Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  Holding the lunchbox in her hands, Shi Qing sniffed. “Qiao Nan, you, you’re really quite annoying.” Afterward, Shi Qing simply ran off.

  Qiao Nan, who received a scolding, was wide-eyed and confused. “I don’t think Shi Qing was really scolding me, right? Don’t tell me she meant that I’m likable when she said that?”

  After writing his letter, Shi Peng, who had maintained the same posture for some time since his daughter left, wiped the corners of his eyes with his hands when he heard the sound of his daughter’s running footsteps. He then cleared his throat. “You’re back so soon. I thought you’d chat with Qiao Nan for a longer time.”

  Seeing that Shi Peng remained in the same posture since she left, Shi Qing took a breath and tried her best to sound happy. “Dad, your tummy is not good. It’s already so late. Quickly have your meal.”

  “Have my meal?” Shi Peng was surprised at his daughter’s words. “How rare. You’re actually concerned about this?”

  Although he did not have any appetite, Shi Peng would not decline as his daughter’s good intentions were hard to come by. “Our young lady has grown up and is more meticulous now, unlike in the past when you were like a boy. Your mom blamed me every day for having led you astray by bringing you to the army since you’re a child.”

  When Shi Peng opened his lunchbox, he smiled. “I’ve already said that the sun is rising from the west today. After encountering such a matter, you can still think of getting food for me. I think Qiao Nan got you the food, right?” At this hour, there would not be any food left in the canteen.

  Shi Qing paused for a moment. “Why did you guess that I’d certainly not think of it and that it was Qiao Nan who got the food?” Qiao Nan’s name was not written on the lunchbox, was it?

  Shi Peng took out another lunchbox and transferred half of the food over. “Judging from your question alone, it was not wrong that you lost to Qiao Nan by half a point mark in the recent final examinations. You’re my daughter. How can I not know how many intestines you have in your stomach? Look at the portion of the food.”

  “There’s so much.” Shi Qing frowned. Even if her father had a huge appetite, he could not take so much food. “Dad, this……”

  “Do you understand now? This is meant for the two of us.” After transferring the food, Shi Peng passed what was left to Shi Qing. “You’re filial to me. It’s not impossible that you’re concerned about my health by getting food for me. I still have a little confidence in you regarding that. But that’s about it. There’s a limit to your rational thinking.”

  \r \r \r

  It was good enough that Qing Qing would think of getting him a meal. Nevertheless, she would definitely not include her portion of food too.

  “Alright, your classmate meant well. It’s hard to come by. Hurry up. Come over and eat. Don’t forget the habit of a soldier. Do you still remember what I taught you since you were at a young age?”

  “Every grain of rice on the plate is the hard work of the farmer. I still remember.” A three-year-old child also knew how to recite this.

  When he saw his daughter sitting down to eat, Shi Peng, who was initially gloomy, suddenly felt a little better. “Qing Qing, actually, there are two reasons I allowed you to be transferred to the school here. First, I wish to see you more often. Second, I hope you will give up on Zhai Sheng totally. No matter who Zhai Sheng is with, he’s definitely not suitable for you. But, today, it looks like you’ve met a good classmate. It’s rare.”

  Although she clearly knew that Qing Qing’s target was Zhai Sheng, Qiao Nan was still so friendly and sincere to Qing Qing. Qiao Nan was really quite good at heart.

  It was no wonder Zhai Sheng did not like Qiu Chenxi but was so protective of Qiao Nan.

  Zhai Sheng was much younger than them, but he had a great sense of judgment in character!

  “She’s not that good. She’s just a little better than the average person.” Shi Qing refused to admit. “Moreover, I feel that it’s also because I’m a good person. That’s why she’s quite good to me. If it’s Qiu Chenxi, you’ll see if her temper can still be so good.”

  So, her ‘goodness’ was the main reason for all these.

  “Isn’t this the case in all human interactions? In a relationship, it should be reciprocal. Who will be foolish enough to be good to their enemies?” Shi Peng patted Shi Qing’s head. “Alright, don’t refuse to admit it and say something that’s unappreciative. You need to change this bad habit. Other people are not your parents. They will not always tolerate you. Understand?”

  It was already quite good that Qiao Nan could do this.

  “Don’t worry about me. About Qiao Nan and me, I know what I’m doing. Also, don’t look down on Qiao Nan. She sees with her heart and not her eyes.” His father was underestimating Qiao Nan. If Qiao Nan could be frightened off by just a few nasty words of hers, she would not be Qiao Nan then.

  “Haha……” Upon hearing his daughter’s words, Shi Peng’s mood turned much brighter.

  Qing Qing’s trip to Ping Cheng this time was not completely without any gain.

  He had been thinking of leaving the army for two years, so he would definitely leave. It was an unexpected bonus that Qing Qing found a good friend in Ping Cheng.

  “Oh, you’re doing your summer homework?” At two o’clock in the afternoon, Shi Qing went looking for Qiao Nan with the latter’s lunchbox. “It’s early afternoon. Are you not taking a nap? After all, the air in the hills is much cooler than outside.”

  “I’ve already napped for an hour.” Qiao Nan was so engrossed in her homework, diligently working on it. Ping Cheng High School really gave them a lot of homework.

  Shi Qing put the lunchbox down and sat on the study table swiftly. She looked at Qiao Nan, feeling puzzled. “With your results, it shouldn’t matter even if you don’t do all this homework. Isn’t doing them a waste of your time? Why would you? I think the school won’t take issue with you even if you don’t do them.” It would greatly reduce Qiao Nan’s burden if she did not do all these.

  “You don’t know.” Qiao Nan, who was writing furiously, paused for a moment. She then continued with the homework on hand.

  In the previous life, after she quit school, she felt so envious whenever she saw people of the same age carrying a schoolbag and going to school.

  She heard the aunties in her factory lamenting how much homework their daughters had when attending senior high school. When the school holidays finally arrived, it was tough on them as they had to spend all of their time doing homework at home during the weekends. Qiao Nan was filled with jealousy when she heard that.

  The homework students detested most while schooling was, in fact, the happiness that she wished for but could never attain.

  As such, after she was reborn to this lifetime, Qiao Nan had never disregarded her homework despite her good grades. In the eyes of other classmates, she was just going through the motion. Nevertheless, to Qiao Nan, each piece of homework enabled her to practice her speed.

  She could practice the speed of attempting and completing questions, the speed of reading, the speed of everything.

  Shi Qing could not understand why Qiao Nan was so determined to do well in her studies. “Judging from your voice, it seems like you’re feeling better now?”

  “Can we not talk about this?” She was fine just now, but now that Qiao Nan brought it up, she felt a little depressed again. Regarding this matter, it was not possible for anything to make her feel happy for the time being.

  “Okay, I’ll not mention it then.”

  “.……” She gave up so quickly. Shi Qing had harbored hopes of chatting more with Qiao Nan about the matter so that Qiao Nan could console her more. “Qiao Nan, you don’t have any empathy. Is the summer homework more important than your classmate?”

  “Yes, you’re not as important as it is.”

  “Cold-blooded.”