Chapter 75 — Keeping The Playful, Teasing Tone Intact
Xu Nianshen had her take photos of the questions she didn’t understand and sent them to him. After reviewing them, he explained his thought process through voice messages.
Lin Yuejiu listened twice and more or less understood. She sent him a message: [Thank you, Teacher Xu. The student understands now.]
She added another: [The student didn’t make Teacher Xu lose her job, either.]
On the other end, Xu Nianshen chuckled at the message: [Then Teacher Xu should thank you, right?]
Yuejiu: [Ha, don’t mention it. That’s what students are supposed to do.]
Xu Nianshen shook his head helplessly at her, clearly at a loss.
Xu Nianshen: [If there’s anything else you don’t understand, ask me. The finals are only a few days away.]
Yuejiu: [Understood, Teacher Xu.]
After sending the messages, Yuejiu glanced at her contact notes for him—it just said “Xu Nianshen.” It felt too formal for the two of them now.
She wondered how other couples addressed their boyfriends. She remembered seeing names like “Silly Pig,” “Baby,” or “Dear.” Yuejiu shivered slightly—too cheesy for her to say out loud. What should she put?
Her finger lightly tapped her chin. Suddenly, her eyes brightened—she had an idea!
She immediately changed the note, renaming Xu Nianshen to “Teacher Xu.” She smiled at it. This could count as their unique nickname, right?
On the other side, Xu Nianshen didn’t like the contact name very much. He had wanted to change it to “Girlfriend,” but was afraid she’d notice. Changing it to “Baby” or something similar felt awkward. After thinking for a moment, he started typing rapidly and changed Lin Yuejiu’s name to “Student Lin.”
He glanced at it, nodded with satisfaction. Yes, perfect—this would do.
The next morning, after morning study, Yuejiu yawned, her eyes a little watery.
Rumeng suddenly appeared next to her and quickly said: “Sister, I’m sorry,” then dashed away.
Yuejiu, still mid-yawn with her hand over her mouth, froze for a moment and turned to Xu Nianshen: “What did she just say?”
“She said the three words ‘I’m sorry’ to you.”
Yuejiu was so shocked she forgot to close her yawning mouth: “She… said sorry? She actually said sorry? She would even apologize?”
Xu Nianshen smiled: “You heard right. She really apologized to you.”
“No… who made her do it?”
“You don’t believe it’s her own conscience?”
“Nope.” Yuejiu replied immediately.
“Then it must be someone who made her do it.”
Soon, Saturday arrived. The two of them boarded the bus again, heading to the competition venue. The preliminary rounds eliminated many contestants. The remaining ones were all top-notch.
Before the competition officially began, the organizer instructed everyone to take deep breaths to calm their nerves. Yuejiu followed along. She saw Xu Nianshen beside her, seemingly unbothered. Curiously, she asked: “You’re not nervous?”
“I am.”
Looking at his expressionless, calm demeanor, Yuejiu said: “…With that face, claiming you’re not nervous is completely unbelievable.”
“I’m just cooperating with you.”
“…Thank you, I guess.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Seriously though, are you really not nervous?”
“Do you want the truth or a lie?” He looked at her and blinked.
“…At this point, you’re still thinking of lying?”
“Fine. I’ll tell the truth—I really am not nervous.”
“Why?”
Xu·Versailles·Nianshen: “I’ve participated in this kind of competition many times. There’s nothing to be nervous about, plus I’m not exactly desperate for the prize money.”
Lin Yuejiu: “….”
Too low-key, really.
Xu Nianshen waved dismissively: “One must stay humble.”
The only response he got was Lin Yuejiu’s speechless ellipsis.
He really had joined a lot of these competitions. From the moment Yuejiu met him, he had always been outstanding. Yuejiu herself hadn’t joined many competitions before. She spent most of her time during school breaks either practicing violin, studying in her room, or attending tutoring classes. Most of her encounters with Xu Nianshen had been at school, so she hadn’t really known how many competitions he had participated in.
“Why do you enter so many competitions? Do you naturally enjoy them?”
“Naturally?” Xu Nianshen’s mouth twitched slightly at the words. “I don’t think many people naturally enjoy competitions. I just get bored sometimes, so I sign up for them.”
“Bored?” Yuejiu blinked, sensing something off in his eyes. “There are so many things in life that can bring joy… and you find life boring?”
“So many? Like what?”
Yuejiu fell silent for a moment. She suddenly realized that her teacher seemed a little gloomy. It was true—she rarely saw him laugh, and he didn’t seem to have any close friends. His life was mostly just study after study. At that moment, she suddenly felt a new responsibility resting on her shoulders. It seemed that it would be up to her to make Teacher Xu experience the joys of the world!
Xu Nianshen watched her eyes shift—from silent, to pitiful, to determined.
…What on earth is this girl thinking?
Suddenly, Yuejiu reached out and gave his shoulder a firm pat. Xu Nianshen flinched at the sudden contact, and then heard her say, all serious, “Don’t worry. I will make sure you feel the joy of the world!”
Xu Nianshen: “….”
Had she misunderstood something?
With this resolve, Yuejiu’s own nervousness melted away. Her mind focused entirely on how to truly make Xu Nianshen happy. When the exam began, she tucked away her chaotic thoughts, concentrating fully on the problems. After finishing, she stayed at her desk, deep in thought, so much so that she barely heard Xu Nianshen talking to her.
Xu Nianshen: “….”
What’s wrong with his student? Is she possessed?
It wasn’t until the teacher announced the winner that a gentle nudge from the organizer brought her back to reality. She blinked, dazed: “Huh? What happened?”
Xu Nianshen sighed helplessly: “We won. First place.”
“Ah? Won? First place?” Yuejiu’s expression was even more bewildered. “Someone like me can really get first place?”
Others laughed and teased: “Goddess Lin, if someone like you can’t get first place, what about the rest of us?”
The organizer smiled too: “Hurry up and go receive your award.”
The first-place winners weren’t just Yuejiu and Xu Nianshen. There were several others tied for first, with remaining contestants in second and third places.
Receiving the award, Yuejiu and Xu Nianshen stood side by side, holding their medals. Once off the stage, Yuejiu asked, unsure if she was asking herself or Xu Nianshen: “How did I even get first place?”
Xu Nianshen sighed: “Your ability is not weak, and you’ve worked very hard lately. Plus, with my tutoring, winning first place is completely normal.”
He emphasized the words “my tutoring.” Yuejiu lifted her head slightly, her delicate brows raised. “So I should thank Teacher Xu’s tutoring for helping me get first place?”
“Mm.”
“So, what does Teacher Xu want from the student in thanks?”
Xu Nianshen snorted lightly: “Your biggest thanks is simply paying attention to me—don’t ignore what I say, don’t get distracted while I’m talking to you.”
Yuejiu suddenly remembered: “During the waiting room, didn’t you talk to me?”
Xu Nianshen snorted again: “Nope.”
Yuejiu curled her lips into a small smile.
He really remembers everything.
