Chapter 189

At that time, university life was even more dull than Su Xiaoxiao had imagined. Most of the foundational courses in the first year were ones she had studied in her past life, but the content was simpler and combined with the characteristics of the times, which still made it quite fresh for her.

The classes of ’87 and ’89 were quite special. Su Xiaoxiao wasn’t among the oldest in her class; several were already married with children, and there were even some in their thirties. It was unknown how many such individuals were in the entire school. The significant age gap among classmates was also considered one of the characteristics of this era.

Su Xiaoxiao became famous for her “Three Meals and Four Seasons,” but even more so because of her several talented children at home. Almost everyone in the department, and even the whole school, knew of her existence.

The fact that she had several talented children at home, already well-known for their serialized stories in the newspaper, had spread throughout the entire school. Su Xiaoxiao was a top student here, and her husband was also a university student, preparing for the postgraduate entrance examination while working in the school laboratory. It was not surprising at all that such people would raise such children.

Su Xiaoxiao’s demeanor in class was somewhat similar to Zhuzi’s. Besides her close friend, Mu Xiaocao, she didn’t interact much with others. She maintained polite smiles and courteous gestures but didn’t really open up to anyone. One reason was the age gap, and the other was that she simply didn’t have the time to deal with complex interpersonal relationships. Thus, she chose to be alone.

She knew it was important to accumulate connections in college and that these people would become prominent figures wherever they ended up after graduation. However, she didn’t want to be so pragmatic, nor did she want to live such a tiresome life. If she had the time, she’d rather spend it talking to Han Cheng about love. Having a pure friend like Mu Xiaocao was good enough. In short, she was currently enjoying campus life, and everything else was secondary.

There were only two classes this morning. After class, at around eleven o’clock, Mu Xiaocao nervously approached Su Xiaoxiao. “Xiaoxiao, are you going to pick up your partner from work again?”

University students were generally required to live on campus. Su Xiaoxiao was one of the few who commuted and always went home for meals, no matter how cold it was at noon. She rarely ate in the cafeteria.

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head. “No, I’m going to pick up my kids.”

It’s been a long time since Su Xiaoxiao went to pick up the cubs from school.

Mu Xiaocao quickly tidied up her books, took her arm, and said, “I’ll go with you. I also want to meet your talented kids.”

Su Xiaoxiao: “Not a genius, but they are quite clever.”

Mu Xiaocao said, “The serialized stories in the newspaper accompanied me throughout my entire high school life. I’ve wanted to meet them for a long time.” She clasped her hands together. “Please, pretty please.”

Su Xiaoxiao had no choice but to agree. “Then let’s go together. But there’s nothing for you to eat in my shop.”

Mu Xiaocao grinned. “I can go without meat for one meal. Just give me a bowl of white rice and a plate of stir-fried vegetables.”

Su Xiaoxiao sighed. “Alright, let’s go together.”

In the corridor, they ran into a female classmate who had asked Mu Xiaocao for meal tickets before. “Weren’t you two not close?”

Mu Xiaocao innocently smiled. “Thanks to you, I’ve made a good friend. Thank you.”

Su Xiaoxiao thought to herself, Did they have anything to do with her?

Mu Xiaocao was worried that Su Xiaoxiao would dismantle her stage again, so she quickly pulled her over.

When Mu Xiaocao first arrived, she had a deep tan, and her cheek sunburn was particularly noticeable. After spending some time in the capital, the sunburn faded somewhat, revealing that her skin was actually quite fair. Her eyes were big and bright, and she was a lively girl. However, she suffered from the disadvantage of her tanned skin, which made her appear older than her real age. (T/N: That’s kind of…

On the other hand, Su Xiaoxiao seemed particularly youthful. When the two walked together, it was hard to discern their age difference. At a glance, one might mistake them for students from the same graduating class.

Su Xiaoxiao took her along to pick up Zhuzi first.

The two leisurely made their way to the middle school. It was almost time for school to end, and Mu Xiaocao widened her eyes as she looked at the school sign. “Xiaoxiao, isn’t your son just a few years old? How is he already in junior high?”

Su Xiaoxiao said: “The eldest is already ten years old, and he’s in sixth grade. Zhuzi, who is one year older and now in junior high school, can be considered my half-son.”

Mu Xiaocao asked in confusion, “Half-son? “

“Auntie Su, why are you here?”

When Zhuzi saw Su Xiaoxiao, he ran over, his eyes beaming with joy.

Su Xiaoxiao reached out her hand to him. “I finished class early today and came to pick you up after school.”

Zhuzi automatically and consciously turned his head over to let her ruffle his hair.

Su Xiaoxiao gently rubbed his soft hair with a smile and hooked her arm around his. “Let’s go; we’re going to pick up Fantuan and Xiao Doubao.”

Little Zhuzi nodded with a smile and said, “Okay.”

Su Xiaoxiao introduced Mu Xiaocao, and Zhuzi politely called her “big sister.”

Mu Xiaocao looked at the handsome little boy in front of her and pinched her fingers. She also wanted such a cute child.

They walked along to pick up the kids, first going to the elementary school and then the kindergarten.

Zhuzi’s classmates caught up and complimented Su Xiaoxiao, “Zhang Xiuyuan, your mom is so young and beautiful.”

Zhuzi felt proud: “My aunt is just as lovely as my mom.”

Su Xiaoxiao exchanged greetings with Zhuzi’s classmates and chatted with him about school.

