IETSTSMLARA | It's Hard Being an Uncle | 45
The new students at the school, the two brothers, enrolled together and their outstanding entrance exam results placed them in the same class.
Even public schools have class divisions based on academic performance, and this private school was even more rigorous, directly ranking classes from A to F according to grades, making the distinctions clear.
The brothers' almost identical and outstanding appearances caused quite a stir on campus.
The self-introduction session was lively, and Lin Su also met the protagonist Gong Liang Heng.
At twelve years old, he indeed looked very young, but he had a very good appearance, with a bright smile and excellent athletic abilities, at least the same height as Lin Su.
During class break, this protagonist had already familiarized himself with everyone in the class. His social skills were remarkable, and it was no wonder that Lin Ran, who was always immersed in his own world and very well-behaved in the original world, ended up liking him.
However, the world line had changed many years ago. Although Lin Ran was still quiet by nature, he was no longer as easily swayed as in the original world line.
"Your name is Lin Ran, right? I’m Liang Heng. I heard you got a perfect score this time. Please help me with my studies in the future." Liang Heng had a smiling face, which made him seem very good-natured.
Although he was enthusiastic, he was also observing Lin Su and Lin Ran, the brothers. After all, during enrollment, it was said that there were three perfect scores, including him, and the other two were a pair of twin brothers.
The twins were good-looking, from good families, and excellent students—it seemed there was nothing they lacked.
At first, Liang Heng thought they might be two arrogant young masters, but he found that the older brother looked steady and the younger brother looked obedient. This made it much easier to become friends.
"You’re impressive too." Lin Ran knew about the other person who got a perfect score, but in his heart, his brother was the best, and everyone else could just step aside.
The news about the three perfect scores in Class A, along with the rumors about the twins, spread quickly. By lunchtime, Class A was indeed crowded with a lot of people.
"They look really good."
"They really are twins…"
"Could they be the campus princes like in TV dramas?"
"More like the school heartthrobs…"
"Which one is Liang Heng?"
"That one, the sunny-looking guy."
This middle school has strict management, especially the frighteningly stern face of the dean.
Although the students who get in either have good grades or come from good families, it's obvious that the founder of this school is even more formidable. This results in the students quickly dispersing when the dean arrives.
Because of this scene, the speech at the first school assembly included warnings against early puppy love, even outlining various anti-romance measures that would be implemented. Even if students had countermeasures, they would likely be suppressed by the school's advanced monitoring systems.
In such a strictly guarded environment, interactions between boys were much more convenient than interactions between boys and girls.
Evening self-study sessions at this middle school were optional, entirely up to the students.
When school ended in the afternoon, students from Classes C to F would leave promptly, with only students from Classes A and B staying behind, along with teachers available for questions.
Although the pressure for high school entrance exams wasn't overwhelming, twelve-year-olds were at an age where they felt capable of conquering the world. How could they willingly lose to others in Class A? The number of students wearing glasses indicated just how disciplined and hardworking these kids were.
Amidst all the focused studying, Lin Su's departure caught some attention.
The two brothers usually sat together. After Lin Su left, Liang Heng naturally sat next to Lin Ran, and asked with a hint of curiosity, "Where did your brother go? He didn't go to play, did he? Why didn't you go with him?"
Lin Ran wasn't familiar with him and found that he was too talkative. He turned and said, "Are you trying to distract me so I won't surpass you in the next exam?"
Liang Heng smiled, "Even if I don't distract you, you still won't surpass me."
"Even if I can't surpass you, my brother can," Lin Ran replied with complete trust in his brother, believing there was nothing his brother couldn't do.
Liang Heng felt a bit competitive, "Then let's make a bet. If I rank higher than your brother in the next exam, you have to buy me drinks for a month."
"Deal," Lin Ran, having a competitive streak of his own, responded. "If both of us surpass you, you have to buy drinks for both of us."
"Deal!" Liang Heng agreed, then started previewing his lessons, their conversation as innocent as could be.
Meanwhile, Lin Su, who had taken a car home, immediately called out to Aunt Jiang upon entering the house, "Aunt Jiang, are all the ingredients I asked for ready?"
