Let’s go on a date
Zhong Xin’s sharp little mouth chattered on and on, and no one seemed to notice her calling Song Chan “Mom.”
Song Chan, who had been on high alert, breathed a sigh of relief after realizing the situation.
Qiao Yuanyuan and Ran Jiayu were clearly bullies who preyed on the weak. Faced with the grumpy Zhong Xin, the two huddled together, not daring to utter a sound.
Zhong Lingyu had already walked up the steps by the playground with Teacher Dai.
Hearing the commotion, he glanced back and saw his daughter in the middle of the playground, like a mad cat, waving her two claws like a whirlwind.
His jaw nearly dropped.
“Zhong, about that thing you mentioned last time, I’ve been thinking about it…”
“Teacher Dai, wait a minute, I have something very urgent to deal with!”
At that moment, Song Chan hugged Zhong Xin’s small waist, her face flushed red from the effort, and she almost couldn’t stand up.
Zhong Lingyu didn’t have time to think too much; he was genuinely afraid Zhong Xin would drag Song Chan to the ground.
Just as he turned to descend the stairs, he suddenly saw a figure rushing out from the dormitory direction.
It was his adorable son, Zhong Cheng.
As if twins had a telepathic connection, Zhong Cheng, a hundred meters away, inexplicably sensed his calm heart surge with an unprovoked anger. He glanced over and saw his sister indeed going berserk.
It was all thanks to Zhong Cheng’s intervention.
Before the teachers in the student affairs office discovered the commotion, the onlookers and those involved had all dispersed.
Meanwhile, Zhong Lingyu was extremely relieved, giving his son a mental thumbs-up, thanking Zhong Cheng for protecting his father’s privacy.
When the class bell rang, Song Chan hurried back to her seat, and Zhong Lingyu thoughtfully handed her a tissue to wipe her sweat.
“What happened?”
“Nothing, your cousin is really something.”
Song Chan was still shaken by the earlier conflict.
“Do you think it’s good or bad?”
Zhong Lingyu looked quite interested, raising the air conditioner fan blades to stop the cold air from blowing directly on Song Chan.
“If I say it’s pretty good, wouldn’t it seem like I’m being biased?”
Zhong Lingyu seemed somewhat surprised.
“Song Chan, I agree that such a personality trait is protective; it’s human nature. But if you agree with her, why is that also considered protective?”
Song Chan read something in Zhong Lingyu’s expression that made her feel utterly ashamed.
She didn’t know how to answer, and at the same time, she felt a sense of utter disorientation: Had she actually begun to accept that she and Zhong Xin were mother and daughter? Had she so naturally used the word “protective”?
Before she could frantically lower her head, Zhong Lingyu calmly added, “It’s true that this child has always been straightforward. Both her parents are very steady and reliable; I don’t know who she inherited that from. I used to worry a lot, afraid her fearless personality would cause trouble at school. But watching her grow up…”
Song Chan felt the atmosphere was subtly harmonious. It really resembled a scene of a couple discussing their children before bed, exchanging parenting tips under the bedside lamp.
But this was a classroom, not a bedroom.
She quickly shook the jumbled thoughts from her mind.
Then she looked intently into Zhong’s eyes.
Zhong, oblivious, continued speaking. His occasional gesture of spreading his hands resembled that of a shrewd businessman, but Song Chan couldn’t discern this distinctly, “manly” rather than “boyish” body language.
“I’ve seen many cases of failed parenting around me, and suddenly I think this is alright too. At least she won’t have any psychological problems, right? She won’t allow others to bully her, she won’t sulk, she won’t be melancholic, and she won’t overly reflect on her own mistakes. At least she’s confident and cheerful.”
Song Chan had a feeling that Zhong Lingyu’s last sentence seemed to be a veiled criticism of her. She secretly agreed in her heart; the kind of person Zhong Lingyu described—being bullied, sulking, overly reflecting on herself, and not responding to conflict—was exactly like herself.
“You’re right, I quite like that about Zhong Xin.”
Zhong Xin wasn’t as weak as her, which softened Song Chan’s heart.
If Zhong Xin really was her daughter, then her daughter was living the life she most hoped she would become.
“Yes, of course you can become the person you want to be.”
Zhong Lingyu had hit the nail on the head regarding her secret wish, and Song Chan looked up in surprise. She saw his relaxed expression, as if in his mind, this was nothing difficult for her.
A sensation of being nourished washed over her.
“But don’t worry,” Zhong Lingyu smiled. “Zhong Xin isn’t always like this. She only shows her fierce side when something really bothers her. I know her well.”
Song Chan had actually heard the same thing before.
