"This semester there’s a physics competition. I want to give it a try, but it requires a lot of time dedicated to it." Xu Minglei pursed his lips; he felt there was not enough time.

However, even though his days are fully occupied with studying, Xu Minglei still felt very satisfied. Learning more was naturally a good thing.

"Aren’t you feeling overwhelmed?" Xu Mumu said helplessly. Seeing the eager look on his face, Xu Mumu didn’t know what to say. Would he become a bookworm at this rate?

"It’s okay." Xu Minglei shook his head. Winning would bring a lot of prize money. Over the years, he’s saved up a lot from prizes he won, though he hasn’t spent any of it yet.

Right now, besides study materials, he really doesn’t feel the need to buy anything. But even for study materials, he often finds them at the scrap station, where things are cheaper. Some are barely used and not worse than new materials.

"Forget it, manage it yourself. The physics competition is probably quite challenging, and winning a prize won’t be so easy. Remember, your main goal is the college entrance exam." Xu Mumu seriously looked at her little brother and said. She believed he understood what she meant.

"Sis, I know, but I heard the first prize leads to a guaranteed spot in a school. If it wasn’t for not being a school I desire, I would definitely want to compete for that first place. For now, it’s just a good opportunity to gain some experience." Xu Minglei nodded. He understood his sister’s point; he didn’t want to miss the bigger picture for small gains.

Participating in various competitions is not just about gaining experience. Mainly, he wanted to make his little piggy bank a bit fuller. It’s been a while since he last made any money; he felt a bit uneasy.

Xu Mumu glanced at Xu Minglei. The little guy had grown up; he was no longer the brat he used to be. Now, he understands a lot of things and knows exactly where his goals lie, striving constantly towards them.

Jiang Yuxiu quietly listened to the siblings chatting. In a few days, she and Xu Minghui would start school, and they would graduate in a year. She needed to think carefully about what to do after graduation.

Upon graduation, they’d be assigned jobs, and their school likely assigned them to local factories. There were many factories in the provincial capital.

However, she pondered whether to go to a factory or help Xu Minghui manage the department store. The department store was already on track, and Xu Minghui didn’t have as much work as before and could manage just fine on his own.

In this dilemma, the school start date arrived.

Xu Mumu looked at a few kids who brought a bunch of stuff with them again and smirked.

"Did you bring over all the mushrooms you collected this summer?" Looking at the two big bags of dried mushrooms, Xu Mumu asked with a smile. It takes quite an effort to gather so many dried mushrooms since they don’t weigh much after drying.

"Yeah, we didn’t sell them. These mushrooms are tasty, and apart from the Termitomyces, everything is here. Big sis likes them too. My dad said we’re not short on money now, so there’s no reason to sell them. He asked me to bring them for you to enjoy." Xu Jiaojiao grinned, knowing they would surely get some to eat at big sis’s place.

Fresh wild mushrooms are the best, but their dried taste isn’t bad either. She still liked them a lot.

Xu Jiaojiao brought dried mushrooms, while Xu Wan came with some small clothes. The second family made some money, and these clothes were bought by Qian Ying for Xu Mumu’s unborn child to wear.

Tiedan, being straightforward, brought over two old hens.

"Why did you even bring chickens?" Xu Mumu asked, speechless.

"Sis, you’re going to have a baby. These are for you to make chicken soup to strengthen your body. My mom raised a lot of chickens. If I could carry more, I would have brought even more." Tiedan said seriously. Since studying with Xu Mumu, his family’s situation had been improving.

Liu Cuixia didn’t have any other skills, so she didn’t bother trying to do business. Instead, she fenced off a piece of hillside allocated to them and raised dozens of chickens, planning to sell chickens and eggs later on. Though it wouldn’t make them rich, it would ensure a decent living.

Moreover, now that Tiedan was more promising, Liu Cuixia had great confidence in her son. She and Tiedan’s dad weren’t worried about their son’s future.

"Then we’ll have chicken soup tomorrow." Xu Mumu looked at the two old hens and immediately decided, asking Madam Chun to prepare them.

In this provincial capital, it’s not possible to raise chickens; they had to be slaughtered. Given the warm weather, they wouldn’t last long, so it’s best to eat them soon.

Looking at the chickens, Xu Mumu craved chicken soup.

It’s not like she hadn’t had chicken soup lately; Madam Chun had made it several times. Madam Chun’s cooking was excellent, and now she wanted more.

"Add some of these mushrooms too." Xu Jiaojiao’s eyes lit up instantly. Chicken soup was her absolute favorite, and she hadn’t had it in a long time.

Xu Mumu asked them to tidy up the rooms they previously stayed in. Although Madam Chun had tidied up, they still brought a lot of stuff and had to organize it themselves.

After they were done, Xu Mumu checked their schoolwork. Even though they returned to their hometown for the holidays, these kids were still very diligent, studying graduation year materials on their own.

After a thorough check, she had a pretty good idea of the kids’ progress.

What Xu Minglei knew, they basically knew too. There were just a few challenging topics they didn’t understand, and she patiently explained those.

The next day was the start of school. The kids all went to register on their own. The school wasn’t far from here, and they had visited countless times before, so the family was at ease.

When Xu Mumu got up, the house was already empty.

After tidying herself up, Madam Chun had already brought breakfast to her.

While eating breakfast, Fengfeng ran over from next door, holding the latest model toy car.

"Sister, let’s go play at kindergarten." Little Xu Mingfeng wanted his sister to take him out to play. His parents and grandparents wouldn’t let him wander alone.

"We’ll go in the afternoon; let’s visit mom and dad first, okay?" Xu Mumu smiled, pinching the little one’s cheek and passing him a bun.

"Alright, but we have to go play in the afternoon!" The little Xu Mingfeng didn’t hesitate and gnawed at the bun. His sister’s house always had the best food, and he really liked it there.

"Don’t worry, I won’t forget." Xu Mumu assured him with a smile. Seeing the little guy so happy, she seriously considered suggesting her parents let him start school soon.