"They're all ready. I went out early this morning to get them, everything is very fresh," Aunt Jiang replied as she helped him put on an apron. Watching him pick up the kitchen knife, she asked, "Are you sure you don't need my help?"
"No, no, you go rest. Today I'll show off my cooking skills for you and Uncle," Lin Su said with a smile as he gently pushed her out of the kitchen.
"Alright, Aunt Jiang is looking forward to seeing you show off. Call me if you need help," Aunt Jiang said with a laugh as she walked out.
Lin Su closed the kitchen door and skillfully began to prepare the ingredients. Although it's said that to capture a man's heart, you must first capture his stomach, this meal wasn't to capture Wei Yuan's heart, but to cultivate their relationship.
Certain aspects of the timeline in this world were very clear. For instance, on the first day Lin Ran started middle school, Wei Yuan's mother returned from abroad. During this time, her presence was a significant threat to Lin Ran's position in the original world line.
In Wei's lounge, a woman in a form-fitting dress was drinking coffee and reading a magazine.
She had excellent skin, beautiful jewelry, and clothing. From her appearance alone, it was difficult to discern her age, but such a woman walking down the street would undoubtedly turn many heads.
When Wei Yuan entered, he exuded even more coldness. He sat across from the woman and said, "Mom."
His tone was cold, and aside from the resemblance in their facial features, they really didn't look like mother and son.
The woman put down the magazine and gave a very poised smile, "Tangtang, long time no see. Have you missed Mom?"
Wei Yuan's expression grew even more rigid, "I'm an adult now. Don't call me by my childhood name."
"Back then, our Tangtang was so sweet. How did you grow up to be such an ice block?" Zhai Lu sipped her coffee and continued, "I heard about you adopting two children. Do you like kids?"
"This is my business. I don't want you to interfere with their lives," Wei Yuan's attitude remained utterly unyielding. "Is there anything else you need?"
Zhai Lu sighed slightly at his cold demeanor, "What happened back then was my fault. But you're almost thirty now. If you like children, you can have one of your own."
“I don’t like children,” Wei Yuan said coldly as he stood up. “The past is over, and I don’t want to talk about it anymore. You don’t need to bring it up either. We each have our difficulties, but it’s impossible for you to interfere in my life now.”
He turned and walked away. From behind him, Zhai Lu called out, “The daughter of the Ye family, her name is Ye Nan. She has a good education and looks. She will be at Blue Mountain Café at two o’clock on Saturday afternoon. This is also your father’s wish. Although you are now the head of the Wei family, not all the shares are in your hands yet, are they?”
Wei Yuan did not turn back. Zhai Lu, sitting back in her seat, showed a hint of dejection. Years ago, she had chosen to abandon her child for her own sake. If she had to choose again, she would still make the same choice.
“Where to, boss?” The driver cautiously asked, feeling the cold air radiating from Wei Yuan.
Wei Yuan, though in a bad mood, didn’t vent his anger on others. “Home.”
He remembered he had promised the children to have dinner together. While others might break promises, he did not want to.
When he arrived home, the table was already full of dishes, though they were covered, making it impossible to see what they were. Aunt Jiang came to help him with his things and smiled, “Sir, what did you buy? It seems heavy.”
“Yeah, gifts,” Wei Yuan replied, changing his shoes at the door. Hearing the sounds of activity from the kitchen, he asked, “Who’s in the kitchen?”
“Xiao Su is busy in the kitchen. He said he wanted to cook for you today,” Aunt Jiang replied with a smile. “I have to say, it smells quite good.”
“He cooked it by himself?” Wei Yuan was slightly surprised.
Aunt Jiang nodded. “Yes, he wouldn’t even let me help.”
“Alright, I’ll go change and come down right away.” Wei Yuan’s steps up the stairs were steady, but Aunt Jiang sensed a slight urgency in his movements.
Over the years, Mr. Wei had grown from a child as young as Master Su and the others into an adult. Although he appeared cold, he had a caring side.
Aunt Jiang glanced at the electronic product labels on the gift boxes and smiled. At least he cared for the children more than those two adults.
Lin Su was aware of Wei Yuan’s arrival and quickened his pace. He finished plating the last dish and brought it out just as Wei Yuan came down the stairs.
