Chapter 10: How Wonderful It Is to Excel at Learning

Although both women were strikingly beautiful, even Shang Ao’er had to admit that when faced with the aggressive Gong Xueyuan, the delicate and fragile Liang Jinshang seemed to be completely overshadowed. Even if she wanted to support Liang Jinshang, the other woman still had Shang Yucheng on her side!

But, unexpectedly, Liang Jinshang didn’t need anyone to stand up for her at all. She met Gong Xueyuan’s gaze with calm dignity. “First, Ao’er is about to start her final year of high school; changing tutors at the last minute is a grave mistake in any strategist’s book.

Second, assigning a male tutor for one-on-one sessions to a girl in the sensitive psychological stage of adolescence is an error you, who claim to have her best interests at heart, should never make.

Third…” she continued slowly, “it’s said that Miss Gong studied abroad at her own expense in her second year of high school, and her grades before leaving were rather… poor. As for me, I was the top science student in the entire province that year. You probably can’t grasp the weight of that title, so you don’t realize—it’s far more impressive than being a so-called gold-medal teacher aiming at the top two schools.”

Shang Ao’er nearly stood up to applaud and cheer for this brilliant retort! How wonderful it was to be smart!

Gong Xueyuan couldn’t care less about the sarcasm laced throughout her words. She frowned, “How did you know I… in my second year… did you investigate me?”

Liang Jinshang curled her lips slightly. “I have better things to do.”

Gong Xueyuan, by nature arrogant and shallow, had nearly caused two lives to be lost in her second year of high school, forcing her family to hurriedly send her abroad. She had only narrowly escaped being sent to prison. Today, Liang Jinshang, one of those involved in that incident, stood before her and had hinted this much, yet Gong Xueyuan still hadn’t realized.

How ironic! The culprit had long left the past behind and begun a dazzling new life, while those she’d dragged into darkness were left to wander in the shadows, powerless to redeem themselves.

Gong Xueyuan was about to speak again, but Shang Ao’er quickly cut her off. “Alright, are you done yet?! Uncle, it looks like Miss Liang has a fever—what should we do?”

Shang Yucheng glanced at Liang Jinshang’s pale face, unmoved. “That doesn’t seem to be my concern.” With that, he left with Gong Xueyuan.

That morning, after witnessing both the scandalous scene and Shang Yucheng’s cold attitude toward Liang Jinshang, Shang Ao’er came to a conclusion: “Miss Liang… did my uncle wrong you?”

He’d bitten her, she had a fever, he’d worn her down this much—forget about being a “man” and taking responsibility; even as a “human being,” shouldn’t he show a bit of decency?!

Liang Jinshang could feel her fever, momentarily suppressed by medicine, rising again. She slumped weakly over the desk and muttered, “He’s never thought much of me in the first place…”

Shang Ao’er looked at her bent back, her waist so slender it could be encircled with a hand, yet the curve below was temptingly graceful. After two years together, Shang Ao’er could tell from her attire that Liang Jinshang lived simply, but no coarse garments could mask her natural beauty. They were both girls—how could Shang Ao’er not notice the fine figure beneath those plain clothes?

A naturally beautiful face, a clear and fresh temperament—she was a rare, wonderful girl… So what if the Gong family had a bit of money!

…

That evening, Shang Ao’er cornered Shang Yucheng in the basement gym.

“Uncle, can you do something about Gong Xueyuan? Tell her to stop trying to get Miss Liang fired.”

Shang Yucheng turned off the treadmill, slicked back his sweat-damp hair to reveal a sharply defined forehead, and looked every bit the dangerously charming rogue. “Is there a problem?”

“A problem?!” Shang Ao’er replied dramatically. “After what you did to Liang Jinshang—not only do you refuse to make amends, you want to get her fired too!”

Shang Yucheng narrowed his eyes. “What did I do to her?”

Shang Ao’er faltered; in truth, Liang Jinshang had never directly told her about her relationship with Shang Yucheng. She could only bluff, “Don’t you corrupt innocent girls! I couldn’t even say out loud the things you’ve done!”

Shang Yucheng responded with a lukewarm “Oh,” and returned to his weights. Years of training had given him a finely sculpted physique, and as his muscles tensed, Shang Ao’er couldn’t help but think—no wonder Liang Jinshang ended up with a fever.

Wait, that’s not right…!

“What do you mean, ‘oh’?!” she demanded.

Shang Yucheng replied coolly, “It means I’m even more determined to have her dismissed.”

Orphaned young, Shang Ao’er and the also-bereaved teenage Shang Yucheng had grown up together. He was both a father figure and a friend to her. For the first time, her image of him as the perfect man shattered. “You really know how to ruin people!”

“Ao’er.” Shang Yucheng paused his workout. “As your elder, there are things I shouldn’t say. But you’re almost grown up, and you seem very interested in matters between men and women.”

He smiled briefly, then his tone turned serious. “Remember this: the most important thing for a girl is self-respect. If you want to know a man’s true feelings, don’t look at whether he’ll sleep with you—look at whether he’ll marry you.”

He hadn’t named names, but seeing how he’d treated Liang Jinshang and Gong Xueyuan today, Shang Ao’er couldn’t help but assign the roles in her mind.