Chapter Eighty: Skipping Grades

  Qiu Ye lay in bed for a few more days, and the people at home were still doing their usual things. Her parents were busy with business as usual, and her stepfather and stepmother took turns to take care of her and comfort her. However, no one mentioned what would happen next about school, whether she would change classes or not.

  Qiu Ye also tried asking about this topic, but was always dismissed by the adults with 'this is something we adults will handle'.

  Qiu Ye secretly cursed to herself, how did this matter come about? Although she was very afraid on the day she met Teacher Han, after returning and recuperating for so many days, she slowly calmed down. With her thoughts as a forty-year-old soul, how could she not be able to surpass that Teacher Han? Oh, there's still a bit of fear, but if they were to face off again, she absolutely wouldn't swallow her anger like in the previous life.

  Of course, if it's not going to work out anyway, then it's better not to try. With her current small stature, she would still be at a disadvantage compared to that middle-aged woman, who doesn't have the energy to charge forward bravely.

  And now she's anxious to go to school. At first, she had a fever and the adults at home told her to rest, but she was still happy. However, after just two days, she became impatient. Although her godmother made delicious food for her every day and her brother bought her white pears which were later replaced by her godfather's purchases, she wasn't free! Her godmother and godfather wouldn't let her leave the house, always saying that her illness hadn't fully recovered and she couldn't go out in the wind.

  But she didn't go out, how could she sell the buns? If she didn't sell the buns, how would she make money? After lying at home for a week, she lost at least 100 yuan, what a great loss! She lay on the bed, and could only wipe away her sad tears.

  Thinking of the freedom she still didn't know when she could get, Qiu Ye made a shocking decision that would make ghosts and gods cry - she was going to skip grades. Since she couldn't wait for her family to change shifts for her, then she would change classes herself.

  For her lucrative business, she got drunk.

  Today is the weekend. In the afternoon, Qiu's mother came back early from the market, bought a pork knuckle and a large piece of beef, preparing to cook a delicious meal to reward everyone.

  Qiu's mother and Zhao Shuyan were busy in the kitchen, whipping up a table full of delicious dishes. Everyone sat around the table, and their first action was to fill Qiu Ye's bowl with food, even Qiu Feng's actions were the same.

  Such gatherings between the two families have been quite frequent this year. Especially this week, basically all four members of the Qiu family had their meals at the Fang's house.

  "Come on, big brother, let's have one...". Qiu Dad raised his wine glass to Hai Bo, with gratitude written all over his face.

  "Let's go, you and I will walk together. But don't try to fool me, Xiaoye is also my child. Whatever we do as a couple should be right." Fang Haibo also raised his wine glass, but blocked what Qiu Dad was about to say.

  Qiu's father wasn't a pretentious person either, so he immediately clinked his cup with Fang Haibo and downed it in one gulp.

  Qiu's mother also chimed in: "This child has been so healthy for such a long time, and now he's fallen ill. It's really frightening."

  Zhao Shuyan also nodded in deep agreement and said, "Yes, this child's high fever is not something to be taken lightly. It's easy to damage the brain."

  "It's not, is it? The stupid kid from the Li family next door, didn't he get brain damage from a fever when he was young? Luckily our little Ye has good fortune, nothing ever happens to her." Qiu Ma lovingly gazed at the girl sitting beside her eating quietly, and affectionately stroked the braid on her head.

  She only braids her pigtails at home. When she goes out, they are all small brushes or scattered hair.

  Qiu Feng listened to the two mothers' words. He took a look at the chicken leg he had just picked up and put it in his bowl, then turned around and picked it into his sister's bowl, saying: "Sister, eat more, get fatter, and your body won't get sick."

  Qiu Ye looked at the chicken leg in her bowl, lifted her head and smiled sweetly at her brother, revealing two rice-grain-like teeth. "Thank you, brother, you eat too, grow tall and strong to protect me." As she spoke, she added a chicken wing to her brother's bowl.

  Two mothers watching two children being so affectionate with each other couldn't help but exchange a knowing smile.

  Zhao Shuyan looked at Qiu Ye, who had regained his vitality, and said: "This winter vacation, I'll go back to Beijing for a trip, find a good master, take a look at the two children, carve a jade pendant, it's said that it can ward off evil spirits and keep them safe."

  She was originally hesitant about going back to Beijing, a place that held painful memories for her. She had once sworn never to return, never to see the people there again. The last time she was in Xinjiang, Chen Jianjun told her to go back to Beijing and take a look around, but she just thought about it briefly and then dropped the idea. After all, she had been away for so many years, what was the point of going back? Later, when Xiao Ye and Chen Jianjun made plans to go to Beijing to pick up jade, after they returned, Xiao Ye kept telling her about the good things in Beijing, tempting her to take a look at the capital. Her heart began to waver. Even if she didn't want to see those people again, she could still bring her two children to Beijing for a visit, and not let her own psychological resentment hold them back.

  At this time, seeing Xiaoye who had just recovered from a serious illness, I thought of Teacher Fu in Beijing who knew her and could read faces. So I decided to take the two children to Beijing during the winter break to have jade pendants made for them. A child's health is the most important thing, although I don't know if the jade pendant really works or not. But as a parent, we all think that it's better to believe in its effectiveness than not to believe in it at all. Having a jade pendant that can ward off evil spirits can't hurt, anyway.

