From An An's words, Zhou Qin learned that his mother was just a gardener. She originally thought it was an insignificant fling from Qin Ningyi's youth.
However, the woman before her was wearing a dress designed by Wan. The white suit dress was pieced with soft gauze, inlaid with light blue rhinestones, adding a mature charm to her originally overly gentle and cute appearance.
Possessing multiple styles, this complex beauty was even more eye-catching.
Moreover, Huo Rou's skin was snow-white, and she could perfectly carry off this dress even without makeup.
Zhou Qin couldn't help but touch her own cheek, her meticulously applied makeup from that morning.
She had intended to present herself in the most perfect way when meeting Qin Ningyi. Didn't men like women with flawless skin, long eyelashes, and rosy lips?
Yet, all of this was no match for Huo Rou's perfect bare face.
She was excessively mature, exuding a stiff, sculpted aura.
She could only vaguely hope that this wasn't An An's mother, perhaps Qin Ningyi's sister?
But An An's words shattered her last glimmer of hope.
"Teacher, this is my mom!" Qin Ningyi didn't intend to answer Zhou Qin's question, but An An, feeling a sense of crisis, proactively introduced her.
"Isn't my mom very beautiful?" After introducing her, An An couldn't resist asking.
Zhou Qin's expression, difficult to conceal, immediately turned grim.
The opening ceremony on the sports field began under the rising sun. The morning sun cast a golden halo around Huo Rou's face.
Her ears were almost transparent in the sunlight, and the rising temperature also tinged her cheeks with the color of the dawn.
As Qin Ningyi turned, he saw her at a glance and couldn't look away.
Standing by the class, Zhou Qin watched Huo Rou from afar, her resentment intensifying.
What was the point of being beautiful if she was just a country gardener? Her father had influence in the education system, so An An's future studies and the studies of her children with Qin Ningyi would be worry-free.
The more she thought about it, the more jarring Huo Rou's beautiful face seemed.
An An, being the youngest in the class, was naturally the shortest, so he sat at the very front, with Zhou Qingyan behind him.
"An An, who is that? Your mom?" When An An led Huo Rou and Qin Ningyi to the parents' section, he saw Huo Rou. He couldn't believe that the illegitimate child An An, whom he looked down upon, had such a beautiful mother.
An An ignored him; this friend was no longer worth his effort.
Zhou Qingyan didn't get an answer from An An, but being observant as usual, he discerned the answer from An An's unrestrained proud gaze.
He couldn't help but glance back at his own plump mother, adorned with gold and silver jewelry and embroidered with gold thread, then at An An's mother, who wore no jewelry but looked as beautiful as a celestial being.
Zhou Qingyan's father also couldn't stop looking in Huo Rou's direction. Zhou Qingyan's mother's face sank bit by bit as he turned, finally blocking her husband's view with a dark expression.
"What are you looking at!" she gritted out through clenched teeth.
Father Zhou's similarly sturdy body shuddered. "Of course, I'm looking at Qin Ningyi. My son offended him, so I have to think about how to salvage the situation."
"You're not looking at Qin Ningyi, you're looking at his woman, aren't you? You old lecher, I'm telling you, this is our son's opening ceremony. We're here to network with parents, not to cause trouble," Mother Zhou warned in a low voice. "If anything happens, I'll hold you responsible."
"I'm looking at Qin Ningyi, you shrew. Give you an inch and you take a mile?" Father Zhou arrogantly puffed out his chest.
"Don't forget who's funding your company's operations. How dare you address me as 'old man'?" Mother Zhou chuckled dismissively, glaring at him sideways.
Father Zhou retreated, and Zhou Qingyan no longer bothered An An.
"Alright, today's opening ceremony concludes here. Please have the homeroom teacher organize the class for a team-building activity."
As soon as the principal finished speaking, teachers from each class began organizing the children and parents to return to their classrooms.
It was a school tradition that after the opening ceremony, students and parents would gather in their classrooms for a team-building activity organized by the teacher, focusing on a specific theme.
The theme for Class 3-1 this time was "Dreams."
As Homeroom Teacher Lin had an urgent matter, Zhou Qin was tasked with hosting the team-building activity.
Students took turns going on stage to share their dreams. Some wanted to be entrepreneurs, counting money like their fathers every day; some wanted to be astronauts and see space; some wanted to study abroad and become scientists...
Then it was An An's turn.
"I want to be a farmer, to help the farmers plant crops. So everyone can have enough to eat." An An's tender words fell, and the classroom fell silent.
After a moment of quiet, the children and parents burst into laughter.
An An didn't understand why everyone was laughing. He had thought for a long time to come up with such a good dream after hearing the theme.
He looked at Zhou Qin helplessly. Seeing Zhou Qin also laughing, he shifted his gaze to Huo Rou.
Huo Rou smiled with great satisfaction and nodded at An An with determined eyes.
Amidst the full room of laughter, only Huo Rou and Qin Ningyi remained quiet and approving.
"Alright, let's thank classmate An An for sharing. An An, you can go back and sit down," Zhou Qin said.
Zhou Qin looked around. This school was not for ordinary people. Those admitted were either wealthy or noble. There were a few children from ordinary families who were academically gifted, but their dreams were also dignified and dazzling.
She looked at Huo Rou with a hint of contempt. What was the point of being beautiful? What was the point of giving Qin Ningyi a child? She was still an uncultured country bumpkin! And her child was also unimpressive.
"Everyone's dreams are very good – being an entrepreneur, an astronaut, a scientist... all very impressive!" After the children finished, Zhou Qin commented, "Dreams should be this grand. Everyone must remember your dreams, study hard, and not let your parents down."
After speaking, Zhou Qin glanced at An An, implying, "You are receiving such good education here to achieve great things, not to be mediocre."
"An An, you are a clever child. Perhaps your original family environment led you to wish to be a farmer, but things are different now." Zhou Qin, seeing Qin Ningyi's displeased expression, thought he was upset by An An's speech, so she said earnestly, "Your father is an outstanding entrepreneur. You should have a better dream like other children..."
"Teacher Zhou, what's wrong with being a farmer?" Huo Rou couldn't listen any longer and questioned.