I Want Her to See Only Me - Chapter 22
Xia Yu’s registration went smoothly, but whenever Xia Man submitted the documents and the parents signed, he could always feel the piercing gaze on his back, deep and sharp.
He hesitated and turned back, Xia Xiuyin calmly looked at him: “Cousin, what’s wrong?”
Xia Man could only smile.
Xia Xiuyin led Xia Yu around the campus at a leisurely pace, eventually stopping for a brief rest in front of the swimming pool. The school boasts the best educational facilities and a strong teaching staff in the province.
“A’Yu, let’s sit for a bit.”
Four people found a bench under the shade of a large tree, Xia Yu leaned against her sister, while Xia Man and her spouse sat opposite them.
Xia Yu initially felt a bit embarrassed, but seeing that other kids were also surrounded by a group, he felt better.
Xia Man’s elbow was propped on his knee, his upper body leaning forward: “Xiao Yu… would you like to go play at Uncle and Auntie’s house?”
He doesn’t dare to hope that Xia Yu can live with them now.
Xia Xiuyin narrowed her eyes.
She played with Xia Yu’s hand, gently asking, “Do you want to go, A’Yu?”
Xia Yu’s fingers are being gently pinched.
So, she snuggled into Xia Xiuyin’s embrace and said, “Sister mentioned that we need to go buy school supplies today…”
Perhaps the disappointment in Xia Man and his wife’s eyes was too evident, her voice was delicate and tender, making it hard to refuse, “If Uncle and Aunt miss me, can they call me?”
Summer’s expression brightened a bit: “So, when would it be a good time for Uncle to call you?”
Xia Yu thought for a moment: “Every day, I have to study and read with my sister, sometimes I can’t answer the phone… Uncle, around six in the evening, right after I finish dinner, my sister and I will do crafts together in the living room.”
Xia Man nodded repeatedly, “Okay… okay, uncle won’t delay your studies.”
Xia Xiuyin quietly observed their interaction, her emotions unclear in her eyes.
Later, they strolled around other places together.
Xia Xiuyin and Xia Yu walked past a row of tall plane trees, with the wind lazily blowing through, rustling the leaves and stirring up the fresh green.
“Sister, the leaves of this tree are shaped like hearts.” Xia Yu’s eyes reflected the azure sky and the robust branches that spanned across.
A leaf fell from the tip of a branch.
Xia Xiuyin couldn’t help but examine the street trees that she was accustomed to seeing.
Xia Yu reached out and caught the leaf.
Sister… here you go.
She held the heart carefully and gently placed it in Xia Xiuyin’s palm.
Xia Yu then blossomed into a gentle smile.
“Wet wipes, pencils, portable pencil sharpener, ruler…” Xia Yu checked her supplies one by one against the list her sister had given her.
Her lap held a soft backpack, lively and playful in style, yet not overly ornate.
“Sister, it’s done.”
Xia Yu zipped up, holding her backpack and looking at Xia Xiuyin, her chin resting on the strap.
“The art kit is left at home, and we’ll bring it if the teacher requests, okay?”
Okay~
Xia Xiuyin led her out of the car.
On the first day of school, the homeroom teacher sat on the podium, and the children were lively and bustling.
Passing by one bright and clean classroom after another, Xia Xiuyin and Xia Yu stopped at the first class of the third grade.
“Remember to drink from the kettle, and wait for the water dispenser to boil before using it.”
Xia Yu clutched the strap of his backpack: “Mm!”
If you have a long break, don’t forget to wash and eat an apple.
Xia Yu obediently nodded.
“I’m also going to school, let’s cheer together.” Xia Xiuyin’s eyes curved slightly.
The child seemed a bit dazed, she pursed her lips and lowered her head.
“Okay~” said in a small voice.
The windowsill of the classroom suddenly appeared a beautiful older sister, and many children stretched their necks to look outside, then noticed the little radish next to the older sister.
Oh, it seems to be a new classmate.
Xia Xiuyin had intended to watch Xia Yu enter the classroom, but the child refused, insisting that his sister go first.
She had no choice but to touch Xia Yu’s hair and say goodbye to her.
Xia Xiuyin heard the whispers of the children in the classroom, like a flock of sparrows, chirping and chattering, endlessly noisy.
A few steps in, a slight tug came from the hand hanging by my side.
She lowered her head, and two slender, pale fingers slowly slipped into her loosely clenched palm.
It appears she has taken hold of the child.
“Sister…” a slightly unsteady whisper.
Xia Xiuyin’s eyes briefly held a hint of amusement before quickly fading away.
She let the child lead her.
“Sister.” Xia Yu’s voice was a bit louder.
She turned around and crouched down in front of the child.
“Sister here, what’s wrong?”
Xia Yu’s hand is still held in hers.
The child hadn’t cried yet, but the red around their eyes looked even more heartbreaking.
“Sister, will you come pick me up after school?”
The first week of school at the provincial level is for military training. Today, we just picked up our uniforms and listened to the principal’s mobilization speech. School will not end late.
Xia Xiuyin had intended to respond, but with such expectant eyes upon her, the original words rolled on her tongue and eventually changed to something else.
Her face was apologetic: “A’Yu, high school starts later than elementary, I might…”
Xia Yu’s eyes immediately glistened with a hint of moisture, and she replied understandingly, “I know.”
