BSS - Chapter 114

Chapter 114

Near the end of Deng Chuan's freshman year, she received a notice from the university. Her application for the study abroad fund under the joint training program had been approved and was being processed for disbursement. The coordination with the partner university was also underway. Of course, Deng Chuan wasn't the only one participating in this program; the university's official website had already published a list of the specific participants.

This list caused quite a stir on the campus forums. The photos, family backgrounds, GPAs, awards, and research achievements of the students on the list were all thoroughly scrutinized.

Deng Chuan even received a call from her high school alma mater, asking if she had time during the summer break to come back and give a speech to the younger students, mainly to motivate the current second-year students who were about to enter their senior year.

These were the students Xu Wei was currently teaching.

Deng Chuan didn't agree immediately. She wasn't sure about her specific schedule. After hanging up, she privately asked Xu Wei, "Do you want me to go? They must be tired of these kinds of motivational speeches. It's not like back in our day, when the school hired a professional motivational speaker and many students were crying their eyes out afterward."

Xu Wei said, "It wasn't that exaggerated. You're just serving as a role model, not really pumping them full of adrenaline. Those people are professionals." She thought for a moment, then added, "This is your decision. You should decide for yourself."

University life has a huge impact on a person. Xu Wei increasingly felt that Deng Chuan was growing up at a rapid pace. The kid who used to be a bit awkward at times had become more and more adept through the trials of life. So, for some things, she was reluctant to go into too much detail with Deng Chuan. Preaching was her occupational hazard, but not a good habit. Xu Wei hoped to let Deng Chuan think and experiment more on her own.

Even with her companionship, growth was still a very personal matter. Xu Wei firmly believed this.

Of course, there was some external information she still didn't want Deng Chuan to see. The joint training program was too enviable, and the resulting jealousy wasn't confined to P University's internal forums. Deng Chuan hadn't yet grown to a height where she could command everyone's respect, and Xu Wei couldn't muzzle everyone.

What's more, the P University brand itself was a major topic of conversation. A blogger online saw the list and posted sarcastically: Joint training program? Is P University not even pretending anymore? Just directly training talent for other countries. Someone commented below: Future immigrant list +1

Despite the turmoil in the outside world, Deng Chuan's life wasn't greatly affected. She attended classes, reviewed her work, and prepared for final exams as usual. Occasionally, students from other departments in the cafeteria would glance at her, intentionally or not, but she had gotten used to it.

It was hard to say whether the attention these students received was good or bad, but regardless, with such a precious opportunity, these young students on the list, with their still-green faces, were riding the favorable winds of the era, grasping an admission ticket to a soaring future.

Everyone was filled with ambition, hoping to make their mark in a wider world.

However, this also meant that, including the preparations and procedures before going abroad, Deng Chuan's time left in the country was running out.

Deng Chuan, of course, was well aware of this herself.

In the end, she returned to her high school alma mater right at the beginning of the summer break.

By then, the weather had become thoroughly hot. In just one short year, the campus vegetation had grown even more lush. The sky-blotting canopies formed patch after patch of intoxicating deep green. A gentle breeze was blowing. The summer wind was always hot and sticky, doing nothing to cool the skin, but it could make the ginkgo leaves rustle, as if echoing the incessant chirping of the cicadas.

Deng Chuan's summer break had begun, but the high school students' had not. Despite the scorching sun outside, the cold air from the classroom air conditioners still made everyone wear their uniform jackets half-on. The fans were also running, and the sound of the rotating blades made the air in the classroom seem exceptionally quiet.

Perhaps there were also some small, furtive movements beneath the quiet, as the teacher was not present.

A boy by the window secretly ate a candy. It was a refreshing mint flavor. He half-closed his eyes in contentment, then looked down at the test paper that had been handed out the previous night.

He had to hurry and finish correcting his mistakes. Because later, the school had notified all students to gather in the auditorium for a meeting.

Thinking this, the boy turned and passed the candy box to the girl in the seat behind him, whispering, "Hey genius, did you copy down the answers to yesterday's test? Let me borrow it."

The girl pushed his hand, causing the candy box to rattle a few times, a considerable noise in the quiet classroom. The boy quickly put it down, mouthing silently, "Please, please-"

It was at this moment that Deng Chuan walked past their window.

She was, of course, not wearing a school uniform. After consulting with Teacher Xu, she wasn't wearing formal attire either. She just had on a somewhat loose T-shirt and pants, all in black. Her skin was already fair, and this outfit made her look almost ethereally pale. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail, and her eyes casually swept past the window, startling even the boy.

The girl who was turning her head to find the test paper for him also froze.

The three of them made eye contact. Deng Chuan curved her lips and gave them a polite nod.

Not many people in the classroom looked up at her. As Deng Chuan walked, she thought to herself, Xu Wei's class is quite well-behaved.

Of course, she had no idea what the people inside the window were thinking.

Deng Chuan walked with long strides, and their eyes met for only an instant. Soon, she was out of their sight, walking away in the direction of the teachers' office.

There were quite a few teachers in the office, and her arrival made it even livelier. Deng Chuan firmly occupied the space to the right of Xu Wei's desk, her hand resting on the table as she chatted and laughed with the teachers who had taught her in the past.

