Ch 20: The Scumbag’s Daily Wife-Doting Life [QT]

“What… what is this?”

The senior student stared blankly at the scattered letter for a moment before quickly recovering herself. Smiling naturally, she pretended nothing unusual had happened as she gathered the papers and returned them to Xie Li.

“I’m sorry. I accidentally dropped your letter.”

Xie Li accepted it gracefully, his attitude refined and courteous.

“It’s only a small matter. Don’t worry about it.”

Hearing his voice, a faint blush appeared on the senior student’s face.

“You’re a freshman in the Ideological and Political Education department, right? Come with me. I’ll help process your enrollment.”

Xie Li glanced at the girl whose eyes were practically shining now. Slightly frowning, he grew thoughtful before quietly storing the letter away and following her.

The enrollment procedures were completed quickly.

When the senior student tried to continue accompanying him afterward, Xie Li smiled politely and tactfully declined. Turning around, he carried his folder toward the academic affairs office.

As for the senior student reluctantly watching him leave behind him…

Xie Li lightly tapped the letter in his hand.

The owner of this letter really did not seem simple.

This was the same letter that had arrived together with the admission notice. In the original owner’s previous life, he had received it as well. Back then, however, it only contained polite greetings and formal congratulations without revealing the sender’s identity.

The general meaning was simply congratulations on entering Capital University. If he encountered any difficulties, he could visit a certain location and the sender would help him.

The original owner had already seen too many people who acted warmly and polite on the surface, only to avoid him the moment his family truly needed help. So he assumed the sender merely wished to win him over because he had entered university. He did not take it seriously and casually threw the letter away after reading it.

But Xie Li did not have the habit of casually discarding other people’s letters.

After reading it, he had simply tucked it back inside the admission notice. Only now, after someone accidentally saw it, did he finally realize there was something unusual about it.

Judging from the senior student’s reaction, the sender was definitely important.

So… should he keep the letter or not?

The original owner had managed perfectly fine without it…

Forget it. Better to keep it. It might prove useful someday.

Having made up his mind, Xie Li stored the letter away and headed toward the academic affairs office to apply for off-campus housing.

At present, the university did not even have enough dormitories available and still needed to prioritize students arriving from farther away. Since someone voluntarily requested to live off-campus, the school naturally welcomed the idea enthusiastically.

As a result, his request was approved very easily.

Afterward, Xie Li visited his class, met his counselor and several classmates, completed the remaining paperwork, then returned to the courtyard house they had rented.

Li Tiantian was wandering around the courtyard with little Donggua. Seeing him return, she looked surprised.

“So fast?”

“There weren’t many people, so things went quickly. I had nothing else to do, so I came back.”

University tuition did not even need to be paid, and students also received a fifteen-yuan monthly stipend. Xie Li only needed one trip around campus to settle nearly everything. Since there was nothing else requiring attention, he simply returned home.

“Where’s Qian Lanxiang?”

Xie Li bent down and scooped up little Donggua, who was wobbling around the courtyard while practicing walking against the stone walls. Carrying him casually, he asked the question while walking inside.

Following behind them, Li Tiantian smiled at the father and son pair.

“Lanxiang can’t sit still. She went to the farmers’ market with Auntie Wang from next door.”

“Farmers’ market?”

Xie Li paused and looked back curiously.

Li Tiantian tilted her head, clearly confused by the term herself.

“Yes. Apparently they only started allowing them a few months ago. Lots of people set up stalls there. There’s more variety than the food supply stores, and things are cheaper too. Everyone nearby shops there now.”

Xie Li raised an eyebrow.

“That actually sounds pretty good.”

He lightly bounced Donggua in his arms and walked into the house. While absentmindedly playing with his son, his expression gradually became thoughtful again.

The major Xie Li chose at university was Ideological and Political Education rather than Chinese medicine.

The first reason was because the original owner had studied this exact major in his previous life. There was no need to waste effort researching a completely unfamiliar field when choosing this would be simplest.

Besides, the major required enormous amounts of memorization and recitation.

Unfortunately for everyone else, that happened to be precisely Xie Li’s greatest strength.

There was no reason to waste his natural talent by deliberately challenging a more difficult field.

The second reason was because extraordinary times created extraordinary people.

Having been born into a “red” political family and arrived in this era, if he failed to build some kind of meaningful career, it would truly waste the fortune he had been given.

And now, judging from subtle changes in daily life, he could already sense that the massive transformation which would alter the lives of more than a billion people was approaching.

