FV: Chapter 78

Lin Fei was embarrassed but didn’t want to refuse him. So after hesitating for a while, he opened his phone and sent a video call invitation.

Lin Luoqing immediately accepted and appeared in the video.

He was too close and his face filled the screen. He showed exaggerated surprise. “Fei Fei, you actually sent me an invitation.”

Lin Fei was amused by his appearance on the camera. He looked at Lin Luoqing and then Lin Luoqing’s appearance in the camera and said softly, “It isn’t good-looking.”

“What isn’t good-looking?” Lin Luoqing asked him.

Lin Fei pointed to the phone. “You look better in reality.”

Lin Luoqing heard this and adjusted the distance with a smile. He moved himself away from the camera and asked, “What about this? Do I look good on the phone as well now?”

Lin Fei found that he really looked a lot better. He nodded slightly and looked up at the person in front of him. It was somewhat strange.

When Lin Luoxi was still alive, he didn’t have a phone. Then he got Lin Luoxi’s phone but never video called anyone because he didn’t have anyone he wanted to contact. This was the first time he used his own mobile phone to video call with others.

It was different from last time when he just watched Ji Yuxiao making the video call. This time, he did it himself and there was a bit of novelty in operating a new thing.

He and Lin Luoqing played with their phones for a while. As they were playing, Lin Luoqing’s phone rang. It was Zhao Lei’s call.

Lin Luoqing didn’t shy away from Lin Fei and picked up the phone.

Previously when Lin Luoqing left school, Zhao Lei tried to chase after him but was pulled back by He Ni. Therefore, she didn’t chase again and thought about giving Lin Luoqing time to calm down.

It was already evening and she thought that Lin Luoqing should’ve calmed down. This was why she specially called him to persuade him not to be impulsive and to delay the child’s future for the sake of momentary anger.

“It isn’t easy for Lin Fei to study here. Think about him. You can’t let him drop out of school.”

Lin Luoqing looked at Lin Fei, who was holding his phone while also studying something. He said to her, “It is precisely because I am thinking of him that he has to drop out of school.”

Lin Fei heard this and looked up at him with clear eyes.

Lin Luoqing patted his head and spoke calmly amidst Zhao Lei’s objections, “Teacher Zhao, you should know that based on his character and ability, going to a public school will be more helpful to him, right?”

“Are you going to send him to public school?” Zhao Lei was surprised.

It wasn’t that she looked down on public schools but eight out of ten parents who sent their children to this school despised public schools, as if it would disgrace their identity.

She always thought that Lin Fei’s parents sent him here because they looked down on public schools. She didn’t expect that Lin Fei’s uncle would be willing to let him transfer to another school.

“Are you serious? It is naturally best if Lin Fei can go to a public school, but in this way, your previous efforts to get him accepted here will be in vain.”

“It was his mother who wanted him to come here and it was his mother who worked hard for it. He realizes his mother’s love for him and it isn’t in vain.”

Zhao Lei listened to this and didn’t know what to say.

The other person was calm and gentle. He wasn’t angry at her due to her previous actions, nor did he want to fight because he was unwilling.

He was seriously thinking about Lin Fei and could even say that Lin Fei could feel his mother’s love, so it wasn’t in vain.

He had decided and nothing that could persuade him.

“Okay. Since you have made your decision, I respect it. You are right. In Lin Fei’s situation, it is indeed more appropriate to go to a public school. However, if you change your mind then you can always contact me.”

“Okay,” Lin Luoqing said.

“I’m sorry. Since you came late, I thought you didn’t care about him. I didn’t have a good impression of you and my tone of speech wasn’t good. I believe it now. You must be working far from school, which is why you came so late.”

Lin Luoqing smiled. “You don’t have to apologize to me. If you want to apologize, you should apologize to Lin Fei. He told you the truth but you didn’t believe him. You might have your considerations but Lin Fei is still young. He can’t think so much. He only knows that you punished him. He might not care about your punishment or your apology, but I hope you can explain this to him and let him know that you don’t really think he is wrong.”

