A night of spring songs, and the morning saw Guo Xuyang walk out of his room refreshed.
Xi Li had, however, overslept and was still snoring in bed.
Yesterday, Guo Xuyang had worked like an tireless old ox, completely turning over this newly cultivated plot of land.
It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky that Xi Li stumbled out.
"What are you laughing at? Are you a donkey? Why didn't you work yourself to death?" Xi Li cursed.
"Who was it that was asking for more yesterday?" Guo Xuyang wasn't about to indulge her.
"Pervert," Xi Li said, sitting on the sofa.
"I skipped class again today."
"You're so smart, it doesn't matter if you miss class for a day or two."
"I've already missed so many classes, if I fall further behind, I might fail at the end of the year."
"At worst, I can just study again next year."
"Why are you so unmotivated? If you study again next year, I'll be too embarrassed."
"Didn't you say someone at school was targeting you? Why?"
"They're just jealous of me. Jealous that I study too well, and I can't fit in with them."
"It's because you're too outstanding. Someone as beautiful and smart as you should be a treasure in the teachers' eyes, right?"
"The teachers don't demand much from me. I don't know why, but I grasp things as soon as I learn them. These things feel so simple."
Guo Xuyang thought to himself, "Could an ordinary person become my wife? My taste wouldn't be that bad, would it?"
He said aloud, "That's because you're too smart.
Smart people, where I come from, are called 'enlightened.' If one point is open, all points become open. That's why you learn things faster than others."
"Really? What is a 'qiao'? Where is it?"
"Where air passes through is a 'qiao.' Your nose, eyes, ears, and mouth are all 'qiao'."
"Can't ears let air through?"
"Ears can hear sounds, so they are also two of the 'qiao'."
"I still don't understand what you're talking about."
"Never mind if you don't understand. Are you going to class today?" Guo Xuyang saw he couldn't explain it clearly and decided to change the subject.
"No. If I go to class now, I'll be laughed to death."
"Then what should we do today?"
"Let's rest at home. I need to sleep well, yesterday really wore me out. Will I have a baby?"
"Do you like babies?"
"Yes, I do. But I'm too young. If I have a baby now, my parents will be unhappy."
"Do you have older brothers or sisters?"
"Yes. I'm the youngest. They're all working outside and don't have time for me."
"How old are your parents?"
"Over two hundred years old."
"Over two hundred? Then aren't you their last little treasure?"
"Yes. I am the youngest."
"Then why don't they keep you by their side?"
"They're too busy. I've always lived with Grandpa You Tu."
"Isn't You Tu older than you?"
"Of course, she's much older than me."
"I see. Then why did you grow so tall?"
"This is nothing. Kids here are basically this tall by their teens. Although, even if they grow more, it won't be much."
"How tall can people here grow?"
"Much taller than me," Xi Li said, gesturing with her hand.
"That's not too tall then." Guo Xuyang saw Xi Li's gesture, which indicated she was about twenty centimeters taller than her current height.
"People here are basically all this tall.
There's no one exceptionally tall, nor anyone exceptionally short.
Someone like you would be considered quite short where I'm from."
"Are there many people like me?"
"Not many. Usually, it's caused by not having enough to eat and drink as a child.
What's that saying? Malnutrition? Yes, exactly, malnutrition."