  "Really? Does it really have that effect? Then this time, take away the jade pendant that Qiu Ye bought back too, and carve as many as you can." Qiu's mother didn't understand the intricacies of carving craftsmanship, she just thought about giving more jade pendants to her children to wear, so that they could be better. This was a mother's most genuine wish.

  "You think it's a big deal, but you can't just carve whatever you want. The people who do the carving are skilled craftsmen, not someone who will easily give in to your demands. We have two for the kids to wear and that's enough." Old Qiu still had some sense of propriety, knowing that this would require a favor from others, so he couldn't be too greedy or trouble Big Brother Fang and his wife too much.

  Qiu's mother was very dissatisfied with what Qiu's father said, and she glared at him, but she also didn't dare to say anything more. She too was afraid of causing trouble for others.

  "It's okay, the engraver we're looking for is an old friend of my father's. He learned some physiognomy and Feng Shui, and also knows some carving skills. People often ask him to carve pendants or something. He's also seen me grow up, so it's definitely no problem for him to carve a few jade pendants." Fang Haibo said, but he didn't mention the teacher's strange temper.

  Qiu Ye looked at Fang Haibo with sparkling eyes and asked: "Uncle, can I learn carving techniques from that Teacher Fu?"

  Qiu Ye thought, whether it's Feng Shui or not, let's not talk about that for now. Since buying the materials, she had already designed several sets of jewelry. With so many jade stones, it was impossible to ask someone else to carve them all, even if they were willing, she couldn't afford the labor costs. So the best solution was to learn herself. Then she could carve as much or as little as she wanted, and no one would know about her collection, wasn't that safer?

  At this time, she had completely ignored the question of whether Zhao Shuyan would take her or not, and in her heart, the answer was affirmative. Who else would her godmother bring back if not herself?

  "Just be honest and stay put, your body isn't fully recovered yet, and you're already thinking of going out to show off." Qiu's mother pressed down on the girl who was about to get up, saying that she didn't want her to leave home at all. At that time, the two children had been away from home for over a month, but she had thought about them until she was worried sick.

  Everyone else fell silent, they all knew that with Xiaoye's personality, as long as she thought of something, she would definitely find a way to do it, and she couldn't be so easily dismissed by Qiu's mother.

  Qiu Feng thought that wherever his sister went, he would follow, and his sister still needed his protection! So he wasn't in a hurry, his sister always had a way to get their mother's consent.

  "Mom, didn't Auntie just say that she wanted to find a master craftsman to carve a peace jade pendant for us? If I don't go, how can they see my face? So I have to go." Qiu Ye said with a serious expression, and then went on to talk about the main point of today.

  "Besides, I've recovered from my illness and plan to go back to school on Monday. It's not good to miss classes for too long." Qiu Ye said, still looking at the adults with a hint of pleading in her eyes. Zhao Shuyan and Qiu's father both furrowed their brows, while Fang Haibo met her gaze.

  "Girl, let's not go to school for now. We'll wait until you're fully recovered before deciding what to do." Mrs. Qiu felt sorry for the girl and couldn't bear the thought of her falling into Teacher Han's clutches. The adults had discussed it a couple of days ago and decided not to let the kids go to school for the time being, waiting to see how Principal Ma would handle the situation with Teacher Han before making a decision. At this point, they hadn't heard any news from Fang Haibo, so it seemed like they still needed to wait a bit longer. So, the kid might as well stay home and rest for a few more days.

  Qiu Ye looked around and her hopes of switching classes were shattered, so she had to proceed with the original plan.

  "Mom, I'm really fine now. These past few days lying in bed, I've read a lot of books and thought a lot, and I think what my stepdad said was right. With my current level of study, still being in second grade is really a waste of time. I should be attending classes that are suitable for my age and grade level, so I've decided to skip a grade."

  Fang Haibo's eyes lit up when he heard Qiu Ye's words, "Xiao Ye, really? You've thought it through, this isn't a joke. At this time, thinking of skipping grades, your godfather will have to go beg Principal Ma, so once you make the decision, you can't regret it."

  He originally wanted to inform everyone of a piece of news after a while, but unexpectedly his aunt gave him some good news first, so he could notify them later.

  Qiu Ye was actually very conflicted, she didn't want to skip grades, she still wanted to stay in elementary school for a few more years and earn some more money. But the current situation forced her to make a choice, and in the end that terrifying teacher Han still got his way, comforting herself by thinking that once she skipped grades, she could start selling from next week.

  Otherwise, people would say that the longer your hair is, the shorter your vision is. She has now made such a big mistake, only seeing what's in front of her, without considering which one is more profitable, earning more money for a few days or less money for a few years.

  "Dry dad, I've decided, it's better to go to university early, so that I can contribute to the country earlier." Qiu Ye said with a dignified tone.

  "Alright, tomorrow morning, I'll take you to see Principal Ma. For your sake, I'll go through the back door too." Fang Haibo was afraid that Ye would change her mind if she had a chance to think about it overnight, so he decided to settle things quickly.

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