How I Tamed My Wolfish Husband Back in 80s-Chapter 188 - 190: Self-Examination_1

Li Qiao finished replying to the letter in her dorm and met with Ma Hongxiang, who had asked her to join for a study session at the library. "Also, teach me some English."

"It’s not convenient to talk at the library, let’s find a classroom. Just wait for me a moment," Li Qiao said.

Ma Hongxiang: "Okay."

Li Qiao wrote the letter, sealed it in an envelope, and tucked it into her book. "Let’s go."

"Hmm."

Just as the two were about to leave, Xue Sufen requested to join, curious to see how Li Qiao studied.

Cheng Shuqin clamored to join in as well.

Out of respect for Xue Lingqing, Li Qiao inwardly feared Xue Sufen and did not object, but she did not agree either. Xue Sufen took her silence as consent.

The group of four set out, and along the way, male students kept slipping notes into Xue Sufen’s hands, all essentially pleading: "Hello Xue Sufen, sorry to bother you but would you study with me so we can improve together?"

Cheng Shuqin flattered from the side: "If the school allowed dating, your admirers could probably line up to the school gate."

Xue Sufen arrogantly lifted her chin, but said modestly, "You exaggerate. Li Qiao is the really pretty one, with her sleek and supple hair. Surely she must have even more admirers."

"But no one is slipping her notes," Cheng Shuqin implied that Li Qiao’s attractiveness was only in Xue Sufen’s eyes.

Li Qiao kept silent, randomly chose an empty classroom after entering the teaching building, and sat down to study.

Ma Hongxiang sat next to her, occasionally asking her grammar questions.

While Li Qiao was focusing on her own studies and often asked Ma Hongxiang to wait, Cheng Shuqin suggested, "Ma Hongxiang, Li Qiao always acts so aloof. You might as well ask Sufen. She tutored me for the English college entrance exam, and I got a perfect score. How much did you score?"

Ma Hongxiang pursed her lips and replied quietly, "I also got a perfect score." The college entrance exam’s English was really simple. Surely nobody would lose points on that, right?

Li Qiao looked back: "Haven’t I been teaching all along?" If others sought her help, naturally they had to accommodate her schedule. There was no reason for her to interrupt her own thoughts to serve others. "Are you trying to stir up trouble between me and my classmates? If Ma Hongxiang stops talking to me one day, just wait and see how I kick you."

Cheng Shuqin, who had been beaten up before, had been holding back her anger and now slammed the table to vent: "You dare! I’ll go home today and tell my parents to go after you! Just you wait, stinking bumpkin!" She yelled loudly when she insulted others.

Li Qiao clenched her fist, threatening might be fine.

But calling her a stinking bumpkin was unacceptable!

Since she was going to be reprimanded by someone else’s parents anyway, she might as well get it over with and give herself some satisfaction from a fight.

She quickly stepped forward, grabbed Cheng Shuqin by the collar, and was about to reward her with a slap.

A cough sounded from the doorway.

Li Qiao turned her head to see Professor Xue, accompanied by a middle-aged man wearing glasses, dressed in a white shirt, black trousers, and leather shoes.

So meticulously dressed, could it be the dean?

Having never seen the dean before, she wasn’t sure.

She let go of Cheng Shuqin and put on a smiling face: "Hello Professor Xue, hello sir, we were just fooling around."

"You were clearly about to hit me," Cheng Shuqin angrily accused, her eyes wide open as she lied.

Xue Sufen volunteered: "Professor Xue, Dean Wu, Li Qiao was indeed about to hit someone." She behaved like a hooligan, and her family is likely unreasonable too. Who knows, they might be local thugs. People like that should be expelled early to prevent future harm to the country.

Li Qiao was alarmed, it really was the dean.

Luckily, she hadn’t slapped her yet. Feigning innocence, she protested, "You’re deliberately framing me. I’m not playing with you anymore, hmph!" She gathered her books and left.

Professor Xue and Dean Wu glanced at her but said nothing.

Ma Hongxiang followed behind her; she still needed her question answered, after all.

Cheng Shuqin, unwilling to give in, exclaimed loudly, "Professor Xue, Dean Wu, are you just going to let her go like that?"

