The weekend during the remedial classes granted them a one-day break.
Sheng Mingfeng finally managed to carve out some time from his busy schedule to take his three daughters out for a meal.
Sheng Xia hadn’t expected Zou Weiping to be there as well.
"Greet her," Sheng Mingfeng said.
Zheng Dongning wasn’t one to talk, and no one expected her to utter a single word.
Wu Qiuxuan, with her fiery temper, shot Zou Weiping a glare and went straight to the innermost seat in the private room.
Wang Lianhua often said that of the three daughters, Wu Qiuxuan resembled her the most, which was why Sheng Mingfeng didn’t dote on her—whereas Sheng Xia took after him, so he favored her.
"Aunt Zou," Sheng Xia nodded lightly.
Zou Weiping smiled gently, her eyes warm. "Sit down quickly. Your father ordered a lot of your favorite dishes."
As soon as the food was served, Sheng Mingfeng’s first words were directed at Wu Qiuxuan. "You’re in your third year of middle school now. With that temper of yours, boarding school in high school will be a nightmare for you!"
Wu Qiuxuan didn’t care. "If I go to the affiliated high school, I won’t have to board."
Sheng Mingfeng scoffed. "With your grades? Unless you pull all-nighters and study like mad this year, forget about getting in!"
"Aren’t you the one who can get me in? Why should I bother taking the exam?"
At that, not only Sheng Mingfeng, but Zou Weiping’s expression also darkened.
"Who taught you that?" Sheng Mingfeng’s voice turned low and dangerous. "Huh? Was it your mother?"
Wu Qiuxuan couldn’t stand Sheng Mingfeng criticizing her mother in front of Zou Weiping. She shot up from her seat. "Don’t you dare slander my mom!"
Zou Weiping patted Sheng Mingfeng’s arm, then walked over to Wu Qiuxuan, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "A-Xuan, your father didn’t mean it like that. He really cares about all of you. He was supposed to go to the district office today, but—"
"Stop pretending to be the good one," Wu Qiuxuan snapped, shrugging off Zou Weiping’s hand. "If he really cared about us, why’d he bring you along?"
Zou Weiping’s hand hung in the air, her face stiff with embarrassment.
"Wu Qiuxuan!" Sheng Mingfeng was about to slam the table and stand when Sheng Xia’s cold hand covered his clenched fist. "Dad..."
She tugged at Wu Qiuxuan’s sleeve. "A-Xuan..."
Wu Qiuxuan looked down. "Jie!"
Sheng Xia shook her head slightly, signaling her not to escalate things. At home, Wu Qiuxuan was the only one who would listen to Sheng Xia even a little. Now, she suppressed her temper and sat back down with a huff.
Zou Weiping also returned to her seat.
Sheng Xia changed the subject. "Dad, Ning Ning’s birthday is next month. She looks forward to your gift every year. What are you planning to give her this time?"
Sheng Mingfeng knew exactly what Sheng Xia was doing. He softened his tone and turned to Zheng Dongning. "Ning Ning, tell Daddy what you want. I’ll buy you anything!"
Zheng Dongning pressed her lips together, staring at Sheng Mingfeng with wide eyes, still silent.
Sheng Mingfeng realized he wouldn’t get an answer and turned to Zou Weiping instead. "What do you think we should get her this year? Ning Ning’s turning nine—she’s a big kid now."
"Hmm..." Zou Weiping rested her chin on her hand. "We’ll have to think carefully about this one."
"Ten."
A small, childish voice cut through the air.
The table fell silent.
Even Sheng Xia looked over in surprise.
Wang Lianhua had mentioned that Zheng Dongning’s condition had worsened recently—she hadn’t spoken a word in nearly half a month.
Zheng Dongning’s chubby lips moved again as she emphasized, "I’m ten."
Wu Qiuxuan, who had been quietly sipping her soup, let out a derisive snort and muttered, "How do you even mess that up?"
Her mocking tone was especially sharp in the quiet room.
This time, even Sheng Xia lowered her head and sighed unconsciously.Sheng Mingfeng was momentarily stunned. The man who navigated political circles with ease found himself at a loss for words, silenced by his youngest daughter.
Zou Weiping stepped in to mediate, "Ten is a milestone age. The gift should be carefully chosen. Don’t ask Ning Ning; pick it yourself to show your sincerity."
"I’ll definitely choose it myself," Sheng Mingfeng agreed.
Such an opening inevitably set a strained tone for the rest of the gathering, with conversations revolving only around the safest topic: Sheng Xia.
Mostly, it was Sheng Mingfeng asking questions, and Sheng Xia answering.
"Affiliated High School is truly different," Sheng Mingfeng concluded. "Study hard. If you need anything, let me know—or your aunt. Don’t push yourself too hard, and don’t listen to your mom’s constant nagging. Adolescence should be about joyful learning."
