Chapter 59

Fang Zhi didn’t answer Fang Zhixiao’s question. She hurried out the door.

By the time she got on the bus, she felt a twinge of regret. She looked like she was fleeing in panic.

She wasn’t afraid of the competition at all—not even of losing to Fang Zhixiao.

The one who was truly scared was Fang Zhixiao.

The next time Fang Zhi went to Teacher Zheng’s for her lesson, she deliberately scanned the living room. No students were waiting for class.

Teacher Zheng caught her glance and asked, “Who are you looking for?”

Fang Zhi answered candidly, “My classmate, Fang Zhixiao.”

Teacher Zheng replied, “Her lessons are scheduled at a different time from yours. You two should run into each other between classes.”

“Mm.” Fang Zhi nodded. She was no longer afraid to bring up Fang Zhixiao around others. “Teacher, is Fang Zhixiao planning to study with you long-term like I am?”

“No,” Teacher Zheng said after taking a sip of tea. Her brows furrowed slightly, and her tone carried a hint of displeasure. “She’s here for crash training ahead of the New Star Competition. I don’t usually take students like that.”

Fang Zhi knew Teacher Zheng’s temperament well. The teacher despised students who cut corners—taking a handful of lessons before bailing, only to return when competition loomed.

She believed it made for a shaky foundation. The higher you built without it, the harder it would crash down.

Fang Zhi hesitated, then took a step forward. “In that case, Teacher, what do you think of me compared to Fang Zhixiao…?”

Teacher Zheng looked at her and pondered for a few seconds. “No point asking me. I’m not one of the competition judges.”

Fang Zhi clarified, “No, not about the competition. Just our current skill levels—nothing to do with the contest.”

Teacher Zheng replied, “You have a touch more talent, but don’t slack off.”

“Understood.” Fang Zhi set down her bag and resumed the day’s lesson.

Halfway through, the doorbell rang. Teacher Zheng told Fang Zhi to keep practicing on her own and stepped out of the classroom.

Fang Zhi paid it no mind at first and continued singing from the sheet music. But soon, raised voices arguing drifted in from the living room. She paused her practice and caught a man’s booming complaint: “Homework’s done! Practice is practiced! Paid all those fees, and the singing’s going backward!”

Concerned, Fang Zhi cracked the classroom door open just a sliver.

Through the gap, she had a clear view of the living room. The loud man looked vaguely familiar, like someone she’d seen before.

After listening in a bit longer, Fang Zhi pieced it together. He was griping about someone else—another teacher—before switching to a broad smile, insisting on taking Teacher Zheng’s lessons. He clutched an envelope and held it out to her.

Teacher Zheng suddenly glanced toward the classroom. Fang Zhi whipped back to the piano and picked up her singing.

In the living room, Zheng Xiang pushed the envelope away. “The fees are already paid. No need for extras.”

Fang Wei chuckled good-naturedly, still proffering the envelope. “Your rates are too low. With your teaching caliber, that lesson fee leaves me feeling guilty.”

“Nothing to feel guilty about,” Zheng Xiang said. “It’s just a few sessions. Principal Pang said the same thing. I won’t be teaching her afterward.”

Fang Wei opened his mouth to protest, but Han Lijuan stood and cut him off. “Teacher Zheng has a class in progress. We shouldn’t hold her up.”

Fang Wei nodded. “Ah, right, right.”

Han Lijuan gave Zheng Xiang an apologetic smile. “Teacher Zheng, we picked a bad time to drop by. I heard your student in there—you’re incredible. Teaches them so well, you can tell right away.”

Zheng Xiang tugged at the corner of her mouth. “You can tell how she’s singing?”

“Come on, I may not sing myself, but my Zhixiao practices every day. After all those times I’ve heard her, I’m practically an expert.”

“Mm,” Zheng Xiang said. “The girl’s got potential. She’s been studying with me for almost two years now.”

“Ah, that’s your teaching…”

Zheng Xiang cut in, “It’s her talent.”

Han Lijuan heaped on a few more compliments before bidding Zheng Xiang farewell. She and her husband rose to leave.

