novelFirst visit to the Xiang Family
| ← Ch.109 | Ch.111 → |
The home tutor trial did not require the two home tutors to simultaneously compete, just requiring them to individually give the student a lesson during a set amount of time. After all, asking a few university students to battle it out face to face just for the sake of their living expenses was not something that many people would be able to accept.
As for the final choice, it was also not possible for the parents to ask the home tutors to stand in a row and choose from them as if flashing a board. Such would really be awkward for everyone.
Generally speaking, the one whom the parents ultimately chose would be informed afterwards via the platform or by phone. As for those who did not get selected, not receiving any news within the set amount of time was perhaps the best way of notification.
Xu Tingsheng naturally didn't wish to appear at the Xiang Family home together with Gu Yan. However, it just so happened that the two of them met right outside the Xiang Family home. At that time, having arrived just slightly earlier than her, Xu Tingsheng was just staring dazedly at the Xiang Family's front door.
This was the first time Xu Tingsheng had ever visited Xiang Ning's home over these two lifetimes.
As original inhabitants of Yanzhou City, the Xiang Family lived in a rather remote corner of northwestern Yanzhou, in a small solitary three-storey building. Before even having seen anyone... Just standing in front of the building, Xu Tingsheng's mind had already drifted off.
Despite being sufficiently prepared for the lesson, originally having been full of confidence, Xu Tingsheng began to worry whether he would still be able to speak smoothly when he was sitting beside Xiang Ning.
Gu Yan said hi.
Xu Tingsheng was jolted out of his daze to see Gu Yan. She was a tall, sturdy girl with cleanly cut short hair who exuded a sense of competence. Her body... while it could not be seen, she should not lack muscles and calluses.
Having actually already been able to discern this girl's personality from their earlier QQ conversation, Xu Tingsheng smiled rather awkwardly as they now met for the first time, "You go in first. I'll walk around for a bit outside."
Gu Yan shook her head, saying, "We'd better go in together. Directly beating a guy like you who only knows how to play dirty tricks-now that would feel much more interesting."
This manner of speaking... was really too unexpected and difficult to accept. At this moment, Xu Tingsheng was thinking:
"Girl, you wouldn't just have been dumped, right? This hot temper, this deep resentment; If someone didn't know any better, they'd think this uncle violated you or something. We shouldn't have known each other at all before this, right?... Unless, don't tell me that you're a land mine accidentally set down by that bastard Huang Yaming over that period of time when he was fooling around indiscriminately all day?"
Of course, Xu Tingsheng did not dare to say these words out loud.
Seeing that he was silent, Gu Yan continued, "You don't dare? I've taken a look at it. Although your university entrance examination results were indeed very good, they were primarily good only in the area of Combined Humanities. Meanwhile, you really did too poorly in Mathematics..."
"Also, while you forged a whole bunch of fake evaluations for yourself, I know that you really don't have any actual experience in home tutoring at all. Knowing it yourself and tutoring others are two different things altogether, understand?"
"Therefore, Mr Boss, you're going to lose."
"She's still at it?" Xu Tingsheng completely didn't understand the situation anymore.
This Gu Yan seemed to have ingested some kind of fearsome drug as she had come straight in with a totally unreasonable barrage of words, continually blasting Xu Tingsheng all over.
"Lady, you think only you are irritated? You definitely won't know how much I'm hating you right now. You think that you are just here to wrest a home tutor position. Actually, you're also trying to wrest my future wife away from me, you know that?" Xu Tingsheng thought unhappily.
Unfortunately, he was still unable to say any of these things out loud.
He could only smile, "Let's go together then."
Xu Tingsheng stood on the Xiang Family doorstep as Gu Yan knocked on the door.
When Xu Tingsheng had been in a relationship with Xiang Ning in his previous life, the latter had still been attending university, with the two of them still having yet to reach the point of meeting each other's parents and discussing about marriage.
Xu Tingsheng had never met Mr and Mrs Xiang before.
Actually, Xiang Ning had met Mrs Xu once, but that had merely been an unexpected, coincidental meeting out on the streets. After a few simple words of greeting, Xu Tingsheng had dragged Xiang Ning away from under Mrs Xu's incomparably 'reluctant' gaze, fleeing in a panic.
From this, it could be predicted that Mrs Xu would definitely like Xiang Ning a lot. When Xu Tingsheng finally managed to bring her back home, Mrs Xu definitely wouldn't continue blaming him over the previous matchmaking session incident.
