Chapter 144

When Yu Na and Xiao Chen first started dating, his skills were just so-so. But at the time, neither of them had much experience in this area, so Yu Na couldn't really tell if his skills were good or bad. She just enjoyed kissing him.

Later on, as they spent more time together, she looked back on when they first got together and realized that his kissing skills back then were quite mediocre and very novice-like, but also endearingly earnest.

Now after much more practice, he had gotten a lot better at it.

His possessive, domineering kisses made her addicted; his gentle, lingering tender kisses made her melt.

During those last two days in Beicheng, Xiao Chen couldn't do anything with her, but Yu Na kept teasing him. Sometimes when he couldn't resist kissing her, and feeling bad that he had to keep holding back, Yu Na took the initiative to help relieve him in other ways.

It had been intermittently snowing in Beicheng those few days, and finally stopped on the night before they left.

After they were gone, the house was left with just the elderly couple.

It was better not to say anything, but the elderly were most unable to bear the separation. Although they had money, the elderly just wanted that human touch.

After the New Year holiday, the young people all went out to work, leaving the elderly at home, another year.

Their flight was at 4pm.

Before leaving, Grandpa and Grandma packed a lot of things for them, mostly food.

The two only brought one suitcase this time. It was originally just loosely packed with some clothes and toiletries, but the two elderly stuffed it so full there was barely any space left.

When they tried to stuff even more things in, Xiao Chen stopped them. "You two don't need to be busy with this. What if the suitcase breaks midway?"

"Alright, alright, we'll listen to you. I--" Grandma suddenly paused, and when she spoke again, her voice was choked up, "I'll mail them to you tomorrow."

Everyone: ?

Hearing the sudden change in her voice, Xiao Chen walked over feeling both amused and distressed. "What's with the tears?"

Grandpa put his arm around Grandma's shoulders. "Stop that, they're not leaving forever, what are you crying for?"

Xiao Chen hugged Grandma and comforted her like a child. "It's okay, don't cry, don't cry. We have cell phones right? If nothing else comes up I'll video chat with you and Grandpa, it'll be the same."

Yu Na also felt awful inside. This was the happiest New Year she ever had.

These past few days, Grandpa and Grandma chatted with her every day, watched TV with her, told her stories about Xiao Chen's childhood, cooked delicious food for her, and there was always washed fruit by her side.

She walked over. "Grandma, I'll come back again next year."

"Okay." Grandma wiped her tears. "I just can't bear to part..."

Xiao Chen kept patting Grandma's back reassuringly. "Alright, no more tears, no more tears. It's not like we're never coming back. When Na Na mentors 10th grade next year and has a longer vacation, I'll bring her back again, okay?"

Yu Na stood by Xiao Chen's side listening to him comfort Grandma. She inadvertently noticed Xiao Chen's eyes were also a little red.

The sorrowful feelings of parting did not dissipate until they arrived in Changwan. That night, Yu Na lay on the bed belly down and asked, "Should we video chat with Grandpa and Grandma?"

"Better not, not now." Xiao Chen pulled her into his arms. "They haven't gotten over their emotions yet. If we video chat they'll definitely start crying again. We can't comfort them in person this time, so let's wait till tomorrow."

Yu Na nodded and sighed at the same time. "I've never experienced a parting like this before."

"It was still relatively normal today," said Xiao Chen. "The worst was before I went abroad for the first time. My grandma cried so hard I thought I was going to the execution grounds."

"......"

...

This time it was still only the high school seniors who started school. The 10th and 11th graders were still at home enjoying vacation.

After the 10 day holiday, the seniors were swamped with homework.

Yu Na got into work mode even earlier, because teachers were also busy before school started.

On the first day of school in the afternoon, as Yu Na walked from the teachers' office to the classroom, the other classes she passed were lifeless.

Only her class was lively.

She walked to the classroom door and knocked on it. "Afraid the principal can't hear our class's voice?"

The classroom instantly quieted down.

Yu Na walked onto the podium with a stern expression, nothing like how she was spoiled by Xiao Chen in private. "The entire hallway, no, the entire senior high school building, only our class is the most lively. Feel like I didn't assign you all much homework?"

Seeing they were no longer chit chatting below, Yu Na had a student go change the countdown on the board to 127 days.

"Check it from time to time when you have nothing to do, see how many days are left, don't make me keep reminding you."

They were assigned a lot of homework over break this time, but the completion rate was much higher than last year after school started, since the exam was approaching and students also had that sense of urgency themselves.

