The moment Yu Qingwei sat down in the study room, her phone began ringing incessantly. Facing the curious and reproachful glances of her classmates, she offered an apologetic smile, then bent slightly at the waist, clutching her phone as she slipped out through the back door of the classroom.

The call was from the family maid, informing her that Chen Lidong had returned and that Madam Chen (her mother-in-law) had ordered her to come home immediately.

Chen Lidong—her husband, whom she had married not long ago. Madam Chen—her mother-in-law.

When the call ended, she froze for a moment, her subconscious resisting the idea of going back. But she also knew perfectly well that her mother-in-law’s orders were not to be disobeyed.

Mechanically, she returned to her seat and whispered to Xia Zisu, who was sitting beside her, "Xiao Su, something came up at home. I have to leave. If the counselor comes, please help me ask for leave."

Xia Zisu nodded, then sighed dramatically. "Have you finished the advanced math homework? Let me take a peek—those math geniuses are clearly haunting us even in death."

Yu Qingwei chuckled, pulling out an A4 sheet from her textbook and handing it to her. Neatly written on it was a long string of deduction formulas. All three problems assigned by the teacher had been solved flawlessly.

Xia Zisu stared at it, her eyes wide. How was it that something as incomprehensible as advanced math to her seemed like elementary arithmetic to Yu Qingwei?

She gave Yu Qingwei a look of utter disbelief. "How is your brain even wired?"

"Trying my best not to grow up to be an idiot," Yu Qingwei replied with an innocent blink.

Xia Zisu wasn’t stupid. Clenching her teeth, she pretended to pinch Yu Qingwei’s arm hard and hissed, "How dare you call me an idiot? Do you want to die?"

Yu Qingwei laughed and dodged to the side, accidentally knocking her textbook to the floor. A photo slipped out, and her heart clenched instinctively. Just as she bent to pick it up, Xia Zisu snatched it with lightning reflexes.

She glanced at the photo—and then burst into a mischievous laugh. "Who’s this handsome guy? Is he your boyfriend? Spill the beans!"

The man in the photo had delicate features, red lips, and white teeth. Dressed in a white shirt, he flashed a row of neat teeth in a smile that revealed a tiny dimple, giving off the warm, approachable vibe of a friendly neighborhood older brother.

Yu Qingwei’s face flushed crimson. She quickly snatched the photo back and tucked it back into her textbook, patting Xia Zisu’s hand as she said, "Don’t talk nonsense. I have to go now."

Xia Zisu gave her a knowing smirk.

Without another word, Yu Qingwei turned and hurried out of the school, flagging down a taxi straight to the Chen residence.

The Chen family lived in a military compound, and taxis weren’t allowed inside. So Yu Qingwei got out at the gate. The guards recognized her this time, so unlike her first visit, she wasn’t awkwardly stopped at the entrance.

But just as she took a few steps inside, a jeep sped past her, kicking up a gust of cold wind before screeching to a halt right in front of the Chen family’s main door.

Yu Qingwei’s steps faltered. She knew exactly who was in that car.

The door opened, and a pair of straight, long legs stepped out. The man’s military boots thudded heavily against the ground.

Each step felt like it was landing on Yu Qingwei’s head. She lowered her head until it nearly touched the ground, utterly drained of strength to lift it.

Thankfully, he didn’t approach her but went straight inside.

Hearing the car, Madam Chen and the others rushed out to greet him.

"Lidong, you’re back?" Madam Chen sounded visibly excited, completely forgetting her usual teachings to Yu Qingwei about maintaining a "composed expression" and abandoning all pretenses of aristocratic restraint.

"Second Brother, you’re finally here. The whole family’s been waiting for you," came the booming voice of Chen Lidong’s second sister, Chen Hanshuo—a loud, carefree woman who seemed easygoing but was actually...

"Mm, let’s go inside," Chen Lidong said, his handsome face expressionless as ever. He was forever an ice-cold man, taking pleasure in freezing others.

And yet, this man had somehow fallen for the silent and reserved Yu Qingwei.

Hesitating at the sight of the crowd ahead, Yu Qingwei debated whether to approach. Just as she drifted into thought, Chen Lidong glanced her way—seemingly unintentionally.

As the central figure of the gathering, every move he made drew attention. This glance naturally pulled everyone else’s eyes toward her.

Yu Qingwei smiled faintly and called out, "Mom, Eldest Sister."

Then, as she walked up to Chen Lidong’s side, she looked up with a delighted expression, her voice slightly higher-pitched at the end: "You’re back."

She was dressed in a white chiffon blouse paired with light blue jeans, white canvas shoes on her feet, and an old-looking bag of unknown material in her hand. From head to toe, she radiated an unmistakable student aura—completely out of place in this environment.