The neighboring city had several large free libraries.

The first floor of South Library was the reading room, with a self-study area on the second floor. There weren’t many people—just a few scattered tables occupied. They casually found a spot in the corner, and Xu You unloaded her backpack onto the table.

“So where do I sit?” Xie Ci leaned to one side, arms crossed over his chest. “I want to sit next to you, don’t want to sit across from you.”

Xu You glanced at him.

She would need to teach him how to solve problems later, so having them sit close together would probably be more convenient. After considering for a moment, she said softly: “Pull a stool over next to me. Keep the noise down.”

Beside them was a floor-to-ceiling glass window. The curtain was pulled to one side, a beam of sunlight projecting onto the floor, casting a patch of shadow.

Xu You pulled a pen from her pencil case. She lowered her head and held out her palm toward Xie Ci beside her. “Where’s the math test paper and answer sheet?”

For a long time, he didn’t respond.

Xu You turned her head in confusion and saw a certain someone’s expression was very hesitant.

“Hurry up.” She urged.

“I…” From the pocket of his jacket, Xie Ci pulled out a crumpled piece of paper…

“…How did it get like this?”

Xu You didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She took the paper and patiently smoothed out the wrinkles with her palm.

When unfolded, the bright red score in the upper left corner appeared conspicuously. Both of them fell silent. This was the first time Xu You was somewhat at a loss for words.

“How did you score…42 points?” She asked tentatively, also afraid her tone was too harsh.

Xie Ci still spoke stubbornly: “Anyway…I’m higher than Song Yifan. He only got 32 points.”

“…….”

Xu You shook her head and flipped through Xie Ci’s answer sheet, looking at some of the problems he got right. Her mental math was strong to begin with. Glancing over several problems, she immediately discovered that Xie Ci didn’t actually have that many points.

Actually, the number 1 changed to 4 in the title section was very stiff—easy to see through. Xu You was afraid of hurting his self-esteem, so she pretended not to notice. But in her heart, she found it funny. She wasn’t his parent—this childish behavior of changing scores was really like an elementary school student…

She suppressed the smile at the corners of her mouth, clicked the ballpoint pen, and pulled out a white piece of scratch paper from the side.

Xie Ci propped up his cheek with one hand.

“Don’t space out. You take a pen too. I’ll explain to you, then you calculate, and take notes while you’re at it.” Xu You’s expression became serious again.

“Got it, Teacher Xu.” He responded lazily.

She knew Xie Ci’s foundation was poor, so she directly gave up on several of the more profound problems, specifically picking the basic ones to explain to him.

“This problem.” The pen tip tapped, Xu You’s voice clear, slow and gentle, her eyes looking at Xie Ci. “If the line ax+2y=20 is parallel to the line 3x+y=20, then what is the value of coefficient a…”

“This is just a simple proportional method. Even middle school students can do it. I’ll tell you the method, you calculate yourself…”

Xu You had tutored children before, so she had good patience and explained problems in detail.

Although Xie Ci didn’t understand a lot, his attitude was still proper. Xu You specifically instructed him to bring his math book. Every time she reached a knowledge point, she would have him flip it out and take good notes. Originally she had him write it himself, but Xie Ci’s handwriting was wild and flamboyant, big and ugly, illegible in the book. Xu You, helpless, took a blue gel pen and personally helped him take notes. He was just responsible for leaning over to watch, grinning foolishly.

“This problem, trigonometric functions. Read the problem yourself once.”

“Oh…given function f(x)=4…uh, tan x.” Xie Ci didn’t know how to pronounce “tan,” so he just substituted it with pinyin directly.

Xu You was both exasperated and couldn’t help laughing. She tapped his head with her pen. “You can’t even read this? What are you doing in class?”

“…..”

By the end of the problems, Xie Ci’s answer sheet was already filled with dense process steps.

Xu You put the math test paper aside, picked up her water cup and got up from her seat, instructing: “You look over what I explained to you first. I’m going to get some water.”

