A gift? What kind of gift? Surely not a sultry blown kiss?
Lin Feng stared at Cao Ying, who was laughing heartily. What is she up to? She had just been lecturing him seriously, and now she was behaving like a young girl—actually, Cao Ying was only in her early twenties, so she could indeed be considered one.
"This is the exam preparation guide I finished writing last week. Read it carefully. I've explained the format of each section of the English exam and the thought processes for preparation. It should help you with your monthly test next week."
Cao Ying picked up a stack of stapled A4 papers from her desk and handed them to Lin Feng.
Oh, so it's exam material... Lin Feng felt a bit disappointed. Seeing Cao Ying's mysterious demeanor, he had thought she might give him some kind of surprise gift, but it turned out to be just a test strategy guide.
After briefly flipping through the materials, Lin Feng found they indeed contained very thorough explanations for each type of English question. However, he wasn't very interested. Whatever method helps you answer correctly is a good one. With his current English proficiency, he was more than capable of handling the college entrance examination.
"Teacher Cao, you're not... worried I'll fail the monthly test, are you?"
So that's her intention, Lin Feng realized after a moment. Although they had made a bet, Cao Ying still hoped he would do well, so she had given him the review materials she had just prepared.
"Worried?" Cao Ying giggled. "When have you *not* failed?" she teased with a smile.
Lin Feng rolled his eyes at her. I didn't expect her to be sarcastic. She never showed this side in class before.
"Ahem, no need to kick a guy when he's down. But rest assured, I will definitely surprise you in this month's exam."
"A surprise? A good one or a bad one? If you score in the single digits, that would also be quite the surprise."
Lin Feng had no reply. The lively Cao Ying left him somewhat speechless. This is the first time in my life I've been teased by a girl. It feels like... holding in a poop for ages, only to let out a fart.
"You'll find out what kind of surprise it is soon enough. Anyway, you might as well say goodbye to this month's salary." Lin Feng, never one to back down in a war of words, immediately retorted cheekily.
"Ah? Why?"
"Because if you lose the bet, you'll have to treat me to a feast at Shengshi Hotel." Lin Feng grinned. "Heh, I'll make sure to order enough to make your wallet hurt."
"Oh, really? You're that confident? Fine! If you can score 120 or above, you can order whatever you want."
As soon as Cao Ying finished her sentence, she felt something was off. What did I mean by 'you can order whatever you want'? It sounded like some cheesy line couples exchange. Thinking about it for a moment and glancing at the rather handsome Lin Feng standing before her, she blushed a little.
Why on earth would I say that to a student? I'm so frustrating! Cao Ying inwardly regretted, feeling vexed with herself.
"Teacher Cao..." Lin Feng smirked. "I never said I wanted to eat *you*."
He was always observant. Even the slightest change in an opponent's expression couldn't escape his eyes, let alone Cao Ying's obvious slip of the tongue.
"Say that again! If you say that again, I'll make you copy the textbook!" Embarrassed by her slip-up, and even more so by Lin Feng pointing it out, Cao Ying hurriedly admonished him, her face flushing red.
"Anyway, if you win the bet, you can eat whatever you... oh, no, I mean, you can order whatever you... That's not right either! At Shengshi Hotel, you can order whatever you like, and I'll pay!"
Flustered, Cao Ying's words were all jumbled. Looking at Lin Feng, who was smirking at her, she felt like she was about to explode with rage.
"Well, Teacher Cao, you'd better get your money ready then," Lin Feng said with a relaxed smile.
"Hmph, it's not clear who'll win or lose yet! I don't believe you can score over 120 with your current English level. I've never met anyone as overconfident as you! I think you'd better start getting in shape to clean the classroom next month!"
「...」
Lin Feng didn't live at the school; instead, he had bought a house a few miles away.
Although his father was the commander of the Jiangzhou Military Division, he barely stayed in Jiangzhou. He was constantly tied up with endless meetings, business trips, and receptions. Consequently, few people at school, except for a few board members and hardly any teachers, knew what Lin Feng's father did for a living.
All they knew was that Lin Feng had a mother who was a senior executive at a bank, though she also frequently traveled for business.
Their original home was in a well-guarded leaders' compound, but it was too far from the school. Since his parents rarely came home, Lin Feng's mother decided to buy a house for him near the school. This allowed Lin Feng to live independently, and she would occasionally drop by to check on him, which also helped cultivate his self-reliance.
Unfortunately, due to Lin Feng's abysmal performance in recent years, his father, Lin Zhonghua, had completely lost hope in him. His monthly allowance, initially 10,000 yuan, was reduced to 5,000 yuan. This might seem like a lot to others, but for Lin Feng, money was like a seductive beauty: he could never have too much.
Upon opening the door with his key, he was immediately greeted by the sound of a television.
As Lin Feng walked into the living room, he saw an elegant, middle-aged woman leaning back on the sofa, her eyes closed, asleep.
On the dining table nearby, a dinner of two dishes and a soup was already prepared.
