Guo Jingyu came home suddenly, and his family was very surprised. When his father, holding a mop, opened the door and saw him, he immediately hugged his son and exclaimed, “Why did you come back all of a sudden? You didn’t even give a heads-up. Did you eat? Let me cook for you.”
Guo Jingyu replied, “I’ve already eaten. I’ve almost finished my session in the studio, so I decided to come back.”
Mother Guo came over, slightly surprised by his words, “Doesn’t drawing require a lot of practice? How come you’re back so soon from your class?”
“Mom, it’s not that our class came back, it’s just me. The professional teacher at the studio said I learn fast, there’s not much left to teach me. They even wrote me a letter of guarantee to bring back. They said for me to go back to school and study more cultural classes to improve my grades. That way, when the certificate comes, I can choose a good school.” Guo Jingyu changed his shoes at the door, placing his backpack down. “I’m serious, no lies. There are even drawings in my bag. I’ll show you and Dad later.”
Jingyu’s parents were half-believing and half-doubting. But when Guo Jingyu showed them his drawings, they realized they were genuinely good. Although they were outsiders to the art world and didn’t understand much about fine arts, Guo Jingyu had brought back the practice pieces from the studio, as usual. In Lao Cao’s words, it followed the style of Repin Academy of Fine Arts style, very realistic.
Even though they couldn’t discern much, the realism was undeniable.
When it came to drawing people and still life, it all boiled down whether they look like them or not.
After Father Guo finished looking at them, he praised him without words. Mother Guo was also very happy, feeling that her son’s learning journey this time hadn’t been in vain. He could indeed draw quite well.
Guo Jingyu showcased his work with confidence after his studies, “Mom, what do you think?”
Mother Guo nodded repeatedly, “Not bad, really well done.”
Guo Jingyu proudly declared, “Of course, I’ve been telling you for ages, your son is a genius.”
His mother clicked her tongue at him, “Where did you learn to boast like that? Praise should come from others, being arrogant isn’t good.”
Guo Jingyu continued, “It’s not just me saying this. Both teachers and classmates in our studio acknowledge it. If you don’t believe me, you can ask them. This time, it was also Teacher Cao from our studio who suggested I come back. He saw my talent and even asked me to do demonstration paintings for other students!” As he spoke, he pulled out a stack of money he had prepared in advance from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table. He said to his parents, “Mom, here’s a total of twenty thousand yuan. Please keep it safe.”
Mother Guo was taken aback, “Where did this come from?”
“I just told you, didn’t I? Teacher Cao said my skills were good, so he asked me to do demonstration paintings in class, sort of like teaching in his place. He waived my tuition fees and even gave me some teaching allowances,” Guo Jingyu explained. “You previously paid the training fees for me, two thousand yuan per month, totaling twelve thousand. The remaining eight thousand is the living expenses you transferred to me. I didn’t use it all, and I managed to save up some more to round it off.”
“You gave so much?”
“You bet, your son is quite talented!”
Worried that his mother might not believe him, Guo Jingyu handed her Teacher Cao’s phone number. After all, their parents all knew the contact information for Teacher Cao’s studio. A quick call would confirm everything.
Taking advantage of this moment, he grabbed a set of clean clothes and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. Not having to compete for the bathroom with a bunch of people felt incredibly comfortable. By the time he came out, drying his hair, Mother Guo had just finished her call with Teacher Cao. Naturally, Teacher Cao didn’t spare any praise, as they had agreed beforehand to only discuss Guo Jingyu’s situation in the studio without mentioning anything about cooperating with Wu Xiaojun.
Mother Guo seemed lost in thought as she looked at her son, her eyes drifting off several times, as if she wanted to say something but held back.
Guo Jingyu smiled, sitting beside her and pulling her into a hug. “Mom, just admit it openly. Come on, tell me loudly, is your son a genius or not?”
