The first-year students were somewhat confused.

Among their knowledge of education levels, a university degree was the highest they knew of.

They didn’t know of any higher education.

“It’s not that. My mother is a high school graduate. She’s not impressive because of her education. It’s because she makes the best food. She can make popsicles, fried dough twists, soda, and even beautiful clothes.” Erbao listed his mother’s skills.

At first, the students were indifferent, thinking that most mothers could cook.

But when they heard Erbao mention making popsicles and soda, they were very envious, as their mothers couldn’t make those things.

“Lin Hairui, your mother really makes popsicles and soda? Doesn’t that mean you get to eat popsicles and drink soda every day?” One student’s mouth almost watered with envy.

“Yes,” Erbao answered proudly.

“Wow, your mother is really amazing.”

“Lin Hairui, you’re so lucky. Your mother is so good to you.”

The students were full of admiration.

Er Bao felt elated by the praise.

He was happy when people praised his mother and said he was lucky.

Er Bao was just such a happy person.

Teacher Wei arrived before the class bell rang, a few minutes earlier than usual.

She came mainly to check on Er Bao’s situation.

Being younger and joining mid-term, she was worried he might not adapt well.

But as she reached the classroom door and saw the class monitor and several students gathered around Er Bao, chatting and laughing, she felt relieved.

“Teacher Wei is here,” a student suddenly called out.

“Hello, Teacher Wei.”

“Hello, Teacher Wei.”

“Teacher Wei, has the class bell rung yet?” Was it possible they hadn’t heard it?

The students greeted one after another.

“It hasn’t rung yet; we’re not in class. Just continue with what you were doing,” Teacher Wei said, nodding to the students who greeted her, then walked over to Er Bao.

“Teacher Wei,” Er Bao greeted with a smile.

Unlike other students who were afraid of teachers, Er Bao wasn’t scared.

The three siblings had always been praised and favored by teachers from kindergarten through elementary grade, so in Er Bao’s impression, teachers were very kind.

He had a positive filter for teachers.

“Hmm,” Teacher Wei responded. “Lin Haizhi, how are you finding middle school life? Are you getting along well with everyone?”

“Teacher Wei, I’m adjusting well. Everyone is really nice. In this morning’s physical education class, they taught me many things I didn’t know. The class monitor even took me to the cafeteria to queue for food. Since I forgot to bring my food for steaming, the class monitor lent me some of his food,” Er Bao praised his classmates and the class monitor.

Teacher Wei nodded with satisfaction upon hearing this. “That’s good.”

She then looked at the class monitor and said, “Our class monitor in Class 1 has always been a good leader.”

The class monitor blushed slightly.

Being praised by the teacher made him, a boy, feel a bit shy.

However, he said, “Teacher Wei, since Lin Haizhi just joined our class, he hasn’t learned the material for this semester yet. The final exam is coming up soon. What should he do?”

Teacher Wei had already considered this issue. “Starting from this semester’s final exams, Lin Haizhi will not participate. During the upcoming review classes, Lin Haizhi will come to my office, and I will tutor him on this semester’s material.” Although the time was limited and they might not finish before the winter break, they would continue tutoring next year.

“Thank you, Teacher Wei,” Er Bao said.

At home it had always been a family of five at the dining table, but today there were only four people.

Each one felt the absence of Er Bao and subconsciously looked towards his former seat.

Even Ning Shu sighed several times during the dinner.

Finally, Yibao said, “Mom, tomorrow afternoon, San Bao and I will go visit Er Bao. I know you’re worried about him, and I am too. Since we have guests at home tomorrow noon, they can visit the sports school in the afternoon.”

At this moment, Erbao was with the monitor, carrying a hot water bottle and a bucket to take a shower.

Even though it was winter and they had exercised in the afternoon, not everyone would go to the showers, which worked out well for Erbao as there was no need to wait in line.

In the summer, when everyone used the school’s communal showers, there would be a long line.

The showers were separated by partitions in a large room, arranged in four rows with ten cubicles in each row.

Erbao and the monitor chose adjacent cubicles.

The shower room was warmer than outside, thanks to the residual heat from the previous showers.

The warmth that greeted them made their frostbitten faces feel relieved.

When the warm water started flowing from the faucet, the comfort increased.

Erbao noticed that the showers at school were more comfortable than at home.

At home, they didn’t have such a hot water faucet, so they had to boil water and mix it with cold water before carrying it to the bathroom.

Erbao also used soap and enjoyed a soapy, fragrant shower.

After finishing his shower, Erbao said, “Monitor, I’m done.”

The monitor asked, “Have you washed your clothes?”

“No, I’ll wash them outside,” Erbao replied.

The Class monitor said, “You can wash them inside; the water here is warm, while the water outside is cold. Washing clothes outside will freeze your hands.” Most people washed their clothes inside, but only when there weren’t many people.

If there were many, washing clothes inside would lead to complaints.

Erbao thought the monitor’s advice made sense: “Then I’ll wash them inside.”

After they finished washing their clothes and went out, it was already dark.

They carried the clean clothes and filled a bucket with hot water from the cafeteria.

By the time they returned to the dorm and hung the clothes up to dry, it was late, and evening self-study time was about to begin.

Normally, teachers didn’t stay at school in the evening, but Teacher Wei had scheduled her Chinese class during evening self-study time to help Erbao keep up with his studies, while she had given up her daytime classes to other teachers.

