You are my wife, don't doubt it!

"It's too late. Didn't your teacher Yuan say that we should gather at 5:30? Time is a bit tight." Zhao Xiaomei reminded him.

"That's right." Xiao Yao said, "Forget it."

In front of me was a relatively clear stream. There were seven or eight country kids wearing small vests and T-shirts walking around in it with scoop nets in their hands. The water level was only up to the chest at its deepest - it seemed like if an adult went in, it would not reach above the waist.

"What are they doing, taking a bath or swimming?" Xiao Yao asked curiously.

"Just slacking off." Zhao Xiaomei guessed.

Then, a dark-skinned child who looked the oldest held up a big fish with both hands and shouted excitedly in a dialect that Xiao Yao could not understand.

"The fish here should be delicious, right?" Xiao Yao said to Zhao Xiaomei, "It's pure natural and pollution-free."

Zhao Xiaomei's eyes fell on a fishing net that was used to pick up leaks by the stream - the net was like a basketball net with a bottom, and there was a long wooden pole behind it.

She walked forward, squatted down by the stream, bent over to pick up the fishing net, and a small piece of flesh was exposed on her back.

Xiao Yao could even see the edge of his panties.

Between her shoes and jeans, a large piece of white cotton socks covered by white lace appeared: "Xiao Yao, do you want to try it?"

"what?"

"Ah?" Before Xiao Yao could react, Zhao Xiaomei had already stood up, holding the fishing net in her right hand, and stepped into the stream with her left foot.

Just like that, I stepped forward with peace of mind.

Yes, I didn’t take off my shoes, my socks, or roll up my trouser legs.

The water instantly engulfed Zhao Xiaomei's shoes and socks, flooding just below her knees. Xiao Yao felt a slight throbbing somewhere in his body, and watched her continue to move her legs and walk deeper.

Her slender legs moved alternately up and down in the horizontal plane, splashing water and making a splashing sound.

There is a clear dividing line between the upper part of the aqua blue jeans, which is still dry, and the lower part, which is dark and reflective because it is wet.

"Xiaomei, your shoes will get soaked, right?" Xiao Yao ran to the stream: "You don't want your shoes anymore?"

Zhao Xiaomei seemed to have not heard Xiao Yao's words at all. She just waved the fishing net vigorously with the other children.

……

"Brother Xiao Yao, look!" The girl with short, slightly curly chestnut hair excitedly raised with both hands a big fish whose species Xiao Yao couldn't name. The fish's tail was still flapping desperately, and some water splashed onto the girl's face, making Xiao Yao unable to tell whether the shiny part on her forehead was sweat or water.

The setting sun cast its warm, dim sunlight obliquely on the water and on the girl's excited face, which made Xiao Yao feel that the scene was like an oil painting.

Yes, yes, yes, just like the one by Chen Yifei, “Memories of Hometown”.

"What's wrong? Why are you standing there?" When Zhao Xiaomei got ashore, Xiao Yao subconsciously reached out to support her. Zhao Xiaomei took advantage of the situation and leaned against his chest, but she quickly stood up on her own.

"Are you sick? These shoes are not cheap, are they?" Xiao Yao took the still jumping fish in her hand and complained with heartache.

"It doesn't matter," Zhao Xiaomei said nonchalantly, "As long as Xiao Yao can taste the fish he wants to eat, Xiaomei will be very happy."

Zhao Xiaomei held Xiao Yao's shoulders with one hand and took off one of her shoes with the other hand, pouring water from the inside onto the ground. The wet lace stuck weakly to her round ankles, and a few cute little toes were still twisting mischievously in the wet white socks.

Her sleeves were also half wet, with a very obvious dividing line in the middle of her thigh. The part below was very dark in color and shimmering, and it and the socks were tightly attached to her legs and feet, with some tangled wrinkles.

Zhao Xiaomei poured out the water from one shoe, threw it on the ground, put it on with her feet, and then took off the other shoe and did the same.

Xiao Yao looked at the bare foot standing on the ground. Water seeped out from the trousers and socks, and soon formed a pool near the sole of the foot.

Zhao Xiaomei suddenly bent her feet 45 degrees outwards: "What's wrong, Brother Xiaoyao?"

Xiao Yao did not ask her why "Xiao Yao classmate" became "Xiao Yao brother", but just shook his head and said: "Thank you, Xiao Mei classmate, I am very touched."

Unexpectedly, Zhao Xiaomei did not continue to tease him as she did before, or take the opportunity to come closer to him - she didn't even say anything, but just lowered her head silently and put on her wet shoes.

