Chapter 48: “If You’re Unwilling, Score a 744”

After finishing lunch, it was already past one. The elder generation, including Wen Hua, started playing Chinese chess. Wen Xia, who hadn’t done any homework all morning, still had a lot left to complete, so she went upstairs to the bedroom to work on it.

Qin Mo sat beside her, watching her work. Oh, and there was also Wen De, who was using the Wi-Fi while working on his laptop.

The bedroom was quiet, with only the sound of keyboard clicks and pens gliding on paper.

Suddenly, there were two knocks on the table, followed by the boy’s serious voice. “Xia Xia, if vector a is parallel to vector b, then vector a ⋅ vector b = ±|a| × |b|, or x₁/x₂ = y₁/y₂.”

“Redo this. Don’t just dive into solving the problem as soon as you see it. Read the question carefully first.”

“If you make another mistake, copy the formula twenty times.”

Wen Xia: “…”

Was Qin Mo addicted to punishing her with copying?

She scratched her nose and murmured softly, “Got it.”

Hearing her being reprimanded, Wen De pressed his lips together, his gaze briefly brushing over Qin Mo.

Under Qin Mo’s watchful eyes, Wen Xia recalculated the problem. Qin Mo shook his head. “Wrong again. Just looking at the answer, you can tell it’s wrong.”

Wen Xia: “…”

Qin Shueba, could you please act like a normal person? What do you mean by “just looking at it, you can tell it’s wrong”?

She had spent seven or eight minutes calculating!

Qin Mo rolled up his sleeves and took the pen from her hand, starting to work through the problem himself. Wen Xia only partially understood his first explanation. Patiently, he went through it a second time. “Did you get it this time? Wife, for these kinds of problems, you have to carefully read the question. If you don’t understand the question, the entire solution will be wrong.”

Wen De wasn’t typing on his keyboard at that moment, which led Qin Mo to forget that the father-in-law was still there.

Hearing the word “wife,” Wen Xia extended a finger and poked the back of his hand, signaling him to look behind.

Qin Mo met the deep, penetrating gaze of his father-in-law. “…”

Wen De looked at him, his thoughts flashing through several scenarios. After a few seconds, he spoke in a deep voice, “Don’t call her that if you’re not married yet. Don’t ruin Xia Xia’s reputation.”

Qin Mo tried to act normal and attempted to explain, but the words “Uncle Wen” turned into “Dad…” halfway out of his mouth.

He seriously doubted that Wen De’s impression of him was any better than in his previous life.

Meeting Qin Mo’s pleading gaze, Wen Xia was speechless.

She tried to salvage the situation. “Dad, my husband, he…” Her voice trailed off immediately.

Seeing Wen De’s face grow darker, she awkwardly glanced at Qin Mo.

Well, that didn’t help.

The next day, Wen Xia had to attend a tutoring session. After dinner, Wen De prepared to drive her back home.

At that moment, the Qin family also announced their departure. Spotting her granddaughter discreetly waving to the Qin family’s grandson to signal it was time to leave, Xu Qiong smiled and suddenly called out to Wen De. “Dezi, stay another night here at home. Your dad and I miss you. Xia Xia has her tutoring session, so we won’t keep her. Let her go back with Mo Mo and the others.”

“I need to go back. There’s still work at the factory,” Wen De frowned and refused outright.

“It’s not like the factory will collapse if you stay one night.”

Wen Hua shot him a glare and then turned to Qin Qiang. “Da Qiang, we’ll have to trouble you with Xia Xia.”

Qin Qiang waved his hand dismissively. “It’s no trouble. Xia Xia is just a girl. Why not let her stay at our place tonight? Tomorrow morning, she can go to tutoring with Mo Mo.”

“Thank you, then,” Wen Hua nodded in relief. Seeing Wen De about to object again, he pulled him aside.

Under Wen De’s gaze, Wen Xia awkwardly got into the front passenger seat of the Qin family’s car. “Dad, Grandpa, Grandma, bye-bye!”

After the car drove off, Wen Hua turned to the scowling Wen De, putting on the attitude of a modern thinker as he lectured him, “What do you know about young people’s business? Dating is perfectly normal.”

