Little Xiang Ning was in a very good mood such that she had not even felt bashful at all. Only when she was back alone in her room did the overjoyed little girl lie sprawled on her bed and chastise herself again and again for a time as she lay there……

  “Where is your modesty! You can’t be that happy, Student Xiang……you’re still young. A young lady like this, why does it feel like you’re going to marry someone……”


  Mr and Mrs Xiang’s moods were rather more complex. They had rejected Xu Tingsheng so strongly before, yet this was in the midst of slowly dissipating away now. If was fine if they refrained from thinking about this, but as soon as they did, it inevitably felt quite troubling.

  Actually, the two of them were really deceiving themselves right now, pretending not to see what was glaringly visible before their very eyes. They dared not consider at all what their complete reversal in attitude entailed for the relationship between Xu Tingsheng and Xiang Ning. Were they actually tacitly granting them permission by doing this……

  Even when they accidentally thought of this from time to time, they would automatically shield themselves from this thought, discarding it from their minds.

  They stubbornly told themselves that it was simply that they had no need to act like they had before……

  Whatever the case, though, besides some unavoidable awkwardness, Mr and Mrs Xiang’s first impression of Xu Tingsheng as they saw him again after such a long, hostile time was actually pretty good. They had liked this kid extremely greatly in the first place, having once cultivated feelings that were close to that of family members……

  Just like Mr Xiang had said, “The kid is actually pretty good. He also never did anything wrong before……”


  It was because of their worry, anxiety and unease later on that not having been able to think of another solution, they had requested themselves to act like that, adopting such a tough stance.

  Faced with such a situation, they themselves had actually been unable to feel comfortable and at ease too. Now that they were finally letting it go somewhat, they felt much more relaxed than before.

  As for Xu Tingsheng, he was feeling both joyful and on tenterhooks.

  While he was unable to ascertain why Mr and Mrs Xiang had invited him to their home, also not daring to hope for too much, this was actually a positive change in attitude at the end of the day.

  Why was he on tenterhooks? This was his first time at Xiang Ning’s house after close to a year. Also, this was happening with Mr and Mrs Xiang aware of his intentions……how could he not feel uneasy?

  Xu Tingsheng sat together with Liu Xueli and Li Linlin. Fortunately, Liu Xueli still remembered that she was supposed to be his distant aunt. The three generally chatted about Xiang Ning’s studies and how immensely her results had improved over this past one over year.

  Xu Tingsheng heard a quite a few interesting stories about Little Xiang Ning’s time in school from Liu Xueli. He had heard some of these before, others being mortifying anecdotes that the little girl would definitely not mention herself.

  For instance, Liu Xueli said, “Even now, in Xinyan Junior High, whenever someone accidentally hits a volleyball over the wall, they will still joke of what Xiang Ning did before, saying solemnly: Relax, the ball will fly back on its own.”


  After a while, Little Xiang Ning walked over, her arm linked in that of her Grandma who had been smiling happily the entire day. Apparently, the old woman wished to acquaint herself with and thank the ones who had taught her granddaughter.

  Xiang Ning introduced them to her Grandma one by one. The closeness of Liu Xueli and Li Linlin with the old woman was such that it could not be considered handshakes. Instead, she held their hands in a familiar manner and thanked them before chuckling happily as she said a few words to her precious granddaughter.

  Liu Xueli held the old woman’s hand, speaking of how she had come over from far away to visit Xiang Ning at her school every week during her first year there. At this, the eyes of Little Xiang Ning who had originally been smiling cheerily by the side involuntarily reddened.

  Li Linlin ended up simply addressing the old woman as Grandma just like Little Xiang Ning did.

  This seemed to perfectly adhere to propiety. What else could she call her otherwise? Old granny, old auntie?