Zou Weiping chimed in, "That’s right, Xia Xia. The biggest priorities at home right now are your college entrance exams and Qiu Xuan’s high school entrance exams. Call me if you need anything."
Wu Qiuxuan muttered under her breath, "Hmph!"
Sheng Mingfeng shot her a glance, unsure whether it was exasperation or resignation, but he couldn’t be bothered to scold her further. Instead, he turned to Sheng Xia. "Why aren’t you using the phone I gave you? I can never reach you."
Sheng Xia wanted to say she didn’t need such an expensive phone, but seeing the hopeful look in Sheng Mingfeng’s eyes, she swallowed her words and nodded. "I thought Affiliated High didn’t allow phones. I’ll carry it from now on."
Sheng Mingfeng nodded approvingly. "Keep me updated on your life and studies."
"Okay."
After dinner, Brother Li drove them home. As they got out of the car, he handed them three large shopping bags bearing the logos of high-end clothing brands.
Each bag contained an outfit—elegant fabrics, undoubtedly expensive.
Wu Qiuxuan asked, "From Dad?"
Brother Li nodded.
"That woman picked them out, didn’t she? I doubt Dad would step foot in a mall to buy us clothes."
Brother Li scratched his head awkwardly.
Wu Qiuxuan smirked. "Well, free stuff is free stuff."
The three carried the bags into the house. Wang Lianhua was on duty and not home.
Wu Qiuxuan tried on her new dress and helped Zheng Dongning into hers—both fit perfectly.
They went to Sheng Xia’s room, only to find her folding the new clothes into her wardrobe before settling at her desk to study.
"Big sis, aren’t you going to try yours on?"
Sheng Xia turned her head, her expression calm. "The size looks right. I’ll try it later. I have homework to do."
Wu Qiuxuan left with her younger sister, not wanting to disturb Sheng Xia further.
She glanced down at her dress.
This wasn’t the first time that woman had bought them clothes. Come to think of it, her sister had never worn any of them.
Sheng Xia rarely wore dresses because Wang Lianhua only ever bought them sportswear.
When Sheng Xia was Qiu Xuan’s age, she’d just begun to understand "beauty" and occasionally envied her classmates’ pretty dresses. The sportswear was loose, repetitive in style, and utterly uninspiring.
One summer during her childhood, she’d stayed with Sheng Mingfeng for a few days and returned wearing a dress he’d bought her.
Back then, Sheng Mingfeng wasn’t as busy as he was now. After every exam, he’d take her to the aquarium or amusement park, buy her snacks Wang Lianhua forbade, let her play games Wang Lianhua deemed unladylike, and buy her dresses Wang Lianhua wouldn’t allow.
Childhood "happiness" wasn’t yet tangled with complex emotions or values. Most of Sheng Xia’s few happy memories came from those brief reunions with Sheng Mingfeng.
The dress wasn’t particularly striking—its length was modest, revealing only half her calves. But whether it was her imagination or not, many people turned to look at her as she walked by.When entering the elevator, Sheng Xia ran into her neighbor across the hall. They rode up together and went their separate ways upon reaching their floor.
But just as she was closing her door, the neighbor turned back and gave her an intentional or unintentional once-over.
Just one glance—there was no malice in the look, yet Sheng Xia felt utterly uncomfortable.
Wang Lianhua inside the apartment had clearly seen it too. She scoffed lightly and said in a flat tone, "A few days away from home, and you've learned how to dress up. Living here must be such a hardship for you."
Sheng Xia cried under the covers all night.
In the middle of the night, Wang Lianhua lifted the blanket to wipe her tears. Not knowing how to face her mother, Sheng Xia pretended to sleep.
Wang Lianhua's sigh was heavy like muffled thunder. Sitting by the bed, she murmured to herself, pouring out the bitterness and struggles of all these years. Choking back tears, she apologized to her daughter, "You don’t understand how much attention teenage girls attract. It’s not that I don’t want you to look pretty, but our family has no men..."
The four women lived together without a male presence, lacking the kind of deterrent force that commanded respect. Wang Lianhua’s cautious ways of protecting them felt so powerless.
Sheng Xia slowly sat up and took Wang Lianhua’s hand. Wang Lianhua hugged her back, and the two of them cried in each other’s arms.
...
The first thing before Monday’s morning reading was rearranging seats.
Every Monday, they shifted one column to the right and one row backward.
The far-right column would move to the far left.
Sheng Xia ended up in the first seat of the now-single column, directly facing the classroom’s front door.
She was separated from Xin Xiaohe, but only by an aisle.
Lu Youze, who had been in the first seat before, now sat behind Xin Xiaohe—diagonally behind Sheng Xia to her left.
Zhang Shu moved to the first seat of the first column in the first group, the northernmost side of the classroom.
Sheng Xia was now at the southernmost end and finally felt much more at ease.
Holding someone’s secret was more nerve-wracking than she’d imagined.
