Madam, Please Behave-Chapter 186: It’s Not That Bad

Liu Changqing returned to the dance studio, feeling restless and irritable.

When he reached the glass doors, he didn’t step inside immediately. Instead, he stood outside, looking in.

Inside the studio, two figures—one big and one small—moved in sync.

The atmosphere between them was harmonious.

Unlike the usual carefree version of An Yuanyao he was used to seeing, at this moment, she was completely focused. She moved with precision, and from the movement of her lips, it seemed like she was speaking to Xiazhi as she danced.

Standing outside, Liu Changqing couldn’t hear what they were saying.

But watching An Yuanyao’s serious expression, he suddenly realized—maybe for the first time—that she wasn’t just a silly, naive woman.

Compared to himself, she seemed to know and understand much more.

He wasn’t sure what came over him, but Liu Changqing raised both hands and gave his cheeks a few light slaps, trying to wake himself up.

He didn’t know why he had been feeling so unsettled lately.

Ever since he had brought back that photo of his parents in this world, everything had started to feel… different.

Taking a deep breath, he finally pushed the door open.

"How’s the practice going?"

An Yuanyao immediately responded to his presence.

"You were gone for a while…"

"I ran into someone I know downstairs and chatted for a bit. By the way… Xiazhi didn’t slack off on her dancing, did she?"

"She was a little rusty at first, but she seems to have gotten her rhythm back. She’s really talented at this."

"Is that so?"

Liu Changqing raised his brows in slight surprise.

He knew his daughter’s strengths well—she was by no means gifted when it came to academics. But to hear An Yuanyao praise her talent in dance… that was unexpected.

The previous Liu Changqing had never really known how skilled his daughter was at dancing.

"I’m super good at it!"

With her hands on her hips, Liu Xiazhi basked in An Yuanyao’s praise, unable to resist bragging a little to her father.

Hearing her response, Liu Changqing paused for a moment.

This little brat… You really can’t compliment her too much.

Shifting his gaze away from Xiazhi, he scanned the spacious dance studio.

After a brief moment of thought, his eyes landed on An Yuanyao again.

"How about we call it a day?" he suggested.

"Huh? Why?"

An Yuanyao blinked, confused by his sudden suggestion.

After a short pause, Liu Changqing casually made up an excuse.

"Nothing really… I just feel a bit tired. I want to go home and rest."

That answer was clearly not what An Yuanyao expected.

She stood still for a few seconds, then took small, careful steps toward him.

Stopping only when they were face to face.

An Yuanyao slowly raised her hand, gently touching Liu Changqing’s cheek, her face filled with concern.

"Are you upset about something? You don’t look so good…"

"You can tell just by looking at my face?"

Liu Changqing casually brushed her hand away, his movements subtle, and forced a smile.

"Don’t overthink it. I’ve just been feeling a little tired lately."

"Do you want me to give you a massage?"

"You know how to massage?"

"When we learned dance, we’d always give each other massages after practice to relax. I’m not exactly a pro, but I think I’m decent… Want to try?"

Liu Changqing hesitated for a moment as he looked at her. Then, in an uncertain tone, he said,

"Uh… sure?"

As soon as he agreed, An Yuanyao pulled him over to sit down. She knelt behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders.

Her fingers pressed down slightly.

"Ah~"

Liu Changqing let out an involuntary sound.

Hearing it, An Yuanyao immediately paused. She leaned forward, bringing her face closer to his ear, and asked softly,

"Was that too much pressure?"

"No… My shoulders are just a little sore. Your pressure is just right—you’re pretty good at this."

"Don’t go throwing around compliments, or I’ll get cocky."

Though she tried to sound modest, the hint of laughter in her voice gave away her amusement.

She resumed massaging his shoulders.

Meanwhile, Liu Xiazhi, watching the two adults, suddenly had an idea.

She ran over to her father’s side, plopped down in a duck-sitting position, and reached out to grab his arm.

Liu Changqing blinked in surprise at his daughter’s sudden action, letting her do as she pleased.

Then he realized—she was trying to copy An Yuanyao.

Her tiny hands had no real technique as she clumsily squeezed his arm.

After a few determined squeezes, she looked up at him expectantly, her little face beaming as she asked,

"Daddy, is my pressure okay?"

Liu Changqing locked eyes with his daughter.

Seeing her proud, expectant smile, he chuckled.

"Very good, very good. I never thought my daughter would be so filial!"

He was momentarily stunned, then smiled as he praised her.

Behind him, An Yuanyao, witnessing this father-daughter interaction, let out a soft laugh as well.

With a faint smile on his face, Liu Changqing slowly closed his eyes, quietly enjoying this moment.

Maybe… things weren’t so bad after all.

Meanwhile, for Liu Zhiyue, the start of his third year of middle school didn’t bring any major changes.

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Aside from being placed into the Rocket Class—which meant the usual chaos during breaks had decreased—there wasn’t much that was different.

If anything, the biggest change was that his deskmate was no longer Zhao Xuanwen.

Now, he was sitting next to a girl who had been glaring at him ever since they were assigned to the same desk.

Liu Zhiyue had some impression of her.

Before summer vacation, she had blocked his and his father’s path, rambling a bunch of nonsense.

She also had the strange habit of always wearing a baseball cap, even in the blazing sun.

At first, he had suspected she wore it because of some kind of hair problem—he had even entertained the malicious thought that she might be suffering from premature baldness.

But when she finally took off the cap, the answer became clear.

Not only was she not balding, but her hair was actually quite thick.

Although her insistence on always wearing a cap still made him curious, Liu Zhiyue preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble, so he never bothered to ask.

A week into the new semester, things remained the same.

Evening self-study was always a bit dull.

After finishing today’s math mock exam, Liu Zhiyue grew bored and pulled out a notebook, casually doodling on it.

He still remembered what his father had told him before:

"As long as you have hands, you can draw."

But after spending several nights doodling during self-study, he realized that while his skills had improved somewhat, they still weren’t up to his standards.

Something always felt… off.

"What are you drawing?"

A sudden voice beside him startled Liu Zhiyue.

He turned to look at his deskmate, then glanced down at the sketch he had just made.

"It’s a Pikachu."

"Pikachu? Why does it look more like an alien?"

Zhang Yunjing frowned in confusion.

She was familiar with Pokémon—her parents had bought a handheld console for her younger brother, and she had seen him play the game before.

She could confidently say that the Pikachu she had seen looked nothing like the weird, deformed creature Liu Zhiyue had just drawn.