Transmigration; A Mother's Redemption and a perfect Wife.-Chapter 457; Honeymoon Phase 6

She smiled then, genuine and warm, and something in his chest cracked open. How had he gotten so lucky? To have this second chance with her, to see her smile at their children instead of recoiling, to hear her laugh instead of scream?

Whatever cosmic force had transformed his wife from the broken, terrified woman who’d emerged from childbirth into this warm, loving person, he would protect it with everything he had. Even if it meant lying. Even if it meant carrying secrets that grew heavier with each passing day.

"Good," she said, settling back against the pillows with a contented sigh. The morning light filtering through the aquarium cast shifting patterns across her face, making her look ethereal, otherworldly. " I’m too sore to do anything but lie here and be pampered anyway."

Huo Ting Cheng laughed, the sound surprising even himself. "Is that an invitation?"

"It’s a demand," she corrected, pointing imperiously at the breakfast tray. "Feed me. I’ve decided I like being spoiled."

He obliged, picking up a piece of fruit and holding it to her lips. She accepted it with exaggerated delicacy, and they fell into an easy rhythm, him feeding her, her making satisfied little noises that were entirely too distracting, the world outside their underwater suite ceasing to exist.

A manta ray glided past the glass, its massive wingspan creating a moment of shadow before the light returned. Tang Fei watched it with childlike wonder, her eyes tracking its graceful movement.

"It’s beautiful here," she said softly. "Thank you for bringing me here to unwind."

"Anywhere," he replied, and found he meant it absolutely. "I’d take you anywhere you wanted to go."

She turned to look at him, something flickering in her expression that he couldn’t quite read. For a moment, she seemed on the verge of saying something important, something heavy. But then she simply smiled and reached for another piece of fruit.

"Then next time, somewhere with mountains," she declared. "I want to see snow."

"Mountains and snow," he agreed easily. "Whatever you want, Mrs. Huo."

The title made her smile widen, and she stretched languidly, carefully, mindful of her soreness, like a cat in a sunbeam. The anklet caught the aquatic light, sending tiny sparks dancing across the white sheets.

Huo Ting Cheng watched her, memorizing this moment. Her contentment, her trust, her acceptance. Everything he was working so hard to preserve, even through deception.

The herbal decoction he’d taken that morning sat in his stomach like a stone, bitter and accusing. But when Tang Fei laughed at something, a fish doing something amusing outside their window, he pushed the guilt down deeper, buried it beneath layers of justification and desperate love.

He would do anything to keep her like this. Anything to prevent her return to that dark place where she’d looked at their newborn kids with horror instead of love.

Even if it meant becoming the villain in a story she would never know existed.

Even if it meant lying to the face he loved most in the world.

The morning stretched on, peaceful and intimate, while somewhere far away, Twilight managed an entertainment empire with the fierce determination of someone twice her age, and five children went about their school/military day, blissfully unaware of the complicated web of protection and deception that surrounded their family.

In the underwater suite, surrounded by the endless blue and the gentle movement of marine life, Huo Ting Cheng held his wife and silently promised her everything, except the truth.

— — — — — — —

The Literature Department occupied the third floor of the academy, a quiet sanctuary of polished wood and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that smelled perpetually of old paper and ink.

Minghao walked beside Qin Xinyu with her characteristic confident stride, her school uniform crisp and neat, her ponytail swinging with each step.

"Mrs. Chen should be in her office," Minghao said, checking the small notepad she’d brought. "We need to confirm our registration and submit our preliminary research outline."

Qin Xinyu nodded, his expression calm but focused. "And mention that our third member will join us on Friday."

They found Mrs. Chen’s office door slightly ajar, soft classical music drifting out into the hallway.

Minghao knocked politely, three precise raps, and waited.

"Come in," called a warm, cultured voice.

Mrs. Chen was a woman in her late forties with silver-streaked hair pulled back in an elegant bun and reading glasses perched on her nose.

She looked up from the papers scattered across her desk and smiled when she saw them.

"Ah, Young Miss Huo and Young Master Qin. I was expecting you." She gestured to the chairs across from her desk. "Please, sit. I understand you’re registering for the International School Debate Congress?"

"Yes, Mrs. Chen," Minghao replied, settling into her chair with practiced poise. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

She pulled out a folder from her bag and placed it neatly on the desk. "We’ve completed our preliminary research and outlined our argumentative framework. However, I should mention that our team will have three members. The third will be joining us this Friday physically."

Mrs. Chen’s eyebrows rose slightly. "Cutting it rather close, aren’t we? The congress preliminary rounds begin this Saturday. That’s barely a day more for your third member to integrate with the team."

"She’s been preparing independently," Qin Xinyu interjected smoothly. "We’ve been coordinating remotely. Friday is simply when she’ll be able to join us physically for practice sessions. But we have been doing everything closely and researching together..."

"I see." Mrs. Chen opened the folder Minghao had provided, her experienced eyes scanning the contents.

Her expression shifted from polite interest to genuine intrigue as she read. "This is... quite comprehensive. Your analysis of the motion ’Traditional education versus modern approaches in childhood development’ shows remarkable depth. You’ve cited contemporary pedagogical studies, developmental psychology research, and cross-cultural educational frameworks."

Minghao allowed herself a small smile. "We believe in thorough preparation Madam. The motion requires us to examine both historical educational philosophies and contemporary evidence-based practices. We’ve prepared arguments for both sides, though we’ll be assigned our position randomly."

"Your counterargument structure is particularly strong," Mrs. Chen continued, flipping through the pages. "You’ve anticipated common opposition points and prepared rebuttals with empirical evidence. The comparison between Montessori principles and traditional Confucian educational values is especially nuanced. This level of preparation is... well, frankly, it’s what I’d expect from university students, not middle schoolers."

Before Minghao could respond, voices rose from the hallway outside, loud, dismissive, edged with mockery.

"Did you hear? The Huo girl is actually trying to compete in the debate congress."

"The one who’s been missing for weeks? What does she think this is, a game she can just jump into?"

Mrs. Chen’s expression tightened with disapproval, but before she could stand, the door swung open more fully.

Three students entered, two boys and a girl, all wearing the same academy uniform but with the subtle additions that marked them as senior middle school students.

The girl in front, tall with her hair in an elaborate braid, wore a debate team pin on her collar.

"Mrs. Chen, we’re here to submit our....." The girl stopped short when she saw Minghao and Qin Xinyu, her eyes narrowing. "Oh. You’re actually serious about this?"

"Young Miss Zhang," Mrs. Chen said sharply. "Knock before entering, and mind your tone please. It’s just one word and you are out of this compound."

But Zhang Yuki ignored the reprimand, her attention fixed on Minghao with undisguised disdain. "You do realize the Debate Congress isn’t some casual activity you can waltz into, right? It requires months of preparation, extensive literature knowledge, and actual academic rigor. You’ve been absent for what, three weeks? Four?"

"Three weeks and two days," Minghao corrected calmly, meeting Zhang Yuki’s gaze without flinching. "And I’m quite aware of the requirements and the preparations that are needed, thank you."

One of the boys snorted. "Aware of them? You’ve probably missed entire units of the curriculum. How do you expect to compete when you don’t even have the foundational knowledge?"

"My foundational knowledge is quite solid, actually," Minghao replied, her voice pleasant but carrying an edge of steel. "But please, if you’d like to test it, I’m happy to demonstrate."

"Minghao..." Qin Xinyu started, a warning in his tone, but she was already standing, folder in hand. Minghao wasn’t someone to trample on when it came to vocal knowledge... She was really advanced and well knowledgeable.

Zhang Yuki crossed her arms, her.....