  Thus, when Xiang Ning introduced Xu Tingsheng and told her Grandma that this was her home tutor, Mr Xu, Xu Tingsheng simply stood up and called her Grandma as well. Then, he carefully conversed with the old woman with a glib tongue as he had her chortling in laughter, exclaiming ‘what a good kid’.……

  Looking at the shameless Uncle, Little Xiang Ning did not know whether to laugh or to cry. As she passed by Xu Tingsheng when helping her Grandma down into a sitting position, she secretly stomped on his foot.

  Xu Tingsheng dared not even groan in pain.

  The old woman was big on propriety, having grown up in a different era from theirs. After chatting for some time, she suddenly remembered that Little Xiang Ning should rightly bow deeply to her teachers in appreciation and thanks.

  A bunch of relatives crowded over to watch the commotion as Little Xiang Ning obediently bowed to her teachers and thanked them one by one. Be it Liu Xueli or Li Linlin, both helped her up at once before giving her a hug along with some words of praise.

  Arriving before Xu Tingsheng, the little girl felt greatly amused as she stole a glance at him. Next, she exaggeratedly bowed deeply towards him, enunciating clearly, “Thank you, Mr Xu, for being so good to me……”


  She had clearly not said ‘for being so good to me’ to those two from earlier……

  Xu Tingsheng was getting nervous. He wanted to help her up and hug her too, but that was really out of the question.

  “What do I do?”


  Amidst his panic, Xu Tingsheng’s mind totally blanked out. He bent his waist and bowed deeply back towards Little Xiang Ning. This action of his left those onlookers positively gaping in amazement.

  “Please, get up, Student Xiang,” His tone was already extremely awkward as well as pleading now.

  The Xiang family’s relatives were already bursting their sides with laughter by now. Li Linlin and Liu Xueli could not bear to watch on anymore as they just smiled wryly at each other.

  Little Xiang Ning felt triumphant, also thinking that today’s dazed, foolish Uncle was very adorable indeed.

  After a while, more of the Xiang family’s relatives arrived. Also arriving were a few of Little Xiang Ning’s classmates whom she was closer to, Su Nannan included. They accompanied her and helped her to distribute the stools as well as the bowls, chopsticks and wineglasses all while laughing and frolicking about happily.

  With more of the Xiang family’s relatives present now, Xu Tingsheng, Liu Xueli and Li Linlin who were unfamiliar with all of them ended up speaking much less than before.

  In the meantime, apart from returning a simple greeting when Su Nannan specially came running over to say hi to him, he spent most of the time listening to other people as they talked.

  Actually, in the eyes of those relatives, Little Xiang Ning’s results were not the main issue here. If it were only that she had made it into a first-tier senior high, even if she had scored very well, this meal that the Xiang family was hosting would really be much too grand for the occasion.

  Little Xiang Ning could only be considered an accompaniment here. The main thing that everyone was really concerned about was still the flat they had obtained at half-price.

  Having had to bear all those people coming over to their house to congratulate them before then eating there over the past few days……the Xiang family thought that they might as well host them all in one go.

  Xu Tingsheng listened to them discussing the good luck of the Xiang family in envious tones.

  He was listening as Xiang Ning’s eldest aunt, second aunt and Grandma put mysterious looks on their faces and exaggeratedly told their other relatives, “Half Deity Niu took a look and said that our Xiang Ning possesses Fuxi bones on her forehead, features which are the highest grade under the heavens. She is destined to be blessed with great wealth and fortune……”


  He was listening as Xiang Ning’s Grandma crowed triumphantly, “All this is the fortune of my precious Little Ning!”


  Xu Tingsheng turned and looked at Little Xiang Ning who was currently running to and fro in the distance with a light gait and a smile on her face even amidst her menial exertions, “In our previous life, even with these treasured Fuxi bones, you encountered such a me and were unwilling to let go……in the end, be it when we were dating or when you were waiting, I dealt you so many injustices, caused you to suffer so much hardship……”


  “In this life, I will return you a life of destined fortune.”


  Beside Xu Tingsheng, Li Linlin who had constantly been paying attention to him apprehended this gaze.