My wife is a witch princess

Chapter 153 Licheng

It takes about three hours to travel from Nanhui to Licheng by high-speed rail.

Song Che sat by the window, Xia Li in the middle, and Tao Xiang in the aisle. Zhang Shushu and Song Jianguo sat in the front row. As soon as Zhang Shushu got on the bus, she started flipping through a travel guide, muttering about what good food and fun things to do in Licheng. Song Jianguo listened beside her, but mostly looked out the window.

As the train started moving, Xia Li leaned closer to the window, watching the platform slowly recede into the distance. As it receded, it sped up, and then the entire city began to rush past.

She watched this from the bus last time we went to Taixi.

Last time I asked him, "Why does this metal box run so fast?"

She's gotten used to it now; she finds a seat as soon as she gets on the bus and buckles up as soon as she sits down.

"Look," she suddenly pointed out the window.

Song Che looked in the direction she was pointing and saw a mountain range in the distance, hidden in the clouds and mist, undulating like a sleeping dragon.

"It looks good," he said.

"Mmm." Xia Li withdrew her hand and placed it on her knee.

She wore a light yellow dress today, which Zhang Shushu had taken her to buy before they left. Song Che had originally offered to go with her, but Zhang Shushu said, "What would a boy like you know?" and sent Song Che back home.

The skirt fell slightly above her knees, with a white lace trim around the neckline. It was cinched at the waist, making her already slender waist appear even thinner. She wore a pair of new white canvas shoes, the laces still in a knotted knot.

Tao Xiang sat in the aisle, wearing headphones and watching cartoons. She would laugh every now and then, then cover her mouth so as not to disturb others. She wore a pink dress, picked out by Zhang Shushu, and had two small braids in her hair, with cherry-shaped hair ties at the ends.

She was especially excited today; she woke up at 5:30 in the morning and knocked on each door, asking, "Have we left yet? Have we left yet?"

Children have an abundance of energy.

Zhang Shushu leaned over from the front row and asked, "Che'er, are you hungry? Mom brought some food."

I'm not hungry.

Where is Xia Li?

Xia Li shook her head, "I'm not hungry."

"Momoka?"

Momoka took off her headphones. "Huh?"

Are you hungry?

"I'm not hungry!"

Zhang Shushu smiled and turned back, took out a few oranges from her bag, handed one to Song Jianguo, then one to Tao Xiang, and then slipped two to Song Che through the gap between the seats, "Eat if you're hungry, don't carry on."

Actually, none of them were hungry, but the mother couldn't stay idle and wanted to share any food she had with the children.

Song Che took it and handed one to Xia Li. Xia Li took it, placed it on her lap, and continued looking out the window.

About an hour later, the train entered the mountains, with tunnel after tunnel, alternating between light and darkness. Every time they entered a tunnel, Xia Li would look at Song Che in the reflection of the window, and when they exited the tunnel, she would turn to look out the window again.

Song Che reached out and took her hand. Xia Li's hand was cool; she moved slightly when he held it, then gripped it back. The tunnel was dark, the windows reflecting light so they couldn't see outside, only the lights inside the carriage and the passengers' reflections. In the reflection, Song Che saw Xia Li smiling; she was smiling more and more these days.

Once out of the tunnel, she looked out the window again, but didn't pull her hand back, groping Song Che like a little hooligan.

The three hours passed faster than I expected.

As the train pulled into the station, the name "Licheng" appeared on the platform, and Song Che suddenly felt a little dazed. He had never been to this city before, but he had heard the name many times—in the news, in geography textbooks, and from other people's conversations. Now he was here.

There were many people when they exited the station. Zhang Shushu walked at the front, holding a printed guidebook in her hand, which was covered with dense writing.

Song Jianguo pulled a suitcase and carried a bag on his back, walking steadily. Tao Xiang skipped along behind, turning her head this way and that, wanting to see everything. Song Che and Xia Li walked at the back; Xia Li's suitcase was white, and Song Che's was black. The two walked side by side, the wheels making a gurgling sound on the ground.

After exiting the station and arriving in the city center, the crowds began to increase, but Xia Li also started to encounter trouble, as she kept being pulled to take photos with others.

"Teacher! Can we take a picture together?"

A girl in a Lolita dress blocked Xia Li's way, holding a phone in her hand and looking at her with bright eyes.

Xia Li was stunned for a moment and looked at Song Che.

Song Che nodded. "Okay."

The girl happily leaned closer and held up her phone. Xia Li stood next to her, her expression a little stiff.

She is not used to taking photos with strangers.

After the girl finished taking the photo, she glanced at it and suddenly said, "Teacher, are you sure you didn't lose character? You look just like—"

She thought for a moment, but couldn't figure it out, so she smiled sheepishly, "Anyway, it just looks really good."

Xia Li nodded. "Thank you."

The girl left, and Tao Xiang ran back. "Did Sister Xia Li get stopped again?"

"Um.

""

"Which one is it?"

