After Qin Tian rang the doorbell, it was Xia Nuannuan who helped open the door.
Upon entering the house, Qin Tian followed Xia Nuannuan to the living room and politely greeted the elders one by one.
“Xiao Qin, have you grown taller again? You look even more handsome than half a year ago!”
After nodding in response, Xia Nuannuan’s third uncle, Xia Wenhua, said with a smile.
“I haven’t measured my height recently, so I don’t know if I’ve grown taller.”
Qin Tian smiled a little shyly.
“You definitely have, and you’ll keep growing. Come sit and chat!”
Xia Wenhua beckoned with a smile.
“Okay, I’ll go say hello in the kitchen first.”
Qin Tian nodded with a smile, then walked towards the kitchen doorway with Xia Nuannuan.
“Grandma, Aunt, Third Aunt, I wish you all a Happy New Year in advance!”
“Oh, how well-behaved!”
Grandma responded with a smile in her eyes.
“This child is truly sensible!”
Third Aunt praised Su Xia with a smile.
Su Xia nodded with a smile and asked, “Isn’t your mother coming?”
“Yes, she has to clean and buy groceries. She’ll have Nuannuan and the others come over with me for dinner this afternoon.”
Qin Tian replied with a smile.
“I see, alright!”
Su Xia nodded.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
Qin Tian looked around and asked with a smile.
“No, no, we have enough hands. You go sit in the living room for a while!”
Su Xia quickly declined.
“Yes, brother, go chat with Third Uncle and the others. I’ll help bring the dishes out,”
Xia Nuannuan chimed in, gently pushing him towards the living room with a sweet smile.
“Alright, alright!”
Qin Tian smiled indulgently, raised his hand to gently pinch her cheek, and turned to go to the living room.
“Oh my, these two children, looking at them really…”
Third Aunt revealed a bright, aunt-like smile, momentarily unsure how to describe it.
Su Xia and Grandma also had bright smiles, but they were already accustomed to it.
Xia Nuannuan, with a blushing face, walked into the kitchen, picked up a plate of food from the counter, and fled out.
“Brother-in-law, you’re here!”
Just as Qin Tian sat down on the sofa next to Grandpa Xia, a crisp shout came.
Following the sound, he saw a girl whose features bore some resemblance to his third uncle, walking out of Xia Nuannuan’s room with a beaming smile.
“Xiao Xue, long time no see.”
Qin Tian greeted her with a smile.
“Hehe… Yes, it’s been half a year. Brother-in-law, you’re even more handsome than the last time I saw you.”
Xia Xue praised him with a very sweet tongue.
“Xiao Xue, you’ve become more beautiful too.”
Qin Tian smiled and engaged in some polite flattery.
Xia Xue immediately smiled even more happily, quickly walked to his other side, and sat next to him.
Not far away, Xia Nuannuan, who had just placed a braised fish on the table, saw this scene, and her eyes twitched slightly.
“Xiao Qin, how is Jiang Da?”
Third Uncle asked with a smile.
“I think it’s very good. The academic strength is strong, and it’s located by the mountains and water, with a very good campus environment. Most importantly, it’s close to home.”
Qin Tian casually listed some of Jiang Da’s advantages.
“After all, it’s a top ten university in the country. Many people want to go but can’t. It’s impressive that you can choose freely, Xiao Qin.”
Third Uncle smiled and nudged his daughter, who was sitting beside him, saying, “This girl is taking her entrance exams next year, but she only knows how to play. If she continues like this, it’ll be difficult for her to even get into a key high school, let alone university.”
“Dad, studying requires talent. For me to get into Jiang Da, you might as well wish for the sun to rise from the west tomorrow.”
Xia Xue took a handful of sunflower seeds from the coffee table and said, cracking them open.
“Haha…”
Grandpa Xia laughed heartily upon hearing this.
Qin Tian and Old Xia also couldn’t help but chuckle, but they managed to hold back their laughter.
“Your sister Nuannuan’s grades were also far from Jiang Da before, but she still managed to get in through hard work. Can’t you learn from her?”