"Still, how many years later will that be?"
Now, right now, Xu Tingsheng would be walking into Xiang Ning's home for the first time, meeting his future 'in-laws' for the first time... at least, this was how he himself saw it.
This really felt like a new son-in-law coming for his first ever visit. Xu Tingsheng felt moved yet even more nervous, nervous till he knew not where he should place his hands and feet.
"Don't be so nervous, " Gu Yan said.
"Thanks, " Xu Tingsheng replied vacantly.
"You'll still lose anyway, " Gu Yan said.
"I..."
Footsteps resounded from within.
......
After eating lunch, Xiang Ning was restricted by her parents into sitting obediently on the sofa in the lounge, awaiting the two 'home tutor teachers' who would soon be arriving. Over this period of time, she had tried many different ways to get out of this, even having colluded with her grandma to call her over to her house to play. Sadly, none of her schemes had been successful.
The doorbell rang. Mrs Xiang went to open the door.
Outside the door, standing behind Gu Yan, Xu Tingsheng looked over and saw Mrs Xiang who did indeed resemble Xiang Ning somewhat.
Mrs Xiang smiled and nodded towards the both of them, saying, "We'll be troubling you."
"No trouble, no trouble at all, " Xu Tingsheng hurriedly replied with an incandescent smile on his face.
In truth, he was so nervous that he had nearly keeled over and knelt down before his mother-in-law.
From inside the house, Xiang Ning saw Gu Yan as she walked in.
"Is this big sis here to teach me shot putting or wrestling?"
Xiang Ning felt a little like laughing. Still, her smile was quickly replaced by astonishment. She opened her mouth wide, staring wide-eyed and tongue-tied at that figure now walking in behind Gu Yan...
Their gazes met..
Xiang Ning maintained her astonished expression.
Xu Tingsheng, however, was so nervous he felt he might implode. Seeing how stunned Xiang Ning currently looked, he was afraid that she might suddenly call out 'Liar Uncle', after which... there would not be any after which.
"What're you spacing out for? Hurry up and greet the teachers!" Mrs Xiang reminded Xiang Ning before she turned towards Xu Tingsheng and Gu Yan, "This is my daughter, Xiang Ning. She'll be troubling you."
Xu Tingsheng and Gu Yan hurriedly said that it was no trouble at all, with the latter additionally commenting, 'Your daughter's so pretty'. Xu Tingsheng didn't say anything to that, just thinking, "Isn't that obvious?"
"Good afternoon, teachers, " When Xiang Ning stood up and greeted them, her gaze was directed towards Gu Yan.
As for Xu Tingsheng, he just received an ambiguous glance.
Xu Tingsheng already cared not about Gu Yan anymore as he just felt panicked. What was the meaning behind that glance of Little Xiang Ning's? Those mischievous characteristics of hers had still yet to manifest, right? She wasn't preparing to play a trick on him, right?
......
Mr and Mrs Xiang had specifically set aside a room for Xiang Ning to be tutored. Gu Yan was currently conducting a lesson with Xiang Ning within while Xu Tingsheng sat chatting with Mr and Mrs Xiang in the lounge.
With his university entrance examination results and whatnot all available on the platform, there was no need for Xu Tingsheng to introduce that aspect of himself. Therefore, the casual words exchanged between them now basically just consisted of Mr and Mrs Xiang asking questions and speaking and Xu Tingsheng answering and listening.
Like any typical parents, Mr and Mrs Xiang said the same few things about Xiang Ning, such as 'She is smart, just that she doesn't put in effort' and the like.
When asking about Xu Tingsheng, it was just some normal questions as well, such as 'Where is your hometown' and the like.
Xu Tingsheng smiled brightly and answered all their questions earnestly, carefully paying attention for any changes in their expressions. For Mr and Mrs Xiang, this was merely finding a home tutor for their daughter. For Xu Tingsheng, however, he had to leave a good first impression on his in-laws!
When Xu Tingsheng was speaking about how he had a little sister who had excellent grades and Mr and Mrs Xiang had clearly relaxed greatly, Gu Yan finished her lesson, exiting the room.
"It's your turn. I'm leaving first. Goodbye, Uncle and Auntie, " Gu Yan said.
"Does Student Xiang Ning want to rest a little first?" Xu Tingsheng stood up and asked Mr and Mrs Xiang.
However, it was Xiang Ning who replied from within the room, "No need."
| ← Ch. 109 | Ch. 111 → |