Loving You Dearly

 Really Sweet (2)

Ning Haiyuan was on the phone discussing design drawings. Ning Zhen pushed the door and came in just as he hung up the phone.

"Zhen Zhen, have you finished your exams?"

Xu Qian is a teacher at Third High School, so Ning Haiyuan knows their situation. Ning Haiyuan was very concerned about her grades. Ning Zhen nodded lightly.

After asking this question, the father-daughter duo seemed to have nothing else to say, and the silence spread for a moment.

Ning Zhen lowered her eyes. "Dad, I'll go back to the room then."

Ning Haiyuan snorted and stopped Ning Zhen before she opened the door, "You are now in your second year of high school. You should work hard at home during the holidays and study well. Don't you want to keep your previous grades in First High School? Your Aunt Xu wants you to find time to share your study tips with Tang Zhuo. He is not good at English and physics, so see when you can talk to him."

Ning Zhen's hand that was pushing the door open paused. She nodded with her back towards him.

The door closed, and Ning Zhen threw herself on the bed.

Just now, she was tempted for a split second to ask, "Can you let me go back to dancing?" Learning, learning, learning. Learning seems to have become the only valuable thing in her life. Her emotions and her preferences had all become irrelevant.

Her dad didn't even notice she had changed her clothes.

After her mom died, all the gorgeous colors seemed to disappear.

But she knew that dancing was an untouchable scar of her family, and the only one who hoped for her to continue was probably her mom.

Only her mom could understand how much she liked it.

When Xu Qian came back in the evening, the family ate dinner. Xu Qian suddenly smiled and said, "Zhen Zhen, auntie bought you a skirt. Let's go to your room and try it on?" She looked at Ning Zhen with a smile.

Ning Zhen had already changed into a white T-shirt. She felt that Xu Qian had something to say to her, so she nodded, "Okay."

Xu Qian compared the light blue skirt to her body and measured it with her eye. "Uh-huh, the length is very appropriate. Just a little above the knee, not likey to show some skin and also beautiful."

The skirt was very beautiful. The side of the skirt and its waist were also decorated with a lace border of the same color. Xu Qian chose it according to her size. It was obvious that she had taken great care.

"Zhen Zhen." Xu Qian stroked her hair, "Are you unhappy in Third High School?"

Ning Zhen pursed her lips and didn't speak.

Xu Qian sighed, "I'm sorry that your father and I ignored your opinion. Because of our work and house, you were wronged."

"No, Auntie, don't worry."

Xu Qian felt that this child was really good. She didn't say anything when she suffered a grievance and even comforted her in return. She was so well-behaved that it made people feel distressed.

"Auntie heard that you wear a mask at school. Can you tell me why? Our Zhen Zhen is so beautiful, it's a pity to wear a mask," she said with a smile. This time Xu Qian didn't look like a teacher but like a close friend having a heart-to-heart talk with her.

"... I have a cold."

Xu Qian blinked, indicating that she understood and didn't want to delve into it. She instructed, "When your cough is better, just take it off. It's such a hot day. What would you do if you get sick from being smothered?"

"Today, Auntie heard at school that you were wrongly accused of cheating, is that right?"

Ning Zhen looked at Xu Qian. She used the word 'wrongly accused'. Xu Qian chose to believe her unconditionally.

"Aunt Xu, I didn't cheat. I went out, and when I came back, the note was on the back of my admission ticket." Ning Zhen knew that someone had slipped the note during this short period. But the current Third High School, famous for its teaching quality, was yet to undergo a major renovation. There were still old fans in the classrooms, and there were no full monitoring equipment and electronic blackboards yet.

Her words were no proof.

Xu Qian said solemnly, "This problem is really serious. I don't know who it is to have such a wicked heart at a young age. Auntie believes you. You have never fallen off the top five of your grade in the No. 1 High School exam. You are very outstanding."

 It was cleverness and excellence that stemmed from her bones.

Even if she wasn't Ning Zhen's biological mother, she couldn't help but love her.

"Auntie will check it out for you." Xu Qian paused, "However, this matter might not have a result. Zhen Zhen, one's mouth can't be controlled, so don't be sad when you hear anything bad. Just have a clear conscience. If your body is upright, you don't need to worry about your shadows being crooked¹. Your next grades will prove everything."

"Thank you, Aunt Xu. I am not afraid." She really wasn't afraid. All the sadness and grievances were only for a moment. She has to learn not to be weak and slowly strengthen her heart to protect herself.

"Okay. Have a nice break tomorrow weekend to relax. Auntie will go first." Xu Qian smiled warmly and helped her close the door.

Ning Zhen picked up the beautiful skirt on the bed. Her eyes were a little hot.

For the first time, she felt that stepmother wasn't a terrible word. Xu Qian and her mom were different, but in many places, they were alike.

Ning Zhen folded her skirt and dug out her old notebook.

After hesitating for a while, she knocked on Tang Zhuo's door.

The boy pulled the door open. His hair was a mess, and his earphones were hanging around his neck. He looked at her silently.

"Tang Zhuo, this is for you."

On the cover of the lake-green notebook, two small characters were written gracefully - "Physics".

1. 身正不怕影子斜: It's a Chinese proverb that means, "as long as you didn’t do anything bad, you don't need to worry about slanderous accusations."