The next day, Qin Hanshu had a backache and didn't get up, so he stayed in bed pretending to sleep.

Zhou Chi's kindergarten started at nine in the morning, but he got up at about the same time as Zhou Weiguang every day. After getting up, he would read comic books and wait for breakfast.

When it was time to eat, Zhou Chi didn't see his mother and asked her in surprise.

Zhou Weiguang said without batting an eye, "Mom was playing late last night and didn't get up today."

Zhou Chi looked surprised. "Mom is such a grown-up, how can she still be so playful?"

Zhou Weiguang nodded, "Who says otherwise?"

Qin Hanshu, who was inside the house, heard the conversation between the father and son and gritted her teeth.

This Zhou Weiguang!

Upon seeing Qin Hanshu suddenly appear at the door, Zhou Weiguang immediately smiled and said, "Wife, come and eat."

Qin Hanshu snorted coldly and slowly walked over.

Zhou Weiguang fawned over her, serving her porridge and steamed buns, and even moved the dish of pickled vegetables from in front of Zhou Chi to in front of her.

Zhou Chi: "......"

Halfway through the meal, we heard a little girl shouting from outside.

"Little Chi, off to school!"

Full of energy.

It is Pei'er from Liu Ercui's family.

Qin Hanshu got up and opened the door, smiling, "Pei'er, going to school so early?"

Pei'er was already round and sturdy, and Liu Ercui gave her a watermelon-shaped haircut, making her look even rounder.

However, babies are cuter when they are round and chubby.

Qin Hanshu stepped aside, and Pei'er darted into the house.

She ran up to Zhou Chi's side and stared intently at him as he ate.

Zhou Chi felt uncomfortable being stared at. "What are you looking at?"

Pei'er said in a serious tone, "I love watching you eat the most. You eat so beautifully."

Qin Hanshu laughed, "Pei'er, do you think it's cute when Little Chi eats, or is he just naturally good-looking?"

Without hesitation, Pei'er replied, "She looks beautiful while eating, and she's beautiful too, even more beautiful than girls!"

Qin Hanshu glanced at Pei'er and her son.

Zhou Chi looked small and unassuming, while Pei'er was almost twice his size.

She definitely looks more like a girl than Pei'er.

There's nothing we can do. Zhou Chi is actually very well-nourished, and he's not picky about food, but he just doesn't gain weight no matter what he eats.

Qin Hanshu also used the fruits in her space to make a lot of dried fruits and jams, and often replaced the water in her space with water in her own kitchen.

However, Qin Hanshu didn't care too much. As long as it was normal, it was fine. She figured it would grow naturally during puberty.

Zhou Chi, however, was unhappy with Pei'er's comment that he looked like a girl, and frowned as he emphasized, "I'm a boy."

Pei'er nodded and said, "I know, I didn't say you were a girl, I just said you look like a girl."

The logic is sound and flawless.

Zhou Chi: "......"

Qin Hanshu almost burst out laughing when her son was embarrassed.

Zhou Chi gave his mother a resentful look.

Qin Hanshu coughed lightly and said, "Pei'er, after Xiaochi finishes eating, you can play at home for a while before going to kindergarten."

Kindergarten starts at nine o'clock, and it's only a little past seven now. The children are leaving so early; who knows where they'll be playing?

Sure enough, Pei'er said, "But Tie Dan'er and the others are still waiting for us downstairs."

Qin Hanshu asked, "Where are you planning to go for fun?"

Pei'er exclaimed excitedly, "Let's go dig up sand cows on the little dirt slope behind the kindergarten!"

Sand worms are small insects that live in the soil and look somewhat like lice.

Qin Hanshu's only fear was these little insects; just hearing their names gave her goosebumps.

Zhou Chi said, "I don't want to dig for bugs. I want to stay home and read comic books. I'll go straight to the classroom when it's time."

Pei'er immediately said, "Then I won't go either, I'll read comic books with you!"

Zhou Chi glanced at Pei'er, "Isn't Tie Dan'er waiting for you?"

Without a word, Pei'er's short legs darted quickly to the balcony, and she called down, "Tiedan'er—you go first—"

Tie Dan'er seemed to complain a few times, but Pei'er ignored her, turned around and went back to Zhou Chi's side, obediently resting her chin on her hand, and continued to watch him eat attentively.

Qin Hanshu asked Pei'er, "What's your mother doing at home? She hasn't come down to talk to me for days."

Pei'er replied, "I'm angry at home."

Qin Hanshu asked, "What are you angry about?"

Pei'er thought Liu Ercui was sulking, but she couldn't answer why.

"I'm leaving now," Zhou Weiguang said to Qin Hanshu after finishing his meal. "You can clean up the table later."

Qin Hanshu hurriedly said, "You can go now, just leave it to me."

Qin Hanshu now travels to the city by crossing the back mountain. After walking for a while, her pace has become faster and faster. Now she can get to work in about half an hour. She can leave home at 8:20 every day, which gives her plenty of time.

After Zhou Weiguang left, Zhou Chi finished eating and went into the room with Pei'er to look at comic books.

Qin Hanshu slowly cleared away the dishes, her mind drifting back to what had happened upstairs.

She roughly knew why Liu Ercui was angry; it was probably related to Yue'er again.

When school started in September, Liu Ercui suggested that Yue'er go to primary school.

Primary school students have to live at school. Yue'er was probably scared, so she cried and begged Liu Ercui not to kick her out of the house.

It's understandable that a seven-year-old child is afraid of boarding school, but her crying and pleading made Liu Ercui inexplicably stand in the position of the villain, as if Liu Ercui deliberately used the excuse of going to school to drive her out of the house.

Furthermore, this didn't happen at home behind closed doors, but rather when everyone was enjoying the cool air downstairs.

Liu Ercui's popularity has improved a lot over the years, but there are still some people who like to stir up trouble. She deliberately went to Zhang Lei and made sarcastic remarks, saying that the Zhang family favored their own daughter and did not raise her properly.

Zhang Lei got angry as soon as he heard this, and without even asking any questions, he started arguing with Liu Ercui.

After Qin Hanshu heard banging upstairs for two days, Liu Ercui came downstairs and started cursing Zhang Lei in front of her.

"Disgusting! He turns on you like a dog eating pig shit the moment it comes to Yue'er's affairs—he can't tell right from wrong!"

"If he's so capable, why doesn't he go to the school and pick her up every day after get off work?"

“My three sons are all boarding at school and nothing’s happened to them, so why is it that Yue’er is the one who can’t? Yes, girls are more delicate than boys, but other girls are the same!”

"He also said that I stopped treating Yue'er well after Pei'er was born. I'm so wronged! When the two sisters buy things, they get double. What's missing?! On the contrary, do you think I don't know how much he secretly subsidized Yue'er?"

"Anyway, I've come to terms with it. I'm not going to care about Yue'er's schooling anymore. Let her do whatever she wants."

I thought that once Liu Ercui vented her anger and said she would no longer interfere with Yue'er's schooling, the matter would be over.

But since that day, Liu Ercui has never come down to look for Qin Hanshu again.

Leaving aside the matter of finding Qin Hanshu, according to Fan Hongxia, Liu Ercui has basically not left her home during this period, except for going to the cooperative to buy vegetables.

It's clear that the matter is far from over, and who knows what might have happened next.

Qin Hanshu was worried about Liu Ercui, so she went upstairs after getting off work that day.

Liu Ercui opened the door for her, looking haggard.