Chapter 30: My Own Cabbage Got Picked by a Pig

“What’s going on?” If it weren’t for Old Xu, Wang Xiaping would have suspected she’d walked into the wrong house.

Old Xu gestured toward the kitchen with his chin.

Wang Xiaping looked over in confusion and saw Xu Qingzhou wearing an apron: “Mom, sit down for a bit, dinner’s almost ready.”

At six o’clock, the Xu family of three was already seated at the dining table.

Wang Xiaping stared at the full table of dishes, deeply moved, and patted Xu Qingzhou on the shoulder: “Son, this is the first time I’ve felt you’re actually acting like a decent human being.”

Xu Qingzhou was speechless, mentally muttering: You’re really my biological mother.

“Where did you learn this?” Wang Xiaping found it strange—this kid had never lifted a spoon in the kitchen before, yet suddenly he could cook.

“Online, there are tons of cooking videos now.” Xu Qingzhou gave a casual excuse.

She couldn’t help but reevaluate the situation between her daughter and this boy—last time she’d only suspected, but now it seemed her own cabbage had been dug up by a pig.

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“I got one multiple-choice math question wrong and two in the comprehensive science section—I estimate I scored around 600.” Guo Zi sighed, disappointed but not regretful—he usually scored about this much.

At seven p.m., everyone gathered at the hotpot restaurant.

“You’re born on July 5th, I’m born on August 3rd—I’m only a month younger than you, okay?” Song Yao protested.

“Right, the holiday’s too long, better find something to do.” Xu Qingzhou replied.

About ten minutes later, the two girls arrived.

As soon as they met, Guo Zi Yang eagerly asked: “Zhouzi, have you checked your Gaokao answers yet? The official ones are out.”

The two boys had already ordered a few dishes; when Song Yao and the others sat down, they handed them the menu.

“You have to be eighteen to get a driver’s license,” Xu Qingzhou reminded.

“You little brat, you’re asking for a beating!”

The surrounding silence fell instantly; seeing everyone staring at her, Song Yao paused, then muttered: “His QQ space has his birth date.”

Xu Qingzhou said: “We can get our licenses during the holiday—you can’t. Are you planning to drive back to Rongcheng every week just to take driving lessons in college?”

Tuition + exam fees + retake insurance: 4,200 yuan.

“But I held back on the long-answer questions—my final score might be even higher when it’s released.”

“Tastes good, but it’s a bit too mild on the spice.”

“Driver’s license? So soon?”

Driving schools these days are cutthroat—they advertise two-person small classes, but the actual time you get to touch the wheel is barely different from four-person classes, since small classes only last under two hours.

“I’m busy tomorrow—I’m going to practice driving.” Xu Qingzhou’s desire for games wasn’t high anymore.

Xu Qingzhou gladly agreed; eating hotpot with just two people was too lonely, so he invited Song Yao and Ding Jiahui too.

They chatted casually, sharing gossip, talking about high school teachers and classmates, imagining their futures.

Song Yao looked at Xu Qingzhou seriously: “Xu Qingzhou, give me your driving instructor’s contact—I want to sign up too.”

“Alright, then go for mild spice.”

Song Yao wore a white T-shirt with a neat, simple ponytail, paired with high-waisted jeans—elegantly dressed, radiating the aura of a soon-to-be college student.

Upon hearing that getting a driver’s license could earn academic credits, Wang Xiaping became even more eager than Xu Qingzhou and ordered: “Old Xu, take our son tomorrow to check out a reliable driving school.”

Ding Jiahui wore a gray short-sleeve top with a gray short skirt.

So the next morning, Xu Shouyun took Xu Qingzhou to enroll at a nearby driving school. After dinner, the family sat on the sofa watching TV, and Xu Qingzhou brought up the real topic: “Mom and Dad, I want to get my driver’s license.”

“I ran into your dad on the road a few days ago.”

Song Shisong looked at Xu Qingzhou, his expression momentarily complex. He wondered if he should find a chance to strengthen ties with the Xu family.

Beside the instructor stood a boy, young, looking like a recent high school graduate.

Song Shisong had a decent impression of Xu Qingzhou and smiled at the instructor: “Instructor Zhang, put these two together.”

Nearby, Song Yao stood under the shade of a tree, wearing a short-sleeve top and jeans, poised and graceful.

“Sorry, I didn’t notice just now,” Ding Jiahui thought, imagining Guo Zi Yang wouldn’t be allowed at the table when these two got married.

The next afternoon at two p.m., Xu Qingzhou arrived punctually at the driving school—right at the gate, he spotted the all-powerful Song Yao’s father, with the instructor smiling reassuringly: “Don’t worry, it’s all taken care of.”

They ordered a split pot. Guo Zi Yang wanted medium spice, but Ding Jiahui had eaten here before: “Their broth base is extremely spicy—we’ll just go with mild.”

Xu Qingzhou shrugged: “Yeah, you have to take this in college anyway—might as well do it now while I’m free.”

“Then I’ll sign up too~” Guo Zi Yang was tempted, but before he finished speaking, he felt a sharp pain on his foot—he turned to Ding Jiahui: “Why’d you step on me?”

Guo Zi Yang thought about it—yeah, that made sense—and dropped the idea.

Xu Qingzhou had spent years in the capital, and his cooking habits had changed quite a bit over time.

“Alright, just these two.”

“Huh? Qingzhou, you’re getting your license too?” Song Shisong raised an eyebrow, surprised—then suddenly realized he’d been tricked by his daughter. No wonder she insisted on coming at two p.m. to enroll.

“Since the Gaokao, I’ve been dazed these past few days—can’t muster any energy for anything.” After ordering, Ding Jiahui sighed listlessly.

In the afternoon, Guo Zi Yang called to ask if they were meeting for hotpot tonight.

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Guo Zi Yang and Xu Qingzhou arrived first.

“Actually, you can get credits for a driver’s license,” Xu Shouyun said wisely with a smile: “Then I won’t have to drive alone when we go back to our hometown.”

“Good afternoon, Uncle Song,” Xu Qingzhou waved.

“School starts in September.” Guo Zi Yang was also eagerly anticipating college life: “Zhouzi, Century Internet Café is running a promotion tomorrow—three yuan per hour for a private room during the day—we should get there early.”

Gaokao results come out on June 24th—by then the bonus money should be substantial; we can delay buying a computer, and this time is perfect to get the license.

“I’ll turn eighteen next month.”

“No,” Xu Qingzhou shook his head—the math and comprehensive science answers were definitive.

“Actually, not just the driver’s license gives credits—the marriage certificate does too. Maybe I’ll get one of those later,” Xu Qingzhou explained to Wang Xiaping.

“How old are you to be getting a driver’s license?” Wang Xiaping didn’t understand—she’d never even touched a steering wheel in her life.

Instructor Zhang nodded in agreement; behind him, the boy looked like he’d swallowed a fly—he’d thought he’d get to learn with a pretty girl.

Xu Qingzhou thought the boy was overthinking it—they were supposed to be in the same class tomorrow anyway.

With Xu Qingzhou around, Song Shisong felt more at ease and decided not to stay long: “Xiao Yao, study hard—I’ve got other things to do.”

Song Yao nodded with a smile and said goodbye to her father.

(End of Chapter)