Chapter 42
"Jung-hee, may I take a look at your notes?"
"Help yourself on the table."
After drying his hair, Mu Zhengxi pulled out a chair and sat down. He took out an SAT reading practice book and began to read it lazily. The time had already reached twelve o'clock. He glanced at the calendar and saw that there was still one week left in the closed training.
He twirled the pen in his hand, then tossed it aside in frustration.
Mu Zhengxi climbed into bed.
Are you going to sleep?
"Um."
"Would you like to turn off the lights?"
"Need not."
"It's okay, I'll just turn on the desk lamp."
"I can sleep."
"Then I'll turn it off later?"
"Um."
Mu Zhengxi picked up the English-Chinese dictionary from beside his pillow, opened it, and a photograph fell out. A slight smile appeared on his lips.
Physical education class.
Jiang Jiawei and Chen Jingyu sat on the stage, swinging their legs and eating a bag of potato chips.
"Look at Liu Yong, that new hairstyle is so stupid, hahaha." Chen Jingyu pointed at the basketball court and laughed. The person next to her who raised his eyelids was uninterested, like a dehydrated plant, his leaves curled up and drooping.
Chen Jingyu shoved the potato chips in her hand into Jiang Jiawei's hand, "Why are you so depressed? Is the Strong Foundation Program really that depressing?" She then unscrewed the water bottle and took a sip.
Chen Jingyu wants to take the art exam route, so the difficulties of the academic exams are relatively less.
Jiang Jiawei took out a potato chip, held it between her fingers, and seemed to see her future. "My brain is just like this potato chip right now, it would crumble at the slightest touch."
What's even more brutal is that when you're surrounded by top students, you'll find that the gap is like standing below the podium looking up at the stands, where the wall is high enough to swallow you up.
Chen Jingyu nudged her shoulder, strongly disagreeing with her pessimism. "Don't put so much pressure on yourself. What are you afraid of? I'm here for you. If things don't work out, I'll support you. I'll teach piano, and you can take on students."
Jiang Jiawei leaned on her shoulder.
The girl who reached out and hugged her patted her chest and said, "Don't be afraid."
Hahahaha.
"Hey, don't laugh, that hair is making my neck so itchy." Chen Jingyu shrank her neck. "Let's go borrow a badminton racket and play for a while."
"Okay. Do you still want some potato chips?"
"I'm not eating, you eat."
Jiang Jiawei shoved the remaining crumbs into her mouth and jumped off the platform. The feeling of falling from such a height was exhilarating. She hoped that improving her grades would be just as easy and quick.
Mu Zhengxi finally ended his closed training and got his phone back.
There were several messages sent to her by Jiang Jiawei.
She was selected for the Strong Foundation Training Program, which meant she had twice as much homework as usual and classes on weekends.
Mu Zhengxi made a phone call and pushed his suitcase through the bustling streets on Friday.
The phone went unanswered.
At this time, Jiang Jiawei should be getting out of school in the afternoon and possibly having dinner.
Back home.
Mu Zhengting was also there.
As Mu Yashan said, Mu Zhengting returned to Hanyang after the Spring Festival to intern at the group, and Mu Shaoqing put him in charge of one of its foreign trade companies.
Although Mu Zhengting returned to Hanyang, he did not live at home; he had the right to live alone.
The former is good news for Mu Zhengxi, while the latter is something he admires but cannot currently achieve himself.
He didn't bother with pleasantries and went straight inside.
It seems that even though Mu Zhengting spends very little time in this house, whenever he comes back, he always acts like a superior master, and everyone revolves around him. Compared to Mu Zhengxi, they clearly have more respect for Mu Zhengting.
But Mu Zhengxi didn't care; he didn't want anything that didn't belong to him.
Should all these clothes be washed again?
Mu Zhengxi nodded. "Yes, thank you for your hard work."
Lin took the luggage from Mu Zhengxi and asked with concern, "How's the training? Are you getting used to the food?"
"It's just like university dormitory life, except for not having any contact with the outside world." Mu Zhengxi typed a text message with one hand while going upstairs.
Lin asked him, "What do you want to eat for dinner?"
Mu Zhengxi focused on the screen and replied after a few seconds, "Just cook a bowl of noodles and bring it to my room." He then put his phone in his pocket.
"Why eat noodles? It's finally over, you need to replenish your energy after all this hard work." Brother Lin leaned closer to Mu Zhengxi, implying, "President Zeng and your brother won't be home tonight, they've been very busy lately."
The year-end has just passed.
The visits came one after another, and Zeng Yuan was almost never home during this period, as she was preparing her eldest son, who was about to graduate, for social connections to join the group.