In addition to the weekly quizzes this semester, there were also three mock exams.

The classroom atmosphere was very antsy the entire afternoon and evening self-study on the first day of school. Clearly many were still immersed in vacation mode.

When Yu Na took time during evening self-study to go over questions, she could constantly hear the buzz below no matter how many times she said something, completely useless. By the third time, she threw the chalk into the tray and directly called on students by name, having them stand up one by one.

Finally she added, "Go stand in the back, don't block other students."

This restless phenomenon finally improved the next day when regular classes officially started.

Right after school started, electives were truly gone, all replaced by main courses.

Including the PE that Yu Na tried to preserve for them, also replaced by English.

The students were cooped up in the classroom every day. Their only opportunity to go out was running laps in the afternoon, but even then sighs abounded.

The weather had been very nice in Changwan lately. PE was still held on Friday mornings during the last period.

Yu Na took the entire class out to the track field for class. The students sat in a circle with Yu Na in the middle.

She had tried it on a whim, but the effect was very good. It let them get some sun while completing the review class.

More importantly, the school track field was very close to the cafeteria. Since only seniors had started school, there were already few people, and after their class ended, they could get from the field to the cafeteria much faster than the classroom building. Every student could eat the freshest food straight from the counter.

On Saturday, Qiao Rui and Xu Yi were still reviewing at the Yunwan Apartments.

Xiao Chen went to take care of some matters in the morning. Yu Na watched over the two students alone at Yunwan. The three sat at the dining table. Yu Na sat at the head of the table, while the two children sat across from each other, heads down working on tests.

She wanted to go cook for them at noon, but there were hardly any ingredients in the fridge, so she just ordered takeout.

After eating and taking a brief rest, Xiao Chen came back very early. Yu Na went with him to the supermarket to buy groceries.

Seeing they had finally left, Qiao Rui put down his pen and reminded, "We haven't put up the Spring Festival couplets at my house yet, remember?"

"Oh right, I forgot about that," Xu Yi still had no clue, naively asking, "What Spring Festival couplets?"

Qiao Rui swiftly ran to the bedroom and took out the Spring Festival couplets he had prepared earlier.

Xu Yi took them over, and the two went to the front door.

She asked, "Can you get me a chair to stand on? I can't reach."

"Get a chair?" Qiao Rui looked at her like she was crazy. "The cheapest chair in my house costs tens of thousands. My brother definitely won't allow it."

"...Then you put them up, I can't reach, I'll watch and tell you where they go."

Qiao Rui pretended to think hard for a few seconds, then mimicked what Xiao Chen had done that day, squatting down. "Like this, you sit on my shoulders and put them up."

Xu Yi was stunned. "Wha...no no no, I--"

"I told you to sit so just sit," Qiao Rui looked back. "I'm tall, but I still can't reach the top, so you sitting on my shoulders is the most suitable."

"......" Xu Yi could only acquiesce, but gave one last serious reminder before sitting down, "Hey! I'm really heavy you know..."

"As if, with your petite body, I could even do push ups while carrying you, so easy."

As a result, Qiao Rui finally experienced the feeling his brother had that day.

Having the girl he liked sitting on his shoulders actually felt pretty awesome.

Xu Yi kept asking, "Is it straight?"

Qiao Rui wasn't even looking, just enjoying the moment in his mind, absentmindedly answering, "Yup, straight."

However, when Xiao Chen and Yu Na returned from the supermarket and saw the couplets haphazardly posted on the door, they exchanged a glance.

Xiao Chen understood instantly. "Tsk, this little rascal, learning to be sly."

Yu Na smiled. "Let's pretend not to notice, Xu Yi is shy."

So the two re-posted the Spring Festival couplets neatly at the door.

The two kids really thought they had posted them so orderly themselves.

Xiao Chen and Yu Na also did not tell them about this matter.

After the start of high school senior year, Xiao Chen and Yu Na's solo dates were also much less. Most of their break time was spent at Yunwan Mansion staring at the two kids studying.

The countdown numbers behind the classroom blackboard updated every day, the numbers decreasing day by day.

The school's first mock exam on March 15th, after the exam was over, it was rare to have a two day break.

The day before the break, Yu Na was busy working in the office, and her cell phone on the desk vibrated.

It was a WeChat message from Xiao Chen - C: [Wifey, shall we get a marriage certificate?]

C: [Then I'll take you to see our new home.]