“Uncle, you’re back just in time,” Lin Su said, placing the dish on the table. “Dinner’s ready. I hope you’re hungry.”
Wei Yuan smiled faintly, the tension in his shoulders easing as he took in the array of dishes. “Thank you, Xiao Su. It looks wonderful.”
Aunt Jiang, standing nearby, beamed with pride at Lin Su’s efforts and Wei Yuan’s reaction. The atmosphere felt warm and familial, a stark contrast to the coldness Wei Yuan had faced earlier.
Having lived together for seven years, Lin Su and Lin Ran had grown rapidly, but time seemed to have frozen for Wei Yuan. Apart from a bit more steadiness, he remained as stunning and cold as when Lin Su first met him. Of course, to Lin Su, this coldness was just a minor obstacle.
He was still young, and it would take a few more years to completely melt it.
"Uncle, welcome back," Lin Su said excitedly as he took off his apron and ran to Wei Yuan, holding his arm and looking up with his fair little face. "Uncle, come and eat."
Wei Yuan, who used to be a bit stiff, had grown accustomed to Lin Su's closeness over the years. However, the child seemed even more enthusiastic today, perhaps because it was his first time cooking and he wanted praise.
With the mindset that he would praise Lin Su regardless of how the food turned out, Wei Yuan sat down at the table.
Lin Su uncovered each dish, releasing their fragrant aromas. The food looked and smelled great, with a variety that seemed too sophisticated for a beginner.
"This is very good," Wei Yuan said, genuinely impressed.
Aunt Jiang exclaimed, "Xiao Su, this is really well done. Have you been practicing in secret?"
Lin Su didn't respond, implicitly accepting the compliment.
Aunt Jiang praised him a few more times before saying, "Xiao Su made this for Mr. Wei, so I won't intrude. I've already eaten. You two enjoy."
Aunt Jiang had been a housekeeper for many years and was perceptive enough to handle even someone as reserved as Wei Yuan. She wouldn't disrupt the special dinner Lin Su had prepared.
After Aunt Jiang went to her room, Lin Su moved his chair closer to Wei Yuan. Instead of sitting down, he stood by the table with a small plate and a pair of serving chopsticks. "Uncle, what would you like to eat? I'll serve you."
His eager eyes and slightly flushed cheeks made his gesture particularly endearing.
Wei Yuan replied, "I'll eat whatever you serve."
Lin Su smiled brightly, carefully choosing a piece of meat and placing it on Wei Yuan’s plate. "Try this, Uncle. I think you’ll like it."
Wei Yuan took a bite and nodded approvingly. "It's delicious. You did a great job, Xiao Su."
Encouraged by the praise, Lin Su continued serving different dishes to Wei Yuan, making sure he tried everything. The atmosphere at the table was warm and pleasant, a rare moment of familial harmony in their otherwise disciplined lives.
Lin Su's efforts were clearly appreciated, and Wei Yuan’s usually cold demeanor softened a bit, making the dinner a memorable one for both of them.
Lin Su's eyes curved into crescents as he smiled, his fair face appearing even more adorable. He placed a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs, a piece of candied sweet potatoes, and a serving of braised pork with preserved vegetables in front of Wei Yuan.
The dishes seemed rather sweet and rich, yet Wei Yuan felt the lingering gloom from before he entered the house gradually dissipating.
Did he like children? Yes, he did.
Even though they weren't his own children, the sight of Lin Su busily working for him, the eager attentiveness, the look in his eyes yearning for praise, and the truly delicious food all warmed his heart.
"It's very good," Wei Yuan said, pulling Lin Su down to sit beside him. "You should eat too. I can reach everything myself."
Lin Su sat down and took a bite of the food himself, then propped his chin on his hand, watching Wei Yuan eat.
The man's eating manners were very elegant. When Lin Su first met him, he thought Wei Yuan seemed somewhat otherworldly. However, it turned out that he was a human being and he also had to eat, and preferences.
Lin Su’s gaze moved from Wei Yuan's mouth to his chopsticks, which frequently reached for the candied sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes, and he smiled knowingly.
"Uncle, is it good?" Lin Su asked, his face full of pure and expectant expression.
