Zhang Qiongyu felt very uncomfortable being invited into the main hall's living room. Was this aunt too enthusiastic?
Li Sikun and Li Sixuan sat obediently opposite their teacher. "Teacher, we're sorry. We were just playing a joke on our uncle."
"It's alright."
Zhang Qiongyu smiled gently at her two students. "It's just, your uncle is so busy, why would he still pick you up?"
Li Sikun and Li Sixuan knew they absolutely couldn't tell the truth this time. "Our parents are very busy, and our uncle's work ends at a more normal time."
...
In the kitchen, Tian Jing was making tea when Ouyang Meihua rushed in, flustered. "Tiantian, Sikun and Sixuan are gone."
Tian Jing picked up the tea tray. "Don't panic, they've been brought back by their teacher."
Ouyang Meihua breathed a sigh of relief. "They're here with you?"
Seeing her sister-in-law nod, she rolled up her sleeves. "Three days without a beating and they'd be climbing the roof and tearing down the tiles. It's time to discipline them."
"Wait."
Tian Jing stopped her sister-in-law. "Don't scare my little daughter-in-law away with your violence."
"Alright."
Ouyang Meihua put down her sleeves. "I'll remember this debt."
The two sisters-in-law had barely left the kitchen when they were almost knocked over by a figure, spilling the tea.
Li Weixin stopped himself in time. "Mom, is the teacher here?"
"Yes."
Tian Jing took a step back. "Why are you in such a hurry?"
Li Weixin tidied his slightly messy hair and tugged at his clothes. "Mom, am I okay like this?"
"You look great."
Tian Jing nodded. "My son is bound to be handsome. Don't worry."
Feeling a shadow at the door, Zhang Qiongyu looked up and saw Li Weixin. She quickly stood up. "I'm sorry, Captain. I misunderstood you. Please don't mind."
"It's fine, it's fine."
Li Weixin placed the tea tray on the coffee table. "The teacher is here, let's have a simple meal at home."
"No, no."
Zhang Qiongyu waved her hands in a panic. "I'll be going back now."
As she spoke, she prepared to get up but was grabbed by her two students. "Teacher, if you don't stay for dinner, you're not forgiving us."
Zhang Qiongyu was very conflicted. "Li Sikun, Li Sixuan, the teacher isn't angry. It's just that I was too subjective..."
Li Weixin cut her off. "If you're not angry, then stay for dinner."
"Stay."
"Stay."
Li Sikun and Li Sixuan pleaded pitifully, shaking their teacher's sleeves. If their teacher didn't stay, they would be beaten by their grandmother.
Zhang Qiongyu's heart softened, and she agreed.
"Yay!"
"Yay!"
Li Sikun and Li Sixuan ran out happily. "Uncle, you stay and talk with the teacher. We'll go call Grandpa and Mom (Auntie) for dinner."
Zhang Qiongyu was stunned again. "Captain, they aren't twins?"
"No."
Li Weixin poured tea. "They're cousins. They both inherited their fathers' genes, so they look very similar."
Zhang Qiongyu couldn't help but laugh and cry. She had been tricked by her students yet again.
Li Weixin pushed a teacup towards her. "My two nephews are very mischievous, and they can also pretend to be well-behaved. We haven't corrected them specifically."
"In the future, when you face them, pay more attention. If you see their eyeballs spinning around, it means they're up to no good."
"Thank you."
Zhang Qiongyu extended her hands to take the cup. "It's still my lack of experience. And children nowadays are very smart. I can't judge them by my own standards anymore."
Li Weixin smiled brightly. "Everyone starts as a beginner. Teacher, you don't need to dwell on it. May I ask your surname?"
Zhang Qiongyu was dazzled by his smile and pretended to lower her head to drink tea. "My surname is Zhang."
"Teacher Zhang."
Li Weixin extended his hand to her. "My name is Li Weixin. In the future, regarding Sikun and Sixuan's matters, I will likely have further exchanges with Teacher Zhang. Please give me your guidance."
Looking at the long five fingers in front of her, Zhang Qiongyu raised her head and placed her hand on them.
"Zhang Qiongyu. Captain Li, you don't need to be so formal."
Li Weixin released her hand as soon as he grasped it. "Then don't call me Captain anymore. Just call me by my name."
"Is that appropriate?"
Zhang Qiongyu hesitated. "You are the leader of the special team. I..."
"What's the difference?"
