My wife is a witch princess.

"No." Song Che slung his backpack over his shoulder, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "Wait for me at home, I'll be back at noon. If you're bored, read a book, or..."

He glanced at Bruce, who was curled up on the sofa, "Troublesome cat."

"……Oh."

Her voice held a hint of disappointment, but she quickly composed herself.

Xia Li walked to the table and sat down, beginning to figure out how to open the plastic packaging.

Song Che walked to the door and couldn't help but look back.

Sunlight slanted down on her. Her high silver ponytail swayed as she bent down to open a bag. Her eyelashes were lowered, her expression focused, and her greedy mouth was slightly open.

"Xia Li looks pretty with her hair in a high ponytail."

Song Che closed the door and went downstairs.

I'll definitely submit this exam. Xia Li is new here and doesn't know anything about modern times, and Song Che has forgotten most of it too. There's no way around it. I'll just have to take a look at the exam format and try again next time to save face!

……

Chapter One: Miss Chinese Language, Help Me Up!

Chapter Two: An unexpected encounter with Miss Math, whom I couldn't defeat despite my best efforts.

Chapter Three: The Fierce Battle Against Miss Math, Not Invincible.

I finished Chapter 4 in one go; I spoke too loudly.

Chapter 5: What should we eat for lunch?

Is there another test on Chapter Six this afternoon?

Song Che was sweating profusely.

He wasn't sure if the seven teachers would call him into their offices and gang up on him when the results came out.

Really? Definitely!

If someone usually behaves averagely in class, doesn't talk or cause trouble, but suddenly gets the lowest score, they might be seen as challenging the teacher and expelled.

Who is the kindest person in your family who can answer this question?

Even when Einstein came, he stuck out his tongue before leaving.

Song Che looked up at the proctor and the time, then looked down and silently wrote a word on the answer sheet.

"untie:"

I can't figure it out!

Song Che sat there blankly, copying the original exam questions, thinking about what to eat for lunch, whether Xia Li would tamper with dangerous electrical appliances, and whether Bruce had woken up yet. When there was only half an hour left before the exam ended, Song Che got up and did something only a top student would do.

In the math exam, there's no checking; you hand in your paper half an hour early.

Don't be fooled by his densely written answer sheet; it's all just a facade to appease others.

Stepping out of the exam hall, I slung my backpack over my shoulder, feeling refreshed and invigorated!

Song Che had once heard Sister Menkan say something that he had dismissed, but now he realized it made perfect sense.

The more successful you are, the more tiring it is. Being ordinary is not a bad thing.

"Buying groceries, heading home!"

……

When Xia Li was found, she was sleeping with Bruce in her arms at the door. She had her hands tucked into her sleeves and her neck shrank, looking rather silly.

creak-

Xia Li opened her eyes, smacked her lips, and when her gaze returned to calm, her expression changed from 'simple-minded' to 'cold and aloof' as she noticed Song Che pushing the door open and entering with several strange bags.

Song Che suppressed a laugh and closed the door.

"Are you trying to say that you just happened to be carrying Bruce to the door, were a little sleepy, dozed off for a bit, and then happened to run into me when you came back, and then just happened to wake up?"

"...Yes, you're right."

This time, Xia Li didn't move the small stool. Instead, she bent her legs against the wall, wiped her mouth with her hand, and stood up while holding onto the wall.

"What did Song Che do this morning? Was it required by the rules of this world?"

"It's an exam, but it has nothing to do with magic. It's about arithmetic and literacy. I'll teach you some later, which will help you adapt to society." Song Che helped Xia Li up from the ground. "Today I'll let you try something good. Just wash your hands and wait for your meal."

Song Che took the contents of the bag to the kitchen: several packets of instant noodles and a bag of hand-pulled noodles. Xia Li and Bruce stood at attention at the kitchen door, watching Song Che cook.

"Do you need any help?" Xia Li asked, her voice less hesitant than before.

"No need, this is easy to make, it'll only take a few minutes." Song Che rinsed the pot clean, filled it with water and started boiling it. He took out some vegetables and eggs from the refrigerator, prepared them simply, and then opened the instant noodle package. "I have an exam this afternoon, which is expected to last four hours. What do you want to eat tonight? I'll buy it and make it."

Can I come with you this afternoon?

"No, you can go for a walk by yourself once your leg is better. If your leg isn't better, you can only go out if I take you." Song Che wasn't controlling, but he knew Xia Li's survival skills. The farthest she had ever gone was the No. 1 Middle School Hotel. She had run out on her own and gotten lost, and they couldn't find her anywhere.

A wild witch's fate is nothing more than being locked up in a mental hospital or sent to a rescue center. If she encounters a bad one, she might be tricked into being sold into the mountains.

Luckily, Xia Li was fortunate enough to meet herself as soon as she transmigrated.

Song Che added:

"I want to emphasize that if you run around, the good food will be gone."

