The Qiu family's Spring Festival this year felt a bit livelier than usual with the addition of Nan Hua and Grandpa Nan.
During the New Year's Eve reunion dinner, the elders in the family conversed more than usual.
“Xi Xi, isn't this the first time we’re celebrating Spring Festival together?”
Qiu Xi and Nan Hua quietly stepped out after finishing their meal.
Sitting on the balcony, gazing at the dark, star-filled sky, Qiu Xi turned to Nan Hua and said, “It seems like it.”
Every Spring Festival after starting university, even though they already had a place in Chongxi City, their family still insisted on returning to Jinhai City for the holidays.
“This feeling is so good!” Nan Hua sat beside Qiu Xi, the two of them sitting side-by-side, one dark and one white.
Qiu Xi looked up at the sky, then turned to smile at the person beside her, “Mmm! I like it too.”
“Yee!”
“Sis, why are you two still hiding out here getting chilled?”
“……”
The destroyer of romantic atmospheres, it has to be you, Qiu Ge.
“Brother Hua, let’s go!”
“They’re getting ready to barbecue in the front yard. If we’re any later, there might not be any left…” Qiu Ge, having found them at this late hour, was ready to drag them away.
“Uh… Little Ge, let go first.” Nan Hua said awkwardly, trying to dissuade him.
“Ah! Sorry, I’ll let go now.” Qiu Ge glanced back, seeming to understand something.
The moment he saw his sister’s expression, he instinctively let go.
“Sis, Dad and the others are barbecuing in the front yard and asked for you to join them…”
“I already said… I’m leaving first!” With that, he sprinted out at top speed.
Qiu Xi, “……”
“Ahem!” Nan Hua covered his mouth. “Xi Xi, shall we go down together then?”
“Mmm, let’s go!”
“Hurry up, before it’s all gone!” Qiu Xi, without a second thought, took Nan Hua’s hand and headed downstairs.
……
The Spring Festival that had just passed was the most relaxed one Qiu Xi had experienced in years.
This was thanks to her teachers not bothering her!
However, this was also due to Qiu Xi’s own hard work, as she didn’t have any papers to worry about, allowing her to enjoy the holiday with ease.
But time also flew by. Even though it was the New Year, the holiday break didn't extend by many days.
So, after only a few days of vacation, Qiu Xi set off again for Chongxi City.
This time, only the younger ones were leaving: her, Nan Hua, and Qiu Ge.
The others had their own reasons for leaving separately.
As for the adults and the elders, they planned to stay in Jinhai City for a while longer.
“Little Ge, we won’t be escorting you back. Settle yourself in when you get home, and then you can go to school tomorrow.”
Since Qiu Ge had refused their offer to escort him, Qiu Xi didn't insist further.
“Sis, don’t worry, I’m not a child anymore. I’ll be fine!”
“Mmm, okay.”
“If anything comes up, just give us a call.”
“Don’t worry, it’s fine.”
“I’m leaving now!”
“Sis, Brother Hua, bye~”
With that, he got into a taxi and left the airport.
Qiu Xi and Nan Hua exchanged a look. “Shall we head back too?”
“Mmm, let’s go.”
With limited time and needing to report to school the next day, neither of them planned to go home. Instead, they headed directly to the apartment they had previously rented.
“It’s a good thing we hired an auntie to clean before, otherwise, it would have taken both of us all day to finish.”
A place that hasn’t been lived in for a while truly needs a thorough cleaning. It’s safe to say that their happiness hadn’t made them forget this crucial task.
“Alright, let’s sit down and rest.”
“We don’t have enough time, so I’ve ordered takeout. Let’s just make do with this for tonight.” Nan Hua reached out and pulled her down.
“It’s fine, we can go to the supermarket together tomorrow after we’ve handled school matters,” Qiu Xi said nonchalantly, shaking her head.
When you're tired, having food that doesn't require any effort is truly satisfying.
“Mmm, okay, we’ll go together tomorrow.”
“Deal!”
……
“Teacher Qi, happy start of the work!”
Several people in the office were joking with their supervisor.
“If you guys didn’t need me to urge you, then it would certainly be a happy start of the work!”
“But thankfully, there’s still little Xi to carry the load. You all need to work harder!”
Qi Xizhi was quite direct when speaking, subtly nudging them along.
“……”
“Teacher, it’s only the first day of the semester, can we talk about something happy?”
Qi Xizhi looked at them with a hearty chuckle. “Didn’t you guys bring it up yourselves?”
“Heh heh~”
“It’s just that we just finished the New Year, and my mouth got ahead of me…”
“Alright, look at your pitiful faces!”
“It’s our group’s tradition to have a get-together on the first day of the semester. That’s something we can’t miss.”
“Xing Ling, you take the juniors and get busy. Send the news to the group once you’re done.”
“Yes, Teacher!”
“Mission guaranteed to be accomplished!”
“Okay, then that’s it for now. All of you go get busy. I have a few more words for Qiu Xi.”
“Understood, we’ll be going now.”
With that, everyone prepared to leave.
Qi Xizhi stopped Luo An, who was also preparing to leave, “Luo An, wait a moment.”
“I also have some things to discuss with you.”
“……Okay, Teacher, I understand.” Luo An nodded glumly.
Once the other students had left, Qi Xizhi sat down.
“You two can sit too.”
“Okay.” The two sat down obediently.
“Now that the semester has started, you’re all preparing for graduation. The most important tasks ahead are something I’m sure you all know, so I won’t elaborate much here.” As he said this, Qi Xizhi’s gaze largely lingered on Luo An.
Luo An, “……”
He knew he was a little “less astute” compared to Qiu Xi, but he still understood the importance of matters.
“Teacher Qi, I know what’s more important and what’s less so!”
“I will definitely work hard!” Luo An nodded seriously.
“Mmm, I certainly don’t want to see your name on the list of delayed graduates in a few months!” Qi Xizhi said with a smile.
“Teacher, don’t worry, that’s impossible!”
He, Luo An, would stay up all night if he had to, but he wouldn’t let his name appear on it.
“Good, then make the most of this period and work hard!”
“Mmm, absolutely!”
After discussing Luo An’s matters, Qi Xizhi’s gaze shifted to Qiu Xi.
“Little Xi, I have no worries about your situation. Just follow the procedures step-by-step from now on.” Besides this sentence, he didn’t know what else to say.
“Mmm, thank you, Teacher.”
……