lie

The next day, Wan Qing discreetly stuffed the clothes she'd brought from home into her bag. After school, she went to the restroom to change before leaving campus.

When Ah Cheng saw her, he paused, his brows furrowing in confusion. Something about her seemed off. A moment later, it clicked. "Miss, why did you change clothes? The ones from this morning could have covered..." He trailed off awkwardly, thinking of the marks.

"Did Mu Tianyang tell you to ask me?"

"Uh..." Ah Cheng quickly shut his mouth. "Miss, please get in the car."

At the hospital, Xu Kewei's condition had improved significantly, giving Wan Qing some peace of mind. The mother and daughter chatted for a while before Xu Kewei brought up Wan Qing's school life.

Wan Qing, now confident in her studies, explained fluently, "Several subjects are already completed, so we've started reviewing. The rest will be finished by the end of the semester, and senior year is entirely for review anyway. Next month is the graduation exam, but there's no need to worry—I could ace it with my eyes closed..."

"So busy already?" Xu Kewei sighed. "Then don't come here unless it's absolutely necessary. The nurses are great, and your studies are more important!"

"I understand," Wan Qing said. But despite her mother's insistence, she was firm about visiting. However, Xu Kewei refused to let her stay long, cutting the visit short.

For the next two days, Wan Qing still came to the hospital, though she didn't meet with her mother. Instead, she observed from the shadows, making sure everything was fine. Only on the third day did she finally enter the ward.

Xu Kewei frowned. "Didn't I tell you not to come? I'm almost ready to be discharged!"

Wan Qing playfully clung to her arm. "Mom, I was worried about you! I haven't seen you in two days. If I don't check on you, I can't even focus in class!"

"Fine, fine... you're always making excuses," Xu Kewei said helplessly. Then, she cupped Wan Qing's face. "What's with the dark circles under your eyes?"

"Ah... there's just been a lot of homework lately," Wan Qing said evasively. In truth, she was overwhelmed—not only with her daily assignments but also catching up on the lessons she'd missed. Her nights stretched late, and the worst part was enduring Mu Tianyang's relentless demands afterward...

"And you still come to the hospital?"

"It's just for now," Wan Qing said, linking arms with her. "Actually, Mom, I wanted to discuss something with you."

"What is it?"

"About boarding at school." This was Mu Tianyang's idea. If she didn't handle it, he'd expose their relationship.

"Boarding?" Xu Kewei nodded thoughtfully. "That does sound better. You'd have more time for your studies and a more structured routine. You've been delayed because of me."

"Not at all!" Wan Qing smiled. "Boarding now feels just right. Honestly, I could've managed before, too. It's just that the teachers are making us all so nervous, like the college entrance exams are tomorrow. They're drowning us in test papers and assignments, even taking up evening study sessions for extra lectures."

The part about evening sessions had come from her homeroom teacher. The teacher had high hopes for Wan Qing and, after hearing that Xu Kewei's surgery was successful, encouraged her to attend evening classes whenever possible to catch up.

Xu Kewei said, "Then you should move to the dorms. Don't worry about me—I'll be discharged in a few days."

"I'll move into the school dorm tomorrow," Wan Qing replied. "When you're discharged, I'll come pick you up."