying, "I didn't end up with my first love either."
—There will be no future for her and Losi.
Upon hearing this, Luo Xi's heart skipped a beat. She stared wide-eyed at Cheng Qing. He really did have a first love!
Even though she knew it was something from the past, perhaps even several years ago, and that Cheng Qing was probably just a naive teenager back then, only vaguely aware of what liking someone meant, Luo Xi still felt a pang of sadness upon hearing that Cheng Qing had indeed had a first love.
Lin Shandie pressed her advantage: "Why aren't you together?"
Cheng Qing couldn't clearly articulate her thoughts, so she could only vaguely and simply summarize: "Both sets of parents disagree." The first hurdle that all same-sex couples have to face is often their parents, and then society.
Liu Suoyu raised an eyebrow: "Given Teacher Cheng's personality, I don't think you would care about your parents' opinions."
Nowadays, love is free, and even same-sex marriage is legal. Why should we care about our parents' opinions when we're dating? Teacher Cheng is not such an indecisive person.
Cheng Qing chuckled softly and replied lightly, "Sometimes, there are some disappointments and burdens..." She paused before speaking, her gaze shifting slightly to Luo Xi before quickly looking away.
She looked out the window at the most desolate season of the year and softly continued, "It's something that even the happiness of two people can't bear, and that's why there are... gains and losses."
After speaking, Cheng Qing looked across at the other side and smiled slowly, a deep sense of loss spreading in her eyes that even the late autumn could not hide.
Author's Note:
Look at me, still typing away on the second day of the Lunar New Year _(:з」∠)_, and I've sent you a red envelope! Thank you all for your support, and I hope you'll continue to support me in the new year.
Chapter 63
The room fell silent for a while after Cheng Qing spoke, and everyone looked at her with pity.
What kind of experiences led her to say these things?
Who the hell did she fall in love with? She's caused her parents such a huge burden that she'd rather give up her own happiness than make them suffer.
Everyone felt pity and confusion at the same time. Losi was particularly shocked. Could it be that her first love?
Does Cheng Qing have someone she likes very, very much? Someone she likes so much that she can't have them?
Because the atmosphere was so somber, when Cheng Qing came to her senses, she realized that everyone's gazes at her were almost tangible.
Cheng Qing found it amusing: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Liu Suoyu asked Cheng Qing pitifully, "Teacher Cheng, what kind of love would make you say such things? Is first love really that good?"
Cheng Qing looked at him helplessly, wishing she could cover his mouth and pack him up to send him into outer space. But in the end, she just smiled and said, "Alright, stop talking about me. Anyway, there's no point in saying anything more."
That's how everyone started to shift the topic to other things.
Lossie was still thinking about the lover that Teacher Cheng longed for but could not have, which made Teacher Cheng say in dejection: "The happiness of two people cannot bear the responsibility."
What kind of person would that be?
Is she beautiful? More beautiful than me? What about her temper? Is she gentle like Teacher Cheng, or has a bad temper like mine?
Did they confess their feelings? I think they did, right? Teacher Cheng said their parents didn't approve, so they must have met each other's parents.
They've reached the point of discussing marriage? But why don't you agree?
Losi felt a bittersweet feeling, tinged with pain.
Why wouldn't such a wonderful teacher like Teacher Cheng, who loved her so much, agree to her request? Why did he let her come into his life with such regret?
Feeling pain because of Cheng Qing's pain, Losi's eyes were slightly red, and tears were about to fall from the corners of her eyes.
Lin Shandie was taken aback and called out softly in surprise, "Luo Xi, why are you crying?"
Luo Xi quickly wiped away her tears with her sleeve, then whispered, "I just feel so sorry for her. When Teacher Cheng said those words, he still loved her. That's why she's having such a hard time."
Lin Shandie was almost kneeling down. If everyone hadn't been there, she would have even reached out and shaken her hard to bring her back to her senses.
"What are you thinking? If her parents hadn't broken them up, you'd be the other woman now that you've interfered," Lin Shandie reminded her.
Luo Xi was taken aback, staring blankly at Lin Shan Die: "That's right!"
Lin Shandie: "..."
Then, someone else mentioned their first love, something everyone remembers fondly. In those innocent, budding years, the shyness of first love... Even today, with a successful career, recalling it still brings a sweet feeling.
Soon, Lin Zichen's voice broke the conversation.
Everyone then fell silent and got up to go to the restaurant.
Lin Zichen spent a total of one and a half hours making the soup: a simple seaweed and egg drop soup (serves 10), ham and scrambled eggs (serves 10), boiled shrimp (serves 10), three steamed fish, and a pot of stir-fried vegetables (serves 10).