When she returned, Xie Ci was lying on the table, seemingly absorbed in scribbling something.

Xu You pulled out her chair and sat down beside him, leaning over to take a look. He wasn’t calculating problems but had drawn a bunch of circles and crosses on the scratch paper—inexplicable symbols.

“I want to give this to you.” Xie Ci pushed the paper over.

Xu You didn’t quite understand what it meant, pointing at those O’s and X’s: “What is this?”

“Come find me tonight and I’ll tell you.”

Xie Ci twirled his pen while propping up his head, eyes lowered, smiling wickedly. Perhaps because he was too flirtatious, Xu You realized something in a flash.

“Xie Ci, why are you so improper!”

Xu You’s cheeks flushed red as she lightly scolded. Then she turned her eyes away, no longer looking at him.

“Tsk.” Xie Ci dropped the pen in his hand and leaned closer.

Xu You moved away a bit, turning her body.

He persisted relentlessly, moving even closer, softly pleading: “Wifey, don’t be angry.”

“Wife?”

“Xu You?”

“Wife, wife…wifey…” Xie Ci seemed addicted to calling her, chanting like a sutra.

“Are you annoying or what!” Xu You suddenly turned around, startling Xie Ci.

“Wh—what…”

Xu You reached out through gritted teeth.

Her hand was warm and dry. Xie Ci was caught off guard as she pinched his cheeks, not reacting immediately.

He hadn’t known until touching it—Xie Ci’s face was so soft that Xu You involuntarily pulled it outward with her fingers.

“Can you not disturb me, you annoying pest.” She scolded him.

Xie Ci smiled shamelessly.

After playing for a while, Xu You stopped fooling around with him and sat up straight. “I need to study now.”

She arranged her papers properly. Xie Ci’s phone just then started vibrating.

He glanced at the caller ID, frowning, pushed back his chair and stood up to take the call at a distance.

After a while, Xie Ci returned. He looked hurried, as if something urgent had come up.

Xu You’s eyes looked at him. “What happened?”

“Did you bring your phone?” Xie Ci asked.

Xu You shook her head.

“I have something to deal with right now and need to leave first. I can’t walk you home. When you get back, send me a message on your phone.” He grabbed his jacket, already on the phone with someone else. Without waiting for Xu You to say anything, he ran off without a trace.

Xu You’s mind was full of Xie Ci’s anxious appearance when he left. She was a bit worried and couldn’t study anymore either. She hastily packed up her things and went home, preparing to call Xie Ci.

Somehow, her heart kept feeling uneasy.

When she got home, Chen Xiuyun was sitting quietly on the sofa, seemingly thinking about something.

Xu You was in a hurry to get to her room and didn’t notice her expression, casually saying: “Mom, I’m home.”

“So early? Didn’t you go to the library?”

“Yeah…I forgot some materials at home.”

Xu You replied, changed her shoes, and without even taking off her bag, ran back to her room in quick steps.

She clearly remembered putting her phone under her pillow. She looked twice and still couldn’t find it. She knelt down, searching everywhere, her forehead breaking out in anxious sweat.

“Xu You, what are you looking for?” Chen Xiuyun’s voice came from behind.

Xu You’s movements paused as she turned her head. She saw what Chen Xiuyun was holding in her hand.

Her heart sank.

“—Thud.”

The phone was thrown to the ground by Chen Xiuyun, slowly rolling to Xu You’s side and stopping.

She knelt on the ground, head lowered.

“Mom…”

“Don’t call me that yet. Tell me, who is the person in your phone?”

“Texting you every day, what does he call you?”

“Speak! Don’t stay silent. Xu You, are you trying to worry your mother to death?”

“…….”

“I felt sorry for you, seeing you staying up so late, thinking you were studying. And what’s the result? Who exactly are you talking on the phone with so late every night? Do you think your dad and I are both idiots?”

Xu You’s eyes immediately reddened.

