The teacher pointed at Cen Huai’an with a stern face and said, “He played with firecrackers at school and burned several holes in someone’s clothes! As a parent, don’t you know that firecrackers are very dangerous? How could you let your child bring them to school and play with them? This time, it just burned someone’s clothes, but what if it had hit someone’s face or eyes next time?”

The teacher was very angry.

He had repeatedly warned not to bring firecrackers to school, but many students still brought them secretly.

Cen Huai’an was the last student he expected to cause trouble.

He was praised by all the teachers as smart, good at studying, and well-behaved.

Who would have thought that it was his firecracker that caused the trouble?

Chu Xia looked at Cen Huai’an and asked, “Did you bring the firecrackers to school?”

Cen Huai’an shook his head, “No.”

The teacher was very angry: “Liu Tian, was it his firecracker that burned your clothes?”

Liu Tian, sobbing, timidly said “yes.”

Cen Huai’an said, “It was my firecracker, but it wasn’t mine.”

The teacher asked, “Then whose was it?”

Cen Huai’an remained silent.

If he revealed who owned the firecracker, that person’s parent would also be called.

Seeing his attitude, the teacher’s anger intensified.

He hated it when students spoke of friendship but ended up covering for each other’s mistakes.

“You…”

Chu Xia quickly intervened, “Teacher, since it’s my child who played with the firecracker and burned someone’s clothes, let’s first discuss how to resolve this issue. An’an, do you know your mistake?”

Cen Huai’an nodded, his voice a bit low: “Mom, I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have played with firecrackers at school.”

“Teacher, see, he acknowledges his mistake. I will discipline him at home. As for the damaged clothes, we will compensate for them or buy a new set for the little girl.”

Chu Xia’s good attitude made the teacher’s anger gradually subside.

He could see she didn’t want to pursue who brought the firecrackers, but the issue couldn’t be left unresolved.

“Let’s wait until Liu Tian’s parent arrives to discuss the compensation for the clothes. Cen Huai’an, who gave you the firecrackers?”

Chu Xia looked helplessly at Cen Huai’an.

Since the teacher was determined not to let go of the student who brought the firecrackers, he had to speak up, otherwise, it was clear the issue couldn’t be resolved.

“An’an, tell the teacher. You all made a mistake.”

Since the teacher had clearly forbidden bringing firecrackers to school, both bringing and playing with them were wrong.

“It was Chen Chen.”

Cen Huai’an said in a muffled voice, looking very downcast.

In the end, everyone involved had to face consequences.

Chen Chen was also called in.

Soon, Chen Chen’s mom and Liu Tian’s mom arrived.

Before Chu Xia and the teachers could say anything, Liu Tian’s mom grabbed Liu Tian and gave her a few smacks on the buttocks.

“Do you know how busy I am? You couldn’t be a little more obedient at school to save me some trouble! Do you know how embarrassing it is for me to be called to the factory? How could you make me lose face like this?”

Liu Tian immediately cried loudly, her face full of fear: “Mom, I’m sorry. Mom, I wasn’t being disobedient.”

“Hey! Liu Tian’s mom!” Chu Xia and Chen Chen’s mom quickly pulled her back.

The teacher was both surprised and angry, stopping her: “Liu Tian’s mom! Stop! It’s not Liu Tian’s fault!”

Mother Liu was pulled to a stop and frowned irritably at the homeroom teacher. “If my kid’s not at fault, why did you call me here? Got nothing better to do than waste my time? Do you know how much money I’ve lost just from coming here?”

Chuxia knew that there were all kinds of mothers, but she hadn’t expected to encounter one so irresponsible, one who only cared about money.

The homeroom teacher, who had dealt with all sorts of parents before, composed himself and explained the situation to Mother Liu and Chenchen’s mom.

“Mother Liu, I called you here to ask how you plan to have the other children’s parents compensate you for your child’s clothes.”

After hearing the explanation, Mother Liu tilted her head, raising her eyebrows as she assessed Chuxia and Chenchen’s mom, a greedy glint in her eyes.

“Liutian’s clothes weren’t cheap, and you’ve made me waste my work hours coming here today. If you don’t compensate me enough, I won’t be satisfied.”

Chuxia and Chenchen’s mom exchanged a glance, understanding that they were dealing with a difficult parent.

However, they weren’t pushovers and wouldn’t let Mother Liu take advantage of them.

Chuxia looked at her and asked, “Liutian’s mom, which factory do you work at?” Knowing the factory would give her a general idea of how much an average worker earned per day.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Mother Liu snapped impatiently. “Let’s just talk about compensation.”

Chuxia smiled. “We need to know how much you earn per day to compensate you fairly.”

Mother Liu’s eyes darted around.

Chenchen’s mom added, “If Mother Liu doesn’t want to say, that’s fine. My husband knows all the factory directors in Liangzhou. He can easily find out.”