Li Weixin waved his hand to interrupt her. "We will have more exchanges in the future regarding Sikun and Sixuan's studies. If we are too formal, it will seem too constrained."
Zhang Qiongyu just nodded. She didn't call Li Weixin by his name. She couldn't be as casually familiar as Captain Li. wΑp.kanshu伍.net
...
In the kitchen, Ouyang Meihua helped with preparing vegetables. "Tiantian, should we ask Wanzhen to bring a chicken?"
"No need."
Tian Jing shook her head. "Let's just have a simple meal for now. When they formally visit, we'll prepare a more lavish one."
Ouyang Meihua smiled. "So confident?"
"Of course."
Tian Jing said proudly, "My Ranran didn't have time before. If he can't win her over with such proximity, I'll beat him to death."
"Hahaha."
Ouyang Meihua burst into laughter. "You say you're not anxious?"
Tian Jing was skillfully chopping vegetables. "I'm naturally anxious when the time comes. The moment I saw this teacher, I felt an instant connection. She's destined to be part of our family."
Ouyang Meihua had nothing to compare. She hadn't seen the teacher yet.
Li Liguo and Li Zhengguo, who had gone to help at the farm, were called back by Li Sikun and Li Sixuan. The two old brothers thought the teacher was coming for a home visit, so they hurriedly caught a wild chicken. They were determined to host the teacher well.
Since they had caught a chicken, Tian Jing urged her husband. "Quick, kill it and stew it in the pressure cooker. This teacher is someone Ranran fancies. You all need to behave well."
When Li Zhengguo heard this, his movements became even more agile.
Li Liguo chuckled. "This time it should work out, right?"
"Almost."
Tian Jing nodded. "His number of missions has decreased since he became captain, his work hours are normal, and he's so close by. It must work out."
...
Zhang Qiongyu felt very embarrassed by the Li family's enthusiasm. Captain Li, in particular, personally served her food, making her unsure of where to put her hands and feet.
Li Wanzhen glanced at her overly enthusiastic cousin and tried to draw out information. "Did Teacher Zhang just graduate?"
"Yes."
"Your accent sounds very familiar. Where are you from?"
"North Province."
"North Province?"
Li Wanzhen smiled. "My cousin's family is from North Province, and she's also my cousin-in-law."
"Ah?"
Zhang Qiongyu was surprised. They had married into the same family?
"What's so surprising?"
Li Wanzhen continued to reveal information about the Li family. "My own sister is also my cousin-in-law."
"Do you find it very surprising? It's because the Li family is the most reassuring family for women."
"Take my young cousin here, he's 38 and hasn't dated anyone, all because he'd rather be single than settle for less."
"Cousin-in-law."
Li Weixin called out to his cousin-in-law, feeling embarrassed. Why was this advantage being brought up? He had many other good qualities that could be praised.
Zhang Qiongyu looked at Captain Li in surprise. The blush on his face confirmed Li Wanzhen's words. Were there still such pure men in this era?
Li Weixin's face turned even redder under Zhang Qiongyu's direct gaze. "Teacher Zhang."
"Ah? Oh."
Zhang Qiongyu snapped back to reality and lowered her head to eat.
An awkward silence fell over the dinner table for a moment.
Li Wanzhen felt a bit guilty. She just felt that her younger cousin was too enthusiastic and didn't know how to promote his own strengths, which might lead the teacher to misunderstand.
"Teacher Zhang."
Li Sikun raised his small head from his bowl. "Please come here more often in the future. I haven't had wild chicken soup in a long time, and Grandma and Grandpa told me to lose weight."
"Right, right!"
Li Sixuan chimed in. "I heard the school cafeteria food is terrible. Come to our house to get some nourishment."
Zhang Qiongyu smiled. "The teacher thanks you for your concern. Your current weight is just right, you don't need to lose any."
Li Sikun glanced at his uncle. He had tried his best. If the teacher didn't agree, there was nothing he could do.
Ouyang Meihua pretended to threaten them. "Sikun, Sixuan, if you can get the teacher to come back for dinner, we'll definitely stew wild chicken soup every time she visits."
"Teacher Zhang~"
"Teacher Zhang~"
Li Sikun and Li Sixuan played the victim again.
Zhang Qiongyu looked at the spinning eyeballs of the two students and firmly shook her head. If she came here often, her reputation at school would surely suffer.
Li Sikun and Li Sixuan looked at their uncle. They had done their best.