Chapter 41: Reincarnation in Three Lives
Lin Ning's second life began in an ordinary middle-class family.
She was particularly rebellious from a young age and didn't like studying. Naturally, she failed the high school entrance exam and didn't get into a regular high school.
With her family's help, Lin Ning took the vocational route to a bachelor's degree, eventually earning a degree in early childhood education, and then returned to her hometown to become a kindergarten teacher, arranged by her relatives.
As the birth rate declines, the kindergarten staff is dramatically shrinking, leaving behind those who have connections but lack responsibility.
Although Lin Ning was not great at studying, she was quite adept at taking care of people.
The children all liked her, and the parents respected her, so much so that she gained a reputation locally. Many families went out of their way to make connections to have their children attend this kindergarten and be taught by 'Teacher Lin Ning.'
The only thing the parents didn't understand was why Teacher Lin Ning was still single and unmarried.
Logically speaking, such a pretty and gentle girl, who likes taking care of children (indicating she is likely willing to have kids after marriage), should be pursued by many men.
Thinking it over, it could only be attributed to Teacher Lin Ning's low educational background. Those with better qualifications might not be interested in her, while those of similar social status often seem not quite a match for her, given her impeccable appearance and personality.
As she was approaching the age of thirty, her parents also started to feel restless.
So, many people began introducing potential matches for Lin Ning, but she always politely declined, smiling, saying she wasn't planning to date anytime soon.
In fact, Lin Ning herself couldn't explain why she felt this way. She wasn't an advocate of singlehood or childlessness but just found herself uninterested in any of the men around her.
As the seasons changed, a new semester began.
The kindergarten welcomed a new batch of children, and Lin Ning became busy once more, putting aside any thoughts of finding a partner.
There was a shy little boy named 'Yan Yuanjia' who was quiet but very well-mannered and sensible, causing Lin Ning to give him special attention.
That afternoon, after the kindergarten had dismissed, all the other children had been picked up, leaving only Yan Yuanjia alone in the classroom reading a book. Lin Ning took a glance and found it was the text-only version of "Dream of the Red Chamber."
"Do you understand the words?" Lin Ning asked in surprise.
"I can barely understand them." Yan Yuanjia said without looking up, "Mom taught me the first 1,000 commonly used Chinese characters, and once I remembered them, I had no problem reading most books. The Four Great Classical Novels can be a bit challenging, but thanks to the use of vernacular, it's not too hard. 'Records of the Grand Historian' is really difficult; I haven't understood it yet."
Lin Ning laughed awkwardly to herself, wondering if children were now growing up so precociously or if the parents were pushing for advanced education.
She suddenly found herself interested in Yan Yuanjia's parents.
Half an hour later, Yan Yuanjia's father finally arrived late, apologizing to Teacher Lin Ning for holding her up after work and thanking her for taking care of his son.
Lin Ning smiled and said it was no trouble, discreetly assessing his appearance.
He was handsome.
Not the kind of meticulously beautiful pretty boy from TV, but one who possessed the elegance and charm unique to successful individuals. As her colleagues who were obsessed with celebrities and handsome men would say, "His sex appeal is off the charts, sister."
Under the pretext of facilitating future communication about the child, Lin Ning and he added each other as friends, and she learned his name was Yan Yu, an entrepreneur currently building his business, already married, with a wife who was a university professor.
Upon learning that he was married, Lin Ning felt slightly upset, but she realized it made sense: they have a child, so how could he not be married?
The two quickly became friends.
Most of the time, it was Lin Ning who initiated conversation with Yan Yu, talking about Yan Yuanjia's behavior in kindergarten.
Yan Yu didn't think much of it, even expressing his appreciation for Teacher Lin Ning's dedication, which increased his fondness for her.
As time passed, the two grew more familiar with each other. Lin Ning learned that Yan Yu met his wife in college, back when she was carrying too many books and accidentally dropped them. Yan Yu helped her pick them up, and that was how they got to know each other, leading naturally to a relationship later on.
This left Lin Ning feeling incredibly disheartened, making her realize that she and Yan Yu were indeed from different social classes, and only he and his wife truly belonged together.
However, she never intended to be a homewrecker, getting involved in an extramarital affair, so there wasn't any reason for her to be overly sad or upset. She simply continued to maintain a friendly level of casual conversation and interaction with him.
However, their relationship was soon discovered by Yan Yu's wife.
She added Lin Ning as a friend alone, inviting her to meet at a nearby café, causing Lin Ning to feel inexplicably guilty.
In the café, Lin Ning finally met the other woman.
Yan Yu's wife, named Su Yunjin, appeared to be a woman of great elegance and refinement.
Contrary to Lin Ning's expectations, Su Yunjin didn't rashly question her relationship with Yan Yu. Instead, she first thanked Teacher Lin Ning for caring for her son, then conversed with her, laughing lightly, before finally inviting her to go shopping together.
The two spent a delightful whole afternoon together, becoming best friends who had no secrets from each other by evening. While Lin Ning felt grateful for gaining a friendship, she also quietly experienced a bit of disappointment and melancholy.
She knew she could no longer muster any will to compete with Su Yunjin. Even the slightest similar thought would be quickly smothered by strong feelings of inferiority and self-disgust.