Chapter 63: Didn’t You Slip Some Treats to Our Daughter-in-law?

Late summer was giving way to early autumn, yet all the beauty of the passing season seemed not to have faded with time, but rather to have settled upon the girl alone.

If a smile had color, then Bai Qingxia’s would surely be a warm shade of gold.

Look—there she stood by the shelves, shining softly.

Even if her glow was faint and subdued, it was still there.

Lu Yuanqiu suffered from a fear of darkness, so he was always drawn to things that shone with light.

With a lazy gait, he sauntered over, teasing, “Well, this is rare—Bai, you actually smile at me first these days. What’s got you so happy?”

Embarrassed at being teased, Bai Qingxia hid her smile, turning aside. “You’re making progress, Lu Yuanqiu. If your father knew, he’d be pleased too…”

Lu Yuanqiu came to stand beside her, taking the pack of instant noodles from her hand and placing it on the top shelf.

Bai Qingxia would have to stretch up on tiptoe just to reach that height, but for Lu Yuanqiu, it was a simple lift of his arm.

He turned to her, “Don’t worry about whether my dad’s happy. I’m asking if you’re happy.”

With her pale hands clasped in front of her, Bai Qingxia nodded lightly. “I am.”

“If you’re happy, then smile again. Otherwise, I don’t believe you.”

Lu Yuanqiu flashed a broad grin, as if coaxing her to laugh.

But she was too shy, turning away, her earlobes tinged pink, and continued arranging the noodles.

“Wait!” Lu Yuanqiu said suddenly. Bai Qingxia looked at him in confusion.

“There’s a bug. Don’t move.”

He reached toward her chin, his hand brushing aside her hair to reveal a glimpse of her delicate, fair neck.

Bai Qingxia froze, not daring to move. In the next second, Lu Yuanqiu withdrew his hand from her neck; between his index and middle fingers, where nothing had been before, he now held a hairpin.

It was like a magic trick.

A pink hairpin, identical to the one she’d lost—a matching pair.

Seeing the surprise in her beautiful eyes, Lu Yuanqiu curled his lips into a smile.

“It’s for you.”

Bai Qingxia blinked, staring at the hairpin. She didn’t reach for it, but the longing in her eyes betrayed her.

Lu Yuanqiu waggled his hand. “It’s just a little gift between friends. If you don’t accept it, are you saying you’ll never give me any gifts in return?”

“No, of course not,” Bai Qingxia shook her head quickly.

She reached up to take it, and only then did Lu Yuanqiu lower his arm, satisfied.

So pretty… Bai Qingxia gazed down at it.

Indeed, it was most beautiful when whole.

She had prepared a gift for Lu Yuanqiu too—her carefully copied notes—but it would take time to finish.

But she didn’t give gifts hoping for anything in return. She simply wanted to—no reason needed.

“Don’t just take it and put it away. Wear it,” Lu Yuanqiu said, taking the hairpin back, unwrapping it, and clipping it into her bangs.

Blue-and-white school uniform, single ponytail, pink hairpin, pure features.

The aura of first love she exuded seemed enough to capture the heart of any boy who’d ever felt his youth had slipped away.

No armor could resist it.

“It looks good,” Lu Yuanqiu remarked.

Bai Qingxia, touching the hairpin shyly, glanced at him and then quickly looked away, bending over to continue arranging the goods.

Side by side at the shelves, the two divided the work and busied themselves.

That evening, at home.

In the living room.

Su Xiaoya was both surprised and delighted. “You’re really letting me go to the parent meeting tomorrow?”

Seeing his wife’s eager expression, Lu Tian struggled to hold back a laugh, a hint of schadenfreude on his face.

Su Xiaoya had never been to a parent meeting before.

The first time might seem novel, but once she experienced being the mother of the very last student in the grade, she’d never want to go again.

Ah, all these years I’ve borne the shame—now it’s finally your turn, Lu Tian thought.

But he didn’t bring up the threat of firing Xiao Xia if her class rank stayed below thirty-fifth.

It wasn’t the time; he’d long since lost faith in his son, but he didn’t want to fire Xiao Xia either.

Su Xiaoya was too excited to care about her son’s grades—she simply wanted to see what Bai Qingxia looked like.

Lu Yuanqiu said, “So it’s settled, Mom. Don’t be late tomorrow.”

“Got it, got it. What should I wear?”

“Just normal clothes. It’s a parent meeting, not a fashion show.”

Lu Yuanqiu lifted his hand helplessly.

Later that night, after washing up, Su Xiaoya returned to the bedroom. As soon as she lay down, Lu Tian reminded her, “Remember to bring some good snacks tomorrow—expensive ones—for Qingxia.”

Su Xiaoya asked, “Didn’t you already sneak our daughter-in-law some treats while she was working at the supermarket?”

Lu Tian wasn’t surprised to hear her call Bai Qingxia their daughter-in-law; clearly, they’d been referring to her that way for some time now.

He sighed, putting down his newspaper.

“That girl… she refuses everything. She has too much pride. I pity her, but as a man, I can’t force things on a young girl. You’re a woman—it’s easier for you, and you understand these things better.”

Su Xiaoya nodded; from her husband’s accounts, she could guess that Bai Qingxia’s family was struggling.

She remembered being a student herself and knew that those in difficult circumstances usually guarded their pride fiercely.

Though now a pediatrician, as a child she’d dreamed of becoming a teacher.

She loved children.

She’d never met Bai Qingxia, but already felt genuine affection for the girl.

It must be so hard—for such a lovely girl to bear hardship at home…

The next day, the final period of the afternoon.

The bell rang. Zheng Yifeng woke promptly from his nap at his desk, propping his chin in his hand, his eyes half-open.

At that moment, Liu Wei entered with a stern expression, standing at the podium.

“As usual, write your name on a slip of paper and place it on your desk so your parents can find your seat.”

Lu Yuanqiu turned to Bai Qingxia. “Do you have any paper?”

She paused, then nodded, quickly unzipping her backpack, tearing a sheet from her notebook, and handing it to him.

Lu Yuanqiu wrote his name, but Bai Qingxia simply sat there, hugging her pink backpack, quietly watching him.

Sensing her gaze, Lu Yuanqiu looked over. “Aren’t you going to write yours?”

Bai Qingxia hugged her bag tighter and shook her head silently.

Lu Yuanqiu was taken aback.

He couldn’t remember whether her parents had ever come to a meeting before; he’d always slipped off to play basketball during those times.

Had her parents never attended a single meeting?

Recalling how she had to bring lunch for his dad, he began to understand.

He didn’t press further, only smiled and said, “My parents never want to come to mine either. Even if they do, it’s just to scold me.”

Bai Qingxia spoke softly, “They’ll praise you this time.”

Lu Yuanqiu paused mid-motion.

I was trying to comfort you, and now you’re comforting me…