I feel cold and sad. Miracles really don't happen that easily, do they?
Su Yanxi thought pessimistically as she found a bench by the bushes and sat down. But in that instant of turning around, looking down, sitting, and then looking up again, Su Yanxi suddenly realized: the office lights were on?
"Hey!" the boy shouted excitedly to Su Yanxi, "The lights are on! The head of the performing arts department's office lights are on!"
The boy's shouts snapped Su Yanxi out of her daze, and she finally realized that this was not a dream!
He nodded and smiled gratefully at the boy, then hurriedly ran towards the stairwell of the teaching building.
5:50.
This was the first time Cheng Xiaohui saw when she took out her phone after entering the director's office in the performing arts department.
As a specially appointed lecturer, she rarely visited the Beijing Theatre Academy campus unless there were particularly important lectures, so she didn't apply for her own office. Whenever she came, she would sit with the head of the acting department, with whom she had a good relationship.
She first sent a text message to her youngest son, Bie Yunzong, telling him: "[Mom is already at the Beijing Drama Academy campus, when are you coming?]" Then she hung the coat she had prepared for her son on the coat rack, sat down at her desk, and casually flipped through the student files on the desk.
Cheng Xiaohui has clearly visited the Beijing Theatre Academy campus more often this semester than before. In the past, she would only come once or twice a semester, but this semester, just over a month after the start of the semester, she has already come twice.
The reason she visited the campus more frequently was her lively and playful youngest son, Bie Yunzong.
She openly admitted that she came to the Beijing Academy of Drama campus to find her daughter-in-law.
“Su Yanxi…”
The document she randomly flipped open happened to be a monthly performance review report. Su Yanxi, who was ranked first, immediately caught Cheng Xiaohui's attention.
"The results are really good, and the talent is also great, but unfortunately the mindset is not right, and the shortcuts and wrong paths are taken."
Cheng Xiaohui sighed regretfully.
She had her eye on Su Yanxi for a long time, thinking that the girl was academically excellent, beautiful, and met all her requirements for an ideal daughter-in-law. Based on her successful experience in matchmaking her eldest son, Bie Congrui, and popular TV host Cai Yuyan, she was certain that her younger son and Su Yanxi would get together!
that is……
"If only you hadn't taken the wrong path!" Cheng Xiaohui looked at Su Yanxi's report card and clicked her tongue. "Such good grades. If you hadn't taken the wrong path, you would have had a much better future. Sigh, young people can't be patient."
She had originally planned to introduce Su Yanxi to her youngest son, but who would have thought that Su Yanxi would get involved in a sugar daddy scandal and receive a severe disciplinary action! From her mother-in-law's perspective, she was heartbroken and felt sorry for her; from her teacher's perspective, she was even more disappointed and frustrated.
Why bother?
Since they were not destined to meet, Cheng Xiaohui simply postponed the introduction and gave the opportunity to Qi Xiang'an, whose academic performance and qualifications were second only to Su Yanxi.
She had already arranged to have dinner with Qi Xiang'an tonight through a teacher in the performing arts department. She didn't plan to reveal her and her son's identities for the time being, nor would she explain her intentions; she would only introduce Qi Xiang'an to Bie Yunzong under the guise of making friends.
A single meal is enough to determine whether there's any spark between Qi Xiang'an and her youngest son. If there is, then they can clarify their identities and take further steps to bring them together; if not, then the youngest son has simply made a new friend. Either way, it's not a bad deal.
After reviewing the report card, Cheng Xiaohui closed it. Just as she was about to send her son a reminder message to her naughty little boy [not to be late and not to leave a bad impression on the others at the dinner table], someone gently knocked on the door three times.
"Hello, Director, I'm Su Yanxi, a student in the Performing Arts Department. May I come in?"
Cheng Xiaohui was slightly taken aback, then replied, "Sure, please come in."
The student, who identified himself as Su Yanxi, gently pushed open the door and entered, standing in front of the desk and bowing slightly.
Su Yanxi was very polite. Whether knocking, greeting, or entering, the whole process was gentle, yet not overly humble to the point of being uncomfortable. This precise grasp of etiquette was indeed very much to Cheng Xiaohui's liking.
Such a person would be the perfect daughter-in-law for someone else.
"Hello, Director. I'm sorry to bother you during the evening rush hour."
Su Yanxi looked apologetic, her head slightly lowered, conveying a humble and obedient attitude, while her back, a symbol of integrity and demeanor, stood ramrod straight.
Chapter 93
“I have some details related to my being ‘kept’ and the disciplinary action I took against me, and I hope I can explain them to you. Would you be able to give me about ten minutes to hear what I have to say?”
