My College Teacher is My Children's Mom-Chapter 731: Parting, Doesn’t Mean Parting Forever
Time went by just like that... About a week passed when, out of the blue, Sanbao proposed moving in with Shao Yang.
The suggestion took everyone by surprise. Sanbao had been so busy all week that Lin Feng thought she had completely forgotten about Shao Yang. Though taken aback by the announcement, the couple respected their daughter’s decision.
Erbao thought it was a good idea, certainly better than worrying aimlessly.
Xiaobao, however, felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She stared at Sanbao in disbelief, her eyes wide. "Sanjie, what did you just say?"
Xiaobao thought she had misheard. When Sanbao repeated herself, Xiaobao was devastated and wailed, "No! I don’t want Sanjie to go abroad! I don’t!"
Sanbao squatted down to look at her, a faint smile on her face. "Xiaobao, I’ll come back to see you."
Xiaobao threw a tantrum. "No, no! I don’t want you to leave, Sanjie! You’re not allowed to go!"
Sanbao was at a loss, but she spoke softly and firmly. "But I’ve already decided." Once she made up her mind about something, she wasn’t the type to change it or back down.
Xiaobao burst into tears. "Sanjie, can’t you just stay? Please?"
Seeing Xiaobao sobbing so heavily, Sanbao’s heart ached, and she tried to soothe her. "Be good. I will come back. I’ll visit you all after a little while."
Xiaobao hugged Sanbao tightly, murmuring, "Can’t you stay? Do you really have to go?"
In Xiaobao’s eyes, any of her older siblings could leave her, but not Sanjie. She was so gentle and so fond of her. She didn’t go out drinking or to social events, dedicating all her time to work and family... Among the four siblings, she was the one who spent the most time with Xiaobao, and their bond was the deepest.
She was utterly heartbroken. "Big Brother is gone, Erjie will be marrying and moving to Jingcheng, and Fourth Brother never comes home... Now you’re leaving too, Sanjie, and going so far... so far away..."
The thought made Xiaobao miserable and brought her to the verge of tears again.
Sanbao’s eyes reddened; for a moment, she hesitated. It was painful to see the family’s little treasure crying so hard.
Lin Feng knelt and tried to explain it to Xiaobao, telling her that being apart didn’t mean being separated forever.
Zhang Yuxi softly comforted her, "Sanjie will come back. Whenever you miss her, we can go visit."
"Besides, you still have Mom and Dad. We’ll always be here with you."
Sanbao promised Xiaobao she would buy her lots and lots of toys—anything she wanted.
Xiaobao said pitifully, "I don’t want any of that. I just want Sanjie."
Ultimately, Sanbao still chose to leave. Xiaobao knew she couldn’t stop her.
At the airport, as they were saying their goodbyes, Xiaobao clutched Sanbao’s dress, her voice choked with sobs. "Sanjie, when you’re over there, you have to message me and video call me. And remember to bring me gifts."
Sanbao nodded. "I’ll remember everything. I won’t forget."
Xiaobao looked like she was about to cry again. "Most importantly, take care of yourself. Don’t go hungry or get cold."
"If you run out of money, you can ask Mom and Dad, or you can ask me. I have money."
Those words finally broke through Sanbao’s composure. She hugged Xiaobao tightly. "Alright, I’ll remember."
Erbao felt miserable as well. The two sisters had already said everything that needed to be said the night before.
"Mom!" Sanbao called out.
Zhang Yuxi’s eyes were slightly red as she fixed her daughter’s hair. "Once you’re over there, you’ll be on your own. Your dad and I can’t help much, so you have to take good care of yourself. If you run out of money, tell us... And if living with Shao Yang makes you unhappy, just come home." She didn’t know what else to say.
Sanbao nodded gently. "I know, Mom." She turned to Lin Feng with a smile. "Dad, could you pass me the luggage?"
With a thousand things left unsaid, Lin Feng just told her, "Take good care of yourself. You don’t have to put up with anything."
Sanbao smiled faintly. "Okay!"
