During almost every weekend, Qiao Nan would come up with a Science test paper that was catered to Zhu Baoguo.
“Oh.” Already used to the revision method of Qiao Nan, Zhu Baoguo consciously took out his pen and started to work on the questions. Elder Lee, who came downstairs with the excuse of getting some water to drink, saw this and felt very comforted and relieved.
After the mid-term exam, when he saw the few test papers that Zhu Baoguo had failed, one could imagined Elder Lee’s huge disappointment.
Clearly he had known that his grandson had never learned well. He also told himself more than once that, by letting his grandson learn from Qiao Nan, he just wanted to tame his temper and prevent him from getting into trouble.
However, at this juncture, Elder Lee was inevitably hopeful.
But dreams are often beautiful and reality cruel. The grandson’s flunking of the tests was undoubtedly a slap in the faces of both the Zhu and the Lee family.
For this reason, Elder Lee picked a time to speak to Qiao Nan. “Nan Nan, what do you think of Baoguo’s progress, can he catch up?”
“Elder Lee, Zhu Baoguo is actually quite intelligent. It is not difficult for him to catch up. Judging that at the beginning of next year, most of his results will be improved.” Qiao Nan replied with certainty.
Elder Lee smiled bitterly. “Nan Nan, you’re still a child. Don’t talk to me so diplomatically like an adult. You also don’t need to comfort me. Tell me the truth. I have heard about Baoguo’s mid-term exam results, he did not pass any subjects.”
“Elder Lee, I am not comforting you. You don’t know Zhu Baoguo’s situation. That’s why you only looked at his marks. Zhu Baoguo’s mid-term exam grades may be a failure in your eyes but they are no different from scoring full marks in my opinion.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Zhu Baoguo did not go to school in junior high school. As primary school is not difficult, Zhu Baoguo picked them up very quickly. But picking up the knowledge of junior high school is certainly not as easy. That test paper of Zhu Baoguo, he got every question that I had taught before correct. For those that have not been taught, it is not realistic to expect him to answer them correctly or score well in the test.” Qiao Nan felt that she was in a difficult position. “Grandpa Lee, you may not quite understand, putting aside junior high school, even in primary school, the loss of any knowledge will result in difficulty in catching up, these students are easily given up by teachers. Zhu Baoguo is learning very swiftly now, his IQ is certainly not low.”
“Grandpa Lee, did you criticize Zhu Baoguo because of the mid-term exam? If so, then you have wronged Zhu Baoguo.”
“No, I didn’t.” Elder Lee was stunned as he listened. He did not expect that a failed test paper could give so much insight.
That means that although his grandson failed the exams, he had not done badly; in fact, he had done well. “Nan Nan, is what you are saying true, Baoguo is really so smart that you would give him full marks for these few tests?”
Elder Lee was someone open-minded. He initially did not understand, but after listening to Qiao Nan, he understood.
“A full 100 marks. If Zhu Baoguo continued to study seriously from the beginning, his grades will not be bad, and he will be well-liked by the teachers as he could grasp concepts at his fingertips. You know my situation, Grandpa Lee, but I never had the feeling that Zhu Baoguo was wasting my time, Zhu Baoguo can learn things without much effort. Basically, he understood whatever I have taught him just once, and answered the questions correctly.”
Anyway, she had never been a teacher, but after teaching Zhu Baoguo, she had never been in a bad mood.
Which teacher would not like a student that understood at the first attempt?
Elder Lee, who just picked up the responsibility of a grandfather, was grinning from ear to ear, when he heard Qiao Nan’s praise on Zhu Baoguo. “Is Baoguo really so good?”
To put it bluntly, it was the Zhu family who did not know how to bring up the kids. See how good Baoguo is now after being taken in hand by the Lee family.
“Good.” Qiao Nan nodded. “Actually Zhu Baoguo’s temper is a bit stubborn and he is very sensitive. Grandpa Lee should understand the reason more than me. People like Zhu Bao, you have to use the soft approach and coax him, don’t always question, criticize or look at him with disappointment. This is not fair and will make let Zhu Baoguo feel rebellious. Grandpa Lee, if you have the time, go and buy some books on Teen psychology. I think it hasn’t been easy for Zhu Baoguo.”
Elder Lee smiled. “You’re a mature little one, you talk with with logic as though you know more than me. What book? Teen psychology, fine, next time I’ll send someone to buy some for me to read. Baoguo did not have it easy, but you have a more difficult life than Baoguo.”
Through his grandson, Elder Lee already knew that the rescue of his grandson had caused so much trouble for Qiao Nan.
Fortunately, the teachers trusted Qiao Nan. Otherwise, Qiao Nan would be criticized instead of commended that day in the school.
“No, I feel that I am living quite well now. My Dad recently… Grandpa Lee, thank you.” Qiao Nan could feel that his father had been tightening his reign over her mother. Her mother no longer assigned household chores to her to cause her to have less time to study. Most importantly, she also stopped addressing her as the wretched girl, at least before her.
In this world, her father was the only person that could suppress her mother, and Elder Lee was the one who made her father realize it.
“Nan Nan, probably the best thing that I have done for Baoguo, is to have found him a little teacher like you. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, don’t hesitate to come to Grandpa, understand?” Elder Lee, who knew that Ding Jiayi had the notion of wanting Qiao Nan to quit school and work, was afraid that the saga had not ended.
“Thank you Grandpa Lee. But for the sake of Zhu Baoguo, the things that we talked about today, Grandpa Lee can also let the Zhu family know. You must not only dote on him, but also assure him.” Their conversation ended with this advice of Qiao Nan.
Elder Lee went back and thought carefully about Qiao Nan’s words. .The more he thought about it, the more he felt that there was a point.
Everyone goes through the stage of being young and foolish, Elder Lee thought how he felt at the time when he was still young, and he really understood the meaning of Qiao Nan’s words.
True enough, the Zhu and Lee family co-operated with one another. Even if they were unable to change their attitude towards Zhu Baoguo, they could not deny that under this atmosphere, Zhu Baoguo’s temper had toned down. Unlike the past, he would no longer jump and get angry at the slightest issue.
Elder Lee drank his freshly brewed tea and went upstairs at a leisurely pace, avoiding creating any disturbance for the two that were learning.
When Qiao Nan finished her tuition with Zhu Baoguo and went home, she did not see Qiao Zijin. Qiao Nan was not surprised. However, even Ding Jiayi was not home. “Dad, did Mom send Sister to school?”
“No, the school rang and asked your Mom to make a trip to the school.”
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