Chapter 14: Can’t Teach Others
Lin Yuejiu’s deskmate called out: “Oh, I know this one! I just heard her explain it—it’s like this…”
Her deskmate roughly explained the solution, then looked at Lin Yuejiu. “Did I get it right?”
Lin Yuejiu smiled. “Yes.”
Her deskmate instantly puffed up with pride. “See? I said exactly the same thing she did.”
“That’s called plagiarizing her reasoning,” the class monitor said with a sidelong glance.
“Nonsense. I only figured it out thanks to Jiujiu’s explanation. It just so happened my thought process matched hers, that’s all. Right, Jiujiu?”
Lin Yuejiu cooperated with a nod.
Her deskmate turned back to the class monitor. “See?”
The class monitor was amused. “Mm. Well, thank you then—I understand it now. And thank you too, Goddess Lin.”
Lin Yuejiu waved a hand. “As long as you understand, that’s what matters.”
The class monitor went back to his seat. His own deskmate poked his arm. “So… you got it?”
The monitor nodded. “Yeah, I got it.”
“Then explain it to me.”
“Can’t.”
“…??? You just came from her desk! Don’t tell me you already forgot?”
The monitor blinked innocently. “You know I’m only good at listening, not explaining.”
Deskmate: “…”
“If you want to understand, go ask her yourself.”
His deskmate glanced toward Lin Yuejiu in the front row, pressing his lips together.
He’d just made a speech about not judging others by grades… and now going to ask her felt awkward.
Before he could act, someone else moved.
Lin Yuejiu’s deskmate leaned toward her. “Jiujiu, I’m stuck on this one. Can you take a look?”
“Sure.”
Not long after, Chen Qianxi also came over to ask her a question.
The monitor’s deskmate finally waited until Chen Qianxi was done, grabbed his exercise book, and was just about to walk over—only to see someone else beat him to it.
He couldn’t take it anymore. He strode forward, squeezed past them, and under Lin Yuejiu’s slightly startled, puzzled gaze, he averted his eyes and held out his exercise book. “Uh… I’ve got a problem I don’t get. Can you help me?”
Lin Yuejiu blinked. “Alright.”
Others protested. “Hey, are you cutting in line?”
“Well, I already cut. What can you do about it?”
“…You’re begging for a beating.”
“Fine, then just listen together.”
Everyone exchanged glances. “Makes sense.”
And so they all crowded around to hear her explain the problem.
Seeing Lin Yuejiu surrounded by classmates, Xu Nianshen’s eyes held a faint smile.
Off to the side, Lin Rumeng saw it and felt a twinge of discomfort. She turned to Xu Nianshen. “Brother Nianshen, I’ve got a problem I can’t solve. Can you teach me?”
Before she even looked his way, Xu Nianshen had already returned to his usual indifferent expression. “No.”
Lin Rumeng: “But—”
“They’ve always gone to Lin Yuejiu first.”
He wasn’t wrong—everyone asked Lin Yuejiu, and if she didn’t know, he would step in to help.
Lin Rumeng pouted. “Fine, then.”
That night, when she got home and saw Mother Lin, she stuck out her lower lip. “Mama…”
Mother Lin was startled and quickly pulled her into her arms. “What’s wrong, Mengmeng?”
Lin Rumeng hugged her tightly, sounding pitiful. “Mama, school’s not nice at all.”
Lin Shao also came downstairs in a hurry. “What happened? Did someone bully you?”
Shaking her head in her mother’s arms, Lin Rumeng said, “No one bullied me. I just feel… maybe I’m not suited for that class.”
“Why?”
“Today I spoke to big sister, but she said she’s not my sister.”
Both Lin Shao and Mother Lin froze for a moment. Lin Shao finally said slowly, “She’s… not wrong. She’s not our biological child, so she’s not exactly your sister.”
“So that’s what made you unhappy today?”
“Not just that… During self-study, lots of people went to big sister for help with questions. I went to Brother Nianshen, but he said he didn’t know.”
Father Lin and Mother Lin exchanged glances.
“…She has good grades. It’s normal for others to go ask her questions.”
“But, this time Sister’s grades dropped a lot. She fell all the way to eighteenth place—everyone in the class was shocked.”
Surprise flashed in Father Lin and Mother Lin’s eyes.
“How could she drop that much?”
Lin Rumeng bit her lip.
“I heard from classmates that maybe something happened to her, which is why it turned out like this. She was even called to the office.”
Father Lin was silent for a while.
“You are you, she is she. Don’t concern yourself with her.”
“Oh…”
“You’re upset because Nianshen wouldn’t teach you?”
Lin Rumeng immediately nodded, looking wronged.
“Brother Nianshen even said he doesn’t know how to teach others. Before, everyone just went to Sister for help.”
Mother Lin glanced at Father Lin.
“In that case, I’ll give your Auntie Xu a call to ask about it.”
Lin Rumeng nodded.
“Hello? Who’s this?” A gentle voice came from the other end.
“It’s me.”
“Ah, Lin Mama, is something the matter?”
“It’s like this,” Mother Lin looked at Lin Rumeng, “Mengmeng mentioned something about school today. She wanted to ask him for help, but that Nianshen boy said he couldn’t, so I thought I’d check.”
“Oh, you mean that? Nianshen, come here for a moment.”
The faint sound of footsteps came through, followed by Xu Nianshen’s pleasant, cool voice:
“What is it, Mom?”
“Lin Auntie is asking if it’s true that you can’t teach others.”
“It’s true. I can’t. That’s why they always go to Lin Yuejiu, never to me.”
“Lin Mama, you heard that, right? My boy really can’t. Look at how cold he is—just from that you can tell he’s not good at teaching people, let alone your Mengmeng.”
“I see.”
“Yes, my Nianshen has always been like this. Since he was little, he’s never liked teaching others. He thinks it’s too simple, so he generally doesn’t explain to people.”
“Mm, sorry to bother you then.”
“No trouble at all.”
They both hung up.
Mother Lin looked at Lin Rumeng, phone in hand.
“Mengmeng, see? He really didn’t mean it on purpose.”
A hint of disappointment showed in Lin Rumeng’s eyes.
“I see.”
Mother Lin patted her head affectionately.
“It’s okay, Mengmeng. He’s not the only top student in class—you can still ask other people.”
“Mhm!”
“Come on, time to eat.”
“Hurry, dinner’s ready. I made your favorite tonight.”
“Thanks, Mom! You’re the best~”
“You sweet talker!”
The family burst into laughter together.
—
At the Xu family villa.
Mother Xu looked at Xu Nianshen, who was sitting on the sofa, “You just didn’t want to teach her, right?”
“Mm.” He admitted openly.
“I knew it. You only bother teaching Jiujiu.”
At the mention of Lin Yuejiu, Xu Nianshen fell silent.
Mother Xu seemed to think of something and asked, “How’s Jiujiu doing?”
“Not too well. Her grades have dropped.”
“They dropped?” Mother Xu was surprised.
“By how much? Was it a big difference?”
“Eighteenth place.”
Mother Xu let out a breath of relief, “Eighteenth? That’s still okay. Wait, no—Jiujiu must be unhappy, right?”
“She didn’t show it, but she’s probably quite upset.”
“Because she’s sitting further back now. Not at the same desk as me anymore.”
“That Lin Rumeng girl—was it Auntie Lin’s idea?”
“Mm.”
Mother Xu let out a cold laugh, “I used to think she was a good mother who cared for Jiujiu. Looks like I really misjudged her.”