Wei Yuan couldn't help but pat his head with one hand, praising him, "It's delicious."
It was indeed very tasty, even better than the food at high-end restaurants. Wei Yuan believed that Lin Su had a natural talent for cooking but had also put in a lot of effort to prepare this meal.
"Which dish is the best?" Lin Su grabbed his wrist and shook it playfully, his voice filled with childlike insistence. "You can't just say everything is good."
Wei Yuan did think everything was good, but he didn't want to disappoint Lin Su's expectations.
After some thought, he said, "The sweet and sour pork ribs are the best, but everything else is also very good."
"Since Uncle likes it, you have to finish everything," Lin Su demanded.
"Alright," Wei Yuan agreed, understanding the child's thoughts very well.
When a child puts in effort, they desire full praise from adults and want them to show their genuine appreciation through actions.
Although there were many dishes, the portion of each dish was not large.By the time Wei Yuan finished eating, he felt perfectly satiated, as if Lin Su had calculated his portion sizes precisely from the beginning.
"Dessert," Lin Su announced, bringing out a cup of milk tea and a palm-sized piece of cake.
Wei Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly, but Lin Su clung affectionately to his arm, saying, "Uncle, you have to finish what you started. You must have dessert."
"Alright," Wei Yuan agreed, accepting everything.
The cake was not overly sweet; instead, it had a refreshing, mildly sweet taste. Paired with the rich, creamy milk tea, the dessert's delightful sweetness erased any lingering gloominess he felt.
Lin Su sat beside him, watching as Wei Yuan ate the small piece of cake, which he himself found a bit too sweet, without hesitation, and drank the sweet milk tea. This confirmed his suspicions: despite his cold and unapproachable demeanor and preference for coffee, Wei Yuan indeed had a strong liking for sweet foods, even to the point of being a heavy sweet-tooth.
"Uncle, if you like it, I'll make it for you often, okay?" Lin Su said with a smile.
"No need." Wei Yuan immediately felt that his words might hurt the child's feelings. Sure enough, when he looked down, he saw that Lin Su's eyes were already welling up with tears.
Why does he cry so easily?
Feeling awkward, Wei Yuan quickly added, "You have school and homework. You don't need to make it often."
"Then I'll make it occasionally," Lin Su insisted, holding onto his arm. "Uncle, please? The teacher says children should be filial."
Wei Yuan nodded. "Alright."
"Uncle, I love you the most," Lin Su said, tilting his head up to plant a kiss on Wei Yuan's cheek.
The unexpected display of affection softened Wei Yuan's heart even more. Although he was usually reserved, he couldn't deny the warmth and sincerity of Lin Su's gestures. He gently patted Lin Su's head, feeling a rare sense of contentment that evening.
The soft sensation was even gentler than cotton, lingering briefly before it was gone. Wei Yuan’s pupils dilated for a moment. It had been a long time since anyone had kissed him, since those gestures of affection typical between parents and children had been absent in his life.
In that instant, the void seemed to be filled.
The softness touched his heart, and his expression softened a bit. He personally handed the gift he had brought into Lin Su's hands, saying, "A gift for your academic achievement."
"Uncle, do you love me the most too?" Lin Su asked, holding the gift and looking up expectantly.
Meeting his hopeful gaze, Wei Yuan patted his head and said, "Yes, I love you the most."
Lin Su's smile blossomed, his naturally handsome features lighting up, making him look even more endearing: "I will definitely be filial to you in the future, Uncle, even if you..."
His words trailed off as he seemed to realize something inappropriate. He quickly changed the subject: "Thank you for the gift, Uncle. Can I open it now?"
The sudden shift was too obvious. Wei Yuan placed a firm hand on Lin Su's shoulder to keep him from leaving and asked, "Even if what?"
"Nothing," Lin Su evaded, "I’ll go clean up the dishes in a bit."
"That can wait," Wei Yuan said, noticing the boy’s mood had dipped slightly from the earlier joy. "Didn’t your teacher tell you that you shouldn’t lie to adults?"
"No," Lin Su glanced up at him, a hint of defiance in his tone.
