Difficult To Raise Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Singing

Jiang Ran was somewhat stunned. In all these years, this was the first time he had heard a teacher evaluate Jiang Jin like this. He licked his dry lips, feeling a little ashamed. “Teacher Li, I’m sorry. I have indeed been too busy lately and haven’t had much time to look after Jiang Jin. Did he… did he cause some trouble at school?”

Perhaps sensing his good attitude, Teacher Li’s tone softened a bit, no longer as aggressive as before. “He hasn’t caused trouble, but Jiang Jin’s grades this semester have dropped too severely. He used to be first in the class, and now he can’t even make it into the top thirty. He’s also constantly distracted in class. Furthermore, I heard that…”

Teacher Li seemed to hesitate for a moment on the other end of the line before continuing, “He’s been hanging out with a group of delinquents from outside the school recently. Jiang Jin’s brother, this is very serious. Jiang Jin is a smart child and has always been excellent. He is still young, and as his teacher, I really don’t want to see him go down the wrong path like this. I hope you can have a good talk with him, alright?”

Jiang Ran felt instantly struck by lightning. He heard every word Teacher Li said, but strung together, he felt like he couldn’t understand them. Was there a mistake? He thought. That was Jiang Jin, his obedient and well-behaved younger brother, the Jiang Jin who had won countless awards since childhood, the Jiang Jin who was always an honor student.

On the phone, Teacher Li continued to chatter, saying somewhat tactfully, “Actually, I noticed his poor state a few months ago, but he wouldn’t tell me when I asked. If something happened at home, you can tell me; it’s alright. I like Jiang Jin very much and am willing to help you in any way I can. You absolutely must not let these things affect the child’s studies.”

“Many people might think that Junior High isn’t very important and that they only need to work hard in High School, but that’s not true. Junior High is the time to build a foundation. Just like building a house, if the foundation isn’t laid properly, how can you build a stable skyscraper?”

“Jiang Jin’s brother, what do you think?”

He spoke very sincerely, and Jiang Ran could tell that his words came from the heart. The goodwill expressed by the other party deeply touched Jiang Ran. He knew how rare this was, so he quickly agreed, “Yes, yes, Teacher, you are right.”

He paused, then continued, “Thank you, Teacher Li, but I… there’s nothing major going on in our family. I will definitely talk to Jiang Jin properly and make sure he focuses his attention on his studies.”

“Good,” Teacher Li said. “I hope you can persuade him. Jiang Jin’s previous grades were truly excellent, and he has a lot of hope of getting into a key High School. Don’t let him ruin himself.”

Don’t let him ruin himself.

It was that familiar phrase again. Jiang Ran held his phone, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed. He remembered that a few years ago, Shen Xin had said the same thing to him—don’t waste the child’s talent.

He thought dejectedly, what kind of life was Jiang Jin living while following him?

He was clearly so outstanding, so smart, and so talented, yet he had raised him poorly.

Before hanging up the phone, Jiang Ran repeated his thanks to the teacher.

*

Jiang Ran kept thinking about this matter while cooking dinner that evening. He was so distracted that he almost cut his hand. Jiang Jin was startled and quickly rushed over to check, repeatedly asking why he wasn’t being more careful.

Jiang Ran looked up at him. The boy’s appearance was becoming increasingly handsome, but his demeanor was the same as before. His school uniform was worn neatly, and his hair was tidy, without any hint of being rebellious.

He found it hard to imagine that this Jiang Jin was the child the teacher mentioned, the one hanging out with delinquents.

Jiang Ran didn’t directly question Jiang Jin but secretly observed him for several days, finding that he acted completely normal when at home.

It was just that he came home very late a few days every month. Before, he said he was going to a classmate’s house to do homework, and Jiang Ran hadn’t suspected anything. If it hadn’t been for the teacher’s phone call, he would have remained completely in the dark.

Jiang Ran was both angry and disappointed, but he still felt he shouldn’t believe only one side of the story. So, when Jiang Jin told him again that he was going to a classmate’s house to do homework tomorrow night,

He specifically switched shifts with a colleague. After Jiang Jin left, he secretly followed him.

Jiang Jin was carrying the guitar he had bought him. He was tall with long legs and a straight posture. Aside from his shoulders not being broad enough yet, from the back, he looked almost like an adult.

Jiang Ran quietly followed behind him, watching him turn several corners and enter a street. This street was quite lively, with people coming and going. There were many shops on both sides, with bright, colorful signs hanging up, looking both dazzling and decadent. He had never been to a place like this before. How did Jiang Jin know about it?

Jiang Ran walked while pondering, his heart full of confusion. He accidentally bumped into someone, who cursed something. Not wanting to cause trouble, he apologized repeatedly. When he looked back, Jiang Jin’s silhouette was almost out of sight. He couldn’t think about anything else and quickly chased after him.

He watched Jiang Jin enter a shop at the end of the street. This shop looked slightly smaller than the others, and its sign only had one word: Sen.

Jiang Ran noticed that the people entering were dressed very fashionably. The girls were either wearing tank tops or hot pants and had makeup on their faces. The boys were also deliberately dressed up, looking glamorous.

He frowned, a faint sense of unease creeping into his heart.

Only after Jiang Jin’s figure disappeared did he hesitantly walk in. As soon as he entered, he was enveloped by the lights and the deafening music. He covered his ears uncomfortably and continued walking inside with a grim expression.

