If it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t work; trying is better than not trying.
Jiang Shen refused to speak with Qiu Baiyu and turned to leave.
But after just a few steps, he suddenly turned back.
Qiu Baiyu looked at him, as if watching a live comedy sketch.
Jiang Shen remembered something; he had just promised Yi Wanyue something.
He looked at his daughter: “What is it that you want to learn?”
His demeanor was as if, as long as Jiang Zimin said it, he could immediately help her achieve it.
Jiang Zimin hesitantly looked at Qiu Baiyu.
Qiu Baiyu slightly raised her chin: “Go ahead, speak boldly.”
Jiang Shen is Jiang Zimin’s biological father; he has both the ability and the obligation to fulfill her request.
Jiang Zimin then gathered her courage: “I, I want to learn something that can protect myself…”
Qiu Baiyu was stunned for a moment, then nodded approvingly.
Although she is young, she already has the awareness to want to protect herself, which is a good thing.
In today’s society, it’s beneficial for girls to learn some skills to strengthen their bodies; it helps them to better handle danger when it arises.
“I support Xiaomin’s idea.”
“Then I’ll leave this matter to you,” Jiang Shen suddenly said.
Qiu Baiyu was taken aback.
She slowly raised her hand and pointed to herself: “?”
She doesn’t know anything about martial arts; if she did, she’d definitely give him a couple of hits.
Jiang Shen took out his phone, his fingers swiping across the screen: “You’re responsible for selecting the class and enrolling her, and helping her plan her study schedule.”
Then, Qiu Baiyu heard a notification sound from the phone in her pocket.
Jiang Shen raised his phone: “The money has already been transferred to your card. Let me know if it’s not enough.”
Qiu Baiyu: “?”
“This is your job.”
After speaking, Jiang Shen turned and left.
This time he really left.
Qiu Baiyu took out her phone and looked at the message: “…”
This is more than just enrolling in a class; it’s enough to buy the entire class… The money of the domineering CEO in novels is really thrown around like paper.
But it’s fortunate he still has money. Not having love for the child is one thing; if he didn’t even have money, that would be truly sad and miserable.
“Let’s go,” Qiu Baiyu calmly raised her chin toward the staircase, “we’ll go upstairs to decide what to learn and see which class to enroll in.”
“Your dad gave too much money; the extra money can just be saved as your pocket money. You keep it yourself.”
Jiang Zimin said, “Is there extra? Then I’ll treat Auntie to the starch sausages at our school gate!”
Qiu Baiyu laughed at this.
“Alright, on Monday you can treat me to starch sausages.”
“We’ll eat many of them!” The little Jiang said boldly.
“That’s not possible; we still have to eat dinner when we get back, so we need to save room.”
“Uh… then two sticks!” She raised two fingers.
“Alright, two sticks it is.” Qiu Baiyu smiled and agreed.
The Sunday morning piano class went smoothly, and Jiang Zimin also shared with Yi Wanyue about the martial arts class she chose.
Qiu Baiyu chose Sanda1 for her.
There are two classes per week, each lasting two hours, spread over the two weekend days.
A renowned teacher will provide one-on-one instruction, and the schedule can be adjusted according to her availability, at any time.
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
Classes will officially start next week.
In short, with the money in place, they have the final say.
After listening, Yi Wanyue nodded and said, “Sanda is good; it’s very practical.”
Then she patted her head, “You must do your best.”
Jiang Zimin nodded excitedly, “Mm-hmm!”
She will study hard — she wants to protect herself and drive away every Liu Jianhui!
Today, as usual, Yi Wanyue left right after teaching, without staying long.
Qiu Baiyu thought this was quite good.
If this were her own home, she would have people stay for a meal before leaving, fulfilling the host’s duty.
But this is Jiang Shen’s, the crazy person’s home, and staying too long isn’t good; she’s just afraid the male lead’s craziness will be contagious.
The female lead is a gentle good person, and Qiu Baiyu doesn’t want her to be infected by the male lead’s craziness and become a bewildering protagonist.
Although according to the plot, these two will eventually end up together, delaying it by a day is better than nothing.
Preventing the proliferation of love-struck brains is better than building a seven-level pagoda.
In the blink of an eye, Monday arrived again.
Jiang Zimin attends class during the day and still has homework to do at night, so the piano class is paused.
Without seeing Yi Wanyue, Jiang Shen is much more well-behaved. He’s either going out for work, staying in his room, in the garden, or just sitting alone in the second-floor living room looking at the piano. In short, he doesn’t proactively bother them.
Qiu Baiyu thinks this is quite good, better than him frequently calling her to the study.
In the afternoon, after school, Qiu Baiyu drove to Fengyi Elementary School as promised to pick up Jiang Zimin.
Today, the two lingered a bit at the school gate — eating starch sausages.
Qiu Baiyu accepted the starch sausages handed over by the stall owner.
Two were eaten on the spot, and one was packed to go.
She turned and handed one to Jiang Zimin, and also gave her the change from the stall owner.
After enrolling in the Sanda class, the remaining money was declared to be Jiang Zimin’s, so it’s hers. Even if it’s just a coin, she won’t keep it for herself.
“Take it back and put it in your coin jar to save.”
Jiang Zimin has a coin jar in her room, like a small ATM toy, which she bought herself specifically to save these small coins.
She not only doesn’t like to spend money recklessly but is also very good at saving money.
Jiang Zimin put the coin into her school uniform pants pocket, then took the sausage and said, “Auntie, today our class monitor returned!”
Her tone was very happy, as if she had been eagerly waiting for her return to the class.
Qiu Baiyu walked with her toward the parking lot.
“You look very happy. Do you really like your class monitor?”
