Song Xijun simply found a milk tea shop to wait at. She had sent the address to Ruan Qing'an a long time ago. If the problem wasn't resolved by evening, she would then plan to find a hotel to stay in.

Ruan Qingan found Song Xijun by following the address above.

It was in the square in the city center, and there were quite a few people in the milk tea shop. Most of them were looking into the shop.

Song Xijun was sitting on a high stool by the window. His slightly long hair was tied into a small braid at the back of his head with a strawberry hair tie, exposing his forehead. Some stray hairs fell to the side. Without his glasses to cover his face, his facial features became much more aggressive.

There was no emotion in those dark eyes, until—

The glass in front of Song Xijun was knocked on. When he looked up, he saw Ruan Qing'an standing outside, bending down slightly and chuckling, "Wooden head, come out quickly, we're going home."

"……good."

He paused, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes.

As Song Xijun walked out of the milk tea shop and headed side by side with Ruan Qing'an toward the upscale residential area, neither of them spoke a word. Beneath the seemingly gentle atmosphere, it was as if a conflict was about to erupt.

The air was thick with the smell of nicotine. Song Xijun turned her head to look at Ruan Qing'an's profile, her eyes filled with a thick, unreadable expression: "You've been smoking a lot?"

"...My mind is a mess, this will help me clear my head."

"Isn't there anything you want to say to me?"

Song Xijun asked pointedly, but when he looked at Ruan Qing'an, his expression flickered: "Wooden head, are you asking about us?"

"Well, they won't agree right away. We have a long way to go, so I'll have to try to persuade them first."

He paused, then asked, "Nothing else?"

"So what do you want to ask?"

Ruan Qing'an asked directly in return. She stopped and looked up at Song Xijun. For a moment, the two remained silent.

But soon, Song Xijun chuckled and rubbed the back of Ruan Qingan's head: "It's nothing, let's go back for dinner."

"etc--"

Seeing that Song Xijun was about to leave, Ruan Qingan suddenly spoke, his leaden gray eyes fixed on him: "Song Xijun, I do have something to tell you, no matter what happens next."

Please, you absolutely must believe me.

Ruan Qing'an spoke so earnestly that, in that instant, even though Song Xijun had heard her words through the bug, her mind calmed down along with her.

He was silent for a moment, then lowered his head and kissed Ruan Qing'an's eye: "I know, but don't look at me like that—I'll go crazy."

...

This matter was incomplete and unclear, but through mutual cover-ups, a false peace was achieved, like the calm before a storm, teetering on the brink of collapse.

Ruan Chengzhi continued to go to work, while Xia Hua continued to go out and play with her girlfriends. Ruan Qing'an and Song Xijun stayed at home to study, making it very quiet.

Ruan Qing'an was writing on his desk, while Song Xijun was sitting on the bay window with a book in her hands, her long legs crossed.

He propped his chin on his hand, watching Ruan Qing'an write with such focus: "Ruan Ruan, the holiday will end in two days. After returning to school, I will be going to participate in special training at the provincial level."

"Um?"

Ruan Qingan came to his senses: "Is that so? That's perfect. I should be participating in the national competition soon. But if I go for special training, what do you need to prepare?"

Song Xijun shook his head: "There's nothing to prepare. The teachers from the Provincial Department of Education notified me that I just need to get there before the special training starts. They've booked a hotel for me. I just need to focus on preparing for the TIP International Physics Competition."

"Oh, that's fine too."

As Song Xijun spoke, she changed the subject: "But there's one more thing—that teacher reminded me that I have to arrive before the special training starts, otherwise my spot will be canceled."

Ruan Qingan frowned: "How can it be canceled?!"

"There's no way around it. If I don't go, it's like I'm giving up this opportunity, and the spot will be vacant. They'll probably choose someone else."

Song Xijun chuckled softly, her dark eyes fixed on Ruan Qing'an. The smile in her eyes was like the tip of an iceberg floating on the surface of the sea, while an almost dark emotion was hidden beneath the surface.

Before Ruan Qing'an could react, he leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "What if I make room for you, Ruan Ruan?"

"...What nonsense are you talking about?"

Ruan Qing'an raised her hand and pushed Song Xijun away, while he leaned against the window to read again. She lowered her head and wrote a few words, then suddenly stood up: "Wood, I'm going out to get a glass of water. Wait for me."

"good."

Song Xijun nodded. Only after he saw Ruan Qing'an's figure disappear through the bedroom door did he look down at his phone, where he saw a message from a teacher from the Provincial Department of Education.

However, the above content states that if Song Xijun misses this opportunity, the spot will be forfeited, and there is no possibility of selecting someone else.

Looking at the text message on her phone, Song Xijun's eyes darkened: "Don't disappoint me, Ruan Ruan..."

Ruan Qing'an, whom he longed for, closed the bedroom door and stood in the living room with a blank, expressionless face, her leaden eyes almost like those of a dead fish.

037: [Is the male lead testing you again, ancestor?]

"Otherwise what? This news is true, and I have his last name."

Ruan Qing'an lowered her head and poured water.

As the sound of water filled the air, her phone suddenly rang, and it was Xia Hua's voice on the other end: "Ruan Ruan, did Song Xijun say something to you just now?"

"...Mom, why are you suddenly asking that?"

On the other end of the phone, Xia Hua chuckled lightly: "It's nothing. Didn't you run away from home the day you left? Your dad and I looked for you but couldn't find you, so we had no choice but to come home."

"We passed a pet store on the way, and there were some beautiful pets inside. Your dad and I both liked them quite a bit."

Ruan Qing'an frowned slightly and asked impatiently, "Mom, what exactly do you mean?"

“Ruan Ruan… Although we tried to persuade you and you said you understood us, your parents have raised you for so many years because we hope you can live a good life and that our whole family can live a good life, you know?”

Xia Hua paused, then said, "We told the shop owner that we have pets at home, so we installed pet surveillance cameras in the room."

Hearing this, Ruan Qing'an fell silent for a long while before she chuckled softly.

Doesn't it need to be installed?

Because that's who she is...

At this moment, Xia Hua continued to ask, "Now there's an opportunity to snatch Song Xijun's spot and directly participate in the TIP International Physics Competition without having to participate in the national competition, right?"

"Ruan Ruan, just listen to your mother. There's a risk of not being selected for the national competition. Why don't we gamble on Song Xijun's spot? It's a double insurance. Isn't Mom's thinking thorough?"

There was even a hint of smugness in her tone.