Chapter 188 - 185: Back-to-School Season

Chapter 188: Chapter 185: Back-to-School Season

First thing in the morning, Li Xiu quietly got up. He opened the wardrobe and carefully put together an outfit for Zhou Lian to wear to school, complete with shoes and accessories. After placing her clothes at the head of the bed to warm them, he went to wash up. He saw Sister Fang was already up and making breakfast, so he carefully slipped back into the bedroom. The moment he opened the door, he was met with his daughter’s big, adorable eyes. He put a finger to his lips, "Shh." Nuonuo blinked knowingly and let Li Xiu quietly dress her.

Seeing Li Xiu emerge with Nuonuo in his arms, Sister Fang whispered, "Nuonuo’s awake. Are you hungry? What would you like to eat? Aunt Fang can make it for you!"

Nuonuo was very well-raised and never a picky eater. She looked at Aunt Fang and said in her sweet, childish voice, "Aunt Fang, you should make what Mommy likes. Mommy’s the naughty one. She’s a picky eater."

Sister Fang stifled a laugh and agreed, "Alright." ’This Nuonuo is just too clever,’ she thought. ’A child barely over two complaining that her own mother is a naughty, picky eater... Only Li Xiu could raise a kid like this.’ Watching Li Xiu carry Nuonuo off to wash up, Sister Fang quickly got to work on breakfast. After all, today was Nuo Nuo’s mother’s first day of the new semester, and she couldn’t be late.

Checking the time, Li Xiu went into the bedroom and gently woke Zhou Lian. He deftly helped her wash up, expressed her breast milk, and got her changed into the clothes he had laid out. Then, he took her hand and led her to the dining room for breakfast. Seeing Zhou Lian’s outfit, Sister Fang gave him a thumbs-up. ’This Li Xiu is a true jack-of-all-trades,’ she thought. ’There’s nothing he can’t do. The outfits he puts together for his wife are always stunning and unique, yet never flashy. Most people could never pull that off.’

After breakfast, they left Sister Fang at home to look after Yanyan. Li Xiu carried Nuonuo and held Zhou Lian’s hand as he walked her to school. At the end of the alley, they met up with Zhang Hongying, who was already waiting, and continued toward the university together. Li Xiu asked Zhou Lian softly, "Bao’er, the exam isn’t scheduled for today, is it?"

Zhou Lian thought for a moment. "It probably is. I’m guessing they’ll grade it on the spot right after we finish. That way, they’ll know right away whether we can go straight into our sophomore year or have to drop down to freshman year."

Li Xiu frowned but didn’t say anything more. ’It felt a bit rushed, but he supposed it was understandable.’ He changed the subject. "In that case, I’ll come get you at lunchtime. Should I meet you at your classroom? Where will the test be?"

Zhou Lian shook her head; she didn’t know either. ’Who knew how the university would arrange things?’ Seeing their exchange, Zhang Hongying smiled and said, "Don’t worry, you’ve got me, right? When classes let out, I’ll wait in the classroom for Li Xiu. Then I’ll go with him and the little one to get you."

Zhou Lian shot her a look but said nothing. ’Some best friend she is. We have zero chemistry! The only reason I didn’t answer was because I didn’t want Li Xiu coming to pick me up at noon, and this girl just had to volunteer!’

Both Li Xiu and Zhang Hongying knew exactly what Zhou Lian was thinking. Zhang Hongying glanced at her friend and sighed internally. ’She’s beautiful, she dresses well, and she carries herself with such grace. Last year, a new batch of students enrolled. The girls were fine, but the boys... you never know. It’s better to have Li Xiu pick her up. It’ll save a lot of trouble. After all, you’re always bound to run into a few guys who don’t know their place.’

Li Xiu gave Zhang Hongying a nod of thanks. ’This Zhang girl is a sensible one,’ he thought. ’It wasn’t a waste helping her out that time.’ He was referring to the affair last year that had thrown the Capital City into chaos. Originally, Wang Song’s mother had been nothing more than an insignificant, disposable player in the whole mess. But, thinking of Zhang Hongying’s friendship with his wife, Li Xiu had intentionally let slip a few words, leaking the true cause of the incident. As a result, Wang Song’s mother became the primary scapegoat. Though she had made no substantial error herself, everything she relied on for support vanished—including her son, Wang Song, who would no longer be her pillar to lean on.

Seeing their schoolmates pointing and whispering all around them, Zhang Hongying quickened her pace for a few steps and said to Zhou Lian, "I’ve got something to do, so I’ll head off first!"

