Chapter 589 – Yu Shuping
The student who came to see her was a young girl from her class, usually quite shy and not very talkative during class.
Lu Xia didn’t have a strong impression of her, knowing only that her academic performance in the class was average and recalling her name.
So she smiled and asked, “Student Yu, do you need something from the teacher?”
Yu Shuping lowered her head, seemingly a bit hesitant to speak, and finally mustered the courage to say under Lu Xia’s encouraging gaze, “Teacher, I heard that you have part-time opportunities here that can make money. Can I do it? I want to earn some money!”
Lu Xia raised an eyebrow at this unexpected initiative from the shy student but still shook her head.
“Sorry, Student Yu, the translation work requires a high level of individual ability. You’ll need to work harder. Currently, even the top-ranked students in our class can’t do it, so I can’t promise you. After all, to get translation jobs from the magazine, they need to be satisfied. I can’t make that decision. I’ll definitely approach you when your English proficiency improves.”
Yu Shuping looked disappointed after hearing this, but she also knew there was nothing she could do. She simply gave a slight bow and was about to leave.
However, at this moment, Lu Xia stopped her, “If you want to earn money, you can do other types of work. For example, our school constantly hires students for part-time jobs through the work-study program. You can apply through your counselor.”
Yu Shuping nodded at this suggestion and said, “Thank you, Teacher,” without indicating whether she would go for it, and then left.
But after she left, Lu Xia suddenly remembered that this work-study program thing she mentioned was something the class monitor, who was also their counselor, had discussed with them at the beginning of the school year. Currently, there were a few students in the class working at the school during their free time.
Did Yu Shuping not know about this before?
Moreover, when she heard that Yu Shuping wanted to earn money, she instinctively thought that maybe she was in a difficult situation. But upon careful consideration, she realized that Yu Shuping’s appearance and clothing seemed to be quite decent. There was not a single patch on her clothes, and some were even the latest styles popular in Beijing.
She didn’t seem like she lacked money!
Then why did she say she wanted to earn money?
Or was she just trying to make the most of this learning opportunity?
Lu Xia didn’t delve deeper. Regardless of the reasons, she couldn’t betray the trust of the magazine. Those without sufficient capability definitely couldn’t be recommended to them.
However, afterward, Lu Xia observed carefully and found that Yu Shuping didn’t seem to participate in the school’s work-study program. Later, she discreetly asked the class monitor and discovered that the same few students were involved in the work-study program.
Now she understood. Yu Shuping probably wasn’t in financial need. Perhaps she just wanted to see if she could take on translation work, so she presented herself as a bit distressed to soften Lu Xia’s stance?
Thinking of this, Lu Xia’s impression of her soured a little…
But in the end, she didn’t single her out. She would still ask questions during class as needed, just like before.
After that, Yu Shuping didn’t approach her again. Lu Xia didn’t know if she was striving to improve her skills.
Lu Xia didn’t dwell on this matter.
However, it was quite a coincidence that one weekend on her way to the company, she unexpectedly saw Yu Shuping. She was walking with a man, and they seemed very close, indicating their relationship was not simple.
Lu Xia wasn’t very surprised; after all, it was normal for college students to have relationships.
However, the man didn’t seem to have remarkable conditions. Lu Xia couldn’t clearly make out his appearance, but he looked quite ordinary and fairly built, not resembling a student.
However, she wasn’t their counselor, and university students were already adults, aware of what they were doing. So, she didn’t pay much attention and continued on her way.
Yu Shuping probably didn’t notice her.
*
Chapter 590 – Already Married
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Not long after, during one of Lu Xia’s classes, she noticed Yu Shuping crying with her head on the desk.
To avoid disrupting the class, she didn’t ask much, but she planned to check on her after the class. However, once the class was over, Yu Shuping had already disappeared.
Lu Xia could only let it go.
However, after class, Zhao Mingzhao, the monitor of Class 1, informed her about Yu Shuping’s situation while handing over the assignments she had assigned.
“Oh, Classmate Yu, the poor thing. She’s from a remote rural area where her parents favor boys over girls. Despite her excellent academic performance, her family didn’t allow her to attend school. Later, the village chief saw an opportunity and pressured Yu Shuping into marrying his son, promising that her family would support her education. She had no choice but to agree…
“After getting into Peking University, the village chief was still worried and sent his son along with her. Now he comes to the school every so often to check on her and ensure she remains faithful.”
Lu Xia was surprised upon hearing this, “Who told you about this?”
“Yu Shuping told her roommates. It’s already spreading in the class.”
Lu Xia frowned, “Then why was she crying today?”
Zhao Mingzhao explained, “It’s said that her husband is worried about her being far away and wants her to move in with him. She feels upset about it.”
Lu Xia’s brows furrowed even more upon hearing this, but she didn’t comment. After Zhao Mingzhao left, she went to find the class monitor.
The class monitor, now a counselor, had a lot more responsibilities than Lu Xia and dealt with various matters concerning the students, big and small.
When Lu Xia arrived, he was reviewing the students’ performance over this period, which was something subject teachers like Lu Xia did at regular intervals.
Seeing Lu Xia, he asked, “What brings you here? Is there a student in the class causing trouble?”
Lu Xia shook her head and told him about Yu Shuping’s situation, then asked, “Have you heard about this?”
The class monitor nodded, “Yes, I’ve heard about it and talked to Yu Shuping. However, this situation is complicated. After all, she and her husband had officially registered their marriage before she came to Beijing for her studies, making them a legally married couple. We can’t intervene much, but we can assist with matters related to the school.”
He asked, “Why are you so interested in this?”
Lu Xia thought for a moment and told him about Yu Shuping coming to her to inquire about translation work.
“I initially thought she needed money, so I suggested she find a part-time job at the school. But I later found out she didn’t pursue it.”
The class monitor furrowed his brow upon hearing this. “She didn’t mention this to me.”
Getting somewhat anxious, he continued, “Could it be she was too embarrassed to talk about it? I remember she seemed quite introverted. No, I need to ask her about this immediately.”
Seeing the class monitor about to leave, Lu Xia quickly stopped him and shared her observations about Yu Shuping’s clothing and appearance.
She added, “I don’t think she’s in financial need. There’s definitely something we don’t know about, so we should wait and see.”
Upon hearing this, the class monitor furrowed his brow again. “You’re right. We need to look into this further. I’ll find an opportunity to talk to her husband. Even though they are married, we need to consider Yu Shuping’s academic pursuits. We can’t have her feeling unsettled at school.”
Lu Xia nodded and left the matter in the hands of the class monitor. After all, he was the counselor, and he had more experience, so he should be able to figure things out.
In a few days, the class monitor approached Yu Shuping’s husband and uncovered the truth of the matter.
But upon learning the truth, his emotions were mixed.
Coincidentally, Lu Xia was quite interested in this matter, so she came over during lunch break to inquire about it.
