Zhuo Tianhe understood somewhat why this kid wanted to see him.
Although they didn't live in the same courtyard, he despised the Zhou family's behavior.
Putting everything else aside, although he and Hua Zhian often bicker and joke around, their brotherhood of over two decades is undeniable. I don't know where this kid gets the confidence to come up to him and try to sow discord.
"What's so strange about that? Although Zhi'an and I played around before, we learned everything we needed to learn."
Besides, the reason I took the exam was because my family wanted me to, not because I wanted to, so I didn't study hard at all. Otherwise, I'd definitely be a soon-to-be college student now.
Zhuo Tianhe looked him up and down. "When we were in school, we weren't very sensible, but we weren't stupid. Our families paid for our education, so we definitely studied hard."
Although my grades weren't among the best in the class, they weren't at the very bottom either.
"But you, you always end up far behind the second-to-last person. That won't do. If your results are too bad next year, you'll become the laughingstock of the neighborhood."
The knife was stuck in Zhou Xiaojun's chest. Since the college entrance examination was opened, his parents had been telling him to study hard and strive to bring honor to the family next year.
With his terrible grades, and the scores he got were all copied from his classmates, where does he get such confidence that he can bring honor to his family?
"I'm doing this for your own good. You and Hua Zhiping are such good brothers, but at this crucial moment, he actually held back his own interests."
He has good learning materials and methods, but he doesn't even bother to discuss them with you. It's clearly a smooth, easy path, but he's unwilling to lend you a hand.
Zhuo Tianhe: "I've realized you don't understand what I'm saying. I've already told you, this isn't my ambition."
I have a good job, it's close to home, and the income is stable, so why should I go back to school and endure a few more years?
Besides, have you forgotten that the Hua family sent all the information to the neighborhood committee this time? You're practically a beneficiary of that.
At this point, he slapped his forehead and said, "I almost forgot, even if you catch up now, it will probably be difficult. Why don't you change your age to be younger and start over?"
Zhou Xiaojun: "...I'm not interested in this. After graduating from high school, I might find a job."
"Then you'd better hurry up and plan for yourself. It's already past the New Year, and it's not so easy to find a job now. Don't end up being sent to the countryside, where it will be even harder to come back."
Seeing that his face was getting worse and worse, Zhuo Tianhe felt much better. "Is that all you came to see me for? If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."
Zhou Xiaojun reached out to stop him, "Brother Tianhe, there's one more thing I want to ask. You're getting so close to the Hua family, haven't you noticed anything strange about them?"
"Why do you ask that?" Zhuo Tianhe stopped and asked calmly. Zhou Xiaojun was indeed up to something and wanted to use him as a pawn.
They don't even realize that Zhuo Tianhe spends all his time gossiping with these old ladies and aunties, and he's learned a lot from it.
"If they didn't have inside information, then they must have known about the exam in advance. We don't know if they have any connections behind them."
After asking this question, Zhou Xiaojun stared intently at Zhuo Tianhe.
Zhuo Tianhe said, "I'm telling you, kid, that's enough. I'm only being polite and chatting with you here because we're old neighbors."
If the Hua family has any news, even if they have connections, they have no reason to tell us.
Just like how your grades were terrible back then, how did your family manage to send you to high school?
"Why haven't you openly discussed this matter? You've kept it hidden for the past two years. Isn't that unfair to others?"
The Zhou family was trying to cover it up, but everyone knew that they had used all their savings to bribe someone in order to prevent their only son from going to the countryside.
It's impossible to keep this a secret in a small county; people just don't want to name names.
Besides feeling that this matter was none of their business, it was also because they couldn't afford to offend the other party.
Zhou Xiaojun opened his mouth, but the Song Committee was not so easy to betray. Even though it was in decline, it was still not something their family could afford to offend.
Zhuo Tianhe reached out and patted his shoulder, "Listen to your brother, be a good person."
"Don't offend people later; there's no going back then."
He likes to chat about everyday family matters, but he also has his bottom line.
They chatted about romantic things and gossip, which was fine, but he was unwilling to make unfounded guesses, fearing it would bring trouble upon himself.
Furthermore, his friendship with Hua Zhian is not the kind of bad friendship that outsiders perceive; on the contrary, they share many things with each other.
At the time, the Hua family had the materials, and he knew about it. Moreover, Hua Zhian had asked him if he was willing to study with him.
Who does Zhou Xiaojun think he is, daring to come in front of me and cause trouble?
Zhou Xiaojun, “…” Who the hell told him that Zhuo Tianhe was a big mouth and that anything that passed through his ears would be spread around the clock.
He had hoped to use Zhuo Tianhe's words to stir up trouble in the courtyard and perhaps discover something, but he didn't expect the other party to be so unresponsive.
Zhuo Tianhe had no interest in continuing his nonsense. Since he wasn't going to follow Zhou Xiaojun's lead, he was just putting on a one-man show.
Zhuo Tianhe ignored him completely, not even glancing at him, and went back to chatting.
As for what Zhou Xiaojun had just said, he had long forgotten it.
Zhou Xiaojun returned empty-handed and dejected to the compound.
He'd used up most of the money and tickets the other party had given him, and if he didn't gather some useful information soon, they definitely wouldn't be so generous next time.
However, the Hua family is a potential breakthrough, since they are the most conspicuous family in the entire compound.
If that mysterious person wants something special from their compound, they can probably only find it through their family.
As for strangers, right, didn't their second son's wife come from another province? That should count too, right?
With this thought, Zhou Xiaojun felt much more at ease. He decided to try using this information tomorrow, and if the other party took a liking to him, he could improve his life.
Hua Xiangyun no longer paid any attention to Zhou Xiaojun, but instead focused her attention on the mysterious person she had previously traded with.
I never expected that person to be so careless and to be targeted by Huang's men so quickly.
Huang and his men did not alert the enemy, but followed closely behind, wanting to see what other accomplices they might have.
Hua Xiangyun guessed that this was just a pawn, and with the Nine Lotus Cauldron watching over the courtyard, she felt at ease and entered into cultivation.
When the night was deep and quiet and everyone was fast asleep, the Nine Lotus Cauldron spoke up to remind everyone, "Master, we're here!"
Hua Xiangyun immediately opened her eyes and mentally connected with the Nine Lotus Cauldron, "How many have come? Do they possess cultivation?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
