IETSTSMLARA | It's Hard Being an Uncle | 46
"What about Lin Ran's results this time?" Wei Yuan changed the subject.
Lin Su, hands behind his back, said obediently, "Uncle, you should ask Lin Ran himself about that, not me."
Lin Su ranked first, so unless Lin Ran also got full marks, his grades must be behind. Wei Yuan agreed to the request to go to the amusement park and called Lin Ran over to ask about his grades.
Lin Ran still felt a bit down as he handed over his grade report. Even if he couldn't surpass his brother, he shouldn't have lost to others. "Uncle, I didn't do well this time, but I'll definitely work harder next time."
Although Wei Yuan often ranked first in school, it was impossible for him to get full marks in every subject. Lin Ran only lagged behind in composition by a few points.
What's wrong with kids these days? Are these grades considered bad?
"It's fine. Work harder next time. Lin Su wants to go to the amusement park, what reward do you want?" Wei Yuan had watched Lin Ran grow up, but this child seemed too timid in front of him.
Lin Ran raised his head. "Can I go to the amusement park too?"
Wei Yuan had no objection to this. In fact, he didn't want to treat the two children unfairly. "What do you want to play?"
"Bungee jumping, I've never tried it before." Lin Ran was a little excited.
Wei Yuan said, "...Okay."
Exciting.
"What does my brother want to play?" Lin Ran asked curiously.
"Merry-go-round." Wei Yuan didn't hide it.
"Huh?" Lin Ran was confused.
Why would his big and mighty brother like something that just spins? Isn't that something only girls like?
"What's wrong?" Wei Yuan asked.
"I, I'm fine, Uncle, you're busy, I'll go do my homework." Lin Ran hastily took his leave, unable to contain his curiosity.
When Lin Su heard this inquiry, he asked in return, "What? Can't I have a girlish side?"
"You can," Lin Ran found himself unable to refute. As a good child, he shouldn't discriminate against others for being different from himself, especially not his brother.
System 06 glanced at the protagonist, whose worldview seemed to be shaking: [Host, is this okay?]
【There will be many situations like this in the future, he needs to have the ability to accept them.】 Lin Su smiled.
System 06 understood and prepared a higher-resolution recording device.
The trip to the amusement park had a slight deviation towards the end because Lin Ran seemed too young to be allowed on the bungee platform. However, he did get to experience the free fall ride, and when he came down, he looked completely wilted.
He had to be supported by an assistant and could barely sit on the ground. "Brother, you're really... visionary."
"Yeah, I'm just not very brave," Lin Su said nonchalantly.
As if in the previous world, he wasn't the one who used martial art skills to jump from the fifth floor to the ground more than once.
Lin Ran was helped to a chair and could only admire his brother from afar as he got on the carousel.
The large horse, intertwining pink and white, with a dazzling rainbow painted on it.
"This is where a real man should sit," Lin Su patted the horse's head.
Wei Yuan, hearing this, almost cracked a smile on his ice-cold face. Did this child have some misunderstanding about what a real man is?
The assistant beside him held back his laughter, desperately trying to conceal his amusement. He didn't dare to laugh too freely in front of the big boss.
"Uncle, come sit with me," Lin Su invited from atop the carousel, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. When he looked at people like this, hardly anyone could refuse him.
The assistant beside him was beyond shocked. He dared to invite the big boss to ride the carousel. This kid had potential.
Wei Yuan, however, was full of resistance. "You sit by yourself."
His tone was icy, radiating coldness that made everyone around him want to stay at least five meters away.
But such coldness was just a drizzle in front of Lin Su, who had completely thrown his face away. A true hero dares to climb the highest peaks.
His lips puckered, tears brewing in his eyes, making him look incredibly cute and pitiful. His suppressed anticipation directly triggered a protective instinct in a bunch of parents.
"What's wrong with accompanying the child?" someone in the crowd said, unafraid of death.
"Uncle, just this once, okay?" Lin Su launched his cute attack again, his voice becoming sweeter, even making some girls start to reassess their own voices.
That coquettish attitude, damn it, he won!
Wei Yuan's fingers twitched by his side. Watching the parents accompanying their children on the carousel, and the giggling kids, he felt a sense of recklessness. "Fine."
