Chapter 158 The Academic Prodigy (First Update)

The matter ultimately ended with Gu Jiao planting three kisses on Xiao Jingkong's head.

Little Jingkong didn't have time to argue with his bad brother-in-law. He covered the kiss on his head with his little hands, ran back to the house, found a scarf and wrapped it around his head, then waited patiently for it to sprout!

After the three children's smallpox had completely healed, they returned to Qinghe Academy and the Imperial College to continue their studies, and the old lady also moved back.

The old chief priest was so moved that he cried.

They finally moved out!

I'll never be chased at knifepoint and robbed of my secret stash of money again!

Xiao Liulang had taken many days off, falling behind in his studies and assignments. In addition, he would be a tribute student taking the imperial examination next spring, so his studies would naturally be even more stressful.

Feng Lin and Lin Chengye will also participate in next year's spring imperial examination, but neither of them is confident.

In order to allow Xiao Liulang to spend more time studying, Gu Jiao said that starting today, she would pick up and drop off Xiao Jingkong.

Several children in the Xiaojingkong class contracted smallpox. Upon inquiry, it was discovered that the first student to show symptoms was the transfer student, Qin Chuyu.

Xiao Jingkong must have been infected by him, and then he infected his two older brothers at home.

However, Qin Chuyu did not recover as quickly as Xiao Jingkong; he was still on leave.

Many children in the class were absent, so school ended early.

In the past, after school, Xiao Jingkong would do his homework in the classroom, but now he goes to the clinic to do it instead.

Around the time Qinghe Academy dismisses its students, Gu Jiao will take him home.

One day, Xiao Jingkong was doing his homework at the clinic when the second boss somehow got hold of a box of goat milk cake. After eating it, Xiao Jingkong exclaimed that it was delicious.

Gu Jiao then realized that he was fine eating dairy products.

Gu Jiao asked her second employer to buy fresh goat milk, which she then boiled and gave to Xiao Jingkong to drink.

Once, I bought too much, and after cooking for Xiao Jingkong, there was still half a pot left. Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun didn't like it, so it was a shame to throw it away.

Gu Jiao thought for a moment, then added some tea leaves and sugar, brewing it to create a unique milky and tea aroma.

The young ladies of the girls' school were attracted by the special fragrance when they passed by the clinic, and went in to ask what it was.

Gu Jiao thought for a moment and said, "Milk tea."

Gu Jiao poured a few cups for them to try.

Aside from the original bitter tea, the young ladies of the capital had only ever drunk butter tea, the salty kind, which was also quite delicious, but it was nothing compared to this sweet milk tea.

Oh my god, what an amazing taste! It's so delicious!

"Is there anything else? Is there anything else?" a young lady asked.

Gu Jiao shook her head: "We're out for today. If you want some, come over tomorrow and I'll make more."

The clinic was packed the next day.

The second master, who came down from the side room, was a little confused. Were there so many patients today? And they were all daughters of girls from the girls' school. What trouble had happened at the girls' school this time?

They weren't there to see a doctor; they were there to queue up for milk tea.

Gu Jiao wasn't cheap, but it was still in short supply.

The sheer popularity left the second owner speechless.

He said that after running his clinic for so many years, he never imagined that he would suddenly make money from a side business.

However, the method of making milk tea is not complicated; you'll know how it's made after drinking it a few times.

Soon, nearby shops began to follow suit, and even the cooks in some wealthy families learned to make it, causing the clinic's business to quickly decline.

On this day, Xiao Jingkong came to the clinic to do his homework again.

Seeing the second landlord sighing to himself, he put down his pen and asked, "Why are you sighing?"

"Business is not good." The second boss had just tasted the sweetness of selling milk tea. The cost was low and the profit was high. At most, he could prepare a warm room for his daughters and burn a few more charcoal.

But before they could even enjoy their success for a few days, most of their business was snatched away.

The main problem is that other people sell their tea cheaply, so their costs can't be reduced, because Gu Jiao insists on using high-quality tea leaves.

The second landlord lamented, "This is so worrying!"

Xiao Jingkong decided to go and investigate in person.

"Jiaojiao, I want to try some too!"

Children shouldn't drink tea, so Gu Jiao really only let him have a small sip.

It tastes great!

Xiao Jingkong Jiaojiao's formula is absolutely fine!

With a serious little face, Xiao Jingkong went to the warm pavilion with his hands behind his back.

He was about to ask why the other girls weren't coming, when he saw a female student lying on the table, groaning.

"What's wrong? Does your stomach hurt?" Xiao Jingkong asked her.

She said, feeling wronged, "It's not a stomachache, it's a headache!"

The homework the teacher assigned was too difficult; she couldn't do it!