“Dad, Xia Xia is still in school,” Wen De said in a heavy tone, clearly angry.

“What’s dating got to do with studying? Mo Mo’s not the type to mess around,” Wen Hua said, looking at Wen De like he was a relic from another era. Then, with a challenge in his tone, he added, “That kid scored 744 on his exams. If you don’t approve of him, then go score 744 yourself.”

“If you can score a 744, I won’t meddle in Xia Xia’s matters at all.”

Wen De fell silent. He couldn’t score that.

“Dad, good character isn’t measured by grades!”

“Oh? Scoring thirty or forty makes someone have good character now? I’m going to bed. I can’t be bothered arguing with an old fossil like you. You’re just biased.” Wen Hua glared at him again.

Afraid the father and son would argue further, Xu Qiong quickly interjected, “Dezi, the Qin family is scholarly and upstanding, even stricter than us. They wouldn’t do anything inappropriate. You saw it today—Mo Mo peeled shrimp for Xia Xia for ten whole minutes. That’s not a kid who’d do something wrong.”

“When your dad and I didn’t agree with your dating back then, we regretted it. So for Xia Xia, just let things be and leave it to fate.”

Wen De pressed his lips together at the mention of his own past. “I didn’t disagree with dating. I just think they’re still young, and one wrong step could ruin everything for them.”

Wen Xia received a text about Singles’ Day sales: Want to stop being single? Shop at [store name], with doorstep delivery. Be the next to find love!

She suddenly realized tomorrow was Singles’ Day, meaning tonight, many people would confess their love.

Feeling amused, she scrolled through her social feed. A minute ago, Su Bo had posted a photo with the class beauty from the next class, captioned: No Singles’ Day for me. Jealous, Jiang Gouzi?

She liked the post.

Then she saw Jiang Yan’s post—a picture showing two overlapping shadows. She left a comment: Jealous.

A few seconds later, her phone buzzed with a call from Jiang Yan. “Xia Xia, I kissed Zhou Qing!”

The phone’s poor sound insulation meant everyone in the car could hear it clearly.

The car fell silent.

Wen Xia hadn’t expected Jiang Yan to blurt out something like that. Realizing what was said, she quickly hung up and nodded awkwardly, glancing nervously toward the backseat.

Qin Mo’s grandparents smiled warmly at her, signaling that she shouldn’t worry. They seemed completely open-minded.

“…”

Honestly, it would be hard to find a more laid-back in-law family than the Qin family.

She turned back to her phone and opened the Little Fairies Group Chat:

[Yanyan, your earlier comment was heard by my cousin and his grandparents.]

Jiang Yan: …

Liu An’an: What?! I want to know, tell me, tell me!

Just as Wen Xia was about to reply, another call came in. She lowered the phone’s volume slightly before answering. “Hello?”

“Xia Xia, it’s me.” A boy’s hesitant voice came through.

Wen Xia immediately guessed what this was about and nervously glanced at Qin Mo. “Jiang Xu, do you need something?”

At the mention of Jiang Xu, Qin Mo, who was driving, slowed the car. Without hesitation, he reached over and took Wen Xia’s phone. On the other end, Jiang Xu stammered, “Xia Xia, I… like…”

Qin Mo raised an eyebrow. “Xia Xia is working on her homework. What’s the matter?”

There was a pause on the other end before Jiang Xu muttered, “N-nothing.”

The call ended.

Facing Qin Shueba’s intense glare, Wen Xia awkwardly scratched her nose. Just as she picked up her phone to play again, she heard Qin Mo’s voice.

“Got time to kill? Recite The Discourse on the Six States.”

Wen Xia: “…”

Jealousy truly made Qin Shueba insufferable.

The Qin family was genuinely wealthy—there was no pretense about it. Their villa on the outskirts of town was twice the size of Qin Mo’s own home.

Every time Wen Xia visited, she felt like she had walked into the set of a drama.

Qin Mo’s grandmother instructed the housekeeper to prepare a guest room, then warmly said to Wen Xia, “Xia Xia, don’t be shy. Treat this place as your own home. When you have time, come visit with Mo Mo.”

Wen Xia nodded obediently.

After exchanging only a few more words, the elderly couple excused themselves to go upstairs, claiming it was time for bed.

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