I Have Decided to Go Look for My Father

Chapter 272 – That turned into an inexplicable incident at HSAU. (3)

“Didn’t you participate last year?”

Gu Xi’s eyes dimmed when she heard Dong Mingming’s question.

“No. Something happened and I wasn’t able to make it.” Gu Xi smiled and gave it a simple explanation. Her tone was unnatural.

Dong Mingming detected the sense of regret in Gu Xi’s voice and assumed that Gu Xi truly was’t able to make it a year ago because of something that had come up.

“It’s fine. It’s fine. You will make up for it this year!” Dong Mingming patted Gu Xi on her shoulder and comforted her. “Besides, you will be with us this year. This will for sure be more fun than being with those from Liming.”

Dong Mingming had no idea what had happened to Gu Xi at her previous school but, from what others had told her about the incidents during their Joint Science Competition when they ran into the others from Liming, she didn’t think much of them.

“Besides, let me tell you, our school put a lot of effort into our Quality Development Outings.” Unlike the schools that only put one together as a formality, HSAU’s Quality Development Outing was solid.

Of course the icing on the cake was that there would be no school.

As she talked, Dong Mingming started introducing Gu Xi to the content of the Quality Development Outing activities.

HSAU’s Quality Development Outing was geared toward family units, focusing on camping and nature. They would need to put together their own tents, start a fire, and cook. In addition, there would be competitions and other activities like treasure hunting.

“And! We get extra credits from these activities!” said Dong Mingming as she blinked again.

The “extra credit” part got Gu Xi’s attention. Her eyes beaming, she asked, “How many points?”

“Maximum of 10 points. There are a total of four levels – A, B, C, and D, and they will be awarded 10, 8, 4, and 2 points, respectively. These will be added to your final total scores at the end of the semester.”

“Oh right. It’s best if you prepare some items yourself in advance.” As Dong Mingming talked, she happily filled Gu Xi in on tips and hints and funny tidbits from the previous year.

“Oh, right! Guess who scored the highest in treasure hunting last year?”

“You?” asked Gu Xi casually.

“Oh, don’t be silly. Of course not.” Dong Mingming pouted a little and said, “It was Sheng Xiuyan.”

Gu Nian nodded when she heard that.

Her nonchalant look surprised Dong Mingming.

“Why aren’t you surprised?” asked Dong Mingming.

“Why should I be surprised?”

“It’s Sheng Xiuyan that we are talking about! Giving his personality, you would think he would just sit around and nap. Activities such as treasure hunting must be very boring in his eyes. And he took first place at the end!” Having said that, Dong Mingming summarized incredulously. “That was incredible. How did he do that?”

That incident, too, had turned into one of HSAU’s “inexplicable mysteries”. Some even suspected whether the teachers had purposefully buried the high-scoring “treasures” near Sheng Xiuyan.

Gu Xi, “……” No, she didn’t think that that was amazing at all.

Gu Xi would, for certain, had been as baffled as Dong Mingming in the past.

But now……

Hah!

Gu Xi dared to bet 50 Complete Solutions that Sheng Xiuyan had definitely went looking when nobody noticed. He might even had been digging around madly when everybody else were sleeping.

***

That night, when Gu Shao arrived home, he walked straight into a pair of bright and anticipating eyes.

Gu Shao lifted his brows, “You are done with your homework?”

“Yes.”

“You done studying your chapter?”

“Yes,” said Gu Xi, then she added. “I had also had Big Aunt helped me with my English vocabulary online.

“Hehehe, let me help you with that.” As she spoke, Gu Xi passionately took over Gu Shao’s jacket and document folder.

Gu Shao lifted his brows once again when he saw how attentive Gu Xi was being.

“Go ahead and say it. What is it?” Gu Shao knew his daughter well. He would not believe that she didn’t have something she wanted to talk to him about.

“Well, you know…… Our school has a Quality Development Outing and I would like to invite you to join,” said Gu Xi very quickly, as though Gu Shao would be able to hear her clearly had she talked slower.

Truth was, Gu Shao really didn’t catch what Gu Xi was saying. He had, nevertheless, read about the Quality Development Outing in the parents’ chatgroup.

“Quality Development Outing, right?” asked Gu Shao.

“Mmhmm.” Gu Xi nodded. Then, hesitated a bit, she said, “But its fine if you can’t make it because you are busy.”

“No, not busy.” Even if he was busy, he would still have time for his child.

Besides, Gu Shao had looked over Gu Xi’s files when he was transferring her to the new school. He saw that she had taken the days off during Quality Development Outing in the past.

“I’ll go with you.” Gu Shao gave Gu Xi a definite answer.

Gu Xi couldn’t help but smiled when she heard that, “Really?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, it’s set then?” Gu Xi asked again, uncertainly. ‘

Gu Shao found the nervous look on Gu Xi comical but he also sighed to himself. Gu Xi’s feeling of insecurity most likely stemmed from her past. That would not change in a short period of time.

“When have I ever lied to you?” asked Gu Shao with a smile.

Gu Xi paused a little and thought about it some. It did seem that Gu Shao had kept his words on every promise that he had ever made to her. He had never gone back on his words or bailed on her.

Compared to many others, Gu Shao had been a very responsible father.

Looking at Gu Shao for a little while, Gu Xi smiled.

“Thanks, Dad.”

Having said that, Gu Xi ran back to her room in her cheerful steps.