Chapter 53 She’s a Bad Student
Thinking that she needed to help that awful Fang Ruichen occupy a seat, Xia Xiaoluo decided to take one for Luo Xixi at the same time. With Luo Xixi by her side, she would not feel that awkward.
“Xixi, tomorrow I’ll occupy a seat for you. Is the last row okay?” Xia Xiaoluo touched Luo Xixi, who was sitting next to her silently.
“Appreciation of Classic Poetry is an optional course, so it doesn’t have a final test. We just need to hand in a paper, which can be done by putting many parts downloaded from the Internet together. So I won’t go to the class tomorrow.” As a senior netter, Luo Xixi would never go to courses like Appreciation of Classic Poetry. She needed to seize every minute and second to surf the Internet in her dorm.
“Won’t the class tomorrow call the roll?” Xia Xiaoluo asked.
“Not likely. Even if I’m caught skipping the class, the consequence won’t be serious.” Luo Xixi said. She had made up her mind.
“Oh, I see! Fine!” Xia Xiaoluo would not like to force her, who was just like invisible air. Looking at her, Xia Xiaoluo gave up.
Fang Ruichen smiled smugly and moved closer to her, “Little Pig Xia, occupy my seat tomorrow, or…you know the result.”
“Relax, you’ll have your seat, but just for a month.” Staring at Fang Ruichen, Xia Xiaoluo clenched her teeth; Fang Ruichen didn’t take it seriously, and all he would like to do was to tease this clumsy little girl.
In the English class, the teacher was from the US, talking fast in the language that Xia Xiaoluo couldn’t understand. She yawned and was seemingly about to fall asleep.
“Little Pig Xia, you suck. Why you sleep in class every time?” Fang Ruichen elbowed Xia Xiaoluo who was extremely sleepy. Xia Xiaoluo quivered and rubbed her eyes immediately, pretending she was listening to the teacher carefully, for fear Fang Ruichen would take a picture of her when she slept.
“Little Pig Xia, don’t put on an act. I bet you don’t understand a single word the teacher said.” Fang Ruichen mocked Xia Xiaoluo, and she suddenly felt he poured cold water on her. She took a deep breath, stared at him and said, “I can’t understand, but how about you? You’re a bad student always sitting in the last row, so you have no qualification to scorn me.”
Fang Ruichen smiled with smug, and he put up his hand immediately. Seeing someone’s hand up, the teacher gave him a sign to speak. Fang Ruichen glanced at Xia Xiaoluo with provocation, and then he talked with the teacher in American English fluently, which made Xia Xiaoluo dumbfounded at once.
This guy’s English was really good! It seemed that he had mentioned he studied abroad before.
The teacher praised his fluent oral English. He whispered to Xia Xiaoluo, “Don’t think others suck when you suck.”
“You…” Xia Xiaoluo was speechless. She was a bad student, but she felt very unhappy when Fang Ruichen mocked her like that.
“Humph! I am much better than you.” Fang Ruichen said proudly. The fact was that he grew up in the US, so his English was better than Chinese.
Xia Xiaoluo neglected his mocking, and she finally endured until the end of that lesson with a gloomy air.
Knowing that the dance performance festival on September 22 was coming, but her dance hadn’t been set, Xia Xiaoluo would practice her solo in the dance room as long as she had leisure.
FLY Dance Club had many dance rooms; Xia Xiaoluo chose a small one and started to rehearse a Mongolian dance Swan Goose.
Although Fang Ruichen followed her to the dance room again, he didn’t trouble her, but appreciating her dance outside the glass door. He couldn’t help but sigh in his mind that he never thought Little Pig Xia could dance that well.
Fang Ruichen used to appreciate those explosive dances or graceful ballet, but he had never seen Chinese folk dance before. After Xia Xiaoluo finished her practice, he couldn’t help but applaud for her.
“Why you’re here!” Seeing him, Xia Xiaoluo mumbled.
Although Fang Ruichen didn’t hear her words clearly, he could tell it was not good words about him through her upset look.
He stepped to the front of her, touched the bun at the back of her head, and said, “It’s smaller than a basketball, just like a tennis-ball.”
“What’s wrong with you?” Xia Xiaoluo pushed his hand aside, arranging her bun, which was nearly messed up by Fang Ruichen.
He smirked and said to her, “Your dance is not bad, and I’ve seen it today. Next week I’ll participate in the college basketball league, and you must come and cheer for me.”
“No time.” Xia Xiaoluo said. The dance festival was coming, so she had no leisure to watch a basketball game.
“You must, even if you’ve got no time. I’ll be on behalf of the Chinese Department to join the freshman basketball game. If I play well, I’ll have a chance to play in the national college basketball league. You must be my rooter constantly, or, hmm!” Fang Ruichen had an ace up his sleeve; Xia Xiaoluo couldn’t say no, so she had to nod.
