Qin Tian returned home, and his mother cooked two bowls of noodles. They ate a late-night snack together, accompanied by the duck necks and wings he had bought.
During the meal, she naturally asked a few questions about his trip to Jiangcheng.
Qin Tian skillfully deflected them, only saying that Brother Wang was a good person and that he needed to think more about doing business with him to make money.
Tang Xiuxia didn't pry further, only reminding him to be cautious.
Afterward, Qin Tian also asked his mother about her resignation from the factory.
Tang Xiuxia informed him that the matter was settled and she could leave after collecting her final wages the next day.
Qin Tian was overjoyed.
Having a second chance at life, he certainly wouldn't let his mother toil away as she did in his previous life.
As the pillar of the family, even though he hadn't graduated from high school yet, he had to shoulder these responsibilities.
"Sigh, after working at the factory for so many years, resigning suddenly makes me feel a bit uncertain," Tang Xiuxia sighed, a worried expression appearing on her face.
Qin Tian understood.
His mother had raised him alone, always relying on this job, which didn't pay much but was enough for their living expenses.
Losing her source of income now, even with some savings, would naturally make her anxious.
"Mom, you're overthinking. Just keep yourself busy. When you have time, go to the clothing stores in the mall and inquire about how things work there."
"Also, when I have free time, I'll teach you how to use the internet. You can find a lot of information about opening a store online."
"Learn more first and be well-prepared. When I graduate, you'll be an expert at running your own store."
Qin Tian said this while gnawing on a duck wing, sharing his thoughts.
Tang Xiuxia's expression softened a little, and she nodded, "Okay, Mom will listen to you."
"Mom, just put your mind at ease. I'm here for everything. Our lives will only get better!" Qin Tian said to his mother with a confident, cheerful smile on his handsome face.
Tang Xiuxia playfully rolled her eyes and fanned herself with her left hand in front of him, displaying a look of disdain.
"Such big talk! You're suffocating me!"
"Haha..."
...
...
With money in hand, Qin Tian slept soundly that night.
The next day, unusually early, he arrived at school.
As Qin Tian approached the classroom, only a few people, including the class monitor, were present.
In the back row, Wu Xin, the top student, showed a hint of surprise as he saw Qin Tian enter from the back door.
Now, Wu Xin's resentment and jealousy towards Qin Tian had been resolved after several pep talks from Li Yanwang.
Of course, it was still impossible for him to befriend Qin Tian.
As Qin Tian had said before, if nothing unexpected happened, after graduation, they would likely become strangers drifting further apart.
"Wow, it's a surprise to see the sun rising from the west today. Why is our Teacher Qin here so early?" the class monitor, Mu Nan, teased with a smile.
"Uh... Class Monitor, don't you tease people like that. I'm currently the top student in the grade, a role model for everyone. Give me, Qin, some face." Qin Tian blinked and said with mock seriousness.
"Pfft!" Mu Nan was amused by his words.
"Hahaha..." The others in the classroom couldn't help but chuckle.
"Xia Nuannuan said you went to Jiangcheng yesterday?" Mu Nan asked curiously after suppressing her laughter.
"Yes!" Qin Tian nodded and sat down in his seat.
"So, are you planning to apply to a university in Jiangcheng and went for a preview visit?" Mu Nan asked again.
Everyone's gaze focused on Qin Tian. It was known that with Qin Tian's formidable scores in the second mock exam, if he performed normally in the college entrance examination, even the prestigious Qingbei and Jingda, considered sanctuaries by students nationwide, were within his reach. While Jiangcheng had good universities, they were still significantly behind those two institutions.
"Haven't decided yet. Let's talk after the exam!" Qin Tian replied evasively with a smile. In fact, he was indeed planning to stay in Jiangcheng. For him, the best university in Jiangcheng was not much different from those two in the capital. More importantly, his mother was here. A parent should not be too far away, and his mother had no one else to care for her. In his previous life, he had attended university in Jiangcheng and worked there after graduation.
Mu Nan nodded slightly and didn't ask further.
"What about you, Class Monitor? Where are you planning to go?" Qin Tian asked back with a smile.
"I don't know. Unlike you, I can't pick freely. After the exam, I'll go to whichever school is best based on my scores!" Mu Nan replied with a smile.
Qin Tian nodded. He vaguely remembered that in his previous life, Mu Nan had gone to Shanghai.
Their casual chat ended there. As more students gradually entered the classroom, once about half of them had arrived, led by the class monitor Mu Nan, the sound of reciting books soon filled the classroom.
Qin Tian rested his chin on his left hand, twirling a pen in his right, a thoughtful expression on his face. The conversation with the class monitor made him think of Xia Nuannuan. In his previous life, Xia Nuannuan had gone abroad to study after the college entrance examination, which was not difficult for her given her family's financial situation. Although they had a pact, if Xia Nuannuan's parents truly wanted her to study abroad for further education, Qin Tian wouldn't interfere. Of course, he himself wouldn't go abroad; his current circumstances and wishes didn't allow it.
"Qin Tian, good morning!" Suddenly, a familiar sweet voice reached his ears.
Qin Tian looked up at Xia Nuannuan, whose face was lit up with a bright smile, and stood up.
"Morning!"
"Why are you here so early today?" Xia Nuannuan walked in and took her backpack off her shoulders.
"What? Can't I study hard and improve every day?" Qin Tian asked defensively.
Xia Nuannuan smiled charmingly, sat down, and teased, "It's mainly because Teacher Qin's studies have reached the ceiling; there's no way to improve further!"
"Mischievous!" Qin Tian glanced at her sideways.
"Heehee..." Xia Nuannuan giggled even more happily. As she took out the English textbook for the second semester of the second year of high school that she was reviewing, she said, "By the way, Mom asked me to thank you. The duck necks and wings were delicious!"
"That's good." Qin Tian smiled and nodded, looking at her as if he had something more to say.
Xia Nuannuan noticed he seemed to want to say something and asked with surprise, "What's wrong?"
"Nuannuan."
"Hmm?" Xia Nuannuan's expression became more serious.
"Have your parents ever mentioned anything about you studying abroad?" Qin Tian steeled himself and asked directly. It was better to clarify this sooner rather than be caught off guard later.
"Studying abroad?" Xia Nuannuan paused for a moment and then nodded, "Dad did mention it a few times before."
"Ah?"
"But don't worry, I won't go. Absolutely not." Xia Nuannuan's firm tone and expression made Qin Tian breathe a sigh of relief.
"And didn't we have an agreement? To go to the same university. You said it yourself, have you forgotten?" Xia Nuannuan pouted her cheeks in a slightly annoyed manner, glaring at him with a mix of shyness and resentment.
"Of course not."
"Then why are you asking this? Don't you trust me?" Xia Nuannuan frowned.
Cold sweat beaded on Qin Tian's forehead.