"Did I cry? I don't remember." Luo Ye's face was embarrassed. How wonderful it would be if she could be reborn back to three or five years old—none of these embarrassing episodes would have happened yet.
"Did you cry? You..." Wen Xin couldn't help but laugh as she revealed her daughter's little shortcoming: "Too shy to cry in front of others, but at night you'd hide under the covers and shake with sobs. The next day your eyes would be swollen like peaches, and not even your hair could cover them up. Who was that?"
"Mom, you don't know, Uncle Feng's little thing is so smart. It only likes Grandpa Li's purebred long-haired white foxhound from the mountain. The newborn puppies are so cute!"
Years later, Luo Ye still couldn't forget that snowy white foxhound, but last time Grandpa wanted one, Dad wouldn't let her bring it home. Would he stop her again this time?
Luo Ye glanced nervously at Luo Zhenggang, who seemed absorbed in the newspaper. Just when she thought her dad hadn't heard her, his voice drifted over leisurely: "You can bring it home, but you have to wash it yourself, take care of its business, and earn its keep at your mom's leisure center!"
"No problem!" Luo Ye's little face flushed with excitement, not so much because she could keep a little foxhound, but because Luo Zhenggang had changed!
Perhaps in her previous life, it was because she and her brother were too timid and not good at communicating with their dad, which led to the feeling that he was utterly unreasonable.
Wen Xin smiled and passed the cooked dish to Luo Ye: "Here, serve this dish. Weren't you complaining that Mom wasn't cooking your and your brother's favorite dishes? Today I made your favorite fried lotus root slices and your brother's favorite chili oil wontons. Are you satisfied?"
Feeling guilty, Luo Ye glanced at her mom and carried the dish towards the dining room. Luo Zhenggang, peeking through the newspaper, saw Luo Ye's slightly trembling legs and his lips curled into a smile: "Running tomorrow morning?"
Luo Ye nodded: "Of course, I'll keep it up!"
"Dad, Mom, I'm back. Ye'er, what are you persevering with?" Luo Feng entered the door, sweating profusely.
"Persisting in running. Brother, set your own alarm tomorrow morning, otherwise, I'll come and lift your blanket!" Luo Ye put down the dish and wrung out a hot towel. "Wipe off the sweat. Does your leg hurt today, brother?"
"Ah, it's so bitter..." Luo Feng made a pained face. "Ye'er, are we really running every day? Today my leg was hurting so much while sitting, lots of classmates laughed at me, asking if I had hemorrhoids."
"Lie down!" Luo Ye pointed to the long sofa leaning against the wall.
"What for?"
"Just lie down if I tell you to lie down, why so many questions!" Luo Ye dragged Luo Feng over, forced him to lie on the sofa, and kneeled on the carpet to massage his leg.
"Ow... Ye'er, no need to rub any more... no need... Ow..." Luo Feng screamed in an attempt to get up, but Luo Ye's face turned stern: "Brother, what did I tell you yesterday? Endure it!"
"Ah... Ouch... Ow..." Luo Feng was sweating with pain, not understanding how his delicate little sister could massage so painfully.
"Endure it, it won't hurt much when you get up tomorrow morning!" Luo Ye also wasn't comfortable; sweat was constantly streaming down her cheeks.
"Ye'er..." Seeing his sister's face red from the heat and dripping with sweat, but still insisting on massaging for him, Luo Feng's voice became choked up.
"Brother... A man bleeds, sweats... but doesn't cry. If you truly feel sorry for me... you have to become strong in the future. I'm waiting... for my brother to protect me!" Luo Ye continued speaking breathlessly, but her hands didn't stop.
Luo Feng nodded vigorously: "Yeah, I'll listen to Ye'er." Although he was still adjusting to his sister's changes, he was certain that she truly had his best interests at heart.
Wen Xin put the soup on to simmer, then sat down beside Luo Zhenggang: "Husband, have you noticed that Ye'er has really changed a lot? If Feng'er had screamed like that before, she would've been too scared to press on, and look at her now, she's getting so passionate..." Wen Xin wore a face full of concern, unsure of how to phrase it.
"Don't worry, this kind of change is good!" Luo Zhenggang patted Wen Xin, his face filled with relief.
"But, I always feel that it's better for girls to be more gentle. If it were Feng'er changing like this, I wouldn't be worried." Wen Xin sighed gently. "It's all my fault for not paying enough attention to Ye'er before."
"Ye'er is at a rebellious age right now, don't worry too much. With a gentle mom like you, she won't go too far off track!"
"Alright, I'll listen to you, but…" Wen Xin looked doubtful: "Is it true what you said about letting Ye'er go work at the leisure center to earn dog food?"
"It's true. If she wants to keep a dog, she has to take responsibility. We, as parents, can't protect her for a lifetime. Wife, I agreed to let her keep the dog, but it was also a reflection on what she said yesterday. Before, I always felt that as long as our children are honest and stay out of trouble, they could live safely no matter what. Now I think that's not necessarily the case; a sense of responsibility and strength are qualities they should have!"
Wen Xin hesitated: "Husband, are you hiding something from me? I never thought much about it when Ye'er didn't cause trouble, but today, when I had some free time at the leisure center, I pondered over it. I always feel like your approach to educating Ye'er and Feng'er seems to be preparing them for hardship."
"How could that be? Being an official isn't hereditary. I'm just planning ahead for them!" Luo Zhenggang put his arm around Wen Xin's shoulder: "You know I was pushed into this position, and it's too hard, that's why I don't want our children to follow this path. Don't overthink it."
Luo Ye, who was massaging her brother's leg against the wall, felt her parents must be talking about her. Despite straining her ears, she couldn't hear clearly and finally gave up. Oh well, she would investigate it slowly by herself.
...
A week later.
After the mid-term exams for the semester were over, Shangguan Yingnuo grabbed Luo Ye excitedly in the classroom: "Luoluo, how do you feel? Do you think you improved compared to last time?"
"I'm not sure." Luo Ye smiled: "How about you, Yingnuo? How do you feel?"
"Not bad, I think the test wasn't hard!" Shangguan Yingnuo's face was full of happiness, then her little face fell again: "Luoluo, you have to work hard. We have to get into the same university in the future!"
"I will work hard!" Luo Ye did not respond to the latter part, as she had already decided to apply to a military academy. Yingnuo was accepted into the Chinese Department of Hai University in her previous life by merely two points over the cut-off score — she didn't want to drag her best friend down.
Still, she wondered if her classmates and teachers would burst into laughter when they found out she intended to study science?
All of a sudden, Zhong Chongmei turned her head around: "Ye Zi, my uncle has opened a leather shoe factory. If you're interested, I could introduce you!"
Shangguan Yingnuo tapped Zhong Chongmei's arm with her book: "Aren't you being a bit too much?"
Luo Ye's lips curved into a smile: "Zhong Chongmei, you should save that spot for yourself!" She knew very well that Miss Zhong spent three years trying to pass the college entrance exam but failed, ultimately ending up working at her uncle's shoe factory.
"You? Humph, even if you beg me later, I won't help you!" Zhong Chongmei turned her head back in a huff, thought for a moment, then stood up and walked toward the seats of Pan Fang and Zhang Jinyan.
Sending out extra chapters, Nu'an especially thanks "０Peach０", "～Qingquan 0901182318", and "Ziluo Flower Petal" for the PK tickets and pink tickets.