Second update.

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"Hehe..." Yingying laughed awkwardly as she shuffled in, "I just wanted to tease my little aunt, hehe..."

"Finished all your homework?" Chuxia pointed to the empty seat beside her, "If you’re done, come join us for a chat. Little one, you’re just in first grade, busy all the time. Are you really busy or just pretending?"

"Of course I’m really busy..." the little girl sat next to Chuxia and said earnestly, "Other students aren’t as busy, but I have to represent my class in the mental math competition with Lu Cheng, so I have to stay after school and practice at home too. Little aunt, I really want to play with you, but I also want to get first place so that my little siblings will admire me!"

Chuxia laughed and patted her on the shoulder: "I knew our Yingying is the best. When’s the competition?"

"Next Friday..." Yingying looked eagerly at Chuxia, "Little aunt, can you come with me? I don’t want Seventh Uncle to go with me." She was referring to Zhou Huakang, who was seventh in line.

"Why?" Chuxia looked at the little girl in surprise, "Seventh Uncle is so close to you, why don’t you want him to go with you?"

"My classmates say the reason I’m in the competition is because Teacher Tian Tian is biased..." The little girl’s lips pouted with grievance, "But I really do calculate faster than others, they’re unfairly accusing me."

For a moment, Chuxia couldn’t make sense of this, she looked puzzled at the little one: "What does Teacher Tian Tian being biased have to do with Seventh Uncle?"

"Teacher Tian Tian likes Seventh Uncle and wants to be his wife."

Chuxia was suddenly speechless, a kid so young already talking about liking someone, it was unbelievable... Kids these days are really quite mature early...

Sitting on the other side, Luo Xiaoqiong was already laughing uncontrollably. A six-year-old discussing adult topics seriously, isn’t it hilarious?!

"I’m telling the truth, I’m not accusing anyone or lying, really..." Their attitudes made the little girl even more aggrieved, on the verge of tears.

"I believe you, of course I do..." Chuxia quickly reassured her, "How about this, your aunt originally took four days off, so if staying to accompany you for the competition means taking more days off, tomorrow Aunt will call the school and decide whether to accompany you or not, okay?"

"Okay." The little girl nodded, still looking gloomy, "Little aunt, do your teachers like you?"

Luo Xiaoqiong chimed in, "Yingying, your little aunt is so pretty and has good grades, of course the teachers like her. Don’t worry, she’ll definitely be able to get the leave."

"Really?" Yingying looked at Chuxia with delight, "Little aunt, you’ll definitely come with me, right?" A child’s thoughts are simple, they want someone they like to accompany them, without considering other matters.

"Yes." Initially, Chuxia didn’t want to stay for such a long time; taking too long a leave would be met with criticism. But seeing the little girl’s pitiful look, she couldn’t bear to say no.

As for Miss Luo’s disruptive intentions, they were easy to understand. She would love for Chuxia to start taking a break and stay with her from now.

Receiving a positive answer, the little girl was thrilled, "I’ll go tell Seventh Uncle. With little aunt accompanying me, he doesn’t need to go..." Before the words finished, she had already run off.

Luo Xiaoqiong looked at Chuxia guiltily: "Don’t blame me, the child is quite pitiful. I knew you’d agree, so I helped persuade you."

"Alright, I understand your little thoughts," Chuxia sighed, "And indeed, I can’t bring myself to refuse her. But it’s impossible for me to accompany her alone..."

"Me me me..." Luo Xiaoqiong urgently pointed at herself, "By then I’ll go with you."

Chuxia pouted at her, "You sure you can get leave? Director Xu is so busy, do you really feel okay taking such a long marriage leave?"

"Can I go to work after getting married, and then take leave when Yingying has a match..." A tinge of bitterness flickered in Luo Xiaoqiong’s eyes, "Chuxia, I’m someone without much promise. I used to hope that I’d grow and make my parents proud, but now that the opportunity is right in front of me, I’m not happy at all.

Most people at work don’t like me. They think I stayed because of Director Xu’s influence. Of course, I don’t deny that, but they can’t completely dismiss my efforts. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

I particularly miss the time when we first came to City A. It was tough, but we all lived and ate together and could discuss things with each other, and even if we got bullied, we could team up to make it right.

