It was supposed to be review materials, but there weren't many books inside; most of it was notes. There were also stacks of test papers. The test papers were bound by year and grade. Judging from the creases, they should have been reviewed at the back.
Xu Keke picked them up one by one and looked through them. They turned out to be notes and test papers from all subjects from junior high to high school. Some of the notes were more than ten years old, but they were well preserved, showing the owner's care and reluctance to part with them.
Seeing Xu Keke's shock and confusion, Qi's mother explained with a smile, "We didn't have so many teachers before, so we would go wherever there was a shortage of teachers. The hardest time was when even the teachers didn't have books. Things got better later. We got a school, desks and chairs, and teachers. But then we started thinking about how to make them even better. If a subject was weak, we would discuss it with the teachers to see if they were going too deep. And that's how we ended up having so many."
You can see how much Qi's mother cherishes her work. For her, this isn't just a job to make a living. It's her career, something she loves and has dedicated herself to.
She did it year after year, and if she suddenly stopped, I doubt anyone would be able to adapt for a while.
Xu Keke was very close to Qi's mother, close enough to see the pores on her face. Qi's mother wasn't the kind of well-maintained official's wife. Her skin condition was similar to Dou Yi's, both weathered by years of hardship, somewhat dull, with clear and deep lines. However, they possessed a certain spirit, not the vibrant energy of youth, but like lush pine trees, steadfast and vibrant.
Although Dou Yi and Qi's mother are completely opposite in personality—one serious and resolute, the other gentle and sensitive—Xu Keke feels they are very similar. They are both people with immense personal charm, whose inner radiance completely overshadows their outward appearance. Being with them makes it easy to overlook their physical looks.
Xu Keke didn't take everything; she had a feeling that Qi's mother would probably still need these things.
Xu Keke took the sets of test papers she wanted and thanked Qi's mother.
Mother Qi said dismissively, "No need to thank me. They say a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative. You and Qi Chang live in the same courtyard, so I'll have to trouble you to help us take care of Qi Chang in the future."
Xu Keke smiled and agreed. She seemed to understand somewhat why Qi's mother had been so enthusiastic tonight. After they left, Qi Chang would be left alone, and her mother was definitely still worried. Judging from Xiao Bei's attitude today, the fact that her marriage to Qi Chang hadn't gone through was definitely not her fault; it was her parents' decision, and there must be other reasons behind it. Based on Xu Keke's understanding of this era, it must be no small matter. Qi's father seemed to have escaped unscathed this time. But what really happened was still hard to say.
Xu Keke took the two little ones to bed, while Qi Chang and the others remained in the study.
Xu Keke was awakened by a loud bugle call in the morning. When she opened her eyes, it was already daylight.
The night was quiet, and all around was silent. Unlike the hard boards with a mattress on them that Meng Dong and the others slept on, the Qi family's bed had a soft mattress. It was very relaxing to lie on. So Xu Keke slept very comfortably that night.
Xu Keke went out and ran into Qi Chang, who was coming back from his run. He had a white towel around his neck, was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt, and his strong arms were clearly defined.
He smiled at Xu Keke, a smile different from the one he gave last night; it lacked the foolishness and returned to his usual self. It seemed that Qi's father's situation wasn't very optimistic. But the fact that he could still smile meant there was still a solution.
"We might have to leave early. After lunch, a car will come to pick us up."
The plan was to leave after dinner last night. Upon hearing this, Xu Keke quickly went back to her room to wake Meng Jia. She then checked on Qi Chang; Gao Jiaqing was already awake, sitting on the bed in a daze.
Xu Keke asked Qi Chang with a smile, "How is he? He didn't bother you last night, did he?"
Qi Chang took Jiaqing's clothes off the chair and shoved them into his hands. Jiaqing looked at them for a while before realizing he needed to get dressed. Qi Chang watched Jiaqing get dressed, saying, "It's alright, I guess he ate too much fruit last night. He got up once in the night and went to the bathroom by himself."
So you didn't sleep well, but I don't know if it was because there was someone else in the bed, or because of what they talked about in the study. Or maybe both.
After the two little ones were dressed and washed up, the four of them went downstairs together.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Bei arrived early in the morning and was helping out in the kitchen.
The two children were naturally adaptable, and in just one night, they had already found a sense of belonging here. They came downstairs laughing and joking. Hearing them come down, Xiao Bei came out of the kitchen carrying a pot of porridge, smiling and greeting Qi Chang and Xu Keke.
It felt a little strange; she seemed like the lady of the house, while Qi Chang seemed like a guest. Xu Keke and Qi Chang exchanged a knowing smile, then simultaneously looked away.
Xu Keke and Qi Chang stood obediently to one side, while the two children jostled and pushed each other around them. Xiao Bei carried various side dishes from the kitchen to the living room like a busy little bee, hurried and anxious. Xu Keke felt that in a moment, she would have to utter that classic line, "What are you standing for? Hurry up and sit down!"
Qi's mother and father came out of the bedroom downstairs. Xiao Bei had just set the table, greeted them, and then went back into the kitchen. Qi's mother glared at Qi's father reproachfully, and Qi's father smiled somewhat awkwardly.
The couple must have discussed it privately; Qi's mother's attitude towards Xiao Bei was different from yesterday. Before, she seemed to treat Xiao Bei casually, like her own child. Yesterday, she treated him like a regular guest, polite and courteous. Today, it was somewhere in between—like she would treat a common junior.
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