His mother gave him a playful tap and couldn’t hold back her laughter. After a while, she asked him softly, “Did Teacher Cao just say you want to take the entrance exam for Tsinghua University?”
Guo Jingyu nodded. “I think Tsinghua University’s Academy of Fine Arts is pretty good.”
Pretty good? It’s more than just good, it’s absolutely great!
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Llr wbatfg ibbxfv tlw bnfg jujlc, tfg fsfr rqjgxilcu klat fzmlafwfca. “Vbc, lo sbe gfjiis wjcjuf ab ufa lcab Krlcutej, sbe cjwf sbeg mbcvlalbcr, jcv Zbw klii qgbwlrf sbe jcsatlcu!”
Xeb Alcuse jrxfv, “Efjiis? Po P tjnfc’a vfmlvfv cbk, mjc P yglcu la eq ijafg?”
“Yo mbegrf, jcsalwf mbecar. P’ii oeiolii ktjafnfg sbe jrx obg!”
“What about Dad?”
“I’ll promise on his behalf. In our family, my word is final!”
Guo Jingyu suddenly became energized. He grabbed pen and paper, swiftly drafting a letter of guarantee. As he wrote, he said to his mother, “Mom, words are wind, but the written word is binding!”
Mother Guo could barely contain her laughter at the sight of the word “Tsinghua,” immediately signed her name without hesitation. She even signed her husband’s name on the back without a second thought.
Guo Jingyu asked, “I was just about to ask, what about Dad?”
His mother replied, “Well, when Teacher Cao mentioned that you could possibly get into Tsinghua with your art skills, your dad got so excited. He rushed out to buy some salt-baked chicken from the shop down the street. He said it’s your favorite and wanted to have it as a midnight snack for you.”
Guo Jingyu hugged her, laughing happily.
Mother Guo sighed, “This time you’ve come back, make sure to focus on improving your grades. Don’t let your cultural classes hold you back. Oh, by the way, when you were away, Xiaozhou often came by and left quite a few things for you…”
Guo Jingyu was a little surprised, “Where? What things?”
“They’re all on your desk in your room. Go have a look for yourself. We didn’t touch anything,” she replied.
Unable to contain his excitement, Guo Jingyu hurried inside to take a look. Neatly stacked on his desk were piles of test papers from various subjects, impressively thick . It is unmistakably the style of Li Tongzhou.
A text message from Li Tongzhou also arrived, asking if he had reached home.
Guo Jingyu called back, lazily reclining on his bed as he spoke, “Yeah, just got back. I just took a shower.” Without waiting for a response from the other end, he immediately began his accusation, “You didn’t call me to talk about love. You just want me to study.”
Li Tongzhou laighed. “Take a look first. If there’s anything you don’t understand, then come to me.”
“I’m tired.”
“You can lie down and read.”
“…Alright.”
Guo, being a self-proclaimed slacker, Jingyu had no choice but to hang up the phone and start studying.
As Guo Jingyu flipped through the papers, he realized that there weren’t as many as he had imagined. Each paper was accompanied by a handwritten answer sheet and explanations, neatly folded and sealed with a stapler, making the stack look thicker than it was. Clearly, the sender hoped he would attempt the questions himself before checking the answers. It was definitely Li Tongzhou’s style, no doubt about it.
Guo Jingyu opened one of the papers and started working on the questions while reclining on his bed. But whether it was fatigue from the journey or the long break from studying, he ended up falling asleep after filling half a page.
Meanwhile, the salt-baked chicken from the nearby street was selling like hotcakes, with a long queue of customers waiting. When Father Guo returned home with a plate of freshly baked chicken, he tore off a portion intending to take it to his son. But after reaching his room to deliver the midnight snack, he found Guo Jingyu already fast asleep in bed, still holding onto the pen.
After seeing this, Father Guo picked up the pen and the scattered test papers from the bed, placing them back on the desk. He then covered Guo Jingyu with a blanket.
