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The Exiled Life of the Noble Girl-Chapter 97: Lax
Chapter 97
Li Mingwei was still angry, but she still had some sanity left. She was a married woman now, so when she went home for dinner, she should still bring some gifts. So she took Dong Lei to the shop to buy some snacks.
Chen Jie welcomed them enthusiastically as usual. After they had chosen, he packed them up one by one for them. His eyes fell on Dong Lei, "There's still one more day of class tomorrow, then you'll have seven days off to go crazy and have fun again."
Dong Lei grinned, showing all his white teeth.
Every year, apart from going to County Town to buy stationery, Mr. Jin would probably only leave Qingshi Town on the anniversary of his parents' deaths. In a few days would be the anniversary of his father's death, so he had to go back to his hometown to pay respects, taking up the children's month off, which would be given altogether at the end.
When his son had just told him about this, he had also smiled crookedly just like Dong Lei.
Li Mingwei patted Dong Lei's head and told him to restrain himself a little. This was not a happy occasion. Dong Lei put away his smile and pursed his lips, pleasingly taking the snacks from her to help carry them.
The two of them returned to the Dong family. Wang Chunhua came out to meet them. Seeing only Li Mingwei alone, she asked, "Where are Liu Scholar and your mother-in-law?"
"They haven't come yet?" Li Mingwei unconsciously glanced back and explained, "After they ate, they went to the mill to grind flour. They probably haven't finished yet."
"It's alright, it's still early now." She took the snacks from Dong Lei's hands, rather unhappy, "You're still so polite with me."
Li Mingwei just smiled slightly, not answering her. Wang Chunhua took out all the snacks and put them on plates, so that they could eat some later when the others arrived.
"If it's still early, let's go and do homework first."
Dong Lei obligingly went to the backyard to set out the paper and writing brush, and also carried over a stool for her to sit on and watch him.
Li Mingwei took a turn around the backyard, randomly picking up a small stick. Seeing that he was still quite well-behaved writing, she sat down beside, but did not take out his homework from the past few days. Today she just wanted to see if there was any difference when she was present or not with this child.
Liu Yizhu came in from outside. Seeing them having class, he did not want to disturb them. He talked with Dong Shan in the main hall for a while. Only when he heard Dong Lei happily say that he had finished writing did he go into the yard to take a look.
He walked behind Li Mingwei and keenly sensed a hint of danger in her mood. His eyes fell onto Dong Lei's homework in her hands. These words were clearly taught by her, not bad.
"It looks fine to me. How can Mr. Jin say he was being negligent?"
After all, Dong Lei had only been studying for more than a year. There must be inadequacies. Were Mr. Jin's requirements so high now?
Li Mingwei gave a cold laugh. She went to the main hall to take out his homework from the past few days and slapped it on the table. She gestured for Dong Lei to open it, then spread out his homework from today beside.
She tapped the table with the small stick and angrily said, "Come, tell me yourself, what's the difference!"
Dong Lei shuddered, not daring to speak.
Wang Chunhua ran out from the kitchen very quickly, "What's the matter? What's the matter?"
Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she looked towards Dong Shan by instinct. Dong Shan met her gaze and explained, "Teacher Jin said Lei'er has been rather negligent recently. My sister-in-law..."
"What!" Wang Chunhua shouted loudly and rushed up to tug at her son's clothes, "What's going on with you, how did you get negligent?"
Dong Lei was even more afraid. He knew very clearly in his heart about what he had done, but he just bit his lips and did not dare admit it.
Liu Yizhu compared the pieces of homework and already understood in his heart. He gently patted Li Mingwei to calm her down a little, and made an excuse for the shivering Dong Lei, "Alright, it's normal for him to occasionally be unable to concentrate at this age. I was about the same when I was studying."
He moved next to her ear and lowered his voice, "You can scold him again later. Don't anger your sister."
Only then did Li Mingwei raise her head to look at Wang Chunhua. Seeing that her face was already pale, she knew that her sister had always valued the children's studies. She softened her mood and joked, "Sister, it's nothing. I was just trying to scare him to make him more obedient. Why did you run over so quickly?"
Wang Chunhua was a little suspicious. "But Teacher Jin said..."
"It's not that serious either. They've just started learning this. Occasionally not being able to do some questions is normal. When I'm home, if he can't do it, I'll explain it to him. Of course it won't be as good as before since I haven't been around these past few days."
When she said this, Wang Chunhua immediately believed it. It was true that Li Mingwei taught Dong Lei questions every day in the past. Although these days she would also accompany Dong Lei to do homework, she was just accompanying him and couldn't help him at all.
Wang Chunhua twisted her apron, embarrassed as she looked at Li Mingwei. Li Mingwei understood and said to Dong Lei, "From now on, just come upstairs first after school and finish your homework before going home."
Dong Lei nervously picked at his fingers, silently glanced at his mother, and nodded.
Li Mingwei bent down and stroked his head, gently saying, "Also, during this seven day vacation, bring your paper and writing brush to me. Redo all the homework from the past few days. If you don't finish, then don't even think about going out to play."
"Ah?" Dong Lei made a bitter face. His eyes reddened and he almost cried out in grief, "Auntie~"
"What is with that shout!" Dong Shan slapped him hard on the back, glaring at him, "I paid such expensive tuition for you, and you didn't shout that loudly. What's the big deal about some homework?"
He pinched Dong Lei's face and seeing that his eyes were still red, he got even angrier, "Are you even a man? Writing some words makes you want to cry!"
Dong Lei uncertainly wiped his face. It was dry. He stubbornly shook his head, "I didn't cry!"
"You still dare to talk back!"
Dong Shan picked him up and carried him to the front yard.
Li Mingwei sat in the main hall, eating snacks while enjoying the sight of Dong Lei doing a horse stance. She even provocatively raised her eyebrows at him. Her meaning was very obvious - let you skimp on your studies, you deserve this!
Dong Lei was just about to lose his balance. He wanted to ask for help, but seeing her treat him this way instead, he got so angry that he directly turned around and squatted facing the other direction.
"Did I tell you to move?" Dong Shan strode over and picked him up, "No need to squat anymore."
Dong Lei was overjoyed.
"You love moving so much, then jump around the yard ten laps. Hurry up!"
Li Mingwei laughed loudly as she watched Dong Lei continuously hopping around the yard. Laughing, she asked Liu Yizhu, "Don't you think Lei'er looks just like a little frog?"
A slow, fat little frog!
Liu Yizhu helplessly nodded, "Yes, like one."
He reached out and wiped away the leftover crumbs from the corner of Li Mingwei's mouth, saying, "That angry?"
Li Mingwei let out a breath and clapped away the snack crumbs in her hand. She lowered her eyes without saying anything.
How could she not be angry? Ever since she came to the Dong family last year, Dong Lei's writing had always been taught by her, except for that one month plus when she went to Xinghua Village. It had been almost half a year where she would always find time to accompany him in practicing writing. She was not saying it was tiring, but she had sincerely wanted to teach him well.
But looking at his recent homework, in just two or three days after she left, he had already started goofing off, clearly able to write well but insisted on being a bit lazy. She really wasted so much of her efforts!
Just you wait, there's more suffering waiting for him!