Chapter Twenty: Unraveling the Knot in My Heart

  The depressed mood made Liu Ya quiet for the whole day, and Liu Jia Wei looked at the usually lively Liu Ya, who was like a sparrow, with a faint sense of anxiety in his heart. The two families were old friends, so Liu Jia Wei knew a lot about Liu Ya's situation from Liu Fang's mouth. Liu Jia Wei thought to himself, "Can't let her go on like this, something will happen sooner or later, need to find someone to guide her." But who should he find? After a brief moment of consideration, Liu Jia Wei beckoned Li Jin Yi, Xiao Yu, and Mu Lin Feng with his hand, and the three of them quietly walked out of the classroom through the back door. This scene was just seen by Liu Fang, who didn't make a sound but couldn't figure it out: "What are these two going to do? Who's going to be unlucky? Ah, too lazy to care about them."

  "Hey, Wei Ge, what's up? You're not going to go now and help A Ya beat that guy up, are you?" Li Jin asked with a smile.

  "How many times have I told you, call me 'Jiawei Ge'! Wei Ge, Wei Ge, it's Wei Ge, swallow your pride and don't make me angry!" Liu Jiawei punched Li Jun on the shoulder and said: "What, are you going to stop me from dealing with that ungrateful thing?"

  "Whatever! ——” Li Jin said with disdain, “I won't stop you! Just don't leave me behind. Besides, haven't you fought enough? Last semester, didn't you even fight Xia Tian for Liu Fang?! Ah, I'm saying, is it worth fighting every day for these two sisters?"

  "It's not a matter of whether it's worth it or not. They're the youngest in our class, and if others bully them, isn't that the same as bullying us?" Liu Jiawei looked at them with one glance, "This is a matter of principle!"

  "It's still a matter of principle..."

  "Alright, alright! You two stop arguing." Xiao Yu interrupted Li Jin's words and asked Liu Jia Wei: "What's going on, speak!"

  "I came looking for you guys to hear your opinions." Liu Jiawei said with a serious face; "Aya has been silent since receiving that express delivery this morning, I'm afraid she might do something."

  "You're still worried that something will happen to her, who are you to her? You won't compete with Li Jin...” Mu Lin Feng's words were cut off as the other three people's gazes turned sharp, so Mu Lin Feng hastily changed his tone and said: "It's also good that way. If anything happens, there'll be no one for us to contend with. A world without opponents is a desolate world without passion. Ah, but aren't you guys worried about her having psychological problems? Can't you just take her to the infirmary to see a psychologist?"

  "Damn it! Xiao Yu couldn't bear it anymore, and hammered Mu Linfeng once, saying: "Such a proud person, letting her see a psychologist is not as good as throwing her off the 22nd floor!"

  "Ah yo!" Mu Lin Feng stroked his head and asked timidly, facing the three wolf-like eyes, "What do you want to do?"

  "We need to find someone who can communicate with her, and this person must have a meticulous mind and be proficient in understanding psychology." Li Jin stroked his chin thoughtfully and said, "Moreover, it's best if this person is someone she's familiar with. Generally, conversations with acquaintances are less likely to be resisted."

  "What? Where can we find such a person?" Liu Jiawei agreed with Li Jin's statement, but raised the most critical question: people!

  "Are you saying that what you're looking for is someone who can see through people's hearts with just a glance?" Mu Linfeng asked again, his voice trembling.

  This time, listening to Mu Lin's words, everyone looked at each other and Liu Jia-wei leaned forward, "Do you have such a candidate? Who is it?"

  "I'm telling you, don't 'beat me up'!" Mu Lin Feng said with a smile, making them promise. Everyone knew that these three wolves would do anything for a beauty without hesitation. They simultaneously raised their hands above their heads and made a gesture to hit him out. Mu Lin Feng saw the situation was not good and immediately covered his head, shouting: "It's Ban Fang! Her eyes are poisonous enough to see through iron walls!" After waiting for half a day without seeing any beating coming down, he withdrew his hand and saw that they had started discussing something in hushed tones over there.

