Teacher Shen Is Like an Angel

When Shen Qingling woke up the next day, he saw a message from Ruan Mingyi.

Ruan Mingyi: If you don't want to have dinner with me alone, how about coming with me to the Sheng Family banquet next week?

Ruan Mingyi: Aren't you about to start your graduation internship? I'll introduce you to a few presidents of major companies. It'll help with your future career. Think about it, Mr. Ice Face.

Ruan Mingyi: Pleaseeee (begging) (pitiful), come with me. I just want a handsome male companion to show off with. With your looks, you'll definitely blind everyone there!

At the keyword "Sheng Family," Shen Qingling narrowed his eyes.

In River City, there was only one Sheng Family important enough for Ruan Mingyi to care so much about and want to outshine.

—The Sheng Family that Sheng Xia, Gu Yijin's fiancée, belonged to.

Gu Yijin was Sheng Xia's fiancé. The two families were connected by marriage, so the Gu Family members would definitely attend.

Ruan Mingyi and Sheng Xia were sworn enemies who clashed whenever they met. If he appeared before Sheng Xia and Gu Yijin with Ruan Mingyi... he was looking forward to seeing their reactions.

How could Shen Qingling possibly miss such a lively spectacle? He was definitely going.

Shen Qingling accepted Ruan Mingyi's invitation.

Ruan Mingyi's Heart-Throb Score increased.

He had to stay cold toward her, but he couldn't be cold forever. Giving her a little sweetness now and then would make her extremely happy and cherish it all the more.

Shen Qingling got up, tidied himself up a little, then headed out.

On his way to see Lin Xingmian, Shen Qingling passed a flower shop and suddenly thought of the flowers on the girl's balcony.

Maybe she would be happy if he brought her a bouquet.

Shen Qingling got out of the car and entered the flower shop. After looking around for a while, he chose a bouquet of Baby's Breath.

The Lin Family was unusually lively because of Shen Qingling.

Today, Ji Yunmiao was cooking personally. Lin Xingmian stood outside the kitchen, watching her busy sister.

The girl curled a lock of hair around her finger and asked softly, "Sister, will Teacher Shen come?"

Ji Yunmiao saw her unease and smiled reassuringly. "He promised me he would come for dinner. Don't worry, Mianmian. Teacher Shen isn't someone who breaks his word."

Ji Yunmiao had a very good impression of Shen Qingling. During the competition, he had been meticulous and rigorous. He always did what he said he would do, and she trusted his character.

Ji Yunmiao could tell that her younger sister was in a good mood today. She was very different from her usual quiet, withdrawn self. She was probably looking forward to Shen Qingling coming to teach her.

She tested the waters. "Mianmian, Teacher Shen should be here soon. Can you help your sister go outside and take a look?"

Lin Xingmian remembered what Shen Qingling had said yesterday. She had to take things one step at a time, walk out into the world, and see more distant, more beautiful scenery.

The girl nodded gently and turned toward the entrance.

Ji Yunmiao froze. She had actually agreed...

No matter how Ji Yunmiao had tried in the past, her sister had always resisted going outside.

What kind of magic did Shen Qingling possess, to change her sister so much in a single day?

But it was a good thing, and Ji Yunmiao was happy too.

She smiled with emotion. It seemed she really had to thank Shen Qingling properly.

When Shen Qingling arrived at the Lin Family home, he spotted the girl standing at the door at a glance.

Lin Xingmian wore a pink plaid dress today, with a white knit cardigan over it, making her look soft and fair all over.

Out of nervousness, she tucked her hands into her sleeves and lowered her head, rocking on her toes. She wore little rabbit slippers, and the rabbit ears on them swayed with her movements.

Shen Qingling's heart softened at the sight.

"Mianmian."

Hearing Shen Qingling's voice, the girl lifted her head. It was as if light gradually brightened in her eyes.

As though performing a magic trick, Shen Qingling brought out the Baby's Breath from behind his back. He bent slightly and held the flowers out before her.

Under the sunlight, he seemed to carry an angelic halo. Even the flowers in his hands were dimmed by comparison.

Shen Qingling's appearance was simply too beautiful. A flash of amazement crossed Lin Xingmian's eyes.

For some reason, she felt a little dizzy, and her face was growing warm.

A thought suddenly flashed through her mind.

—Teacher Shen was like an angel.

Only, his wings were invisible.

"What's wrong? Don't you like them, Mianmian?"

Lin Xingmian shook her head and carefully accepted the Baby's Breath from Shen Qingling.

Looking at the flowers in her hands, she couldn't help curving her eyes in a smile.

Lin Xingmian's Heart-Throb Score increased by 10.

Shen Qingling paused. Just a bouquet of flowers had raised it by so much...

Shen Qingling was much taller than the girl, so Lin Xingmian had to tilt her head up to speak with him.

She looked up at him with those large eyes.

"Teacher Shen."

Her voice was still as light as the wind.

"Mm? What is it, Mianmian?"

But she fell silent again.

She just wanted to call him, to make sure he was real.

He had not disappointed her. He had not let her expectations come to nothing.