“Well, got to go to the court. Don’t forget what I told you!” After that, Fang Ruichen held his dear basketball leaving the dance room. Looking at his back, Xia Xiaoluo gave him a middle finger in anger.
Then, Xia Xiaoluo practiced her dance several times and found it was time to leave. She didn’t dare to stay any longer in the college; she had better go to Ling’s villa early, for fear it would make her parents-in-law worry about her.
When she walked to the school gate, a man who looked familiar came towards her.
“Mistress, please!” The man opened the door of Rolls-Royce politely, which made Xia Xiaoluo very confused.
”Mistress, you don’t remember me? I’m Jie, the dedicated driver of Ling’s villa. It’s Mrs. Ling asked me to pick you up today. Relax; I’m not a bad guy.” Jie continued to be very polite, which made Xia Xiaoluo feel a little bit awkward. She smiled embarrassedly and sat in the back seat of Rolls-Royce.
Jie was a simple and honest man, and he was unable to say fine words, so he just drove smoothly, taking Xia Xiaoluo back to Ling’s villa.
When Xia Xiaoluo just got out of the car, He Meishu, who was taking care of the flowers and plants in the garden, welcomed and greeted her. In the end, under He Meishu’s persuasion, Xia Xiaoluo finished two bowls of nourishing soups before the dinner.
At the table, He Meishu coaxed her to eat more dishes. Although Xia Xiaoluo knew her purpose, she still felt moved, because at the Xia’s, she was not allowed to eat at the table, let alone someone would pamper her so much.
To make He Meishu happy, Xia Xiaoluo was stuffed. Seeing the daughter-in-law ate well, He Meishu was very delighted that her grandson wouldn’t be hungry. Moreover, she had discovered a love bite on Ling Tianyi’s neck, which made her happier. She didn’t say anything about it, just feeling joyful for that only if her son and daughter-in-law loved each other, it wouldn’t take a long time for her to have a grandson.
After dinner, Xia Xiaoluo was about to go to the kitchen to help wash the dishes. He Meishu stopped her quickly and said, “Leave these works to the servants.”
“Xiaoluo, you just need to take a good rest. Watch TV if you want, or take a walk in the garden. By the way, there’s a beauty salon here. If you’re tired after school, you can go to rest early. Tianyi’s room is on the second floor, so you can stay in his room these days. Mom has had it tidied up.” He Meishu was very concerned about Xia Xiaoluo, and it can be said her care was meticulous.
“Thank you, Mom. Then, I’ll go to study in my room! If I fail any test, your son won’t let me go.” Xia Xiaoluo complained to He Meishu like a spoiled child. Her instinct told her that her final exam will be definitely flunked. If her mother-in-law could help her to say something, maybe her overbearing husband could let her off.
He Meishu did cooperate with her as she expected and said, “As for the study, take it easy. Don’t push yourself too hard. You don’t need to be number one and never have to be worn out for study. Even if you fail the test, you can count on me, and that brat won’t treat you bad. During this period, you just need to eat and play whenever you want.”
“Thank you, Mom, You’re so nice!” Xia Xiaoluo smiled, which made He Meishu felt pleasant.
When Xia Xiaoluo enjoyed playing computer games in Ling Tianyi’s bedroom, He Meishu knocked on the door and came in with a bowl of black and bad-smell thing. Xia Xiaoluo had a strong sense of foreboding and frowned.
Seeing her frown, He Meishu smiled, “My dear, you’ve grown up. Are you still afraid of having some traditional Chinese medicine?”
“What’s this, Mum? I’m not ill. Must I drink it?” Xia Xiaoluo knew that her opposition was definitely useless, but she still couldn’t help but express her will.
“Listen! This is four agents decoction, and it’s good for girls.” Saying that, He Meishu handed the medicine to her, but she did not want to drink it; an idea came to her mind, and she said to He Meishu, “Mom, the medicine is too hot. I’ll drink it later.”
“I know that you youngsters don’t like Chinese medicine. If I don’t see you drinking it, you’ll pour it into the drain.” With sharp eyes, He Meishu read her mind at once.
Xia Xiaoluo had no choice, so she held breath and finished the bitter medicine.
“That’s right. You’re sensible, not like Tianxue. Even if I fix my eyes on her, she would pour the medicine out with plenty of reasons.” Thinking of her daughter, who was studying abroad, He Meishu began to worry about her so much.
Usually, facing Ling Desheng, who was always silent, He Meishu didn’t know how to talk with him. Her son and daughter were not at home, so she was very lonely. Now Xia Xiaoluo accompanied her, she could chat with her on and on.
Xia Xiaoluo’s phone suddenly rang. She looked at it, and it was from Ling Tianyi.
He Meishu smiled, “That brat doesn’t call his parents, just calling his wife. Fine, I won’t listen to your sweet talks. Got to go, back to my room and rest. Xiaoluo, go to bed early.”