Teacher Qin Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Goodbye, Teacher Qin

Gu Jiang was a typical rural woman. Her husband was Sun Ming, and neither of them had much education. Gu Tao was the only son in the family. Years ago, when Gu Jiang was still of school age, she had dropped out at her father’s request to work and support her younger brother through university. Not long after Gu Tao graduated, their father passed away. After marrying Yang Qianwen, Gu Tao rarely returned to the old family home. Gu Jiang never expected that after all these years, the next time she heard news of Gu Tao, it would be from Bai Yang.

The young man had driven for a day and a night before finding the address of Gu Jiang’s family, and he took them away that very night. Bai Yang did not tell Gu Jiang everything regarding Gu Tao’s imprisonment; he only spoke about Gu Yuwei, who was registered under Gu Tao’s household. Gu Jiang already knew that Gu Yuwei was not Gu Tao’s biological child.

Life in the county seat and the various social security benefits made the couple hesitate. Although they didn’t want another mouth to feed for nothing, their son, Sun Songxin, couldn’t be like them—stuck in the countryside for his entire life. Sun Songxin should have been starting high school this year, but unfortunately, he hadn’t even passed the Senior High School Entrance Exam for the Second High School last year.

Bai Yang did his utmost to petition the relevant departments regarding Gu Tao’s case, securing significant benefits for Gu Yuwei’s foster family. Naturally, Gu Jiang and her husband had no reason to refuse.

Gu Yuwei remembered the day the three of them arrived at Qin Qing’s house; it was a disagreeable rainy day. Bai Yang and Sun Ming carried Gu Yuwei’s luggage out while Gu Jiang stayed behind to chat with Qin Qing. Qin Qing wasn’t someone who enjoyed socializing, yet Gu Yuwei remembered that on that day, Qin Qing spoke a great deal to Gu Jiang, and it was all about her.

Gu Jiang and her husband brought Gu Yuwei to her new home. This home didn’t have Gu Tao, it wasn’t the place where she had lived for over a decade, and it certainly didn’t have Qin Qing. Upon opening the door, Gu Yuwei saw Sun Songxin lying on the sofa. He was holding snacks in one hand and the television remote in the other, constantly flipping through channels.

Hearing the movement at the door, Sun Songxin spoke up lazily, “Mom, I’m hungry.” His tone carried a hint of both whining and dissatisfaction.

“Oh, Xiao Xin, wait a moment. Mom will go cook right now,” Gu Jiang called out toward the sofa. She then smiled at Gu Yuwei and said, “Yuwei, this is Xiao Xin. Xiao Xin, come over here.” Hearing his mother’s words, Sun Songxin dropped his snacks and sprang up from the sofa. When he faced Gu Yuwei, his hands were gripped together awkwardly.

Sun Songxin had learned a bit about Gu Yuwei from his parents. He wasn’t a fool; he knew that suddenly improved living conditions didn’t just fall from the sky. Although he didn’t know exactly what had happened between Gu Yuwei and the uncle he barely remembered, he knew that from now on, Gu Yuwei would be living with them.

The boy from the countryside had dark skin and bright, black eyes. Perhaps because he had done a lot of farm work, sturdy muscles were faintly visible on his arms.

Gu Yuwei looked at the awkward boy and gave him a small smile. “Cousin.”

The boy felt as if an oriole were singing in his ear. He was born and raised in the countryside; he had never seen a girl like Gu Yuwei. At that moment, Sun Songxin felt as if a kitten were gently scratching at his heart, causing his face to turn completely red.

Seeing that the two were getting along well, Gu Jiang turned and went into the kitchen, with Sun Ming following her. Only the boy and the girl remained in the living room. Sun Songxin snapped out of it, stepped back toward the sofa, and told Gu Yuwei to sit. Gu Yuwei observed Sun Songxin but did not initiate a conversation.

After that, Gu Yuwei could be considered settled. Although Gu Jiang and her husband were rural folk, they were honest and kind. They didn’t exactly treat Gu Yuwei like family, but they were always polite to her. As for Sun Songxin, Gu Yuwei didn’t have much to do with him, but the way the boy occasionally looked at her made her feel uneasy. His gaze had shifted from initial curiosity to something more cautious and lingering.

Gu Yuwei had met Sun Songxin’s gaze twice when he was looking at her, but each time he realized she had noticed, he quickly turned his head away. At first, Gu Yuwei would smile at him politely, but gradually, Sun Songxin’s undisguised stares made her want to avoid him at all costs.

“How could I?” Gu Yuwei pulled back her wandering thoughts and answered Qin An’an with a smile. Qin An’an didn’t ask further; she could see that Gu Yuwei didn’t want to talk about it. She changed the subject. “Yuwei, National Day is coming up. Where are you planning to go for the holiday?”

Gu Yuwei shook her head. “I’ll just stay home.” In the past, National Day was no different from any other day for her.

“Huh? Staying home is so boring.” Qin An’an looked at Gu Yuwei with a look of deep sympathy, as if mourning for a girl who couldn’t enjoy the happiness of the National Day holiday.

“What about you? Where do you plan to go?” Gu Yuwei knew that since Qin An’an was asking, she must have a perfect plan for the upcoming break.

As expected, Qin An’an grew smug. “Binhai City! Yuwei, you have no idea how much talking it took to get my dad to agree. Sigh, he said he’d let me have one last blast before the Senior High School Entrance Exam. Ugh, just thinking about that exam makes me annoyed…” Once Qin An’an started talking, she couldn’t stop.

Gu Yuwei listened to her complaints and shook her head with a smile. Then, thinking of Qin Qing, she asked, “Is Teacher Qin going with you?”