As the extra classes ended and other students finished their evening self-study, the campus became lively with students heading back to their dorms in groups.

When Erbao returned to Dorm 206, it was bustling.

The students were chatting.

Even though Erbao had spoken to them a few times at noon, they were still unfamiliar with each other.

Despite being socially adept, he didn’t feel comfortable starting conversations with students from another class, so he just took off his shoes and went to bed.

Lying in bed and listening to the noise, Erbao felt a bit lonely.

Meanwhile, Yibao and Sanbao also felt lonely without Erbao’s room, and they were particularly unaccustomed to it.

In contrast, Ning Shu was not thinking about Erbao at that moment but was focused on preparing for the lunch gathering the next day.

She had planned ten dishes, two desserts, and two fruit platters for the two tables of guests.

The next day

The family of four woke up especially early.

Ning Shu prepared breakfast, and after breakfast, she started preparing lunch while Lin Guodong helped.

Yibao and Sanbao went to the market to buy meat.

Although the vegetables had already been prepared by Ning Shu and the children the previous afternoon, the fresh meat needed to be bought today.

Thus, Yibao and Sanbao were tasked with buying the meat.

When Yibao and Sanbao returned with the meat, Ning Shu had already prepared breakfast.

After the family finished breakfast and cleaned up, Ning Shu began preparing lunch.

The pork and taro stew was put on the stove, to be simmered from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM, ensuring the pork and taro would be tender and delicious.

She then prepared cold dishes: shredded lettuce salad and cucumber salad.

For the hot dishes, she made minced meat eggplant, mushrooms with scrambled eggs, baked vegetables, cabbage and tofu soup, braised pork, sweet and sour ribs, and braised radish.

Along with the cold dishes and pork and taro stew, this made up the ten dishes she had planned.

The desserts were steamed dumplings and small buns.

Although these were bought from outside, they were actually ordered through an app.

The fruit platter included sliced pears and sugarcane.

Ning Shu preferred to cut the pears into pieces, especially since they were so large in later times.

While preparing the dishes, Ning Shu also sent Lin Guodong to buy soda from the state-run restaurant and alcohol from the supply and marketing cooperative.

With many guests, the ice pops at home would not be enough, so it was easier to buy drinks directly.

As the family worked busily until nearly ten o’clock, a voice was heard from outside.

“Ning Shu, are you there?”

It was Li Yue’s family from next door.

“Aunt, my mom is inside,” Yibao said.

Yibao and Sanbao were by the stove, keeping an eye on the pork and taro stew.

Yu Chengci quickly approached them, “What are you doing?”

“We’re watching the stew so the fire doesn’t go out or get too high,” Yibao replied. “Do you want to sit? If you do, I’ll get a small stool.”

“No need, no need. You sit, I’ll get the stool myself.” He ran into the room and soon came out with a small stool.

In the kitchen, Yu He and Li Yue stood at the door, watching Ning Shu cook while Lin Guodong tended the fire.

Such a scene was rare in the compound.

In the compound, it was uncommon for the female host to cook herself, and even rarer for the male host to handle chores like tending the fire.

“It smells so good. Ning Shu, your cooking skills are really impressive. No wonder my son always wants more after eating,” Li Yue couldn’t help but exclaim.

This wasn’t flattery; it really smelled delicious.

“Right, right. That barbecue last time was so fragrant it made my mouth water,” Yu He also remembered the enticing smell.

Ning Shu smiled and said, “Next time there’s a chance, we can have a barbecue. The smoke is a bit heavy, so I didn’t prepare it today.”

“That would be wonderful.” Yu He said it politely, but he genuinely missed that flavor.

He loved strong-flavored foods and was particularly fond of the intense smell of barbecue.

“You’re just thinking about eating,” Li Yue said with some annoyance. “Ning Shu must have worked hard.”

Yu He quickly added, “Of course, of course. Sister-in-law, how can I thank you?”

Lin Guodong said, “You can take care of the cleanup after the meal.”

Yu He was momentarily stunned but then laughed heartily, “That’s no problem.”

Ning Shu took the opportunity to say, “The kids also like barbecues. Let them handle the pre-meal chores. They organized it quite well last time.”

“Indeed, our kid talks about it three times a day. He won’t stop at breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” Li Yue was also curious.

Was the barbecue really that delicious?

“What’s being talked about three times?” A deep voice came from behind Li Yue.

Li Yue and Yu He turned around, and Ning Shu followed their gaze.

A man with a cigarette in his mouth had a somewhat nonchalant demeanor but had an air of someone with a background—something inherent to the sons of prominent families, not something ordinary people could cultivate.

“It’s Yuan Hua. Why are you alone? Where’s your wife?” Yu He asked, looking towards the yard, and indeed no one was there.

It was Ling Yuanhua.

“She’s still at the back, coming soon. I came first,” Ling Yuanhua said, then looked into the kitchen.

Seeing Ning Shu, he said, “Sister-in-law, I’m Ling Yuanhua. Where’s Guodong?”

Though it was their first meeting, Ling Yuanhua recognized Ning Shu.

“Hello, Comrade Ling,” Ning Shu greeted back with a smile.

She finally understood what a son of a prominent family was like.

She had always thought that descriptions in novels were exaggerated, but Ling Yuanhua resembled the portrayal of such figures in novels.