Chapter 4
During the rush hour after get off work and school, Xixi Dessert Shop on Donglin Street was bustling with activity. Song Qiuxuan and Sun Shan sat inside chatting and enjoying the new products. Time flew by, and half an hour passed in a flash.
Before leaving the store, Song Qiuxuan packed a mango crepe that her mother loved. She and Sun Shan were going home in different directions, so they parted ways outside the store.
"Xuanxuan, see you next Monday." Sun Shan said goodbye as she was about to walk to the bus stop.
"Okay, goodbye." Song Qiuxuan waved, turned around, put the dessert bag into her schoolbag, and rode her bicycle home.
When I got home, my mother, Xu Yanzhen, had already come home from get off work and was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. The aroma of the food wafted out and filled the living room.
Song Qiuxuan took off her schoolbag and put it on the living room sofa. She walked into the kitchen, approached Xu Yanzhen, and said with a smile, "Mom, I bought your favorite mango crepes."
As she cycled back, Song Qiuxuan's fair face was covered in fine sweat. She smiled smugly, her expression revealing her expectation of praise.
Xu Yanzhen glanced to her side, not going along with Song Qiuxuan's wishes. She casually put down the plate of sweet and sour pork ribs and said with some dissatisfaction, "You know that it will be almost dinnertime when you get home, but you still want to buy dessert. You won't be able to eat dinner later."
Song Qiuxuan said playfully, "No, it's just dessert to whet your appetite." She picked up the plate of sweet and sour pork ribs and walked out, placing it on the dining table where two dishes were already laid out. As she did so, she said, "I put the mango crepes in the fridge first. By the way, did Dad get off work so late today? Why isn't he home yet?"
"I went out for a business dinner tonight, so it'll just be the two of us eating together."
"oh."
On her way home from get off work, Xu Yanzhen bought some cold dishes. She asked Song Qiuxuan to pour them into a dish. Song Qiuxuan wiped her sweat and went into the kitchen. The space, which wasn't very spacious, felt a bit cramped with the two of them squeezed in.
The setting sun cast its last rays through the window as the mother and daughter chatted casually, creating a heartwarming and everyday scene.
In these ordinary moments, Song Qiuxuan could always glimpse a hint of happiness. She was an only child, and although her family was of ordinary means, her parents loved her and did their best to give her a life that, while not wealthy, was fulfilling.
After dinner, Song Qiuxuan sat at her desk doing homework for more than an hour. As she stretched, she suddenly remembered that she had promised Cheng Xun at school to explain the problem to her again.
She picked up her phone and saw that Cheng Xun had already accepted her friend request, but hadn't sent her a single message.
Based on Song Qiuxuan's understanding of Cheng Xun's personality, he wouldn't bother reminding her unless she proactively sent a message about it.
Song Qiuxuan stared at her phone screen, hesitating for half a minute about whether or not to send him a message.
She always felt that her feelings for Cheng Xun were strange. It was undeniable that she was very interested in Cheng Xun, perhaps because Cheng Xun had a cold and introverted personality, but would inadvertently reveal a little bit of gentleness.
It was probably on that rainy evening of the first day of school that they walked back to the classroom under the same umbrella, and the pattering rain blurred her emotions.
It could also be simply because Cheng Xun is good-looking, and she is an extremely superficial person...
Suddenly, there was a knock on the bedroom door. Her thoughts returned to her. Xu Yanzhen pushed the door open and entered, holding a cup of warm milk. She walked to the desk in her slippers and put it down.
Xu Yanzhen glanced at Song Qiuxuan's still-closed exercise book on the table. She could tell that he was writing very carefully. A sense of relief welled up in her heart, and her face softened as she said in a gentle tone, "Drinking some milk at night is good for your health."
"Okay, I'll drink it later." Song Qiuxuan replied absentmindedly, still looking down. She tapped the screen and exited the chat.
She thought her mother would leave her bedroom after she said that, but Xu Yanzhen stood there without moving, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.
Song Qiuxuan put down her phone and looked up, somewhat puzzled.
Xu Yanzhen called out "Xuanxuan" softly, then said in a slightly serious and mature tone, "The coursework in high school gets heavier and heavier as you go on, so you should start paying attention to it now and be serious. When you reach the senior year, the pressure won't be so great, and you won't feel like you can't breathe."
