Chapter 15: Morning Maneuvers

A few minutes later, Liu Ya finished changing and went downstairs.

“By the way, Auntie, has Old Liu left?”

“Mm, left early.”

“Oh…”

Liu Ya went to wash up first, then sat down to eat. Aunt Zhao had also tidied up and sat quietly across from her.

Breakfast was Western style: a glass of milk, two slices of toast, two fried eggs, a pat of butter, and two strips of bacon. Small portions but high energy. Liu Ya really liked this kind of elegant breakfast.

“What time did that person come back last night?”

“Mm… around 3:30? About that. I can’t remember exactly.”

“Oh.”

Liu Ya lowered her head, looking thoughtful. Then she slowly raised her head with some embarrassment and stared at Auntie, speaking softly.

“Um, just now… thank you, Auntie.”

“Hehe, it’s nothing.”

“Then… Auntie. You’re on my side, right?”

“Huh? Oh… haha, yeah!”

“Mm hm.”

With that, Liu Ya picked up a slice of toast and started eating.

“But Auntie has to say this upfront. I cherish Yaqi too. If Liu Ya bullies Yaqi, I won’t help you!”

“Oh, I won’t! …Probably.”

“Only… only if she doesn’t provoke me!”

“Haha! Alright, alright. After all, Auntie has to be fair, right? But occasionally tilting the scales a little isn’t impossible… You understand?”

“Mm!”

Liu Ya smiled at Auntie, picked up the chopsticks beside her, clamped a piece of bacon, and took a delicate bite. Auntie, sitting across, couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Auntie?”

Auntie let out a long sigh, propped her head on her hand, and said with an amused expression.

“Ah. How should I put it… It’s not like it’s the first day. But watching you eat with chopsticks so ceremoniously is still really amusing, haha.”

“What’s wrong with using chopsticks…”

“But didn’t you say you wanted that Western feel? Wouldn’t knife and fork be better?”

“And I bought them for you, but they’ve been sitting in the cupboard, never used.”

“Oh dear… I’m not so particular at home…”

“Hehe, the truth is, Liu Ya doesn’t know how to use them, right?”

“Auntie…”

Liu Ya looked down at her with a slight pout. Auntie found it both funny and endearing, thinking from the bottom of her heart: this little girl could reach for the stars and dive into the seas.

“Haha, alright, alright. I’ll teach you another day!”

“Hehe, okay!”

Auntie shook her head with a smile and continued.

“Oh dear… Liu Ya, you’re quite cute like this! Why are you so cold to Yaqi? Can’t you just be your normal self?”

“One… one thing at a time!”

“No matter what, Sister Qiqige treated me like that before. Even though I said I don’t hold a grudge, I can’t just let it slide…”

“Otherwise… it would seem like I can’t live without her…”

“Hehe, isn’t that the case?”

“Of… of course not! Look at me, Auntie! I’ve been fine without her all these years! Right… right?”

Liu Ya’s face was flushed, her eyes darting. Auntie’s expression grew a bit complicated; she smiled and sighed softly.

“Oh dear… I guess we’ll have to wait for my little sun Yaqi to melt this block of ice…”

“Hmph! It… it won’t be that easy! Maybe it was like that before, but it definitely won’t be now! I won’t fall into the same pit twice!”

Liu Ya pouted angrily, stabbed an egg with her chopsticks, lifted it, and shoved it into her mouth, chewing vigorously.

“Haha. Alright, alright. Eat slowly, don’t choke.”

“Mm… By the way, Auntie, how is Sister Qiqige going to handle all that stuff at school?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Books, materials, that kind of thing.”

“Oh, Old Liu said he’s arranged everything. Just go straight to your homeroom teacher. I wanted to help carry some, but she kept insisting it wasn’t necessary, so I had to come back.”

“Oh… Wait!”

Liu Ya jumped up instantly, eyes wide, mouth slightly open. Some egg she hadn’t swallowed yet dripped from the corner of her mouth.

“Ah! What… what’s wrong, Liu Ya? You scared me…”

“Auntie! What day is it today?”

“Mm… Friday, right? Yes, Friday. What’s wrong?”

“Bad!”

Liu Ya grabbed her chopsticks, scooped up the remaining food, and stuffed it into her mouth. Then she downed the milk in one gulp, grabbed a slice of bread in her mouth, and ran to the door to put on her shoes…

“Hey! Liu Ya?”

“Mmph… no time, Auntie. Drive me to school, quick!”

“But it’s still… ah, coming!”

Seeing Liu Ya in such a rush, Auntie didn’t ask further. She untied her apron, grabbed the car keys from the table, and left with Liu Ya.

“Auntie, what time is it now?”

Liu Ya kept glancing at the car screen, gripping the seat cushion, and jiggling her leg anxiously.

“Let me see… 6:20. After this light, another five or six minutes and we’ll be there.”

“Good.”

“What’s wrong, Liu Ya? Your class doesn’t start until 7:10, and you usually don’t leave until 7:40. Why are you in such a hurry today?”