"Lin Su, if you have any concerns, you should share them. Otherwise, I’ll never know," Wei Yuan encouraged him gently, trying not to come off too stern.
"Will you be angry if I tell you?" Lin Su asked, seemingly nervous.
"No, I won't be angry no matter what you say," Wei Yuan reassured him with what he believed to be the gentlest tone he could muster.
Lin Su clutched the gift box, holding onto Wei Yuan’s sleeve with his other hand. "Actually, even if you get married and have your own children in the future, I will still be filial to you, Uncle."
Wei Yuan froze, his face darkening, "Did you hear something from others?"
Has she already found the two children?
"Others?" Lin Su looked full of doubts, then shook his head and said, "No, uncle will get married and have children one day, right?"
He was filled with a feeling of insecurity, as if he was afraid of losing himself one day.
System 06: 【Host, you really look like a little green tea now. 】
Lin Su smiled and said, 【Thank you for the compliment.】
Wei Yuan felt relieved when he heard that no one said anything to him. Marrying a wife and having children seemed to be a necessity in life.
Wei Yuan had originally planned to marry and have children step by step. Even if it was just a business marriage, he would not fall in love with anyone anyway, and be the same as everyone else.
But now he is hesitant. This hesitation accumulated over a long time. He has held this child and experienced intimacy for the first time. He has received his little red flower and bought him a reward.
After a parent-teacher meeting, he really felt like his family.
If he marries a woman, can she take care of these two children? Not necessarily, most women in wealthy families are self-centered, and their ability to take care of children is not as good as his own.
It’s not impossible not to get married, but even if he does get married, he should at least wait until your two children grow up and can be independent.
"Uncle promises you that I will not get married until you grow up." Wei Yuan's words were full of seriousness.
Lin Su knew that getting him to make such a concession was the limit for now. There would be more opportunities to push further in the future. He held onto Wei Yuan's sleeve, smiling as brightly as a flower: "Uncle, I believe you."
Seeing him so happy, Wei Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. After tidying up everything, he went back to his room and made a phone call.
He knew that Lin Su and his brother had always lacked a sense of security, but he didn't realize it was to this extent. If they were already feeling this insecure before meeting their mother, then he absolutely couldn't let them meet her.
"Hello, Tangtang, what a surprise to get a call from you!" The woman's voice was clearly filled with surprise and joy.
Wei Yuan, however, wasn't moved by her emotions and said coldly, "Mom, cancel my date for Saturday. I don't plan on getting married anytime soon. If you and Dad want to threaten me with shares, go ahead. Also, those two children belong to the person who saved me back then. I don't want you to disturb them."
It was rare for him to say so much, but every word was cold, chilling to the bone. Zhai Lu had no rebuttal because she was in the wrong: "Your father and I aren't threatening you; we just want someone to be there for you in the future. Tang... son, I'm very sorry. I don't want to see you always being alone."
"If that's the case, then your and Father's arranged marriage is already a precedent. Have you always been there for each other?" Wei Yuan let out a cold laugh, leaving Zhai Lu speechless. "Do you want your tragedy to happen to me as well? If not, please stop disturbing my life. That's all, goodbye."
He hung up the phone, leaving Zhai Lu to sit hugging her knees, feeling distressed for a long time.
Lin Su didn't monitor Wei Yuan's actions. That man appeared cold but was actually very soft-hearted. However, his compassion had limits. Anyone who crossed those limits would be completely expelled without any mercy. Therefore, it was obvious what a decisive person like him would do.
Opening the gift box, Lin Su found the latest gaming console on the market. As a boy, he was naturally interested in electronic devices. He unpacked one of the consoles, set it up, and started playing.
Smart and steady, he progressed through the game without much trouble. By the time Lin Ran came in after his self-study session and knocked on the door, Lin Su was already at a late stage of the game.
"Brother, what's this game?" Lin Ran leaned in closer.
The protagonist, who appeared well-behaved in front of others, was just like any other boy when with Lin Su. Though he had an obedient face, thanks to his brother's influence, he had done all the typical mischievous things boys do in elementary school.
Climbing trees to catch cicadas, going down to the river to catch loaches—as long as they cleaned up afterward, their uncle never caught them.