As she spoke, she was also fed a considerable number of small cookies and fruit candies. Xu Wei didn't eat any, nor did she participate much in their conversation. She kept her head down, looking at a grade sheet on her computer, only occasionally patting Deng Chuan's waist without drawing attention, telling her not to lean so close she was practically plastered to her.

"Teacher Xu taught Deng Chuan before, right? I used to say you two were close. How come you're not talking today?"

Xu Wei looked up and smiled. "We talked too much back then, so I don't feel like talking now."

Xu Wei's words were cool, and everyone looked at Deng Chuan's reaction. Unexpectedly, she smiled and put an arm around Xu Wei's shoulder, her tone very affectionate. "Right? We save all our talking for private, that's why Teacher Xu is ignoring me now."

Everyone laughed at this, urging Deng Chuan to have some water and snacks.

Acting cute again. Xu Wei couldn't help but secretly shoot her a chiding look. After saying that, the Little Friend looked as smug as if she had completed a top-secret rendezvous. She took the cup of water and was still grinning at the colleagues, her teeth stark white, her face radiant, her eyes overflowing with laughter.

Xu Wei couldn't help but smile as well, a corner of her mouth secretly turning up.

The leisurely time spent chatting in the air-conditioned teachers' office passed quickly. An announcement over the broadcast system instructed the students to assemble in the auditorium. The teachers also quickly tidied themselves up, busy heading to their classrooms to lead their own cubs out.

Since Xu Wei wasn't a homeroom teacher, she deliberately tidied her desk at a slow pace. When the office was nearly empty, she met up with Deng Chuan, who was waiting for her outside the door.

"Teacher Xu." The Little Friend still called her with a smile. "What a coincidence. Let's walk together."

Xu Wei slowed her pace, waiting for Deng Chuan to catch up to her side in a few quick steps. Only then did she turn to glance at her, her tone carrying an unconscious intimacy. "Did you remember to put on sunscreen before you left?"

Deng Chuan nodded and reached for her hand.

Xu Wei tried to avoid it for a moment, but her hand was caught anyway. "It's fine." The Little Friend smiled with great confidence. "You're my Teacher Xu."

"Oh," Xu Wei said. "Then you can move out tonight. No student lives at a teacher's house for free."

"Teacher Xu is beautiful and kind-hearted." Deng Chuan led her by the hand, avoiding the sun and walking under the shade of the trees. "Of course you'll take in a poor student like me."

Xu Wei let out a laugh. "I'm no philanthropist."

"That's okay," Deng Chuan said magnanimously. "If Teacher Xu is mercenary, then I'll just compensate you with myself."

After saying this, she even had to ask, "Is Teacher Xu satisfied?"

"Mm," Xu Wei said, suppressing the upward curve of her lips. "It's so-so."

They walked hand-in-hand, merging into the crowd of students in school uniforms. Just as Deng Chuan had said, no one would question them holding hands. The auditorium was already full. As one of Deng Chuan's former Senior 3 teachers, Xu Wei had to sit on stage in the math department's section.

They walked to the stairs backstage and heard the event coordinator rushing the proceedings.

Deng Chuan lowered her head slightly to part with Xu Wei.

She still called her Teacher Xu. Then she whispered, "I'm already Teacher Xu's property, so Teacher Xu has to think of me on stage too."

Xu Wei didn't dwell on the possessive implications of the sentence. She just raised a hand and pinched Deng Chuan's cheek. "So insecure? Why don't you come up and sit with me?"

Seeing the Little Friend's eyes immediately look wronged, she couldn't help but soothingly stroke her cheek. "Alright, don't be like that. I'm going up. Do a good job later-I'll be watching you."

"Okay," Deng Chuan said with great confidence. "Of course."

The moment she stood on the stage, looking at the sea of blue and white below, Deng Chuan felt no nervousness or other discomfort. The crowd's gaze was like a soft veil, enveloping her, making her entire speech feel relaxed.

Deng Chuan had written the speech herself. During her talk, she couldn't help but be transported back in time along with the content of her script-first year, second year, third year. All the sweat and time she had invested in this school had been exchanged for the solid present she now stood in.

She finished her last sentence, said thank you, and gave a slight nod.

The applause from below was like thunder.

Amid the thunderous applause, facing so many young, eager eyes, Deng Chuan belatedly felt a certain heat arrive.

This was certainly not nervousness, fear, or any other emotion. Deng Chuan simply felt that the scene before her was incredibly moving, causing her own spirit to burn along with it.

Deng Chuan restrained herself and turned around. The applause and gazes still followed her, but her heart felt preoccupied with something, and everything seemed to be floating. Her steps felt like she was walking on clouds. Deng Chuan turned to the side, paused slightly, and looked back, as if searching for the source of this floating sensation. Xu Wei was exactly where she had rehearsed she would be, not an inch off.

All the floating sensations settled at this moment. Xu Wei's gaze was so gentle, like a cloud supporting her. She was also applauding for her.

And so, all the glory, as a matter of course, finally and truly landed in Deng Chuan's heart.

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