As a freshman who had only lived on campus for less than two months, Su Yanxi was unaware that the person sitting in front of him was not the department head he was looking for, but a specially appointed lecturer who was more authoritative and had more authority than the department head.
Although Cheng Xiaohui was 49 years old, she was very well-maintained and looked like a senior teacher in her late thirties. She was sitting in the department head's office and did not refute Su Yanxi's words, so it was perfectly normal for Su Yanxi to misunderstand.
Cheng Xiaohui had no intention of revealing her identity. With a smile, she asked Su Yanxi, "What kind of explanation are you going to give? But I heard you were caught red-handed at a KTV. Now that things have come to this, do you think I need to waste ten minutes listening to your so-called 'inner thoughts'?"
Su Yanxi swallowed hard, looked at Cheng Xiaohui and nodded firmly: "I think so. I don't necessarily need you to remove the punishment for me, I just want to tell you the details that the teachers can't see, and then ask you to make a judgment."
"If the judgment still finds that I am of bad character, then... I will willingly accept the punishment."
Su Yanxi's sincere words moved Cheng Xiaohui, who nodded repeatedly in admiration: "Okay, go ahead and say it. I'll only give you ten minutes."
Su Yanxi seized the time and began to explain the whole incident to Cheng Xiaohui from the beginning.
The incident was simple: someone claiming to be a talent scout from a film and television company, after reviewing Su Yanxi's profile, became interested in her and asked if she had any intention of collaborating or signing a contract.
Initially, Su Yanxi suspected the other party was a scammer and declined their offer. However, the other party persisted, sending Su Yanxi qualification certificates, business licenses, and even a TV drama script, and adding Su Yanxi to a seemingly professional film crew group.
An inexperienced 18-year-old freshman is easily deceived by this series of tricks. After spending a month with the conman, Su Yanxi had no more guard up; when the other party said that she could meet and sing with the crew members at a KTV, Su Yanxi agreed to go without any suspicion.
He didn't know that behind the door of the private room lay a deep abyss of traps.
"...That's how it is."
Su Yanxi came prepared. After presenting all the information he had gathered and the evidence he had on hand, he breathed a sigh of relief and finally vented the grievances he had accumulated over the past few days.
"I... I also made mistakes. I was too trusting and too quick to judge, so I was deceived—so I stepped into a trap set by others without any precautions. I admit my mistakes, I acknowledge them all."
"But I want to make it clear that I absolutely had no intention of taking any crooked or evil paths. I hate people with evil intentions more than anyone else! I hope that after hearing these 'details,' the teacher can make another judgment and clear my name!"
Cheng Xiaohui remained silent for about ten seconds, deep in thought.
Those ten seconds felt longer than any torture to Su Yanxi. His hands trembled with nervousness, and he quickly clenched his fists to steady them.
"You're a bit too eager for quick results."
Cheng Xiaohui offered a sharp and insightful assessment.
"Why?"
“I…” Su Yanxi clenched her fists tighter, her fists trembling with tension, resentment, and anger. “Because of Dad.”
“My father suffered from wrongful imprisonment for many years. I want to achieve something quickly and prove it to him.”
Realizing that she was about to lose control of her emotions, Su Yanxi hurriedly bowed deeply to Cheng Xiaohui at a ninety-degree angle.
"Thank you for reminding me, teacher. Actually... I hadn't realized I had a problem with my mindset. Only after your reminder did I realize that I was too eager for quick success."
With a bow, Su Yanxi wiped his eyes. After adjusting his tone and emotions, he stood up straight.
"I will adjust accordingly."
Cheng Xiaohui was deeply moved by what was said. She had heard about Su Yanxi's family situation and knew that the family had not had an easy life and had suffered a lot over the years.
She comforted Su Yanxi, saying, "It's okay. Being eager for quick success is a good sign that you have drive and goals. If you can maintain a good mindset, you will become a very capable and outstanding child."
She is even more than suitable to be her daughter-in-law.
"Thank you for the compliment, Head Teacher," Su Yanxi said with a polite smile.
Cheng Xiaohui waved her hand and finally told the truth: "Don't call me Director, I'm not actually the Director teacher you're looking for."
Upon hearing this, Su Yanxi's smile immediately froze on her face.
But this stiff state only lasted for less than two seconds. Su Yanxi reacted quickly and immediately changed her words: "That's okay, I'm still very grateful that you were willing to spare ten precious minutes to listen to what I have to say."
An ordinary person might feel confused, bewildered, and angry at being teased, but Su Yanxi's reaction was a textbook example of dignified composure!
