When the Side Character Gets a System and Travels through Difference Worlds-Chapter 36: Tingting 34

As for Han Tingting’s biological mother, no one in her family was taking the college entrance exam, so why would she have paid any attention? So even if they found out, what could they do? Han Tingting had nothing she needed from them.

Han Guangzhi understood in his heart that from now on, he and Han Tingting would be strangers. No matter how successful Han Tingting became in the future, he, as her father, wouldn’t be able to share in her good fortune.

That was why after Han Tingting’s exam results were released, Han Guangzhi never sent a single word back. In front of the Li family, he didn’t breathe a peep, which obviously made them happier.

Would Han Tingting be upset by Han Guangzhi’s coldness and indifference? She hardly had the mental energy to spare for him. She was already swamped, learning fashion design with Master Hu during the day and wrestling with high school textbooks at home by night.

She couldn’t just remain completely clueless. Tan You had already paved the way for her, and she couldn’t tarnish the title of "provincial top scorer." However, Han Cunming was a bit puzzled. "You’ve already graduated from high school. Why are you digging out your old books to read?"

Han Tingting gave a guilty smile. "I... I’m just reviewing. You can gain different insights by looking over them again."

Tan You was sitting right across from Han Tingting and could see the guilt on her face as clear as day. She just lowered her head and smiled, not saying a word. She wasn’t the type to kick someone when they were down.

’It was only now, having become a teacher, that Tan You realized she really wasn’t cut out for it. If all her students were like Han Tingting, she felt like she’d have a breakdown before two lessons were over.’

Han Tingting flopped onto the dining table, deflated. "I’m really terrible at science, Youyou. I’m just too dumb."

Tan You sighed. "I’m not good at science either."

Han Tingting rolled her eyes. "Not good at science? You became the provincial top scorer. Talk about a humblebrag."

Tan You understood what "humblebrag" meant by now. She smiled. "You have no idea how much I envy you. I could never draw such beautiful design sketches. Every time I watch you draw, I can’t help but think, ’Why am I not good at anything?’"

"I don’t have a rich imagination, nor do I have rigorous logical thinking. It feels like I don’t excel in any area."

She thought of her extremely low initial score value. ’That’s right. I was just an ordinary person to begin with.’

Han Tingting disagreed. "I’m an ordinary person, too. I was just lucky enough to have seen some very beautiful clothes in the past. I’m definitely not as good as you. Look at you—you were able to improve your grades so much through your own hard work. How can you still say you’re ordinary?"

Tan You replied, "That was all thanks to the teachers’ help and just brute-forcing my way through mountains of practice questions. I’m a prime example of what you once called a ’small-town question-grinder.’"

Han Tingting said, "But being able to do that is already incredibly difficult. You don’t have the luxury of your parents’ support like other people; you did it all on your own. There’s a famous saying that goes, ’A child without an umbrella has to run harder.’ In my eyes, that’s you."

Tan You mulled over the words. "You’re right. We’re both children without umbrellas, so we have to work that much harder."

Han Tingting added, "Actually, a sense of aesthetics can be cultivated. Youyou, you have plenty of time. You can go to more exhibitions or read books about art. If you broaden your horizons enough, inspiration will come naturally."

Tan You clutched her head. "Then I’ll have to work extra hard. An opportunity to learn like this is rare, so I can’t let it pass me by."

The two had reached a consensus long ago: Tan You would handle the finance major she had chosen, while Han Tingting would go study fashion design whenever Tan You was attending her major-specific courses. And so, they stumbled and scraped their way to college graduation.

Of course, this "stumbling" was only in their own minds. In the eyes of their teachers and fellow students, Han Tingting was as outstanding as ever. She was not only the star student of the finance department but also a sizzling hot, up-and-coming designer.

"What are your plans for the future?" Her class advisor asked as she went to pick up her diploma.

Han Tingting smiled. "I still prefer fashion design."

The advisor sighed. "You’re one of our finance students, yet after graduation you’re going to dabble in fashion design instead of pursuing a proper career... Sigh, I have such mixed feelings."

Han Tingting replied, "I won’t cast aside what I’ve learned. I’ll put it to good use. But fashion design is my passion, and I think it’s a wonderful thing to be able to pursue it."

Her advisor said, "That’s good. It’s just a shame for all the financial firms that had their eye on you. They’re going to be disappointed. You truly are a gifted student."

Han Tingting accepted the praise without any false modesty. "That’s also because my teachers were excellent instructors. Whenever I went to ask questions, the professors never acted like I was a bother."

"They always replied to my emails, too."

’When it came to being studious, Han Tingting admitted she couldn’t compare to Tan You. Tan You was like a wolf; whenever she met someone exceptional, she wanted to shadow their every move.’

’At that moment, Han Tingting conveniently forgot how she, too, had shadowed professors relentlessly when she was auditing their classes.’

The advisor smiled, picking up the diploma with both hands and presenting it to Han Tingting. "Congratulations on graduating with distinction. I wish you a brilliant future. If you ever put on a fashion show, be sure to send me an invitation. Then I can show off to people and tell them that our finance department produces more than just purely logical thinkers."

Han Tingting accepted the diploma with both hands. "I will. In fact, I’m already in the planning stages."

’She wasn’t just bluffing. As a self-taught fashion designer, Han Tingting naturally wasn’t thinking of holding a show abroad right away. ’I’ll start here in the country first.’’

Over the last few years, Yang Kun’s clothing company had grown rapidly, showing signs of becoming a trendsetter. Everyone in the industry knew Han Tingting was the company’s designer; she just hadn’t held a show of her own yet.

As she walked out of the academic building, a figure suddenly appeared at her side. Judging by the build, it was a girl. She was chubby and quite tall, a good five-foot-seven.

Though chubby, she was well-proportioned, and with her fair skin, her smile made you want to reach out and pinch her cheeks.

Han Tingting wasn’t at all surprised to see Tan You. She stroked her diploma. "I can’t believe you actually made me come get this myself."

Tan You chuckled. "I wanted you to experience it. After all, it’s not like you got a diploma from the fashion design institute next door. This is the only graduation certificate you’ll ever get in your life. Shouldn’t you treasure it?"

She wasn’t wrong. Tan You had been the one to receive the middle school and high school diplomas. When you really got down to it, Han Tingting didn’t have a single diploma to her name.

Han Tingting retorted, "Oh yeah, I’ll be sure to treasure it. But seriously, don’t you think the fashion institute next door is way too stingy? My reputation isn’t half-bad, so why won’t they give me a diploma?"

Tan You replied, "You don’t want to go there for grad school, so why would they bother?"

Han Tingting said, "I’ve already read all the books in their library and learned everything from their graduate-level courses. Going there to study now would just be a waste of my time. Oh, well. Forget it."