Chen Xiuyun took a deep breath, seeming a bit dizzy, sitting on the bed unable to support herself. She had always had low blood pressure—whenever her emotions fluctuated greatly, her face would turn pale.

“Mom, please don’t be angry.” Xu You felt increasingly guilty, biting her lip. “Don’t be angry…”

“I’ve always trusted you, never went through your phone…but you? How have you repaid my trust? Do you know what dating means for you right now?” Chen Xiuyun became more agitated as she spoke. The words “dating” coming out sounded particularly alarming, somewhat shocking. But Xu You was powerless to refute, unable to say a single word.

“Your dad and I have been enduring all this time because of you. It’s not like you don’t know…For your sake…” At this point, Chen Xiuyun choked up, pointing at her nose. “Why are you so foolish? What time is this? You still have the mind to date? What gives you the right?! Do you know that if you don’t do well on the exam, your dad and I can’t support you either? When you enter society later, what will you use to compete with others?!”

Chen Xiuyun looked at Xu You kneeling in place, eyes cast down, motionless. The anger and helpless bitterness in her heart intertwined, finally turning into a long sigh.

“You’re still young, not realizing that without education, without ability, you can’t make it. Do you know why your dad and I all these years…Let me be honest with you. Back then, your dad had no ability, married into our Chen family home. Which of your aunts and uncles looked up to him?! Why?! All because he had no ability! Why do you think we always argue?! Look at your dad—is he happy? Look at me—am I happy? You’re only in high school, yet you don’t cherish the opportunities you have. Without ability in the future, relying on men, once you enter their family’s door, do you know how much humiliation you’ll have to endure? Do you know how many cold looks you’ll have to take…”

“In this world, many things you can’t control, but many things you can grasp. Why don’t you cherish them…”

“Mom, I know…”

Xu You held back from crying. She looked directly at Chen Xiuyun, clenching her fists. “I know what I’m doing.”

“What are you doing?”

“Mom…I’ve always been very obedient to you both, so…this time, can you not tell Dad first? Let me solve it myself?”

Chen Xiuyun seemed to have no energy left to scold her. “Xu You…”

“I know this isn’t right, but I can still guarantee that I will definitely study hard. Really, I’ll talk to him properly.”

Xu You’s tone was almost pleading as she said urgently: “Mom…trust me this once, okay? I really won’t let you down.”

Chen Xiuyun’s heart ached. Xu You had been different from other children since childhood. When Chen Xiuyun and Xu You’s father argued when she was little, she would just sit not far away, silently watching them. Xu You had always been so obedient and well-behaved that it was heartbreaking. She didn’t cry when getting shots, not making a sound. She never made a fuss wanting things at the supermarket. Even the kindergarten teacher said she was too obedient, sensible beyond her age. Whether doing exercises or playing games, she was very serious. During meals and naps, she would yield to other children. The couple was busy with work and had little time to look after Xu You, so they often left her at her grandmother’s house. There were no other children at grandmother’s, so Xu You often spaced out alone or did homework…Even when she missed them, she would just make a phone call. Each time before hanging up, Chen Xiuyun would hear Xu You say, “Mom, I miss you both so much, but I’m being very good at grandmother’s…”

Thinking of these things, and seeing Xu You kneeling before her, Chen Xiuyun calmed down for a moment, finding her voice again. “I won’t tell your father for now. You solve it yourself. I’ll trust you this one last time.”

Before leaving the room, Chen Xiuyun paused, turning her head slightly. “Mom isn’t forcing you. Whatever it is can wait until after your college entrance exam. You and that boy…”

She didn’t continue the rest of her words, couldn’t bear to continue.

The door closed with a soft sound. Xu You collapsed weakly against the bedside table, staring blankly into space.

She sat on the windowsill, hugging her knees.

The light from the distant streetlamp was dim and faint, casting a soft glow over the surrounding weeds and flowers. The sparse and dull stars barely illuminated the dark road ahead.