Little Jingkong climbed onto the stool, looked at the older girl's questions, and thought, "These questions seem to be ones my parents have given me before. Jiaojiao can do them!"

Xiao Jingkong took the question to Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao is brewing medicine pills.

Xiao Jingkong held up a piece of paper: "Jiaojiao! I don't know how to do the questions on this. Can you do them for me? I'll look at them myself after I'm done!"

"Okay." Gu Jiao took Xiao Jingkong's questions.

They are all arithmetic problems.

There are also quite a few arithmetic problems in the prodigy class, and they are not easy.

Gu Jiao, unsuspecting, took a new sheet of white paper and used charcoal to draw on Xiao Jingkong's paper.

Xiao Jingkong never copied the answers. He would read them by himself, cover them with the answers, and then do them once. If he still couldn't do them, he would study them several more times to understand them thoroughly.

Since he had a good reputation, Gu Jiao didn't keep an eye on him.

Xiao Jingkong returned to the room with the question paper and answer sheet: "Here, the answers!"

The girl didn't believe a little kid could have gotten the answers; he probably just drew them on his own.

He can draw even if he's just scribbling, but when it comes to filling in his own blanks, he doesn't even know where to begin.

The little girl pouted and resignedly copied down the answer.

The homework was handed in the next day, and only three people got it all right: Gu Jinyu, Zhuang Yuexi, and the other one... was her!

The little girl's surname was Yu. She also got in through connections and took turns competing with Zhuang Mengdie for last place in the class. She had never been praised by the teacher like this before!

Of course, she wasn't the type to keep things to herself, so she immediately told her classmates about the fact that she could do practice questions at the clinic next door.

That afternoon, the clinic, which had been quiet for several days, was packed again!

Little Clever Jingkong strode out of the clinic with boundless pride, gazing at his rivals who were trying to steal their milk tea business!

Hehehe, you can imitate Jiaojiao's recipe, but you can't imitate Jiaojiao's intelligence!

...

Madam Yao hadn't seen her daughter and son for several days and missed them dearly. Unfortunately, Aunt Ling had recently been stripped of her power, and the task of managing the year-end preparations had fallen to her.

She was so busy she barely had time to spare.

"Madam, someone from the Yao family has arrived!" Granny Fang reported as she entered the room.

Madam Yao put down the half-finished order form and asked curiously, "Who is it?"

"The old man and Sister Xin".

It is Yao Yuan and Yao Xin.

Yao Yuan was Yao's elder brother, and Yao Xin was his biological daughter.

Since moving to the hot spring resort, Yao has not seen the Yao family for ten years.

Yao Yuan has changed a lot. He looks much older than Lord Gu, even though he is a few years younger.

Yao Xin, on the other hand, has grown into a graceful young woman. Her features bear a resemblance to Yao Shi, making her a true beauty.

In comparison, Yao's appearance has not changed much; she is still beautiful, but her temperament has become more capable and mature.

"Yao'er..." Yao Yuan was so excited that he couldn't speak.

"Brother, please come in and sit down." Madam Yao led her brother and Yao Xin to the warm pavilion and had tea and refreshments served. "You may all leave now, but Granny Fang, please stay."

"Yes." The maids filed out.

Granny Fang wiped away her tears, clearly a mixture of joy and tears.

She was a maidservant of the Yao family, and she had come from the Yao family herself.

"Sister Fang hasn't changed at all," Yao Yuan said with a smile.

"This servant is old!" Granny Fang choked up.

Madam Yao's gaze fell on the slightly uneasy little girl behind Yao Yuan, and she said gently, "Xin'er is so grown up now. I remember when I left she was just a little girl. She's almost of marriageable age, isn't she?"

Yao Xin dared not speak.

Yao Yuan turned around and tugged at her: "Your aunt is asking you a question!"

Yao Xin said shyly, "I will come of age after the spring."

Yao waved to her: "Come sit down and have something to eat."

Yao Xin glanced back at her father, and seeing Yao Yuan nod, she carefully approached Yao Shi, sat down, picked up a pastry that Yao Shi handed her, and began to eat it slowly.

During the ten years that Madam Yao was away from the mansion, the Yao family did not visit her at all. They would only send some gifts to Gu Jinyu during festivals, and Lord Gu would send gifts back to the Yao family.

Yao Xin thought the Marquis's mansion was really big, and her aunt's courtyard was really grand!

The pastries were exquisite; even the Yao family's chefs couldn't make them!

"Auntie, is Sister Jinyu here?" Yao Xin asked.

Madam Yao said, "She went to the girls' school and is not at home."

"Oh." Yao Xin said enviously.

She also wanted to go to school, but her grandmother and parents only allowed her brother to go.