Fang Wei left the envelope on the coffee table. As they headed out the door, Zheng Xiang snatched it up and tucked it into Han Lijuan’s bag.

Han Lijuan kept smiling until the door clicked shut. Then her face darkened.

“What’s she got to be so smug about?” she grumbled as they descended the stairs. “I bring business right to her door, and she acts like I owe her. These days, hiring a tutor is like bowing to an emperor.”

Fang Wei took a deep drag from his cigarette. “Principal Pang said she teaches well, didn’t he? And Principal Pang has ties to the Shanghai TV circle.”

Han Lijuan snorted. “That’s too far removed. Why not go straight to a judge?”

Fang Wei yanked the cigarette from his lips. His hand jerked wildly, nearly jabbing Han Lijuan in the face. “These are heavy hitters in the industry—how the hell do I reach them? You tell me how!”

“You’re the big shot! You flirt with all the girls in the circle!” Han Lijuan yelled back,”You can’t find one at a time like this! Can’t that young lady of yours introduce someone to you?!”

Fang Wei’s face flushed red: “It’s all because of you money-losing goods! Even a sow can give birth to piglets! Raising a piglet for so long and you still couldn’t pick a good one! Talent! Talent! Can’t you find one with talent! All the talented ones belong to other families, right!”

The two of them argued all the way out of the building, drawing sideways glances from the people in the courtyard.

Fang Wei fell silent, and Han Lijuan stopped shouting too. She brushed the hair from her chest, took several long breaths, and said, “You go back first.”

Fang Wei turned back and glared at her: “What are you going to do again!”

“Why do you care what I’m doing! I’m just going to stand here for a bit…” Han Lijuan waved her hand forcefully. “Go do your own thing, don’t worry about me.”

Fang Wei didn’t want to bother with her anyway, so he strode away.

Once Fang Wei was out of sight, Han Lijuan went to the coffee shop outside the neighborhood, ordered a cup of coffee, and sat on a chair outside the shop.

The long wait made her feel irritable, and it also made her feel like her life was truly miserable.

When she had just married Fang Wei, the two of them had been very happy. But later, when she couldn’t have children, Fang Wei started staying out all night more and more.

Han Lijuan had been to many hospitals and tried all sorts of methods, but nothing worked. Seeing other families’ children starting elementary school, she couldn’t wait any longer, so she went to adopt a child.

Since it was adoption, she had to pick the best one.

Only if this child was outstanding enough to make money for the family and bring honor to it could she solidify her position in the family and keep Fang Wei under her control.

When they adopted her, Fang Zhixiao was already eleven years old. That age was considered quite old—her memories were clear, her childhood was over, and it would be hard to build emotional bonds with adoptive parents.

But Han Lijuan had visited several welfare institutes, and this child was the prettiest and smartest. She thought about it later and figured that being older was fine too—it saved her the trouble of raising her from diapers.

In the first few years, Fang Zhixiao had indeed been very useful. She said she liked dancing, so Han Lijuan sent her to learn it.

On the day Fang Zhixiao won an award in a dance competition, Fang Wei came too, and he was so happy that he treated the two of them to a big meal.

At the dinner table, when the waitress saw Fang Zhixiao with her stage makeup and complimented her, Fang Wei patted Fang Zhixiao on the shoulder: “My daughter is going to be a big star someday.”

A big star— that sounded great. Han Lijuan’s eyes lit up.

She had wanted to be a big star when she was little too. Big stars could earn more money from singing a song, dancing, or acting in a play than ordinary people could in a lifetime. Big stars could make everyone know them, see them—it was truly glorious for the family.

Han Lijuan raised both hands in approval: “Great! Let’s make her a big star!”

She put her words into action right away and set up Fang Zhixiao’s training plan that very day. Later, to let Fang Zhixiao take those classes and compete in those competitions, she spent a lot of money.

Fang Wei was a businessman, and she had learned a fair bit from watching him over the years. She knew that to get returns, you had to invest first. So the couple willingly invested money and effort, putting in no small amount of work.

