Lessons Learned and Nagging
The bell for class rang. Qin Shi paused, but then remembered that Gu Qinghai had said his last class that afternoon was PE, so she continued walking.
The primary school and middle school shared one sports field. It was very large, with ping-pong tables, basketball hoops, and proper-looking running tracks painted in white circles.
There were quite a few classes having PE, and the field was crowded. Qin Shi stood there looking for a long time but still couldn’t spot Gu Qinghai.
There was nothing she could do—she didn’t know Gu Qinghai’s PE teacher or classmates, so she could only rely on looking around.
After standing there for a while, one primary school class was dismissed, and the students scattered for free activity.
Qin Shi walked over, stopped the PE teacher, and smiled. “Hello, may I ask which group is Class One, Year Four?”
The PE teacher had already noticed this beautiful woman. Seeing Qin Shi come over to “chat him up,” he was so excited his heart felt like a dog was running wild inside it.
He gave her his most perfect smile. “Over in that corner.”
Qin Shi followed the direction he pointed in, confirmed it, then smiled and thanked him. “Thank you.”
“No problem, no problem.” The young PE teacher couldn’t suppress his excitement and asked, “Um… are you also a teacher?”
Looking at his innocent, bashful expression, Qin Shi’s smile deepened. “Yes. I’m looking for my son, so I won’t chat for now. Goodbye.”
With that, Qin Shi waved and turned to leave.
The PE teacher froze on the spot. His heart, which had just been pounding wildly, instantly turned cold.
“So young and beautiful… how does she already have a child…”
Qin Shi didn’t pay him any mind. She focused on searching the group for Gu Qinghai, but after looking around, she still didn’t see him.
Finding it strange, she waited until his class was dismissed, then went to ask the PE teacher. “Hello, is Gu Qinghai in this class?”
The PE teacher nodded and asked curiously, “You are?”
“I’m Gu Qinghai’s mother. My name is Qin Shi.”
The PE teacher immediately understood. Qin Shi’s name had already spread throughout the military compound, and lately she had become quite a talked-about figure. Naturally, he had heard of her.
“Gu Qinghai? He got into a fight with the class monitor, Zhao Haoran, this afternoon. The homeroom teacher punished him by making him clean the classroom, so he didn’t come to PE.”
Qin Shi’s eyes instantly turned cold. She thanked the PE teacher and turned toward the teaching building.
When Gu Qinghai’s classmates saw Qin Shi’s back, they gathered together in groups of two and three, gossiping excitedly.
Qin Shi arrived at Gu Qinghai’s classroom. Before she even got close, she saw a little girl crouching beneath the windowsill, her face full of hesitation.
When the girl saw Qin Shi, she instinctively wanted to stand up, but a sudden shout came from inside the classroom. Startled, she crouched back down again.
Qin Shi heard someone speaking, so she waved lightly at the girl, then subconsciously softened and slowed her footsteps as she approached.
“What are you acting so arrogant for? I know now—you’re an orphan! You were adopted! If you don’t obediently apologize to me, I’ll spread this everywhere!”
Hearing those malicious words, Qin Shi’s expression changed instantly.
“How pitiful~ I already thought you were pitiful for having a stepmother, but I didn’t expect you to be an orphan too!”
“What do you think everyone will say if I spread this around?”
“Say something!”
“Weren’t you so impressive this afternoon? You even dared to hit me. Why are you mute now?” Zhao Haoran sat on a front-row desk, shouting impatiently at Gu Qinghai.
Gu Qinghai gripped the broom tightly, forcing himself to endure it.
“I heard your stepmother is very pretty. Who knows how she hooked up with your dad? Dressing so seductively every day—better keep an eye on her, or she’ll cuckold your dad, and then you’ll be even more miserable, hahaha!”
Gu Qinghai could no longer bear it. He threw down the broom, pounced at Zhao Haoran, raised his fist, and punched him right in the mouth.
Zhao Haoran was caught off guard, but quickly reacted, and the two instantly started fighting.
Zhao Haoran was no match for Gu Qinghai. He could only hit back once after taking two or three punches and was completely at a disadvantage.
Qin Shi watched coldly, with no intention of stopping them.
The little girl beside her grew anxious. “A-aren’t you going to stop them?”
Qin Shi asked, “Do you think, after what he said, he deserves this beating?”
The little girl fell silent. She had arrived earlier than Qin Shi and had heard even more outrageous words.
Aside from the first punch to Zhao Haoran’s mouth, which he hadn’t been able to hold back, Gu Qinghai aimed every other punch at his body, specifically places where injuries wouldn’t show.
Lu Zetian had taught him where to hit so it would hurt the most without causing serious harm or leaving obvious marks. Gu Qinghai remembered it all clearly.
Zhao Haoran, on the other hand, was furious and struck wildly. Gu Qinghai took several blows to the face, but didn’t make a sound.
“Teacher!” When the little girl saw Gu Qinghai get hit in the face again, she couldn’t hold back anymore.
Only then did Qin Shi speak. “Xiao Hai, stop!”
Hearing the familiar voice, Gu Qinghai instinctively stopped and turned toward the door—only to receive another punch from Zhao Haoran.
Gu Qinghai had no time to wonder why Qin Shi was there. He kicked Zhao Haoran to the ground, putting distance between them.
“Ah!” the little girl cried out as she saw Zhao Haoran fall.
Zhao Haoran got back up and tried to rush toward Gu Qinghai again, but Qin Shi grabbed him and pulled him back.
“Enough!”
Qin Shi stopped Zhao Haoran with a sharp command.