Lin Fei listened to Lin Luoqing’s words. He silently raised his head and looked at him.

Lin Luoqing handed him the phone. “Teacher Zhao has something to say to you.”

Lin Fei looked at the phone, took it and put it beside his ear.

He heard Zhao Lei say to him, “Lin Fei, I don’t really want to punish you for today’s matter. I just wanted to show it to Zhang Xiaosong’s mother so she could calm down and stop troubling you, letting you continue to go to school well. You have good grades and usually like to read. I know that you definitely don’t want to drop out. Besides, your guardian is your uncle, not your parents. I was afraid that you would provoke them. If Zhang Xiaosong’s mother insists that you withdraw from school, your uncle might think you aren’t good and will dislike you. I wanted to let Zhang Xiaosong’s mother put out her anger first and stop mentioning the matter of dropping out. That is why I followed what she said and made you stand as a punishment and why I wanted to let you apologize and write the review. Do you understand?”

“I’m not omnipotent and I don’t dare to go head-to-head with Zhang Xiaosong’s mother. I didn’t know that your uncle is actually very attentive to you. I could only protect you according to my own ideas, but I didn’t do a good job. I’m sorry.”

Lin Fei actually didn’t care about her making him stand up, just like he didn’t really care about this teacher who had taken care of him for over a semester.

He had always been stingy in his feelings. It was only when someone kept approaching him and knocking on his heart that he would reluctantly open the door to them.

Zhao Lei had never knocked on the door of his heart before, so he naturally didn’t open the door to her.

Now that she said she was protecting him, Lin Fei became a bit puzzled. He carefully thought about the afternoon’s events and what she just said. Finally, he understood what her protection meant.

She didn’t want him to drop out of school, didn’t want his uncle to think he wasn’t well-behaved and disliked him.

This surprised Lin Fei a bit. He always thought that Zhao Lei really felt he had done something wrong, so she told him to stand up, apologize and write a review.

“You said I hurt him and he was crying,” he said calmly.

Zhao Lei was helpless. “It is really wrong that you hurt him. He cried so much and the injuries on his face were obvious. His parents would know with one glance that he was bullied and would naturally trouble you. A child’s attacks aren’t serious. That is why I said you were wrong this time. What if you hit his face again next time and hurt his eyes or nose? The consequences will be serious. I am a teacher. Can I praise you for fighting well after seeing you hit someone?”

“Then why are you apologizing now?”

“Because I really didn’t do well enough,” Zhao Lei said. “Your uncle is right. No matter what you think, you are a child and you won’t think about these aspects. You will only feel it is unfair. I didn’t give any fairness to you so I apologize.”

“It’s okay,” Lin Fei told her calmly.

“Then will you forgive me?”

“I don’t blame you.” Lin Fei still had the same calm tone as before.

His voice was soft with the innocence of a child. It was clear and transparent.

He had never felt much love or hatred. He didn’t care and naturally wouldn’t blame her.

Zhao Lei heard this and suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable.

She didn’t know whether Lin Fei’s ‘I don’t blame you’ was because he was cold and arrogant and didn’t care enough to blame her, or if he was a simple child who trusted and respected the teacher, so he wouldn’t blame her if punished.

Either way, he was far calmer than her.

“I’m sorry,” Zhao Lei said again.

“It doesn’t matter.” Lin Fei didn’t mind.

“Thank you for protecting me.”

He had always been accustomed to protecting himself and few people protected him. There were even fewer people who would tell him ‘I am protecting you’. Now that Zhao Lei said this, Lin Fei might not need such protection but he was still willing to thank her for this thought. After all, she seemed to be doing it for her own good.

Zhao Lei hadn’t expected her to say this and it felt like her heart had been hit by something.

She shook her head, smiled and spoke with sore eyes, “There is no need for thanks. Teachers should protect their students but I didn’t do well enough. You are a good student but I’m not a good teacher. I hope you can meet a more qualified teacher than me in the future. Continue to study hard, progress academically and become a useful talent for society.”

Lin Fei heard this and remembered what Lin Luoqing told him at school. He gave a rare smile. “Yes.”

