Chapter 266 Cleaning Together

Chapter 266 Cleaning Together

Ma Aning paused slightly, turned her head and glared at Chen Zishan, then scolded him irritably, "Why do you keep saying such nonsensical things?"

“The child has grown up and naturally has her own thoughts and circle of friends. Can she really stay at home with us every day?”

"Besides, what kind of person is Xingyun? Don't you know after all these years of getting to know him? Stop worrying about it!" After saying that, she continued to quickly clear the dishes and chopsticks off the table.

"Isn't this my daughter whom I raised with great difficulty? She's been taken by a pig. Don't you feel bad about it?" Shen Zishan muttered to himself.

“It’s a good thing that Xiaoxiao gets along well with Xingyun and the others. Our daughter has never had any playmates in this village since she was little. Besides, Xingyun is such a reliable kid. I feel at ease with Xiaoxiao by his side.”

Shen Zishan curled his lip, his tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction: "Xingyun is good, but Xiaoxiao is always following behind them, and she hasn't settled down yet. How can that be?"

Ma Aning ignored him and turned back to work: "Alright, alright, stop worrying about it. Xiaoxiao knows what she's doing, so let's not concern ourselves with her."

Inside the educated youth compound, sunlight streamed through the mottled windows, illuminating Shen Xiaoxiao's small figure.

She nimbly picked up a broom and skillfully swept away the dust and debris on the ground.

Meanwhile, Dai Xingyun and Xiahou Jie were also busy wiping tables and chairs and tidying up items.

Shen Xiaoxiao was exceptionally quick and efficient; in no time, the somewhat messy room was tidied up perfectly.

Looking at the neat and clean house, Xiahou Jie couldn't help but stop what he was doing and exclaimed sincerely, "Wow, Xiaoxiao, your work speed is simply amazing!"

"If anyone is lucky enough to marry you in the future, they will be blessed with good fortune!" After saying that, he winked mischievously at Shen Xiaoxiao.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiaoxiao's cheeks instantly flushed red.

She lowered her head shyly, gently fiddling with the bedding on the bed, and whispered reproachfully, "Xiahou, you're always making jokes about people. If you keep talking nonsense, I'll beat you up." She then secretly looked up at Dai Xingyun.

Just then, Dai Xingyun looked at Shen Xiaoxiao tenderly. Their eyes met, and Shen Xiaoxiao lowered her head.

Dai Xingyun walked to her side, his eyes full of concern and tenderness. He asked softly, "Xiaoxiao, you must be exhausted after working for so long. Why don't you take a rest first? We can handle the rest of the work."

As he spoke, he reached out to take the things that Shen Xiaoxiao was tidying up from her hands.

Shen Xiaoxiao raised her head, met Dai Xingyun's affectionate gaze, composed herself, smiled slightly, then shook her head and replied in a light and cheerful tone, "It's okay, I'm not tired at all!"

"Besides, you brought me so many delicious and fun gifts from home this time, I have to do something to express my gratitude!" She winked playfully at the two of them as she said this.

Seeing this, Xiahou Jie couldn't help but burst into laughter. He then patted Dai Xingyun's shoulder forcefully and teased, "Haha, Xingyun, look how hardworking our little one is!"

"Such an understanding, hardworking and capable girl, you must seize the opportunity and cherish her! Otherwise, it will be too late to regret it later!" Xiahou Jie said with a playful wink.

Dai Xingyun smiled but didn't reply, though the tenderness in his eyes became even more apparent.

After tidying up the room, the three of them sat in the courtyard to rest. The other educated youth had either gone home for the New Year or gone out to work, so the educated youth compound was very quiet now.

"Xiaoxiao, have you been studying hard lately? I just heard some important news: the college entrance exam is supposedly going to be reinstated soon!" Dai Xingyun asked with concern.

His deep, bright eyes were fixed on Shen Xiaoxiao's face.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiaoxiao was immediately excited. She grabbed Dai Xingyun's hand and exclaimed excitedly, "Really? Is this news reliable?" Her cheeks, slightly flushed with joy, were as endearing as a ripe apple.

Dai Xingyun smiled slightly, nodded gently, then leaned close to her ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "While I can't be 100% sure, it's probably close to 80 or 90 percent."

"However, there is no official announcement yet, so you should take advantage of your free time to pick up your textbooks again and review them properly, so you won't be caught off guard when the announcement comes." After saying that, he gently patted Chen Xiaoxiao's shoulder to show his encouragement.

At this moment, Xiahou Jie, who had been standing silently to the side, could no longer hold back. He stepped forward and said to Shen Xiaoxiao in a low voice, "Xiaoxiao, if you encounter anything you don't understand, don't hesitate to ask me."

"Although my academic performance isn't outstanding, I have gone through high school, so perhaps I can offer you some useful help."

As Xiahou Jie spoke, he revealed a simple and honest smile, a smile full of sincerity.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiaoxiao smiled happily, as beautiful and charming as a flower blooming in spring.

She nodded repeatedly and replied, "Okay, thank you in advance, Brother Xiahou. I'll definitely need to trouble you a lot in the future."

Dai Xingyun gazed quietly at the lively girl in front of him, a smile in his eyes.

He earnestly advised, "Xiaoxiao, don't put too much pressure on yourself. There's still some time before the official announcement, enough time for you to prepare thoroughly."

"If you encounter any difficulties or don't understand anything during this time, be sure to tell me immediately, and I will help you."

A warm feeling welled up in Shen Xiaoxin's heart. She raised her head, her eyes met Dai Xingyun's, and she said softly, "Xingyun, thank you so much."

"With such good friends like you by my side, I feel reassured and at ease."

Shen Xiaoxiao's face was beaming with a happy smile.

"By the way, the cleaning is almost done. I'll head back now. You all should get some rest. I'll come and call you all to eat together when dinner is ready."

After finishing her story, Shen Xiao stretched and loosened her muscles a little before slowly standing up.

“Okay, then I’ll see you off.” After Dai Xingyun finished speaking, before Xiahou Jie could react, he quickly stood up and grabbed Shen Xiaoxiao’s hand. Then the two of them walked out of the educated youth compound side by side.

"Oh my, look at you two being so lovey-dovey! You're practically blatantly showing off your affection in front of me, a lonely bachelor!"