Chapter 59: Let’s Take Her Along When We Go Out for National Day Holiday [Third Update]

He couldn’t help but smile a little—this child was quite something: thrifty, treating money with care. Not like Lu Yuanqiu, who wouldn’t even glance at a bill worth less than a hundred yuan.

But being too concerned with money isn’t a good thing, either.

Lu Tian glanced at the girl in front of him a few times. He could imagine that Bai Qingxia’s family must be struggling, which had fostered her cautious attitude toward money.

To earn just a dozen or twenty yuan from selling recyclables, she had walked all the way to the supermarket during the monthly exams.

Although he had promised her the money, and there was nothing wrong with her actions, for someone who might one day become his daughter-in-law, Lu Tian wanted to observe a little longer. He had no doubts about Bai Qingxia’s character—of that, he was certain.

But there was one thing: in the future, her view of money needed to be adjusted. She couldn’t be allowed to value money above all else.

There are things more important than money that one must also care about.

Perhaps she was still too young to see that far ahead.

Lu Tian considered that, at her age, he had probably valued money more than she did.

“All right then. Once you finish selling, hurry home to review. Don’t stay out too late,” Lu Tian reminded her.

Bai Qingxia nodded quickly and smiled. “That old man must be waiting. I’ll go now.”

Watching the girl drag three large woven bags out of the supermarket, Lu Tian stepped forward out of concern. “You’ve saved up this much? Can you carry it alone?”

“No problem,” Bai Qingxia replied, her slender figure gradually disappearing from the entrance of Four Seasons Fresh Market, hauling the bags behind her.

Night fell.

Lu Tian stepped out to buy a bowl of rice noodles, and returned to the supermarket. Just as he put the rice noodles on the checkout counter, he froze.

This was…

On the counter lay a pile of crumpled bills and a few coins.

Beside the money was a note.

Lu Tian picked it up.

“Uncle, I didn’t see you when I came back, so I left first. Here’s the money from selling the recyclables, a total of 21 yuan and 40 cents, all here. I promised that old man I’d sell them today, and I can’t break my word. As for the money, I really can’t accept it, Uncle, please keep it.”

Lu Tian stood there, stunned for a long moment before finally putting down the note in silence.

He glanced at the money beside him and counted it—indeed, 21 yuan and 40 cents.

This small sum was beneath Lu Yuanqiu’s notice, and frankly beneath his own as well.

But it seemed he had misunderstood something.

Bai Qingxia hadn’t come to the supermarket today for those twenty-some yuan, but to keep her promise to the old man at the recycling station.

Leaning against the checkout counter, Lu Tian took a deep breath, a self-deprecating smile on his lips.

He recalled the conversation from a few days ago, when he’d told the girl she could keep the money from selling the empty bottles. She’d been embarrassed then, shyly refusing with a smile.

He’d assumed that was just for show and that she actually wanted the money, which was why she’d come today.

It was a small misunderstanding, but Lu Tian felt a heaviness in his heart, losing even the appetite for his rice noodles.

He had never doubted Xiaoxia’s character; not today, not ever. Yet, he’d still arrogantly thought he needed to adjust her view of money.

He hadn’t expected that it was he who would learn a lesson from this child.

“I really… really… sigh.”

He tapped the wad of bills gently against his palm, his regret deepening with each thought. Though Xiaoxia would never know, Lu Tian felt an urge to apologize to her in person.

“What a good child,” he muttered, brow furrowed, clicking his tongue at his own rash assumptions.

Back home, he changed his shoes at the entrance, his expression gloomy as he carried the pile of bills into the living room.

“Lu Yuanqiu! Get out here right now!”

In a foul mood, Lu Tian shouted.

The bedroom door opened and Lu Yuanqiu emerged, English book in hand, looking at Lu Tian with surprise.

He glanced first at Lu Tian’s hands to make sure there was no clothes hanger—only then did he dare speak: “What’s up, Dad? I was good today, I got five math multiple-choice questions right!”

He sounded quite proud.

Lu Yidong poked her head out of her room too, thinking their father was about to punish her brother and eager to watch the show.

Lu Tian wasn’t even sure what he was angry about, just that he was in a bad mood and wanted to smack his son.

“Uh… How about we go out as a family for the National Day holiday this time?”

Spotting his daughter, Lu Tian changed the subject.

“Yes, yes!” Lu Yidong hopped cheerfully over to the sofa beside her father, sitting down and swinging her pale, bare legs and feet in excitement, clad in shorts.

But Lu Yuanqiu refused, “No, I was planning to take Bai Qingxia out somewhere.”

Lu Tian raised an eyebrow at that, smiling, “That’s exactly what I meant: our family, with Xiaoxia as well. If her family is free, they’re welcome to join us.”

Lu Yuanqiu looked puzzled. “Why the sudden idea to bring her along?”

“She’s a good kid. Isn’t it normal to think of her when something good comes up? Besides, she’s my employee and your classmate—it’s perfectly reasonable.”

The logic was sound enough. Lu Yuanqiu nodded. “I’ll ask her, but I think at most she’ll be able to come herself. Her family probably won’t.”

Lu Tian waved it off. “Doesn’t matter, as long as Xiaoxia is with us.”

“Who exactly is Bai Qingxia? You’ve both been talking about her for so long,” the little girl on the sofa asked, swinging her legs and glancing back and forth between her father and brother.

Lu Tian was about to say, “Your future sister-in-law,” but caught himself, glancing at his son. He decided against it, lest it jinx anything.

So he just said, “Don’t you remember? The supermarket worker—your brother’s classmate.”

“Oh, I remember her now.”

…

Back in his room, Lu Yuanqiu opened QQ on his phone.

‘Leaf Knows Autumn’: Good evening.

‘Summer Maple’: [smile emoji]

Lu Yuanqiu: “……”

That smiling face… now he didn’t feel like chatting at all.

‘Leaf Knows Autumn’: [smile emoji]

Fight poison with poison.

‘Summer Maple’: [smile emoji]

Suddenly it dawned on Lu Yuanqiu that, although he disliked this emoji, Bai Qingxia was different. She probably thought he was genuinely smiling at her… and perhaps she truly was smiling, too.

She was likely grinning at her phone right now.

Lu Yuanqiu suddenly felt the generation gap between himself and this seventeen-year-old girl.

…

The next afternoon, after the English test, Lu Yuanqiu made sure not to linger in the exam hall, lest Tan Le try to compare answers with him.

Second floor cafeteria.

Lu Yuanqiu sat across from Cao Shuang, a boy whose bangs covered one of his eyes. Cao spoke first, “Qiu, I found those girls. I know which class they’re in, and their names.”

“How many?” Lu Yuanqiu asked indifferently.

“Three in total.”

“Heh, looks like the rats have been caught.”

ps.

Asking for your monthly vote.