Jiang Zimin nodded: “I do! Her name is Qiao Mingxue. She’s very pretty and also super nice. Everyone in our class likes her!
“Before, when Liu Jianhui bullied me, she would see it and stand up to protect me!”
Clearly, she is a girl of about the same age and height as herself, yet she always bravely stands in front of her when she’s bullied, helping her drive away the big bad guys. She’s simply like a beacon of light.
Qiu Baiyu understood upon hearing this.
A little hero in the child’s heart.
“It seems she truly is a very good child.
“Then why did you say she returned? Was she not at school?”
Jiang Zimin shook her head, “Her foot was injured, and she’s been resting at home for over half a month. The teacher also said she needed quiet recovery and asked us not to disturb her.”
Qiu Baiyu suddenly realized.
That means when she first arrived, this little class monitor was at home healing her leg. No wonder Jiang Zimin was so low in spirits after being bullied, as the only peer who protected her wasn’t around…
“Is her leg better now?”
“Yes! The doctor said she’s recovered very well, and she can jump around freely and eat whatever she wants!”
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
“Oh, that’s good — she’s your friend, right?”
This simple question felt like a stone suddenly tripping Jiang Zimin’s steps.
She stopped in her tracks, holding the starch sausage, with a downcast expression.
“I have no friends…” she thought for a moment, then rigorously added, “Before auntie talked to me, none!”
There has always been a distance between her and Qiao Mingxue.
She has no mother, her father doesn’t love her, and being introverted, she never dares to proactively interact with classmates.
Qiao Mingxue is different; she has parents who love her very much, a cheerful and generous personality, and everyone likes her.
When Qiao Mingxue returned to class today, the classmates immediately gathered around, caring for her with questions from all sides.
Jiang Zimin also wanted to ask about her situation, but she didn’t dare.
She could only sit in her seat, listening to them talk.
She heard Qiao Mingxue saying to other classmates: “The doctor said I’m fine. She said I’ve healed very well, and now I can freely jump around and eat whatever I want!”
This was something she overheard, not something Qiao Mingxue told her directly.
Qiu Baiyu looked at Jiang Zimin in this manner, momentarily speechless.
She understood this feeling.
Children without parents at school are always easily bullied and excluded, with no one to befriend them.
She was like this, and Jiang Zimin is the same.
At that moment, the system popped up again with an annoying mission message: 【Vicious Supporting Female Character Mission Released: Attack and negate Jiang Zimin, tell her: “You have no friends, and it’s all your own problem.”】
Qiu Baiyu frowned deeply.
A very typical accusation.
Many parents love to talk to children this way, attacking their self-confidence and self-esteem, making them continuously self-doubt, and then accusing them of being too emotionally fragile, which is simply unreasonable.
She absolutely would not become that kind of parent.
She looked at Jiang Zimin again.
Actually, Jiang Zimin is a bit lucky.
The class monitor she met is a child with a strong sense of justice.
At least Qiao Mingxue did not exclude her and even stood up to protect her. Even if this protection was out of justice rather than friendship, it was enough to warm an injured heart for a moment.
“You want to be friends with her, right?” Qiu Baiyu suddenly asked.
Jiang Zimin nodded honestly.
“Then go try.”
“?”
“Gather your courage, take the initiative, opportunities are in your own hands.”
“Can I… what if it doesn’t work?”
“If it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t work; trying is always better than not trying.”
Qiu Baiyu looked into Jiang Zimin’s eyes, her tone calm yet full of strength: “Anyway, you still have me. I’ve always been your friend.”
Under the clear sky, a smile slowly appeared on the child’s innocent face, with the crescent moon seemingly landing on her face before nightfall.
She ran towards Qiu Baiyu with the sudden breeze, holding her hand.
“Mm, auntie is right!”
She wasn’t afraid of anything anymore.
Be brave to try; trying is always better than not trying!
If the sky falls, auntie will hold it up for her!
“Then what should I do tomorrow?”
“This should be something you figure out yourself.”
“Okay, then I’ll go back and think about it!”
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Qiu Baiyu nodded with relief.
Jiang Zimin being willing to think of ways herself and willing to try is better than anything.
She is very happy to see her make friends, as knowing more kind friends is very helpful for the child. At least it can make her no longer lonely and help her break free from the entanglement of the original plot.
She wants Jiang Zimin to be a person at ease, not to become a malicious clown in others’ lives.
They held hands, each holding a starch sausage, walking towards the parking lot. The evening breeze blew past them, cool and gentle.
Today’s mission system still had no way to deal with Qiu Baiyu.
On Tuesday afternoon, Qiu Baiyu drove to Fengyi Elementary School, preparing to pick up Jiang Zimin and take her home.
While Jiang Zimin was at school, she wasn’t idle at home either. She has become familiar with the commonly traveled routes in this city, including Jiang Zimin’s favorite dessert shop.
She is slowly integrating into this place, planning for her own future.
At this moment, Jiang Zimin was sitting in the classroom, quietly looking at the figure of the girl in the front row.
The girl had short hair, with a little red bow hairpin clipped on, sitting quietly at her seat doing her homework.
This is their class monitor, Qiao Mingxue.
The whole classroom had only the two of them left.
Jiang Zimin quietly tightened her grip on the shoulder strap of her backpack, her heart beating uncontrollably faster.
—Her opportunity to make friends arrived!
Footnotes
- Sanda: Formerly Sanshou, is the official Chinese boxing full-contact combat sport. It combines boxing and full-contact kickboxing, which includes close range and rapid successive punches and kicks, with wrestling, takedowns, throws, sweeps, kick catches, and in some competitions, even elbow and knee strikes.