  "Hey, they say 'brothers are like hands and feet, women are like clothes', but how is it that here, brothers aren't even as good as women?!" Mu Lin Feng crossed his arms, leaned against a wall, and let out a sigh, shaking his head in dissatisfaction.

  Liu Jiawei, Li Jinyi and Xiao Yu looked at each other and asked in unison: "You bastard, you dare to walk out after stripping naked?"

  "So it was this 'reason'!" Mulin Feng burst into tears...

  There are 15 minutes left until the end of self-study, and Fang Xueqing teacher comes to the classroom to check. When she walks to Liu Ya's side, she finds that she is in a daze. So, she waves her hand in front of Liu Ya's eyes. Liu Ya herself doesn't know when she was distracted, suddenly a strange hand appears in front of her eyes, and she gets startled, immediately comes back to her senses and stands up.

  "Teacher Fang, you... found me..." Liu Ya composed herself and looked back, only to find that Fang had been standing behind her for who-knows-how-long.

  "Scared?" Ms. Fang Xueqing gently patted her shoulder, "It's okay, the evening study session is almost over, let me see if you have any problems with your studies."

  "Oh, I see." Liu Ya responded with some embarrassment.

  "Aya, are you free now?" asked Teacher Fang with his usual warmth.

  "Hmm? You're looking for me? Something's up?" Liu Ya was somewhat perplexed.

  "Oh, I still have some homework that hasn't been graded on my end. If you're not busy, can you help me out?" Teacher Fang looked at Liu Ya with her head bowed in thought, slightly turned her head to glance at Liu Jiawei, Xiao Yu, Mu Linfeng and Li Jin, then revealed a kind and satisfied smile.

  "Teacher Fang, that...". Liu Ya felt particularly unspirited today and wanted to find an excuse to get out of it. Although the teacher often asked students for help with correcting homework, it wasn't compulsory. Of course, even if she refused, the teacher wouldn't hold it against her or anything like that - this was just basic quality expected of teachers at a prestigious school. Liu Ya reached up to touch her hanging hair and said: "Mulin Feng and the others invited us to grab some snacks after class, I promised them I'd go, I couldn't stand them up, could I...".

  "No worries, you go first. We'll wait for you!" Liu Jia Wei, Xiao Yu, Mu Lin Feng and Li Jin Yi didn't even let Liu Ya finish speaking before they chimed in unison. Liu Ya was quite surprised, looking at them and then at the teacher, really couldn't guess what play they were performing. Not only was Liu Ya surprised, but all her classmates had their mouths agape, staring at them in shock. Whoever could make the 'four big school grasses' wait together for the first time must be someone special. The beautiful girls sitting around Liu Ya, including Lu Xuan, looked not only shocked but also seemed to have a sly expression on their faces, just about to ask her something. Seeing this, Liu Ya gritted her teeth and glared at them, forcing their words back down their throats. At that moment, whether it was the male or female classmates, they all silently sent a blessing to Liu Ya in their hearts: "Liu Ya, you little monster, it's time for you to rise to fame!"

  "You, you guys?......"

  "Hey, Teacher Fang is asking for your help, you can't brush it off. It's rare for him to ask someone for a favor." Liu Jiawei whispered to Liu Ya in front of the classroom.

  "That's right, that's right." Xiao Yu and Li Jin Yi nodded in agreement. It seems they've all pushed this surprising question to Teacher Fang.

  "Or else, if the dormitory gets angry, you might end up at the back of the line!" Mu Lin Feng added.

  "Have I ever done that?! Ahh-?!" Banfang couldn't bear it anymore and shouted at Mulin Feng.

  "Yes, yes, yes, Teacher Fang, calm down. Lin Feng, look at what you're saying, is Teacher Fang that kind of person?" Xiao Yu hastily gave Mu Lin Feng a glance.

  "Yes, yes, yes, Fang Laoshi is the most just, kind and lovable one, how could it be..." Mu Lin Feng started flattering again.

