Chapter 15: Instructions for Using Meng Qiu

“Uncle Lin.”

Once they were outside the school, Chen Shian naturally switched to calling Lin Ming “Uncle Lin.”

He lifted the boxed meals in his hand and said, “You probably haven’t had dinner yet, have you, Uncle Lin? I just picked up two meals from the canteen—how about we eat together over by the rental place?”

“You’re very thoughtful, Shian.” Lin Ming waved his hand with a smile. “But I’m meeting with my supervisor for dinner tonight. I’ll show you the apartment, but then I have to head out. Next time you come to my place, I’ll cook you a proper meal.”

“I didn’t expect Uncle Lin to be handy in the kitchen. I’ll definitely have to taste your cooking then.”

Lin Ming laughed at that. “I grew up in the countryside. Kids from my generation, especially in rural areas, all had to cook. Whether it’s any good is another story.”

The rental apartment wasn’t far from the school, so Lin Ming didn’t drive. He walked with Chen Shian instead, letting him get familiar with the neighborhood. They chatted idly as they made their way to the school gate.

“So, Uncle Lin, since you rented out the old place, where are you living now?” Chen Shian asked.

“Also close to the school,” Lin Ming answered, pointing left from the school gate. “I live in that housing complex now.” He then pointed right. “The apartment you’ll see is on the other side, in the older buildings.”

Both places were within a ten-minute walk. Chen Shian estimated it would take him just over ten minutes to get to school on foot.

“And does Mengqiu also commute every day?”

Lin Ming paused, then smiled. “She lives on campus. I’m busy with work and can’t cook for her, and since I was allocated a teacher’s dorm, she stays there. If she needs anything, I bring it to her.”

After a moment, his curiosity got the better of him. “Did Mengqiu mention to you that I’m her father?”

“She didn’t, but I could tell from the resemblance between you two.”

“Haha, Shian, you have a good eye!”

Since they’d brought up Lin Mengqiu, the conversation naturally turned to her as they strolled onward.

“Are you settling in at school? Mengqiu hasn’t caused you any trouble, has she?” Principal Lin asked.

“Everything’s been fine.”

Of course, Principal Lin knew his daughter’s temperament—assigning Chen Shian to sit next to her and asking her to help was already pushing it. If she didn’t give him the cold shoulder, that was good enough.

“My wife passed away early, and I’ve always been busy at work. Mengqiu has been independent since she was young, but she’s not very good at dealing with people. Apart from reading and studying, she doesn’t have other hobbies, and she doesn’t have many friends…”

There was a note of concern in his voice. “I’m not worried about her grades, but I always wonder whether it’s good or bad for her to be this way…”

Chen Shian listened quietly. He didn’t know Lin Mengqiu well enough to comment.

After all, everyone has a different reference point, and each person’s place in another’s heart is different.

“What do you think, Shian?”

“…My experience is far behind my master’s, so I’m afraid I can’t offer you much advice, Uncle Lin.”

“You’re too modest. If your master was willing to entrust the temple to you, he must have believed in your abilities. I’d like to hear what a young person thinks.”

“What you mentioned just now, Uncle Lin, is really just a matter of comparison. Perhaps it isn’t the real her. I believe that whatever Mengqiu wants to be, whatever kind of life she wants to live, as long as she’s comfortable and has no regrets, that’s enough.”

Chen Shian paused. “Not every choice has to be the right one. She can choose what she likes if she wants to. Besides, life is long, and she’s still young. What seems ‘correct’ now might not really be right.”

Principal Lin fell silent, pondering what Chen Shian had said.

He’d heard many people comment on his daughter over the years—some praised her grades and independence, others said she was cold or lacked social skills.

No one, though, had ever said, “As long as she likes it, that’s enough.”

That understanding and acceptance, in just a few words, made Lin Ming, as a father, feel a little ashamed by comparison.

He found himself looking at Chen Shian with new respect—for such insight to come from someone so close to his daughter’s age was impressive. If the old Daoist had said it, he wouldn’t have been surprised, but for a youth to say it…

“You make a good point, Shian.”