Song Qiuxuan realized what her mother was about to say, and simply looked calmly into Xu Yanzhen's eyes, where the passage of time had left wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.
“A colleague of mine has a very bright daughter who got into Jiangwu University this year, and she’s been bragging about it to everyone. She told me that her daughter spends every weekend in the library, and that this is the reward she got through her hard work.”
It's impossible to say that Xu Yanzhen didn't have high hopes for her daughter. She also knew that only those who are excellent enough in many aspects have the power to choose, and the more she experienced society, the more she understood this principle.
Xu Yanzhen usually presents a gentle side and is not anxious when faced with difficult situations, but she only becomes assertive when considering her daughter or discussing matters.
After listening to her rambling on and on, Song Qiuxuan finally understood what she meant. She just hoped that she could use the weekend to study, preferably in a quiet library.
There's nothing wrong with that. Isn't studying her most important thing right now?
And so, barring any unexpected events, Song Qiuxuan would go to the library to study every weekend.
Before leaving the bedroom, Xu Yanzhen reached out and touched her daughter's soft hair, smiled contentedly, and resumed her usual relaxed and casual demeanor, saying, "Our Xuanxuan is the best girl, remember to finish your milk."
Song Qiuxuan smiled along with her, picked up her cup and took a big sip of milk. The sweet taste touched her tongue. Because of this little incident, she forgot about sending a message to Cheng Xun.
*
Cheng Ying knocked heavily on the door a few times and called out "Second Brother" a few times. A minute later, she became impatient and simply pushed the door open and went in.
The curtains were drawn tightly shut, and even at midday, when the sun was blazing, not a single ray of light could penetrate the dimness. The only light came from the computer screen displaying the game interface.
Cheng Ying stepped inside, instinctively shrinking back. She looked up and saw her second brother huddled in his gaming chair, his profile indifferent, wearing headphones. No wonder he hadn't heard her knocking on the door for so long; he was engrossed in his game and hadn't even glanced at her.
Cheng Ying, who was worried about being scolded for entering her brother's bedroom without permission, breathed a sigh of relief and slowly walked in.
Cheng Xun casually glanced at Cheng Ying, neither taking off his headphones nor saying anything, his gaze returning to the computer, his hands continuing to operate.
Cheng Ying stood beside him, seemingly oblivious to his presence, staring at the computer screen. She planned to speak only after the game was over. She looked preoccupied, and for a girl who was almost ten years old, she looked particularly aggrieved. Anyone who didn't know better would think that Cheng Xun had scolded her.
A game lasts quite a while, and she did start to feel a little wronged. Her parents and eldest brother doted on her, but her second brother was indifferent to her and wouldn't indulge her childish temper.
Therefore, at home, Cheng Ying prefers to stick close to her gentle older brother, Cheng Ting. She only dares to act spoiled and unreasonable in front of her older brother. She is secretly afraid of her second brother. Sometimes when she sees her second brother with a blank expression, his eyes seem to be shrouded in gloomy clouds, and she can feel the oppression and pressure just by looking at him.
The game ended, Cheng Xun raised his hand to pull off his headphones, and looked up at Cheng Ying.
In the dim light, his expressionless face appeared even more gloomy. Cheng Ying looked at her second brother, not daring to vent her grievances. She said in a muffled voice, "I want to see my eldest brother to the station."
Cheng Xun leaned back in his chair, his brows furrowing slightly in surprise. It took him a while to understand Cheng Ying's words. Today was Sunday, the day Cheng Ting was to go to Jiangwu University. He had almost forgotten.
Cheng Xun nodded slowly: "Oh, then go ahead and tell me what you want to do."
“You have to go too, otherwise I can’t go. My parents are at work and they’re not home, and my older brother thinks I’m too young and won’t let me go.” Cheng Ying looked up at Cheng Xun’s reaction, her lips pursed, as if she was afraid that Cheng Xun would refuse her.
Cheng Xun looked like she didn't want to talk to her. She picked up her headphones and pretended to put them on, saying indifferently, "Haven't we spent enough time together this whole summer? Don't you think it'll be too hot to go out in this weather? Besides, the National Day holiday is less than a month away, and Cheng Ting will be back then. Are you worried about not seeing him?"
