Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  Chen Jun gently flicked the note from Qiao Nan with his fingers. “Qiao Nan, you’re still too young and not enlightened. Or perhaps you are playing cat and mouse with me? Regardless, congratulations, Qiao Nan. The game between us is really not over yet.”

  “Chen Jun, your call.” The teacher in charge of the dormitory shouted from the ground floor.

  “Okay,” Chen Jun acknowledged and then locked all the letters in his cupboard before he ran down the stairs. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t mention it,” The teacher replied smilingly. The teacher was definitely pleased to interact with a student like Chen Jun, who was always polite and performed well in his studies. He also never had any hanky-panky in his dormitory.

  “Hello, yes, I am. Don’t worry. Of course, I have not forgotten that project. I’ve been following up. However, haste makes waste. It’s better to take it a step at a time.”

  “.……”

  “There is no use to be anxious. I like to carry things out in a steady manner. Furthermore, isn’t there still time? It will do as long as we can complete this project according to the timeline. Okay, I know. This project will benefit both your family and mine. I placed this as one of my priorities too, so don’t worry about it. Furthermore, I’m not anxious although my family stands to benefit from it much. Why should you be?”

  “.……”

  “Alright. I know. If you really don’t feel assured and are not afraid of ruining it unnecessarily, you can try to look for others to do this. Okay, alright. See you.” After rubbing his ears that were aching from the call, Chen Jun covered his mouth and smiled. A child was a child, hardly patient at all.

  Only two months had passed. If it was so easy to settle this matter, that person would not have sought his help.

  \r \r \r

  The truth of the matter was that this ‘project’ was more complicated than he had expected.

  “Chen Jun, you’re only in the second year of college. Are you starting your own business?” The teacher in charge of the dormitory was stunned. A good student was undoubtedly a good student. When others were still learning new knowledge, these people already had a head start by enterprising. “Chen Jun, you have to strive hard. Our school relies on students like you.”

  “Don’t worry, teacher. I will do my best,” Chen Jun replied with a smile. “I may receive more phone calls in the future. I’ll have to trouble teacher to alert me a few more times.”

  “Haha, no worries. Nevertheless, I heard that the school is trying to arrange for phones to be installed in every dormitory. You most likely don’t need to run all around soon. You will soon be able to make the phone calls in your own dormitory.”

  “That sounds good.” Chen Jun nodded. “See you, teacher.”

  “See you, see you.”

  When he returned to the dormitory, after some consideration, Chen Jun took out the letters that he received today again. He prepared two document envelopes, one for his own letters, and the other, which is more exquisite, for Qiao Nan’s handwritten note.

  After doing all these, Chen Jun then locked the two envelopes properly.

  The other party had already called to hasten him. Even if there was still time, he should not drag it on for more than six months.

  He certainly needed to find a way to deal with this quickly and resolve this matter by next year’s summer vacation. Otherwise, his father’s side would be anxious too.

  Chen Jun’s father had urgent matters to attend to. And so did Qiao Nan’s father.

  “Alright, I have said that I’ll be attending Qiao Nan’s parent-teacher conference this evening. You should go home. I’m locking the door.” Seeing that Ding Jiayi was dragging her feet and unwilling to leave as usual when it was time to go home, Qiao Dongliang became impatient.

  In the past few days, Qiao Dongliang did not chase Ding Jiayi away so badly and allowed her to delay for over ten minutes in the house. However, he could not do so today.

  Qiao Dongliang did not wish to be late the first time he attended Qiao Nan’s first parent-teacher conference in the senior high school and leave a bad impression on the teachers. That would negatively affect Qiao Nan’s image in front of the teacher.

  “Since it’s the parent-teacher conference, then I should go together with you. After all, I am Nan Nan’s mother!” Ding Jiayi refused to leave. After so long, why was Old Qiao still unwilling to forgive her?

  They were clearly a couple but had to live separately. What was this situation!

  Ding Jiayi had lost more weight again as she had to rush between two places every day.

  She started to reminisce about the days they stayed in the Qiao’s residence in the quad. Although Qiao Dongliang slept in a different room, they were still living under the same roof at the very least.

  “This won’t do!” Qiao Dongliang declined flatly. “You can’t go. If you wish to go, you can attend Zijin’s parent-teacher conference. Zijin is already in the second year of senior high school. It’s not possible for her not to have any parent-teacher conference. You just have to take proper care of Zijin’s matters.”

  “Why can’t you let me attend Nan Nan’s parent-teacher conference?!” Ding Jiayi was not pleased. In the past, she was not willing to attend if she was paid to do so. If not for the sake of giving Old Qiao’s face, would she be willing to go today?

  She was already willing to attend. Why couldn’t she do so?

  “Old Qiao, is it…… Is it because Nan Nan told you something? Did she not want me to go? Why? Did she think that I’m a mother that will make her lose face? A mother never looks ugly to her child. What did she mean by that? Has she studied for nothing?” The more she did not want her to go, the more she wanted to do so.

  “This has nothing to do with Nan Nan. I’m the one who doesn’t want you to go.” Qiao Dongliang frowned. “Alright, hurry up and go home. I’m locking the door!”

  Following after, he did not care whether Ding Jiayi was willing to leave. He simply pushed and pulled Ding Jiayi out of the rented apartment and locked the door in front of her.

  At the sight of Qiao Dongliang walking toward Qiao Nan’s school in a limping manner, Ding Jiayi stomped her feet in fury. In the end, she fell into a murderous rage and followed him.

  She did not believe that Old Qiao could attend Qiao Nan’s parent-teacher conference and she could not do so. She was Qiao Nan’s biological mother.

  “Wait, who are you?” When Qiao Dongliang reached the school, he was stopped by the security guard at the entrance.

  “Hi, I’m the father of Qiao Nan from the high school first year’s class one. I’m here to attend the parent-teacher conference,” Qiao Dongliang replied awkwardly. At the thought of his limping, Qiao Dongliang unknowingly shrank his shoulders and wanted to hide both his legs.

  “Oh, so you’re Qiao Nan’s father. Qiao Nan’s results were excellent. Your daughter is very good!” Who did not know the top student in the cohort? The security guard became polite instantly. “I have a daughter too. I don’t hope that she is as good as Qiao Nan, but I’ll be happy if she is half as good. That’s the classroom for class one. Shall I bring you there?”

  “No need. Thank you.” The security guard’s affectionate behavior made Qiao Dong feel awkward. “That’s the classroom, right? I can find my way there.”