Coming back to his senses, Zhao Haoran immediately complained to her, “Teacher! You saw it! Gu Qinghai hit me! He kicked me to the ground… Teacher, my stomach hurts!”
Zhao Haoran clutched his stomach and wailed, waiting for Qin Shi to scold Gu Qinghai. But unexpectedly, she looked at him coldly.
“You deserved it.”
Zhao Haoran froze. Gu Qinghai and the little girl also widened their eyes, not expecting Qin Shi to say that.
“You…” Zhao Haoran was about to speak, but Qin Shi cut him off.
“Are you the only one with a mouth? What kind of things were you saying? You’re so young, yet such vicious words come so easily. Who taught you that?”
Qin Shi looked coldly at Zhao Haoran. “Who told you Gu Qinghai is an orphan? I’ll have to ask them properly whether they know Gu Qinghai is the child of a martyr!
“Gu Qinghai’s father died during a mission. He sacrificed himself for the country. He was honourable. He was great! Soldiers risk their lives to protect the country and their homes, yet this is how you treat their children?
“You mocked Gu Qinghai, bullied him, and used his background against him. Don’t you feel guilty? Don’t you feel ashamed?
“The reason you can stand here at school and attend classes safely is because of countless soldiers who protect the country. Do you think it’s right to treat their children this way?”
“Do you think you deserved this beating or not? Should you have been hit or not?” Qin Shi demanded sternly.
Zhao Haoran was stunned speechless. His mouth opened and closed, but he couldn’t say a single word.
Gu Qinghai looked at Qin Shi. His nose suddenly stung, and a flood of grievance surged in his heart.
The little girl standing nearby sobbed, tears falling from her eyes.
“I… I didn’t know…” Zhao Haoran panicked a little. He was also a military child, so of course he understood what Qin Shi’s words meant.
But he truly hadn’t known Gu Qinghai was the child of a martyr. He had thought Lu Zetian had simply adopted him casually.
“You didn’t know, so you just spouted nonsense? Do you know that’s spreading rumours?” Qin Shi looked at him. “Gu Qinghai has a father and a mother now. He is not an orphan.”
“Now, apologize to Gu Qinghai immediately!”
Zhao Haoran lowered his eyes. After two seconds of silence, he turned to Gu Qinghai and bowed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know… I’m sorry.”
Gu Qinghai took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and said word by word, “I don’t forgive you. You caused great harm to my heart. I won’t forgive you.”
Zhao Haoran straightened and frowned at him. “Then what do you want?”
Gu Qinghai turned his head away. “Nothing. I don’t want anything. Just leave. Don’t provoke me again.”
He simply didn’t forgive Zhao Haoran. He hadn’t thought of making him do anything.
Zhao Haoran glanced at Gu Qinghai, then at Qin Shi, and turned to leave.
“Wait,” Qin Shi called him back calmly. “You apologized to Gu Qinghai, but you haven’t apologized to me.”
“You’ve never even met me. What right did you have to say I dress seductively? What right did you have to imply I’m improper? And what right did you have to assume I would cuckold Gu Qinghai’s father?”
Zhao Haoran’s eyes widened. Only then did he realize Qin Shi was Gu Qinghai’s stepmother. Hearing her questions, he lowered his head guiltily.
He had only heard his mother gossiping with the neighbours and casually repeated it to Gu Qinghai. He hadn’t expected the person herself to hear it…
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that about you.” Zhao Haoran bowed again.
Qin Shi smiled but did not say whether she forgave him. She only said, “Whose child are you? No matter what, Gu Qinghai hitting you was wrong. Tonight, his father and I will bring him to your home and apologize in person.”
Zhao Haoran’s heart jolted. Just as he was about to say he was fine, Qin Shi spoke again.
“And while we’re there, we’ll ask your parents who exactly has been gossiping and spreading rumours about our family behind our backs.”
Zhao Haoran’s face turned pale. He muttered something quietly, then turned and ran.
Qin Shi didn’t stop him. They all lived in the military compound—he could run, but his home couldn’t.
The little girl sniffed, looking at Qin Shi with both fear and admiration. “I know. His dad is a regiment commander too, just like Uncle Lu. His family lives at No. 39 in the South District. They’re my neighbours.”
Qin Shi’s stern expression softened. She smiled gently at the little girl. “What’s your name?”
“My name is Li Feifei,” the girl answered softly.
Qin Shi smiled and patted her head. “Alright, Student Feifei. Don’t worry. I’ll handle this.”
Li Feifei nodded, then glanced at Gu Qinghai. “Teacher, please don’t hit Gu Qinghai. Even though he fought, he didn’t mean to…”
Qin Shi smiled. “I know. I won’t hit him, and I won’t let his father hit him either. Don’t worry.”
Only then did Li Feifei breathe a sigh of relief. She found the reference book the teacher had left on the lectern, said goodbye to Qin Shi, and ran off.
Only Qin Shi and Gu Qinghai remained in the classroom.
Gu Qinghai looked at Qin Shi and suddenly said, “Thank you… Qin… Mom.”
Qin Shi looked at him in surprise. “What did you just say?”
Gu Qinghai’s face turned bright red. Stiffening his neck, he repeated, “I said thank you, Mom!”
Qin Shi smiled and patted his shoulder. “No need to thank me. This is what I should do.”
Gu Qinghai’s face burned. He lowered his head, not daring to look at her, but the corners of his mouth rose uncontrollably.
From now on, he also had a mother who cared for him.
He was not an orphan.
He had a dad and a mom!
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