Lu Kai was caught the next day after he ran away and was expelled for theft.
The punishment for Cheng Shuqin was just as Li Qiao had anticipated, not expelled.
But she was given a major demerit and a notice of criticism.
It was indeed a severe punishment.
She herself was taken home by her parents for criticism and education and hadn’t returned to school for three days.
Qin Jin also hadn’t spoken to Li Qiao for three days.
Early that morning.
Qin Jin said, "Grandma, Feng Kui and his wife are going back to their hometown today, I’m going to see them off." Then she left.
Old Mrs. Qin’s gaze shifted between Qin Jin and Li Qiao. After Qin Jin left, she said, "Qiaoqiao, did you and Jin have a fight?"
Li Qiao, "Not really, I did something wrong and made him angry."
Old Mrs. Qin, "What did you do wrong?" Could there be another man? She had held a seat for her granddaughter-in-law for five days; other than attending classes, she was always in the library, having no time. Is that brat complaining that life is too peaceful and wants to make trouble?
Li Qiao, "It’s complicated, Grandma. I have to go too."
"Ah, be careful."
....
Li Qiao’s morning classes had ended, and after eating, she went to the library. Old Mrs. Qin wasn’t there, but her usual spot was taken by Xue Lingqing.
Li Qiao looked around, every place was occupied.
She sat directly opposite Xue Lingqing, "Good morning, Professor Xue."
Xue Lingqing looked up and smiled faintly, then returned to his book.
After Li Qiao previewed new material and organized her notes, she got up to find a novel to amuse herself, soon returning to her seat with an untranslated English classic.
Li Qiao had another class at two-thirty, so she put the book back in its place half an hour early and got ready to leave.
She was about to greet Xue Lingqing.
He had also packed up his books.
The two left the library one after the other.
Xue Lingqing said, "I saw you reading an English novel just now, any difficulties with it?"
Li Qiao nodded slightly, "No."
Xue Lingqing pondered, "You could translate it and earn some royalty fees." He mentioned the names of two local publishing houses.
Li Qiao was intrigued, "I’ll go take a look tomorrow, thank you, Professor Xue." She smiled her thanks.
Xue Lingqing smiled too, "Translate a section and let them see it, then discuss the price."
He sighed inwardly afterward, why did he bother with her affairs?
What was it to him?
They weren’t a couple.
The royalty fees weren’t his to manage.
"Okay," said Li Qiao.
Xue Lingqing couldn’t help asking, "What does your boyfriend do? The old lady said he roams around all day."
Li Qiao thought to herself, Professor Xue calls Old Mrs. Qin ’Aunt’, so ’old lady’ must refer to Madam Xue. Believing Xue Lingqing to be trustworthy, she said, "Before, at home, he did a lot – farming, delivering goods to the supply and marketing cooperative, selling fertilizer, selling seeds, speculating in all sorts of things. Now that he’s wandering around, he’s also looking for opportunities to speculate."
Xue Lingqing, "...." She actually admitted her boyfriend was speculating and seemed unashamed, almost proud. He couldn’t understand. "What will you do if he ends up in trouble one day? It would be better to have the old master find him a steady job."
"Without education or skills, contentment will lead to being eliminated by society. My boyfriend is brave to strive and dares to challenge; that’s pretty good," Li Qiao said.
Xue Lingqing kept silent.
So, in her eyes, Qin Jin had so many advantages.
Li Qiao, "But my boyfriend is angry with me lately. What do you guys like? What kind of gift do you think I can give him to make up?"
"How would I know? I’m not him," Xue Lingqing walked away quickly.
Praising Qin Jin in front of him wasn’t enough; she even wanted his help in coaxing him.
He’d be out of his mind to give advice.
No, he shouldn’t have spoken to her in the first place.
He silently told himself, she was a student.
A junior.
Someone who had been married.
He wasn’t someone she should be having wild thoughts about.
