She needed to see his attitude, to see if his attitude towards her had changed.
If it had changed, she would have to find a way to make amends.
In any case, she was now determined to stick to one path: regardless of how their relationship with Gu Xingmo evolved, she would not divorce.
Since they weren’t divorcing, they would be living under the same roof and raising Junzai together. Creating enmity would be inappropriate.
She didn’t expect them to be inseparable and deeply in love, but she hoped for outward harmony and a more pleasant coexistence.
.
After being busy for a while, Gu Xingmo wasn’t too busy these past two days. He could decline some dinner invitations and social engagements in the evenings.
When Su Jiaobai messaged him, he was just leaving the office building and getting into the car to go home.
“Returning.” He replied with a single word, then asked, “Where are you now?”
Su Jiaobai hadn’t expected him to reply so quickly, and her mood instantly brightened. She quickly grabbed her phone and continued typing.
“Still at school.” After sending the message, she added, “I won’t get off work until 4:30.”
Gu Xingmo glanced at the time. It was 4:10 now, and it would take about 4:30 to drive to her school.
“I’ll pick you up.” He replied.
This statement, however, made Su Jiaobai hesitate.
But after only a brief moment of hesitation, she immediately replied: “Okay.”
Originally, she had planned to keep her status as a wealthy wife a secret at school. She wanted to keep a low profile and avoid making her work life and interpersonal relationships at school too complicated.
But now, after the series of events involving the Lu family and Jiang Heng, her identity as Mrs. Gu Xingmo had become her protective charm.
Since she intended to live a good life with him, there was no need to hide her identity as Mrs. Gu anymore.
Since he had proactively offered to pick her up from work, she would accept his favor and remember his kindness.
“Tell me when you’re almost at the school, and I’ll tidy up and head out.”
After thinking for a moment, she added playfully: “Thank you, Mr. Gu, for picking me up from work~”
Gu Xingmo could naturally sense the woman’s proactive goodwill. The unexpected call he received at noon today, whether she had dialed it by mistake or intentionally, at least indicated that things were moving in a positive direction.
Even if it was an intentional mistake, it meant she wanted him to know that she had completely cut ties with Jiang Heng.
Her cutting off contact with Jiang Heng and fully returning to her family was a good thing for Junzai and for the family.
Gu Xingmo was undoubtedly very satisfied with her choice at this stage.
And his proactive offer to pick her up from school was a response to her gesture of goodwill.
Gu Xingmo didn’t reply to her message. After putting down his phone, he looked up at the driver, Zhou Yue, and instructed, “Go to the Affiliated High School of Normal University.”
Although Zhou Yue didn’t understand why his boss suddenly wanted to go to the Affiliated High School of Normal University, he didn’t ask any further questions. He simply replied “Yes,” then opened the map application and selected the shortest route to the school.
It wasn’t yet the peak rush hour, so the road was clear. Fifteen minutes later, Gu Xingmo’s car stopped at the entrance of the Affiliated High School of Normal University.
When the map showed he was three minutes away, Gu Xingmo had sent Su Jiaobai a message. So, as soon as his car stopped, Su Jiaobai, who had just reached the entrance, immediately opened the door and got in.
This time, she didn’t sit in the front passenger seat but sat side-by-side with Gu Xingmo in the back.
The late summer sun at four o’clock was still scorching. After getting into the car, she put away her sun umbrella and took a deep breath, feeling the coolness inside the car. She finally felt like she was alive again.
Gu Xingmo handed her a bottle of water and asked, “Have they said when you can pick up your car?”
Su Jiaobai took the water, opened it, took a couple of sips, and then said, “It should be within these two days. Today is the 30th, so at the latest by the 2nd. If I don’t hear from them, I’ll call to ask.”
Gu Xingmo: “Then I’ll have Zhou Yue drive you to and from work for these two days.”
“No need.” Su Jiaobai instinctively didn’t want to trouble him too much. “I can just take a taxi.” She explained, “My commute times are outside of the morning and evening rush hours, so taking a taxi is quite convenient.”
Gu Xingmo wanted to help her, but if she didn’t want it, he didn’t want to force her. He only said, “Alright.” But then he added, “If you need anything, just tell me anytime.”
Su Jiaobai smiled and agreed, and at the same time, her worried heart settled.
If Gu Xingmo were truly angry, he wouldn’t be so considerate towards her.
It seemed that what Jiang Heng had said before was just to tempt her. He wanted to plant a seed of doubt in her heart to provoke discord in their marriage.
Su Jiaobai hesitated all the way. Should she mention Jiang Heng to him? If she explained the matter with Jiang Heng properly, then this incident would be completely over.
But after careful consideration, she decided against it.
No matter how she looked at it, this incident was considered her marital infidelity, her immorality. How could she explain it?
Should she say she didn’t love him, loved her first love, and even though she was married, she still flirted with her reunited first love?
She believed that even the most patient man probably couldn’t tolerate this.
Men’s possessiveness was terrifying. Even if Gu Xingmo didn’t love her, he probably couldn’t stand her explicitly confronting him with her affair with Jiang Heng.
