Teacher Qin Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Aunt Lu Promises You

During the last week of summer vacation, the injury on Gu Yuwei’s knee was finally mostly healed, except for a permanent scar left behind where she had deliberately picked at it.

Before the start of every semester, the homeroom teachers at the Experimental Middle School would organize home visits to understand the students’ situations over the break and prepare for the new term.

Since that day, Qin Qing hadn’t run into Gu Yuwei again. Gradually, she found herself thinking of the girl inadvertently, wondering how her injury was. However, constrained by her role as a teacher, she hadn’t found a suitable reason to visit directly. It wasn’t until the final days of summer, when she received a call from Wu Hai regarding home visits, that she added Gu Yuwei’s name to her assigned group.

Wu Hai was naturally happy to see this and agreed without a second thought.

By the time she reached Gu Yuwei’s house, it was the last visit on her list. She had intentionally saved Gu Yuwei for last, wanting to ask about the wound once the official business was over.

Following the address provided by Wu Hai and her own memory, Qin Qing soon arrived at the door. She knocked and took two steps back. Someone soon approached from inside, opening the door just a crack and peering out with heavy eyelids. “Who are you looking for?”

Gu Tao had no intention of opening the door fully. He was still groggy from sleep and a hangover from the night before.

Qin Qing didn’t mind and stated her purpose clearly. Gu Tao frowned upon hearing this, but seeing that Qin Qing was a woman, he didn’t say anything harsh. “Wait a moment.”

He shut the door. Qin Qing, left outside, blinked in surprise and moved to the side.

The door opened again shortly after. The man was now much more awake, though still wearing a short-sleeved shirt, shorts, and slippers. Gu Tao opened the door wide to let her in.

It was after 6:00 PM when Gu Yuwei returned home, carrying the little yellow dog as usual. As she entered, she heard a woman’s voice and instinctively frowned. Then came Gu Tao’s voice.

While his tone wasn’t exactly pleasant, he was at least acting like a proper parent for the moment.

Gu Yuwei set the dog down, and the little creature immediately scampered toward Qin Qing on its short legs.

The sound of the door opening stopped their conversation. Qin Qing stood up with the dog in her arms, stroking its head.

“Hello, Teacher Qin,” Gu Yuwei said as she walked over. Qin Qing handed the dog back to her. “Hello. I’m here for a home visit. Since you’re back, I should be heading out.”

Qin Qing picked up her bag and said goodbye to Gu Tao. Gu Yuwei glanced at Gu Tao and noticed a bag of empty liquor bottles lying scattered near the sofa, but she said nothing.

Carrying the dog, she followed Qin Qing. “Teacher Qin, let me walk you out.”

Qin Qing nodded, signaling for her to walk alongside her. She actually should have left over an hour ago, but she had stayed specifically to see Gu Yuwei.

Once they were outside, Qin Qing draped an arm around the girl’s shoulder. “This little guy seems to have grown. He feels heavier than before,” she said with a smile, pointing at the dog.

Gu Yuwei’s expression froze for a second before she nodded in agreement.

Once they were out of the house, Qin Qing asked, “How is the injury on your leg? Is it healed?”

“It’s all better now. Thank you, Teacher Qin,” Gu Yuwei replied with a smile.

Qin Qing reached out and rubbed Gu Yuwei’s head, her heart finally at ease. “Good. Be careful in the future. Don’t go running across the street recklessly, do you hear me?” After Gu Yuwei nodded, Qin Qing turned and left.

Gu Yuwei watched her until she disappeared around the corner, the smile on her lips gradually fading. She turned and went back inside. Gu Tao was sitting on the sofa, seemingly waiting for her.

He looked her up and down, his tone neither hot nor cold. “So you finally decided to come back?” He had clearly noticed that Qin Qing had been waiting for her.

Gu Yuwei looked at him without a word, but a smile soon played on her lips—a smile that made Gu Tao very uncomfortable. He slammed his hand onto the coffee table, stood up, and strode toward her. He grabbed her by the collar. “What are you laughing at!”

Gu Yuwei let go, and the little dog jumped from her arms to hide under the coffee table, seemingly accustomed to such scenes. Gu Yuwei snorted coldly and turned her head away.

Home visits had effectively ceased to exist for her a long time ago. She remembered the first time Wu Hai came to visit during the winter break of her first year in middle school. Gu Tao had been drinking heavily that day. Not only did he lock Wu Hai out, but he also cursed out the teacher’s entire ancestry.

