WBSGVS Chapter 78 V1

At this time, the school didn’t have many students, especially in small village elementary schools where girls were particularly few. They didn’t need separate classes, and one class of just over thirty students would include children of appropriate age from several nearby areas.

Qingli and Song Jin took Xiaoyu to school and then slowly walked back. The school was close enough that they could easily return if needed, and the village was a safe, isolated place with few worries about bad people. Still, they felt a bit downhearted.

After all, they had spent months together, and Xiaoyu was especially well-behaved and considerate. She would be clingy when she wanted, yet independent enough to help out when needed.

Without that sweet little girl with her dimpled smile around, Qingli felt a bit lost and wasn’t in the mood to work.

Noticing her low spirits, Song Jin gently suggested, “Why don’t you go rest? I can handle it.”

“Are you sure you can do it alone?” Qingli was a bit worried, thinking he might mess up the flavor.

Song Jin waved her off. “I’ve watched you do it long enough—I’ll be fine. Go on, go rest!”

So, Qingli did go rest.

It was still morning, and with everyone off working, the village was quiet. Even the dogs in the yard seemed to sense that their owner needed rest, staying silent.

Qingli ended up enjoying a good nap.

By noon, the aroma of freshly cooked rice and savory dishes woke her up, and her feelings of disappointment had completely lifted. She even enthusiastically chatted with Song Jin, “Do you think Xiaoyu might be really smart? Maybe she’ll stand out in her class and skip a grade!”

It wasn’t just talk—Qingli had been tutoring Xiaoyu since she arrived, and Song Jin, too, would teach her when he had free time. The little girl was already learning things other kids hadn’t touched.

There were no rules against skipping grades at that time, so if Xiaoyu advanced, it would be a big endorsement of Qingli’s teaching skills.

“Better not,” Song Jin chuckled. “Skipping a grade would mean she’d be with older kids in second grade. Kids don’t start school until they’re seven or eight, and she’s only six.”

“True!” Qingli laughed and rubbed her head. “She’s so mature that I sometimes forget she’s only six.”

Kids from poor families often mature early, but Xiaoyu had faced even worse circumstances than that, making her especially thoughtful and wise beyond her years.

Because of her past hardships, Xiaoyu had always been a little anxious, even struggling to fall asleep peacefully. She was so well-behaved that it almost made Qingli sad.

That’s why Qingli had wanted her to start school—to keep her mind busy and help her socialize.

After a short chat, Qingli felt calm about Xiaoyu starting school.

When the little girl came bouncing back home that afternoon, Qingli, like most parents, warmly asked at dinner, “How was school today?”

“It was wonderful! There’s a playground! I love playing there. Today, a third-grade sister played jump rope with me!” Xiaoyu beamed, her dimples showing even more, her voice filled with newfound energy and liveliness.

Qingli breathed a sigh of relief and praised her, “I’m sure you were just so adorable. Did you make any friends?”

Blushing a little from the praise, Xiaoyu shyly grinned and held up two fingers. “Two! One is the third-grade sister, and the other is my seatmate…”

Qingli listened intently, responding here and there, which made Xiaoyu even happier.

There was no homework on the first day, but Xiaoyu still practiced her handwriting, smiling all the while.

Since Qingli was married, Xiaoyu didn’t sleep in the same room with her. Still, Qingli went to Xiaoyu’s room to read her a story before bed.

Usually, Xiaoyu would fall asleep only after a short story.

This time, though, Qingli had barely started when she heard Xiaoyu’s light snoring. She paused, waited a bit, and then quietly left.

Song Jin was still working when he saw her come out so early. “She’s already asleep?”

Qingli nodded, washed her hands, and helped him. She spoke softly, “Sending her to school was a wise choice. She made friends, got plenty of exercise, and now she’s so tired she can’t overthink things.”

“That’s good,” Song Jin said, relieved. The two of them continued their work.

At midnight, a buyer came by to pick up the day’s products and subtly hinted about increasing production.

Qingli pretended not to understand, seeing the customer off, then returned inside with Song Jin.

They stayed up late and didn’t wake early, but Qingli would still get up in time to make breakfast and ride with Xiaoyu to school. Then she’d come home for a nap while Song Jin worked, before picking up Xiaoyu at noon.