Mother Liu’s expression changed instantly. “Who are you trying to scare? Anyone can brag!”

Chenchen’s mom remained calm. “I don’t bluff. My son’s name is Zhou Chen. You can ask the teacher what his father’s name is.”

The homeroom teacher, disapproving of Mother Liu’s behavior, confirmed Zhou Chen’s father’s name and added, “If I remember correctly, Chenchen’s dad works at the municipal government, right?”

Chenchen’s mom nodded modestly. “Yes, his position isn’t high.”

Mother Liu was already scared.

Working at the municipal government and having connections with various factories, she didn’t even want to imagine his exact position.

In the end, she didn’t demand an exorbitant amount and settled on a reasonable compensation.

The clothes were five yuan, plus two yuan for her lost wages—seven yuan total.

Chuxia and Chenchen’s mom each paid three and a half.

Mother Liu grabbed Liu Tian’s arm and left, her scolding voice echoing in the distance.

Having gained nothing and nearly offending someone important, she took out all her anger on Liu Tian, never considering her own faults.

Chuxia and Chenchen’s mom frowned at the harsh words.

Chenchen’s mom sighed, “If I’d known she’d scold her like that, I wouldn’t have said those things earlier. I’d rather she got more money.”

Chuxia shook her head. “Even if she got more money, she’d still be upset about the income she lost today and would still scold Liu Tian, blaming him for causing trouble. Her personality is like that; it has nothing to do with how much we give her. And if we encourage her greedy behavior, she might get worse, maybe even push her daughter to extort money from classmates.”

Chenchen’s mom thought it over and agreed. “You’re right; you’re really insightful.”

The homeroom teacher hadn’t finished with Cen Huai’an and Chenchen.

“They were both involved, one bringing firecrackers, the other setting them off. They’re punished by cleaning the classroom for a week and losing all their little red flowers for this week.”

Little red flowers were linked to end-of-term rewards, and both Cen Huai’an and Chenchen instantly drooped.

Since the two kids were good friends, Chenchen’s mom was naturally curious about Chuxia and Cen Huai’an.

Now that they had met, she wanted to chat more.

“My Chenchen often talks about An’an at home, says he’s smart and a teacher’s favorite, and that he loves playing with An’an the most. They fought once in preschool, and I thought Chenchen would be afraid of An’an, but he’s always liked him so much. I regret not talking to you more back then.”

Chuxia felt Chenchen’s mom’s friendliness and patted An’an’s head, slightly embarrassed. “Last time the kids fought, it was mostly An’an’s fault. I already scolded him at home. My An’an isn’t very outgoing, so we really appreciate Chenchen playing with him.”

The two parents began praising each other’s children.

Chenchen made a funny face at Cen Huai’an, silently saying, “Grown-ups just love this kind of thing.”

Cen Huai’an mouthed back, “Stop talking.”

It didn’t matter what kind of mom he had—he loved her all the same.

Although she was praising Chenchen, she kept holding his hand, and he knew he was her favorite.

Chuxia and Chenchen’s mom moved on from the kids to talking about fashion and eventually landed on Chenchen’s mom’s biggest problem: weight.

“Both Chenchen’s dad and I are overweight. I gain weight easily, even eating a little. His dad’s just naturally big. Every time I shop for clothes, I get frustrated. No matter how pretty they are, they look like barrels on me. Now Chenchen’s getting chubby too, and I’m scared he’ll end up like us.”

Weight loss mainly comes down to controlling diet and staying active.

“If you burn more energy than you consume, you’ll lose weight. So, after eating, don’t just lie down; keep moving. It doesn’t have to be strenuous at first—just something you can handle. Gradually increase the intensity, and you’ll slim down.”

Weight loss doesn’t mean starving yourself; it’s about consuming less than you burn.

Extreme dieting can lead to rebound weight gain.

In the future, someone like Chenchen’s mom could hire a personal trainer and lose weight gradually.

Unfortunately, such services weren’t available now, so Chuxia shared what little she knew about exercise from a medical perspective.

Chenchen’s mom, not familiar with “manageable exercise,” was eager to lose weight and pressed Chuxia for more information.

Chuxia thought for a moment and said, “I can teach you to practice Wu Qin Xi (Five Animal Frolics) and Ba Duan Jin (Eight Pieces of Brocade). These are gentle exercises that help burn energy, strengthen the body, and promote health.”

Chen Chen’s mom nodded repeatedly, “Okay, okay. An’an’s mom, when are you free? I’ll come to learn from you.”

Then Chen Chen’s mom followed Chu Xia and Cen Huai’an to their home.

Compared to the Five Animal Frolics, the Eight Brocade Exercises have simpler movements, making them suitable for beginners.

Chu Xia taught Chen Chen’s mom the Eight Brocade Exercises.

There are eight movements in total.