"It's different. This is now, and this is a holiday. I just can't bear to part with my older brother..." Cheng Ying was young, and when she was anxious, her voice became pitiful and tearful, which would soften anyone's heart.
Cheng Xun, however, wasn't buying it. Instead, she ruffled her hair in annoyance and said, as if she couldn't stand it anymore, "If you really cry, then don't even think about going."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Ying knew that her second brother had agreed to her request, and her mood instantly brightened. She smiled and said, "I didn't cry."
Cheng Ying's good mood lasted until she accompanied her older brother to the station. While the three of them were waiting for a taxi downstairs, her older brother bought her a bottle of AD calcium milk. Her reluctance to part with it intensified, and she held his hand tightly.
Cheng Xun stood under the shade of the tree watching them, his face expressionless.
Their neighbor, Aunt Hu, went downstairs to the supermarket. As she passed by them, she saw Cheng Ting's suitcase and immediately realized he was going to school.
Everyone living nearby knows that Cheng Ting was the top science student in the city's college entrance examination and was admitted to Jiangwu University, a university that many people dream of attending. Everyone knows that Cheng Ting is incredibly successful.
Aunt Hu looked at Cheng Ting with a mixture of envy and flattery. After greeting them, she struck up a conversation with Cheng Ting: "Cheng Ting, you've gone to university?"
"Yes, we're waiting for the bus now." Cheng Ting gave a polite and refreshing smile.
Cheng Ting was always well-liked, especially by elders. His smile was radiant. Aunt Hu looked at him with a pleasant expression and stopped rushing to the supermarket, rambling on and on about how she praised him.
In fact, she had said these words countless times, but she always felt that Cheng Ting was an outstanding person, and no amount of praise was too much.
Cheng Xun, who was standing to the side, was bored, so he squatted down and took out his phone to play a game.
Two minutes later, Aunt Hu turned her gaze to Cheng Xun, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes. She changed the subject and earnestly advised, "Cheng Xun, play less games. With your brother as a role model, learn more from him."
Cheng Xun felt the sun was too strong, so she wore a black baseball cap on her head when she went out, and with her head down playing on her phone, the cap almost covered her eyes.
Seeing this, Cheng Ting took two steps to Cheng Xun's side, reached out and hooked his hat up, "Did you hear that?"
Cheng Xun put away her phone and slowly raised her head.
Aunt Hu continued, "Although you definitely won't get into Jiangwu University with your grades, you might be able to get into a regular university if you work hard. Don't fall too far behind Cheng Ting. You know, when people talk about Cheng Ting, they inevitably talk about you too. It would be bad to go to a bad university, and it would also damage your brother's reputation."
Aunt Hu disapproved of Cheng Xun's personality, and her tone became increasingly sarcastic and unpleasant. Even nine-year-old Cheng Ying could tell something was wrong.
Cheng Xun smiled insincerely, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. He squatted under the shade of the tree, and for a moment it seemed as if he was truly shrouded in shadow. He just smiled faintly and said, "What you said makes some sense, but I think Aunt Hu, you should stop wasting your breath lecturing. You've heard too many道理 (principles/reasons) at school, and you're tired of them. Compared to that, even the buzzing of flies by the trash can isn't that annoying."
Cheng Xun usually seems like a rather dull person, but sometimes his words are like poison, and he is very aggressive.
Aunt Hu paused for a moment, feeling extremely embarrassed by what he said. Cheng Xun was inconsiderate of other people's feelings and let the awkward atmosphere continue.
"Aunt Hu, the taxi is here, let's get in."
Cheng Ting's words relieved Aunt Hu, whose face had turned red, from her unbearable predicament. She looked at Cheng Ting with almost gratitude, then hurriedly walked towards the supermarket.
Cheng Ting loaded the suitcase into the trunk and said to Cheng Xun with great incomprehension, "Why did you say such harsh things just now?"
Cheng Xun scoffed: "Her words hit the bullseye. Do you understand what I mean by that?"
"You seem so indifferent to everything else, so why can't you stand those few words?" Cheng Ting put down her suitcase, walked around to the car door, and said half-jokingly, "Could it be that my brilliance is irritating you?"
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