Song Che thought for a moment, "The fifth one after exiting the station."

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Tao Xiang laughed, "Sister Xia Li is even more like a cosplayer than those cosplayers."

Xia Li didn't understand. "What is a cosplayer?"

"It's—" Momoka thought for a moment, "It's someone who plays an anime character."

"I am not."

"I know you're not, but others don't know," Tao Xiang said with a smile as she ran back to find Zhang Shushu.

Xia Li stood there, looking down at her dress, then looking up at Song Che, "Do I look like one?"

"Like what?"

"Like someone playing someone else's role."

Song Che looked at her and suddenly smiled. "No, you're just like yourself."

Xia Li nodded and continued walking forward.

Zhang Shushu booked a hotel on the outskirts of Licheng, a ten-minute walk from the ancient building complex. The hotel wasn't large, but it was clean. The receptionist was a young girl who paused for a moment when she saw Xia Li, then lowered her head to check her in without asking for a photo.

There are two rooms. Zhang Shushu and Tao Xiang share one room, Song Che and Xia Li share another, and Song Jianguo sleeps in an extra bed.

Zhang Shushu's original words were, "Don't snore and disturb the child."

Song Jianguo had no objections and took the blanket to lie down on the extra bed.

Once inside the room, Xia Li opened her suitcase and began taking things out. She folded her clothes neatly and stacked them one by one into the wardrobe. Song Che, lying on the bed watching her unpack, suddenly remembered when she first arrived; she simply stuffed clothes into her suitcase, closed the lid, and that was it.

Now she can fold and sort things; she hangs up the ones that wrinkle easily and folds the ones that don't wrinkle easily and puts them in the drawer.

"Your mom said we're going to the ancient building complex tomorrow," Xia Li said while folding clothes.

"Um.

""

"Going to the museum the day after tomorrow."

"Um.

"We're going hiking the day after tomorrow."

"Um."

Xia Li hung up the last piece of clothing, closed the wardrobe, and turned to look at him. "You knew everything?"

She's said it several times.

Xia Li walked to the bedside, sat down, and took off her shoes. They were white canvas shoes with a knotted lace. She tried to untie them for a while but couldn't, so Song Che sat up and helped her. After untying them, she neatly arranged the shoes by the bed and then lay down next to him.

"Are you nervous?" Xia Li suddenly asked.

"What's there to be nervous about?"

"Tomorrow. Play with your parents."

Song Che thought for a moment, "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"I do," Xia Li said. "I've never gone out with them before."

Song Che reached out and took her hand. "It's okay, my mom is more nervous than you. She's worried you won't have fun."

Xia Li thought for a moment, "She's fine."

7

"Your dad is good too."

"Um.

"

"Momo Xiang is also good."

"Um."

"Hello to you too."

Song Che smiled. "Hello to you too."

Xia Li gripped his hand tightly and remained silent.

Dinner was at a restaurant next to the hotel, chosen by Zhang Shushu because it had high online ratings. The restaurant wasn't big, but it was packed with people, and the air was filled with the aroma of food. Zhang Shushu ordered a whole table of dishes.

"Mom, I can't eat that much," Song Che said.

"I can't finish it, so I'll pack it up and take it with me tomorrow."

After the dishes were served, Tao Xiang was the first to pick up her chopsticks. She picked up a piece of pork rib, took a couple of bites, and her eyes lit up. "This is delicious!"

""

Zhang Shushu smiled, "Eat more if it's delicious."

She picked up another piece and put it in Taoxiang's bowl, then another piece and put it in Xia Li's bowl, then another piece and put it in Song Che's bowl, and finally picked up a piece for herself.

Xia Li took a bite of the rib, chewed it, and nodded. "Delicious."

Zhang Shushu watched her eat, even happier than if she were eating herself. "Eat more if it's delicious, you're too thin."

Song Che listened from the side, thinking to himself that she had gained several pounds recently, but he didn't say it.

Halfway through the meal, Zhang Shushu suddenly put down her chopsticks and said, "Che'er."

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"Um?"

"Have you decided on your university application?"

The table fell silent for a moment. Tao Xiang stopped eating the ribs, and Xia Li also stopped and looked at Song Che.

"I've made up my mind," Song Che said. "I'll apply to Nanhui University."

Zhang Shushu was taken aback. "Nanhui University?"

"Yes. It's close to home, and the major is good too."

Zhang Shushu stared at him for a long time. Then she lowered her head, picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of fish, put it in her mouth, chewed for a while, and swallowed. "You don't need to worry about the family—"

She paused for a moment, then said, "You scored 650, which means you can get into a better school."

"I know," Song Che said, "but Nanhui University isn't bad either. And I want to stay at Nanhui."

Zhang Shushu didn't say anything.

Song Jianguo spoke up from the side, "It's your own business, you make your own decision."

Song Che nodded. "Here you go."

Zhang Shushu picked up another piece of fish, but didn't eat it. She put it in her bowl and poked at it with her chopsticks. "When you were little, you always talked about wanting to go to another city."