But the thought that next week’s shift would place her right beside Zhang Shu made her anxious all over again.
She could only hope this week would feel longer.
However, the seat by the door wasn’t comfortable either. Between classes, students constantly passed by, their youthful energy making them walk like gusts of wind. Sheng Xia caught whiffs of all kinds of body odors—especially in the afternoon, when everyone was sweaty and reeking, each passing breeze making her dizzy.
Some boys even liked to jump and grab the doorframe as they entered, mimicking a dunking motion. The thud when they landed often startled her.
A few girls greeted her warmly as they passed by, but she struggled to keep up with the small talk.
So whenever class ended, she either went to refill her water bottle or headed to the restroom.
During the longer breaks, though, she had no choice. The time was too long, and she didn’t like loitering outside, so she buried herself in her homework.
"Sheng Xia, how are you adjusting to the new school?" Lu Youze asked from across the aisle.
Sheng Xia replied, "It’s alright. The pace is just a bit fast, and I can’t finish all the homework."
Lu Youze reassured her, "The assignments are just suggestions—they don’t all have to be done. Don’t stress too much."
"Mm."
Based on seating, Lu Youze had probably ranked around fifteenth or sixteenth last semester. Sheng Xia wondered what level that was and whether she could reach it herself, so she asked, "What about you? How much of the homework do you finish?"
Lu Youze paused, avoiding a direct answer. "Only a few people actually complete all of it."
Not one to press further, Sheng Xia nodded silently.
Another gust of wind swept past her desk, carrying a crisp scent—like sun-drenched grass.A voice rang out: "It's not that few can finish the homework—it's Zhang Shu."
The tone was deep, yet the manner was bold.
Sheng Xia turned her head.
Zhang Shu and Hou Junqi walked in one after the other from outside. Hou Junqi was laughing so hard he nearly doubled over: "Hahahaha, damn, that's epic!"
The speaker was Zhang Shu. Holding a can of soda, he strode past the podium toward his seat without stopping. As he spoke, he glanced back at Sheng Xia—or more accurately, he shot a look at Lu Youze.
A look that was dismissive, provocative, and utterly arrogant.
Rhyming to praise himself—what an audacious guy.
Lu Youze showed no intention of confrontation, his expression tinged with restraint and awkwardness.
Seeing this, Sheng Xia turned back to her exercises, steering clear of the sparks flying between the rival love interests.
Friday’s evening self-study was supervised by Wang Wei. He had a habit during these sessions: he’d pull a few students aside for heart-to-heart talks, dubbed "Big Brother Confidant" time. The first time Sheng Xia heard the term, she couldn’t help but suppress a smile.
Despite Wang Wei’s old-fashioned demeanor and prematurely aged looks, he was barely in his thirties and still single. He often said, "Science dictates that you can only call someone 'uncle' or 'auntie' if they're at least sixteen years older. I’m not even thirty-five yet—just call me 'bro.'"
Which branch of science supposedly decreed this remained a mystery.
As a transfer student, Sheng Xia became the first heart-to-heart target of the semester.
The opening lines were the usual—"Are you adjusting well?" "Any difficulties?"—to which Sheng Xia, not one for many words, simply replied that everything was fine.
Wang Wei got to the point: "Your mom mentioned your physics and chemistry foundations aren’t strong. Are you struggling with the lessons lately?"
Sheng Xia nodded honestly and added, "I’m also falling behind in math."
Wang Wei said, "Your Chinese and English grades are quite good, so I assume you’re strong in the humanities. Why didn’t you choose the liberal arts track back then?"
At the time, Wang Lianhua had made the decision for her. Science offered more majors and better job prospects. In Wang Lianhua’s stereotypical view, only those who couldn’t handle science resorted to liberal arts—a last resort for the less intellectually gifted. Ironically, Wang Lianhua herself had been a liberal arts student.
"Family’s decision."
Wang Wei wasn’t surprised by the answer. Well-behaved kids like her rarely had much autonomy. "I just wanted to understand your situation. Now that you’ve chosen science, let’s focus on doing well. A year isn’t terribly long, but it’s enough time to change a lot. Where there’s a will, there’s a way."
Sheng Xia nodded. "Mm, thank you, teacher."
"No need for thanks," Wang Wei chuckled at her obedient demeanor. "Next week during the seat reshuffle, you’ll be sitting with Zhang Shu. He’s a very capable learner—observe him closely, learn from him, and don’t hesitate to ask questions."
Sheng Xia nodded lightly again, though inwardly she thought, Has this week really passed so quickly? The inevitable is coming.
With a brain like his, how’s his memory? Will he hold a grudge?
Wang Wei, however, misinterpreted her hesitant expression. Smiling, he reassured her, "He might seem aloof, but he’s always willing to help classmates who ask him questions. Don’t worry about that."
"Mm."
"Alright, you can head back now. Send Zhang Shu over for me."
OpenNovel