Without Fantuan and Xiao Doubao, Zhuzi’s school life seemed dull. He just focused on studying well; he didn’t complain. After all, he needed to work hard to achieve his dreams and not disappoint his loved ones who cared for him.

Su Xiaoxiao wasn’t worried about him. Among her kids, Zhuzi was the first to know what he wanted. Little Fantuan was still a child and hadn’t thought about his future yet, while Zhuzi had already decided to become a lawyer.

As they talked, they arrived at the elementary school, where Fantuan and Xiao Doubao had already been waiting for a while, shivering in the cold. When they saw Su Xiaoxiao, their eyes narrowed into slits, and they ran towards her, calling out, “Mom!”

Su Xiaoxiao opened her arms and said, “Please be slow and don’t fall.”

Fantuan asked the same questions as Zhuzi, and Su Xiaoxiao patiently answered again. Xiao Doubao hugged his mom and rubbed against her. Su Xiaoxiao ruffled their heads one by one.

Mu Xiaocao’s eyes stayed wide open the entire time. How did Su Xiaoxiao’s kids grow so good-looking? Were these the little geniuses who were writing their own serialization in the newspaper? They were already talented, but why were they so good-looking too?!

The sunlight and sandstorms in the borderlands were particularly harsh. Coupled with the harsh conditions, both boys and girls tended to be dark and thin. It was common for their faces and lips to crack from the wind. Mu Xiaocao had never seen such fair and beautiful children, especially boys!

“Sister Xiaoxiao, your kids are too good-looking.” Mu Xiaocao couldn’t take her eyes off them. Did she have to find a handsome partner like Han Cheng to have such beautiful children? But there weren’t any handsome men like Han Cheng on the grasslands!

Although she wasn’t as pretty as Su Xiaoxiao, a girl could still dream, right?

By the time they arrived at the kindergarten to pick up the twins, Mu Xiaocao had fully adopted the goal of finding a partner as handsome as Han Cheng to have a beautiful child, even if they couldn’t match Su Xiaoxiao’s level of attractiveness.

“Can I touch them?” Mu Xiaocao’s hand reached out towards the harmless Xiao Tangyuan as she spoke.

Xiao Tangyuan blinked her big, watery eyes and instinctively hid behind Zhuzi.

Zhuzi bent down to pick up his sister and shielded her. “Sorry, sister, but my brother and sister don’t like being touched by others.”

Mu Xiaocao realized her request was too much and apologized, “I’m sorry, I’m not usually like this. You guys are just too cute; I couldn’t help myself.”

Mu Xiaocao really likes the soft and cute Xiao Tangyuan and the meaty Xiao Roubao too much. These two little cubs are so cute that she doesn’t know how to describe them in words.

Su Xiaoxiao chuckled. “If you like kids so much, find yourself a partner and have one.”

Mu Xiaocao quickly responded, “Then ask Han Cheng to introduce me to someone.” She emphasized, “Someone as handsome as him!”

Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but laugh. “You might be disappointed. After all these years, I haven’t seen anyone as handsome as him or even comparable.”

Mu Xiaocao: “!!!”

The cubs strongly agree on this point, and Fantuan says: “You might have to wait until we grow up and surpass our dad before you can see someone like him.”

Su Xiaoxiao rubbed the narcissistic little Fantuan’s head and said, “Alright, let’s go home for dinner.”

……….

Tang Zhizhong took a day off today, probably missing his daughter, so he came early to pick up Tiantian.

Zhuzi carried Tangyuan, Fantuan held Xiao Roubao’s hand, Su Xiaoxiao held Xiao Doubao’s hand, and they all headed home with Mu Xiaocao trailing behind them like she was walking on clouds.

Mu Xiaocao followed them back to the crowded “Three Meals and Four Seasons,” seeing those lifelike murals that made people salivate, as well as the pure white dog she had never seen before. After eating the best vegetarian food she had ever eaten in her life, she felt like she was floating all over.

It seems that life in the capital is not as bad as she imagined. Although the sky is not as high and vast as in the countryside, there are many things here that she has never seen before.

Chen Ping’an didn’t have any classes today and was helping out in the store.

Chen Ping’an was helping out in the shop today since he didn’t have many classes. When he first returned, he thought he had walked into the wrong house. He knew Su Xiaoxiao would run a good restaurant, but he didn’t expect it to be this popular.

He immediately recognized the decorations in the shop as the handiwork of Su Xiaoxiao’s children. He was speechless at the visual impact. Having seen their drawing skills, he hadn’t expected the enlarged effect to be so realistic. Even if the restaurant closed one day, he would definitely preserve these murals. As long as the house was there, they would be too.

The restaurant was fully booked, and with the “sold out” sign almost always hanging outside, even on such a cold day, there were still many people waiting outside to come in for a meal.

Although only three people were managing the restaurant, everything was in order, and they managed effortlessly even without his help.

“Big Brother Ping’an!” The kids shouted as he entered.

Chen Ping’an smiled as he looked at the kids, who seemed to have grown taller. “Are you all done with school? What would you like to eat today?”

Xiao Roubao said, “I like everything at home!”

Fantuan added, “Whatever’s available in the restaurant is fine, no worries.”

“Is Ping’an back today?” Su Xiaoxiao asked.

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Since there weren’t many classes this afternoon and tomorrow morning, I came back to see everyone.”

Mu Xiaocao walked in last. After Su Xiaoxiao went in, she followed and then locked eyes with Chen Ping’an. Her eyes, which were already wide open, widened even more when she saw him. “It’s you?!”