Rebirth: Daily Face Slaps - Chapter 15

On the wide grassy field, a group of elderly people were practicing Tai Chi.

Among them, one elderly man dressed in white Tai Chi clothes, with half of his hair already turned white, had just finished a set of movements. He picked up a towel draped over his shoulder to wipe the sweat from his forehead and gave a kind smile to Wang Qin and Lin Mengting, who were running towards him.

“Old Mr. Guo,” Wang Qin stopped and greeted respectfully.

Old Mr. Guo nodded and smiled, saying, “Xiao Wang, this young lady behind you looks unfamiliar. I haven’t seen her before.”

“She’s my niece,” Wang Qin replied vaguely, without giving more details about Lin Mengting’s identity. She turned her head slightly, winked at Lin Mengting, and smiled, “Tingting, greet him quickly.”

“Hello, Grandpa Guo.” Lin Mengting, who had already mastered the skill of “climbing up the social ladder,” blinked her clear black-and-white eyes and flashed a bright smile showing eight teeth. Although she felt puzzled about why this elderly man, whom she had never seen in her past or present life, gave her a sense of familiarity, she quickly suppressed her confusion.

Even though Mr. Guo had a gentle demeanor, Lin Mengting, with her lifetime of memories and experiences, keenly sensed his aura of authority, which could only be cultivated after decades of commanding presence.

Such a valuable connection was not to be missed!

Moreover, she still had her “baby fat.” Once her skin recovered, she would appear “white, soft, and cute,” an ideal look to gain favor without arousing suspicion or seeming overly calculating.

Unaware that his identity had been half-revealed in a short time, Mr. Guo smiled warmly at Lin Mengting and asked, “Young lady, what’s your name? How old are you?”

“Grandpa Guo, my name is Lin Mengting, and I am 18 years old.”

“18 years old?” Mr. Guo nodded, a flash of curiosity in his eyes about why she looked so tanned. Without hesitation, he asked, “Where do you study? Where did you go for the winter break?”

His tone, which assumed she was a naive little girl, made Lin Mengting feel a bit speechless.

However, she did not show any of this on her face and answered obediently, “I graduated from a vocational school and came to S City to work. A few months ago, I was a tour guide at a quality education base, but now I’m unemployed and looking for a new job.”

“Graduated already? What did you study?”

Whether it was because he wanted to take care of Wang Qin, whom he valued, or because Lin Mengting’s straightforward and unafraid demeanor piqued his interest, Mr. Guo continued to ask questions.

“Rehabilitation medicine,” Lin Mengting replied, then explained, “All treatments during the recovery period after a serious illness fall under what we learned. In traditional Chinese medicine, we have acupuncture, cupping, and massage. In Western medicine, there’s machine therapy, medication consolidation, and more.”

“Integrative medicine?” Mr. Guo sharply identified. “It seems you’re the kind of multidisciplinary talent needed in the new century. Not bad, not bad!”

After saying “not bad” twice, Mr. Guo nodded slightly and smiled, asking, “So, do you plan to work in a hospital or a rehabilitation center?”

“Neither,” Lin Mengting shook her head and explained with a smile, “To become a qualified doctor, one needs not only a hardworking spirit, meticulous attitude, extensive theoretical knowledge, and skilled practice but also a lifelong passion for learning and improvement. And all this is based on an interest in medicine. I always believe that if one can work in a field they are passionate about, no matter what difficulties they encounter, they can persevere and eventually reach the peak they aspire to.”

After this lengthy explanation, in essence, her answer was a simple “No!”

Wang Qin, who had been standing quietly by the side, listening to the exchange between Mr. Guo and Lin Mengting, almost couldn’t resist lashing out at Lin Mengting.

So foolish!

A rare good opportunity was wasted by Lin Mengting herself!

Clearly, Mr. Guo didn’t expect Lin Mengting to be such an unpredictable girl. He looked at her in astonishment and silently swallowed the words he was about to say.

Initially, he thought Wang Qin brought her niece to meet him by chance, hoping he could help Lin Mengting get a good job at a well-paying and well-benefitted rehabilitation center frequented by military, political, and business elites.

“In ancient times, literary greats would ‘abandon the pen for the sword’ or ‘abandon medicine for literature.’ Today, I also intend to follow in the footsteps of my predecessors. I do not seek to reach their heights but merely hope that when I look back on my life, I can say without regret.”

Many thoughts crossed Mr. Guo’s mind. In the end, he looked at Wang Qin with admiration and said, “Your niece is a good girl.”

“You’re too kind, Mr. Guo.” Wang Qin managed a shallow smile, shook her head, and suppressed her frustration deep within, showing no sign of it as she said, “This little girl is always up to mischief with her seemingly obedient and clever appearance. You wouldn’t believe it; this morning, she was discussing the differences between self-study exams and adult education degrees with me…”

After revealing everything Lin Mengting had said, Wang Qin glared at her and added, “Look at her! Who would aim straight for the convenience of adult education and be ready to take shortcuts!”

“If there’s a shortcut, why take the long way?” Lin Mengting pouted, looking innocent as she said, “Besides, I plan to go to graduate school in the future, so an adult education degree doesn’t matter to me!”

After a pause, Lin Mengting added slowly, “Moreover, in a few years, both adult education and self-study degrees will be insignificant! The real trend will be ‘985’ and ‘211’ universities!”

She was referring to the impact of the university expansion policy in China.

…

After saying goodbye to Mr. Guo, on the way home, Wang Qin hesitated for a moment before saying, “Tingting, in front of others, you can’t be like this again, understand?”

“Auntie, I understand, don’t worry.” Only someone like Wang Qin, who truly cared for her, would be so concerned. If it were someone else, they would probably understand the purpose behind her actions today.

“Fortunately, Mr. Guo is broad-minded and always keen to support the younger generation; otherwise, you!” Wang Qin shook her head again, her lips moved as if to say something more, but she couldn’t find the words.

In the end, Wang Qin sighed deeply, deciding to discuss with her husband how to slightly adjust Lin Mengting’s personality.

—Even if she remained straightforward, she couldn’t let opportunities slip through her fingers!