"Let's go." Zhao Xiaomei said to Xiao Yao, who was dazed holding the fish, and walked ahead.

Although the water had been poured out, Zhao Xiaomei's shoes still made a "puffing" sound as she walked, leaving a series of continuous footprints in front of Xiao Yao's eyes.

After walking about a hundred meters, she saw that Xiao Yao had not caught up with her, so she turned around and called out, "Brother Xiao Yao?"

Looking closely, I saw Xiao Yao was standing there answering the phone.

"What are you holding in your hand? It's so sticky. You keep hitting my wrist. It hurts." asked the girl on the other end of the phone.

"Oh, a fish." Xiao Yao told her.

"very scary!"

"What's so scary about fish?" Xiao Yao was puzzled.

"..."

"What's wrong, Yingying? Hello, is the call disconnected?" Xiao Yao said.

Yu Luying did not correct his new name for her: "My mother wants to see you, now."

"Huh? Then I should go back right away?"

"No, she's in the boat house."

"Huh?" The fish in Xiao Yao's hand fell to the ground and he jumped three feet high.

Chapter 119 Forced Marriage

2023-02-24

The place where Yu Lihua met Xiao Yao was a place in Zhouzhuang between a teahouse and a restaurant. Its most important feature was that it was secluded.

Yu Lihua was wearing a dark silk cheongsam and sitting opposite the table with a stern look on her face.

She was holding a green teapot in her hand and poured the tea into a few small plates... uh, teacups. Just as Xiao Yao was about to reach out to take some, Yu Lihua poured the tea out and poured it again.

Xiao Yao then realized that the first time was to wash the utensils.

Yu Lihua poured the tea for the second time and held the small teacup in both hands and handed it to Xiao Yao: "Please, Xiao."

"Hey, hey, auntie, I can do it myself..." Xiao Yao hurriedly took the tea set with both hands, feeling very nervous: "Thank you, auntie."

It was obvious that the intention of the people attending this Hongmen Banquet was not good.

"Please." "Please."

Xiao Yao tilted his head back and drank the tea in one gulp, then saw Yu Lihua sipping it in small sips.

The uniformed waiter brought a square plastic plate with both hands. In the center of the plate was a beautifully decorated ceramic plate with a steamed fish lying inside.

It was all because of Yu Lihua’s words, “You’re thoughtful and you even brought a fish,” that things turned out like this.

Xiao Yao's heart was filled with guilt towards Zhao Xiaomei, but he had no choice but to find a way to make compensation in the future.

It is the most difficult to accept the favor of a beautiful woman. This Zhao Xiaomei has really evil intentions. I have fallen into her trap.

"Yingying, go out for a walk." Yu Lihua obviously sent Yu Luying away, not intending to let her share the delicious food.

Yu Luying looked at her mother and Xiao Yao uneasily, then stood up and left.

Xiao Yao silently waited for Yu Lihua to finish her prayer before eating, then picked up her chopsticks and then raised his own chopsticks.

"Please." "Please."

It has been ten minutes since she came in. Apart from "Thank you for being so thoughtful and bringing a fish", "Please", "Please" and "Yingying, go out for a walk", Yu Lihua has not said anything else.

But Xiao Yao was not in a hurry and just waited patiently, because he knew that this was a common conversation trick used by adults.

Teacher Yao and Song Haijian, the junior high school class teachers, all use long silences before conversations to create a sense of psychological deterrence.

It seems that Yu Luying's mother is also a teacher? A university teacher? Or a professor?

Xiao Yao was not in a hurry and waited patiently to see what Yu Lihua was up to.

"This fish is good." Yu Lihua praised.

"It's really good." Xiao Yao ate the fish in big mouthfuls, not because he was hungry, but because he felt that if he ate a little more, he would be more worthy of Zhao Xiaomei.

"I went to your school this morning." Yu Lihua finally got to the point.

Xiao Yao's heart tightened: "What did Teacher Song say?"

"Song Haijian is not in school," Yu Lihua shook her head with a smile, "I went to look for Lin Benliang."

"Lin Ben...?"

"That's your Director Lin," Yu Lihua said with a kind look, "Ah Lin, he used to be my student."

"Oh oh oh!" Xiao Yao said.

"I discussed with A-Lin about the misunderstanding you had at the 7 Days Inn," Yu Lihua said, "I told A-Lin everything that happened that day."

"Ah Lin... uh, what did Director Lin say?"

