Proactively Attracted chapter 23

Meeting the Parents

Time flew by, and soon it was Sunday.

The weather was great that day—the sky was clear for miles, blue and cloudless. Lu Xingjia’s mood lightened with it.

After lunch, he began packing his things.

While washing dishes, He Xi asked, “Isn’t the parent-teacher meeting this afternoon? Why are you heading to school now?”

“Mhm!” Lu Xingjia nodded vigorously while packing his things.

After all, he had made a promise with Qin Mudong—they’d study together every weekend.

And besides, that day just felt a bit off. Something in his heart kept urging him to spend more time with Qin Mudong.

He Xi smiled helplessly and watched him head out the door.

She had no idea what treasure he was hiding at school that made him want to stay there all the time and not come home.

…..

Lu Xingjia pedaled his bike to school, huffing and puffing. The classroom door was wide open, but there weren’t many people inside.

A few class reps were huddled by the podium, discussing how to decorate the blackboard. Qin Mudong sat alone at his desk, staring silently out the window. His posture was upright and proper, his shadow stretching across the desks behind him—he looked cold and lonely.

“Good afternoon!” Lu Xingjia bounced over and sat next to him, his face bright with a cheerful smile.

Qin Mudong turned his head, his cold and sharp features softening the moment his gaze landed on Lu Xingjia.

“What’s wrong?” Lu Xingjia asked with a grin. “Not feeling happy?”

Qin Mudong lowered his eyes. “No.”

Seeing that he didn’t want to talk, Lu Xingjia didn’t push it. He pulled out his notebook of mistakes and began organizing the problems he got wrong in the midterm exam.

He wrote very seriously, pressing hard on the paper with each stroke, outlining each character carefully. He looked so focused, like he didn’t want to be disturbed at all.

Qin Mudong glanced at him, his lips moving slightly as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he looked away and said nothing.

It was already late autumn, and after noon the temperature quickly dropped.

Just as Lu Xingjia finished the last Chinese question, Zhang Chuchu walked into the classroom.

For the parent-teacher meeting, Zhang Chuchu had put on a very formal suit. He was already good-looking to begin with, and the dark blue blazer, perfectly tailored, made his shoulders appear broad and his waist narrow.

He had even styled his hair—slicked back with gel—giving him a bit of a romantic drama lead vibe.

“Whoa, Chu Ge, you’re looking sharp!”

The moment he stepped into class, someone joked.

“Don’t flatter me,” Zhang Chuchu glanced at the boy, not paying much attention. “The meeting’s starting soon. Everyone, help tidy up the classroom.”

Zhang Chuchu assigned tasks to everyone—some swept the floor, others placed name tags on desks. Lu Xingjia and Qin Mudong were paired up to clean the hallway.

“Let’s go,” Lu Xingjia said, carrying a broom and dustpan. Qin Mudong didn’t say anything, just took his broom and followed him out.

More and more people started arriving in the hallway. Occasionally, a parent would stop by to ask where a certain class was.

Lu Xingjia patiently answered each one.

From a distance, a gentle voice called out, “Jia Jia!”

Lu Xingjia looked up in that direction. He Xi was walking quickly toward him, waving with a smile.

For the parent-teacher meeting, she had specially worn a new pink dress and even put on light makeup. Her skin was already very good—better than some girls in their twenties—and with this effort, she looked even younger and more gentle.

“Mom! You’re here!” Lu Xingjia raised his arm high and waved to her as he walked over.

Their tone was affectionate and natural—it was obvious at a glance that they had a close and harmonious relationship.

Qin Mudong lowered his eyes and didn’t look in their direction, sweeping up the dust on the ground with meticulous precision.

After chatting briefly with Lu Xingjia, He Xi soon noticed the cool and quiet Qin Mudong standing not far away.

Since Lu Xingjia was always talking about his “Mudong Ge,” He Xi had a particularly strong impression of him.

Qin Mudong hadn’t changed much since he was a child—still that same cool face. Even after all these years, He Xi recognized him at once.

“That’s Qin Mudong, isn’t it?” He Xi asked, glancing in his direction.

“Yeah!” Lu Xingjia nodded eagerly, and just mentioning Qin Mudong made his eyes light up.

Knowing her son well, He Xi instantly connected the dots: “So the reason you were in such a hurry to come to school… was to see him?”

“Uh…”

Lu Xingjia hesitated, unsure whether to admit it. His eyes darted around until they met He Xi’s amused gaze.

He Xi teased him with a smile: “I thought you were secretly dating a girl!”

“No way!” Lu Xingjia quickly defended himself. “We’re just here to study!”

He Xi didn’t argue, just smiled and walked over to Qin Mudong. “Mudong, it’s been a long time. I’m Aunt He Xi—do you remember me?”

