Free Web NovelChapter 277: Chapter 277: Abnormality
Unaware of all this, Su Li finally returned to school.
After being away for so long, her return was naturally met with a flood of concerned inquiries. freēwēbnovel.com
To Chang E, seeing her was like seeing a savior.
"Su Li, you’re finally here! If you hadn’t come back soon, we were all going to have a breakdown!"
Su Li hadn’t been to the bookstore lately, but business was still booming.
Even though it was a business of small margins, the profits really added up.
Since Su Li hadn’t been there to check the books or collect the earnings in so long, Chang E and the others were responsible for safeguarding the daily income and depositing it at the bank.
Every two or three days, she had to go to the bank with a bag full of cash. Each time, Chang E would drag two classmates along as bodyguards, terrified of getting robbed. The pressure was immense.
"We missed you like crazy! You absolutely have to stop by the shop today. We have so many questions for you."
Su Li nodded quickly. "I only have two classes this afternoon. I’ll head over right after."
"I’m so sorry, Chang E. I had some personal matters to take care of," Su Li said apologetically.
"Oh, don’t worry about it. Everyone has things come up. As long as it’s all sorted out now, that’s what matters."
Chang E hugged Su Li. "I’m just glad you’re back."
"I’ll come by this afternoon and arrange to have a phone installed in the bookstore. That way, you can reach me anytime if something comes up."
Su Li leaned close to Chang E and whispered, "And I’ll be paying you all—with bonuses, plus compensation for your emotional distress."
Chang E’s eyes lit up. "You promised! No backing out!"
Back on campus, Su Li finally felt like she could breathe again, even though she was still worried about Little Tang Mo.
’Life is finally getting back to normal,’ she thought. ’I’m sure things will only get better from here.’
She had missed all her previous classes and needed to catch up, not to mention responding to all her concerned classmates. The entire morning was a whirlwind of activity.
The moment class ended, Su Li bolted out of the school.
She had to pick up Little Tang Mo for lunch and see how he was doing.
By the time a breathless Su Li arrived at the elementary school, most of the students had already gone home, leaving only a few behind.
Little Tang Mo was waiting obediently for Su Li at the school gate.
"Little Mo!" Su Li called out and ran over.
Little Tang Mo’s eyes lit up. A smile instantly spread across his face as he started walking toward her.
Seeing Little Tang Mo’s smile, Su Li let out a sigh of relief.
"How was it? Are you getting used to things? Adjusting okay? Did any of the other kids bully you?"
Little Tang Mo nodded emphatically, then shook his head.
She asked a few more times, but Little Tang Mo consistently indicated that everything was fine, which finally allowed Su Li to relax.
"If anything happens, you have to tell Mom, okay?"
After they went home for lunch and a short nap, Su Li took Little Tang Mo back to school a little early.
She sent him off with the cookies she had baked for him earlier. "Share these with your classmates," she said. "If you all like them, Mom will make more."
Little Tang Mo nodded obediently.
After dropping him off, Su Li headed back to her own university.
After her two classes, Su Li went to the bookstore with Chang E, true to her word.
Cheers erupted in the bookstore. Su Li was also delighted after giving the account books a quick look-over.
Chang E and the others were incredibly responsible. Even though they were just part-timers, they kept the place spotless, inside and out, and poured their hearts into it as if it were their own shop.
"I’ll treat you all to dinner one of these days when I’m free."
Most of them only had two classes that afternoon, so all six student employees were there. They cheered at her offer.
"Can I come along? It’ll be my treat."
The question came from Qu An, a tall classmate who had been hovering around Su Li all morning, asking what was wrong and if she needed help. He had shown up at the bookstore and asked with enthusiasm.
Chang E and the others exchanged knowing glances, snickering to themselves without saying a word.
Su Li put on a strained smile. "We couldn’t trouble you. This is a dinner for the staff, so I have to be the one to pay."
Qu An rubbed his nose. "Well, are you free today, then?"
Su Li shook her head. "No."
Qu An was an outgoing guy, so he just shrugged with a look of regret. "All right then."
Su Li thought for a moment. "Qu An, I’d like to talk to you alone. It’ll only take two minutes."
Qu An’s eyes brightened as he nodded. "Sure."
Su Li led Qu An outside the shop. "Qu An, I’m sorry, but I don’t like you that way. There’s really no chance for us, so please don’t waste your time on me."
Su Li had made herself clear before, but Qu An hadn’t listened. So, she was saying it again.
The smile vanished from Qu An’s face. "Why? Am I not good enough?"
"It’s not that you’re not good enough. We’re just not a good match. It’s impossible. So please, stop wasting your time on me."
With her thoughts still on Little Tang Mo, Su Li glanced at the time and continued.
"That’s all I wanted to say. We’re classmates, and I don’t want things to get awkward between us. If we can’t be a couple, we can at least still be classmates, right?"
Qu An gazed at Su Li’s beautiful face and the look in her eyes, a flicker of resentment in his own.
"I don’t want to give up," he said. "I really like you, Su Li."
Su Li wasn’t like the other students. She was beautiful, had a great disposition, was capable in her own right, and came from a good family. She was a perfect match for him—well-suited in a very traditional sense.
"And I really don’t like you," Su Li said, exasperated. "Qu An, I hope you find someone better for you soon."
"Goodbye." After a quick word to Chang E and the others, Su Li hurried off toward Little Tang Mo’s school.
In truth, Su Li didn’t need to rush. There was still half an hour until his school let out, but she couldn’t help but worry.
She’d only feel a little better once she was waiting at the school gate.
When school let out, Su Li breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Little Tang Mo, who broke into a smile and ran toward her the moment he spotted her.
"Is everything still okay?"
Little Tang Mo nodded vigorously and showed her his schoolbag. The cookies were all gone.
"Did you share them with your classmates?"
Little Tang Mo nodded again, and only then did Su Li finally relax.
Even so, Su Li went to find his homeroom teacher. The teacher smiled as soon as she saw Su Li.
"I had a feeling you’d be worried and come by," the teacher said with a warm smile. "Please, have a seat. Tang Mo is adjusting quite well. He’s very well-behaved and knows how to share."
Only then did Su Li feel truly at ease. As she stepped out of the teacher’s office, she glanced at the nearby restroom.
"Little Mo, wait here for a second. Mom just needs to use the restroom."
She’d needed to go since she got to the gate, and it would be better to take care of it now before heading to the market to buy groceries.
Little Tang Mo nodded obediently, watching as Su Li trotted off.
He walked over to a corner, leaned against the wall, and squatted down. Just as he was about to play in the snow, he heard footsteps.
"...Was that woman just now the mother of your new transfer student? She looks so young."
The homeroom teacher replied, "She’s not his biological mother. The child is adopted. He’s a very smart boy."
"What’s the use of being smart if he can’t even talk? Sigh... And she’s a university student. She should have had such a bright future."
The homeroom teacher countered, "Her future is still bright. This shouldn’t affect her prospects."
But the first woman’s voice retorted, "It will definitely affect her marriage prospects, though. Never mind whether the man’s family would accept the boy—even if they did, they probably wouldn’t like him. And once she has children of her own, then it’ll be even worse..."
"People are always biased. Forget the father—even the mother will be the same. Once she has her own biological child, there’s no way she’ll treat him the same as she does now..."
The women didn’t notice Little Tang Mo and walked off, still talking.
Little Tang Mo kept his head down, his gaze growing cold.