Xia Li hugged Bruce, pursed her lips and didn't say anything, her toes tapping the ground repeatedly.

Da da da da—

Well, His Highness is sulking again.

Song Che was helpless.

"Maybe I can take you to the library tomorrow." Song Che opened the pot lid, put in the instant noodle ingredients and stirred it. "Let me see how it goes. You have silver hair, so you'll need to disguise yourself to get in."

I cracked a few eggs, then put instant noodles and hand-pulled noodles into the pot. The unique aroma of instant noodles filled the kitchen and permeated the living room.

Chapter 29 How many steps are four hours?

Xia Li had a large bowl, and Song Che had a porcelain bowl.

Two bowls of hot noodles were steaming on the table, their rich aroma drawing Xia Li's attention. The noodles, cooked with eggs in winter, had a glistening red oil in the broth. Mixing instant noodles with hot noodles was still too much of a deal.

"Suck it-"

Song Che skillfully picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

Xia Li imitated her, slightly pursing her lips and tentatively sucking, "Slurp—slurp—ah choo!"

"Don't try to imitate me. Do whatever makes you comfortable." Song Che suppressed a laugh and pointed to her bowl with his chopsticks. "Try the noodles first, then have a sip of the soup. Take your time. If you like it, I'll cook noodles for you again next time."

"……it is good!"

Xia Li picked up a ramen noodle with her chopsticks, took a small bite, and the chewy noodles and rich broth danced on her taste buds. She had never experienced this feeling before. The taste was not salty, not spicy, but an indescribable flavor.

Song Che's cooking is always delicious!

Xia Li quickened her pace, going from carefully tasting to focusing on enjoying the soup, even finishing the soup completely, the shiny bottom of the bowl reflecting her still-satisfied face.

Song Che watched her quietly until she put down her bowl and looked up at him with her blue eyes. Only then did he realize that he had been watching her eat so intently.

"Want more? There's more in the pot, I'll get it."

"I'll go myself." Xia Li stood up and glanced at Song Che's bowl, which was still half full. "Aren't you hungry? I'll really finish it all later."

"I have a small appetite, so you can eat as much as you want, and don't save any for me."

"it is good."

When the last bit of broth in the pot was gone, Xia Li stacked the two bowls on her own and carried them into the kitchen. She turned on the tap, squeezed on some dish soap, picked up a sponge, and although her movements were still a little clumsy, they were already quite professional.

Song Che didn't say anything more. As usual, he felt sleepy after dinner, so he turned around and went back to his bedroom.

Xia Li didn't have the habit of taking a nap. She nestled on the small sofa, arms wrapped around her knees, staring at the chandelier on the ceiling, her gaze gradually becoming vacant.

She was awakened when Song Che woke up and made a sound as he slung his backpack over his shoulder and went out.

"I am leaving."

"……Um."

The door closed gently.

Xia Li got up, walked to the door, and stared at the door panel for a long time.

...another four hours to wait.

Xia Li walked from the door to the window, her fingertips touching the glass. She stood on tiptoe, trying to see the iron gate. Song Che, carrying his schoolbag, disappeared into the alley corner, leaving only a string of lonely footprints on the road.

She stood by the window for a while before returning to the living room and beginning to pace aimlessly. She had no hourglass, no clock, and couldn't tell how much time had passed; she could only count her steps. One step was one second, sixty steps were one minute, three thousand six hundred steps were one hour, and it would take four hours to walk…

Xia Li counted on her fingers and quickly realized she didn't have enough.

After walking a few hundred steps, Xia Li stopped, feeling somewhat discouraged, because her injured ankle was sore.

Picking up Bruce, who had snuggled up to her feet, she walked to the door and sat down against the wall to wait. After a while, her calves started to go numb. She rubbed her calves, stood up again, went to the kitchen, picked up the bottle of dish soap, and carefully read the small print on it several times, mentally reviewing the steps for washing dishes.

After doing all that, she looked out the window again.

The sun hung brightly in the sky, and dusk seemed far away.

Xia Li walked to the sink and looked at herself in the mirror.

The girl's skin was as white as jade, her features delicate, and her silver hair added to her ethereal and aloof air. But what was flawed was that there was no smile on her face, only calm.

The girl in the mirror stretched out her hands, pressed her fingers to the corners of her mouth, and gently pushed them up, causing her lips to curve into a stiff arc. But as soon as she let go, she still had that annoyingly indifferent look.

She tried to move the muscles in her cheeks and think of things that might make her happy—like a steaming bowl of instant noodles, a warm bed, or Song Che saying he could take her out to see the world tomorrow.

Xia Li kept trying, her lips aching, but she still couldn't manage a smile. The best she managed was... without using her hands, she managed to force a smile for a second.

...Why can't I laugh anymore?

Xia Litao's lips curved downwards, making her aura even colder. She could never learn magic in more than an hour, nor potion-making in more than half an hour, but she couldn't learn 'smile'.

...Even more difficult than forbidden magic and alchemical potions!