“Lin Fei, you are very promising.” Zhao Lei sighed. “You are better than any student I have ever met. You are also the most unique student I have ever met.”

“Yes.” The corners of Lin Fei’s lips curled up slightly.

He finished listening to Zhao Lei and returned the phone to Lin Luoqing.

Lin Luoqing said a few more words to her before hanging up the phone.

“Did Teacher Zhao apologize to you?” He asked knowingly.

Lin Fei nodded, his eyes as clear as always.

“Look, I just said that you weren’t wrong and so you aren’t wrong. There is no need to apologize. Meanwhile, Teacher Zhao did something wrong and she should apologize to you.”

“I know.” Lin Fei replied calmly. He never felt that he was wrong. His thinking was very firm. “You’ve said it. Adults will also make mistakes. Teacher Zhao is an adult and she will make mistakes. I know.”

Lin Luoqing smiled. “Correct.”

He knew that Lin Fei never doubted himself. He had his own ideas and opinions and would never have unnecessary emotions because of others.

“I forgive her.” Lin Fei continued. “She said she wanted to protect me.”

“That’s good.” Lin Luoqing touched his head. “It is good that there are others who want to protect you. What she did might not be so good, but her starting point is good.”

Lin Fei nodded. “Yes.”

Lin Luoqing praised him. “You are a really kind-hearted and sensible child.”

Lin Fei felt a bit proud when he heard the praise.

Seeing that the phone call was over, Lin Luoqing was about to continue the video call with Lin Fei. Then he returned to his WeChat page and found that there were a lot of emoticons, large and small.

He swiped on the screen of his phone and looked at Lin Fei in surprise. “Why did you send so many emojis when I was taking the phone call?”

Lin Fei, “……”

Lin Fei silently looked away in an embarrassed manner.

He usually didn’t play with his phone because he had no one to contact. Lin Luoqing’s video call aroused his interest. He saw these moving emojis and clicked on them out of a sense of novelty one by one. The more he did so, the more…

Lin Luoqing saw Lin Fei’s weak expression and instantly laughed.

He had never seen this type of expression on Lin Fei’s face before, let alone expected Lin Fei to have such a childish side.

He walked over to Lin Fei and kissed him on the face. “Why are you so cute?”

He finished speaking and kissed him a few more times. “I will send you emojis every day from now on, okay? You can send me other cute emojis.”

Lin Fei was a bit ashamed by the kiss. Then he heard the words and became even more ashamed. He pushed Lin Luoqing away. “I want to read.”

Lin Luoqing saw his red ears and smiled before letting him go. “Okay, you read well. I’ll go back first and come over to bathe you later.”

Lin Fei said arrogantly, “I can wash myself.”

Lin Luoqing kissed his soft little face. “I can carry you to wash now.”

Lin Fei, “……”

Lin Luoqing chuckled and thought he was really cute.

“I’m leaving.” He stood up, touched Lin Fei’s head and went out the door.

Lin Fei heard the door closing. He glanced back and then sat down on the chair with red ears.

He looked at the phone screen on the table. He looked at it and saw a new emoji pop up on the screen. It was Lin Luoqing.

A small person was hugging another smaller person and kept kissing him. There were two big words above their heads: Mua mua~

Lin Fei, “……”

Lin Fei’s ears instantly turned red again. He quickly put away his phone, not wanting to play any longer. He casually pulled out a book and started to read.

Yet after a while, he quietly took his phone out of the drawer again and clicked on WeChat. He wanted to see if Lin Luoqing had sent him anything else.

He saw that Lin Luoqing sent him many kissing and hugging emojis after that.

Lin Fei, “……”

Lin Fei looked at each other and finally couldn’t help laughing.

He smiled slightly and a bit shyly, as if he got the candy he wanted.

He examined the emojis that Lin Luoqing sent him twice from top to bottom and from bottom to top. Then he restrained himself and put away the phone, concentrating on reading again.

It was just that the smile on his face didn’t fade away.

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TL: Advance chapters are available over on my Patreon. You can go check out the details on my Patreon page.

Proofreader: Lyrenoia