Free Web NovelChapter 413: Chapter 413: Yanxi 21
"He’s still locked up. He’s divorced now, his company is firmly in Fang Zhenshun’s hands, and Hong Xiazhen and Jin Taiyuan are still caught up with each other. Seeing them in this state, I’m already very happy." Xu Yanxi was genuinely happy. Whatever feelings she might have had were completely wiped out the moment she found out Jin Taiyuan had cheated.
Now, seeing Jin Taiyuan and Hong Xiazhen tormenting each other without splitting up, Xu Yanxi felt nothing but joy. She wasn’t the type to turn the other cheek. She was just a very ordinary person who had her own petty side.
Tan You smiled too. "I’m glad you’re happy. Your dad... I’ve been taking good care of him, too. But I suspect he’s figured something out. It must be tough for him, holding back from asking."
Xu Yanxi found the thought amusing. "I’m going back tomorrow. He’ll probably be overjoyed to see me. Do you want to meet him?"
"Let’s not," Tan You said, shaking his head. "Since he hasn’t brought it up, I don’t want to be the one to say anything. It would just cause unnecessary trouble."
He had no intention of meeting anyone other than his client. For instance, in Liuu Yuming’s world, he hadn’t interfered in the lives of her children.
All of his special attention had been focused on Liuu Min. As for anyone else, Tan You admitted he was very sparing with his emotions. Besides, Xu Jia was also very capable; he could certainly shoulder his own responsibilities and didn’t need Tan You to worry about them.
So, in this world as well, Tan You had no desire to meet anyone besides his client. After all, he was only responsible for the client, not directly for anyone else.
"Then what about all these students? You don’t want them to know either?" Xu Yanxi glanced at the numerous students in their private room. Some had already graduated from college and started working, like Song Yuan, Jin Li, and the others.
Others had just been accepted into college, like the few with the most fresh-faced looks.
Tan You corrected her. "They’re not just my students. They’re your students, too."
Xu Yanxi thought for a moment, then smiled. "You’re right, they’re my students. It’s a good thing this group just graduated. If I had to take over abruptly, I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to handle it right away."
Tan You replied, "You’re being too modest. You’re a very skilled teacher. With science, once you grasp the fundamentals, everything else clicks into place. I’m sure you’ll do a great job."
"No wonder you were such a great mentor to the students. Mr. Tan, your ability to motivate people is really something else," Xu Yanxi said, half-joking and half-serious. Looking at the group of students before her, her thoughts suddenly drifted to the assets Tan You had acquired for her.
"I’m so lucky. I never imagined you’d buy so many properties for me. I could live in a different one every day without ever repeating. It’s just... I’m so happy." She cupped her cheeks, her expression full of delight. "When I think back to the days when Jin Taiyuan and I were paying off the mortgage, and then I think about now... it’s a world of difference."
"This is pure bliss," she sighed again. "Being a civil servant is a respectable career, but it’s really, really hard to make a lot of money."
Tan You was perfectly composed. "I believe it’s always worthwhile to make your life better within the means you have. After all, you only get one life, so your own happiness should be the top priority."
"I’m not one to glorify suffering. If you’re willing to endure hardship, life will give you an endless supply of it. People need to love themselves more. Of course, I don’t advocate for just giving up and ’lying flat,’ either. You still have to work hard."
"That sounds a little contradictory, but on second thought, I think I understand. It’s like ’you reap what you sow,’ right?" Xu Yanxi said with a laugh. "Is that what you mean? But sometimes you sow and you don’t reap anything. A lot of the time, you get nothing at all."
Tan You understood her point. "That’s exactly why people have to strive. To be honest, I don’t like people who just give up. As for things like windfalls dropping from the sky, even if they do happen, I don’t believe one would ever land on my head."
Xu Yanxi nodded. "True. So I’ll work hard and study hard to carry on Mr. Tan’s legacy. As for the computer side of things, I’ll never be at your level. Is that okay?"
"Why would that matter?" Tan You said, unconcerned. "To be honest, I haven’t had to make many moves in recent years because I’ve already made more than enough money. Even if you started squandering it all right now, you’d still be able to live comfortably for the rest of your life."
"Spoken like a true tycoon, Mr. Tan," Xu Yanxi teased. "So I’ll just ride your coattails and focus on being a good math teacher from now on. That’ll be enough. As for squandering it... forget it. If I dared to waste the fortune Mr. Tan built, my dad would be the first to have my hide."
"When you bought him that house and car, he said he didn’t want them, but secretly he was happier than anyone."
Tan You recalled how Xu Jinwu had acted back then, and a smile touched his eyes. "Well, I couldn’t just let myself live in luxury in the city while your dad was cooped up in a tiny place back home, could I? It would have looked like I was mistreating him. And really, it didn’t cost all that much."
"It’s just a shame that after your dad retired, he got really into farming and refused to move to the city." Tan You sounded a bit wistful. "The fruits and vegetables in your country are ridiculously expensive, but with your dad growing them, I’ve reaped the benefits. Ever since he started his farm, I’ve had a constant supply."
Xu Yanxi threw up her hands. "You think every country is like yours? Feeding watermelons to pigs? Fruit is definitely expensive here. Our country is small, after all, so there’s even less farmland."
"Anyway, I’m heading back tomorrow. I’ll get to enjoy a bit of country life, too. I’m actually pretty excited about it."
While the two of them spoke softly, a different scene was unfolding among the students. Since they were all students of Tan You, there was a natural closeness among them. As members of Tan You’s first batch of students, Song Yuan, Li Xiuzai, Little Wu, Daozhen, and the others had provided a great deal of help to the students who came after them.
For instance, when younger students entered the workforce, the older ones helped them find jobs. Whenever anyone ran into problems, whether at work or in their personal lives, they all supported one another.
When Tan You first met Song Yuan and his cohort, they were merely seventeen-year-old kids. Now, they had been graduated and working for over two years; they were twenty-five-year-old young men.
Now, they had shed their youthful immaturity and rebellious streaks. Anywhere they went, who wouldn’t call them the cream of the crop?
Song Yuan glanced in Xu Yanxi’s direction, then looked over at Jin Li and suddenly took a deep breath. Jin Li seemed to sense something, and a look of anticipation filled her eyes.
Sure enough, the next moment, Song Yuan pulled a ring box from his suit pocket. The moment they saw the small square box, all the students fell silent, their eyes sparkling with excitement.
As their seniors, the couple’s romance was one that everyone loved to "ship." Zheng Xue leaned on Li Xiuzai’s shoulder and pouted. "I thought there’d at least be flowers and candles. This is as unoriginal as you are."
Li Xiuzai squeezed her hand, their matching rings glinting in the light. "We all just want our teacher to witness it. And since today is his birthday, how could Song Yuan possibly miss an opportunity like this?"