Mother Guo was standing at the door and saw this scene. Her heart ached a bit, and said to her husband, “Jingyu is pushing himself too hard. I feel really uneasy watching this. Do you think sending him to study art has put too much pressure on him?”
Father Guo advised, “It’s okay. Boys need to face challenges to grow.”
Deep down, he felt sorry for his son too. But seeing his son come back with high spirits reassured him. From the start, he didn’t have high expectations. Their family was all about average performance academically, and just getting into college was considered a success.
The more they embraced this mindset, the happier their days became.
That night, Guo Jingyu slept soundly, but his parents, Guo’s couple, were too excited to fall asleep. Mother Guo nudged her husband and decided to wake him up for a chat. “Old Guo, isn’t it strange how our son made me sign a guarantee today? I really can’t figure it out.”
Father Guo chuckled. “He voluntarily made a guarantee? Isn’t that a good thing?”
“What did he write on the guarantee? If he can get into Tsinghua, then we have to agree to a condition he sets, no matter what, and we can’t get angry. It would be more interesting with additional conditions. How about writing a guarantee for the whole family to live in harmony for twenty years…” Mother Guo chuckled to herself. “If he can get into a top-tier university, even if he wants to reach for the moon, I’ll provide him with a ladder!”
Father Guo happily chimed in, “I’ll also bring him a ladder, two ladders! He can climb whichever one he wants!”
Little did the couple expect that one day they would feel so triumphant, especially Mother Guo. Considering she had been attending parent-teacher conferences and receiving admonishments since Guo Jingyu’s elementary school days.
The next morning, Guo Jingyu woke up to enjoy the freshly baked salt-baked chicken.
Father Guo’s culinary skills were unparalleled. After reheating the chicken, he even prepared a sweet and sour sauce to accompany it. When eaten, dipping it in the sauce enriched the flavor, making it even more delicious than its original taste.
After enjoying a hearty meal, Guo Jingyu packed his bag and went to school.
After arriving, he first went to find Teacher Jin, the art teacher, to report. After all, returning suddenly from the studio, it was only right to inform the professional teacher and explain his situation.
Guo Jingyu was prepared. When he returned from the studio in the capital, he brought back several paintings he thought were decent. Additionally, there was a handwritten letter from Teacher Cao, stating that he had no major issues with his art studies and could directly participate in the professional exam early next year. Teacher Cao advised him to come back and solidify his cultural classes for a year.
The third year of high school marked the beginning of the final sprint, and the atmosphere for preparing for exams had become quite solemn.
Teacher Jin understood as well. After looking at Guo Jingyu’s paintings, she nodded in agreement. However, she still cautioned him, saying, “It’s fine to focus on your cultural classes after coming back, but don’t neglect your art studies. The professional exam is just around the corner in less than half a year, and it’s very important. This is your first pass to participate in the college entrance examination, you know?”
“I know,” Guo Jingyu assured her. “I’ll make sure to pay close attention to both.”
Teacher Jin still felt uneasy and tried to discuss it with him. “How about this? I’m currently teaching the second-year students, and there happens to be an empty art classroom next to my class. You can come over for two hours every day to paint. You can set your own schedule, and after finishing a piece, I’ll provide feedback the next day.” She patted Guo Jingyu’s shoulder gently, her voice softening. “You’re a good student, and I have high hopes for you. Let’s maintain the atmosphere of our art classes and make sure you don’t fall behind. It won’t take up too much of your class time.”
Guo Jingyu agreed, “Alright, I’ll come to paint during the evening self-study session.”
Teacher Jin agreed.
With his art studies sorted out, Guo Jingyu returned to Class 7. Here, there was a small misunderstanding. Guo Jingyu instinctively went to Class 7 of the second year, only to remember that they were now in Class 7 of the third year on the third floor. Realizing his mistake, he quickly made his way upstairs.
When Guo Jingyu arrived, it was during the homeroom teacher’s class. He announced his presence and then took his seat.
