Li Ran drove the two to their apartment complex, said goodbye without saying much, and left. Zhao Xiyin had just gone upstairs when she received a WeChat message from her: "Talk to Uncle Zhao nicely, don't yell at him."
Not to mention fierce, Zhao Xiyin didn't utter a single word about it.
When she got home, she started sweeping, mopping, and wiping the table, remaining silent the whole time. Zhao Wenchun sat on the sofa, too exhausted to get up. Finally, he said, "Xiaoxi, do you think your father is useless?"
Zhao Xiyin was wiping the cabinet, bent over, her hair covering her face, and didn't answer.
“I heard about the preliminary review results. I was rejected. This matter has been handled by Director Liu. If I don’t get approved this year, I won’t be able to apply for review in the future.” Zhao Wenchun took off his glasses and rubbed the back of his hand against the itchy corner of his eye, which was red from the alcohol.
Zhao Xiyin gave a dry "hmm," her throat tight.
Zhao Wenchun, now over fifty, is past his prime and his youthful vigor has faded. He has devoted half his life to his beloved teaching position. When Zhao Xiyin was still a child, her mother divorced him, her biggest complaint being that Zhao Wenchun lacked ambition. Less than six months later, her mother remarried, this time to her first love, a fellow educated youth she met during her time in the countryside.
Even Zhao Xiyin saw through the truth, so how could Zhao Wenchun not know it? But over the decades, Zhao Wenchun never offered a word of defense, nor did he ever say a bad word about his ex-wife.
"Sigh." Zhao Wenchun suddenly sighed, "The world is not what it used to be. I'm old, useless, and I'm in people's way."
Zhao Xiyin raised her head, smiled brightly, and said the first thing she said after returning home, "Dad, I'll take care of you."
Her eyelashes fluttered playfully, and her expression was gentle in the dim light, clearly resembling that of a little girl. Zhao Wenchun turned his head away, not daring to look closely.
The tears his daughter was trying to hold back couldn't fool him.
Zhao Xiyin didn't sleep well that night, constantly dreaming about things from the past. When she was woken up by the phone call, she was still halfway through her dream, feeling extremely weak. Ding Yahe complained that she was taking too long to answer, "What time is it and you're still not up? You weren't this lazy before."
With a sharp tone, Zhao Xiyin, a bit grumpy from just waking up, retorted, "Which 'before'? Was I seven or eight?"
When Ding Yahe and Zhao Wenchun divorced, she was not yet seven years old. Nearly twenty years have passed, and some accusations are simply unreasonable. Ding Yahe knew she was in the wrong; this child, she could hit anyone's weak spot with deadly accuracy.
"Come over for lunch with me," Ding Yahe casually changed the subject. "I have something for you."
After hanging up the phone, she sent a location. Zhao Xiyin didn't recognize the restaurant, and the address seemed difficult to find. The transfer took some time, making her half an hour late. The restaurant itself was unassuming, but the service was excellent; a waiter immediately showed her the way upon entering.
Zhao Xiyin didn't think much of it when she pushed open the door to the front of the private room. She was stunned and stood there for a long time.
Ding Yahe sat on the left with Ni Rui, and Dai Yunxin sat on the right.
Zhao Xiyin instinctively stepped back, but Ding Yahe stopped her with a shout, "You sit with Teacher Dai."
Dai Yunxin smiled gently: "You really called the child? It wasn't really necessary for her to come all this way from her home."
Ding Yahe disagreed, "You've spoiled her. She's very willful and has offended many people. Please don't mind. It's only right to give her such a good opportunity and let her work hard."
Even after sitting down, Zhao Xiyin's ears were still ringing.
Dai Yunxin was gentle. "At the banquet last time, it was quite a coincidence that Director Pang saw you dancing. He liked it very much and agreed to let you audition. Filming for 'Nine Thoughts' has already begun, and there is a very important scene in it. We are still looking for a lead dancer."