It was when she took Zhong Xin to the small garden to calm her down, from Zhong Cheng.
At that moment, she screamed inwardly: Is this really my daughter?! Such an adorable kitten, yet she has such sharp claws?
Then Zhong Cheng explained with a worried look that his sister was usually very well-mannered and understanding, and that she had only acted emotionally out of protectiveness of her mother today.
The slow-witted Song Chan took half a class period to slowly savor the pleasant feeling.
Wow, she felt so valued.
Just as Song Chan’s mother was the most important person in her heart, Song Chan was also the most important person in Zhong Cheng and Zhong Xin’s hearts.
Suddenly, she had become the most beloved person in their lives.
Now she finally understood why, despite such a fierce conflict, she felt a strange sense of satisfaction and happiness.
After evening self-study, Fang Jia returned to her class after training.
Upon hearing that Ran Jiayu had harassed Song Chan while she was away, she flew into a rage and nearly confronted Ran Jiayu.
Song Chan managed to stop Fang Jia, but could only shake her head vigorously, tongue-tied and unsure how to advise her, looking pleadingly at Zhong Lingyu.
Zhong Lingyu, who had been gazing out the window at the twilight seemingly uninvolved, received Song Chan’s distress signal and felt obligated to advise Fang Jia.
“Even if the other party was in the wrong first, the best opportunity has already passed. If you argue now, people will only think you’re stirring up trouble. With the upper hand in public opinion, you won’t gain anything.”
Fang Jia and Song Chan were stunned, only to find his perspective remarkably wise.
Fang Jia pulled Song Chan to sit down slowly, her expression immediately resembling Liu Bei’s three visits to Zhuge Liang’s thatched cottage. “Strategist, what do you think we should do next to vent our anger?”
Zhong Lingyu, perhaps thinking Fang Jia wasn’t quite there yet, didn’t want to say much. But before this thought could show on his face, Dong Xianneng, sitting at the table in front, suddenly became displeased.
He said in a lecturing tone, “Being so petty over such a small conflict shows you’re not using any of your intelligence for studying. School is a place for learning, not a scheming mansion, much less a place for privileged people to indulge in pleasure.”
Fang Jia didn’t understand for the moment; otherwise, with her fiery temper, she would have already flipped the table.
Song Chan, however, understood.
Dong Xianneng’s constant use of “privileged people” was clearly an accusation against Zhong Lingyu.
Song Chan immediately looked at Zhong Lingyu, worried he might be upset.
Zhong Lingyu was actually unmoved, but seeing Song Chan’s worry for him, he immediately put on a helpless yet strong expression, “I’m fine, I’m alright.”
This successfully evoked even deeper sympathy and care from Song Chan.
During the forty minutes of evening self-study, Fang Jia still hadn’t fully understood Dong Xianneng’s words and chatted with Song Chan in her notebook.
Song Chan briefly explained the situation and, recalling Zhong Lingyu’s lonely figure and forlorn eyes these past few days, felt even more strongly that she should do something for him.
However, at this very moment, Zhong Lingyu was staring at his exam paper, once again displaying that seemingly forlorn, but actually vacant, look.
—A mere high school spherical function, and he really needs to solve it himself? What about Zhong Xin and Zhong Cheng? Will they be able to solve this problem correctly? If they don’t get all the points, he’ll get a slap on the hand!
Just as his mind was wandering, a slip of paper was suddenly handed to him; the delicate handwriting immediately brought him to his senses.
“Zhong, want to go for a walk later?”
Zhong Lingyu adjusted her expression and nodded.
She didn’t forget to put on a tired smile.
Song Chan contentedly looked away and picked up a pencil to check her work on her scratch paper.
But actually, she was completely distracted. An indescribable little animal was hopping around inside her.
Finally, the bell rang, and Song Chan tried to appear calm and composed. She noticed a shadow rise and land beside her, followed by Zhong Lingyu’s voice: “Song, excuse me, I’m going to the convenience store.”
Song Chan said “Oh,” and moved her chair forward, the two acting as if they had planned it beforehand.
Song Chan heard her heart pounding wildly in her ears. She carefully watched Zhong Lingyu disappear through the front door, observed the other students engrossed in their homework, and then suddenly stood up from her seat.
Fang Jia accidentally bumped into the chair in front of her, startling her.
Fang Jia looked bewildered, then saw Song Chan say somewhat flusteredly, “I’m going to the water room, do you need some water?”
Fang Jia actually handed her the kettle, watching Song Chan hurriedly leave, still a little puzzled: Why make such a fuss over something as simple as getting water?
It’s like she’s going on a date.
