Chapter 13: You want to go to my home, what can I do?

  Alas, cultured people are indeed cultured people, they don't even raise their voices when scolding. The room was really small, but just a few steps away, everyone still couldn't hear what the teacher said clearly! All that could be seen was him speaking in a stern voice, Zhang Qing's face turning bright red, her eyes welling up with tears, and her nodding vigorously. That evening, Teacher Tang didn't give Zhang Qing a lesson, but instead took out a piece of white paper, drew a few straight lines and curved lines on it, and had Zhang Qing copy them.

  That evening, Teacher Tang left later than usual. Before leaving, he called Mom into the house and said that Zhang Qing could be accepted as his apprentice. No need for any ceremony, just a bow would do, but once she became his apprentice, he would have to show his teacher's demeanor and would be very strict with Zhang Qing in the future, not relaxing because of her young age, let the family consider it.

  What's there to consider? It's a great opportunity! Mother agreed on the spot and immediately brought Zhang Qing to pay respects as a disciple. Teacher Tang taught Zhang Qing the etiquette, then told her that from now on, she wouldn't need to draw simple sketches anymore; starting today, she would draw lines, and when she could draw like the teacher, she could learn other things.

  After listening to the teacher's painting, Zhang Yue's first thought was Da Vinci's egg painting. It seems that legends are also true! This painting really needs to start from the basics.

  Afterwards, everyone asked Teacher Zhang Qing what she was scolded for. Zhang Qing's face turned red as she said: "Teacher Tang said she was showing off." But after this incident, Zhang Qing became much more down-to-earth and stopped boasting in school. At least at home, things were peaceful, and there wasn't paper scattered all over the place anymore.

  That's when Zhang Qing officially entered the world of painting, gradually making a name for herself. First, she gained fame in school, then won awards at national and international children's painting exhibitions, with her works being exhibited multiple times across Japan and the United States, eventually turning painting into a career. But that's a story for later. Chen Zhi Gang was walking ahead with big strides, while Zhang Qing followed quietly behind him, getting more and more anxious, until she couldn't help but shout at Chen Zhi Gang: "Can you walk any faster? I have a ton of homework to do after visiting your house, and I still need to go back home to finish it. You're not in a hurry, but I am!"

  Chen Zhigang turned his head and glanced at Zhang Qing with a slanted gaze, still walking at a steady pace, saying: "Did I ask you to follow me? If you want to go to my house, what can I do about it? Go or don't go, as you please."

  I don't know what teachers are thinking these days, they want parents to sign the test papers, sign the homework, and constantly ask parents to come in. It's as if children have no human rights and no privacy at all. Putting that aside for now, who taught them this? They're afraid that students with poor grades won't show their test papers to their parents, so they make a nearby good student deliver it back home!

  Good heavens, what roles are they playing! Zhang Yue was so fed up in her heart, but where could she say it? Could she tell the teacher: "I can't do this job, find someone else." Wouldn't Teacher Chen strangle her to death?!

  There's a time to stop procrastinating and go home, as soon as Chen Zhigang entered the house, Zhang Yue stopped, this is too messy! The Chen family's house and Zhang Yue's house are actually similar, also small two rooms and one living room. Probably because of the low floor and north-facing, there's not much sunlight, although it's only 5 pm, the house looks dark and gloomy.

  The living room was directly opposite the gate, with a dining table against the wall, on which there were still unfinished meals. Three chairs were scattered around the room, with clothes, net bags, schoolbags and toys thrown about in disarray. Hearing someone coming in, a little boy of five or six years old ran out from the inner room, shouting at Chen Zhi Gang: "Brother, I'm hungry! I want to eat!"

  "What time will your parents be back?"

  "How would I know? Their workplace is quite far away, sometimes they can only come back at 7 or 8 o'clock."

  "Really?" Zhang Yue wailed: "The teacher said that if I don't see your parents, she won't let me go home!"

  Chen Zhigang smiled with schadenfreude: "Then you wait."

  The little guy didn't care who his brother was talking to, and kept pulling on his brother's hem, humming: "Brother, brother, I'm hungry, can you cook for me?"

  Chen Zhigang was annoyed by his brother's noise, and he pulled him to one side: "What are you yelling about? I'm still hungry! Can I cook? Go check if there are any more biscuits left."

  "If there were cookies, I would have eaten them long ago and they would be gone!"

  Watching the two of them making a ruckus, Zhang Yue felt like her head was throbbing. Chen Zhi Gang looked tall and imposing, but in reality, he was still just an immature kid. Too lazy to bother with them, Zhang Yue walked into the kitchen to take a look. There were some green vegetables, a few scallions, and a bundle of noodles. Did their parents come back so late at night to buy groceries? Where did they even buy it from? How did these two manage to get by every day?!

  Digression

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