But now, I face everything alone. Sometimes I pick up the phone to talk to you but worry you’ll get upset and it will affect the baby. I think about writing a letter, but I’m afraid someone might see it.

I can’t talk about these things with my parents or my brother. Meijun and Erniu also have their own troubles, and telling them would only add to their burden.

I’ve thought it through over and over and ended up keeping it all to myself, but sometimes, it feels like it’s suffocating me. I really, really wish I could take a break, so this time, please just let me have my way, okay?"

"I thought you’d completely adapted by now. Turns out it’s still a mess?" Chuxia looked at her helplessly, "So all that confidence before was just an act?"

"Got used to it, haha..." Luo Xiaoqiong laughed awkwardly, "If I acted low-spirited at work, they’d look down on me even more. So, no matter if I’m happy or not, I always put on a lively front. I want them to think that their gossip doesn’t affect me at all!"

"You’re almost furious, and yet you think it doesn’t affect you..." Chuxia looked at her speechlessly, "Is the one bothering you still that woman I met last time?"

"No..." Luo Xiaoqiong shook her head, "I can’t pinpoint one person. People are polite to me on the surface, but none of them really want to befriend me.

Do you understand that feeling, like..." She paused, choosing her words, and then continued, "Like you’re among many people, but you feel deadly lonely.

You see everyone smiling at you, but you can clearly see the disdain in their eyes. They greet you when they see you, but as you pass, you can sense their sneers.

Even going to the bathroom, you can hear them talking about you, but there’s no way to confront them... It’s just that kind of feeling, like being targeted by everyone, but you can’t point a finger at anyone.

"Sigh!" Chuxia sighed. Of course, she understood that feeling. It was similar to when she first arrived in this time, surrounded by bustle yet feeling painfully alone.

It was Luo Xiaoqiong’s kindness that gradually helped her integrate into this era, so this girl is someone she will always be grateful to. Naturally, she would accompany her through these tough times.

"Xiaoqiong, tell me honestly, do you have any plans for your future?" Chuxia looked at her seriously, "You know my brother’s personality. With hard work, someday you will become someone people envy as his wife.

So, I want to know, do you really want to stand alongside my brother, or are you content being a supportive wife?"

"I don’t know either..." Luo Xiaoqiong said with a face of conflict, "I want to grow, but sometimes the environment overwhelms me and dampens my mood.

I’ve asked myself if I would be happy just being an ordinary woman standing behind Zhao Qiliang, overshadowed by his glory, and I can’t find the answer.

I know very well, even if I don’t progress much, my in-laws won’t despise me, and Zhao Qiliang won’t look down on me either. But I feel if I’m that unambitious, I’ll grow distant from all of you. Anyway... anyway, I’m just about to burst from the conflict..."

"Ah..." Chuxia sighed, patting her on the shoulder, "I get how you feel. Actually, your mindset now is mainly because your relationship with your colleagues is so bad. Maybe you can talk to Director Xu and get a change of environment. The current setup seems a bit like forcing things to grow too fast."

"Yes, yes, yes..." Luo Xiaoqiong nodded repeatedly, "I feel that way too. Even though I’ve fully adapted to this job and can do it well, because of Director Xu, everyone has higher expectations of me, which increases my pressure, and then..." She spread her hands, "It’s almost driving me to depression."

"Then it’s settled..." Chuxia shook her head helplessly, "When I last saw you, I asked how you felt, and you said you loved the job and were doing great. Were you fooling me the whole time?

Luo Xiaoqiong, if you keep playing games with me like this, don’t blame me for turning against you. I’ve told you many times, that no matter how often we meet, our relationship is different from others. Do you really think I’m just joking to make you happy?

Or is it that I’m the one overthinking, assuming our relationship is special, but in your eyes, we’re just ordinary friends?" Sigh, to help her relieve the psychological burden, she even resorted to reverse psychology. Is it easy for her to do this?! (To be continued. If you like this novel, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) and vote with recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)