Zhang Lili hurried to No. 12 Middle School. Upon arrival, as expected, she was met with sarcastic remarks from the current homeroom teacher, who threatened to have Hu Qian forcibly expelled if such incidents recurred.
"Expelled? It's the third year of high school, how can she be expelled? Teacher, please give her a chance! Qianqian! Come here, apologize!"
Hu Qian, who had been standing beside Yan Yan's office chair, had retreated behind her upon Zhang Lili's arrival. Now, Zhang Lili yanked her out from behind and positioned her opposite Yan Yan.
"Hurry up and say you're sorry, say you won't do it again!"
Hu Qian stood in the office, the door ajar. Several male students from Class Four even stood by the door, smirking as they watched Hu Qian being pushed by her mother to apologize to the teacher.
Hu Qian suddenly felt like saying, "Fine, I don't want to go to school then! What's so great about school? Even college graduates have to work in their dad's company and take his salary!"
But as she looked up, Zhang Lili fiercely pinched her arm.
"Say it or not!"
The stinging pain shot from her arm to her head. Hu Qian couldn't help but cry out, "Ah!"
Zhang Lili, already irritated by Hu Qian's phone incident that had interrupted her rare moment of happiness, became even more annoyed when she saw Hu Qian's eyes, which strongly resembled Hu Xingfa's. In a fit of anger, she couldn't resist twisting Hu Qian's arm.
She had hoped that Teacher Yan Yan would de-escalate the situation, but the teacher simply leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed, watching as if it were a show.
Zhang Lili had no choice but to suppress her annoyance and anger, continuing to apologize with a fawning smile. Finally, after the office cleared out after class, she slipped two thousand yuan in cash to Yan Yan and waved her hand, signifying the matter was settled.
"As for the phone, since the child has shown remorse, why not return it to her? Hu Qian's mother, what do you think?"
Zhang Lili was still smarting from the loss of two thousand yuan. Hearing Yan Yan's words, she quickly nodded with a smile:
"Whatever Teacher Yan says goes. My child is too disobedient, and now that she's older, I can't communicate with her about many things. Since you're willing to give her the phone, then give it to her. Now that everything is resolved, may I leave?"
Seeing Hu Qian's mother eager to leave, and thinking of the two thousand yuan, Yan Yan could only say, "Mm, goodbye, Hu Qian's mother."
After Zhang Lili left, Yan Yan leaned back in her chair, her gaze fixed on the drawer of her desk, thinking of the two thousand yuan.
"Heh, she's exactly like that pair of bitches, wanting to solve problems with money. Fine, since you want to buy peace with money, I won't interfere. For the next few months, just pretend Hu Qian doesn't exist. Let her play."
…
From that day on, Hu Qian noticed that Yan Yan, that old witch, seemed to have become gentler towards her. Sometimes, when her homework wasn't done, she wasn't the one called up to have her hand spanked.
However, after the previous incident, Hu Qian still attended classes diligently for a few days.
…
Spring bloomed. One day, without anyone knowing when, the morning air was filled with cheerful bird songs, and withered branches began to sprout tender green shoots.
Liu Chen shed his thick down jacket and started wearing a light coat. The long johns on his legs were finally washed and put away in the wardrobe one day in early March.
At the same time, Lai Jielun's seat became empty again. He was supposedly going to Shanghai to take entrance exams for a drama academy, saying that taking more exams meant more choices, and that he would bring back special local products for the three of them.
The students of Class Six in the third year had grown accustomed to Lai Jielun's frequent absences. With the entire third year entering the hundred-day countdown to the college entrance exams, everyone's nerves were taut, and they didn't have the energy to pay attention to others.
Under the principal's orders, all the classrooms in Shifan Affiliated High School had a 100-day countdown calendar hanging to the left of the blackboard.
The students, who were originally feeling sleepy due to the arrival of spring, could only close their mouths, take a deep breath, and continue listening to the teacher's explanations whenever they yawned or got distracted, catching sight of the countdown calendar by the blackboard.
Lately, Liu Chen would see his mother on the phone every day while wearing a face mask.
Perhaps it was the nourishment of love, but Liu Chen noticed that his mother was becoming increasingly focused on her appearance. Every night before bed, she would soak her feet, drink rose tea, apply face masks, get her hair permed, and even added several new coats to her wardrobe.
However, Liu Fang had mentioned that they were all gifts from Chen Long. Liu Chen had secretly looked when his mother wasn't around one morning. Several of the coats were from the brand Max Mara. Liu Chen vaguely remembered that many celebrities later wore this brand, so they were probably not cheap.
But judging by his mother's reaction, she probably didn't know how expensive these clothes were. Otherwise, given Liu Fang's personality, she would definitely have reciprocated with gifts of equivalent value after receiving such expensive presents.
One day, upon returning home, Liu Chen saw Liu Fang, who usually sat on the sofa chatting and laughing on the phone, sitting quietly alone on the sofa.
The living room lights were off, with only the dim light from the streetlights outside filtering through the sheer curtains.
Liu Chen placed his schoolbag on the sofa and sat down beside Liu Fang.
He gently lay down, resting his head on his mother's firm yet soft thigh.
Liu Fang lowered her head and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind Liu Chen's ear.
"Chenchen."
"Mm?"
"Do you remember seeing your father that night on New Year's Eve at the mall?"
"I remember."
"The young girl he was with today gave birth, a boy."
"Oh, then congratulations to him. Oh, and congratulations to Grandma too, she finally fulfilled her wish of over twenty years, right?"
Hearing her daughter say this, Liu Fang couldn't help but smile.
"Yes, your grandma has always wanted a grandson. I heard she's been urging Zhang Lili a lot these past few years, but Zhang Lili isn't like your mother; she'd never listen to her."
"Mm."
Liu Chen didn't offer any words of comfort. She felt that Liu Fang was not a fragile woman, especially when dealing with the scumbag Hu Xingfa.
"Alas, Chenchen, do you think all men are the same? When they're pursuing you, they're attentive, considerate, patient, and responsible. But once they're married, these qualities seem to warp."
Oh…
Hearing this, Liu Chen understood. Her mother was thinking of Hu Xingfa, and was feeling hesitant and indecisive about her current relationship with Chen Long.
"Mom."
"Mm?"
"Then just keep dating Uncle Chen Long forever."