  "Don't flatter me, next time you four had better dare to drop by more than 3 places, or I'll put all of you at the very bottom, let you keep company with flies!" Teacher Fang gave Mu Linfeng and his friends a warning, not forgetting to give Mu Linfeng a light slap on the back of his head. These guys, sigh...

  "Aiya, let's go, make them wait a bit longer." Teacher Fang Xueqing smiled and patted Liu Ya's shoulder as she walked towards the door. Liu Ya followed her to the door with some confusion in his heart, stopped, turned around and looked at those four people, trying to find an answer or hint, but they seemed completely normal, so Liu Ya could only leave the classroom without understanding anything.

  Professor Fang Xueqing's office.

  "Come, Aya, sit down." Teacher Fang pulled over a chair and let Liu Ya sit down beside her, asking warmly: "Do you want to drink boiled water or coffee?"

  "No, thank you, teacher!" Liu Ya replied calmly, but with a puzzled glance at Fang Laoshi's desk. The desk was spotless, where were the ungraded assignments?

  "Hehe, don't look anymore, no homework to ask you for help with revisions, all done." Teacher Fang looked at Liu Ya with kindness and smiled slightly, saying: "Are you used to eating and living in Luzhou?"

  "Huh? It's okay, I guess." Liu Ya didn't expect Teacher Fang to bring up her personal life and was taken aback for a moment. She then smiled faintly, looking at Teacher Fang with some inexplicable feelings, feeling slightly nervous inside.

  "Aiya, don't be nervous, I just want to have a chat with you. My children are not around me, and when I see you, I think of my daughter who is studying abroad." Mr. Fang picked up the thermos cup on the table, slowly took a sip of tea, and looked at Liu Ya. "I remember when she was your age, I sent her abroad to study too."

  "So young, you're really willing to let her leave you?" Liu Ya felt a little pity or sadness, so young and leaving her parents for an unfamiliar environment, it's worrying to hear that the house teacher's daughter is going through this.

  "Of course, there's some reluctance, but if the opportunity is missed, maybe there won't be a next time." Fang Xueqing smiled and said: "Besides, she herself is willing to go, it's just that she can't bear to part with me and her dad."

  "What's next?"

  "What then?" Fang Xueqing smiled faintly and said, "Then I had a talk with her. A 12 or 13-year-old kid, watching herself leave her parents, must have felt conflicted. At home, she was like a princess, but abroad, she had to rely on herself. At the time, I told her, 'Three things that can't be taken back: time, words, and opportunities; three things that should never be abandoned: peace, honesty, and hope; three things that make a person: sincerity, commitment, and diligence; three things that can ruin a person: anger, pride, and unforgiveness; three things that are priceless: love, kindness, and friendship; three things that are most sacred: parents, children, and faith.' One must know how to seize opportunities, be cautious with words, and have a persistent heart, pay out sincerity, forgive others' mistakes, have love and faith, in order to reach one's goals." Fang Laoshi finished speaking, looked at Liu Ya seriously, and asked, "Aya, do you think what the teacher said is right?"

  "Thank you, Teacher Fang, I understand now!" Liu Ya felt grateful for the teacher's guidance and thought about her parents who had raised her for over a decade, feeling sad. "Actually, I didn't blame them. I know they love me, and I love them too."

  "Where did your father serve in the army?" Fang Xueqing suddenly asked. Liu Ya was taken aback and didn't react immediately. Fang Laoshi pointed to a military discharge photo on the corner of her desk and continued, "My husband also served in the army. Look at this photo, it's a commemorative photo taken by one of his comrades before he retired from the army. At that time, he admired their instructor, Xiao Hui, the most." Fang Xueqing handed over the photo, pointed to someone on it and said, "This is my husband, and this is their instructor, wearing military uniform, very handsome, haha!"

  "Ah!" Liu Ya took over the photo, following House teacher's finger pointing at the person, and tears couldn't help but fall as she looked.

  "What's wrong?" Teacher Fang saw Liu Ya's tearful eyes and hastily handed her a tissue, then patted her shoulder and softly comforted her, "It's okay, it's okay. Don't cry." Yes, sometimes when you encounter something unpleasant, crying might just set your heart free.

