In the afternoon, Li Qing told Zhao Wenyi and the others, who had just returned from their busy schedules, that she had found a house. She then asked them to help move the luggage to the new place.
Several people helped carry the items into the elevator.
Luo Zhengyu couldn’t hold back and asked, “Xiao Li, how did you manage to rent a place here?”
“Yuan Miao found it. The owner didn’t want the house to sit empty, so the rent is very cheap, and it even covers the property fees.”
After saying this, Li Qing gestured with a number.
“A thousand?”
Zhao Wenyi was stunned.
When they drove in earlier, they had noticed that this residential complex was no ordinary one—both the service and privacy measures were excellent.
Renting a place like this at such a price was no different from a pie falling from the sky.
Just as Zhao Wenyi was about to ask if there was some kind of trap, Li Qing, as if anticipating his question, explained everything directly.
She had seen and checked the property deed and confirmed with the property management that all permissions for the house had been transferred to her. It was completely safe.
Zhao Wenyi immediately had nothing more to say.
Li Qing had always been cautious in her actions—perhaps he was overthinking it.
When everyone stepped inside the house, even the usually quiet and reserved Zeng Huai couldn’t keep his expression under control.
“Where did Yuan Miao find this…”
“Tsk tsk, Xiao Li really turned misfortune into fortune.”
Luo Zhengyu swaggered around the house, admiring the clean, high-end furnishings and spacious living room, his tone full of envy.
Zhao Wenyi, however, stood silently in place, his brow furrowed.
He thought of the relative Yuan Miao had mentioned, the one who could solve his schooling problem. Could this house belong to that relative?
“Xiao Li, what’s the owner’s surname?”
“Hmm?”
Li Qing turned around. “It’s Wen.”
Hearing this, Zhao Wenyi’s expression relaxed slightly.
As long as it wasn’t Yuan.
Yuan Miao enthusiastically picked out a room.
However, his belongings were pitifully few—just a suitcase’s worth of things, and even the suitcase had been given to him by Zhao Wenyi.
In the past, Yuan Miao would wear different clothes every day, accessorized with various jewelry and watches, always preening himself.
But now—
Li Qing looked at his simple sweatshirt and black pants, devoid of any extra adornments.
Although his handsomeness was still undeniable, compared to the first time Li Qing had seen him, he could be considered somewhat down on his luck.
“…I’ll take him to buy some new clothes in a few days.”
Li Qing sighed.
Under Zhao Wenyi’s teasing gaze, she brought up the matter of Yuan Miao living here and asked Zhao Wenyi to help cover for her in front of Chen Ruohua.
Zhao Wenyi cleared his throat and agreed. “Alright.”
That same evening, Li Qing brought Chen Ruohua back.
She explained the origin of the house and then the reason why Yuan Miao was staying there.
Chen Ruohua didn’t ask too many questions, simply agreeing to whatever Li Qing said.
She affectionately patted Yuan Miao’s head, saying she would take care of him as if he were her own child.
Yuan Miao was so moved he nearly turned into a little crybaby.
…
Early the next morning, when Li Qing woke up, she found Chen Ruohua already busy in the kitchen.
“Qingqing, have breakfast before going to school.”
“Okay.”
Li Qing walked over.
Without Li Jianhui in the house, she had slept very comfortably.
At that moment, Yuan Miao rushed out in a fluster.
Just as he was about to blurt out the word “Mom,” he noticed Chen Ruohua’s presence and quickly swallowed it back.
“I can go to school now!!”
His voice was filled with excitement.
His dad called him early in the morning to say that school arrangements had been made and that he should go directly to Wucheng No. 1 High School.
“Oh?”
Li Qing looked surprised.
It really worked out?
This relative of Yuan Miao must have quite the background…
She nodded calmly. “Come have breakfast.”
“Coming!”
Yuan Miao skipped over cheerfully. When he saw the egg pancakes Chen Ruohua had fried on the dining table, his eyes couldn’t help but turn red.
In the future, Li Qing would also fry egg pancakes for him.
When Chen Ruohua came out of the kitchen, she saw Yuan Miao eating the egg pancakes with red eyes and asked curiously, “What’s wrong with this kid?”
“Nothing, don’t mind him.”
Li Qing shook her head.
But the worry in Chen Ruohua’s eyes only grew.
Yuan Miao bit into the pancake and choked out, “Mmm, it’s so delicious…”
Chen Ruohua was stunned for a moment, then smiled helplessly.
After breakfast, Li Qing took Yuan Miao out to school.
Li Qing walked into Class 1, Grade 12, but Yuan Miao didn’t follow her in. He had to report to the office first.
Just before class started, Liao Ting led Yuan Miao in.
“Put aside what you’re doing for now. This is the new transfer student, Yuan Miao. Everyone, get along well with the new classmate…”
“A new classmate?”
“Someone transferring in during senior year?”
“The surname Yuan?”
Sparse applause of welcome sounded from below, but there was more discussion about this sudden transfer student.
Yuan Miao accepted the stares and whispers from everyone without any reaction on his face, nor any psychological burden.
Liao Ting listened to the students’ discussions but said nothing. His own doubts were no less than theirs.
He had only learned about Yuan Miao’s sudden arrival this morning.
“Alright, there happens to be an empty seat next to Li Qing. You can sit there for now, and come to the office after class to pick up your textbooks.”
“Okay!”
Yuan Miao’s eyes lit up, and he agreed happily.
Li Qing exchanged a helpless glance with him.
Yuan Miao skipped over cheerfully.
He sat down in the seat next to Li Qing, then leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “Mom.”
“…”
Li Qing cleared her throat softly. “Pay attention to the lecture.”
Yuan Miao immediately straightened up, assuming a posture of serious listening. His feigned seriousness made Li Qing chuckle.
Yuan Tingshen walked into the classroom just as the bell rang.
He had just returned from the principal’s office.
As soon as he entered the classroom, Yuan Tingshen glanced around and saw Yuan Miao sitting next to Li Qing.
“Huh?”
For a moment, his expression turned subtly complicated.
Yuan Miao didn’t notice his biological father’s gaze at all. He was still trying hard to whisper to Li Qing.
But before long, he was interrupted by the student sitting in front of him.
“Hey, new classmate.”
Yuan Miao’s front desk was a tall boy.
He skillfully picked up his textbook to shield himself, moved his chair back, leaned his body backward, and kept glancing back out of the corner of his eye.
“I’m Ji Minglang, the class sports committee member.”
“What’s your relationship with Yuan Tingshen? You both have the surname Yuan, and you look a bit alike…”
Ji Minglang couldn’t hide his curiosity.
Yuan Miao brushed it off with a cheeky grin.
“Guess?”
“Tsk, that’s no fun… Are you brothers?”
Meanwhile, Li Qing was already shocked by Ji Minglang’s words, her pupils widening in disbelief.
Now she remembered what she had forgotten earlier.
Could Yuan Miao’s relative in Wutong Garden possibly be Yuan Tingshen?!
…So her future husband is Yuan Tingshen’s brother?
The thought that she and Yuan Tingshen would become relatives in the future made Li Qing feel deeply uncomfortable and emotionally conflicted.
She never once suspected Yuan Tingshen himself.
What a joke—they were sworn enemies.