Principal Lin nodded, smiling. “If I didn’t know you’d only just met today, I’d think you’d known each other for years. It’s true—young people understand each other better.”

“You flatter me, Uncle Lin,” Chen Shian replied politely. “It’s just a common view. No one understands Mengqiu better than you do.”

Upright, calm, and modest, with a pleasant way of speaking—Lin Ming found himself liking this young man more and more.

“That’s true. I know my daughter. She seems cold, but she’s soft-hearted underneath. Don’t be afraid of her—if you don’t understand something in your studies, just ask her. She won’t turn you away.”

“I just worry that I’ll annoy her and she’ll want to change seats,” Chen Shian joked lightly.

“She wouldn’t dare—if she does, I’ll take your side!”

…

While Lin Mengqiu was busy compiling her “Desk Mate Survival Assessment List,” little did she know that Chen Shian was already getting a “Mengqiu User Manual” from her father.

As desk mates—perhaps the most special student relationship in school—they’d be together through much of the coming years. Chen Shian valued this. He didn’t need them to become close friends, just hoped they wouldn’t part on bad terms.

Of course, if they did, it simply meant they weren’t suited as desk mates. No matter what, it wouldn’t bother him.

In his eyes, internal conflict simply didn’t exist.

As they chatted, they arrived at the apartment complex.

“This place is a bit old. I bought it when I first started working.”

“Back then there was a school subsidy, so it was cheap. More than twenty years have passed, and the buildings are all worn now.”

Chen Shian and the cat in his bag both took in their surroundings, while Principal Lin gave a brief introduction.

“The buildings are a bit shabby now, but the environment is decent. There are all sorts of little shops nearby, and a farmers’ market a few hundred meters west. Most importantly, it’s close to the school. Since you’ve decided to commute, you might as well live here—it’s convenient. There’s no elevator, though, and it’s on the ninth floor, so you’ll have to climb a lot.”

“Uncle Lin, I think it’s great. I don’t mind the stairs—when I was in the mountains, a single trip up and down took more than an hour.”

Chen Shian wasn’t just being polite; he truly thought the place was quite good.

This complex, though old, was clean and tidy, with convenient facilities. Climbing stairs was nothing to him.

“Did you used to live here, Uncle Lin?”

“I did for a few years. After I got married, we moved, and I rented this place out.”

Climbing the stairs revealed the difference in stamina between the generations. Chen Shian, burdened with a fat cat and luggage, ascended as if walking on level ground, while Lin Ming, talking as he climbed, soon found himself out of breath.

“Whew—once you hit middle age, you need goji berries in your thermos…”

“You should take care of yourself, Uncle Lin.”

“Whew—my place is at the top, so the rent is cheap: three bedrooms and a living room for twelve hundred a month.”

“How much do the other apartments cost?” Chen Shian asked, curious.

“Around two thousand. Even if they’re old and small, they’re in a school district, with good transport and amenities.”

“So yours is really a bargain at twelve hundred, even as a top-floor unit.”

“That’s right. I have no need to sell, so I just keep renting it out. Most tenants are young people who just graduated and don’t have much money. If I think they’re decent, I let them rent it—it’s my way of helping out, in a small way.”

“Uncle Lin, you’re truly generous,” Chen Shian said, clasping his hands in admiration.

“It’s just what I can do—a small effort.” Principal Lin waved it off, but he looked pleased.

“We had opportunities back then. As long as you were healthy and had some education and drive, you could always make a living. Times are different now—young people have it tough. I help where I can.”

Most of what Lin Ming said was foreign to Chen Shian. Having lived most of his life in the mountains, this journey down into the world was truly broadening his horizons.

At last, they reached the ninth floor and stopped at a door marked “901.”

“Here we are.” Lin Ming wiped his brow. “I didn’t bring the spare key, but the young lady renting the place should be home—she called me after work.”

He rapped his knuckles on the door. “Xiao Li? Are you home? It’s your landlord, Uncle Lin!”

“Coming, coming!”

Hearing the clear reply from inside, Chen Shian blinked, quickly searching his memory for a certain woman’s face and features.

That voice… It’s actually her!