Despite Zhuang Wenli’s persistent invitations, Professor Yuan and his group ultimately did not stay for lunch. According to Yuan Fei, there was no rush for a good meal; they would have plenty of opportunities in the future, but urgent matters called now.
“Do you need my help?”
In the entryway, Huang Xiu’s mother gently clasped her hand, and Huang Xiu didn’t pull away, simply speaking as they stood.
Unlike her somewhat oblivious mother, Huang Xiu was well aware of what had transpired. Just moments ago, a Void Realm descent had occurred in the suburbs of Ying City, with suspicions of the Black Tower orchestrating events from behind the scenes.
“It’s nothing serious,” Professor Yuan said. “I just ran into some acquaintances I’m worried about, so I’m going to check on them.”
Leaning against the doorframe with one hand, Professor Yuan wore an indifferent expression, as if the Black Tower were merely a trivial nuisance to him. He exuded an air of arrogant invincibility, as if he alone mattered in the world.
“Are you still worried about me?” He chuckled, then turned and waved. “I’m off!”
*Tap-tap-tap-tap…* The sound of footsteps faded into the distance.
‘But… the last man who looked so utterly invincible ended up falling in the old world,’ Huang Xiu mused internally.
Fortunately, this wasn’t an anime; this was reality, the Great Xia Nation, where the government’s control was unparalleled. Any other illicit organizations could only scheme in the shadows.
Consequently, she harbored little genuine concern.
With a soft click, the reddish-brown door closed. Huang Xiu turned, her gaze meeting her mother’s inquisitive eyes.
‘Oh no…’ Her heart skipped a beat, and she subtly withdrew her hand, intending to slip away.
Before she could take even a single step, her mother deftly reached out, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back.
In truth, if Huang Xiu had genuinely wanted to flee, her mother’s strength alone would have been insufficient; after all, Huang Xiu was an Awakened individual, with physical attributes far superior to ordinary people.
But she was still her mother!
The inherent suppression of blood ties was no mere legend! Huang Xiu was placed obediently on the sofa, much like a kitten carried by the scruff of its neck by its mother.
Her hands were once again clasped by her mother, the warm, soft sensation instantly enveloping them. She immediately felt something peculiar.
While her mother had always been affectionate, when Huang Xiu had been a boy, her mother hadn’t been so fond of constantly holding her hand.
What Huang Xiu didn’t realize was that Zhuang Wenli simply found her ‘son’s’ hands incredibly smooth and soft, like a loach, after becoming a girl—exceptionally pleasant to touch.
“Why didn’t you tell me before?” Zhuang Wenli’s brow furrowed slightly, giving her an appearance of mild annoyance.
Yet, Huang Xiu knew this was merely a facade. If her mother were truly angry, she wouldn’t act like this; instead, she would begin to speak in a subtly sarcastic, passive-aggressive tone, all while maintaining a strained smile.
Her exceptional talent for veiled sarcasm was, in fact, a family tradition.
“I… I was scared,” Huang Xiu mumbled timidly. She could never seem to be assertive when facing her parents.
Especially in situations where she knew she was in the wrong, her demeanor and expression softened like a cloud. As Zhuang Wenli gazed at her mischievous ‘boy’—no, now a ‘girl’—looking so utterly pitiful, the faint trace of anger in her heart melted away.
“Oh, right, why isn’t Dad back yet?” Huang Xiu asked, glancing around.
“Didn’t you tell him? It’s such a big deal for her; even if the convenience store had to close temporarily, Dad would surely rush back.”
“I told him!”
Zhuang Wenli continued to observe her daughter’s face as she spoke, finding her more beautiful and satisfactory with each passing moment.
Her son had been handsome enough before, but compared to her current appearance, the difference was significant. From this perspective, it wasn’t a loss at all. And who said a girl couldn’t carry on the Huang family name?
After all, they could simply have two children later; the first would take the Huang surname, and the second… *cough, cough*. She quickly suppressed her rather audacious thoughts and resumed answering her daughter’s question.
“A few days ago, there was a heavy rainstorm and a landslide in our hometown, so he rushed back to help.”
“Huh, really?” Huang Xiu paused for a second. Their old home was a rather distant memory now.
She vaguely recalled it being the summer after she graduated from elementary school. Her father had argued with the village elders of Huangjia Village, and after that, he rarely took her back to their hometown for Lunar New Year.
They would usually only return for Qingming Festival to offer incense at the ancestral graves, never actively stepping inside the old house itself.
“It’s not serious, is it?” Huang Xiu asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
Her hometown was nestled deep within a remote mountain range near Ying City. While surrounded by mountains and water, offering beautiful scenery, this also meant poor transportation; even electricity and running water had only arrived in recent years.
“It’s fine, nothing major. I just called, and he’s already on his way back.” Zhuang Wenli picked up an apple from the table and offered it. “Here, have an apple to tide you over.”
“Mm-hmm.” Huang Xiu took it casually, without even wiping it, and bit right into it.
*Crunch.* It was incredibly sweet. The young girl’s eyes narrowed in pleasure.
Her mother’s knack for picking apples remained as impressive as ever; Huang Xiu, on the other hand, could never seem to choose a good one.
“Today you’ve finally come home, and it’s a significant day in your life, so it’s worth celebrating, isn’t it—”
Zhuang Wenli realized she had misspoken and quickly corrected herself. “It’s worth commemorating. This afternoon, I’ll make your favorite steamed pork ribs with rice flour.”
“Okay!” Huang Xiu didn’t dwell on it, eagerly raising her hand like a child.
With many dishes planned for lunch, and it already being past nine, Zhuang Wenli dared not delay further. As soon as she finished speaking, she rose and headed into the kitchen to prepare the ingredients.
Watching her mother disappear into the kitchen, Huang Xiu, who had been subtly tense, felt her spirit instantly relax. She tossed the apple core into the trash.
Hooking the toes of her left foot into the sock of her right, *swish*, both socks were pulled off and discarded to the side.
The first thing to do upon returning home was always to take off her socks! Xiao Xiu wasn’t sure if others shared this habit, but it was one she had always maintained.
She turned on the television, skillfully switching to the movie channel. There she lay, barefoot on the sofa, legs crossed, utterly unrefined, watching TV with her head tilted.
She was the epitome of a homebody shut-in. Even her disheveled clothes remained untouched.
Gone was any trace of the obedient, beautiful girl she had appeared to be — though, in truth, Xiao Xiu had never truly been one. Her earlier composure had merely been a pretense born of guilt and fear.
The movie channel rarely updated its selection, perpetually cycling through the same classic old films. Yet, Xiao Xiu watched with great relish.
There was simply no helping it; as long as it wasn’t studying or working, almost anything felt enjoyable.
Zhuang Wenli emerged from the kitchen a few times, shaking her head with a smile as she watched her daughter sprawled ungracefully on the sofa.
While it was fine for a girl to be so unrestrained at home, she still needed to be somewhat mindful outside. She didn’t even need to guess; her daughter likely adopted the same lazy, image-disregarding demeanor when out.
However, Zhuang Wenli had no intention of correcting her immediately. After all, old habits die hard after more than a decade. She planned to slowly guide Xiao Xiu over the two months of summer vacation.
To be frank, the mere fact that Xiao Xiu was willing to wear underwear and feminine clothing—even if it was relatively neutral feminine attire—had already astonished her.
She could only marvel internally at the specialized teacher, who had managed to change her stubborn daughter’s mind.