Wu SuYi wasn't alone in noticing the odd behavior coming from the women around them. Most of the parent who attended the parent meeting were the mothers, therefore father would often stick out like a sore thumb, but Han XiGuang could tell this wasn't the case for today.
There gaze was different. With his line of job, it was easy to detect this. Raising his hand, he carefully wrapped Wu SuYi's shoulder while still keeping the boundary for her.
"The classroom isn't a little far more, do you still feel awkward?"
Wu SuYi stopped looking at the women and smiled with a nod. "I can't wait to see Rui's performance."
After they arrived to the class, each student was seated on their prospective seats while the parents were able to watch them from the back of the class.
Rui kept on glancing behind to see both his father and Wu SuYi together and Wu SuYi caught his pink smile that warmed her heart.
Rui was certain, this was going smooth! His father might be the teasing person he was, but he believed Wu SuYi could be the woman perfect to be beside his father. Even more, Wu SuYi was too good for his father!
Rui giggled on his own when someone had kicked his table. With his eyes narrowed, Rui saw it was the same boy who had been relentlessly trying to bully him from the start of the school. Skipping grades, naturally came with its downside. The downside being, other students in the classroom seem to see him as an easy target to be bullied.
Rui was angry but when he remembered Wu SuYi was watching behind him and he had to keep the best attitude, he ignored the bigger boy's mean behavior in silence.
Wu SuYi wasn't able to notice what happened as the rest of the children kept moving from their seats in excitement. Han XiGuang stared at her with a soft smile.
"I'm excited," Wu SuYi expressed. She had seen what a brilliant child Rui was, and wished for the best outcome for his performance.
"You won't be disappointed," Han XiGuang proudly responded, knowing what his son would do.
As Rui stared at his picture he had drawn on his hands, he could hear the words thrown from behind him, "He's pretending to be a good child because he knows that he would be thrown out from his current family if he shows any bad attitude."
Rui's small hand flinched. He carefully looked behind to the same boy who had been kicking his table to annoy him. As if kicking wasn't enough to get his attention, the boy had resulted in berating him— digging deep to the wound that Rui hid in his heart.
"I heard everything from my mother," the big boy whispered, "You are not actually your father's son and is only living with him because he feel pity for you."
Rui's eyes widened. How did they know?!
"That's why you are trying so hard to become a good student right?"
Rui's hand clenched into a fist. His expression that was always filled with delight and happiness quickly cover in anger. Han XiGuang who kept an eye on his son, noticed the change of expression but as he was from behind Rui, he couldn't catch a clear sight of what expression that his son had currently.
"Rui… something is bothering him," said Wu SuYi, who had noticed the sudden change of expression from the boy.
Han XiGuang quickly took a step forward but all of a sudden the teacher called, "Rui! It is time for your performance, dear."
Han XiGuang continued to step forward, garnering attention from other people as Rui continued to stay still on his seat. Something was off and Han XiGuang was not going to leave his suspicions uninvestigated.
But Rui stood up from his seat and straightened his posture bravely. Puffing his shoulder, he then looked back to find Wu SuYi and his father, giving them a thumbs up, he then walked toward the podium of the classroom.
Han XiGuang was left speechless by his son's action and couldn't help but smile at it.
Rui hold his hands together, spreading the paper in front of him before looking at the audience bravely. There was no trace of nervousness or fear to stand in front of everyone in the classroom, making Wu SuYi to smile at the boy's bravery.
Clearing his throat, Rui began his speech by greeting the audience, with a polite bow, he began, "My father is the coolest person I have ever met! Not only is he handsome, he is a man of his word, who would never fail to follow all the promises he made for me. He is handsome and I take all my looks from him!"
Wu SuYi's eyes widened hearing the confession and chuckled as Han XiGuang shrugged his shoulder.
"He is saying the truth," Han XiGuang responded, grinning at how Wu SuYi chuckle wholeheartedly.
"But one day, father wasn't able to make his promise," Rui gulped and Han XiGuang raised his eyebrows.
"Well this wasn't in the plan," whispered Han XiGuang to which Wu SuYi heard of.
"I became scared, I wondered to myself if I had done any mistake. Because father never once failed his words. As I got scared, I met Miss Wu! Miss Wu is a smart and beautiful person; She is someone who I found to be the smartest after father! As I was scared, she gently calmed me down, keeping me safe until I meet father again. I wish for her to stay with my father."
Wu SuYi blinked at the statement and stared at Han XiGuang who looked away, rubbing his cheeks. When he looked back at her again, a wide smile appeared on his lips.
"I wasn't disappointed in my father. I thought he didn't want me anymore. But that night, he told me the story of my birth. That I was a miracle to him when I came to this world. He never once forgotten his promise and I understand it was the situation that had cornered him. My father is the coolest person I have ever met and with Miss Wu. With them, I am sure, everything would be alright."
The students and parents in the classroom showered the end of Rui's speech with applauses as Wu SuYi did. For once, Han XiGuang was silent. Out of curiosity, Wu SuYi had turned her face to look at him, finding a gentle and serene mien on his handsome face.
Looking at Han XiGuang, a sudden rush of emotions surge over her heart, filling her with warm but also adrenaline rush. Her heartbeat was loud against her ears as if people who stand beside her would be able to hear the thumping sound of her heart.
Wu SuYi tried to look away when she noticed again the women whispering while staring at them. She could see the strange gaze wasn't directed only at her. She would have been alright if it's directed to her, anger and upset gaze filled with disappointment had always followed her. But to think it was directed to Rui didn't sit well with her.
She walked toward the women subtly, smiling as they stopped whispering in awkwardness, "Hello, ladies. Can I talk with you all?"