"Alin expressed full understanding. He will discuss this matter with your teacher Song and told me not to worry about it anymore."

"Then, then everything is fine?" Xiao Yao became happy: "Thank you, Teacher Yu, for helping to communicate and explain. Thank you, thank you."

Xiao Yao wanted to stand up and bow to show politeness, but hesitated whether it was appropriate. Before he could think it through, Yu Lihua had already reached out and made a "suppression" gesture downwards.

"Don't thank me," Yu Lihua said slowly, "You should know that I didn't do this for you."

"I see."

"I only have this one daughter. I won't allow anyone to threaten her future and reputation. Do you understand?"

"I understand." Xiao Yao thought for a moment and added, "Like you, I will do anything to protect her...her things."

Yu Lihua chuckled, but the meaning of that laugh was unclear.

"I originally thought that this matter would end here, but A-Lin told me something...even more surprising."

"What happened again?" Xiao Yao panicked again.

"Your final exam results are out," Yu Lihua didn't keep anyone in suspense: "You and Yingying are ranked first and second in the grade."

Xiao Yao grinned: "So good? I told you that repeating a grade doesn't exist, right?"

Yu Lihua frowned: "We both know why you got such a high score."

"Yeah." Xiao Yao nodded.

"Yingying even lied to me and said that the symbiosis started after she had an epileptic seizure on the way to Yushan. She really treated her mother like a fool," Yu Lihua shook her head and sighed, "This child has never been able to lie since she was a child."

Xiao Yao smiled awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

"Yingying won't lie, just like you won't cheat," Yu Lihua pointed out.

"Cheating?" Xiao Yao was confused.

"Now the school is investigating your cheating in the final exam. What are you going to do?" Yu Lihua asked him.

"What do you mean?" Xiao Yao was a little angry: "I can't do well in the exam, so if I do well, you will say I cheated?"

"You know best whether it is cheating or not. What is the essential difference between the high scores you get and cheating?" Yu Lihua pointed out.

"That's fundamentally different," Xiao Yao said stubbornly, "The school said I cheated. What evidence do you have?"

"Evidence?" Yu Lihua sneered, "How many points did you get in the midterm exam? How many points did you get in the final exam? Who would believe you if you said you didn't cheat?"

"This is a case of assuming guilt—"

"School has never been a court," Yu Lihua said, her voice rising several decibels. "I just don't understand. You just need to get 60 points to avoid being held back. You should slowly improve your score in the second year of high school. Why do you have to get the first place in the grade? What are you thinking?"

Xiao Yao remained silent, feeling secretly annoyed, realizing that he had not handled the matter very smartly.

"...I didn't think about it at the time," Xiao Yao told Yu Lihua, "I just didn't think about it at all. I just did as much as I could..."

"The school is now investigating the matter of you and my daughter having identical papers. What do you think we should do?" Yu Lihua put down her chopsticks and leaned back.

"Similar?" Xiao Yao widened his eyes.

"You only scored one point higher than Yingying, but all your mistakes were highly similar. Even your essays were almost exactly the same. On the last question in the math test, you both used the same calculus solution, which is college-level content - and you both got it wrong at the same time. On the last English translation question, you..." Yu Lihua said in one breath.

"Wait a minute!" Xiao Yao interrupted Yu Lihua: "The essays are exactly the same? Apart from anything else, I definitely wrote the essays myself, so why did she write it exactly like me?"

"So, both of you are Governors of Hong Kong (fools)!" Yu Lihua slapped the table in front of her angrily, then leaned over and tapped Xiao Yao on the forehead.

Xiao Yao didn't dodge and let her touch him.

"What's the point of you being so confused about whether it's your fault or Yingying's fault?" Yu Lihua said, "Are you so irresponsible? The school is investigating the issue of the two of you having identical test papers. What are you going to say? Are you going to say that Yingying stole the test questions and gave them to you?"

"I understand. I was the one who stole the test questions. If there is to be any punishment, it should be me, Xiao Yao." Xiao Yao had already made a plan. In short, he would take all the responsibility and would not let Yu Luying be implicated.

"You know that the college entrance examination papers are classified as top secret, and the ordinary high school final exams are also classified as secret," Yu Lihua gently used chopsticks to stir the fish on her plate to separate the fish bones from the fish meat. "If the school investigates, it will be a crime of stealing state secrets, which is a prison sentence of more than five years but less than ten years..."

Xiao Yao's chopsticks fell under the table with a "click". He bent down to pick them up, and he regretted in his heart why there were no two thunderclaps just now.