Zhao Xiyin remained silent.
Ding Yahe was furious: "Don't be so pretentious. Just look at your dad's aloof and bookish attitude. This world is very realistic. You can't expect results just because you try. If it weren't for Teacher Dai's favor and her recommendation, you wouldn't even have a chance to be here."
Ding Yahe kept talking, and her demeanor had become increasingly arrogant in recent years; she liked to have the final say.
Zhao Xiyin kept her head down, her expression blank, without a trace of joy.
Meanwhile, in the VIP lounge upstairs, Zhou Qishen and Gu Heping's cousin had just finished dinner, with his secretary following behind, carrying a suit jacket and car keys.
Zhou Qishen and his cousin Gu chatted warmly, and their relationship clearly progressed further after the meal.
"I hope you can put in a lot of effort regarding Professor Zhao's matter. Whether you need connections or gifts, just pass on a message." Zhou Qishen was skilled at socializing, and his words always struck a chord with people.
Cousin Gu liked his straightforwardness; one interaction was enough to tell they were both decisive people.
The two stepped out of the private room and walked halfway down the corridor when the secretary followed and whispered a few words to Zhou Qishen.
Zhou Qi frowned. "Who are they?"
The secretary said, "Her mother, her sister, and Teacher Dai."
Zhou Qishen acknowledged this and, after seeing his cousin Gu off, went back upstairs.
——
Ding Yahe pressed on, both exasperated and annoyed by his lack of understanding, "Say something!"
Zhao Xiyin seemed to be living out the dream from this morning: she was injured while dancing and fell into despair. Some felt sorry for her, some were relieved, and some watched from the sidelines. Finally, there was Zhao Wenchun's obsequious smile and toasting from yesterday. He should have been living a carefree life, but he stepped into the mundane world, where he found no kindness, only mockery and injustice.
Zhao Xiyin's head was throbbing as if it were about to split open. Holding her breath, she said in a daze, "I'm not dancing."
Ding Yahe was so angry she almost flipped the table. Perhaps feeling that her authority as an elder had been completely disrespected, she stood up and spoke with unusual sharpness: "Zhao Xiyin, are you sick in the head? You've picked up all your father's poor, stingy ways. You think you're someone special, don't you? You think the whole world revolves around you? Zhao Wenchun is also clueless, letting you go on vacation for two years. Two years, ah, two years! He's become so arrogant. Look at what his daughter has become! She's idle and doesn't work! She doesn't know the hardships of life. You don't have the life of a princess, but you've really developed princess syndrome!"
Ding Yahe was furious and poked her shoulder hard with the tip of her beautiful nail. "Say something!"
Zhao Xiyin's eyes were sore and swollen, and she felt as if all her strength had been drained, as if her spine and flesh were about to collapse.
"Didn't you hear me? She said she doesn't dance."
The male voice appeared unexpectedly. Ding Yahe turned around and saw Zhou Qishen stepping in at some point, his hands behind his back, standing straight and calm. Each word he spoke carried immense weight.
Ding Yahe was taken aback by it and looked embarrassed for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure and sneered, "What business is it of yours if my daughter and I are talking?"
Zhou Qishen ignored him and smiled gently, "Whether it's my business or not is up to her."
Zhou Qishen glanced at Zhao Xiyin, then subtly moved to stand beside her, shielding her from the wind and rain. "She can jump if she wants to, and she can't jump if she doesn't want to. It's a simple matter, and she can make her own decisions. Whether she goes to work or not is her own choice. Whether she's a 9-to-5 office worker or runs an online store, as long as she doesn't get into trouble, whether she's selling medicine or Viagra, it's all up to her."
As Zhou Qishen spoke, a smile played on his lips, his roguish charm perfectly embodied. His attitude was already quite polite, but his choice of words was still undeniably rough.
Ding Yahe was so angry that her face turned green. She pointed at Zhou Qishen and said something that was like a knife: "You're divorced now, so don't meddle in her business."