A reborn mother longs for her daughter's happiness.

Chapter 65: A Couplet About Love

The afternoon sun lazily spilled onto the park bench, where Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin had arranged to meet with several girls of similar age. At first, they simply shared anecdotes from school, laughter echoing in the air. However, the conversation somehow shifted to romance.

One of the girls, named Xiaoxuan, said mysteriously, "Let me tell you, I think I've recently fallen for a boy in the next class. Every time I see him, my heart races like a deer." Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

Another girl, Xiaoqi, curiously leaned forward and asked, "Did you tell him? How do you know it's because he likes you?"

Xiaoxuan rested her chin on her hands, looking blissfully ecstatic, and said, "I don't know either, I just can't help wanting to look at him, to know what he's doing. I can't help but glance at him during class. Isn't that liking someone? Besides, I even get upset when he talks to other girls."

At this moment, Li Shiqing, who had been listening quietly, couldn't help but ask, "But won't this affect our studies? Shouldn't we be focusing our energy on our schoolwork right now?"

Xiaoxuan waved her hand dismissively, "Oh, no way. Liking someone can be a motivation for studying. I just want to become better so that he can notice me."

But Liu Yixin was a little confused, "What if he doesn't like you? Wouldn't that be very sad?"

Xiaoxuan's eyes dimmed slightly, but she quickly cheered up again. "It's okay. If he doesn't like me, it just means he's not the right person. But I still want to try."

Xiaolin, who was standing next to her, joined the discussion, saying, "I think if you like someone, you should do things for them. I used to like a boy, and I would buy him breakfast and help him organize his notes."

Li Shiqing's eyes widened. "Isn't this too forward? I heard that guys like girls who are challenging?"

Xiaolin shook her head. "I don't think so. I believe that if you like someone, you should express it. Otherwise, how will he know?"

The girls chatted amongst themselves, but Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin felt increasingly confused. They watched the other girls speak eloquently, while they themselves had no experience with the emotional entanglements and ways of interacting in relationships. The descriptions of falling in love, giving, and pursuing seemed to belong to another world to them. They felt as if their minds were tangled in a knot, unable to unravel it.

As the sun gradually set, the party came to an end. Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin walked home silently, neither of them speaking the entire way, each lost in thought about the topic of love they had just discussed. This led to the scene of them having a long talk with their mothers after returning home.

As evening fell, the setting sun painted the sky a vibrant orange-red. Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin walked hand in hand, their steps slightly heavy, into their home. A hint of confusion and bewilderment lingered on their faces, clearly disturbed by their afternoon conversation with other girls their age about love.

Li Yuan was preparing dinner in the kitchen when she heard a noise at the door. She peeked out and was surprised to see her two daughters looking listless. "What's wrong, darlings? You don't seem to have had a good time today?"

Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin exchanged a glance, then silently walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa. Li Yuan took off her apron, walked over to them, sat down gently, and looked at them with concern.

"Mom, we were chatting with some friends today, and they kept talking about relationships. There's so much we don't understand," Li Shiqing finally mustered up the courage to speak.

Liu Yixin chimed in, "Yeah, Mom, we were completely confused by what they were saying about what it feels like to like someone and how to get along with boys."

Li Yuan was slightly taken aback, then smiled and gently patted her two daughters' heads. "Oh, I see. My darlings, you're still young, it's normal that you don't understand many things about love."

“But Mom, they all seem to know a lot. Are we too stupid?” Li Shiqing lowered her head in frustration.

“Of course not, you’re not stupid at all. Understanding love isn’t something you can do as early as possible. Your main task right now is to study, learn, and become better versions of yourself,” Li Yuan said earnestly.

"Why, Mom? Can't we study and date at the same time?" Liu Yixin asked, puzzled.

Li Yuan patiently explained, "My dears, you are currently at a crucial stage of your growth, like a sapling striving to take root and absorb nutrients. Reading is like providing you with ample sunshine and rain, allowing you to thrive. If you focus too much on romance right now, you will be distracted, just like a sapling that doesn't get enough nutrients and will find it difficult to grow into a towering tree. Moreover, your understanding of romance is still very immature, making you easily hurt."

Li Shiqing nodded thoughtfully. "Mom, what does it really feel like to be in love? We've heard our friends say that when you like someone, your heart races and you think about them all the time. Is that true?"

Li Yuan smiled and replied, "This feeling might occur in a relationship, but it's only part of it. A relationship isn't just about these heart-fluttering moments; it also requires responsibility, understanding, and tolerance. True love is about two people respecting and supporting each other, working together to become better. But these things are still too far away for you right now; you don't yet have the capacity to shoulder them."

Liu Yixin frowned. "But Mom, we see some of our classmates seem to be in relationships, and they look very happy."

“Honey, what you’re seeing is just the surface. Often, they might be together out of curiosity or novelty, without truly understanding the meaning of love. And these immature relationships rarely last. Once problems arise, they can be very hurt, such as affecting their grades or becoming depressed,” Li Yuan said earnestly.

Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin listened quietly, their confusion gradually replaced by understanding.

Li Yuan continued, "You need to know that you have unlimited potential, and many wonderful things await you in the future. When you grow up, read many books, and have your own independent thinking ability and stable values, you will be able to better handle various problems in relationships and find more suitable people."

“Mom, we understand. We will study hard first,” Li Shiqing said firmly.

Liu Yixin nodded in agreement, "Yes, Mom, we won't worry about these things anymore. We'll focus on our studies."

Li Yuan smiled with relief, "That's my good daughter. Okay, don't think too much about it. Let's go have dinner first. Mom made your favorite dishes."

Under the warm glow of the lights, the mother and her two daughters sat around the dining table, the heavy topic of love gradually replaced by laughter. Li Shiqing and Liu Yixin felt lighter, knowing that with their mother's guidance on their path of growth, they would not lose their way.

Li Yuan silently thought to herself: What is meant to happen in this life will happen, but I will carefully teach my daughter Li Shiqing to choose the right direction in love, so that she will not choose the wrong direction in love like my daughter Wang Shiqing did in the previous life.