Therefore, since he didn’t bring it up, she would pretend that her interactions with Jiang Heng never happened.
She didn’t know if she was wronged in the matter with Jiang Heng, because, in a way, fate had manipulated her destiny. For her, her interactions with Jiang Heng had never happened.
But if she hadn’t suddenly awakened and glimpsed her future ending, her life trajectory would probably still have followed what was written in the book. So, in the end, she would still have walked down that path.
Fortunately, although fate was manipulating things behind the scenes, it hadn’t driven her to a dead end. The matter with Jiang Heng had also passed.
At least she had overcome this hurdle.
After returning home, the couple was very much in sync. They both went upstairs first, took showers in their respective rooms, changed into clean clothes, and then came downstairs to take care of Junzai together from Sister Zhou.
It was at this time that Gu Xingmo discussed their son’s preschool with his wife.
“I asked Lin Zhou to inquire. There’s a bilingual preschool near Xinghe Bay, a private one. They have 1-on-2, 1-on-2, and 1-on-many, but the maximum class size is six people. What do you think, which class would be better?”
Su Jiaobai was a teacher herself, and she was also a top student since childhood. Therefore, whether from a student’s perspective or a teacher’s perspective, she had some say.
“Let’s go for the 1-on-many class.” She had her reasons for choosing this. “1-on-2 teaching, where two teachers focus all their attention on one child, undoubtedly allows them to learn a lot. But for a child, I still think a happy childhood is most important.” Children need to be nurtured well from a young age, but that doesn’t mean their happiness should be sacrificed for academic achievement.
Especially now, many parents place too much hope on their children, pushing them from a young age and giving them pressures that shouldn’t belong to their age.
While becoming accomplished is important, Su Jiaobai believes that one should strive to become a useful member of society in the future based on the foundation of happy growth.
“At his age, it’s about learning and playing. And it’s good for him to play with peers of the same age. What’s the point of being alone?”
Actually, before asking his wife, Gu Xingmo already had an answer in mind.
Asking his wife for her opinion was also a way of respecting her.
If their opinions differed, they could discuss it.
But now that their opinions were the same, everyone was naturally happy.
“Okay, we’ll do as you say.” Seeing that she had her own unique ideas and considerations regarding their son’s education, and that she was very rational, unlike her usual demeanor, he couldn’t help but look at her a few more times.
He then thought of the call she had mistakenly made to him at noon, and the change in her attitude towards the Lu family during this period… He couldn’t help but feel that perhaps she had truly encountered something and suddenly matured.
In Gu Xingmo’s view, although she was a highly educated woman with a good academic background and a respectable job, in terms of social experience and dealing with people, she was at a primary school level.
So, many times, even though she was so unreasonable and had a bad attitude towards him, he could tolerate it.
Because in his eyes, it was normal for her personality to become like that after experiencing those things.
As long as she didn’t do anything too excessive, didn’t affect Junzai’s physical and mental health, and didn’t involve any interests, he could tolerate it.
He just didn’t expect that one day, she would be like a changed person, having completely figured things out.
Undoubtedly, the current Teacher Su was pleasant and harmonious to get along with.
“Since we’ve agreed, I’ll have Lin Zhou make the reservation tomorrow. Let’s book a three-month course first,” Gu Xingmo said.
Su Jiaobai, however, said, “Has Assistant Lin inspected it in person? When it comes to Junzai’s matters, I think it’s best for us to be as hands-on as possible. How about this? I have two or three hours of rest time at noon. I’ll go and see it myself tomorrow at noon.” It would be best to inspect it in person, see the classroom environment, and how the teachers teach. After observing and deeming it suitable, it wouldn’t be too late to book it.
This was something Gu Xingmo hadn’t considered. His gaze towards Su Jiaobai now held approval and sincerity.
“This was my oversight.” He quickly reflected inwardly and then quickly agreed with his wife, “I’ll arrange it tomorrow, and I’ll try to go with you at noon.”
Su Jiaobai, however, said, “No need, you focus on your work. I’ll go by myself.” She was considering him, as some matters in a listed company could be much more complicated than those in a school.
So, Su Jiaobai also said sincerely, “I can go alone during the inspection phase. I’ll take photos and videos for you to see and we can discuss it together.” She also mentioned that she had other things to do nearby tomorrow. “I plan to get a gym membership nearby, so I’ll check out the nearby gyms then.”
“Alright.” Gu Xingmo was always easy to negotiate with. “Then this matter will be a bit of trouble for you.”
Su Jiaobai: “What trouble is it to busy myself for my son?” She winked at him with a smile, her eyes curving like crescent moons. Her gaze was clear, filled with bright and spirited light.
Gu Xingmo didn’t say anything further, but he took note of some of the things she had just said.
After dinner and spending time with their child, they went upstairs to their room. Gu Xingmo called Lin Zhou again.
“Check and see which gyms are near Xinghe Bay. What are the environments of each gym like, what equipment and fitness programs do they offer, and are they suitable for shaping or fat loss? After checking in detail, send the compiled information directly to my phone.”