“Huh? My aunt?” The sudden shift in topic caught Qin An’an off guard. She saw Gu Yuwei nod and then replied, “No, she probably has her own things to occupy her. I didn’t ask, but she likely won’t go. Why?” Qin An’an remembered that when Qin Qing lived with them during high school, she could never be found during the National Day holidays. Qin An’an had asked a few times back then, but Qin Qing always changed the subject.

It was only much later, after Qin Qing went to university, that Qin An’an accidentally overheard a phone call between Qin Qing and her mother and learned where she had been going.

“It’s nothing,” Gu Yuwei shook her head.

The National Day holiday arrived as scheduled. Qin An’an’s family left for Binhai City by car. After Gu Yuwei saw Qin An’an off, she didn’t go back home. Instead, she wandered over to the base of Qin Qing’s apartment building.

Sun Songxin was on break, and since Gu Jiang and her husband didn’t have holidays off, Gu Yuwei really didn’t want to stay in the house alone with him.

Qin Qing lived on the fifth floor. Gu Yuwei paced hesitantly in the stairwell. Ever since she left Qin Qing’s house to move to her current residence, she hadn’t returned. Qin An’an had moved back to her own home for some reason; since she hadn’t mentioned why, Gu Yuwei naturally hadn’t asked. Qin Qing was still very attentive to her—one could even say she was more attentive than before, both in class and afterward.

Gu Yuwei sat on the stairs between the fifth and sixth floors, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. The brilliant sunlight streamed through the window, hitting the top of her head and stretching her shadow long. Gu Yuwei used her hand to block the light, squinting her eyes in an attempt to avoid it, but to no avail.

When Qin Qing opened her door, she noticed the person on the stairs from the long shadow on the ground. She paused with her hand on the doorknob, then leaned out to glance upward. The girl’s thin frame was curled up, her head buried deep in her arms. Gu Yuwei had unknowingly fallen asleep. This was the deepest sleep she had experienced since leaving Qin Qing’s house—so deep that she hadn’t even noticed the sound of the door opening or the footsteps on the stairs.

“Yuwei.” Qin Qing crouched down and reached out to pull the girl on the steps into her arms, her eyes full of heartache.

Gu Yuwei opened her eyes in Qin Qing’s familiar embrace. As her consciousness slowly returned, she looked at the woman in front of her and wrapped her arms around her, whispering “Teacher Qin” over and over.

“Why didn’t you knock? Why were you sitting here?” Qin Qing let go of Gu Yuwei, her tone carrying a hint of anger.

Gu Yuwei pursed her lips and lowered her head in silence. Qin Qing sighed and reached out to tidy Gu Yuwei’s messy hair. “Are you getting used to it? Are they… treating you well?” Qin Qing observed her reaction.

“Yes, my aunt and uncle are very kind.” Gu Yuwei spoke without mentioning Sun Songxin. She changed the subject and stood up from the steps. “Is Teacher Qin going out?”

Qin Qing nodded and said nothing more. After they left the apartment complex, Qin Qing finally spoke. “Yuwei, I’ll take you back first.” Gu Yuwei’s expression darkened. She looked away and shook her head. “It’s okay, Teacher Qin. I’ll go back on my own in a bit.” After saying that, she looked up and smiled at Qin Qing, turning to leave.

“Goodbye, Teacher Qin,” the girl said, turning back with another smile.

Qin Qing watched the girl’s retreating back, frowning and pursing her lips. Finally, she stepped forward and caught the girl’s arm. “Yuwei, do you want to come with me?” Hearing this, the girl froze in place, then turned back and nodded vigorously. Qin Qing smiled and patted Gu Yuwei’s head, then called Gu Jiang before leading the girl away.

The car drove toward the mountains. Gu Yuwei watched the scenery flash by the window without asking questions. Qin Qing turned to look at her. Sensing the gaze, Gu Yuwei turned to meet her eyes inquisitively. Qin Qing said, “If you’re tired, Yuwei, you can sleep for a while.”

Gu Yuwei shook her head. “I’m not tired, Teacher Qin.” Qin Qing smiled and patted her head again.

The car stopped by a mountain road. Qin Qing walked ahead, holding a bouquet of nameless flowers. Gu Yuwei followed behind. From time to time, Qin Qing would stop and look back at her. Gu Yuwei quickened her pace, grabbed Qin Qing’s hand hanging at her side, and gave a sweet smile.

They headed up the mountain path. From a distance, they could see rows of neatly arranged tombstones. Gu Yuwei kept her head down and followed closely behind Qin Qing. Eventually, Qin Qing stopped in front of one grave. The black-and-white photo on the tombstone showed a smiling woman. Qin Qing placed the flowers in front of the grave and reached out to tidy the surrounding weeds.

Gu Yuwei stood to the side in silence. The woman in the photo was Qin Qing’s mother, who had died of cancer. This was something Qin Qing told her later.

The two of them stayed by the grave in the mountains for a long time before Qin Qing led Gu Yuwei back down.

As they descended the mountain path, they rounded a corner and came to an old house. The door was locked, and it looked as though someone lived there, though they weren’t home at the moment. Qin Qing looked around the surroundings before finally leading Gu Yuwei away.

After Qin Qing and Gu Yuwei left, a man approached the grave on the mountain. He was only in his twenties. He looked at the flowers in front of the tombstone for a long time before turning to leave. When he returned to the old house, the door was already open. A hunched old man walked out from inside with one hand behind his back. Seeing the young man approach, the old man glanced up at him and then turned to go back inside.

By the time they returned to Qin Qing’s home, the moon was high in the sky. Gu Yuwei stayed the night, a plan Qin Qing had already cleared with Gu Jiang.