  "Teacher Fang." Liu Ya calmed down and pointed to the instructor she had just pointed at, saying, "This is my dad. I didn't expect it to be such a coincidence that my dad is in the same unit as your husband." Liu Ya looked carefully at the photo, how come Teacher Fang's husband looks so familiar? Relying on her childhood memory, she asked, "Is your husband Regimental Commander Luo Yicheng?"

  "Haha, that's right, my husband is Luo Yicheng. When your dad was transferred, you should have been only 3 years old? I rarely stayed in the military camp, so I don't have much impression of you, but later when I took care of my daughter and her friends, they often mentioned you. However, after all these years, I didn't expect you to still remember him. If your Uncle Luo knew that the instructor's daughter is now my student, he would probably be overjoyed." Teacher Fang chuckled and nodded.

  "Hehe, so Luo Mei and Luo Jun are your kids?" Liu Ya asked excitedly, these two seven or eight years older twins were the best friends she had in the army dependents' courtyard.

  "Yes." Teacher Fang was infected with Liu Ya's emotions and nodded happily, saying: "However, it wasn't long after your dad changed jobs that I brought them to Lushui City to study. When they were young, they often mentioned Xia Tuanzhang's family's Ya Xiao Mei, which is you, right?" "It must be me!" Liu Ya said with a faint smile on her face. In Liu Ya's vague impression, there was a chubby little boy who always teased her with the small dog in the military compound, scaring her to tears. Later, that boy was beaten by Luo Bo. If she didn't remember wrong, that chubby boy should be Luo Jun. Wondering how they were doing now? "Are Brother Luo Jun and Sister Luo Mei studying abroad?" Liu Ya asked with a faint smile. "No, Luo Mei went abroad, and Luo Jun is serving in the army," Teacher Fang said while looking at the photo. "Your father said that boys should be allowed to join the military, and he couldn't persuade him otherwise. Luo Jun also liked it, so he followed his parents."

  "Soldier... Ah Ya, how's your father doing after he retired from the army?" Teacher Fang changed the subject and asked Liu Ya. "He's okay, I guess." Liu Ya replied with a faint smile. In fact, no one knew that Liu Ya's adoptive father had been forced to retire early because he had violated the national family planning policy by adopting her. He could have continued working in the government department if he hadn't adopted Liu Ya and violated the policy. Xiang Hui was a sentimental person who believed in doing what was right, even if it meant sacrificing himself. So, the Xiang family had been living a poor life ever since. Liu Ya had heard her adoptive parents arguing about this before, so she always felt guilty, thinking that she was a burden to the whole family. When her adoptive parents chose to give up their property and funds, she didn't say a word, silently agreeing. In her heart, maybe this was how she repaid them. But looking at the photo of her loving father, she suddenly felt sad, maybe this was what family love was all about.

  "Child, don't cry. Think of them and give them a call to accompany them for a chat." Teacher Fang said with deep concern, "Actually, as parents, we also know that you have grown up and will eventually leave us. It's just a matter of leaving early or late."

  "Thank you, Teacher Fang!" Liu Ya gently wiped away her tears and faintly revealed a smile.

  "No need to thank me, actually there are many people who care about you, such as classmates, teachers, friends, family and so on. You shouldn't close your heart because of some things. Others can't get in, and you can't get out either. In the future, if there's anything, you can come find me to chat. Just then, Fang Xueqing's phone rang, it turned out that Liu Jiawei and Lu Xuan had arrived at the agreed place and called over to ask if the homework was corrected yet, looks like they couldn't wait haha."

  "Alright, go have fun." Teacher Fang showed a warm smile and nodded at her.

  "Uh-huh, Teacher Fang, goodbye." Liu Ya then left the office, adjusted her mood, and walked towards that place with a steady pace. "Yes, growing up means there's always a time to leave, it's just sooner or later."

  Digression

  Well, people are like this, thinking too much and worrying about themselves.