Seventies Sweetheart: From Breakup to Billionaire

Chapter 319: Birthday Gift

Mrs. Zhang Sr.’s words made Lin Xiang quite uneasy.Because neither she nor her original self had ever helped the teacher, it was Lin Yun and his good friend Liu You who repeatedly helped the teacher back then.

Now that Mrs. Zhang Sr. spoke like this, it’s unclear whether the teacher didn’t tell her the truth or if she already knows the truth but still wants to save face for her children.

Lin Xiang couldn’t delve into it any further, so she could only smile nervously.

As soon as Mrs. Zhang Sr. spoke, the attitudes of several sons and daughters-in-law towards Lin Xiang changed.

"I was saying, it’s been such a short time since the freshman entered college, yet you already became the chosen student. Turns out you knew each other since father was assigned away. So, you’ve had ties for quite a few years now."

"I remember when father returned, he told us that the place he was assigned to was very good. Although he lived in the cattle shed, from the leaders of the team down to the villagers, they weren’t the kind to make things difficult for others. He often met kind young comrades who helped him out. It must have been you and your sibling."

"Xiangxiang, back in Li Hua Team, thanks to you taking care of him, otherwise, who knows how much suffering father would have endured. You’re not only father’s student but also a benefactor to our entire family!"

No matter how genuine these people’s words are, at least they won’t make things difficult for Lin Xiang in person.

She wasn’t afraid of being made difficult; if she heard anything unpleasant, she’d retort on the spot.

But these people are the teacher’s children, she had to hold back for the teacher’s sake. Fortunately, everyone’s attitude towards her improved a lot, so she didn’t have to force herself to endure.

Lin Xiang glanced at the teacher secretly, who gave her a "calm" look.

The room was filled with laughter and cheer again, until Lin Xiang handed her gift to Mr. Zhang Sr.

Mr. Zhang Sr. glanced at her and reproached, "Didn’t I tell you not to give gifts?"

"This is my first time to celebrate the teacher’s birthday, how could I come empty-handed? However, the senior sister has already conveyed your wishes to me, so I didn’t spend money on it. This gift is handcrafted by me, teacher, please take a look before you say anything?"

Mr. Zhang Sr. took the elegantly packaged box from Lin Xiang amidst the hopeful expectations of everyone in the room. He tore open the packaging, revealing the notebook inside.

"Why is it just a notebook?" Aunt Zhang muttered softly, "How stingy! Giving a notebook is worse than not giving anything!"

Uncle Zhang pulled his wife aside, "Nobody would mistake you for a mute if you don’t speak."

"I’m just telling the truth! And this notebook doesn’t look like it’s newly bought..."

"Marvelous, simply marvelous!"

While Aunt Zhang was complaining, Mr. Zhang Sr. had already opened the notebook.

Indeed, the notebook wasn’t new, but it was filled with dense writing.

It was all the methods compiled by Lin Xiang for learning foreign languages.

These methods were angles Mr. Zhang Sr. had never thought of before.

"Foreign languages can be learned like this?" Mr. Zhang Sr. couldn’t help but exclaim, "If I had known this method earlier, I wouldn’t have taken detours for decades!"

Lin Xiang thought to herself, the methods she wrote down were typical learning modes for students of later generations.

However, they seemed quite advanced in the seventies.

Seeing Mr. Zhang Sr. holding the notebook with tears in his eyes, Lin Xiang was also touched.

She wanted to say that if it weren’t for the older generations like Mr. Zhang Sr., paving a solid path, later students wouldn’t have such shortcuts.

"Time is limited, so I only focused on writing the most important and efficient ones. If the teacher finds my methods useful, I’ll organize them thoroughly later; there are more methods applicable to any foreign language."

Although the country mainly focuses on studying Russian and English now, the Foreign Language University also teaches minor languages.

In a time when most people in Hua Country considered it a rather obscure field, many keen individuals already sensed the benefits of learning foreign languages.

Lin Xiang was quite clear in her career planning.

If she couldn’t return, she’d make money from a business while buying houses and courtyards, and after graduating from university, she’d apply to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She always wanted to contribute something to this era.

Lin Xiang’s words made Mr. Zhang Sr. both excited and somewhat regretful.

"It’s a pity you’re just a freshman, and so young. Otherwise, based solely on your study plan, I could completely have you teach at the Foreign Language University!"

But Lin Xiang’s aspiration wasn’t to be a teacher, "Being a teacher or not isn’t important; the important thing is that students can learn these methods to master the subject faster and more proficiently, producing more professional talents for the country, that’s enough."

In the room, aside from the conversation between Lin Xiang and Mr. Zhang Sr., others remained silent.

They didn’t know why the topic suddenly elevated to such heights.

They didn’t even dare interrupt, fearing they might say something wrong and be scolded by the hot-tempered old father.

While chatting, the door was unlocked from outside with a key.

"Grandpa, I’m back!" A crisp female voice came from the doorway, "I brought my friend to celebrate your birthday; you don’t mind, do you?"

Seeing Mr. Zhang Sr.’s furrowed brows that seemed capable of crushing a fly, Aunt Zhang hastily said, "Dad, Maoting just wanted to have more people wish you well, you won’t be upset, will you?"

"Aunt, you didn’t say that earlier." Geng Zhiyuan straightforwardly interjected, "When I brought Lin Xiang back, without knowing she was grandpa’s student, you lambasted the two of us. Now Maoting brings a classmate without prior notice, how can you speak up for her?"

"It was agreed this was a family banquet, no outsiders allowed. Maoting violated the elders’ rule, and you, as a mother, still speak up for her—isn’t that a bit unreasonable?"

"Maoyan, who permits you to speak to elders like this? How insolent!" Grandma Zhang said symbolically, yet one couldn’t hear any anger in her voice.

Evidently, even Grandma Zhang tacitly agreed with what her eldest granddaughter said!

Although they all agreed not to bring outsiders, and though Maoting was out of line, one couldn’t completely disregard a direct granddaughter’s dignity in front of outsiders.

But how could the second house head voluntarily seek criticism?

Being rebuked by a niece could only be blamed on having a loose tongue!

While talking, Zhang Maoting already brought her friend in.

Although she knew bringing outsiders without permission was wrong, once she saw the stranger sitting next to Grandma, Zhang Maoting suddenly felt emboldened.

"Grandpa Grandma, let me introduce you, this is my best friend from university, her name is Wang Lijing."