Chapter 69: Sponsorship for Tuition Fees ③
When Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang returned home, they saw several cars parked at the entrance of the residential area. They didn’t think much of it and just carried the things they bought upstairs. As soon as they reached the stairs, Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang froze. Several middle-aged people were standing at their doorway, holding some health products and fruit. One of them was Peng Yu Yang’s mother.
Nie Qiu paused, knowing these people were looking for her. She smiled and stepped forward, about to politely greet them, when she saw Peng Mama smiling and approaching, “Qiu Qiu, you’re back?”
Nie Qiu nodded and politely greeted, “Hello, Auntie.” She then looked at the others and smiled, “Hello, Uncles and Aunties.”
“Good, good, good,” Li Shubai said ‘good’ three times, and smiling at Nie Aifang, he said, “This must be your sister, right? We’ve come specifically to thank Nie Qiu today. This is a small token of our appreciation, please don’t find it too little.”
The other parents standing there also stepped forward, smiling and handing over the items in their hands. One elder sister also smiled brightly, “Big sister, you teach your child so well. Our daughter, from childhood to adulthood, has never listened to us and has never scored so many points. This time! Thanks to your Nie Qiu, she actually scored sixth in the class! Eighth in the entire grade! An improvement of over a hundred places from before!”
Nie Aifang, feeling a bit overwhelmed, accepted the things they handed her. Flustered, she took out her keys and opened the door. “Has everyone eaten? Why don’t you stay for dinner at our place? Come in, come in, it’s crowded standing at the doorway.”
The few people exchanged glances and walked into the rental room, which was less than thirty square meters. Nie Aifang brought out the stools used for the stall. “Please sit, everyone, please sit. I’ll get some fruit for you.” With that, Nie Aifang turned and went into the kitchen.
Nie Qiu chuckled. Nie Aifang used to be nervous when she saw Peng Yu Yang’s mother, but today she didn’t seem as nervous. It seemed she was treating these people as customers coming to the barbecue stall. It was good this way, at least Nie Aifang wouldn’t feel awkward.
Peng Mama held Nie Qiu’s hand and smiled, “Qiu Qiu, do you know how happy Auntie was to hear Yang Yang’s score today? I thought! This year is truly worth it! Auntie thanks you, and congratulations on getting eighth place in the entire grade.” Although sitting on a stool where she couldn’t even straighten her legs was very uncomfortable, the happy Peng Mama didn’t mind.
“Nie Qiu Wa Zi, come here for a moment.” Luo Sheng was also sitting on such a stool for the first time. Being tall, he had changed his sitting posture more than once. He smiled and beckoned Nie Qiu over, “Uncle has something to give you.”
Li Shubai slapped Luo Sheng hard, chiding Luo Sheng as ‘vulgar’ before looking at Nie Qiu, “Nie Qiu, Uncle wants to thank you here. Thank you for leading the students of Class 10 to progress, and thank you for leading my son to progress. I heard you scored over eight hundred and thirty points, congratulations!”
Nie Qiu waved her hands repeatedly and smiled, “I didn’t really do anything. The improvement in grades is due to everyone’s own effort…”
“Tsk, I know my child’s personality,” Luo Sheng said with a smile. “I understand my child better than you do, Nie Qiu. I also have to say thank you! If it weren’t for you, I would have been prepared to support that scoundrel for a lifetime! And… I must congratulate you on getting good grades.”
Nie Qiu had nothing to say and could only politely say, “Thank you.”
The other parents were also saying words of gratitude and congratulations. Nie Aifang came out with a fruit plate, placed it on the table, and then moved the table to the center of everyone. “Please eat the fruit! I bought this yesterday afternoon, fresh apples. Please stay for dinner at our place today! I’ll start cooking now, it’ll be ready soon.”
Li Shubai quickly stopped her, smiling, “Sister, we came mainly to see and thank Nie Qiu, and to discuss something with you.”
Nie Aifang wiped her hands on her dark apron. “Discuss something? What is it?”
“Sit down first, let’s talk slowly.” A middle-aged man saw Nie Aifang’s actions and felt a bit displeased, but he suppressed it.
Nie Aifang moved a stool and sat down, smiling, “What is it you need to discuss, please tell me!”
“It’s like this,” Peng Mama glanced at Nie Qiu and smiled at Nie Aifang. “Big sister, you also know how many points your daughter scored, right? The school has fast and slow classes, and Nie Qiu’s grades are good enough to get into Class 1. But the children from our few families are very reluctant to part with your daughter. Adjusting the fast and slow classes also requires your child’s agreement, doesn’t it? We want to… ask your daughter to stay.”
Nie Aifang fell silent upon hearing this. She was a single mother, and for her child’s future, she didn’t want Nie Qiu to stay in a class like Class 10. Before Qiu Qiu was hospitalized, she had heard Qiu Qiu say that her deskmate would place over a dozen compass points between their desks, and whenever she wasn’t careful, she would be pricked until she bled. Before Qiu Qiu was hospitalized, she had also heard Qiu Qiu say that someone would pull her hair, steal her stationery, frame her, slander her, and scorn her… Some people even beat her up… Even her last hospitalization was inexplicably due to being beaten, and it caused Qiu Qiu to lose her memory.
These people were none other than everyone from Class 10! Not a single person was from another class!
She was very happy that her daughter had changed, becoming less fragile, and more clean. But she was a mother, and in her heart… there would always be heartache, there would always be scars.
She didn’t want her daughter in such a class, not at all. As for Class 1… Thinking of that rainy day, the students who solved some of their difficulties for them, who were not frivolous, loved to study, were clean, and were positive and upward-looking, Nie Aifang smiled. She… still hoped her daughter would be in such a class collective. Not to mention learning anything, she felt that in any class, her daughter might become like them, wearing a clean white school uniform, with a youthful temperament and a positive attitude.
Nie Aifang took a deep breath, looked at Peng Mama, and smiled, “This matter is not something I can decide alone.” Saying this, Nie Aifang looked at Nie Qiu, “But I hope Qiu Qiu can go to Class 1 to study well.”
Peng Mama’s expression changed slightly. She smiled and looked at Nie Qiu, “Nie Qiu… what do you think?” As soon as school ended this afternoon, her son threw his grades at her. She hadn’t had time to be happy before her son shut himself in his room. She had the chef’s apprentice, who was good friends with her son, go upstairs to ask for a long time before she found out it was because Nie Qiu had ranked eighth in the entire grade.
Eighth place, she should be happy. But she also knew the rules of A City High School. It was likely this girl was going to apply to study in a good class. It was mealtime, 5:30 PM. A couple brought their sullen child to celebrate their good grades. She overheard their conversation and learned that their daughter was also a student in Class 10. “You got good grades, you should be happy, right? Aren’t Mom and Dad taking you out to eat?” “I already said I don’t want to go out to eat, I’m annoyed! I’m going back!”