“Then, sister, can I come to your school to pick you up?”
Xia Xiuyin didn’t expect the child to give this answer, she hid her surprise and tenderly touched her eye corner, “Wait for sister at home, okay?”
Xia Yu slowly withdrew her fingers.
“Good…”
She said to Xia Xiuyin, “Sister, goodbye.”
Goodbye.
Xia Yu stood there feeling sad for a while, when she heard Teacher Zhang, whom she had met during registration, call out to her with a smile
“Is that Xia Yu? Come in quickly, the teacher is about to distribute new textbooks.”
Mr. Zhang’s voice trailed off, and the class immediately became restless.
The kids in the class have been waiting for a long time.
The new student appeared smaller than the others, carrying a cute backpack, and clung closely to the older sister, with only the two little pigtails visible from behind her head when seen through the window.
The new student’s name is Xia Yu.
“Shh—” The monitor held up a finger to their lips, “Classmates, let’s not scare the new student!”
In their anticipation, they saw a fair-skinned, well-behaved girl timidly enter the classroom.
She had straight bangs, her eyes were dark and glistening, her mouth was small, and her hands clutching the straps of her backpack were also small.
The water bottle in the side pocket of the backpack had a cute pink rabbit sticker on it.
“So adorable…”
She’s so tiny.
“Only up to my nose…”
“Only to my mouth…”
“Only up to my shoulder!”
“Only up to my——”
Mr. Zhang saw that the children were getting increasingly out of line and couldn’t help but speak up, “Alright, students.”
She smiled at Xia Yu, “Can the new student please introduce themselves?”
Let’s cheer together
Xia Yu thought of what her sister had said.
She took a small, deep breath, giving herself a boost of courage.
The children all quieted down, and every gaze fell upon the delicate little girl.
“My name is… Xia Yu, and I’m eight years old.” The new student’s voice was tender, like that of a little child.
My sister is very beautiful, and she is my favorite.
“She… also likes me.” Xia Yu’s voice grew softer, and her face turned red.
Watching Xia Yu struggle to speak, a child suddenly raised their hand high.
“Teacher! I want to ask the new student a question!”
Mr. Zhang said, “What’s wrong, student Xiang Hao?”
“How do you write the new student’s name?”
Xia Yu looked too delicate, so Teacher Zhang had to soften her voice repeatedly, fearing she might scare her.
“Can you write your own name?”
Xia Yu first learned his sister’s name, then his own.
She nodded and took the chalk from Teacher Zhang.
The new student tiptoed and wrote on the blackboard, stroke by stroke—
Xia Yu
Horizontally flat and vertically straight, it lacks character but is very neat.
Mr. Zhang was somewhat skeptical of the information he had previously learned; this child did not seem like someone who had not received proper education.
After writing, Xia Yu spread out her small hand, a piece of chalk resting in her palm.
“Teacher, here you are.” The voice was delicate and sweet.
Mr. Zhang likes this child.
She asked, “Does anyone know the meaning of the word ‘瑜’?”
A group of little radish heads looked at each other and collectively shook their heads.
“瑜, refers to a beautiful jade, a superior quality jade.”
The person who named Xia Yu bestowed upon him the most beautiful blessings.
She must really love her.
The children marveled.
Xia Yu—
She slightly parted her lips, her pure black eyes so clean it was almost unreal, gradually filling with a faint hint of moisture.
Loved… indeed.
—————-
Xia Xiuyin’s face was pale as she followed the crowd out of the auditorium.
She didn’t expect that just a mobilization meeting would take a full four hours.
During that time, the publicity department even projected over half an hour of past videos.
She glanced at her wristwatch; it was already half past four.
Xiaozhou finishes school at 4 PM on Tuesdays.
“Monitor, going home?” Amidst the teasing from a few boys around, one boy with a cheeky grin came over.
Xia Xiuyin remembered, they were among the bottom of the class in terms of grades.
“Going to pick up the kids.” Her tone was gentle, and she walked quickly, the boy who had initially been facing her now stood aside, looking somewhat dejected.
He muttered, “By now, the school must be about to close.”
Xia Xiuyin turned her back to him, her steps slightly faltering, and her eyes grew colder.
Fortunately, I didn’t make any promises to her.
Xia Xiuyin slightly pinched the bridge of her nose, looking weary, and her pace slowed down.
The new environment was surrounded by students who were boisterously noisy and laughing, the trees on either side of the path were menacingly clawing at the air, and the shadows loomed heavily, making it hard to breathe.
Clamorous, tedious..
Offensively bad.
The cacophony filled Xia Xiuyin’s head, pounding relentlessly against the eardrums, surging into the inner ear as if to strangle the delicate cochlea.
Day after day, year after year, endless as ever.
Abruptly
Sister!
The pure, clean voice of a young bird, washing away the dust.
Xia Xiuyin’s body stiffened.
She looked up.
Clean, bright child, gleefully waving by the car.
Bright sunlight filtered through the fragmented leaves, gently and vigorously pouring over Xia Yu.
A tiny shadow danced on the ground.
Xia Xiuyin’s eyes trembled.
Seeing her look over, the child’s eyes lit up, and with innocence and no defenses, he rushed towards her.
Xia Xiuyin stretched her arms out according to her own will.
She was embraced tightly.
The child whispered in her ear, “Sister, I’ve come to pick you up.”