Zhou Lian’s lips twitched as she watched her friend vanish in a flash. ’So much for sisterhood,’ she thought, exasperated. ’What happened to "sharing the good times and the bad"? It’s not like I can’t feel all the stares and whispers. I just never thought she’d actually ditch me and run off by herself.’

Li Xiu chuckled softly and said in a gentle voice, "Bao’er, you don’t want me walking you to and from school, do you?"

After a moment’s thought, Zhou Lian said quietly, "It’s not that. It’s just... it’s a lot of trouble for you to come back and forth, and it’s uncomfortable being stared at by everyone."

He squeezed her hand gently, his eyes nearly overflowing with affection. A roguish grin spread across his face as he said, "Bao’er, you’ll have to indulge your man on this. I can’t help but worry about you... I’m afraid someone might steal you away!"

Speechless, Zhou Lian looked at Li Xiu, then put a hand to her forehead and gave a low, helpless laugh. ’This man,’ she thought, ’he’s always teasing me, no matter the time or place. Is it really necessary? We’re like an old married couple already, with two kids. Can’t he rein it in just a little?’

As if reading her mind, Li Xiu said softly, "We’re still in the prime of our youth! We have to properly enjoy the sweetness of married life!"

’Prime of our youth... He really has no shame.’ Zhou Lian felt her face flush. "We’re here. You and Nuonuo should head back. Nuonuo, sweetie, say bye-bye to Mommy!"

Nuonuo waved her little hand and said in her sweet, childish voice, "Okay, Mommy, bye-bye! Daddy and I will come pick Mommy up and bring you home."

Hearing her daughter’s words, Zhou Lian felt a wave of helplessness. ’What on earth has Li Xiu been teaching our daughter!’

After taking a moment to admire the stunning sight of his wife’s blush, Li Xiu finally left with their daughter in his arms. Zhou Lian watched the father-daughter pair walk away and smiled. ’Oh, whatever,’ she thought. ’I’ll just let him. Even if I protest, Li Xiu will just pay me lip service and do exactly as he pleases anyway!’

"Finally done with the long, dramatic goodbye?"

Zhou Lian looked at Zhang Hongying standing by the classroom door and shot her an annoyed glare. "You traitor! Who was it just now who ditched me and ran off?"

Zhang Hongying put on a placating smile. "Hey, I’m just a mere mortal! I couldn’t handle all those intense stares. Besides, you three are the perfect picture: a handsome man, a beautiful woman, and an adorable little girl. If I stood there, I would’ve just ruined the aesthetic, don’t you think?"

Bursts of laughter from the onlookers made Zhou Lian feel even more exasperated. They were all her classmates. "Why are you all crowded around the doorway?" she asked wearily.

The vice class president, a girl with delicate features, looked at the radiant Zhou Lian and said, "We’re here to welcome our classmate Zhou Lian back, of course! We’re your official welcoming committee!"

She wore slim-fitting black woolen trousers and a red, form-fitting, lightly-padded jacket with traditional Chinese frog buttons and embroidery. Over this, she had on a white cashmere coat. A red, embroidered woolen scarf was wrapped around her neck, its pattern complementing the embroidery on her white coat. She wore black, high-heeled lambskin boots, and her jet-black hair was loosely pinned up with a Mutton Fat Jade hairpin. Her complexion was fair and rosy, her features as exquisite as a painting, and her figure slender and graceful.

The vice class president’s eyes shone with fervor as she began to recite: "’Fair, fair,’ cry the ospreys, On the islet in the river. Lovely is this noble lady, A fit mate for our prince.

Here long, there short, is the water-mallow; To left and right one seeks it. The lovely, noble lady, Waking and sleeping he sought her.

He sought her and found her not, Waking and sleeping he thought of her, Longingly, longingly, He tossed and he turned.

Here long, there short, is the water-mallow; To left and right one gathers it. The lovely, noble lady, With zither and lute he’ll befriend her.

Here long, there short, is the water-mallow; To left and right one picks it. The lovely, noble lady, With bells and drums he’ll delight her."

A roar of laughter erupted from the crowd, making Zhou Lian blush crimson. ’If it were a male classmate,’ she thought, ’I could at least scold him for being improper. But the vice president is a girl! A girl reciting "Guan Ju" at me!’ Zhou Lian pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed. ’Well, I’m officially notorious now. How did I never realize our vice president was this outrageous!’