CH 33

Even before Miaomiao could complete her sentence, Zhou Yuan, who ‘didn’t care about such foolish titles’ agreed to her request.

A rubescent red dyed Miaomiao’s cheeks as she blushed with embarrassment. She thought that she was very foolish because she couldn’t do anything correctly. 

During class, Miaomiao still mulled over her family matters, so she didn’t raise her hand to answer any of the questions. 

Seeing her distracted, Zhou Yuan felt sorry for her. 

It would inconvenience Miaomiao if they discussed her family problems in class; therefore, they all departed the classroom and headed to the flowerbed outside as soon as class ended.

Of course, Deng Feng also joined in their discussion. 

The four kids squatted behind the flowerbed.

“Zhouzhou…do you have any ideas?” Jingjing asked.

He never studied family issues, and in fact, didn’t even fully understand how a divorce could impact a child. Since he wasn’t an ordinary child, he asked Miaomiao, “If your mother and father get divorced, who would be more upset about it?”

Firstly, he decided to tackle the problem from this angle, and then he would decide if he should help them with their divorce problem. Whether this was the twilight of her parents’ relationship or not, he had to consider every possibility and option before acting.

In a forlorn voice, Miaomiao said, “Mom will be sad. She will also have to work even harder.” 

Miaomiao thought nothing of the impact of not having a father. All she thought about was how she couldn’t leave her mother.

She doesn’t want her mother to be sad and despondent; furthermore, she doesn’t want her to be buried under a mountain of work.

Miaomiao frowned again and said, “I will go back today. I’ll try to do my homework by myself. I won’t allow my mother to help me so that she could work on her drawings and earn some money…”

Jingjing nodded. Indeed, it would be much harder to raise a child alone.

In a low voice, Deng Feng asked, “Or…how about…looking for another…dad?”

Miaomiao thought that Deng Feng’s proposal was terrible.

Zhou Yuan quickly rejected his suggestion, as adult relationship problems weren’t something that children could handle or understand.

Truthfully, Zhou Yuan thought that children were the wrong people to discuss things such as relationships and divorce with. The adults should be the ones who decided their own course of action, especially Miaomiao’s mother, who seemed to have more knowledge about this.

Zhou Yuan mainly offered his assistance because he feared that panic would consume the children, and he didn’t want Miaomiao to feel sad and crestfallen.

Zhou Yuan then suggested, “Instead of talking about divorce problems, we should take care of our homework first.”

Frowning, Jingjing responded, “My mother also spends a lot of time helping me with my homework every day. It’s because our homework is too difficult to understand. How about we steal the answer key paper and copy the answers?”

“We get our homework sheets during the afternoon. After that, our parents arrive to pick us up. When could we get the time to read the answers?” Zhou Yuan replied.

“Then…Miaomiao…you…you just…tell your mother…that you…forgot…to bring…your homework. This way…you…don’t have to…do your…homework.” Deng Feng said with diligence.

After pondering for a while, Miaomiao assumed that this would be a great idea.

Zhou Yuan then poured cold water* on their plan, “Miaomiao lives just outside the school now. Her mother could easily bring her back to school to pick up her homework sheets.”

“Well…then…what do we do?”

Zhou Yuan replied, “We have to think of a better way.”

“Before class started, I told you that you should tell your mother that you didn’t have any homework. That idea also won’t work.” When Zhou Yuan espied Teacher Li entering the classroom, he recalled that Mother Hua and Teacher Li were university classmates. Therefore, if Mother Hua asked Teacher Li about her homework, her lie would easily be revealed.

Then, Mother Hua would be disappointed to discover that Miaomiao had lied.

Therefore, they can’t use that course of action. 

While listening to her friends, Miaomiao felt as if she didn’t understand a lot of things. Since her friends were quite intelligent, she behaved very obediently and agreed to whatever they suggested.

Jingjing asked, “What should we do then?”

Zhou Yuan mused for a moment, and then he thought of something. He asked Miaomiao, “Does your mother use the tablet a lot for work when she’s home?”

Miaomiao shook her head, “She doesn’t use the tablet much.”

Her mom used a special, larger tablet for drawing.

“In that case, you’ll tell your mother that Zhou Yuan is teaching you how to do your homework. I will video call you, and then we could do it together.” Zhou Yuan elucidated his idea.

Next to them, Jingjing’s eyes lit up, “I want to join too!”

Deng Feng: “Me…too…”

Zhou Yuan felt a little helpless, “Alright, then let’s make a group video call. But don’t speak too loudly.” He still hadn’t decided where he was going to make the call.

Miaomiao also understood that this would greatly inconvenience Zhouzhou.

I might make things difficult for Zhou Yuan for the next couple of weeks.

She whispered, “If you do this, it could cause trouble for you…”

“It doesn’t trouble me. Besides, when you have gained enough knowledge in school, you won’t need me to help you with your homework anymore.”

Miaomiao thought Zhouzhou was wonderful. She tugged on Zhou Yuan’s sleeve and hugged him, “Zhouzhou, you’re the best! You’re the best person in the world!”

For a moment, Zhou Yuan appeared to be taken aback. Then, the corners of his mouth slowly curved upwards.

Deng Feng and Jingjing stood next to them; they glanced at each other. Then, they ran over for a hug too!

Zhou Yuan instantly shot up, and he also raised Miaomiao to stand up with him. He wanted to avoid a group hug.

After returning home, Mother Hua was going to help Miaomiao with her homework again. Miaomiao lowered her head and whispered, “Zhouzhou said…said…said he…”

She squeezed the hems of her garments and silently practiced what she wanted to say in her heart.

Zhouzhou said that he would help me with my homework…

Zhouzhou said that he would help me with my homework…

Mother Hua sat next to her and patiently waited for her to speak.

Then, Miaomiao began articulating, “Zhouzhou said that he would help me with my homework.”

When Mother Hua noticed Miaomiao’s nervosity, she didn’t realize that it was because of a plan. She surmised that Miaomiao just wanted to do her homework with her little friend and feared that she wouldn’t agree to it.

These kids are really close.

Mother Hua replied, “Okay.”

Then, she handed over the tablet to Miaomiao so that she could answer Zhou Yuan’s call.

Soon afterward, Zhou Yuan called. After the call had connected, everyone found Zhou Yuan’s environment a little strange.

He wasn’t sitting in the study. Instead, he was surrounded by hanging clothes and garments. 

The first person to bring up the question was Jingjing, “Zhouzhou, you’re not sitting in your closet, are you?”

Zhou Yuan overheard his parents talking outside. They were discussing their travel plans for the weekend, “…” 

Has anyone else here tried living under the auspices of a parent who fervidly insists that they alleviate the burden of students?

*pour cold water on – to reject