She gently placed a stone on the board.
Xiao Tianwen was astonished and only spoke after a long moment. “Yunzhu, you’re incredible! You were setting a trap for your Jingchuan just now.”
Fu Yunzhu lifted her chin and smiled brightly. “Yes, but he’s so good, I had to.”
“Then why the serious face earlier?”
“I wanted the Young Master to feel proud for a moment before I completely defeated him. But this move alone can’t decide the game.” She looked at Xiao Jingchuan with a teasing smile. “Your turn.”
Xiao Jingchuan tossed his stone into the bowl. “In five moves, I’ll lose.”
He unexpectedly glanced at Fu Yunzhu and met her slightly triumphant smile, and the corner of his mouth couldn’t help but curve.
Could this little girl really be a genius?
Fu Yunzhu didn’t care what he thought. Winning mattered most. As for whether she was a genius that could never be proven. As long as she kept her secret, no one would know.
“Does the previous bet still count?”
Xiao Jingchuan nodded. “Yes. What do you want?”
“I want to take the college entrance exam in Kyoto next year, and I’d like to ask you to help find a school.”
Xiao Jingchuan raised an eyebrow. “You want to take the exam?”
“Yes.” After confirming, she asked, “Young Master, is that something you can’t do?”
“No.” He vaguely remembered Aunt Jiang saying that this daughter of hers hadn’t even attended middle school. But since he lost the game, no matter the circumstances, he should agree. So he promptly added, “I’ll help you.”
After saying this, he got up and went to his room, casually unbuttoned his uniform, changed into casual clothes, and came back out. Seeing that Fu Yunzhu had already packed up the board and wasn’t planning to play with her father, he called, “Yunzhu, come here for a moment.”
Fu Yunzhu set down the Go bowl and walked over. He said, “Yunzhu, take care of Jinghang properly. When Aunt Wang comes back, she’ll count your effort as equal pay.”
This girl may have little schemes, but she’s honest.
“All right,” Fu Yunzhu agreed.
Xiao Jingchuan smiled. “Go on. Let Aunt Jiang come prepare my dinner.”
Fu Yunzhu went to the backyard and saw Jiang Youqing had already changed Jinghang into a clean set of clothes.
“Mom, the Young Master is back, and he hasn’t eaten dinner. I’ll take care of him.”
“All right. I’ll come right away.”
It took less than five minutes for Fu Yunzhu to settle Jinghang, and Jiang Youqing returned. She was surprised. “Mom, you finished so quickly?”
“Just two dishes. A quick reheat was enough.”
Fu Yunzhu felt really moved. Socialist Young Master and capitalist Young Master truly were completely different.
Before Gu Yu’s time-travel, he would never eat reheated food, demanding freshly made dishes accompanied by her personally. There was no such thing as casual.
“Director Xiao said you beat the Young Master and now he’ll help you find a school?” Jiang Youqing asked.
“Yes. Do you think it’s a bit abrupt?”
“No, even if you didn’t mention it, I would’ve asked Director Xiao myself.”
And so, mother and daughter planned for the future, full of hope.
On the fifth afternoon, Xiao Jingchuan left work early. Just as he returned, Liu Aunt was about to greet him, but he raised his hand to stop her.
Liu Aunt stepped back, feeling aggrieved, then saw him walk toward the backyard and breathed a sigh of relief.
This mother-daughter pair really ignored everyone else. The country girl was taking the little master everywhere.
Liu Aunt worried that when the Young Master left, it would be another scene entirely. She glanced back and saw him standing at the back door. Tall and imposing, Xiao Jingchuan blocked the doorway just by standing there.
From afar, Xiao Jingchuan watched the scene. The leaves Jinghang had picked stuck to her upturned, smiling face. She held his hand, extended her index finger, and guided it to touch the leaf, gently speaking its name.
Then she let go of Jinghang’s hand. He didn’t speak, just looked at her and traced little circles on the leaf with the finger she had extended, a faint smile in his eyes.
Fu Yunzhu gave him a thumbs-up, encouraging him. “Great! Jinghang, now you can chase me.”
She removed the leaf and began running, with Jinghang following behind.
It was the first time he had played with someone.
“Run run stop!” Fu Yunzhu called out, then turned to catch Jinghang and they both stopped.
Jinghang didn’t want to stop and sat on the ground crying. She wasn’t angry or annoyed, and she didn’t soothe him.
Once he calmed down, she picked him up again. “Run run stop. If Jinghang is willing, nod; if not, shake your head.”
Jinghang stood still, staring at her.
Was she teaching him?
He took a few steps forward and called out, “Yunzhu.”
Fu Yunzhu quickly turned. “Young Master.”
Xiao Jingchuan smiled. “Thank you for your hard work.”
“Not too bad.”
“Jinghang isn’t an ordinary child. If you can’t teach him, and you don’t mind the effort, I don’t object. Just don’t get frustrated or discouraged.”
Fu Yunzhu didn’t expect Xiao Jingchuan to be so straightforward and considerate. How could someone like this ever have gotten along with Fu Yufen?
“I won’t. I’m bored anyway,” Fu Yunzhu replied.
Xiao Jingchuan nodded. “My father and I will be on a business trip for about two months. Take good care of Jinghang. I’ve already had someone contact your school to prepare for the entrance exam.”
“Thank you, Young Master. I’ll definitely take good care of Jinghang.” This was her heartfelt thought.
“Mm.” Xiao Jingchuan nodded and turned to leave.
After he left, Jiang Youqing arranged a tutor for Fu Yunzhu. In the following days, Fu Yunzhu’s life revolved around studying and taking care of Jinghang.
The first week was the hardest. After Jinghang adapted to her pace, he progressed rapidly.
When he wanted something, he no longer dragged people shouting “Ah! Ah!” Instead, he learned to point with his finger and answer simple questions with nods and shakes of his head.
He would turn when his name was called.
Time flew. Jiang Youqing watched Jinghang improve day by day in disbelief. All thanks to her daughter. She imagined how happy the old master and Young Master would be when they returned.
Finding a school was the least of it; if Yunzhu asked, she could probably have the stars plucked from the sky.
She watched her daughter, holding Jinghang, covered in mud, barefoot on the narrow stone path, eyes full of joy.
Previously, she didn’t understand. Now she knew her daughter called it sensory integration training, learned from materials she found at the Xinhua Bookstore.
While walking, Jinghang stumbled and fell, crying loudly.
“What happened?” A panicked voice called as soon as he fell.
“Oh no, my baby has turned into a little mudman?”
Mother and daughter looked up to see Jinghang’s cousin and aunt.
Jiang Youqing immediately picked up Jinghang and explained, “Miss Chen, Madam Chen, Jinghang’s fine. My daughter is teaching him cognitive skills.”
Madam Chen snatched Jinghang from her arms and glared. “Cognitive skills? His forehead is swollen, and you say he’s fine? Director Xiao has spoiled you. You’ve forgotten your position.”
Fu Yunzhu heard “forgot your position” and felt suddenly sad. “Madam Chen, we didn’t do it on purpose. We were playing fine before.”
Miss Chen was furious. “Not on purpose? When Aunt Wang took care of him, he was always clean. My uncle trusted you to handle the house, and this is how you treat Jinghang? The Xiao family only hired one Aunt Jiang before; now there are two of you, and you still can’t do the job properly?”
For the first time, Fu Yunzhu felt the embarrassment of being a guest dependent on others. Fortunately, they had already rented a place recently. If she hadn’t come to help with Jinghang, she wouldn’t have come at all. So she said immediately, “This was my fault. I’ll leave at once.”