Life with Kids

For the past two days, Lin Mo's life had practically become a tutorial guide for a novice father, except the one he was teaching wasn't an infant, but a child who could tear apart space at will.

For example, how to use a microwave, or how to use a washing machine.

"Watch closely. Anything with foil packaging like this can absolutely never be put into a microwave."

Lin Mo took a packed beggar's chicken out of the fridge, peeled off the tin foil, and placed the meat into a porcelain bowl. "Otherwise, you'll get to see a grand fireworks show right here at home, along with a completely scrapped appliance."

Ning Qingcheng silently memorized this, though a trace of confusion lingered in her eyes.

As if seeing through her thoughts, Lin Mo casually opened a video website, clicked on a video, and handed his phone to her.

In the video, an energetic young guy threw an entire unopened can of luncheon meat into a microwave. In the next second, accompanied by a loud bang, the microwave door blew open as sparks flew everywhere inside.

"See that? That's a classic idiot's move," Lin Mo said, taking back his phone. "There are always people who like to ignore the manual and then pass the blame to the machine."

Every single day, at least one microwave is blown up by an egg.

Of course, some people are smart enough to look up how to use a microwave after blowing it up.

Yet there are still those who refuse to read the manual and just blame the microwave directly.

Ning Qingcheng nodded, seemingly understanding but also not quite.

Fortunately, she was a fast learner. Once Lin Mo taught her something, she could replicate it perfectly.

To cultivate her independence, Lin Mo would also give her some cash and let her go downstairs to the convenience store by herself to buy snacks or daily necessities.

Ning Qingcheng gradually grew accustomed to this kind of life—one stripped of the Ning family's halo, where she had to personally go out just to buy a bottle of soy sauce.

However, every time she went downstairs, the feeling of being spied on followed her like a shadow.

To a space manipulator, any lock-on or gaze directed at her would create extremely subtle ripples in the surrounding space, making it impossible for the watchers to hide.

She didn't act rashly. The first thing she did upon returning was tell Lin Mo.

"Oh, ignore them. They're people from Yanhuang Awakening, mainly here to observe your situation. I asked Liu Zheng; they're not his people, so they must have been sent by the Tianjing General Bureau."

"Are they going to catch me and take me back for research?" Ning Qingcheng lowered her head, her mind racing with all sorts of thoughts.

In an instant, her mind flashed with countless miserable scenes from anime and movies, where people with special abilities were locked in laboratories with tubes stuck all over their bodies.

Her brows furrowed.

Lin Mo put down his phone, looking at her between tears and laughter. He reached out and vigorously rubbed her head, messing up the hair she had just combed.

"Put away those edgy teenage thoughts, and stop watching so much anime, alright? You've already reached the Varia Arc in Hitman Reborn over the past two days, but I'd prefer it if you didn't get so hot-blooded."

Ning Qingcheng's cheeks flushed slightly. She lowered her head and muttered softly, "Alright, I got it."

"Alright, go change your clothes, we're heading out," Lin Mo stood up and gave the order.

"Ah? Where to?" Ning Qingcheng looked astonished. She had planned to binge-watch the rest of the Ring Conflict today.

"To arrange a place for you to live for school, and to drop by my school while we're at it. You can't just stay at home and be a shut-in for the rest of your life, can you?"

At the mention of school, Ning Qingcheng's newly relaxed nerves tensed up again.

She had never been to school, so there were many things about it she didn't understand.

Because of this, she had recently looked up a lot of information about going to school.

Things like morning study sessions, eye exercises, and flag-raising ceremonies all seemed like rules from another world to her.

She clutched the corner of her clothes, looking pitiful. "But I don't know how to do anything... The internet says that a lot of people in school will bully transfer students who don't know anything."

Ning Qingcheng looked utterly pitiful.

Lin Mo was amused by her appearance and let out a light chuckle.

"Bully you?"

He looked Ning Qingcheng up and down. "Are you sure you wouldn't be the one bullying others? I'm more worried about some blind fool provoking you and getting ground into meat paste just because you were in a bad mood."

"I am very well aware that I cannot show my abilities in front of ordinary people."

After all, she was someone who had earnestly received the Ning family's education.

Seeing that Ning Qingcheng was still full of worry, he finally put on a serious expression. "Don't worry, it's all been arranged. I had Xia Zhi set up your identity as a student returning to campus after recovering from a serious illness. I've already spoken with the school; they will give you a period to adapt, and no one will bother you."

Hearing this arrangement, the heavy stone in Ning Qingcheng's heart finally dropped.

Having time to observe meant she could at least see how others lived their days first, and then she could just do the same.

With this little bit of reassurance, she went back to her room to change her clothes.

The taxi pulled to a smooth stop at the entrance of Guangba Middle School.

The imposing school gates and the gilded name of the school all highlighted the status of this key institution.

"We're here. This is my school."

Lin Mo paid the fare and led Ning Qingcheng out of the car. "If you need anything in the future, just call me or come straight here to find me."

Ning Qingcheng looked up to observe the place, her delicate chin slightly raised, saying nothing.

Just as the two walked up to the gate, Wang Jinxi in the security booth sharply spotted Lin Mo. He immediately bounced up from his chair, his face covered in a wide smile.

"Oh my! Student Lin Mo, coming back to school today?"

Before they had even reached him, he had already pressed the remote door button. The originally locked iron gate popped open, clearing a path.

With that level of enthusiasm, anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was a relative of the principal.

Lin Mo waved his hand and pointed to Ning Qingcheng beside him. "We're not going in. I just brought my cousin over to recognize the place."

He spoke casually, "If she ever comes looking for me in the future, Captain Wang, please make things convenient for her."

Only then did Wang Jinxi's gaze fall upon Ning Qingcheng. Her skin was fair, and her facial features were ridiculously exquisite. Standing there quietly, she looked like a doll in a display window.

His heart skipped a beat. Good heavens, Student Lin Mo's cousin is way too adorable.

"So that's how it is. No problem, leave it to me." Wang Jinxi patted his chest, giving his absolute guarantee.

If any other student had made such a request, he wouldn't have even bothered to bat an eyelid.

But this was Lin Mo.

He was the precious darling that Director Huang talked about every single day and praised to anyone he met. He was the golden signboard forever hung at the very top of the school's bulletin board.

Doing him a favor meant building a good connection; he understood this logic very well.

"Alright, then I won't delay Captain Wang's work any longer." Lin Mo offered a polite remark, then turned and led Ning Qingcheng toward the nearby urban village.

And so he led Ning Qingcheng toward the urban village.

Even after walking dozens of meters away, they could still feel Wang Jinxi's burning gaze behind them.

"Are you very close with him?" Ning Qingcheng finally spoke, her voice light and clear.

"Not really." Lin Mo walked at a leisurely pace, hands in his pockets. "I'm more familiar with his boss."

"Oh," Ning Qingcheng nodded, adding, "He looked like he wanted to carve the word 'flatter' right onto his face."

"Can't be helped. Who told my academic grades to be so damn good."

Lin Mo turned his head, winked at her, and said rather smugly, "You're so smart, you'll definitely get this kind of treatment at school too. Better get used to it early."

This half-genuine showing off carried a hint of childish provocation.

However, this kind of goading obviously had no effect on her.

Ning Qingcheng didn't fall for it, just as expected. She merely glanced at him from the corner of her eye, her gaze clearly screaming the word "boring" before she turned her head back, not saying a single word.

Lin Mo, realizing he had brought the snub upon himself, didn't mind and simply gave a light chuckle.