Returning to the classroom with Xue Yan, Xu Mumu directly picked up a book and started reading. With just over a year to go until the college entrance exam, she didn't feel the tension she had during her high school days.
"Mumu, do you want to read comic books? My cousin gave me quite a few, and I brought them all." Xue Yan said in a low voice, revealing a corner of the comic book she had secretly hidden to Xu Mumu.
"You go ahead and read; I'd rather study the textbooks. The material in the books is much more interesting than comics." Xu Mumu only glanced at the comics before withdrawing her gaze.
She couldn't talk about the reinstatement of the college entrance exam publicly. Even if she did, no one would believe it, and it might draw unwanted attention. That's not what Xu Mumu wanted.
Although Xue Yan was her deskmate, their relationship wasn't deep enough to share such things.
"These are really good. You used to love them. These are new ones that you haven't read before." Xue Yan was a bit puzzled, as she used to secretly read comics with Xu Mumu during class when she had them. Xu Mumu had read all the comics Xue Yan had in the past.
"I don't like them anymore. You read them yourself." Xu Mumu said helplessly, remembering those memories that gave her a headache. It was because of these comics that their already decent grades plummeted.
Xu Mumu really wondered if Xue Yan's cousin was deliberately sabotaging her by causing her grades to drop.
"Alright, just let me know when you want to read them." Xue Yan didn't say more and saw Xu Mumu studying, assuming she was worried about not surpassing Xiao Mengqin's scores, hence her effort. "Mumu, don't worry, even if you sit at the very back row, I'll accompany you back there."
"So you think I can't surpass Xiao Mengqin?" Xu Mumu looked at Xue Yan with a teasing smile.
"No way, I was just saying stuff. You will definitely surpass Xiao Mengqin." Xue Yan immediately replied; it wasn't the right time to undercut her own confidence.
Xu Mumu withdrew her gaze and didn't talk to Xue Yan any further, opting to continue reading. She realized this girl had a big heart and was a bit simple-minded.
After school, Xu Mumu had just walked out of the classroom when Zhao Qing was already waiting for her.
"Hurry, your brother Qing is waiting for you again." Xue Yan gave Xu Mumu a playful wink. Since Xu Mumu started high school, Zhao Qing was unwavering in accompanying her to and from school every day.
"Alright, I'm leaving now." Xu Mumu waved her hand to Xue Yan and walked away with Zhao Qing.
"Qing, there's no need to wait for me next time, I can go home by myself." Xu Mumu said as she looked at Zhao Qing.
Her words made Zhao Qing pause almost imperceptibly. "Am I causing you some trouble?" After a brief silence, Zhao Qing pursed his lips and asked.
"Not at all. I just feel I'm troubling Brother Qing too much." Xu Mumu shook her head. The original character treated Zhao Qing as one of her backups, but she didn't want to do that. This young man should not be messed with.
"It's no trouble at all." Zhao Qing quickly sighed in relief, glad she wasn't annoyed with him.
Xu Mumu had become increasingly pretty over the past two years, and he had secretly liked her but never expressed it, lacking the courage to do so.
Xu Mumu smiled, unable to say more. It's fine, let's walk together while we can. After all, Zhao Qing was in his last semester, and in a few months, she could walk back and forth on her own.
"Mumu, do you have trouble understanding anything from class? I can help you if there's something you don't get." Zhao Qing looked at Xu Mumu earnestly.
"No need, they are quite easy to understand. It's nothing too difficult, so don't worry about it, Brother Qing." Xu Mumu shook her head in refusal; she spoke from the heart. The textbooks weren't difficult, and in her previous life, she had attended a decent university, so even self-studying now was just like reviewing the material.
Upon reaching the edge of the village, they went their separate ways. The captain's house and the Old Xu Family's house were at opposite ends—one in the east, one in the west—and they lived a bit far from each other.
"Sis, sis, you're back!" Xu Mumu had just walked a little when she heard her little brother's voice.
Turning around, Xu Mumu saw Xu Minglei with a shoulder bag, holding a wooden stick. He was playing and chasing around with Tiedan, having a great time, so much so that he was sweating.
"Yes, did you guys just get off school too?" Xu Mumu asked with a laugh; this little kid had too much energy.
"We've been out for a while. Tiedan and I had to stay to clean." Xu Minglei said a bit embarrassed. The village elementary school let out quite early.
"It was your turn today?" Xu Mumu raised her eyebrows slightly.
"We didn't do our homework, so the teacher made us clean." Xu Minglei showed no shame, and he even seemed a bit proud.
"With two days off, I thought you didn't have any homework." Xu Mumu replied, exasperated. Well, that was her brother's usual style.
No, she had to correct her little brother's bad habit. She would supervise his homework every day.
Xu Minglei didn't know that his sister was planning to tackle this, meaning rough days ahead for him.
"How could that be? Our teacher loves assigning homework." Tiedan started to complain about their teacher. The village's elementary school teacher was a young intellectual who came to the countryside earlier this year, got married and had kids here, and wasn't planning to return to the city anymore. Not great at manual labor, but well-educated, they became a teacher at the village's primary school.
Most of the village teachers were intellectual youth, and a few were graduates from the village's high schools.
The village elementary school wasn't big. Children from several nearby brigades came here to study.
"Yeah, it's so annoying." Xu Minglei waved the stick around, flattening a large swath of weeds. As a so-called underachiever, schoolwork was a torment for him.
"Is there a lot of homework today?" Xu Mumu smiled softly as she asked.
"A lot. Sis, please help me." Xu Minglei's eyes sparkled, hoping his sister would help him with his homework. He didn't want yet another day of cleaning tomorrow.
"Sure, I'll help you when we get back." Xu Mumu smiled, threading the plan in her mind. This little one needed to be taught properly at home.
"Sis, I knew you were the best, I like you the most." Xu Minglei was overjoyed, his words flooding out like honey-dripping flattery towards Xu Mumu.
"Sis, help me too." Tiedan, envious of Xu Minglei, looked at Xu Mumu with eager anticipation.
"Alright, come over and do your homework at my house." Xu Mumu said with a grin. Teaching one or two wasn't any different, and she enjoyed Tiedan's company.