"Very busy?"
Mu Zhengxi pondered the two words for a moment, a smile slowly spreading across his lips, gradually revealing his neat teeth and visible excitement. His phone vibrated, he glanced at the text message, and turned around, saying, "I won't be eating at home tonight."
"Are you going out?"
"oh."
From the side hall, Zeng Yuan caught a glimpse of the person who had just reluctantly entered the house, now fluttering like a bird ready to leave. Her mouth spoke before she could even finish asking, "Where to?"
Mu Zhengxi's steps were abruptly stopped. He rolled his eyes silently in his heart and only turned around after a long while.
The tailor who was measuring Mu Zhengting's size and the group of people who were helping him try on clothes all turned their attention to him, including Mu Zhengting himself, who was standing with his hands in his pockets looking like an idiot that made people want to punch him.
Mu Zhengxi forced a smile, playing the role of an obedient youngest son, and deliberately put on a high-pitched voice, "Mom, I want to go out for dinner with my classmates~"
Mu Zhengting gave an incredulous snort, his face full of anticipation as he wondered what Mu Zhengxi was up to.
Zeng Yuan frowned slightly and remained silent for a while.
"Has the acting gone too far?" Mu Zhengxi wondered.
Zeng Yuan coughed lightly, sounding awkward. "Go home early and don't wander around."
"knew."
That makes sense now.
An impatient high school student going through puberty.
"Your youngest son looks just like you."
"He's so handsome."
"You and President Mu are truly blessed to have two handsome and intelligent sons."
Faced with the praise and compliments from everyone, Zeng Yuan smiled faintly.
Master Fang, who had known her for many years, looked at Zeng Yuan, who had turned her gaze back to the door, and said, "Zhengxi is eighteen years old now, right? She'll be taking the college entrance exam soon, won't she?"
Zeng Yuan: "I'll be eighteen after my birthday next year, and I'll be taking the SAT in May."
"Time flies. Are you planning to send him abroad?"
"Yes, he also plans to go abroad."
Master Fang blinked and said like a playful old man, "It seems there will be new orders soon."
Zeng Yuan: "Yes, I'll have to trouble you then."
White smoke billowed from the copper hot pot in front of me.
The aroma of mutton was irresistible.
Yan Yuheng and Xu Zizhao had already finished their first round of eating. They looked at Mu Zhengxi, who was gesturing thoughtfully with his arms crossed like Picasso, exchanged a glance, and slowly lowered their chopsticks that had been suspended in mid-air.
"Mu Zhengxi, has your brain gone idiot?"
"What are you doing? Why are you contemplating life at a time like this? Don't desecrate food, okay?"
The person who had snapped out of their thoughts looked at the two of them with renewed interest and replied with two words, "Hot pot?"
He suddenly remembered that Jiang Jiawei still owed him a hot pot meal.
People who suddenly smile seem possessed, which is very creepy.
Out of conscience, Xu Zizhao tremblingly picked up the piece of mutton from his bowl and put it into Mu Zhengxi's bowl. "Don't do this, Zhengxi, don't scare your father."
This "Dad" finally brought him back to normal; his face instantly turned irritable, and he disgustedly picked up the bowl and poured the meat back in, yelling, "Get out!"
Yan Yuheng, biting his chopsticks, seemed thoughtful. "You wouldn't be thinking of going to have hot pot with Jiang Jiawei, would you?"
"Cough cough cough."
Mu Zhengxi took the drink and gulped down a big mouthful, almost choking to death.
"What nonsense are you spouting!"
Yan Yuheng said casually, "I happen to have time this weekend, let's go together."
Xu Zizhao opened his mouth wide and looked at Yan Yuheng with admiration, then picked up the piece of meat and gave it to him, saying, "I want to go too, I have time."
"Go to hell with both of your heads!"
"He's panicking! He's really panicking!!"
"Looks like it's really true, hahaha!!!"
Mu Zhengxi picked up the plate of cabbage on the table, pretending to throw it at the two people who were clapping and acting like accomplices. But then he thought it would be a waste of food, so he threw two crumpled pieces of paper that he had just used to wipe the table, pointing his finger at them and threateningly saying, "Don't follow me, you two."
"I know, I know, I won't be a third wheel."
"It was just a joke, why did you take it so seriously?"
"Eat quickly, eat quickly."
"You've lost so much weight, it breaks my heart."
"Studying must be hard work."
"The training must have been tough."
Mu Zhengxi: "...Okay, let's talk about it after we finish eating at the stadium."
Yan Yuheng: "...They really can't take a joke."