It was already dark now. Men and women were embracing each other closely, dancing to the rhythm of the music. The movements were bold and passionate, making Jiang Ran blush.

He wanted to find someone to ask about Jiang Jin, but after looking around, he didn’t know who to approach. Jiang Ran was extremely conspicuous in the crowd, like a little white rabbit who had wandered into a pack of wolves.

A young man sitting at the bar looked at him with interest. He had noticed Jiang Ran the moment he walked in. Based on his experience, he could tell at a glance that this was a naive student who hadn’t seen much of the world. His demeanor was clearly out of place here.

The man smiled, seeing Jiang Ran looking dizzy and disoriented. He twirled the wine glass in his hand, and after thinking of something, he quickly walked toward him.

“First time here?”

A deep voice sounded by his ear. Jiang Ran turned his head and saw the face of a young man. This person was about twenty years old. His features were not outstanding, but not ugly either, and his designer clothes added a lot of points.

But Jiang Ran didn’t care about any of that. He looked at the man warily and asked, “Can I help you?”

The man smiled, raised the wine glass in his hand, and asked, “Want to have a drink together?”

Jiang Ran frowned. “No need. I’m not here to drink.”

“Oh?” The man raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, “Then what are you here for?”

He gave Jiang Ran an ambiguous look, the meaning of which any adult would understand. Unfortunately, he encountered Jiang Ran, who completely missed his signal and instead said impatiently, “None of your business.”

He didn’t want to talk to the man anymore, but the man was clearly unwilling to give up and kept trying to strike up a conversation. Jiang Ran was getting annoyed. He opened his mouth, intending to tell the man to leave quickly.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice in his ear, seemingly coming from the front.

Jiang Ran was stunned. He looked up and saw a tall, thin boy standing on the stage. The boy was holding a guitar and expressionlessly announced a song title into the microphone. His voice was quite cold, but his tone was pleasant, instantly moving people’s hearts.

He lowered his eyes, only showing the audience a smooth profile. Then, the boy strummed the strings and slightly raised his head.

In that instant, Jiang Ran felt the blood in his body stop. That face, which looked exceptionally striking under the lights, was one he knew all too well. Just over an hour ago, he had been smiling at him—it was Jiang Jin’s face.

Jiang Jin was very charismatic when he sang, especially in this atmosphere with ambiguous lighting. The boy’s cold expression, clear voice, and excellent looks made him shine brightly. Countless gazes fell upon him—scrutinizing, infatuated, admiring, loving… so many. He seemed born to stand on a stage.

Jiang Ran was also watching him, watching very intently. However, his gaze was much more complex than others: disappointment, confusion, sadness… but no amazement.

The man’s eyes had never left Jiang Ran, and he naturally noticed his gaze now. He smiled, realizing something. “So you came for him.”

Jiang Ran immediately turned his head, his sharp eyes fixed on the man. He asked, “Do you know him?”

“You mean Jiang Jin?” The man slowly took a sip of wine and shrugged. “Who here doesn’t know him?”

“He…” Jiang Ran said with some difficulty, “How long has he been coming here?”

The man was stunned. He stared at Jiang Ran for a while before smiling. “Just over a month, I think. I heard he’s still a minor, and the owner of Sen originally didn’t want him to come, but he pestered the boss for a week until the boss had no choice but to agree. But even so…”

The man leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Don’t all businesses open to make money? Although Jiang Jin is young, he sings well, and that face, you’ve seen it.”

He licked his lips, a hint of lust flashing in his eyes, and teased, “He’s so damn captivating. Everyone who comes here is looking to have fun, and there are quite a few people who like someone like him. Every week at this time, many people come specifically to see him. The boss must be thrilled.”

Jiang Ran was usually a bit slow, but the desire in the man’s eyes was completely undisguised, and they were standing so close. Even someone as slow as him could see it. His eyes turned red with anger, and he said sharply, “He’s not even fifteen yet!”

The man paused, then shook his wine glass. “I didn’t realize that. I thought he was at least seventeen.”

Jiang Ran glared at him and said fiercely, “Don’t get any ideas about him.”

The man curled his lips. “Even if I wanted to, it wouldn’t be my turn. Who are you to him? Why do you care so much?”

“None of your business.”

“Don’t be so fierce. How old are you, then? Are you an adult?”

“Get lost.”

After finishing one song, Jiang Jin quickly started the next. After singing three songs, he took his guitar and stepped off the stage. Jiang Ran noticed that several people followed him after he left the stage.

Jiang Ran’s eyes were blazing with fury, and he headed straight toward the direction Jiang Jin had disappeared. The man behind him clicked his tongue regretfully but didn’t pester him anymore. There were so many targets here; there was no need to obsess over one person.

When he entered the backstage area, Jiang Jin was packing up his things. Several people were standing nearby. When they saw Jiang Ran enter, their eyes were filled with confusion, and they kept scrutinizing him. Jiang Ran ignored the surrounding stares, walked straight up, and grabbed Jiang Jin’s arm.

Jiang Jin was annoyed at the moment. He had just been cornered by two people who insisted on paying him to sing. He had finally managed to get away and thought it was another clueless person running in to bother him. His brows instantly furrowed, and the irritation in his eyes was almost undisguised.

He instinctively tried to shake his arm free, but his wrist was held tightly, and he couldn’t pull away.

Before he could lash out, the other party’s angry voice cut in first. “Come with me.”