CHAPTER 27: CHAPTER 27: LITTLE HE TOUCHED BY MOTHERLY LOVE

The words from Future Little Brother’s mouth were so sticky-sweet, Chu River’s gaze on him suddenly turned deep and thoughtful.

However, after she scanned the boy critically from head to toe, she clicked her tongue disdainfully—

"With your skinny frame and chubby face, what more do you want to do?"

"Just run errands and—"

Before she could finish, a boy behind her suddenly pulled out his earbuds, and the lines from an old movie spilled out from the screen—

"Thinking about it is wrong, thinking about it is a crime!"

The audacious and wilful words of a pretty actress echoed boldly in the air, instantly bringing silence to the surroundings!

And the boy hurried to put his earbuds back on.

With this interruption, the words that were about to escape Chu River’s lips were swallowed back down.

Under her scrutinizing gaze, the young boy across from her, already increasingly insecure, reddened around the eyes, and his body drooped.

"Sis, you’re right... I shouldn’t even think about it, boo hoo..."

Chu River: ...ahem.

...

With business in the internet cafe settled, Chu River was worried that if she dallied any longer, her homeroom teacher would call home once he couldn’t find her at school.

So she quickly dashed back to campus at top speed.

She returned just in time. Many of the boarders were from the county town, and since they couldn’t make it back in time, they simply stayed at school.

The homeroom teacher, Old Chen, was in the middle of gathering everyone for a final pep talk.

"Chu River, where did you run off to? I couldn’t find you anywhere!"

He couldn’t help but sigh: "I told you, I have an old phone you could use—"

Chu River thought, the previous Chu River was too proud to accept it.

As for me, I don’t take it because I might break it and have no money to fix it...

Old Chen kept repeating:

"No night self-study tonight, just go to bed early, no studying allowed."

"Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the exam venue—oh, Chu River, you don’t need to go since you’re taking the exam at this school, just take a good rest."

Chu River responded quickly this time:

"Can I go home for two days then?"

Old Chen: ...

"Ah, this..."

Thinking about Chu River’s parents, he couldn’t help but hesitate, then sighed: "Alright, don’t rush home tomorrow morning, I’ll go with you in the afternoon."

He’s taking students to the exam venue in the morning, and in the afternoon, he’ll send her home, perhaps also have a word with her parents—such an important exam, it wouldn’t do to have any hitches.

Chu River nodded, quite unceremoniously: "Then I’ll sleep in tomorrow."

These words made Old Chen smile broadly:

"Yes, yes, sleep well, catch up on all your rest..."

He was acting as if he was nurturing her to the utmost.

The few students stuck at school with no one caring about their sleep looked at her, their eyes full of resentment.

...

With the college entrance exams approaching, the first and second-year students were all given a break, leaving the dormitory quiet.

In Chu River’s dorm room, only four students lived, and now, with the two-day break, their parents had taken them home.

She was left alone, but felt more at ease for it.

And so, as soon as night fell, she smoothly climbed the wall again.

Her target—her home!

Since she was here, she might as well check on Chu River’s parents.

...

As expected.

When she knocked on the door at 9:00 PM, the woman who answered had messy hair, and the surprise was evident in her eyes when she saw her:

"Little He? Why are you on break at this time?"

For senior students everywhere, aren’t they supposed to be the most important thing at home? Yet the concerned-looking Bai Mei didn’t even know why her daughter was on break.

Old Chen must have dutifully delivered the news, but some people never look, so there’s nothing to be done about it.

Chu River didn’t say much: "It’s been a while since I came home, just wanted to check in."

Bai Mei gave her a reproachful look:

"Aren’t you doing well at school? Your father said the school feeds and houses you, there’s no money at home—"

As she spoke, she pulled out five yuan from her apron pocket and stuffed it into her hand:

"Take it, quickly, don’t let your father see. This is my grocery money saved up."

She grumbled: "Beef has gotten so expensive lately, and your father’s daily drinking doesn’t come cheap..."

The crumpled five yuan, who knows how long it’s been in her pocket. Standing at the door, Chu River peeked inside, immediately spotting two more bottles of Maotai in the cabinet across from the entrance than she remembered.

She curled her lips into a smile and walked straight in.

"Mom, you’re so good to me."

Bai Mei wiped her slightly reddened eyes sentimentally:

"You girl, it’s been a while, yet you became more sensible—It’s good you know Mom is good to you. Are you staying the night? It’d be better to study more back at school..."

She nagged: "With your temperament, you make a big fuss over small matters, better off at school."

"Since you’re here, just bear with your father if he says anything, don’t take it to heart... He’s just a bit temperamental, don’t talk back, and he won’t hit you. You’re his daughter, he’s doing it for your own good."

Facing away from her, Chu River observed the familiar yet strange home, nodding absentmindedly:

"You’re right, I’m his daughter, I’m also doing it for his own good."

Bai Mei was taken aback.

Before she realized, someone shouted from the bedroom:

"Bai Mei! Where the hell are you? Where’s the fruit I asked you to bring?"

"Coming, coming!"

Bai Mei hurried into the kitchen, bringing out a bowl of meticulously cleaned grapes.

As she passed by Chu River, she hesitated for a moment, finally looking at her skinny daughter with some pity, and handed her three grapes.

"Eat them quickly, don’t let your father know."

Then she entered the bedroom with the bowl in hand.

Through the closed bedroom door, Chu River looked at the three plump grapes in her hand, while she heard voices from inside:

"Little He is home for break, I’m going to make some pig ears for you to eat with your drink."

The sound of a chair being kicked over came from inside—

"That money-draining brat came back again? Here to get money from me again? Didn’t the school already pay? I’m not even asking her to contribute to the family yet—"

"Her father! Her father! Don’t be mad, the child is still young, doesn’t understand—wait for her to finish the exams, with the bonus, we’ll buy you good wine—"

"As if I could count on that girl?! Bring her in, let’s see if her wings have hardened!"

"Her father—hey, look at you, talk nicely to the child, stop hitting at the drop of a hat..."

As she spoke, Bai Mei headed for the door.

Chu River looked at the three grapes in her hand and sneered, then went straight in to push open the bedroom door.

Bai Mei was momentarily stunned, then quickly signaled to her daughter:

"Don’t talk back, your father’s just got a bit of a short fuse, as a daughter you should be filial, don’t upset him..."

Seeing the motherly love on her face, Chu River was deeply touched inside:

"Don’t worry, I won’t let him be upset."

With that, she turned and pushed Bai Mei out, locking the door behind her.

With the bedroom door closed, she let out a "huh" internally—

The TV, the recliner, and the bowl of grapesand a dampened ashtray atop the cabinet.

Looking at the Maotai bottles on the cabinet... Chu River’s home really is "poor"! All the money must’ve gone to this!

At this moment, she suddenly understood why the school was so stingy with her.

— Even though the principal himself was cheap.

┐(´-｀)┌

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