My wife is a witch princess.

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.

"If you can't finish it, pack it up and take it with you tomorrow."

After the dishes were served, Tao Xiang was the first to pick up her chopsticks. She took a piece of pork rib, ate 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, "Che'er."

"Ok?"

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 Nanjing University."

Zhang Shushu was taken aback. "Nanhui University?"

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

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

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

“I know,” Song Che said, “but Nanhui University is not bad either. And I want to stay in Nanhui.”

Zhang Shushu didn't say anything.

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

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."

Xia Li didn't say anything. After walking for a while, she suddenly said, "Wherever you go, I'll go."

"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 is 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.

"Moreover..." Song Che continued, "Nanhui University is not 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 laughed, "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."

"Ok?"

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 ones are 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 pleasant. 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 grandfather would always take me there and carry me on his shoulders.” She smiled. “Later, the stage was demolished, and your grandfather passed away.”

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 had run back 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, she showed no emotion whatsoever.

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 those... soup dumplings, which are said to be especially delicious online."

"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 really amazing."

"What's so great about it?"

“Everything is 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.

Chapter 153 Glass Carriage

Eating and sleeping are ordinary things, but the experience is different in different places. In Licheng, these things always feel new. The morning tea here has an ancient atmosphere, and the sleeping places are mostly attic-style.

Early in the morning, Song Che was woken up by Tao Xiang's knocking on the door.

"Song Che, get up! Aunt Zhang said if you don't get up soon, the soup dumplings will be sold out!" Tao Xiang's voice came through the door. This little girl actually called for her mother.

Is she your mother? Just call her that.

Song Che opened his eyes. The light outside the window was already bright. He reached for his phone and glanced at it. It was 7:10.

Xia Li was still asleep. She was curled up under the covers, with only her silver hair and a small section of her forehead showing. She hadn't woken up yet.

She tossed and turned for half an hour before finally falling asleep last night. Song Che heard her turning over in bed. She usually had insomnia because of excitement. Going out to play was still too new for Xia Li.

Song Che got up, and just as his foot touched the floor, Tao Xiang knocked on the door again, "Brother Song Che—you're leaving!"

"She's awake, she's awake," he replied in a low voice, afraid of waking Xia Li.

When the door opened, Tao Xiang almost rushed in. Today she was wearing a light yellow dress, with two buns in her hair tied with red cherry hair ties, which made her look like a New Year's picture doll with her chubby face.

"Aunt Zhang said we're leaving at 7:30, hurry up!" She peeked into the room and saw that Xia Li was still asleep, her voice immediately dropping eight octaves, "Sister Xia Li isn't up yet?"

"I went to bed late last night," Song Che said.

Tao Xiang nodded, and very sensibly withdrew, closing the door behind her.

When Song Che finished washing up and came out, Xia Li was already sitting up. The blanket was piled on her lap, her hair was messy, her eyes were half open and half closed, and she looked like a cat that had just crawled out of its bed.

She looked at Song Che for several seconds before speaking, "Good morning."