Chapter 108 - 106: Preparing for the Exam
Seeing how anxious Li Xiu was, Zhou Lian couldn’t help but chuckle. It was rare to see him like this. She smiled sweetly and asked, "What’s the matter? Why are you in such a rush?"
Li Xiu froze for a moment, captivated by his wife’s radiant smile. ’She’s getting more beautiful every day.’ He reached out, pulled her into his arms, and sat down, holding her as he said softly, "Bao’er, I went to the county town and found out what we need to know. I’m worried the policies might change, so you should take the exam this year. There are still about three months left. With your intelligence, I’m sure you can do it!"
Zhou Lian stared at him as if he were a fool. ’Has this man lost his mind? Three months? I might not even pass if I had three years! It’s not that I don’t have faith in myself, but the crucial point is that I’ve never had a single day of formal schooling. Sure, I studied for a few years with my daughter’s mother-in-law in my past life, but the exam isn’t just about poetry and classic literature!’
He smiled and gently kissed her wide eyes. "Bao’er, don’t worry," Li Xiu said softly. "Language Arts, Politics, History, Geography, a foreign language... for these subjects, you just need to memorize the books. For Math, I’ve already found someone to tutor you. You can definitely do it."
As he spoke, he picked Zhou Lian up, placed her on the bed, and proudly presented the books he’d bought today. "See? I brought all the books back," he said. "I bought exactly what the county high school principal recommended. He promised that if you just memorize these, getting into a university will be no problem. Bao’er, you’re so smart and such a fast learner. I know you’ll get in."
Zhou Lian watched her excited husband, helplessly rubbing her forehead. ’What is all this? I only mentioned it offhand last night, and look at him! His decisiveness is terrifying—he’s already brought all the books home today. And he wants me to take the exam this year? In just three months? Does he really think I’m some kind of genius?!’
"Li Xiu, are you serious?" Zhou Lian asked calmly, looking at the incredibly excited man before her.
"Bao’er, just try your best," Li Xiu said, gazing at her tenderly. He knew her personality well. "It would be wonderful if you get in, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t. I just want you to be happy."
Understanding his true intentions, Zhou Lian felt the corner of her mouth twitch. ’If this man were an emperor in ancient times, he’d undoubtedly be a foolish one—the kind who’d light the warning beacons just to make a woman smile.’ Despite the thought, a wave of sweetness washed over her heart. To be blunt, what woman wouldn’t want her man to prioritize her above all else? Looking at his gentle, smiling face, Zhou Lian couldn’t help but smile too. "Alright," she said. "I’ll try. I’ll do my best."
"Good. Bao’er, you need to understand something," Li Xiu said, his expression turning serious. "I only want you to be happy and enjoy yourself. Don’t be too hard on yourself, and don’t make things hard for me, alright?" He wanted his wife to be happy, not to drive herself to exhaustion, forgetting to eat or sleep.
Gently caressing his face, Zhou Lian said softly, "Don’t worry. I understand what you want for me. I won’t let you down, and I wouldn’t want to put you in a tough spot, either."
"Mm, good girl, Bao’er. You start looking through these books. I’m going to see about lunch." With a goofy grin, Li Xiu gave Zhou Lian a kiss and headed to the kitchen to whip up something tasty. He had to make sure his wife was well-nourished. Studying was grueling work, after all.
Watching his retreating figure, Zhou Lian suddenly smiled. ’This man of mine... for my sake, for my happiness, he’s planned everything down to the very last detail. Ah, well. In this life, I have a man who loves me with his entire being. So what if I act a little selfishly for once?’
She had been given a second chance at life; she couldn’t just walk the same path as before. In her past life, she had lived without any real purpose. Besides her son and daughter, she had no other goals, no idea what she could even strive for or what she truly enjoyed.
Flipping through the books, Zhou Lian felt a flicker of competitiveness ignite within her. Her memory was so good that even her daughter’s mother-in-law had envied it in her past life. The subjects that relied on rote memorization wouldn’t be an issue, and neither would the foreign language. She had studied it alongside her granddaughter and could read and write, even if her pronunciation wasn’t standard. She had been much older then, after all, and luckily, the current exam didn’t have a speaking component. Math would be a struggle, but it wasn’t an insurmountable problem. For her granddaughter’s sake, she had helped her with homework all the way through middle school!
After lunch, Li Xiu played with their daughter, letting his wife study in peace.
Watching her husband, Zhou Lian pursed her lips into a smile. Since he was putting in so much effort, how could she bear to let him down? Besides, if she went to a university, her children would have a better academic environment. They wouldn’t be like her in her past life, falling far behind their peers, only learning of things like the Four Great Classical Novels as an adult.
That evening, as it neared ten o’clock, Li Xiu began urging his wife to go to bed. Zhou Lian closed her book and looked at his frowning face, saying with a smile, "I’m coming. I won’t mess with my health, don’t worry."
She saw his brow relax a little, so she snuggled into his arms and said softly, "Relax. With you watching over me, I won’t overdo it. By the way, guess what? I finished a whole book this afternoon, and I already remember a good portion of it!"
Looking at his wife, who was being uncharacteristically affectionate, Li Xiu whispered, "Bao’er, please don’t make me regret this. You know I can’t bear to see you suffer or struggle. It’s fine to work hard since this is what you want, but you can’t let it ruin your health."
"Okay, I’ll listen to you."
After coaxing his wife to sleep, Li Xiu gazed tenderly at her as she slept soundly, nestled in his arms. His mind slowly turned to their future. ’With her diligence and stubbornness, she’s bound to pass the exam this year. That means I need to start making arrangements. First, a place to live. Private property sales aren’t permitted right now, but I should be able to figure out a way to rent a house first.’
’It shouldn’t be too hard to smooth things over with the village chief and the production team leader. I will not be separated from my wife, no matter what. I have no intention of letting her live in a dorm. I’ll drive her to and from class every day. As for earning money, I can do that when she’s on vacation—there are two long breaks a year! Besides, I can’t make any big moves right now. Making a little on the side to make sure my wife and child live comfortably is enough for now. Once a few years have passed and the regulations loosen up, then I’ll make some serious cash!’
’The only thing is... our son was conceived next year. If that happens again, being a student will be incredibly difficult for her. But knowing her, she wouldn’t give up. Well, so be it. I’ll just have to put in more effort to take care of her. In our last life, her body was completely ruined after she gave birth to our son. Maybe that was a big reason why she passed away so early. That won’t happen in this life. With me here to look after her, I will never let her suffer the way she did before!’
Bathed in the hazy moonlight, he looked down at Zhou Lian sleeping peacefully in his arms. In a voice so low it was almost inaudible, Li Xiu whispered to her, "You are my treasure, my obsession for two lifetimes. I will do everything in my power to ensure you live freely and happily in this life. Just as I swore to myself in our last life, I will pamper you and hold you in the palm of my hand. As long as you want for something and I have it to give, I will give my all just to see you smile."
As if sensing his words, Zhou Lian snuggled deeper into his embrace, drawing a gentle smile from Li Xiu. ’My treasure,’ he thought. ’I will give everything I have to protect the precious jewel in my arms!’