“Oh, Auntie… I forgot something very important! Oh dear… really…”

“Alright, alright. I’ll drive faster. Don’t worry…”

“Ah, no… still, be safe.”

“Don’t worry!”

They arrived at school. Auntie turned to say something, but Liu Ya grabbed her backpack, pushed open the door, and dashed straight for the office building, leaving Auntie staring blankly at her fast-receding figure, shaking her head with a wry smile.

‘Oh dear… what trouble is she cooking up this time…’

Liu Ya, backpack on, ran upstairs to the third floor, panting. As she came out of the stairwell, she saw Yaqi just coming out of the office. Startled, she ducked back and pricked up her ears.

“Okay, Yaqi! Check if there’s anything you’ve missed. Textbooks, workbooks, and study materials…”

Yaqi opened the bag in her hand and rummaged through the books inside.

“Two, four… Mm, nothing missing. I have everything.”

“Good. If you need anything later, just come and tell me. Don’t be shy! Oh, and your uniform should be here by next Monday. Come pick it up then.”

“Mm, thank you, Teacher Liu!”

The teacher smiled and patted her shoulder, then pulled a candy from her pocket and pressed it into Yaqi’s hand.

“You’re early today. Here’s some candy for a sugar boost. Study hard! If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask any subject teacher.”

“Okay!”

Yaqi turned to leave but suddenly thought of something and turned back, calling the teacher…

“Teacher.”

“Hm? Something else?”

“It’s about what I mentioned…”

“Oh. Haha, don’t worry. No problem!”

“Mm, thank you, teacher.”

With that, Yaqi nodded happily and headed down the south stairwell carrying her things.

Liu Ya, hiding at the north stairwell entrance, waited until she couldn’t hear footsteps anymore, then cautiously poked her head out to make sure she was really gone before stepping out.

‘That matter… damn! I was too late after all!’

‘Really! Sister Qiqige, why did you have to be so obedient! No, I can’t let this stand…’

Liu Ya straightened her clothes, quickly walked to the office door, and knocked.

“Report. Teacher Liu.”

“Mm, come in. Eh? Isn’t this Liu Ya?”

Teacher Liu smiled and turned around, patting the small stool beside her. Liu Ya wiped her sweat and sat down.

“You’re here so early today. Is it for the student council? You’re all sweaty.”

“Ah, right…”

“Hey, teacher, I saw Tang Yaqi here just now. What was that about?”

“Oh, nothing much. Just about some books. Yaqi just transferred here, you know.”

“I see…”

“Mm. So, Liu Ya, what can I do for you?”

“Um, I wanted to discuss today’s seat change with you…”

“Oh? Go on.”

Class layout: desks in 4 columns and 8 rows, each column paired desks. To ensure every student gets a turn, the class changes seats every Friday morning.

Those in the last row move to the first, and the southernmost column shifts to the northernmost. But it’s not by large columns of paired desks; it’s by smaller single-desk columns.

The middle two rows aren’t affected, but for the two edge columns, it means changing deskmates.

Liu Ya clasped her hands together, took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and put on her composed, elegant smile.

“I’d like to keep things as they are. Please don’t adjust Tang Yaqi’s and my seats this time.”

“Mm… ha, why?”

“You see, even though it’s the last row, I can still see the blackboard clearly. Many classmates wear glasses. If they move to the back and can’t see the board, it would really hurt their learning.”

“Mm… but maybe Tang Yaqi wants to sit up front?”

“Well… but! She just transferred, she’s not familiar with the campus yet.”

“And because of the differences between here and abroad, she’s fallen behind in her studies. If she sits with me, I can help her with anything she doesn’t understand.”

“Mm, that makes sense.”

Liu Ya looked serious, sitting up straight. Teacher Liu thought for a moment, then looked at Liu Ya and laughed.

“Haha. Your father mentioned it before. Looks like you two really are close.”

“Mm… yeah.”

The teacher smiled and sighed, stretched her arms, and patted Liu Ya’s leg.

“Alright, I agree.”

“Thank you, teacher!”

“It’s nothing. I know Yaqi’s situation too, and I understand. If she can integrate into school faster, that’s definitely a good thing. And I feel at ease leaving it to you.”

Teacher Liu smiled and continued.

“Actually, even if you hadn’t come to ask, I was going to have you two sit together. Ah! I can’t help but sigh. What a precious friendship! Haha…”

“Ahaha… Huh?”

‘Wait? “You hadn’t come to ask”? What does that mean?’

‘Sister Yaqi probably came to change seats, and I wanted to keep them. But from what the teacher said, we wanted the same thing…’

“Hm? Something wrong?”

“Oh, no, nothing. Thank you, teacher!”

“Ha, it’s fine.”

The voices in the hallway gradually grew louder. Liu Ya bowed, smoothed her hair, picked up her backpack, and stood up.

“Then I’ll go now, teacher.”

“Mm, go ahead.”

“Mm, goodbye, teacher.”

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