My System Forces Me to Live off Women-Chapter 136 - 130: Qingge Longs to Charge Forward

Li Peifeng stood frozen in shock. Once he regained his senses, he slowly put down the flowers in his hand and forced a smile: "Hello, Auntie, I, I... haven't seen you in a long time, how have you been?"

"Quite well." Li Xin slightly turned her body, gesturing inward with her hand: "Come in and talk."

"Uh, okay." Li Peifeng felt completely ill at ease. He truly did not expect to see her at Zhao Qingge's house. Logically, it shouldn't have been possible since Li Xin, as a leader of the academy, is usually very busy with work. Even on Saturdays, she hardly rests and certainly wouldn't visit her daughter's home on purpose. Just unlucky timing on his part!

"My mentor she..." Upon entering, Li Peifeng looked around awkwardly and felt a bit of lingering fear. Fortunately, when he was outside, although his voice and expression weren't quite right, he only managed to say "mentor" and held back the "I missed you," or he would have wanted to die on the spot!

"Did you finally come to revise your manuscript?"

In just a couple of exchanges, Zhao Qingge emerged from the study. Noticing the flowers in Li Peifeng's hand, she frowned: "Do you remember what time we agreed on? You're so late, I thought you had forgotten!"

Li Peifeng silently gave a thumbs up to the excuse Zhao Qingge provided and quickly responded: "Hey, something came up!" Then he raised the flowers in his hand: "So I bought flowers on the roadside to make it up to you."

Zhao Qingge glanced at Li Xin but didn't take the flowers: "Don't bring me useless things!"

Li Peifeng's ability to improvise was impressive, and he immediately thought of an excuse and laughed: "This is a handmade craft by a middle schooler. He was setting up a stall to earn some pocket money over the weekend. I saw it on the street and thought to support him by buying a bunch. If you don't like it, I'll take it home to my mom."

Zhao Qingge softly responded with an oh and, ignoring this topic, walked towards the study: "Follow me. I didn't expect your outline to be so detailed. I've just finished reviewing it and have a few suggestions regarding the writing direction..."

"Uh, alright."

The two walked into the study without closing the door. Li Xin listened for a while from the doorway. Realizing they were indeed discussing topics similar to the documents on Zhao Qingge's computer, mainly about novel creation, her tightly knit brows slowly relaxed.

Inside the room, listening to Li Xin's footsteps fading away, Li Peifeng felt relieved and whispered: "Mentor, why is your mother here? Really gave me a fright!"

It was undeniable; she truly startled me!

Zhao Qingge shot him a glare: "Why did you come to my house? And with those flowers made by a middle schooler!"

"Not a middle schooler, an elementary schooler..."

Li Peifeng smacked his forehead helplessly and said: "Sigh, I made them myself. They weren't bought. The earlier story was for Auntie to hear."

"Really?" Zhao Qingge remained noncommittal.

"Yes, this morning I returned from school and saw the pretty leaves by the roadside, so I folded a few flowers and wrapped them with paper from the florist. I then thought about giving them to you straight away, but as fate would have it, I ran into Auntie!"

Li Peifeng sighed: "Made things a bit awkward!"

Zhao Qingge glanced at the bouquet on the table, the corners of her lips twitched up but soon settled back: "Call me next time you plan to come."

"Next time?" Li Peifeng beamed with a wide smile: "Alright!"

Previously, he only visited during holidays or when occasionally sent on errands by Zhao Qingge to retrieve items from her home. Normally, he had very few opportunities to come by.

With Zhao Qingge now giving her approval, it seemed like he could visit anytime he pleased.

"I mean if your dissertation or literary creations hit a bottleneck!"

Zhao Qingge's expression turned serious: "And only under urgent weekend circumstances, you can come by, and I'll provide guidance and corrections. Understood? Do not misunderstand!"

"Understood, absolutely no misunderstanding!"

After about thirty minutes of conversation, Li Peifeng's phone wouldn't stop buzzing. Wu Wenyue and Xu Manning were asking where he'd run off to. But at that moment, it wasn't convenient for him to respond, so he left the study intending to depart.

