CHAPTER 424: CHAPTER 424; HONEYMOON PHASE 3 (J)

The implication that a routine Parents Day might not matter much to people as important as her parents was clear.

"Well," Zhang Yiren said, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "It must be hard, not having your parents around much. I see my mother every day."

"How wonderful for you," Minghao said with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Constant supervision must be very... comforting. My parents trust me to be independent. They know I don’t need to be monitored constantly."

She’d turned what was meant to be an insult, absent parents, into a statement of trust and maturity.

Qin Xinyu, who had been silent throughout the exchange, finally spoke up. "We should go. They must be waiting for our lunch."

"Of course," Minghao said pleasantly. "Ladies, this has been... illuminating. I look forward to seeing your debate proposal. I’m sure it will be very... interesting."

The way she said "interesting" made it clear she expected it to be anything but.

As they walked away, Minghao heard Chen Lihua mutter to her friends, "She’s so arrogant."

Without turning around, Minghao called back, "It’s only arrogance if you can’t back it up. Otherwise, it’s called competence."

Qin Xinyu waited until they were out of earshot before saying, "You destroyed them."

"They tried to box me into a subordinate position based solely on the fact that they registered first," Minghao said, her voice still carrying an edge. "They assumed I’d be grateful for any role on their team. They underestimated me."

"People do that a lot," Qin Xinyu observed.

"Yes," Minghao agreed. "And they always regret it."

They continued walking toward the parking lot, and as Minghao’s anger faded, she found herself thinking about what the girls had said. About her mother not being there for pickup. About Parents’ Day.

It bothered her more than she wanted to admit, not because of what they’d said, but because she genuinely didn’t know when her parents would return or what they were really doing.

"You okay?" Qin Xinyu asked quietly.

"I’m fine," Minghao said automatically. Then, more honestly, "I just wish I knew what was really going on."

"With your parents?"

"Yes. Something happened. Something big. And everyone’s treating me like I’m too young or too fragile to handle the truth."

"Maybe they’re just trying to protect you," Qin Xinyu suggested.

"Maybe," Minghao acknowledged. "But I don’t want to be protected. I want to be trusted."

They reached the parking area, and Minghao scanned the line of luxury vehicles waiting to collect students. She expected to see one of their regular drivers in the usual black sedan.

Instead, she spotted the larger family van, and her steps faltered slightly.

"That’s our van," she said, surprise evident in her voice.

"Is something wrong?" Qin Xinyu asked, immediately alert.

"No, it’s just... we usually take the sedan for school pickups. The van is for when we have more people."

They approached the vehicle, and as they got closer, Minghao could see through the tinted windows. Her surprise deepened.

The van door slid open as they arrived, and Twilight stepped out with a warm smile. "Hey, you two. How was school?"

"Twilight!" Minghao’s face brightened momentarily, though her analytical mind was already working. "I didn’t expect you to pick us up."

"Surprise," Twilight said, helping them with their bags. "Climb in. We brought lunch."

Minghao and Qin Xinyu climbed into the spacious van, and both stopped short in a delighted surprise.

"Nanny Yun!" Minghao exclaimed.

"Momma..." Qin Xinyu exclaimed.

Nanny Yun was seated in the middle row, surrounded by insulated lunch containers and a small portable table already set up. Her weathered face creased with a warm smile.

"Hello, my dears," she greeted them. "I thought you might appreciate a proper hot lunch today, so I brought it myself."

"This is amazing," Minghao said, sliding into the seat next to Nanny Yun while Qin Xinyu took the opposite side. The setup was impressive, real plates and utensils, cloth napkins, and the delicious aroma of freshly prepared food filling the van.

Twilight climbed back into the front passenger seat and turned to face them. "We figured you deserved something special today."

As Nanny Yun began unpacking the lunch, steaming containers of stir-fried vegetables, tender braised pork, fluffy white rice, and a thermos of hot soup, Minghao’s sharp mind was already working.

This wasn’t normal. The van instead of the sedan. Twilight and Nanny Yun are both coming to pick them up. The elaborate lunch setup.

It felt like a distraction. Like they were trying to make up for something.

Like they were trying to compensate for her parents’ absence.

She waited until Nanny Yun had served them both generous portions before asking casually, "Twilight, have my parents called today?"

Twilight didn’t miss a beat, her expression remaining perfectly neutral. "Yes, actually. Your mother called this morning while you were in class. She asked about you specifically, wanted to know how you were doing, if you’d eaten breakfast, if you had everything you needed for school."

"What did she say?" Minghao pressed, watching Twilight’s face carefully.

"That she and your father are handling some important business matters, but everything is fine. She said she’ll call you later this evening so you can talk directly." Twilight’s voice was warm and reassuring. "She misses you, Minghao. She wanted me to tell you that."

Minghao studied Twilight’s face for any sign of deception, but the woman’s expression was perfectly composed. Still, something felt off. Her mother would have called her directly if she could, wouldn’t she?

"What kind of business?" Minghao asked, her voice deceptively casual as she picked up her chopsticks.

"The kind that requires their full attention," Twilight replied smoothly. "You know how it is, sometimes your parents need to handle sensitive matters personally. But they made sure everything here is taken care of first. You, Qing Qing, Qin Xinyu, Tinghao, Zhihao, Feihao, and everyone are safe and looked after."

Qin Xinyu, less suspicious by nature, seemed satisfied with the explanation. "That’s good. I hope they finish their business soon though. It’s weird with them gone."