Lin Xingmian carried the flowers into the kitchen, looked at Ji Yunmiao, then at the flowers in her hands.

"Did Teacher Shen give those flowers to Mianmian?"

"Yes."

"They're so pretty. Did Mianmian thank Teacher Shen?"

Lin Xingmian shook her head awkwardly, then turned toward Shen Qingling.

"Teacher Shen, thank you."

"You're welcome."

Ji Yunmiao wiped her hands and came out of the kitchen, smiling as she greeted Shen Qingling.

The two chatted for a few moments at the kitchen door, with Ji Yunmiao mainly expressing her gratitude to Shen Qingling.

After listening from behind Shen Qingling for a while, Lin Xingmian couldn't help tugging on his sleeve.

Shen Qingling lowered his eyes to look at her. The girl said eagerly, "Look at the painting."

Shen Qingling followed her upstairs.

Lin Xingmian placed the Baby's Breath Shen Qingling had given her on the desk in her bedroom, beside all those jars of stars. Unexpectedly, it suited them perfectly.

The painting he had drawn yesterday sat on Lin Xingmian's desk.

"Do you like this painting, Mianmian?"

"I do."

"This painting has a name. It's called 'Sail in the Sea of Clouds.'"

The girl asked curiously, "Why is Teacher Shen's boat in the clouds?"

Shen Qingling smiled as he explained, "Because Mianmian likes clouds. A sea of clouds is also a sea, so we can set sail across it and travel farther away."

"Where does Teacher Shen want to go most?"

Shen Qingling had not expected that to be her first question.

He shook his head. "I don't know."

Shen Qingling lowered his gaze, his long fingers brushing over the sailboat in the painting.

"I don't have a home. If I had to say, I probably want a home first. Once I have one, the place I'd want to go most would be home."

Surprise flashed through Lin Xingmian's large eyes. "What does it mean... not to have a home...?"

A complicated look appeared in Shen Qingling's eyes as he gave a faint smile. "I'm an orphan. I have no parents. I grew up in an orphanage and never had a fixed place to live. I've never known what it feels like to have a home."

Lin Xingmian had never expected Shen Qingling's background to be even more miserable than hers, yet he was so strong and so gentle.

A trace of sadness appeared in the girl's eyes.

077: "Lin Xingmian's Heart-Throb Score increased by 10... This little girl either doesn't increase it at all, or adds 10 or 20 at once. Could her score rise even faster than Song Zhining's?"

Shen Qingling: "Because she and I are very alike. Similar experiences make it easier for her to empathize."

Lin Xingmian comforted him in a soft voice. "Teacher Shen is very good. Teacher Shen will have a home."

"Mm. Then where does Mianmian want to go most?"

"I want to go... to Grandma's house."

Shen Qingling paused. Ji Yunmiao had never mentioned their grandmother.

"Is Mianmian's grandmother's home far from here? We can go visit Grandma together."

Lin Xingmian looked at the jars of stars on the desk. "Grandma became a star."

Shen Qingling's brow twitched slightly.

He suddenly understood why she had folded so many stars.

They were all expressions of how much she missed her grandmother.

"Before Grandma left, she said that as long as I folded stars and put them in jars, she would receive my words."

Shen Qingling found it hard to imagine that every single folded star in the countless jars in this room had words written on it.

How deep must her longing be for her to remain so unable to let go?

"Did Grandma raise Mianmian?"

"Mm. Before, Dad, Mom, and Sister lived in the city, while I lived in the countryside."

"After Grandma passed away, you went to live in the city with your parents."

"Yes, but they were very busy. I was always alone."

Shen Qingling patted her head. "Grandma only became a star to keep you company. You're not alone."

A tear rolled down the girl's cheek.

Shen Qingling crouched down and wiped away her tears.

She suddenly hugged Shen Qingling. Even her sobs were thin and soft, carrying a pitiful helplessness.

He did not push her away. He only reached out and stroked her back.

The girl's tears fell into the hollow of his neck, burning hot.

Shen Qingling said softly, "Where is Grandma's house? I'll take you there, okay?"

Lin Xingmian fell silent.

It had been many years, yet she had never found the courage to face it.

She did not want to accept the fact that her grandmother had left her.

She was afraid that seeing that little courtyard would remind her of everything about her grandmother, making her miss her even more and hurt even more.

"Since Mianmian folded so many stars and has so many things she wants to say to her, why not go see her?"

Lin Xingmian looked at him through tear-blurred eyes. "Teacher Shen, am I very bad?"

Her grandmother had told her to live well and face life positively, but she had not done any of that.

"Mianmian is very good."

"But I didn't do anything right. I didn't make Grandma happy."

"To Grandma, Mianmian's existence alone was already a kind of happiness."

Lin Xingmian completely broke down, clutching the fabric at Shen Qingling's shoulder as she cried in agony.

The emotions she had suppressed for so long finally erupted at that moment.

Yet all she could do was cry. Other than crying, there was nothing she could do.

Because she could not see those who had left, could not change life and death or parting, and could not bring anything back.

Her whole life had been spent facing longing and farewells.

"Come outside with me, Mianmian."

"Okay. I want to go see Grandma."