Up until Fang Zhixiao turned fourteen, everything was going smoothly. Although Fang Zhixiao didn’t have big fame yet, the ads she shot and the TV dramas she guest-starred in could already be considered returns.

But suddenly, from some day on, Fang Zhixiao wasn’t good at singing anymore, nor at dancing. When they sent her for lessons, the teachers always said this child was diligent enough, just lacking a bit in talent.

Lacking talent— that nearly drove Han Lijuan mad.

Because of the lack of talent, Fang Zhixiao didn’t win any good placements in later competitions, and many collaborations fell through.

Han Lijuan refused to believe it and took her to audition for crews, to meet directors and producers, to find better teachers and more reliable connections, all the way up until today… Han Lijuan suddenly felt like giving up.

Talent was something innate; no matter how much you watered a blade of grass, it couldn’t bloom beautiful flowers.

But some people were born as flowers.

Han Lijuan was waiting for that flower.

The flower did not disappoint Han Lijuan.

When Fang Zhi emerged from the neighborhood, the sunlight fell on her like it was shining on a fairy’s wings.

She was tall and slender, graceful and poised, her eyes sparkling with life, naturally captivating.

She truly looked like the perfect daughter in every mother’s dreams, the ideal type to appear on billboards and TV screens.

Han Lijuan immediately stood up, hurried across the street, and reached Fang Zhi.

“Little friend, Auntie wants to ask you something—does Teacher Zheng Xiang, Zheng the music teacher, live here?”

Fang Zhi glanced at her, paused, and said, “I’m not sure.”

Han Lijuan clapped her palms: “Oh, I thought you were Teacher Zheng’s student! Teacher Zheng teaches music and is quite famous. You look like someone who studies music. Look, there’s even sheet music in your bag!”

There was indeed sheet music in the bag— the schoolbag.

It was too cumbersome; even Fang Zhi only carried a small bag to class, with the corners of her sheet music poking out.

“Mm.” Fang Zhi responded.

“Ah, you must be one of Teacher Zheng’s students and think Auntie here is a bad person, so you don’t want to tell me.” Han Lijuan’s eyes brimmed with amusement. “What a smart kid. Ah, it’s also my fault for not explaining clearly. I’m the parent of one of Teacher Zheng’s students—that’s why I’m asking you about it.”

Fang Zhi narrowed her eyes and finally pieced it together.

The man who had been speaking so loudly in the living room was Fang Zhixiao’s father, and the woman standing before her was her mother.

She and Fang Zhixiao had taken part in that competition together before and had briefly met her parents—just a quick exchange of greetings that hadn’t left much of an impression. But now, with all this information in front of her, the truth was plain as day.

Chen Nian had mentioned that Fang Zhixiao had once tried to fish for details about her competition piece. Now, eyeing the woman in front of her, Fang Zhi was certain she had the same ulterior motive.

“Auntie, your daughter is Fang Zhixiao, isn’t she?” Fang Zhi asked point-blank.

The woman blinked in surprise. “Ah, you know Zhixiao?”

“We were classmates.” Fang Zhi glanced at the phone clutched in the woman’s hand. “Fang Zhixiao knows where Teacher Zheng lives. You and she both have phones, so there’s no need to ask me.”

Han Lijuan froze for a moment. Fang Zhi brushed past her and headed toward the bus stop. As soon as Han Lijuan snapped out of it, she hurried after her.

She hurriedly fished a business card from her pocket and pressed it into Fang Zhi’s hand. “Here, classmate—take my contact info. If you run into any study troubles later, we can stay in touch.”

Fang Zhi stared at the woman’s beaming face, squeezed the card in her palm, and suddenly curved her lips into a sly smile.

“Sure.” Fang Zhi said.

The woman halted, delighted, and was about to say more when the bus rolled into the station. Fang Zhi boarded without a backward glance.

She tore the business card to shreds and dropped the pieces into the trash bin. That “sure” hadn’t been a promise to keep in touch.

No, it was just that her fighting spirit had suddenly been roused—like two years earlier, when Fang Zhixiao had regarded her with that breezy air of provocation.

Fang Zhi had made up her mind: she would enter the Super New Star Contest.