He had shouted, “I don’t need any home visits! Whether that brat lives or dies is none of your damn business! Get lost!”

As a teacher for half his life, Wu Hai had never been insulted like that. Since then, he never returned. Because it was a humiliating experience, he never told the other teachers at the school.

Seeing her attitude, Gu Tao grew even more enraged. He raised his hand and slapped her across the face. “If you don’t know how to speak, then you don’t need a mouth!”

A clear handprint quickly spread across her cheek, leaving a red, swollen mark. Gu Yuwei’s mouth twitched as the taste of blood filled her mouth.

Gu Tao threw her aside, and she slammed into the corner of the coffee table with a muffled groan. Cold sweat soaked her face, hidden behind her bangs. Gu Tao looked down at her and sneered. “I see she cares about you quite a bit. What, do you want to call her ‘Mom’ just because she gave you a little sweetness? Or—” He paused, crouching down to brush her bangs aside.

Seeing her swollen cheek, he leaned in close and mocked, “You want a mom? Daddy will help you.”

His voice was low, but it made her entire body tremble. Her vacant eyes suddenly snapped up to glare at him. Her hands, hidden in her long sleeves, clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms to keep her focused. Satisfied by her reaction, Gu Tao stood up and collapsed back onto the sofa.

The suffocating sound of static came from the television. Gu Yuwei stood up and dragged her feet toward her room. Once inside, she collapsed onto the bed, her dark eyes staring at the ceiling for a long time.

Eventually, she sat up, went to her desk, and pulled out a notebook to write.

She didn’t stop until midnight, leaning back in her chair with a fleeting smile.

The next morning, she went to Lu Fei’s place. Lu Fei was stunned when she opened the door and quickly pulled her inside. “Xiao Wei, why are you here? Is something wrong? Your… your face…” Lu Fei held her arms and looked her over, her heart aching at how thin the girl was.

She touched the swollen cheek. “Did he hit you?”

Gu Yuwei said nothing, only lowering her head and biting her lip.

Her silence was answer enough. Lu Fei grabbed her hand to go find Gu Tao. “Let’s go!”

“Aunt Lu, don’t…” Gu Yuwei pulled back and looked up at her, whispering, “Don’t go to him. I’m scared…”

Was she afraid of being beaten even harder later? Lu Fei stopped. It was true; she could go confront Gu Tao now and slap him, but the child would be the one to suffer for it in the end.

She wasn’t the girl’s guardian, nor did she have the power to become one.

Lu Fei sighed and pulled Gu Yuwei into a heartbreaking hug. “Does it still hurt?” Gu Yuwei shook her head. Lu Fei’s heart wrenched again. She sat the girl on the sofa and applied medicine to her face.

“Xiao Wei, Aunt Lu…” Her hand trembled as she held the cotton swab. Swallowing her tears, she choked out, “I’m so sorry…”

If only I had the power, if only…

“Aunt Lu, it’s not your fault.” Gu Yuwei took her hand and lowered her head, speaking softly. “Aunt Lu, I… I miss my mom.” She looked up, tears welling in her eyes. “Can you take me to where she used to work? Ever since I can remember, there hasn’t been a single thing of hers in the house. The only thing I have is something I managed to snatch away from him.”

Lu Fei’s heart throbbed with pain.

“I want to see. Even if I never see her again, I want to know what kind of person she was. I don’t believe what he says.”

Lu Fei frowned, remembering how Gu Tao used to scream insults about Yang Qianwen. She hugged the sobbing girl again. “Okay, Aunt Lu promises you. I promise.”

The place where Lu Fei sold liquor was called Hongke Bar. Gu Yuwei followed her there. Lu Fei took her to her breakroom, a space she used to share with Yang Qianwen.

Since being brought back by the people at Hongke, the place hadn’t changed, and many of Yang Qianwen’s belongings remained there.

“Xiao Wei, stay here and don’t wander off. These are all your mother’s things,” Lu Fei instructed, pointing toward a corner.

“I know. Go ahead and get to work, Aunt Lu. I’ll be fine here by myself,” Gu Yuwei replied obediently.

Lu Fei left the room. Once the door was shut, Gu Yuwei turned and walked toward Lu Fei’s desk.

She rummaged through every drawer she could find until she finally discovered what she was looking for in a small drawer. She opened the bottle and poured out several pink pills.