They don’t look difficult, but mastering the technique requires effort and the right breathing techniques.

Each movement should be repeated eight times, and the entire set should be done in an hour each day.

“You can practice for an hour in the morning and see the effects after a month. Don’t practice after 9 AM, as it can easily lead to heat. Also, after eating, don’t sit down immediately. Walk around for 20 to 30 minutes. Avoid overly greasy foods like braised pork. Instead, eat more chicken, fish, vegetables, and fruits.”

Chu Xia shared everything she knew about weight loss with Chen Chen’s mom without suggesting she diet.

With a month of persistence, even if she doesn’t lose much weight, she likely won’t gain more.

Chu Xia couldn’t guarantee weight loss but suggested Chen Chen’s mom give it a try.

Traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture and acupoints, could also help with weight loss.

However, since the original owner had never practiced traditional Chinese medicine, Chu Xia was hesitant to use her abilities.

Chen Chen’s mom studied earnestly, taking Chen Chen’s notebook to record everything Chu Xia said.

She even drew the Eight Brocade Exercises, each posture depicted vividly.

Chu Xia then realized that Chen Chen’s mom had a good drawing skill.

Holding the notebook like a treasure, Chen Chen’s mom said, “I’ll follow your instructions when I get home. I don’t believe I won’t lose weight!”

Chu Xia replied, “Weight loss shouldn’t be rushed; you need patience, or it will easily rebound.”

Chen Chen’s mom nodded, indicating she remembered everything.

“Thank you, An’an’s mom. Regardless of whether it works or not, I’m very grateful to you.”

Chu Xia shook her head, “It’s nothing. I didn’t really do much.”

To Chu Xia, it was just a small favor.

Because she got along well with Chen Chen’s mom and thought she was a good person, she shared more advice.

She hadn’t done much; she couldn’t actually guide Chen Chen’s mom through weight loss step by step.

After Chen Chen’s mom left with Chen Chen, Chu Xia turned to Cen Huai’an and asked, “I was worried your teacher might be too angry at school, so I didn’t ask about today’s incident in detail. Now, tell me everything from the beginning. What happened with the firecrackers?”

Cen Huai’an knew he couldn’t avoid it and also knew his mom would definitely take away his little red flowers.

His “Journey to the West” comic book would have to wait again.

The situation wasn’t complicated.

Chen Chen had secretly brought several boxes of firecrackers to school and wanted to play with An’an.

At first, An’an wasn’t interested.

Chu Xia had bought him some for New Year’s, and he was already done playing with them by then.

Moreover, the teacher had forbidden bringing firecrackers to school and playing with them.

He didn’t want to be scolded by the teacher.

But later, Chen Chen kept pestering Cen Huai’an to play, saying the firecrackers were brought by his dad from Haishi and were especially fun.

Cen Huai’an, intrigued, thought he would just light one in a corner where no one was around.

It should be fine.

Who knew that Liu Tian was playing alone in that corner, her body hidden behind a tree.

The firecrackers scared her, causing her to jump out from behind the tree, and one of them hit her.

Her clothes were damaged, and Liu Tian’s mom wouldn’t let it go.

She cried and went to find the teacher.

Chu Xia already knew the rest of the story.

After Cen Huai’an finished, he glanced up at Chu Xia, trying to see if she was angry.

Chu Xia wasn’t very angry. It was just a typical child’s mischief, serious but not catastrophic.

“Actually, your teacher is right. Firecrackers can be played with, but they shouldn’t be brought to school. There are too many students, and accidents can easily happen. You can play with them at home in the open areas of the residential complex, but be careful because they are dangerous. They could cause injuries to your hands, face, or eyes, which could result in permanent damage.”

Cen Huai’an murmured a low “um,” clearly understanding his mistake.

Chu Xia patted his head, “I believe that after this mistake, you won’t play with firecrackers at school again. However, you still need to face the consequences. I’ll take away 20 of your little red flowers, and for the 3.5 yuan to compensate Liu Tian’s mom and the 1 yuan I lost due to taking leave this morning, you need to pay.”

Cen Huai’an was heartbroken, watching Chu Xia deduct his little red flowers and take away his 4.5 yuan.

His eyes turned red.

“Mom…”

Chu Xia laughed at him, “Who said they wouldn’t make mistakes last time? Now, it’s a big mistake.”

Cen Huai’an, both hurt and angry, shouted, “Mom!”

Not only was he not comforted, but his mom was also making fun of him.

He didn’t want to deal with her anymore!

He grabbed the box with the money, pressed his lips together, and ran into the room, lying on the bed, feeling miserable and on the verge of tears.

Chu Xia went to cook.

When it was time to eat, she called out to him from outside, “An’an! We have braised ribs today. Do you want some?”

“Yeah!” Cen Huai’an immediately ran out and ate the ribs with great enthusiasm.