"Is Peifeng leaving?"

Li Xin was in the kitchen cooking while wearing an apron. Seeing this, she set down the spatula and approached: "I'm almost done with the food. I packed a portion for you as well. Why not stay and eat before leaving?"

"No, no!"

Li Peifeng waved his hands repeatedly: "It's the weekend, and my parents came to the Capital to see me. I might need to have dinner with them today."

"Oh, your parents are here?"

Li Xin was stirred and nodded slightly: "Then you should indeed accompany them. However... do you have time tomorrow?"

"Um, do you need something?"

Li Xin smiled warmly: "Recently, I heard from Dean Chen about you. Turns out, you're quite the accomplished writer. My husband and I are curious about what kind of parents could nurture such talent. With them here in the Capital too, it's quite coincidental. So, I thought why not have both families share a meal and chat tomorrow."

Li Peifeng felt a bit uneasy and puzzled. Why the sudden invitation to a family meal?

Under normal circumstances, he would've eagerly agreed.

But who is this woman before him? She's the associate dean of the School of International Trade at a 211 university in the Capital.

And who is Zhao Qingge's father? The Dean of the Foreign Language School at Yandu University.

Both of them are leading figures in their academic fields. In plain terms, they're influential decision-makers with substantial resources and networks. A mere word from them could perhaps shorten the years he'd need to struggle.

Attaching himself to someone influential could indeed brighten his future. He used to think this way, but now he honestly wasn't that interested anymore because he was already close to their daughter, Zhao Qingge.

If he were to attend this family dinner as Zhao Qingge's student and bring his parents along... it felt awkward no matter how he thought about it!! What if in the future the two families became one, would they then dine together again? How would that even work?

"Besides, your mentor is quite concerned about your doctoral studies and future employment."

Li Xin continued with a smile: "This would be a good opportunity to chat with your parents. If you face any difficulties or have doubts about your future career that your mentor can't help with, maybe your Auntie and Uncle could assist."

Another advocate from the dean trying to persuade me to pursue a Ph.D.?

Listening to her, Li Peifeng vaguely understood something. He instinctively glanced at Zhao Qingge, who simply shook her head slightly, and he fully grasped the situation. Hence, he put on a silly expression, sincerely apologizing.

"Sorry, Auntie, I already made plans to go shopping with my parents tomorrow, and they'll be taking the train back home in the afternoon. So maybe we can arrange the meal for their next visit during the winter holidays," he said, decisively turning around.

"Mentor, Auntie, no need to see me out, goodbye!"

"Take care." Zhao Qingge still accompanied him to the door.

"Click."

The security door closed, and Li Xin frowned deeply, displeased: "That young man seemed quite mature before, did he not understand what I just said?!"

But Zhao Qingge appeared relaxed: "I told you, he's not really interested in a Ph.D. or even a teaching position. He just wants to be a peaceful writer, writing books."

"Really?"

Li Xin gave her a look, advising: "Avoid having students over at the house, especially male students. It wouldn't be good if rumors were to spread."

Zhao Qingge snorted softly through her nose: "Got it."

Li Xin was about to turn back to the kitchen but remembered something, stopping in her tracks with a sharp gaze: "By the way, Duoduo, did you say you wanted to quit your job earlier?"

Zhao Qingge looked towards the kitchen, reminding her: "Your food is about to burn."

"Oh no, I forgot about it!" Li Xin rushed to the kitchen, forgetting her earlier line of thought.

Zhao Qingge walked back to the study, locked the door, picked up the bouquet made with folded ginkgo leaves in golden yellow, and sat on the chair quietly for a while, letting out an almost inaudible sigh.

Then she took a leather diary from the drawer, turned to the latest blank page, and wrote a few lines of text.

"I've wasted my years, holding only exhaustion. Hopeless, woeful, and futile, like these golden folded flowers made of dead leaves—beautiful, yet facing imminent death."

"I've already decided on my epitaph."

"Written much, empty words; loved deeply, chasing the moon in water; lived life in ignorance."

"Let the winds blow fiercely; I wish to make a charge in the last golden era of my life, even if it's doomed to fail."