His entrance caused a slight commotion. The homeroom teacher, noticing the distraction, tapped the blackboard with the eraser to regain everyone’s attention. “Class, let’s continue with the lesson. Let’s highlight the key points of this question. Make sure to remember this type, as it’s highly likely to appear on next week’s exam…”
Guo Jingyu sat beside Li Tongzhou. His desk was wiped clean, but there were no textbooks on it. Li Tongzhou quickly pushed his own books over and whispered, “You haven’t received your textbooks and workbooks for this semester. They’re in the teacher’s office. After class, I’ll help you get them.”
Guo Jingyu leaned in to look at the same book as Li Tongzhou and whispered, “Another exam next week?”
Li Tongzhou nodded gently.
Guo Jingyu glanced around and noticed some unfamiliar faces. They must be students transferred from other classes. The classroom atmosphere was tense, quite different from the relaxed playfulness of the previous two years. Everyone was diligently focused on their studies.
As Guo Jingyu was sighing in his heart, he suddenly felt a light tap on his arm. Immediately after, the textbook pages turned, revealing a blank space with a drawn Gobang board. Li Tongzhou handed him an automatic pencil, his gaze lowered. “Wanna play?”
Guo Jingyu, “…”
Guo Jingyu glanced at Li Tongzhou, then looked around, wearing a strange expression. What was going on with the class genius?
Li Tongzhou also looked up at him, completely unaware of any issue. This was how they had always interacted. In his mind, Guo Jingyu’s favorite pastime during class was playing Gobang.
Unable to resist the temptation, Guo Jingyu ended up playing a round with him.
He lost miserably.
Even someone like Guo Jingyu, who didn’t care much about winning or losing, was ignited with a competitive spark. He quickly erased the board and started another round.
Their luck didn’t hold for the second round, and they were caught red-handed by the homeroom teacher.
The homeroom teacher of Class 7 couldn’t tolerate his proud student playing games in class, especially such childish Gobang. He reluctantly instructed, “You two, go outside and stand for ten minutes!”
Coincidentally, Teacher Jin came looking for Guo Jingyu. She had just obtained the key to the art classroom from the school office, intending to personally deliver it to their top student in the art department. As she ascended the stairs to the third floor, she saw two boys standing alone in the empty corridor. One of them bore a striking resemblance to Guo Jingyu.
Teacher Jin approached and immediately felt sorry for them. “Jingyu, why are you outside?”
Guo Jingyu looked innocent. “Teacher, I, um, broke a little classroom rule… Just came out to reflect on it.”
As they reflected together, it wasn’t long before the homeroom teacher of Class 7 came out. He was also concerned about Li Tongzhou and felt reluctant to let his class’s top student stand in punishment.
After seeing him, Teacher Jin immediately spoke up. “Jingyu just returned from outside. It wasn’t intentional. After all, the art studio is different from school. Next time, just give him a warning instead of making him stand. He works hard in his art.”
The homeroom teacher of Class 7 felt deeply remorseful at this moment.
How come Li Tongzhou doesn’t find it hard during class? As soon as he comes back, he’s dragging our class’s top student to play Gobang!
When the two teachers negotiated, they stood firmly on their own grounds, refusing to budge. Teacher Jin felt for Guo Jingyu, realizing how hard he must have worked to come back to school for cultural classes in just half a year. The thought of the struggles and efforts he had to endure made her tear up. On the other hand, the homeroom teacher of Class 7 felt suffocated with pain. As for Li Tongzhou, did that mean he faced less pressure? Not everyone could maintain the top position in the grade. Since Li Tongzhou started school, he had never ranked lower than first place. The pressure and self-discipline involved in this, who could truly understand?
The result of the negotiation was that Guo Jingyu and Li Tongzhou ended up standing in the corridor for five minutes, before hearing the bell signaling the end of the class.
K: I just love the Guo couple (੭ ˊ^ˋ)੭ ♡
These cuties ahhh this better stay HE or I’m going to cry