Chapter 15: Is Lin Qiongqiong from a Reclusive Family?
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Lin Qiongqiong’s approach was clear: she favored nepotism, first recruiting those in her field with whom she had good relations. After all, she was the one paying; she couldn’t afford to be mistreated.
Soon, news spread within the College of Chemistry and Biology that Professor Gu Xizhu’s lab was hiring, offering a salary of five thousand a month. Alongside this, word got out that Lin Qiongqiong had invested tens of millions to upgrade Gu Xizhu’s laboratory equipment.
In dormitory 306 at Zhiyuan Garden, Lin Qiongqiong had just inserted her key when Liu Xuan opened the door for her.
“Qiongqiong, I heard your family got relocated?”
Liu Xuan, clearly aware of Lin Qiongqiong’s extravagant spending on lab equipment, looked at her with envy and ingratiation.
“Yeah.”
Lin Qiongqiong placed her bag on the table, and Liu Xuan eagerly pulled out a chair for her.
Liu Xuan asked, with a hint of jealousy, “Your family must have gotten tens of millions from the relocation, right? Otherwise, how could you be so generous, spending that much on Professor Gu’s lab upgrades?”
Nearby, Yan Zhiqing frowned and said, “If you really got tens of millions from relocation, would you be willing to give someone else ten million?”
Yan came from a top-tier family, yet her father wouldn’t even give her ten million. Gu Xizhu and Lin Qiongqiong weren’t related, so even if it was for graduate studies, Lin Qiongqiong wouldn’t have spent ten million on him.
Lin Qiongqiong herself thought that her spending couldn’t be explained by relocation or winning the lottery, so she might as well not make up stories.
“Yeah, Qiongqiong, did your family really get relocated?” Liu Xuan asked suspiciously.
Lin Qiongqiong shrugged, “I don’t know, that’s what my family told me.”
She trusted that the free scholar would clarify everything for her!
Yan Zhiqing looked doubtful, “Could your family be one of those secretive clans?”
Lin Qiongqiong almost choked on her water.
Her family had been farmers for three generations, all working the land!
When she spent a hundred thousand, others thought she was being kept by someone.
But when she spent ten million, no one dared to think anything dirty anymore.
Indeed, money was a wonderful thing. If having money couldn’t earn you respect, it just meant you didn’t have enough!
Seeing Lin Qiongqiong smile without answering, Yan Zhiqing was shocked.
Could she really be from a secretive clan? And yet she had previously offended Lin Qiongqiong for Xu Ruyin?
Liu Xuan stopped probing further, focusing instead on what she could gain immediately.
“Qiongqiong, Professor Gu’s lab is still hiring. I heard you recruited Chu Miaojing and An Ling. Why not take me along too?”
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Lin Qiongqiong raised an eyebrow at her. “You?”
Liu Xuan grinned shamelessly, “My grades have always been good. You know, it’s better to keep the benefits in the family. I was tricked by Xu Ruyin before and misunderstood you, but now I apologize. Please, Qiongqiong, be magnanimous and forget my past mistakes.”
Lin Qiongqiong chuckled lightly. “You’re quite thick-skinned, huh?”
Liu Xuan caught the sarcasm but wasn’t offended; instead, she continued to flatter her.
However, Lin Qiongqiong coldly refused, “I won’t take you or Yan Zhiqing. Our lab doesn’t tolerate thankless traitors.”
Liu Xuan’s expression darkened, embarrassed and angry. “It’s just five thousand a month! What’s so special about it? I can find internships on my own!”
Yan Zhiqing didn’t care much about the five thousand, but she was wary of Lin Qiongqiong’s family background. Hearing her call them traitors, she dared not argue, just hoping Lin Qiongqiong wouldn’t target her family out of dislike.
...
Saturday afternoon, after the rain cleared.
Lin Qiongqiong entered a villa community to tutor as usual.
The little girl she tutored was only in fifth grade but very smart. However, her parents were quite competitive, having her study middle school material early. Lin Qiongqiong taught her all subjects plus advanced math.
The father was generous, paying Lin Qiongqiong one thousand for a five-hour session. Previously, that was her entire monthly food budget. Now, with the luxury system linked, she could save her own earnings separately.
Midway through the lesson, the lady of the house came in carrying a fruit tray.
“Teacher, Lele, have some fruit first.”
Lin Qiongqiong, not used to eating in others’ homes, was about to politely decline, when the girl angrily pushed the lady away.
“I don’t want fruit! Bad woman, go away!”
The fruit tray fell to the floor, and Madam Yu, wearing heels, twisted her ankle and fell.
“Madam!”
The maid rushed in to help her up.
“Miss, Madam was cutting fruit for you and accidentally cut her hand. How can you be so ungrateful?”
Yu Lele cried after being scolded, clutching Lin Qiongqiong.
Lin Qiongqiong was speechless.
As a tutor, she had seen many family disputes and usually kept quiet, but she hadn’t expected the little girl to cling to her and cry.
Madam Yu was helped up and looked helplessly at Lin Qiongqiong.
“Teacher Lin, this child usually listens to you. Please say something to her.”
Lin Qiongqiong forced a gentle tone, coaxing, “Lele, be good, don’t cry. Your mother is hurt, you shouldn’t push her away.”
But Yu Lele snapped fiercely, “Teacher, she’s not my mother!”
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Lin Qiongqiong was stunned. “Huh?”
Yu Lele, eyes red, said, “My mother was killed by her. She took my father, sleeps in my mother’s room, wears my mother’s clothes, and wants to take what my mother left me!”
Lin Qiongqiong didn’t know what to say and silently observed.
At that moment, Yu Lele hugged her arm tightly.
“Teacher, will you be my mother?”
Lin Qiongqiong: !
Damn, kid, don’t bite the hand that feeds you!
She quickly withdrew her arm and looked at Madam Yu, only to find a sharp glint in her eyes.
“Teacher Lin, is this how you teach children?”
Lin Qiongqiong thought it best not to continue tutoring here.
“I only teach Lele academically. Nothing else. Madam Yu, today’s lesson will end here. At four hundred for two hours, please settle the payment before I leave.”
Yu Lele immediately clung to Lin Qiongqiong, crying out, “Mom, don’t go! Don’t leave Lele with that bad woman!”
Lin Qiongqiong almost cried herself. “Let go, I’m still a baby myself—I can’t have a kid that big!”
Indeed, money was not so easy to earn.
The child was usually well-behaved during class but now suddenly wanted to adopt someone else as her mother?
After finally freeing herself, Lin Qiongqiong quickly escaped the room.
Madam Yu returned to her previous gentle demeanor and said, “Teacher Lin, wait here a moment. I’ll get your payment.”
Madam Yu always paid tutoring fees in cash.
At first, Lin Qiongqiong had politely suggested electronic transfer, since it was more convenient nowadays, but Madam Yu smiled shyly and said she was a housewife with no money in her bank account—she usually used cash given by her husband.
Lin Qiongqiong could only accept the cash reluctantly and deposit it later.
While waiting in the living room, Mr. Yu came home and frowned upon seeing Lin Qiongqiong.
“Teacher Lin, why aren’t you tutoring Lele?”
Hearing crying behind the closed door of Lele’s room, he frowned even more.
At this moment, Madam Yu came out with the cash, handing four hundred to Lin Qiongqiong.
She explained to her husband, “Lele threw a tantrum again, so I sent Teacher Lin home early.”
As she spoke, she glanced at the cabinet.
“Oh, I just put the longevity lock on the cabinet, didn’t I?”