People in the village noticed their daily routine and often commented, “You two are going all out—who raises a child with such effort?”

Qingli would just smile and brush it off. The neighbors didn’t press further.

She didn’t plan to keep up this routine forever. Xiaoyu was only six, and although she had taught her some self-defense, she still planned to escort her to and from school for first grade. Later, she could go with other kids.

This schedule kept them a bit busy, but it was satisfying. Qingli had barely thought about the Xiang family, let alone the fact that Xiaoyu was in the same class as the Xiang siblings.

Besides, if a fight broke out, Xiaoyu’s strength might surprise those two.

However, half a month later, Song Jin brought Xiaoyu home, her clothes visibly dirty, her hair disheveled despite being fixed, her eyes red, and her arms covered in red marks. Qingli’s face darkened. She looked at Song Jin and asked, “What happened? Did she fall?”

Without saying anything, Song Jin shook his head, glancing at Xiaoyu with a troubled expression.

Qingli understood, gently pulled Xiaoyu close, and asked softly, “What happened to your clothes?”

Xiaoyu loved staying clean, rarely played games that could dirty her clothes, and always returned with her braids intact. Today was different; something had happened.

Xiaoyu’s gaze dropped as she murmured, “It’s nothing…”

Qingli wrapped her in a warm hug and gently said, “I’m not mad at you. I’m upset with whoever hurt you. Xiaoyu, tell me—who bullied you?”

Xiaoyu’s eyes filled with tears, and she sniffled, “It… it was Xiang Lian and her brother Xiang Heng. They bullied me…”

Xiang Lian and Xiang Heng?

When Qingli first heard the names, they were unfamiliar, but once she heard “brother” and “sister,” she immediately knew who they were. She continued to comfort Little Rain: “Can you tell me what happened?”

Little Rain’s tears flowed even more quickly, and with a sense of grievance, she said, “I… I’m the class monitor, and I was collecting homework. They hadn’t done theirs and didn’t want to hand it in, so I got angry and told them to finish it quickly… but they yelled at me…”

“Don’t be scared, don’t be scared, take your time,” Qingli gently reassured her, patting her back.

Little Rain calmed down a little, hugging Qingli’s neck, sniffling as she continued, “I didn’t collect their work, I told the teacher. During class, they got their hands smacked. Then, during lunch break, she pulled me outside and hit me…”

Qingli waited for her to cry for a while before asking softly, “Did you fight back?”

Little Rain lowered her head in guilt, “No… I was too scared…”

“Why were you scared?” Qingli’s voice became even softer. “Silly girl, if someone hits you, you should fight back, do you understand? You’re strong, haven’t I taught you how to fight? If you use those moves, they won’t dare hit you again.”

Little Rain’s situation had been special for the past six years, making her timid. She had even been wrongfully accused of stealing eggs and didn’t dare speak up for herself. Although Qingli was surprised that she didn’t fight back, it made sense given her circumstances. At this moment, Qingli couldn’t push her too hard; she needed to comfort her instead.

Sure enough, Qingli’s comfort made Little Rain stop trembling as much, but she didn’t respond.

After a long pause, Little Rain quietly said, “But I’m scared…”

Her situation was different from other kids. They had parents and grandparents to protect them, but Little Rain had no one.

Qingli immediately said, “Hey, how about I help you fight? Like last time, but this time even more serious. If she hits you, I’ll hit her ten times in return, and by the time I’m done, her face will be swollen, okay?”

Little Rain chuckled, her tears still clinging to her lashes, but she shook her head. “No… I don’t want that.”

“Beat her until her face is swollen? And have my sister do it?” Although Little Rain had never seen Qingli fight before, the last incident had been enough to prove Qingli’s power.

Little Rain was more afraid of the idea than anything else. She feared that if her parents found out, she would be punished even more severely since she had no one to stand up for her.

But seeing Qingli’s determination, she felt a sense of warmth and protection. It made her feel like… maybe fighting wasn’t so scary anymore.

Little Rain sniffed and with a sweet, but firm voice said, “Sister, I… I’ll do it myself!”