By the time he graduated, he would be able to step directly into that wave at the exact moment the country most desperately lacked talent and rise alongside the era itself.

…

After officially enrolling, Xie Li quickly flourished at the university thanks to his refined, striking appearance and his gentle, scholarly temperament.

Naturally, because he stood out too much, many girls wanted to get to know him.

The senior student from orientation even took the initiative to seek him out repeatedly. Using their brief previous encounter as an excuse, she subtly tried growing closer to him, speaking with obvious familiarity and affection.

The moment Xie Li noticed this trend, he immediately revealed that he was already married.

The girls: “……”

They desperately wanted to curse.

Why was another good-looking man already married?!

The college entrance examination had been suspended for ten years. Since nobody attended university during that time, people generally married very young. As a result, many freshmen were already married.

However, most married students brought their spouses along while completing enrollment procedures.

Only Xie Li came alone because Li Tiantian was pregnant and he did not want her tiring herself out.

Unfortunately, that almost caused everyone to misunderstand completely.

To make up for the misunderstanding, Xie Li began taking Li Tiantian on walks around the university every single day.

Once people saw them together, they finally realized he was not only married, but already had children too. Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. When the news spread back across campus, countless girls were utterly heartbroken…

Because the university lacked enough teaching staff, Xie Li’s major did not actually have many specialized classes. Many professors and lecturers had to teach several classes simultaneously, so his schedule remained relatively relaxed.

He balanced caring for his family with attending school as time quietly passed by.

Half a year later, the second batch of college entrance examination students entered university, and Xie Li advanced into his sophomore year.

A few more months passed amid increasingly busy coursework.

Then Li Tiantian entered the hospital.

Xie Ting was born.

The little girl arrived extraordinarily smoothly. Li Tiantian barely suffered at all. Labor began almost immediately after the contractions started, and the entire process finished in less than half an hour.

Xie Li gave her a different name from the previous life.

She was called Xie Wan.

The “Wan” came from the phrase “莞尔一笑,” meaning “a gentle smile.” He hoped the name would change her fate, allowing her to grow into someone who lived more easily and smiled more often.

Afterward, Xie Li went to the hospital and underwent a vasectomy.

He did not intend to have any more children.

Once Li Tiantian left the hospital and returned home to recover, Xie Li informed both the Li family back in Xiaoxipo and the various members of the Xie family about Xie Wan’s birth.

Both sides of the family were overjoyed after receiving the letters announcing the good news and sent many gifts. Even without meeting her, it was obvious they already adored little Xie Wan.

Looking down at his deeply cherished daughter, Xie Li narrowed his eyes thoughtfully before suddenly smiling.

He pulled out the parenting plan he had written a year and a half earlier and began revising it, adding numerous new rules and regulations.

Although sons should be raised with hardship and daughters with indulgence, one could not overcorrect things either.

With so many people doting on her, if he wanted to prevent Xie Wan from growing spoiled or going astray in the future, he would need to rely heavily on his parenting plans.

The responsibility resting on his shoulders had grown even greater now.

…

Not long after Xie Wan’s birth, on the exact same date as in the previous life, Xie Li received a letter.

After reading it, he returned home and told Li Tiantian,

“My grandfather will return to the capital in half a month.”

Li Tiantian froze, staring at him in total confusion.

“Don’t be nervous. Haven’t you already exchanged letters with him?” Xie Li understood her expression instantly and comforted her gently.

Li Tiantian paused before forcing out a difficult smile.

But how could that possibly be the same?

Writing letters meant she could not see the other person. She could carefully think over every sentence and rewrite anything inappropriate.

Face-to-face conversation was entirely different.

What if she accidentally said something wrong?

Unfortunately, no matter how anxious she felt, every daughter-in-law eventually had to meet her husband’s elders.

Half a month later, one afternoon, Xie Li and Li Tiantian dressed neatly and brought both children to the train station platform, where they finally met this respected old man who remained vigorous despite being over seventy years old.

“Grandfather,” Xie Li called.

“These are my great-grandson and great-granddaughter?”

The old master of the Xie family remained impressively robust despite his age. After warmly greeting Xie Li and his granddaughter-in-law with a kind smile, he lowered his head to look at the two children and asked the question.

Xie Li nodded and gently presented little Xie Wan first.

“This is Wanwan. The boy is little Donggua. His formal name was chosen by you, remember? Xie Zhenchen.”

The old man’s eyes overflowed with affection. He glanced at the little Xie Wan being offered to him but chose not to hold her. Instead, he bent down and picked up little Donggua.

