Lin Wanwan leaned against Lu Feng and laughed happily, "I know you care about me. You've finally grown up. Do you have a girl you like at school?"
Lin Xiaohai blushed. "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm not in a relationship."
"If you like someone, you like them. There's no such thing as early or late when you like someone."
Lu Feng looked down at her. Sometimes Lin Wanwan would say some surprising things, but they made a lot of sense.
Lin Xiaohai blushed, but his expression remained calm. "Right now, I just want to study hard. I'm sure I'll be better than you."
"Are you stupid? Why are you comparing yourself to me? I'm not your target."
Just as she feared, her brother would take her as a role model and live in her shadow.
Lin Xiaohai looked at her sister with a puzzled expression, "Why can't we use you as a target?"
"Your goal is to surpass yourself as you were yesterday, not to look up to others."
"But don't you have goals too?"
“Yes, I do. My goal is to become a certain kind of person, not to directly take others as my role models. My grandfather and my brother Jinyan are both very outstanding. I may not be able to reach their level, but that doesn’t mean I’m not outstanding. Different kinds of excellence are still excellence. Compared to you a year ago, you are already very outstanding now. You don’t need to look up to others at all.”
Lin Xiaohai felt embarrassed by what she said, "Why are you suddenly like this? I know I'm excellent, you don't need to tell me."
She stood up, picked up Tuanzi, and ran away with an unnatural expression.
After the person left, Lu Feng lowered his head and said, "You're good at praising people."
Lin Wanwan shrugged. "I don't want him to live in my shadow. He's my brother, and of course I want the best for him. We're family who support each other. What if he gets stuck in a rut and hates me?"
“Xiao Hai isn’t that kind of person,” Lu Feng said, kissing her forehead.
"Of course I know, he's my brother."
"Have you forgotten that we are family too?"
Lin Wanwan looked up and kissed his chin. "How could I forget? We're going to grow old together."
Lu Feng was delighted by her four words and was in an extremely good mood.
Seeing Lin Jianbang hiding in the dining room reading a book, Lin Wanwan smiled and asked, "Dad, what are you doing hiding here?"
Lin Jianbang looked at her with loving eyes. Whether in the past or now, Lin Jianbang has always loved this eldest daughter very much.
"I was just looking for some peace and quiet, how did you end up here?"
Lin Wanwan sat down next to him. "I also want some peace and quiet. There are too many people inside. I want to get some fresh air. My face is stiff from smiling."
“You’ve been married for so long, and your father has never asked you how you’re doing. This marriage was approved by your mother and me, and we never asked for your opinion before.”
"Dad, I'm doing well, don't worry."
Lin Jianbang sighed, "You've suddenly grown up and become sensible. You only report good news and not bad news. Last time I saw you and Lu Feng having a fight, your mother couldn't sleep for several days after she got back. She kept blaming herself for taking the initiative to arrange this marriage for you."
Lin Wanwan leaned on his shoulder, her eyes a little red.
Lin Jianbang sighed and said, "If you're not doing well, be sure to tell Mom and Dad. It's true that Mom and Dad like Lu Feng, but we like you even more and care more about whether you're doing well."
"Dad, don't worry, Lu Feng and I are fine. The little friction before was because we both cared too much about each other and were too cautious."
"It's good that you're alright. Your mother and I were just worried that you would only report the good news and not the bad."
"Dad, I've grown up. From now on, I'll not only take good care of myself, but also take good care of you and Mom."
"Just take good care of yourself, and your mother and I will be relieved."
Lin Jianbang composed himself and turned to ask her, "Is there something you need?"
Lin Wanwan said with a smile, "I noticed my brother was unhappy, so I chatted with him for a bit."
"He confided in you about his troubles?"
"No, he's become much more sensible and ambitious lately."
Lin Jianbang smiled, took a sip of tea, and said, "So you're here as a mediator?"
"Pretty much. I just talked to him, and he's definitely worth helping."
Lin Jianbang raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
"Dad, why do you insist that he take the military academy entrance exam?"
Lin Jianbang gave a long list of his reasons, which can be summarized as follows: based on his own experience, taking the military academy entrance exam is a good path for career advancement.
"Dad, he's only in his first year of high school."
“He’s only in his first year of high school, but he should have some goals. When I asked him which school he wanted to go to, he didn’t know anything. He doesn’t follow the path I’ve laid out for him, and he doesn’t know what he wants to do. He even has the nerve to complain.”
“Dad, he’s only in his first year of high school. Have you forgotten that last year he was hanging out with his friends on the street?”
Lin Jianbang felt a headache coming on when he thought of his son from last year.
"That's why we need to be strict with him and give him a goal, just like you said you wanted to take the Ministry of Foreign Affairs exam and have been working hard towards it."
“Dad, his foundation was weak, so it’s not easy for him to have achieved his current results. He has put in a lot of effort. Don’t put pressure on him. I just talked to him, and I think his idea is very good. He said that right now he just wants to study hard and improve his grades, but he doesn’t know which university he should apply to.”
"Is this alright? Without a goal, are we just blindly working hard?"
“Dad, goals have to be realistic. Asking him which school he wants to go to is really a long way off for him. If he stays down-to-earth, studies hard, gets good grades, and gains more knowledge and experience, he will naturally know what he wants to do in the future and which school he wants to go to.”
Seeing him frown in thought, Lin Wanwan continued, "He's in his first year of high school now. I would only worry if he directly said he wanted to go to a really good university. I would worry that he would be arrogant and have unrealistic ambitions. Right now, his goal is very simple: to study hard and improve his grades. I think that's good."
"Hey, don't try to be nice to him. Why doesn't he just tell me himself and explain things to me clearly?"
“Dad, he said you have to listen to him, and he feels deep down that you don’t approve of him, which is why he doesn’t dare to express his thoughts. Don’t push him too hard.”
“I’m worried that he’s not as capable as you, and I want to help him avoid some detours.”
“Dad, don’t say these things in front of my brother anymore, and don’t compare him to me. His goal isn’t me, or anyone else, it’s himself.”
Lin Wanwan said in a relaxed tone, "Dad, he is very outstanding. You can try to believe in him."
Lin Jianbang stared at her silently for a while, but Lin Wanwan wasn't in a hurry. She smiled and looked back at him.
After a long pause, Lin Jianbang finally said, "You've really grown up. Your godparents were right. You're much more insightful than most people. It's like I hardly recognize you anymore."
Lin Wanwan leaned closer and said with a smile, "It's the real deal, still Daddy's precious daughter, beautiful and smart."
"Hahaha, yes, yes, you're just like your mother, beautiful and smart."
"Dad, are you praising me or your wife?"
"Praise him, praise him. With you taking care of your brother, Dad is at ease. Your brother has really changed a lot recently. His grades have improved a lot, and he even knows how to protect you now. I was so gratified when I saw him throw a tantrum yesterday. Even if Mom and Dad are gone one day, he can still protect you."
Lin Wanwan's eyes instantly reddened. "Dad, what are you saying? May you and Mom live to be a hundred years old."
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