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Chapter 215
June 7th.
Birds fluttered past the branches, waking the morning.
The lingering chill in the air was soon warmed by the sunshine.
On the usually jammed roads in Beijing city during rush hour, the blaring of car horns urging people to move was unusually absent.
The radio in the taxi was playing, and the broadcaster gently reminded parents to avoid congested routes and relax their mood.
Outside the school gates, crowds of people lined the streets.
Parents held their children's breakfast in hand, hoping they would eat their fill while worrying that eating too much would make their heads fuzzy.
A black sedan pulled up and three people stepped out, merging into the crowds.
Qi Shaobai was holding a clear file folder containing his exam permit and stationery. His dad and stepmom had already taken turns double checking it on the drive over.
As soon as Sheng Mumu got out of the car, she turned and held out her palm to Qi Mo.
Qi Shaobai looked over in confusion.
He saw his dad in a suit suddenly take two red hair ties out of his pocket and hand them to his stepmother.
Qi Shaobai: "???"
Disregarding the eyes of the people around her, Sheng Mumu tied one of the hair ties around her forehead.
She then crooked a finger at the strong and steady handsome man beside her.
Qi Mo obligingly bent down.
Sheng Mumu stood on her toes to slick back the fringe on his forehead and tied on an identical headband. She looked him up and down satisfingly and stroked her chin as she commented:
"Not only still handsome as ever, but actually look younger too!"
Qi Mo's body stiffened slightly as he slowly straightened back up.
Qi Shaobai finally made out the words on the red hair ties - "Go Qi Shaobai!"
The words were bold and forceful, vigorous strokes.
He recognized it as his dad's handwriting.
Qi Shaobai was shocked.
His pupils quaked epically.
Any silly antics from Sheng Mumu he would expect as par for the course.
What was unbelievable was his dad actually going along with it too.
Before he could recover from the shock, a pat landed on his shoulder.
He turned to see Sheng Mumu cock a proud brow at him.
"Young Mr. Qi, enough fanfare for ya? Feeling pumped up and motivated?"
"I...uh..." Qi Shaobai was momentarily struck dumb, not knowing how to respond. After a long pause he opened his mouth, "Enough-"
"Not enough!" Sheng Mumu cut him off mysteriously with a smile.
Qi Shaobai was perplexed: "?"
From the corner of his eye he caught his dad's raised brow corners sweep over the surrounding crowd, looking as if he knew what was going to happen next.
Qi Shaobai felt a throb at his temple, vaguely uneasy.
If even his perpetually collected and nonchalant dad found whatever was coming amusing enough to be conscious of drawing public attention, what could it possibly be?
Qi Shaobai brought his gaze back to Sheng Mumu's unfathomably mysterious eyes.
Suddenly, Sheng Mumu raised a finger to poke Qi Shaobai between the brows.
In the exaggerated tone of a manga character, eyes narrowed, she declared:
"Brave youth who harbors the star power of Wen Qu! Go forth, reveal your powers to the world! I will assist you with my magical abilities, propelling you to take first place in one fell swoop!"
Qi Shaobai: "......"
Qi Shaobai was utterly confused.
Staring cross-eyed at the finger still pressing into his forehead, his mind blanked.
He didn't know whether he should dodge away.
Even less did he know how he should respond.
Surprised voices arose from the people around them. The closest was a young couple, and the woman's eyes lit up, "Oho, that's a way..."
"C'mere Zhaonan, mama will give you a little boost too."
"Boost? Ma, I gotta get into the exam hall already, stop trying to crit me-"
Wei Zhaonan turned his head and happened to see the frozen Qi Shaobai. His voice abruptly softened.
Realizing what his mom meant by "boost", he burst into hearty laughter, eyes squeezing out tears.
"Qi...pfft...ahahaha..."
Wei Zhaonan saw the words on Qi Mo and Sheng Mumu's foreheads and laughed even harder. In an admiring tone at their similar flair he called out, "Uncle, Auntie, your headbands are so cool!!!"
Qi Shaobai swallowed and threw his good friend a sharp glance.
Inhale deeply...
So embarrassing.
Yet strangely, underneath the mortification he actually felt a subtle sense of being pumped with motivation.
He must've watched too many anime lately for his chuunibyou syndrome to be this advanced.
Before long, the chuuni spirit proved contagious.
The previously grave atmosphere outside the exam hall instantly lightened.
Parents could be continually seen pumping fists to cheer their children on, using spirited language to encourage:
"Go for it!"
"Conquer the exam hall!"
The security guard pulled the doors open, announcing examinees could start entering the exam venue.
A din arose from the crowds as people started shuffling forward.
Qi Shaobai rubbed the back of his neck shyly.
Suddenly he grabbed his dad and stepmom's hands.
Stacking all three palms together with his on top.
In a clear ringing voice:
"I'll do my best!"
Then slowly raised his head, lowering his volume:
"I love you guys."
The sunshine was just right, breeze perfectly mild.
The boy retracted his hands, cocked his chin, broke into laughter.
Casually turning away, he raced into the exam hall.
His straight back figure was jaunty and dauntless.
The fragrant cedars on campus sliced the dazzling rays into flickering spots of light.
Paved onto the road ahead he was going to tread.
Behind him, the man pulled the woman into his embrace by the shoulders.
"If memory serves, it's Little Qi's first time saying something so cheesy right?" Sheng Mumu suddenly asked as she looked up.
Qi Mo: "Yes, the first time."
"It really wasn't easy getting that boy to say something like this." Sheng Mumu smiled tenderly as a mother, her hand unconsciously coming to rest at the man's waist in light support. There was a hint of smugness in her tone, "Thanks to me you get to hear it this first time."
The man's gaze darkened slightly as he turned to look at her.
After a long silence, a scorching deep bass slid past her ears.
"Sheng Mumu, I love you."