Lu Xingjia chimed in, “This is my mom.”

Qin Mudong had a sharp memory—he never forgot a face, especially not the mother of Lu Xingjia. There was no way he’d forget.

“Hello, Auntie,” he greeted politely.

“Good kid,” He Xi smiled warmly. “Jia Jia told me you’re deskmates. He made great progress this time—it’s all thanks to your help.”

Qin Mudong lowered his gaze and said calmly, “I didn’t really do anything. It was Jia Jia’s own hard work.”

Standing to the side, Lu Xingjia’s ears turned a little red.

Not just because Qin Mudong praised him in front of his mom, but also because he called him “Jia Jia” too.

Those two simple syllables coming from Qin Mudong’s mouth, clear and precise, somehow felt unusually soft and tender.

For the first time, Lu Xingjia felt that his somewhat girlish nickname actually sounded really nice.

“Oh please, Jia Jia clings to you like glue,” He Xi laughed, covering her mouth. “At home, he can’t stop talking about his ‘Mudong Ge.’ And he even—”

“Mom!” Lu Xingjia felt like he was being publicly humiliated. His face turned beet red as he hurried to interrupt her. He was worried she’d say something that could be misunderstood, so he tried to change the subject. “You’re totally exaggerating! I don’t talk about him that much!”

He was like a little cat with its fur standing on end—absolutely adorable.

“Okay, okay,” He Xi didn’t push it, sensing his embarrassment. Instead, she turned back to Qin Mudong with a more serious look in her eyes. “Anyway, thank you for taking care of Jia Jia. Sorry for the trouble.”

She was a sensible person and had always taught Lu Xingjia to be grateful.

It was good that the two boys got along well, but since they were the same age, it wouldn’t be right to just assume someone else should help without appreciation.

Lu Xingjia stood to the side, feeling a little wronged and not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “Mom, do I really seem that clueless?”

His cheeks were still tinged with pink, and his eyes were misty with a light sheen—so beautiful he looked like the most vibrant spring blossom, brightening the bleak autumn around him.

“No trouble at all,” Qin Mudong, almost as if burned, quickly averted his gaze, speaking slowly with a deep tone. His eyes, slightly lowered, were filled with rich, dark colors. “He’s great.”

He’s great. Really great.

So great that, in one fleeting moment, Lu Xingjia made him yearn for something unrealistic.

He wanted to hide him away. To make him his star forever.

His one and only star.

Lu Xingjia had no idea what Qin Mudong was thinking. He only knew he felt incredibly shy being praised like that—especially in front of his mom.

This whole conversation… felt way too much like a couple meeting the parents!

Lu Xingjia’s face turned even redder. He hurriedly pushed He Xi toward the classroom. “Mom, let’s go inside! We’re gonna be late!”

And just like that, He Xi was gently pushed away by Lu Xingjia. She could only shake her head helplessly and found her seat—the one labeled with Lu Xingjia’s name.

….

At 4 PM, the parent-teacher meeting officially began. Dressed in a suit, Zhang Chuchu stepped onto the podium to brief the parents on the class’s overall progress.

Just like the other students, Lu Xingjia stood in the corridor, memorizing vocabulary from a CET-4 wordbook.

Zhang Chuchu’s voice occasionally drifted into the hallway, and Lu Xingjia occasionally glanced through the window into the classroom. He Xi had her glasses on and was earnestly taking notes.

Wait a second—Lu Xingjia suddenly realized something was off.

From the beginning, the seat next to He Xi had been empty.

Each parent sat in their child’s seat. Which meant… Qin Mudong’s parents hadn’t come.

Lu Xingjia looked away and hesitantly glanced at the boy beside him.

Qin Mudong was still bent over his book, memorizing words with laser-sharp focus.

Should he ask?

Lu Xingjia hesitated.

Qin Mudong had never once mentioned his family. That probably meant their relationship wasn’t great. What if he brought up something painful…?

Lu Xingjia hesitated, not wanting to reopen old wounds. He was still tangled in his thoughts, unsure whether to bring it up, when the parent-teacher meeting ended.

Parents streamed out of the room, with a few remaining to surround Zhang Chuchu, asking various questions.

He Xi didn’t have any questions, so she simply followed the crowd and walked out, waving at Lu Xingjia, who was standing by the door.

Lu Xingjia walked over to meet her. “What did the teacher talk about?”

“A lot of things,” He Xi said. “Besides your usual exams, he also talked about the goals and significance of this competition you’re participating in. Your teacher has some strong opinions.”

There were many people around, and it wasn’t really the time for a casual chat. After exchanging a few more words, He Xi patted Lu Xingjia on the shoulder. “You still have evening study, right? I’ll head off first, and we’ll talk more when you get home.”