Xia Wenhua glared at his daughter.
“That means Nuannuan sister has the talent, but I don’t.”
Xia Xue shrugged, looking as if she couldn’t be bothered.
“You little brat!”
Xia Wenhua was extremely annoyed.
Grandpa Xia had two sons and one daughter. Xia Wenhua, the third child, was the only one among the three who had attended university and was an educated person, now also a high school teacher.
However, it was clear that his studious genes had not been passed down to his only daughter, which was something he had always found helpless.
He knew his daughter wasn’t actually stupid, but she just liked to play and refused to study properly.
If it were a son, he could have put on a stern fatherly air and disciplined him a few times to force him to study.
But since it was a daughter, he couldn’t bear to persuade her to study through scolding or hitting.
Xia Xue glanced at Qin Tian beside her and said in a wronged tone, “Didn’t Nuannuan sister say that her grades improved so much because brother-in-law helped her? I don’t have a handsome and academically brilliant boyfriend like brother-in-law to help me.”
“Boyfriend? You’re only in junior high!!!”
Xia Wenhua’s face turned black with anger.
“What’s wrong with being in junior high? In your eyes, wouldn’t being in a relationship in junior high be considered early romance? Uncle and Aunt didn’t object either. And look at you, Dad, hmph, you old fuddy-duddy!”
Xia Xue rolled her eyes.
“I’m an old fuddy-duddy?”
Xia Wenhua’s mouth twitched forcefully a few times, and anger appeared on his face.
“Alright, alright, brother, don’t be angry first.”
Xia Zhengping quickly intervened to smooth things over, his smile faded, and he said to Xia Xue with a serious expression, “Xiao Xue, you need to understand that Qin Tian and Nuannuan only got together after the college entrance examination. Your uncle and aunt absolutely do not support early romance.”
“Right, right!”
Qin Tian hurriedly nodded in agreement.
“I don’t believe that. At least Aunt definitely doesn’t object. I know about Nuannuan sister and brother-in-law’s situation. They were practically dating before the college entrance examination, just without a confirmed relationship. There’s no difference.”
Xia Xue said calmly.
Qin Tian, hearing this, awkwardly raised his hand and touched his nose.
This girl’s tongue is truly sharp, and what she said was flawless.
“Are you saying that if you were in a relationship, your academic performance would improve?”
Xia Wenhua asked, almost gritting his teeth.
“I didn’t say that, and I’m not interested in dating right now. The boys my age are too childish.”
Xia Xue said indifferently.
The few of them exchanged glances, feeling that her words were a bit strange.
“Wenhua, why don’t you leave Xiao Xue here before the New Year, and let Nuannuan and Xiao Qin help her with her studies.”
Grandpa Xia suddenly proposed.
Everyone was stunned by this suggestion.
Not far away, Xia Nuannuan, who was standing by the dining table, was also dumbfounded.
It wasn’t that she was unwilling, but during her conversation with her cousin today, she felt that she admired and looked up to her boyfriend a little too much. This made her possessiveness act up, causing her to feel a bit complicated.
Moreover, if her cousin stayed, she would surely follow them around like a little shadow. Then, when they went out on dates or shopping, they would have a conspicuous third wheel.
“Is that okay?”
Xia Wenhua’s eyes lit up, and he looked at Qin Tian with some excitement.
“If Xiao Xue is willing, I have no problem.”
Qin Tian agreed with a smile.
With the Super Scholar Halo, helping Xia Xue improve her grades wouldn’t be difficult.
“Willing, willing! I want to stay here and study hard with brother-in-law, making progress every day.”
Xia Xue exclaimed excitedly.
“Xiao Qin, then I’ll have to trouble you.”
Xia Wenhua looked at Qin Tian with expectation and sincerity.
“I will do my best.”
Qin Tian nodded with a smile.
“Why isn’t anyone asking if I’m willing?”
Not far away, Xia Nuannuan muttered in a voice only she could hear.