They watched as Sanbao boarded the plane, staying until her figure disappeared from view.
Then, Xiaobao let out a wail.
What am I going to do? Sanbao just left, and I already miss her.
It wasn’t just Xiaobao who was sad; Lin Feng and Zhang Yuxi felt even worse. Their four children were leaving home, one after another. Sanbao, the most home-loving, obedient, and endearing of them all, was now the one who was farthest away.
Looking at the heartbroken Xiaobao beside her, Zhang Yuxi moved to pick her up, wanting to say something emotional, but then she realized... The little one was so heavy she couldn’t even lift her!
Lin Feng effortlessly took the child from her, comforting her, "Don’t cry now, you still have Mom and Dad!"
Who would have thought the dear child would reply, "Mom and Dad will leave me too! WAAAAH!"
At the mention of this, Xiaobao cried even harder and more vigorously.
On the way home, Lin Feng’s attempts at comforting were futile. Zhang Yuxi signaled him to leave her be, knowing she would stop once she’d cried her fill. Sure enough, as she continued to cry, she grew hungry and demanded something to eat.
Erbao teased her, which only made her angry all over again. Xiaobao bared her teeth and tattled, "Dad, Erjie is bullying me! She’s bullying me!"
Zhang Yuxi, accustomed to such scenes, said, "Don’t distract your father while he’s driving. You two can sort it out yourselves."
Xiaobao pouted and turned her head away, pretending not to care. In reality, she knew she couldn’t win a fight or an argument with her older sister, who was quite formidable.
Her future brother-in-law is formidable too. They might team up to bully me, and Mom and Dad won’t even help... The thought suddenly made Xiaobao feel aggrieved, as if she were a poor, unloved creature.
"Oh my, are you still feeling sorry for yourself? Let me see... Oh dear, look at you..."
Xiaobao felt miserable, but having cried so hard earlier, she couldn’t produce any more tears and just stared silently out the window. Erbao had a soft spot for her sister and couldn’t stand the silent treatment. Seeing Xiaobao like this made her feel awful, so she quickly tried to console her. But no matter what she offered—food, clothes—nothing worked, leaving Erbao at a loss.
Xiaobao finally said sullenly, "You have to promise not to bully me from now on. And Uncle Qin can’t bully me either. If you all bully me and nobody loves me anymore, what am I supposed to do? I’m so pitiful... No, I need money. Once I have money, I won’t be pitiful... How about this: give me a million, and I’ll forgive you!"
After Xiaobao finished her monologue, the other three were at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. With her current net worth, she was already far ahead of most people at the starting line. Even if she didn’t study or work, she could live comfortably off her savings. And that was without anyone else’s support.
Erbao took a sharp breath. "Good grief, a million just like that? Can’t you make it less?"
"Five hundred thousand," Xiaobao pouted. "Not a penny less."
Erbao grimaced, looking reluctant. "Fine, five hundred thousand it is... What can I do? You’re my little ancestor!"
Xiaobao had her own bank card, linked to text message alerts on her phone. Upon seeing the notification for 500,000, her gloomy expression turned sunny, and she broke into a wide grin.
She leaned in close to her sister. "Want to bully me again?"
Erbao quickly scooted away, her face a picture of shock. "When did you get so thick-skinned?"
Xiaobao sighed dramatically. "I can’t help it. I have to be self-reliant now. It’s tough."
Erbao rolled her eyes. "I’ll believe that when pigs fly. You’re a cunning little devil."
The couple exchanged a smile. The sorrow of Sanbao’s departure had lessened considerably, and the car was now filled with the sound of the sisters bickering. Erbao was relentless with her words, but Xiaobao, despite losing every time, still liked to cozy up to her, always ending up on the losing end.
During this time, Lin Feng brought out a ’Lin’s Brand’ plaster, one for relieving muscle stiffness and pain. There was also an ointment for treating chilblains.
Erbao treated them like treasures, cheerfully taking the items with her to Jingcheng. She would be busy there for several months before she returned.
