Su Yi, having experienced the pain of losing a loved one, couldn't help but gently pat her back, remaining silent, allowing her to vent all the pent-up emotions in her heart.
"Hello, may I ask if this is the home of Mr. Chu Zhengliang?"
While Chu Wan was sobbing uncontrollably in Su Yi's arms, a middle-aged woman wearing glasses knocked on the door from outside.
"It is Mr. Chu's home. What can I do for you?"
Su Yi asked, glancing at the middle-aged woman.
The middle-aged woman said,
"My name is Hao Hongmei, and I am Chu Wan's teacher. For the past three consecutive days, Chu Wan hasn't come to school for singing practice. I've been trying to call her father, Mr. Chu, but couldn't get through. I was worried something might have happened, so I came to check based on the home address Chu Wan registered before..."
"Teacher Hao?"
Chu Wan heard Hao Hongmei's voice and lifted her head from Su Yi's arms.
Hao Hongmei was startled to see her tear-stained face and reddened eyes. She quickly walked in from outside and asked,
"Chu Wan, what happened to you...?"
She couldn't finish her question.
Because when she looked up and saw the black and white photo on the living room wall, she understood everything.
"This..."
She sighed helplessly, walked closer, gently embraced Chu Wan, and softly comforted her,
"Don't be too sad, you still have your teacher."
She had witnessed many uncertainties in life throughout her lifetime.
Chu Wan was a student she was very fond of, so she knew Chu Wan's family situation to some extent.
She just didn't expect such a major change to have occurred in just a few days.
"Teacher, can I stop learning to sing?"
Chu Wan understood her teacher's intention.
After a while, she stopped crying and suddenly said.
Hao Hongmei was taken aback and asked,
"Why stop learning? After the last competition, several teachers from music academies said you were very talented and planned to apply to the school for you to enter university without an exam. Haven't you always longed for university life?"
"But my dad is gone,"
Chu Wan said.
"I need to earn money, I need to support myself independently. In the future... I might not have money for tuition, and... I also need to repay Xiao Yi Ge."
"My money is not urgent,"
Su Yi said.
"It won't be too late to slowly repay me when you grow up and earn money."
Hao Hongmei looked at Chu Wan, gently stroked her smooth hair, her eyes filled with tenderness.
She wanted to say that her teacher would figure out a way for future tuition fees, but as the words reached her lips, the thought of her own family's strained circumstances flashed through her mind.
She had to swallow the words back, and softly said,
"The teacher will report to the Disabled Persons' Federation and the Women's Federation to see if we can apply for corresponding living subsidies for you, Chu Wan. Don't think so much for now. The current national policies are very good, everything... there will be a solution."
"Thank you, Teacher,"
Chu Wan said,
"But I still want to..."
"Regarding tuition, your teacher will definitely find a way,"
Hao Hongmei gritted her teeth, finally made up her mind, and interrupted Chu Wan.
"Your teacher won't allow you to drop out, nor will she allow you to give up your dreams, Chu Wan. Your teacher told you before that God is actually very fair; when He closes one window for a person, He often inadvertently opens another window in that person's heart.
Life is unpredictable, and there are many accidents that we cannot change or control. But when we discover this other window that God has opened for us.
If we don't persist and strive to push it open, then we will be forever trapped in a dark room, unable to see the sunlight, or feel the scenery outside the window, or the breeze blowing across our faces. You are a smart student; you understand what your teacher means, right?"
Chu Wan gently nodded, indicating she understood, but she was more worried that if she insisted on continuing her studies, she would burden her teacher, and she didn't want to be a burden to others.
"Teacher Hao put it very well,"
Su Yi said with a smile, seeing the change in Chu Wan's expression and knowing what she was worried about.
"It's a very fortunate thing to be able to pursue your dreams in your field of talent. I will be responsible for Chu Wan's future tuition fees, training fees, and so on. Teacher Hao can just contact me from now on."
"You are Chu Wan's..."
Hao Hongmei looked at Su Yi, who had just said that, in surprise.
In her opinion, Su Yi shouldn't be much older than Chu Wan, and it was unlikely he could afford Chu Wan's future related study expenses.
"I'm her brother,"
Su Yi said with a smile.
The time he had spent with Chu Wan wasn't actually long, and by rights, he shouldn't be taking on such a big responsibility.
But in that short time, this girl had shone into his heart like a warm, pure beam of light.
Making him instinctively want to help and protect her.
It was also possible that what he wanted to help and protect wasn't Chu Wan, but the innocent heart he once possessed, which had long since been tainted by the great dye vat of society, its original color unknown.
Furthermore, with his current financial capability, he wanted to protect this ray of warm, pure sunlight.
It would take no effort at all.
He only needed to gently extend a finger to pull Chu Wan out of that dark abyss with no visible future, allowing her to continue growing towards the sunlight.
This was the confidence and strength that immense wealth gave him.
He could easily use the wealth in his hands to change a person's fate, and he could also use it to help and protect what he considered beautiful.
This was what he believed to be the meaning of wealth, and the true power of capital!
"Xiao Yi Ge, you..."
Chu Wan was also stunned when she heard Su Yi's words.
Su Yi interrupted Chu Wan, smiling as he continued,
"You've called me 'Xiao Yi Ge' for so long; I can't let you call me in vain. As long as you wish, I will always be the umbrella above your head, shielding you from wind and rain."
"But you'd be responsible for Chu Wan's future life, and that's not a small expense,"
Hao Hongmei scrutinized Su Yi.
"Young man, it's easy to make a decision and shout a slogan, but it's very, very difficult to truly achieve it. I'm not trying to discourage you, just to remind you..."
Su Yi smiled and said,
"Teacher Hao, don't worry. I'm not the type to make empty promises or just shout slogans."
"Alas..."
Hao Hongmei sighed softly, seeing Su Yi's resolute gaze, and felt somewhat ashamed of herself.
As Chu Wan's teacher, she should have taken on the responsibility of caring for her when Chu Wan was all alone with no relatives.
However, her own family was still squeezed into a suburban rental house of less than 30 square meters, and her youngest son also had a congenital disability.
Life was tough, and she truly wanted to help but was powerless.
(End of chapter)
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