Dean Wu remarked, "She didn’t actually hit anyone, why shouldn’t she be allowed to leave? On the other hand, you, who have been so aggressive, I could hear you insulting someone as a ’stinking bumpkin’ from afar. Is that something a college student should say? What have country folk done to you? Without them, would you have food to eat? Even if you were actually hit, you’d deserve it. Write a thousand-word self-criticism and submit it."

Cheng Shuqin: "...."

Xue Sufen couldn’t understand why only Cheng Shuqin was being punished when Li Qiao was also at fault.

"Professor Xue, what do you think?" Xue Sufen believed that this time, her uncle should be on her side.

"Me? I haven’t even settled accounts with you yet! You’ve probably bullied your classmates with Cheng Shuqin, haven’t you? Two thousand words of reflection, due tomorrow," Xue Lingqing said. He softened his tone as he faced Dean Wu, "This girl is my niece, spoiled rotten by her family. I must give her a good lesson when we get back."

Xue Lingqing scolded Xue Sufen as they left with Dean Wu.

Cheng Shuqin couldn’t control her emotions and leaned over the desk, weeping bitterly.

Xue Sufen felt a fire rage to the top of her head, "Enough of you! You cursed in the dormitory, now you curse outside too, getting me into trouble as well." She remembered that Dean Wu’s parents were country folks, and he was not fond of bumpkins.

Cheng Shuqin felt suffocated, damn Li Qiao, this wasn’t over. Her eyes turned cold as she suddenly had an idea. There were several notorious street thugs near her home, known for fighting and harassing girls. She could arrange for them to get to know Li Qiao, and it would cost Li Qiao at least a layer of skin to get away from them.

....

Li Qiao and Ma Hongxiang found another classroom.

They studied together during the day and had dinner in the evenings.

Around nine o’clock, they returned to their dormitories.

After a moment’s hesitation, Li Qiao decided, "I’m going to live in a rental house." Relationships between roommates were too difficult. Better to be on her own.

"It’s dark outside. Is it safe?" Ma Hongxiang expressed her concern.

"No problem," Li Qiao replied. After informing the dormitory supervisor, she walked to the rental, the season entering autumn, the weather turning cooler. Despite this, she was still dressed in summer clothes and immediately felt the full chill as the cold wind blew.

As she passed the mailbox near the entrance of the communication room, she slipped her reply letter to Du Xinxin inside.

Back home, she used tongs to pick up coal and knocked on her neighbor’s door.

After the auntie opened the door, Li Qiao greeted her and mentioned the coal exchange.

The auntie, knowing Li Qiao was a college student, responded warmly, "Go ahead and change it. Isn’t the accommodation at school good?"

Li Qiao replied, "It’s good, but I prefer being on my own." The quiet.

Li Qiao changed the charcoal fire, set up a pot to boil water, and while waiting for the water to boil, sat at her desk and read for a while.

Then she washed up and went to bed to rest.

Inside the cozy, warm bed and with a soft pillow, she fell asleep quickly.

The next day, she got up early for school, attended classes, reviewed lessons, and wrote papers, day after day.

Apart from Cheng Shuqin occasionally jumping out to provoke her, life was quite comfortable. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

Another week passed in the blink of an eye.

On Wednesday of that week, Li Qiao took her completed paper to Xue Lingqing for advice.

Xue Lingqing said, "I’ll take it back and read it at my leisure, I’ll get back to you in a few days."

Li Qiao was grateful, "Thank you, Professor Xue."

Xue Lingqing smiled faintly, "You’re welcome. Did you move back to a rental because of Sufen?" He had observed her for a while; not only was she self-disciplined in her studies, but she also had strong practical skills. The broken cabinet had become better looking than a new one in her hands.

The garden wall was painted with idyllic rural scenery, making one wonder if it was her hometown.

The lights in the house stayed on until ten at night, and she would get up around six-thirty in the morning to run.

Otherwise, she would be playing badminton alone in the yard.

Despite her youth, she had many interests.

And the perseverance to stick with them.

Li Qiao denied, "It’s not because of her."

Xue Lingqing said, "If she bullies you, just let me know."

Li Qiao was surprised. Was he indicating he was not on the same side as Xue Sufen? She nodded and said, "Okay, Professor Xue, I’ll be on my way now."

Xue Lingqing hummed softly in response.

....