Xu Zizhao: "...They really can't take a joke."
The next morning, in the waiting room.
Just as he expected, without the slightest surprise, Mu Zhengxi stood with his hands in his pockets in front of the two men who were pretending to flip through magazines and newspapers.
"Don't pretend."
Yan Yuheng: "I haven't seen my cousin in a long time, and I miss him a little."
Mu Zhengxi gave a cold laugh and looked at the other woman who seemed to be studying some kind of ancient mystery while looking at a women's clothing magazine. "You miss your cousin too?"
Xu Zizhao looked up, his eyes sincere, "Oh, is that not allowed?"
"What's wrong? Is it not allowed? Can't you think about it? Did thinking about his cousin commit a crime?"
Xu Zizhao spread his hands, looking like he needed to be taught a lesson.
Without hesitation, Mu Zhengxi picked up another magazine from the table and slapped it.
Yan Yuheng was so choked up that his shoulders were shaking, and he covered his face with a newspaper.
Xu Zizhao: "Hey! Hengzi, stop your dad! He's got violent tendencies!!"
Yan Yuheng immediately stopped smiling and said without hesitation, "You're my grandson!"
Last time they came empty-handed, but this time the two of them practiced Chinese etiquette very well and brought a suitcase full of gifts.
When they opened it, Jiang Weichao and Jiang Jia were stunned.
Yan Yuheng's eyes revealed a smug sense of accomplishment. "How about it? I didn't embarrass you, did I?"
Mu Zhengxi glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, "I think he could go into pyramid schemes."
Xu Zizhao was enthusiastically introducing various Hanyang specialties, acting as if he had been a tour guide for decades.
"These are just some local specialties, Uncle, you don't need to feel burdened. We really bothered you last time you came, and you had a lot of fun. So my parents said that next time we come, we must bring gifts to visit."
Xu Zizhao opened the other side of the box.
Local specialty? Jiang Jiayi's lips twitched. A giant ginseng the size of an arm, and this is a local specialty? Not to mention Ganoderma lucidum, which he had only seen in textbooks.
"Is this also a local specialty??"
Xu Zizhao remained expressionless. "Oh, this is a local specialty of my family. My family owns a pharmacy."
Mu Zhengxi's face darkened. "Are you two crazy?"
Yan Yuheng was puzzled by this statement. "What's wrong? Doesn't he have plenty of these things at home?"
Mu Zhengxi gave him a look that said, "I'm overestimating you," and clicked his tongue heavily.
When Jiang Jiawei returned home after finishing her tutoring class on Saturday morning, she saw a group of people gathered in the living room. At first glance, she thought she was hallucinating, so she went downstairs and then came back up.
"That's not how it works! I am the Lord! Yours is the Secondary card!"
Jiang Jiayi facepalmed again, "Bro, I'm your teammate! Why did you kill me...?"
"Oh right, yes, we're teammates!"
...
"Hi, excuse me, may I bother you for a moment?"
Jiang Jiawei spoke up weakly amidst the four people arguing so loudly they were about to lift the roof off.
"Jiang Jiawei!"
Mu Zhengxi, who had been annoyed by Yan Yuheng, suddenly brightened up and stood up.
Xu Zizhao: "Long time no see, sister-in-law—Xiao Jiawei!"
"hello!"
Jiang Jiayi felt like she had seen a savior. "Sis, come and help this guy!"
"What's wrong?"
Jiang Jiawei looked at Xu Zizhao.
"Explain the rules to him."
"Should I give it an 80?"
"right."
"OK."
Xu Zizhao saw a savior in the gentle smile of Jiang Jiawei.
Mu Zhengxi pulled Jiang Jiawei over and shoved the cards in his hand into her hands, saying, "I'll teach you."
Xu Zizhao: "I refuse!"
"Refusal is invalid."
Yan Yuheng was also satisfied with the arrangement, "Great, great, it just so happens that I didn't want to be associated with Mu Zhengxi's family either."
The next second.
Mu Zhengxi: "Let's start over, with the siblings as a family."
Yan Yuheng: "What do you mean they're family! We haven't even gotten to know each other yet! How can you be so unreasonable?!"
Xu Zizhao: "That's right!"
Jiang Jiayi: "I agree!!!"
Xu Zizhao: "Little brother!!!"
Mu Zhengxi: "Wasn't I your sparring partner?!"
Xu Zizhao: "Can you teach me properly?!"
...
Jiang Jiawei raised her hand and suggested, "Um... how about we have lunch first?"
She looked at her father, who was standing at the dining table signaling that dinner was ready.
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