Chapter 38

No matter how naive she might have been before, Li Sitong now understood clearly that Xuejiao couldn't live with Hongyi, Li Shu's son!

Hongyi was such a troublemaker. If he didn't improve himself, he might drag Xuejiao down with him, corrupting her progress.

After all, Xuejiao used to be...well, troubled. What if Hongyi influenced her to become her old "self" again?

Li Shu, perceptive as ever, noticed the hesitation on Li Sitong's face. She leaned in slightly, speaking with a soft and pleading tone. "Sitong, I think this is a wonderful idea! Look, even people like Yi Dafa know how incredible your Xuejiao is. She can truly guide Hongyi!"

Li Sitong forced a smile. "Xuejiao isn't really capable of teaching others. She only knows how to focus on her books and study. She wouldn't be much help!"

Li Shu put down her mahjong tiles and gently took Li Sitong's hand. "Sister, it's not just about teaching. Tell me, how do you usually communicate with Xuejiao? Every time I try talking to Hongyi, he just rolls his eyes and ignores me. His father resorts to scolding and hitting him, but is that really the solution? Fighting him all the time isn't working!"

Li Sitong sighed bitterly. "Yes, you're right. You can't hit children all the time." Her voice trembled slightly, the pain of her own mistakes evident. In the past, when she hit Xuejiao, the child grew even more distant from her.

Even now, despite their seemingly good relationship, Li Sitong could feel Xuejiao's subtle estrangement and cool indifference.

"How do you handle things with Xuejiao? Teach me, for my sake," Li Shu begged, her eyes red with frustration. "I really can't take it anymore! I'm completely at a loss!"

Li Sitong looked at the woman in front of her, recognizing the same helplessness, confusion, and pain she herself had felt not long ago.

"Sister Li," Li Sitong began hesitantly. "Honestly, I don't know the answer myself. Xuejiao changed after that incident with Mingjiao. She started studying so hard all of a sudden. Cheng Shuo also said we need to give children more trust and praise—not just criticism all the time."

Li Shu looked stunned, murmuring to herself. "So, trust and praise... All this time, her father has been scolding her, and I've only criticized her..."

Her voice trailed off as her expression became lost and uncertain. Li Sitong saw her own past self in Li Shu—the same helplessness she felt when faced with Xuejiao's rebellious behavior. Almost instinctively, she reached out to pat her hand.

"You need to change your attitude. Talk to your child more often," Li Sitong advised.

But Li Shu suddenly straightened up, her expression desperate. "That's not enough! Hongyi doesn't listen anymore. His father's temper flares, and I... I don't know what else to do! Sitong, I'm really at my wit's end."

"I know, I understand. I used to feel the same way," Li Sitong said softly, her eyes glistening with emotion.

"Exactly! You understand me, don't you? When a child is disobedient, it's like watching them slip away, powerless to stop it!" Li Shu's face showed a mixture of grief and frustration.

Li Sitong nodded, sympathizing deeply. After all, wasn't Xuejiao the same before? She had scolded her, reasoned with her, even resorted to hitting her, only to see her grow more distant.

Li Shu suddenly gripped her hand tightly. "Sitong, I know you're hesitant about having Xuejiao live with Hongyi, but how about this? I'll send Hongyi to your house instead, just for a while!"

"What?!" Li Sitong was caught off guard.

Li Shu's eyes filled with tears as she pleaded. "Xuejiao is studying so hard, and if you're worried, I'll send Hongyi over during winter break. Your family is so excellent at teaching children! I trust you and Cheng Shuo to guide him. Hongyi won't cause trouble if you're watching him."

Li Sitong hesitated. Something about this felt wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Sitong, please! Just let him stay for a few days during winter break. If it doesn't work out, call me, and I'll take him back immediately. I'm not asking for much—just a chance to let Hongyi improve a little," Li Shu implored.

Even Ms. Chang chimed in with a sigh. "Every family has its struggles, Sitong. Let Hongyi stay for a while. With you and Cheng Shuo keeping an eye on things, nothing bad will happen. If it doesn't work, just send him home."

"Yes, sister-in-law. Help out Sister Li. After all, your house is big enough, isn't it?" Liu Yazhen added slyly, her tone dripping with insinuation.

Faced with their combined persuasion, Li Sitong hesitated and finally relented. "Alright," she said reluctantly.

"I don't agree!" Cheng Shuo's sharp objection startled her later that evening. She hadn't expected him to react so strongly.

Even Cheng Mingze's tone was firm as he echoed, "I don't agree either."

"It's just for a few days during winter break," Li Sitong argued weakly. "I'll be at home with the nanny the entire time. It's not like anything bad will happen."

"Nonsense!" Cheng Shuo rarely got angry, but now his face was flushed with frustration.

"What's wrong?" Li Sitong asked, confused.

"Do you really think nothing will happen just because you're watching them?" Cheng Shuo said heatedly. "Xuejiao is a bright, outstanding girl, and Hongyi is...well, let's just say he's not a good influence. It's a recipe for disaster."

Li Sitong tried to reason. "But I'll keep an eye on them. I won't let anything happen!"

"It's not about watching them every second," Cheng Mingze interjected. "It's about the risks you're inviting into our home. A person like Hongyi doesn't belong here."

Cheng Shuo nodded. "Exactly! Even if nothing happens during winter break, how will you prevent long-term consequences? It's not worth the risk."

After much debate, Cheng Shuo concluded firmly, "We'll handle this tomorrow. You two go to bed now."

Li Sitong nodded reluctantly, but her heart was heavy with regret. She realized she had made a hasty decision, and now it was up to Cheng Shuo to find a way to refuse tactfully.

Later that night, as Xuejiao lay in bed, she stared at her phone. She had been debating whether to ask Lin Zhihua for advice. His wisdom always seemed to guide her in the right direction.

Before she could decide, her phone buzzed with a message from him.

"Lin Zhihua: Good night."

Surprised by the timing, Xuejiao replied, "Good night."

Almost immediately, another message arrived: "What's wrong? Are you troubled by something?"

Her eyes widened. "How did you know?"

"You took too long to reply but only wrote two words," came his matter-of-fact response.

Xuejiao hesitated but eventually confided in him, explaining everything that had happened.

When she finished, she added, "I feel bad. Uncle Cheng might lose business if my mom offends Li Shu. What should I do?"

Lin Zhihua's response came quickly, his calm and thoughtful tone evident even through text.