Song Che was stunned for a moment; he didn't remember.

"I stopped talking about it when I got older," Zhang Shushu smiled. "I never asked."

She ate the fish and then put a piece of pork rib in Song Che's bowl. "Nanhui University is good, it's close to home, so Mom can visit you often."

Song Che nodded. "Mm."

Xia Li, who was listening nearby, suddenly reached out and squeezed his hand under the table.

After dinner, we returned to the hotel, and it was already dark.

The night view of Licheng was more beautiful than during the day. Warm yellow lights hung from the eaves of the ancient buildings, illuminating the bluestone pavement. Zhang Shushu said she wanted to take a walk, and Song Jianguo accompanied her, walking close together, shoulder to shoulder. Tao Xiang ran ahead, sometimes squatting down to look at the roadside flowers, sometimes chasing after a cat.

Song Che and Xia Li walked at the back, and the two of them were very close together.

"What you just said," Xia Li asked, "is it true?"

"What?"

"I want to stay in Nanhui."

Song Che thought for a moment, "Half and half."

What does "half and half" mean?

"Half of it is because I really want to stay, and the other half is—" He paused, "...I don't want to go too far."

"I know."

"So, you don't need to stay for me."

Song Che looked at her. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for us."

Xia Li was stunned for a moment.

"You're in Nanhui, my mom's in Nanhui, and my friends are in Nanhui too," Song Che said. "If I leave, you'll all be here. What will I do when I miss you?"

Xia Li didn't speak, but she reached out and took his hand.

"And—" Song Che continued, "Nanhui University isn't bad either. I checked, and with my score, I can get into a good major."

Xia Li nodded, "Then I'll apply to universities in Nanhui in the future too."

Song Che smiled, "Okay, I'll wait until you start school, but are you sure?"

Zhang Shushu called out to them from ahead, "Che'er! Xia Li! Come quick! There's a river ahead, it's very beautiful!"

The two quickened their pace to catch up. There was indeed a river ahead, not wide, but the lights on both banks were reflected in the water, shattered into pieces by the wind. Tao Xiang leaned on the railing and looked down, shouting, "Fish! Fish!" Song Jianguo stood beside her, his hand on Zhang Shushu's shoulder, watching the river.

Xia Li also leaned over the railing and looked down. The fish in the river were small, about the length of a finger, swimming in groups in the lamplight. After watching for a while, she suddenly said, "Song Che."

"Um?

""

"Do you think that fish might believe the lights in the water are real?"

Song Che leaned down next to her. "No way. Fish aren't that stupid."

"I think so," Xia Li said. "The lights in the water look the same as the lights in the sky. And the fish can't tell which one is real."

Song Che thought for a moment, then said, "Then tell me, which one is true?"

Xia Li didn't answer, she just looked at the water.

A cool, misty river breeze blew by. Song Che stood beside her, shoulder to shoulder. In the distance, someone was singing opera, the lyrics unclear, but the tune was beautiful. Zhang Shushu leaned against the railing, listening to the tune, and suddenly said, "When I was little, your grandfather also loved listening to opera."

Song Che looked at her.

"Back then, there was a stage in the village where they would put on performances during festivals. Your grandpa would always take me there, carrying me on his shoulders." She smiled. "Later, the stage was demolished, and your grandpa passed away too."

After she finished speaking, she turned back to look at the river. Song Jianguo reached out and put his arm around her shoulder.

Tao Xiang returned at some point and stood next to Song Che, asking softly, "Oh, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Song Che said. "I was just thinking about the past."

When something evokes emotions, it's unstoppable.

Tao Xiang nodded and leaned on the railing, quietly watching the river. At such a young age, it was impossible to tell that she had any feelings about it.

Five people stood by the river, looking at the water, the lights, and the stars in the sky, and they didn't feel bored at all.

On the way back to the hotel, Zhang Shushu suddenly said, "Let's get up early tomorrow and go to the ancient building complex while it's cool."

"Okay," Song Che said.

"Then we went to eat that thing—soup dumplings, which I read online were especially delicious."

"it is good."

"Let's go to the museum this afternoon."

"it is good."

Zhang Shushu nodded in satisfaction and quickened her pace. Tao Xiang ran behind her, her little braids swinging back and forth.

Song Jianguo told her to slow down and not to fall.

Song Che and Xia Li walked at the back. Xia Li suddenly said, "Your mom is amazing."

"What's so great about it?"

"Everything's been arranged," Xia Li said. "What to eat, what to do, what time to get up—she's thought it all out."

Song Che thought for a moment, "She's always been like this. She's the one who takes care of everything at home."

Xia Li nodded, "I want to do that in the future too."

Song Che looked at her, "What's wrong with that?"

"I'll arrange it," Xia Li said. "I'll arrange what you eat, what you do, and what time you get up."

Song Che smiled. "Then you can make the arrangements."

"I will," Xia Li said earnestly.

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