As for whether these changes would affect the protagonist's future love life? Lin Su believed that if his younger brother wanted to win someone's heart, he should become more excellent.
Like girls, those who received affection and care were less likely to be easily deceived by sweet-talking boys.
"Uncle's graduation gift," Lin Su said, gesturing to the box beside him. "That one's yours."
Lin Ran happily started unpacking his box, mumbling, "Other parents give their kids stuff like essay collections or enroll them in tutoring classes, but only Uncle gives us a game console. Isn't he afraid we'll turn out bad?"
"Uncle trusts our self-discipline. What new extracurricular class would you like to take?" Lin Su was playing a game while asking questions, truly multitasking.
Since third grade, the two of them had been choosing their own interest classes. Unlike in the original world, Lin Ran didn't choose piano but instead opted for violin, and Lin Su filled in the gap by choosing piano.
Lin Ran had decent talent, while Lin Su, immersed in it for a long time, started off a bit raw but later progressed at a normal pace, winning quite a few awards as well.
In this highly competitive world, each additional award is a mark of honor. Although Wei Yuan wasn't like other parents who bragged everywhere, he was clearly happy every time he received one of their awards. Little Lin Ran often couldn't see that happiness, but it was enough for Lin Su to see it himself.
Their coursework was not a burden for either of them, and it was essential to cultivate more interests. Lin Ran connected his console, and although he died repeatedly in the game, Lin Su said nothing, as long as he was interested and kept playing.
"Yeah, what do you want to learn, brother?" Lin Ran couldn't multitask yet, so he restarted the game after his character died.
Lin Su sat with one leg bent, showing none of the well-behaved cuteness he displayed in front of Wei Yuan. He blurted out, "Computer science."
"Isn't that part of our curriculum?" Lin Ran was puzzled.
"I'm interested in it," Lin Su replied.
He learned piano to enhance his own temperament, but studying computer science was laying a foundation for the future. As an excellent strategist, even if Wei Yuan was willing to pass on his wealth to them in the future, Lin Su had no intention of relying on it.
Moreover, having sufficient ability was essential to prevent the future where Wei Yuan dies.
"Oh, then I'll learn art. I can draw for games later." Lin Ran regretted that his interests weren't quite aligned with his brother's, but his brother was always better than him anyway. Twins didn't have to be identical in everything.
Lin Su didn't comment, but Lin Ran, who had been playing the game for a while, carefully approached and said, "Brother, I made a bet with someone."
"What bet?" Lin Su's expression didn't change a bit; his calm demeanor was what Lin Ran admired most about him.
"A bet on the next exam rankings. The loser buys the winner drinks for a month. Brother, the drinks are trivial, but our honor is at stake." Lin Ran's obedient smile was almost identical to the one Lin Su used when acting coy with Wei Yuan.
"So you made a bet with Liang Heng and included me in it?" Lin Su glanced at him.
Lin Ran gave an embarrassed smile. "Brother, brother~"
"This is a good thing. We're guaranteed not to lose," Lin Su laughed. "If one of us wins, it's a tie. If he loses to both of us, he has to give double. Why not bet?"
Lin Ran realized belatedly. "You're right! He's at a big disadvantage. He seems a bit foolish now."
Thus, in this world line, Liang Heng, who in the original timeline had spurred Lin Ran's competitive spirit by being on par with him academically, was now labeled as foolish.
"Achoo!" Liang Heng, lying in bed, was startled awake by a sneeze. No matter how he thought about it, today's bet felt off. He was one against two, which seemed unfair, especially since the two were in cahoots.
He didn't expect that the guy who looked like a little white rabbit would have a bit of cunning. Pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger didn’t quite fit; it was more like pretending to be a rabbit to eat the fox.
Too bad, he should be called the little black rabbit.
In middle school, there was an exam every month. The fast-paced learning environment placed great pressure on students. The results were posted publicly on the same day.
A crowd of students gathered to see their rankings, some happy, some disappointed and dejected.
"First place, Lin Su, perfect score. Whoa, a perfect score!"
"How can someone get a perfect score in Chinese? How good must his essay be?"
"I'm impressed. The entrance exam was one thing, but this—how can a human get such scores?"