The middle-aged woman was Jiang Xiuyun, Lin Feng's mother. She was a high-ranking executive at a state-owned bank in Jiangzhou. Usually busy with work, she had little time to spend with Lin Feng. However, whenever she had the chance, she would make time to visit him at his place, prepare dinner, do his laundry, give him some pocket money, and chat with him.
Today, because Lin Feng had been delayed at Cao Ying's office and then her apartment after class, Jiang Xiuyun had already prepared dinner. While waiting, she sat on the sofa watching TV and, perhaps due to exhaustion from work, gradually fell asleep.
Seeing his mom's peaceful, sleeping figure, warmth filled Lin Feng's heart. Mom really loves me.
Lin Feng recalled from past experiences that, besides cleaning and cooking, another important reason his mom visited was to give him pocket money, likely because she worried he wouldn't have enough.
Of course, Dad must never find out about this extra pocket money. Otherwise, he might even stop Mom from visiting me in the future.
Lin Feng quietly fetched a blanket from the bedroom, intending to drape it over his mom. However, as soon as he did, she woke up.
Upon opening her eyes and seeing Lin Feng, Jiang Xiuyun immediately offered a kind smile, which made her graceful face even more radiant.
"What time is it? You're only back now?"
"It's seven o'clock." Lin Feng grinned. "Actually, I stayed after school to discuss some academic questions with my teacher. Mom, you should sleep a little longer."
Jiang Xiuyun put the blanket aside and looked at Lin Feng with a skeptical, half-amused expression. "Discuss academic problems with the teacher? Our Lin Feng actually stayed after school to discuss academic problems with his teacher?"
Usually, Lin Feng avoids teachers like the plague. How could he possibly seek one out voluntarily? Jiang Xiuyun felt she understood her son quite well. As for Lin Feng's lie, she merely smiled, choosing not to expose his little fib—a mother's way of not making things harder for him.
"Heh heh, Mom, what delicious food have you made this time? I can already smell it! Let's eat dinner," Lin Feng said, chuckling as he quickly changed the subject.
Although I did discuss academic matters with Cao Ying, it wasn't 'voluntary.' Mom, with her Eyes of Fire, would never believe that.
Jiang Xiuyun gently glared at Lin Feng, then gave an exasperated laugh, feeling somewhat speechless about her son. As she rose to sit by the table, Lin Feng promptly filled her bowl with rice.
Jiang Xiuyun rarely cooked, yet she was a superb cook. The stir-fried pork with garlic scapes, spicy shredded potatoes, and tomato and egg soup—every dish was delicious. Lin Feng hardly ever cooked at home, usually eating out. The familiar taste of his mom's home cooking was far superior to the food he usually ate. Every one of his mom's visits felt like a feast to him.
After dinner, Jiang Xiuyun handed Lin Feng a bag. "Try it on, see if it fits."
Lin Feng took the bag. His mom had bought him clothes again, this time a Nike T-shirt. The price tag said 699 yuan.
Feeling quite moved, Lin Feng put on the shirt; it fit perfectly. Seeing this, Jiang Xiuyun nodded and said with a smile, "The size is perfect. If it didn't fit, you could take it to the store and exchange it."
"No need. Mom, you know my clothing size best; you definitely wouldn't buy the wrong one. Heh heh." Lin Feng smiled as well, then took off the shirt and put it away neatly.
"Spring is almost over, and summer will be here soon. The weather changes quickly, so remember to dress warmly in the evenings. I've been rather busy lately. If you catch a cold, there'll be no one here to take care of you," Jiang Xiuyun reminded him, her tone full of motherly concern.
Then, she took out her wallet, placed a stack of hundred-yuan bills on the dining table, and said, "This is 5,000 yuan. If it's not enough, call me. And remember, don't let your father know, or else you might end up eating nothing but steamed buns every day."
"Heh heh, I'm not that foolish. But Mom, I still have enough money. You don't need to give me any in the future. I can survive on a monthly allowance of 5,000 yuan."
"What?"
Jiang Xiuyun was momentarily stunned. Her son was known for spending money like water, never thinking he had too much. How could the words 'I have enough money' actually come out of his mouth?!
Jiang Xiuyun stared at Lin Feng as if he were an alien creature. "Son, what did you just say?"
Sigh, Mom's incredulous expression... It seems my old image as a profligate, good-for-nothing son is really deeply ingrained in everyone's mind! Lin Feng could only lament inwardly.
"Mom, I said I have enough money. In the future, a monthly allowance of 5,000 yuan is sufficient. You can just come visit me; you don't need to give me extra pocket money anymore," Lin Feng said very seriously.
Five thousand yuan a month is definitely enough. Besides, if I spend more, isn't it still my parents' money? Even though the family is rich, money doesn't grow on trees. I know how hard Mom works.
Of course, the most important thing is that I'm not the same person I was before. I have to change this image of a 'profligate young master' and 'underachieving student.' I have to make Mom and Dad proud!