Madam Yao looked at Granny Fang and said, "Granny Fang, take Xin'er for a stroll in the garden."

The scenery of the Marquis of Ding'an's mansion is among the best in the entire capital.

Besides, she understood that this older brother had something to say to her.

"Yes, Madam! Miss Yao, please come with me." Granny Fang led Yao Xin out of the courtyard.

With no one else in the room, Madam Yao abandoned her usual warm hospitality and asked casually, "Brother, is there something you need that you've come to see me about?"

Yao Yuan opened his mouth, then forced a dry laugh, "I just came to see you. You went back to the capital but didn't even visit your family. You didn't even send a message to your family about Jin Yu's coming-of-age ceremony. Everyone says you're ashamed of the Yao family, but I know that's not true. Sister, are you still blaming us for what happened back then?"

Madam Yao took a sip of tea: "Brother, please don't bring up the past anymore. You know better than anyone why I didn't return to the Yao family or allow any Yao family members to attend Jin Yu's coming-of-age ceremony. Just consider it as me looking down on the Yao family."

Yao Yuan said bitterly, "We were wrong back then. We shouldn't have broken up your wonderful marriage and married you into the Marquis's mansion."

Before marrying Lord Gu, Yao was actually engaged to another family, but the other family was not as well-off as the Marquis of Ding'an's family. Therefore, when Lord Gu came to propose marriage, Yao's family broke off the engagement without saying a word.

They didn't dare tell Lord Gu about this, nor did they allow Madam Yao to tell him.

Yao Yuan knew that his sister had almost eloped with that man back then, and he had personally brought her back. He even had the man's legs broken.

Yao Yuan: "My parents did it all for the Yao family..."

Madam Yao: "It's a pity you didn't expect that I wouldn't help the Yao family. You've married a daughter off for nothing."

Yao Yuan choked.

That's right.

After her younger sister got married, she immediately severed ties with her family. Even her father couldn't see her one last time before he died.

But this is not my sister's fault; she was stuck on the estate and couldn't possibly make it back to the capital.

He blamed himself, saying, "Little sister, everything that happened back then was my fault. I didn't protect you, and I didn't stand by your side against our parents. If you have someone to blame, blame me!"

If there's anyone in the Yao family who can still speak to the Yao clan, it would be Yao Yuan.

Yao Yuan doted on his younger sister. The reason he broke up the couple was not to extract any benefits from Yao Shi, but simply because he felt that the man was not good enough for his sister.

He thought that once his sister married into the Marquis's mansion, she would become a person of high status.

Little did he know that he had personally pushed his sister into a pit of fire.

He said sadly, "Father was filled with remorse before he died. He asked me to tell my sister that he would apologize to her on his behalf if I could see her one day. And Mother, she knows she was wrong back then, and she has changed. Can you forgive her? Her health isn't good, and I'm afraid she doesn't have much time left..."

...

Granny Fang took Yao Xin on a tour of the Marquis's mansion, which broadened Yao Xin's horizons. She knew that her aunt had married into a wealthy family, but she had not expected it to be this big!

When Yao Xin returned to the Yao family courtyard, Yao Yuan got up to say goodbye.

The Yao family prepared gifts for them, and Yao Xin received a ruby ​​headdress.

Yao Xin likes it very much.

But Yao Yuan rejected him.

He didn't come to ask for anything; he genuinely came to ask for his sister's forgiveness.

After the two left, Madam Yao sat by the window and sighed repeatedly, "Granny Fang, do you think I should go back?"

Granny Fang comforted them, saying, "What grudge can't be resolved between a mother and daughter? The old lady wanted to see her two children before she passed away, so why don't you take the eldest young lady and the young master to see her one last time? She is not only your biological mother, but also the maternal grandmother of the eldest young lady and the young master."

She first went to the clinic and asked Gu Jiao: "...I'm not forcing you to acknowledge a maternal grandmother, but I heard she's dying. You're a skilled doctor, and I hope you can go and take a look at her."

Gu Jiao had no objection.

Gu Yan doesn't have class tomorrow, so he can go over.

When Yao asked Gu Jinyu after the girls' school let out, she learned that Gu Jinyu would not have classes the next day either.

Gu Jinyu said apologetically, "Mother, I promised Consort Shu that I would go to the palace to see her tomorrow. Can I visit my maternal grandmother another day?"

Another day will have to be after the New Year.

Madam Yao wanted to say that since Consort Shu visits every few days, it wouldn't matter if she missed one visit.

Before she could even speak, Gu Jinyu obediently said, "Why don't you go first, Mother? I'll go to the palace to pay my respects to Aunt before I go."

1996, just 4 votes shy of 2000!

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(End of this chapter)