"Don't even mention it. Second place, Lin Ran, only lost three points in Chinese, probably just in the essay. Everything else is perfect."
"Remember, they're brothers. Biological twin brothers."
"Here they come… shh…"
The remark drew everyone's attention back to the path they had come from. On the tree-lined road, two boys who looked very similar walked together. One of them casually slung a single-shoulder bag over his back, making the simple black school uniform look somewhat stylishly roguish, while the other exuded a quiet and well-behaved charm. Although they had nearly identical faces, they gave off different vibes.
Of course, what was also enviable about them was their fair skin, which appeared almost radiant under the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.
A young girl covered her mouth and whispered, "I feel like my idol is walking towards me."
"They're so handsome..."
"I used to think you could only see guys like this in TV dramas."
Lin Ran felt a bit uneasy under all the attention, but Lin Su directly grabbed his arm, making him feel more composed.
The two of them walked up to the ranking board. Lin Su looked at the names and scores without any surprise, "He scored one point less than you, so you win."
Liang Heng's name was in third place, just one point behind Lin Ran. It was likely due to losing points on the essay.
In the original timeline, the main character, Liang Heng, always outperformed Lin Ran in exams.
Unfortunately for him, Lin Ran now had Lin Su's tutoring, which was very accurate in predicting the exam topics. With specialized guidance and Lin Ran's intelligence, surpassing Liang Heng wasn't too difficult.
Just as they were talking, Liang Heng rode up on a bicycle. He was about to ask about their scores when he saw the ranking and widened his eyes in surprise, "What the heck!"
"Are these guys even human?"
Liang Heng's family was well-off, though not as wealthy as the Wei family. Buying drinks for a month wasn't a big deal, but buying drinks for two people for a month did make him feel a bit of a pinch.
"Thank you," Lin Su smiled at Liang Heng, "Wanna bet again for the midterms?"
One month remained until the mid-term exams after the monthly exams, just enough time to repay the debt for the drinks.
"Yeah, wanna bet again?" Lin Ran always listened to his brother in such matters. Seeing Liang Heng hesitate, he smiled, "Are you scared now?"
"We can change the stakes for the mid-terms. If you lose, you will do a month's worth of chores for us. If you win, we'll do it for you. How about that?" Lin Su smiled.
Lin Ran nodded in agreement.
In that moment, Liang Heng finally understood how the little white rabbit had turned into a little black rabbit. Because the little white rabbit's brother was a pitch-black rabbit, appearance could be deceiving.
"Alright, let's bet. What kind of drinks do you guys want for a month?" Liang Heng wasn't the kind to back out, and he didn't think he would lose a second time.
"I want green tea, and give him milk or yogurt, please," Lin Su said before walking away.
Lin Ran looked bewildered, reaching out to catch up with his brother, "Brother, I don't want to drink milk."
"If you don't drink it, you won't grow taller," Lin Su said casually.
"I feel like drinking milk just makes my face white," Lin Ran sighed, "Can I not drink it? I'm already over-nourished."
"You can decide when you win against me," Lin Su said mercilessly.
"But that's impossible! Unless you let me win," Lin Ran retorted.
"I won't," Lin Su said coldly.
Watching his brothers walk away, Liang Heng could only silently ride his bike to buy drinks, including green tea and yogurt... the words 'give up' weren't in his dictionary.
Lin Su's school life remained undisturbed by outsiders, probably because of what he had said before. He guessed they didn't need to worry about that uncle finding an aunt to accompany them in their growth anymore.
After the monthly exams, Lin Su became famous for two reasons: one was his perfect score, and the other was his essay. Unlike ordinary argumentative essays, his was filled with sophisticated language and rhetoric, reaching the level of "The Yueyang Tower" in terms of sophistication.
It's unclear who posted his essay online, but it instantly drew countless admirations and exclamations of "awesome". Of course, those voices didn't touch Lin Su and were swiftly dealt with by Wei Yuan's assistant.
If Liang Heng had any lingering feelings of discontent before, he completely let go of them upon seeing this essay. He even humbled himself to seek advice, and Lin Su wasn't one to hide or withhold information, so they became friends in the process.