“I’ve spent the entire train ride looking at Donggua’s photos. Let me hold him first.”

Truthfully, during this past year, the old man had only endured by constantly waiting for Donggua’s photographs to arrive. Without that child, he might not have remained alive at all.

The old man gently patted Donggua’s shaved little melon-shaped head and smiled kindly.

“Come. Let’s go home first.”

Outside the train station, a car had already arrived to pick them up.

“Old Master Xie, you’ve suffered these past years.”

The middle-aged man waiting beside the car spoke with great respect. Glancing toward Xie Li, he smiled.

“So this is your grandson Xie Li. I heard he entered Capital University last year, but this is my first time meeting him.”

The old master merely nodded while holding Donggua and said nothing further before stepping into the car.

The middle-aged man stiffened awkwardly and quickly forced a dry laugh before hurriedly inviting Xie Li and Li Tiantian inside as well.

Soon afterward, the car slowly started moving toward the Xie family estate.

…

After receiving his grandfather’s letter, Xie Li had already arranged repairs to the old Xie family residence in advance. Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. At the very least, it now looked presentable.

The estate was a two-level siheyuan courtyard residence.

After weathering countless years, traces of age and hardship remained everywhere. The central courtyard was overgrown with weeds and wildflowers, while ivy covered much of the walls in dense green layers, exhausting the last of autumn’s vitality.

Walking inside with Xie Li, the old master lifted his head and looked around before sighing deeply, seemingly recalling something painful.

“I wonder when the eldest and the others will finally return?”

The middle-aged man had remained following behind them the entire time. Hearing this, he quickly replied,

“Please rest assured, Old Master Xie. Once the investigations conclude, Young Master Xie and the others will definitely return immediately.”

The old master simply responded with an “Mm” before finally showing enough interest to exchange a few words with him.

The two spoke for quite some time.

Only after the middle-aged man finally left in relief did the exhaustion on the old man’s face become impossible to hide.

Xie Li quickly took little Donggua from his arms and urged him to rest first.

“Grandfather, I already had your room prepared. Go sleep for a while.”

“So considerate?” The old man looked genuinely surprised that Xie Li had become so thoughtful.

Xie Li nodded calmly.

“Yes. Supposedly I’m very considerate now.”

Perhaps because his expression looked too natural, the old man became convinced in his heart that Xie Li must have suffered tremendously during his years in the countryside, which was why he had matured into someone so caring.

His eyes instantly reddened.

Hurriedly wiping his face, he sighed emotionally.

“Good child. You’ve done very well these past years.”

Like a child himself, the old man nearly cried at the drop of a hat, leaving Xie Li helpless.

“It’s because Grandfather taught me well.”

“If anyone deserves credit, it’s your wife.”

The old master suddenly laughed.

“You were an absolute little tyrant at home. Even after being sent to the countryside, you still never improved. Out of pure stubbornness, you refused to send us a single letter for two entire years. We didn’t even know your address and couldn’t contact you. We were almost worried to death.”

“Thankfully you met your wife. Otherwise I suspect you would’ve spent your entire life refusing to contact us.”

“So now you’ve grown this sensible because you married and became a father?”

Growing increasingly amused, the old master turned toward Li Tiantian.

“Granddaughter-in-law, my troublesome grandson must’ve caused you a great deal of hardship.”

“Grandfather, you’re overthinking things. A’Li actually treats me very well…”

Li Tiantian lowered her head shyly.

The old master assumed she was deliberately defending Xie Li and waved his hand with a laugh.

“Forget it. It’s normal for you to protect him. I won’t play the villain by criticizing him further.”

Still, he felt extremely satisfied by this granddaughter-in-law’s graceful and poised demeanor, her polite speech, and gentle temperament.

Originally he assumed a rural girl would require a long adjustment period after arriving in the capital.

Unexpectedly, she carried herself remarkably well.

Smiling, he rubbed little Donggua’s head before finally heading off to rest.

Lowering his gaze, Xie Li noticed that little Xie Wan in his arms was already struggling to keep her eyes open, so he carried her toward another room.

Li Tiantian followed behind while holding Donggua’s hand.

After entering the room, Xie Li explained,

“This used to be my room. Most of the old things are gone now. Only the bed and desk remain. The other rooms still haven’t been cleaned up properly, so our family of four will have to squeeze together tonight and make do for now.”

Most of the Xie family’s former servants had either left or scattered long ago. The once-grand Xie residence now felt silent and deserted.

Fortunately, everyone there had already endured hardship before.

Even without servants, they could still manage everything themselves.

╰───♡───╯

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