Li Qiao scratched the tip of her nose, not knowing was just that, not knowing, why get anxious about it. She lifted her wrist, it was two fifteen.
No wonder she was in a hurry.
It was almost time for class.
She switched to running.
For the next two periods, elective classes, Li Qiao listened to half of it before she lost interest and started to sketch two portraits of Qin Jin.
Planning to show them to him when she got back home in the evening.
But when she got home, he wasn’t there.
Old Mrs. Qin had already prepared the meal. "Qiaoqiao, you’re back. I didn’t save you a seat today, was there an empty one?"
Li Qiao: "There was; Professor Xue left early, so I sat opposite him."
"About Jin being mad at you, I asked him today, and he said it was because he was worried about your safety and got angry because he was scared. He’s already cheered himself up. He even talked about picking you up just now; how come you came back by yourself?" Old Mrs. Qin said, "This brat is fooling people, I’ll take care of him later."
"Who’s fooling people?" Qin Jin stepped over the threshold.
"Jin." Li Qiao’s eyes sparkled with mirth; he had cheered himself up indeed.
As if he had suffered a great injustice.
Being at school, she hadn’t thought about danger at all.
Qin Jin suppressed the corners of his turning-up lips: "I’ve bought your favorite pastries." She had been waiting at the door with the paper-wrapped treat for quite a while before she turned around and saw her heading home, already a good distance away from him; he immediately chased her on his bike. Still, she managed to get home before him.
Li Qiao took the paper-wrapped treat.
It was donkey rolls.
She ate a small piece and put it back in her room: "I’ll bring it to school tomorrow."
Li Qiao pulled out the portraits she had drawn of him.
The young man in the drawing was tall and slender, with an unruly air about him.
The corners of his eyes lifted slightly, exuding youthful exuberance and confidence.
Qin Jin really liked them: "When I’m successful in the future, I’ll organize an exhibition for you."
Li Qiao laughed: "You even know about exhibitions? I’m not having one." With her level of skill, wouldn’t she be the laughing stock of professionals if she put her work out there?
Qin Jin: "If you don’t have one, I’ll buy you beautiful clothes to wear instead. And expensive jewelry."
Li Qiao thought that was feasible.
Seeing the two of them chatting and laughing, Old Mrs. Qin’s mouth couldn’t help but curve upwards.
....
Saturday morning.
Li Qiao received a letter from the journal, along with a money order.
Turns out her paper was accepted.
And she was awarded thirty yuan as a manuscript fee; she was so excited she almost jumped up.
Thirty yuan, yeah.
That was nearly enough for a whole month’s stipend.
And this month it didn’t even interfere with her studies.
Upon hearing that Li Qiao had received a manuscript fee, Xue Sufen and Ma Hongxiang were again inspired to write papers.
Sufen said, "When I get home tonight, I’ll discuss it with my uncle."
Ma Hongxiang envied her deeply. Why didn’t she have an uncle who was a professor? "Li Qiao, I’m relying on you now."
Li Qiao: "I’m only capable of so much, I can just guide you at the start; if you want proper results, you’ll have to speak to Professor Xue."
Ma Hongxiang felt intimidated: "I’ve always been scared of talking to teachers since I was little."
Xue Sufen: "He’s not going to eat you. What’s there to be afraid of? Learn from Li Qiao; she spends all day in the library with my uncle. People who don’t know any better would think she’s my uncle’s niece." And there’s Old Mrs. Qin, who practically treats my uncle like her own son. The few times I’ve been to the library, I’ve seen Madam Xue sitting opposite my uncle.
With Li Qiao by her side too.
As if they were the ones who were a family.
When she told her grandmother about it at home, Grandma was furious, saying outright that Li Qiao was trying to ensnare my uncle’s soul.
She was so angry that Grandpa took his cane and quarreled with Grandma.
It’s lucky that my uncle wasn’t at home, otherwise, as the blabbermouth, I would have been in trouble too.