But this thought only flashed through Fang Jia’s mind; she remembered she had an important task to complete.
Fang Qie cleared her throat and nudged Dong Xianneng’s shoulder. “Dong, what you just said was really inappropriate.”
Dong Xianneng, interrupted from his practice problems, retorted impatiently, “What’s inappropriate? How was it inappropriate?”
“You said Zhong is a privileged person; that’s a serious prejudice.”
“Zhong Lingyu is indeed a privileged person. Am I wrong? Everyone else gets into Class One based on their grades, but he gets in based on power!”
“How do you know Zhong Lingyu’s grades aren’t good?”
“I…”
“There’s no exam yet, is there?”
“But he doesn’t do his homework! He doesn’t do practice problems! He doesn’t listen in class! How can someone like that get good grades!”
“Dong Xianneng, do you have any dreams?”
The tone shifted abruptly, catching everyone off guard.
“I…why should I tell you!”
“Let me guess, with Dong Xianneng’s hard work and talent, he’ll be earning at least a million a year, right?”
Dong Xianneng didn’t speak. He adjusted his glasses, and behind his forced smile, a twitch of his nasolabial folds was faintly visible—this guy was suppressing a laugh.
“These days, what kind of elites can earn millions a year at such a young age? Corporate executives, entrepreneurs, scientists?”
“I haven’t thought about it yet,” Dong Xianneng said modestly, “but they all sound pretty good.”
“Then I can totally do it too.”
Dong Xianneng was incredulous. “You? With such poor grades, you’re dreaming.”
Fang Qie, “Why not? Who is Zhong Lingyu? He’s my future best friend. What kind of company is the Zhong Group? It’s a business tycoon, a listed company. With someone like Zhong Lingyu as my friend, if I start a business, wouldn’t he give me some orders to support me? If I lose my job, wouldn’t he give me a senior management position? If I do scientific research, wouldn’t he give me some funding to invest in my lab? If my child wants to go to the same school as his child, wouldn’t he agree?”
As Dong Xianneng listened to each sentence, the streetlights of his life seemed to light up one by one.
He suddenly became excited: “Then, can my wish to buy a house also be easily fulfilled?”
Fang Qie: “Is his family in real estate?”
Dong Xianneng: “I don’t know.”
Fang Qie: “If they are, what good is it if you live in one of so many houses? If not, since he has so many houses, could he just throw one at you?”
Dong Xianneng clenched his fists, speechless with excitement.
Fang Qie got to the point: “Then why are you targeting Zhong Lingyu at every turn? You’re narrowing your path, brother!”
The ten-minute break between classes passed quickly.
Zhong Lingyu was clearly unaware that Fang Qie was using absurd arguments, at Song Chan’s request, to help him cultivate a friendly relationship with his classmates.
He and Song Chan returned to their seats, chatting and laughing, just as a homework book was passed to them from the front.
Zhong Lingyu reached out to take it, only to see Dong Xianneng holding the homework book with both hands, presenting it to him.
His gaze shifted upwards, meeting a smiling face.
“Zhong, I was actually thinking of helping you analyze the mistakes in your homework during break. But why did you leave them all blank?” He tilted his head, looking worried. “If you don’t understand a problem, you can come to me! If you don’t know the scope of the homework, you can ask me! If you have any difficulties, you can tell me!”
Zhong Lingyu:?
Song Chan was pleasantly surprised to see Dong Xianneng’s change and secretly high-fived Fang Qie under the desk.
But Dong Xianneng’s enthusiasm didn’t get a response from Zhong Lingyu.
Zhong Lingyu waved her hand. “Thanks, but I’m still young and don’t want to compete. I want to be a couch potato.”
While their father was rejecting the pressure of competition, his children seemed to be actively working on it using physics and information technology.
The school bell had just rung when the loudspeaker rang out, broadcasting a reprimand from the head of the moral education department.
“The following are several serious incidents. Zhong Cheng from Class 7, Grade 1, stole electricity in the dormitory and spread methods of electricity theft in the boys’ dormitory, illegally connecting electrical wires. His actions are egregious, and he is hereby disciplined!”
“Secondly, Zhong Xin from Class 7, Grade 1, accessed the school’s intranet and altered the school’s hot water supply schedule, causing excessive pressure in the hot water supply and resulting in a burst water pipe. She is hereby disciplined!”
“Both of the above are hereby stripped of their boarding privileges!”
Zhong Lingyu was so angry hthat is hair was practically on fire. He rolled up his sleeves and stood up, an urge to punch someone boiling in his chest: “Song Chan, move aside, I need to go out for a bit!”