“Okay.” Lu Xingjia nodded. After He Xi left, most of the parents in the classroom had also gone.

Qin Mudong had returned to his seat, and just as Lu Xingjia was about to approach him, Zhang Chuchu moved ahead.

Zhang Chuchu lightly tapped on Qin Mudong’s desk. “Come with me.”

As if he knew Zhang Chuchu would look for him, Qin Mudong nodded slightly, slipped his hand into his pocket, and followed him out of the classroom.

Lu Xingjia hesitated for a moment. Seeing that neither of them noticed him, he quietly followed their footsteps.

Zhang Chuchu led Qin Mudong to a quiet corner at the end of the hallway. His tone was relatively kind. “Why didn’t your parents come? Are they too busy?”

Qin Mudong leaned against the iron railing in the hallway, a flash of hostility in his eyes. He turned his head, saying nothing.

Zhang Chuchu didn’t expect him to respond. He continued, “This parent-teacher meeting is very important, related to the registration for the competition’s first round. The school requires parental notification.”

He knew that Qin Mudong didn’t have a good relationship with his parents, but since he was a minor, many things required consent from a guardian.

Qin Mudong’s black eyes lowered slightly, as if he hadn’t heard anything. Zhang Chuchu sighed. “How about this? I know your parents are quite busy. I’ll call your father and let him know. Is that okay?”

Without waiting for Qin Mudong to reply, Zhang Chuchu took out his phone and started dialing.

Qin Mudong, with one hand in his pocket, let him proceed.

Zhang Chuchu put the phone on speaker.

It was a busy tone, and it kept ringing.

Zhang Chuchu, not willing to give up, kept calling the numbers for Qin Mudong’s parents. Finally, after a “beep,” the call went through.

“Hello,” came a distant, indifferent voice from the other end. “What’s the matter?”

Zhang Chuchu couldn’t help but think of his superior from a recent inspection. He straightened up. “You’re Qin Mudong’s father, right? I’m his homeroom teacher. The thing is, he’s participating in a competition class, and it may affect some of his regular classes. The school requires consent from a guardian.”

“I know he’s in a competition class. Is there anything else?” the man interrupted him quickly, his tone polite but slightly impatient.

Zhang Chuchu, maintaining his patience, explained, “We need you to come in and sign a consent form in person…”

“So troublesome?” The man’s tone became annoyed, his fingers tapping impatiently on the desk. “I don’t have time now. Let him ask his biological mother.”

His voice was as cold as if Qin Mudong were a beggar on the street, not his son.

Zhang Chuchu raised his voice slightly. “Aren’t you his biological father? This is irresponsible!”

“I’ve been divorced from his mother. She has custody. I’ve spent plenty of money on him since he was young. I don’t owe him anything!” The man’s tone turned more irritated, no longer polite like before.

After a moment, he calmed down again and coldly said, “Sorry, I really don’t have time to sign anything. I have a new family and don’t want to be disturbed. If there’s anything, talk to the child’s guardian.”

Before Zhang Chuchu could respond, the man hung up the phone.

The empty hallway echoed with the busy tone.

Lu Xingjia hid around the corner, his hands clenched tightly.

He finally understood the strange feeling he had when he saw Qin Mudong’s father at the funeral home.

The man was gentlemanly, composed, polite, and calm, but his eyes were devoid of warmth.

He didn’t care about Qin Mudong’s well-being, yet he took for granted the honor that Qin Mudong brought him.

In this world, everything needs to be tested, except for being a parent.

That man wasn’t fit to be a father.

Zhang Chuchu stood still, holding his phone, filled with regret and frustration.

He shouldn’t have made the call in front of Qin Mudong. He shouldn’t have let Qin Mudong hear that. The indifference of parents can be harmful to a child’s growth, and in severe cases, it could lead to negative, world-weary emotions.

Qin Mudong had long been used to his father’s attitude. He glanced at Zhang Chuchu calmly. “The class is about to start. Can I go back now?”

Zhang Chuchu waved his hand helplessly. “Alright, you can go back.”

Qin Mudong lowered his eyes slightly and walked back down the hallway, but as he looked up again, he suddenly noticed a boy blocking his way.

The boy was a head shorter than him, with eyes that were a bit red, and his nose was also flushed, as if he had been crying somewhere.

Lu Xingjia stood straight in front of Qin Mudong, blocking his path.

His voice was hoarse, not at all like his usual soft and clear tone, now carrying a strong nasal sound: “I… I want to talk to you… is that okay?”

But his eyes were too bright, shimmering with moisture, clear like a spring of warm water.

Qin Mudong’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, and a feeling of irritation rose from the depths of his heart.

It was something he couldn’t shake, something he couldn’t swallow.

No, maybe it wasn’t irritation, but confusion.

Author’s note:

In principle, Mudong has developed feelings.