Chapter 13

Different dishes were already laid out on the dining table. Wang Shengnan had prepared all the dishes her daughter had longed for.

"Mom, I'm home!" Miaomiao exclaimed, rushing to embrace her mother.

Wang Shengnan excitedly responds to her daughter: "My dear daughter."

Lin Miaomiao's eyes widened at the sight of all her favorite dishes laid out on the table. For the first time, Lin Miaomiao experiences how her mother misses her. 

Wang Shengnan handed her a hot towel, saying, "Quickly wipe your hands; you must be hungry."

Lin Miaomiao eagerly wipes his hand while choosing what she will pick first.

Wang Shengnan handed her a big pig trotter and suggested, "Here, nibble on this while waiting for the chicken soup to be cooked." She picked up a feather fan, gently fanning her daughter.

"Mom, don't do that; it feels weird." Miaomiao looks at her mother weirdly while eating.

"Hmph, you've only been gone a few days, and already you find my pampering weird," Wang Shengnan huffed.

"Let's just turn on the AC. Why use a fan?" Lin Dawei suggested.

Wang Shengnan shot him a glare. "Don't turn it on. It's already autumn, and the AC's cold air is too strong. This feather fan is gentler."

"Miaomiao, next time let your father pick you up from school. I timed your journey from school to home; it takes two hours. It's such a waste of time," Wang Shengnan advised.

Lin Dawei also agreed: "That's true, the bus is crowded and you can't find a seat. I think many parents pick up their kids in their car. 

"But did you see many students taking the bus? If you take the bus, you're an adult. It's embarrassing if you always pick me up." Miaomiao responded.

Lin Dawei: "I noticed there are so many expensive cars at your school. Are the rich kids hard to get along with?"

"In my class, other than the top scorer, all my classmates are nice, and there's Xiaobai in our class," Miaomiao explained.

Wang Shengnan showed her motherly love to Miaomiao, and she started picking up food for her daughter. "Hurry and eat; you haven't been eating well for five days. Everything here is delicious."

Lin Dawei and Wang Shengnan observed their daughter savoring the meal like they were admiring a work of art. Lin Miaomiao, feeling a bit awkward, said, "Why are you staring at me like this? Why don't you eat too?"

Wang Shengnan replied, "I just want to watch you enjoy your food."

Lin Dawei added, "Your mother missed you for five days. She kept mentioning you every day."

"You are also sad," Wang Shengnan defends.

"You're both adults. You need to be independent. Don't spend all your time worrying about your children; have a life. Dad likes to draw; that's good, but Mom, you don't even have a hobby," Lin Miaomiao lectured them with the tone of a parent.

Wang Shengnan replied, "You are my hobby. Hobbies are things that bring you endless joy."

Lin Miaomiao couldn't help but roll her eyes at her mother's response.

Wang Shengnan noticed the mosquito bites on Miaomiao's face and immediately applied some Fengyou essence to them. "It's mosquito season; you must make sure to tightly tuck in your bed net."

"I've been telling you, Mom, mosquitoes just love me when summer starts. I beg them to spare me, but they never listen; they just keep biting and biting." Lin Miaomiao responded with a playful tone.

"How's living with your friends? Are your teachers nice to you?"

"I'm well-loved at school. I also have many duties; I'm the dormitory leader, the Laborer Committee Vice-Monitor, and by the way, I'm also a radio announcer at the school," Lin Miaomiao said cheerfully.

Wang Shengnan frowned. "Why are they giving you so many tasks? And being an announcer too?"

"You know there's tough competition for positions at the radio station, but I managed to pass," Lin Miaomiao explained proudly.

"If you've already passed, then you're better than them. 'The mountains you conquer are forever behind you.' You should leave the radio station and focus on your studies," Wang Shengnan advised.

"But I like this 'mountain'." Lin Miaomiao argued.

"Why not find an academic 'mountain' instead? Like joining a literature or math club," Lin Dawei suggested.

Lin Miamiao: "I can't change it anymore; all the registrations are closed anyway."

"Why can't you? I'll call the school. If we can change airplane tickets, we can certainly change this," Wang Shengnan persisted.

Lin Miaomiao was getting annoyed with her mother's interference. "Can't you just stop meddling in my own business ?"

"How can I not interfere? Your business is my business!" Wang Shengnan retorted.

Lin Miaomiao shook her head in disbelief.

As the conversation shifted to studying, Wang Shengnan's friendly demeanor began to change, and the atmosphere at the dining table grew less friendly. "You're still young; you still can't choose what's right or wrong. You can't decide on your own. You must discuss everything with us adults first."

"But I tell you everything," Lin Miaomiao protested.

"You didn't tell me about this decision before you made it," Wang Shengnan retorted.

"I didn't even know what I should report first or what I should report later. Plus, my phone was taken away, so I couldn't call you anyway," Lin Miaomiao explained

"Dawei, where's the telephone card? Give it to Miaomiao. You should call me every day," Wang Shengnan insisted.

"I'm sorry, I still can't do it. The teacher told us to focus on studying. You shouldn't distract me," Lin Miaomiao replied.

"Once every two days, that's the limit. If you don't call me, I will call you!" Wang Shengnan bargained.

"Hehe. Even if you call, I can't answer it. Our teacher told us that boarding school helps parents and children become independent. If you're always on the phone chatting, you might as well come home early. Or better yet, rent a small apartment near the school so you can live with me. I wouldn't mind," Lin Miaomiao suggested.

"Let's just eat; the food is delicious," Lin Dawei intervened, trying to diffuse the brewing argument.

"Even if it's delicious, how can she eat if she won't stop talking?" Wang Shengnan remarked.

"You're the one who asked me to talk, and now that I'm talking, you say I talk too much," Lin Miaomiao retorted, leaving Wang Shengnan speechless.

"Did you wash your hands? There are so many bacteria on the bus; the backseat and also the handle are full of sweat. And you are holdinga pig trotter with your hand," Wang Shengnan scolded, knocking Lin Miaomiao's head.

"You're the one who told me to eat, and you even wiped my hands with a towel and gave me this piece of meat. Did you forget?" Lin Miaomiao defended herself.

"Wash your hands with running water! Use soap twice. Go quickly!" Wang Shengnan took the chopsticks from Lin Miaomiao's hand.

Lin Miaomiao slowly put down the bowl, washed her hands, and quickly came back, shaking his hand to sprinkle the excess water."

"You've only been at school for a few days, and you've already forgotten the house rules," Wang Shengnan chided.

"Let the child eat in peace," Lin Dawei interjected, also growing annoyed.

"Lin Dawei, I'm reminding her of the house rules, and you started telling me to stop?" Wang Shengnan began pointing out every mistake Lin Miaomiao made. "Little girl, don't put your feet on the chair; you're a girl, but you act like a boy. Don't smack your mouth when you eat."

Lin Miaomiao set down her bowl. "I will just stop eating then."

"Your mother cooked all these delicious dishes for you, and you just take a few bites," Lin Dawei lamented.

Lin Miaomiao got up from the table. "I'm full; I don't have an appetite anymore."

Wang Shengnan continued to follow her daughter's every move. "Do your homework, and don't just lie on your bed and surf the internet."

When she was back at the table, she saw Lin Dawei eating vigorously. "Why are you still eating? Look at your belly; it's getting big."

"I'm just taking advantage of her being home; when she's here, I get to eat delicious food. When she's gone, it's back to bland meals," Lin Dawei responded with a hint of grievance.

Seeing Lin Dawei about to take some chicken soup, Wang Shengnan quickly stopped him. "Don't touch the soup; Miaomiao hasn't tasted it yet."

...