Until the mid-term exam results came out, Liang Heng's grades had improved, moving up another place. Lin Su remained firmly in first place, while Lin Ran, due to a one-point difference, fell to third.
Liang Heng felt somewhat helpless facing Lin Su, whose consistent perfect scores left no room for contention. However, he still felt a bit competitive against Lin Ran, "Lin Ran, remember to do my chores."
"If he does your chores, you'll do mine. Let's cancel each other out and save a lot of trouble," Lin Su said as he folded up his report card and put it in his backpack.
Lin Ran looked at his brother with grateful eyes, while Liang Heng felt like a fox that had it’s chicken taken away, quite perplexed. He suddenly realized he seemed to be at a disadvantage, "Is this even allowed?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" Lin Su countered.
Liang Heng couldn't find any fault with that, so it seemed this was allowed.
But winning didn't seem to make much of a difference to him, "Do you want to compete again?"
Lin Su smiled, "If you're willing, I don't mind. Ranran, let's go."
Following behind, Lin Ran, who had just been admiring his brother, started to reflect on himself as soon as they left the classroom, "Brother, I played too many games this month. You have to supervise me; I can't lose to him."
"Alright, you can do the chores we canceled out earlier," Lin Su said with a smile.
Lin Ran lost his motivation in an instant, "Brother, you're so unfair."
"I won't help you with the exam questions next time," Lin Su threatened.
As Lin Ran muttered "Big brother, big brother" to himself, he caught up and said, "Okay."
Once they arrived home, Lin Su, who had been bold outside, hid his fangs and transformed into what seemed like an innocent little white rabbit. He made himself a cup of milk tea and then went to Wei Yuan's study. He knocked on the door to attract the man's attention and smiled obediently, "Uncle, have some milk tea."
Wei Yuan's tired nerves were eased by this smile. He invited Lin Su in and watched as he put down the milk tea, hesitating to leave. This reminded him of the day, "Did you get your mid-term exam results today?"
Lin Su smiled sheepishly, "Yeah."
"How did you do on the exam?" Wei Yuan asked. "If the results aren't good, there's no need to worry. It's normal to take some time to adjust when starting middle school."
Lin Su hadn't shown his monthly exam results to Wei Yuan. Although Wei Yuan was busy, he still had time to care about Lin Su and Lin Ran's grades.
However, he preferred it when the children came to report their grades themselves because that's what parents were for, right? Besides, with the consistently excellent performance of the two brothers, their performance in middle school shouldn't be too bad.
"Let me see your report card. If there's room for improvement, work harder next time..." Wei Yuan looked at the report card handed to him by Lin Su, and he felt dizzy from all the perfect scores lined up. If it weren't for the teacher's handwritten signature on it, he would have doubted its authenticity. As far as this report card was concerned, there was no room for improvement.
"You did very well. Do you want any rewards?" Wei Yuan praised.
Sometimes, having such easy-to-deal-with children could leave parents with no room to show their parental skills.
"Yes, after the exams, can you take me to the amusement park?" Lin Su's face was full of anticipation.
Wei Yuan pondered for a moment. Children indeed liked that place. "What do you want to play? I'll have the assistant buy the tickets in advance. It's better not to play anything too thrilling or dangerous."
Each attraction in the amusement park had its own ticket, and buying them in advance could save a lot of time.
"I want to ride the merry-go-round," Lin Su's eyes sparkled with obvious interest.
Wei Yuan, however, stiffened in place, pondering where he had gone wrong in raising his child. Weren't boys supposed to like roller coasters and bungee jumping?
He retracted his earlier statement, realizing that there's no such thing as an easy-to-deal-with child.
【Host, do you really want to ride the merry-go-round?】The surprised mechanical voice of System 06 seemed almost off-key.
Its formidable and domineering host, despite residing in a sweet and savory shell, shouldn't be interested in a merry-go-round!
Lin Su chuckled, 【Of course not.】
Crying children get candy, and spoiled children get pampered. If he didn't stir things up a bit, how could he make his uncle pay attention to him?
Wei Yuan was indeed very caring, so caring that he is a little upset.
Author's note:
System 06: Faces, once thrown away, are hard to find again.
1 Comments
Thanks for the update
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