Chapter 167: My Childhood Sweetheart Couldn't Possibly Be a Fool! (3)

Bai Yu and his wife had always known that their daughter, Bai Yao, was more independent and opinionated than most children. As long as her preferences were not harmful, they were happy to respect her choices.

Due to work, the couple had to move with their daughter from a big city to this small town. They had worried that Bai Yao might cry and make a scene, but she adapted remarkably well, living her life just as she had before.

Yes, she still hated school as much as ever.

On the day of her first failed attempt at school, Bai Yu had to take a leave of absence to stay home with her. Once the time was right, he gave her a few instructions before driving off to pick up his wife from work.

Being first-time parents without any elders around to help, the couple had spent a long time in a state of chaotic confusion. For instance, when Bai Yao was one year old, they had taken her to the park, only to completely forget about her and drive home together. It was only when they saw the tin of baby formula at home that they suddenly remembered they had a daughter. When they rushed back to the park in a panic, they found her sitting calmly on a bench, leaning against the backrest with a pacifier in her mouth, casting a look of utter disdain at the young couple.

Back then, the couple had realized they were hardly worthy of such a clever daughter. Because Bai Yao had been so reliable from a young age, as she grew older, they felt comfortable leaving her home alone when work kept them busy.

Now, only Bai Yao remained in the white house.

After playing games for a while, she was forced offline by the anti-addiction settings, and her phone was locked under parental controls. With nothing else to do, she took a popsicle from the freezer and walked out onto the balcony to catch the breeze.

The evening sky was breathtaking; the sunset was vibrant and beautiful, painting the white buildings and the earth in gorgeous hues, much like an oil painting. Bai Yao leaned over the balcony railing, idly biting into her popsicle, when her gaze caught a figure walking along the path below.

A boy wearing a filthy backpack walked slowly along the roadside, kicking a pebble with every step. The shoes on his feet were so dusty that their original color was impossible to tell. A small yellow dog passed by, and he even raised his foot to kick at it. Fortunately, the dog was quick and darted away, disappearing in an instant.

He retracted his foot and continued kicking the pebble. Sensing something, he looked up and locked eyes with the girl peering down from the balcony.

Compared to when she had seen him at school, Qi Ye looked even filthier. If he had looked like he’d fallen into a dumpster before, he now looked like he had taken a bath in one afterward. The bandage on his face was crooked and peeling, and the white gauze wrapped around his arms and shins had turned the color of dirt. Every time he moved, it seemed as though sand fell from his dark, matted hair.

Yet, his eyes were piercingly bright; the ruthlessness and danger radiating from his dark pupils were wild and untamed.

Qi Ye opened his mouth, prepared to unleash another hostile threat, but Bai Yao had already tossed something down. Had he not instinctively raised his hand to catch it, it might have struck his head. His first reaction was to throw it back, but the cold, refreshing sensation in his palm caught him off guard. He stared blankly at what he had caught: half a popsicle.

He lowered his head, sniffed it, and then tentatively gave it a lick. It was a strange, icy, sweet flavor. He took a bite and looked up again, but the figure on the balcony was already gone.

Having used her unfinished popsicle as a weapon against the little scruffy boy who had been snarling at her, Bai Yao felt much better. She lay down on her princess bed, and before long, her parents returned home.

Bai Yu and Wen Wan had been classmates from junior high through university. After graduation, they married and joined a research institute. Because their social circles were so simple, despite being high-IQ professionals, they occasionally displayed a refreshing sort of naivety.

As soon as Wen Wan arrived, she asked her daughter excitedly, "Yaoyao, Dad said you got along famously with your classmates on your first day and had a great time. Is that true?"

Bai Yao glanced at Bai Yu. Bai Yu, standing behind Wen Wan, was frantically signaling to her.

Bai Yao nodded. "Yes."

Wen Wan hugged her daughter, who sat on the sofa like a little adult. "As expected of my daughter! You’re so good at handling interpersonal relationships! You hit it off with your new classmates so quickly!"

Bai Yao looked at her sweet, dim-witted mother, and for once, her conscience felt a rare pang of guilt.

A new experimental base had been built in Nanhua Town, which was why Bai Yu and Wen Wan were working there. The project was in its early stages, and both were very busy, though they always tried to carve out time to eat with Bai Yao. Fortunately, in their eyes, Bai Yao was the best-behaved child in the world, requiring almost no supervision.

At Bai Yao's insistence, they agreed to let her walk to school the next day. Their home was not far, only a ten-minute walk. In this town, even younger students walked to school by themselves.

Today, Wen Wan had styled Bai Yao’s hair into a lively bun, adorned with a bright yellow flower. Dressed in her school uniform and carrying her backpack, the little girl looked adorable. Her youthful face held an expression of haughty pride, a contrast that made her look exceptionally beautiful.

Before she left, Wen Wan hugged her and rubbed her cheek, once again posing the soul-searching question: "Why is my daughter so cute?"

Bai Yu also wore a doting, aunt-like smile. It was only thanks to his reminder that Wen Wan needed to get ready for work that she finally released