Time flies by, and Ji Ruochu's high school studies passed day after day amidst the sea of exam questions and the learning of new knowledge.
When she finally lifted her head from the high piles of books, she suddenly realized that the new year was only three days away.
After this year, she would be fourteen years old.
Fourteen years old, in the third year of high school.
Hmm, she was very satisfied with her current progress.
After ticking off the last "√" in today's task list, Ji Ruochu was about to get up and stretch.
As soon as she pushed back her chair, two heads appeared in the unlocked door.
"My daughter, are you done with your studies?"
"Are you tired? Dad stewed old hen soup for you today!"
"Mom also made your favorite chicken feet in pickled pepper that we can gnaw on..."
Ji Ruochu, who just wanted to stretch...nodded obligingly.
Within a few minutes, the originally quiet Ji family villa became lively again.
"My daughter, close your door next time you study. Your dad and I are always afraid of disturbing you."
Ling Chujin handed a spoon to her daughter who was about to drink the soup, and said worriedly.
She didn't know when her daughter started leaving the study door open.
This made the parents who liked to make food for their daughter feel restrained in the kitchen.
"It's okay, leave it open. Let the air circulate," Ji Ruochu said without lifting her head.
The parents who were certain that the ventilation in their villa was excellent: ...
You should know that the couple usually pays great attention to their child's personal space and privacy.
Ever since Ji Ruochu entered high school, the two academically unsuccessful parents bought a bunch of books and started researching, for fear that their relationship with their teenage daughter would break down.
Finally, after reading numerous cases of failures due to parents peeking at their children's diaries, removing door locks from their children's rooms, and beating their children in public, the couple jointly formulated a few rules.
Things like knocking on bedroom doors beforehand, giving the child enough space, not touching the child's belongings, not looking at things they shouldn't see, etc. It can be said that the couple made great efforts to respect their daughter.
Under these restraints, the family of three lived more and more harmoniously, until...their daughter stopped closing the study door.
Why?
Of course it was because the couple was like guarding a family heirloom, peeking at the study door at every turn, and the two even figured out a pattern themselves.
If the study door was closed, it meant their daughter was busy with her own things. If the study door was open, it meant their daughter had completed her homework for the day, and might be reading magazines, leisure books, on her phone, etc.
And this meant--they could go play with their daughter!
But now their daughter doesn't even close the door. The couple wanders around the door every day like headless flies.
Most importantly, every time they saw their daughter sitting upright and studying, they would unconsciously reveal a perverted smile.
While their mood was indeed great, doing this made it seem like they were monitoring their child all the time, right?
This won't do!
They were not controlling parents!
However, what the couple didn't know was that the reason Ji Ruochu left the study door open was precisely because she couldn't stand the pitiful sight of the two staring longingly at the door panel every day.
She had only ever heard of gazing stones for missing one's wife or husband. As it turned out, this couple was different--ever since she entered high school, instead of taking care of their own business every day, they lingered at home as "gazing stones" for their daughter!