He didn't show a trace of negative emotion—whether he genuinely didn't or he hid it well enough to appear so. His reaction made Cheng Xiaohui feel respected and comfortable, which showed that Su Yanxi was very honest; he even considered others first, not himself!
Cheng Xiaohui's affection for Su Yanxi grew stronger with each passing day. This student before him, besides being exceptionally beautiful, academically excellent, and well-mannered, also possessed a refined demeanor, exceptional speech, and quick wit—perfectly meeting all of Cheng Xiaohui's standards for a future daughter-in-law!
"No need to thank me, I felt it was very worthwhile after listening for those ten minutes." Driven by affection, Cheng Xiaohui looked at Su Yanxi with even more tenderness, and her tone suddenly softened by more than ten degrees. "I am a good friend of your department head, and I will relay what you just said to her verbatim. You are a good girl, and I will try to plead for you."
Chapter 94
"Is that so?" Su Yanxi bowed again in gratitude, her nose tingling and she felt like crying. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"Don't rush to thank me. I can only do my best to help you, and I can't necessarily change the current outcome. You should learn from this experience and avoid making the same mistake again."
"I hope you can adjust your mindset and not let this affect your academic performance."
As Cheng Xiaohui spoke, she had completely forgotten about Qi Xiang'an. She wondered if she should decline tonight's dinner invitation. She thought Su Yanxi was good enough; there was no need to try and set Qi Xiang'an up with her.
Anyway, the matter of being kept has been clarified. It was just that the child was foolish enough to be deceived by bad people. The child really had no intention of going astray and was a rare good child!
"Yes!" Su Yanxi readily nodded in response, "Thank you for your guidance, teacher. I will definitely remember this lesson!"
After thanking him and saying goodbye, Su Yanxi turned and left. The moment he pushed open the door, the bleak autumn wind outside blew his face again.
He felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest, but he also shivered, thinking: It's so cold.
This rambling made the back of his neck tingle. It turns out the ancients were right when they said autumn makes one prone to feeling sentimental and melancholic.
In a moment of distraction, Su Yanxi bumped into another person waiting outside the door.
Bie Yunzong arrived at the teaching building at approximately six o'clock.
Mom was having dinner with the school teachers tonight and asked him to come along. He happened to have nothing to do, so he obediently came.
He said it was a meal, but he knew perfectly well that it was just his mother trying to introduce him to potential partners.
Sigh, it's all because of that grumpy brother's mess. Originally, these two brothers were fine, one was too celibate to find a partner, and the other was too playful to want one. They were both single, which was great. But then Bie Congrui betrayed his own brother and found a popular TV host as his girlfriend.
Bie Yunzong had met his brother's girlfriend; she was quite beautiful and nice. But if he had to give his opinion, he felt something was missing.
Is it the feeling of falling in love?
Anyway, my brother's relationship didn't inspire Bie Yunzong to find someone to date, but it did motivate my mother to find a daughter-in-law. In the end, it's all because my brother's boyfriend is too outstanding, which makes my mother very insecure—she's afraid that her future daughter-in-law will be lacking and lower the average quality of the family.
"Ugh, what a worrywart." Bie Yunzong, wearing a black hoodie with his hands in his pockets, walked upstairs in a cocky manner. "I'm only sixteen, why am I in such a hurry to be in a relationship?"
He walked all the way to the office of the head of the performing arts department and peeked inside through the thick, soundproof glass door.
Seeing his mother talking to a boy whose back was to the entrance, Bie Yunzong didn't push the door open and go in. He leaned against the wall of the corridor, looking at the campus covered with autumn leaves, feeling infinitely lost.
He's sixteen years old, and he still doesn't understand his sexual orientation. Although he's told his mother he doesn't like girls, that doesn't mean he likes boys.
His orientation is neither towards women nor men, but towards good-looking people. By this standard, he should be a true "face-oriented" person.
He has female friends and male friends he gets along well with. The girls around him are beautiful, but without exception, they are all rather delicate—perhaps because they all come from wealthy families and are used to being pampered heiresses. It's not that they're bad, but their delicate nature makes them uncontrollable, which diminishes his desire to conquer them and makes him have no interest in developing the relationship further.
Therefore, he told his mother directly, "I don't like girls."
But the guys are all too masculine. If they're too masculine, they can't feel any attraction; they just want to compete with each other to see who's more handsome or more dashing, and in the end, they always end up as just friends.
Is it possible to have a genderless angel body that is neither male nor female, but both male and female—like the legendary archangel, possessing all the virtues that Bie Yunzong likes, yet without any of the qualities that Bie Yunzong finds unattractive?