A hint of satisfaction flashed in Lin Su's eyes. Once the defense was breached once, it would be much easier from then on.
Wei Yuan sat on the carousel, stiffening as the overwhelmingly pink space enveloped him. But before he could regret it, the carousel started moving. Lin Su waved to him from the adjacent horse, his face full of smiles. "Uncle~"
For a moment, Wei Yuan's mood relaxed. As long as the children were happy, that was all that mattered.
They were indeed happy, but the Wei family's work group exploded. Not because the assistant didn't send pictures, but because if they only spoke about it without pictures, others would think they were dreaming. But in reality, even now, he still felt like he was dreaming.
"Is this damn old lady still not awake?"
"Is that Wei's kid? That look is too adorable. I definitely wouldn't be able to refuse. It's normal that Wei couldn't resist."
"Normal my ass! The big boss on a carousel? Can those two words even be associated?"
"But the big boss on the carousel doesn't look as scary as usual. He's even handsome!"
"Is this the rhythm of the iceberg melting?"
"That's handsome? That's beautiful, sisters. That lowered gaze is so gentle!"
"I think I can."
"Me too..."
The very capable employees were unusually quiet the next day when they saw the big boss, whose aura of coldness was even stronger than usual.
Who said the iceberg was melting? It was like an iceberg within an iceberg.
As for the reason? Of course, Wei Yuan noticed the existence of that picture of him on the carousel. He felt like he had been secretly exposed, leading to a feeling of embarrassment turning into anger.
The work group disbanded for the day, and everyone had to delete any saved images. If discovered, immediate dismissal would follow. Under such a policy, employees could only delete the images with tears in their eyes. After all, when the big boss was the one paying the salary, he was practically their father when you earned an annual salary of tens or even hundreds of thousands.
The company's internal image storage was cleared out because nobody wanted to risk their career for some gossip, even though this gossip was incredibly juicy.
But by some unfortunate coincidence, the picture ended up in Zhai Lu's hands. When she saw it, she was first surprised, then lowered her head and rubbed the photo with her thumb.
The child really looked good. His smile was very pleasing, no wonder it could coax out such a rare gentle expression from him.
It should have been a happy scene, but Zhai Lu took a deep breath and couldn't find it in herself to smile. Because in her memory, she had never taken Wei Yuan to such places. She didn't know when that child, who used to call her "mommy" so softly and sweetly, had become so cold. Because she wasn't involved in his life, there was no way for her to make up for it.
In a place she didn't know about, that child had grown into someone who could shoulder all the responsibilities of adults and had become a competent parent.
Having someone to accompany you is indeed very fortunate.
The day at the amusement park was fulfilling, so fulfilling that Lin Ran picked up his diary and wrote fervently to express his disbelief at seeing the big ice block uncle sitting on the carousel. It was as unbelievable as seeing an iceberg in the Sahara Desert.
His brother was truly amazing. If one day his brother leveraged the Earth with a lever, it wouldn't be too surprising.
Junior high life was relatively blissful for the two brothers. In this strictly managed ivory tower, at this still innocent age, many dark things hadn't spread here yet.
With one excellent report card after another, the twin brothers entered the best high school in City A.
And due to differences in physical exercise and only three months until they turned sixteen, the two brothers were almost a head apart in height. Lin Ran was one meter sixty-five tall, while Lin Su had already crossed the one meter eighty mark.
However, because he still had slender bones, he still had the appearance of a youth. Although he had shed his baby fat and had grown into a handsome and spirited young man, his naturally crescent-like eyes still made people's teeth ache when he smiled sweetly.
"Brother, I don't want to walk with you." Lin Ran's face, similar to his brother's, was full of sadness. "We don't look like twins."
"It's okay, you can tell others that we were born three months apart." Lin Su chuckled.
Lin Ran nodded at first, then realized he wanted to hit him. "Could we really be siblings if we were born three months apart?!"
"Haha..." Lin Su dodged quickly, though he let him catch up, he looked like he was teasing a mouse as he effortlessly evaded him.
The laughter of the youth was like stepping out of a painting, naturally attracting countless admiring gazes along the way.
"I heard this year's top scorer in the entrance exam is one of a pair of twins," someone pondered.
"Isn't it? But the other one isn't bad either. The main thing is, the top scorer is too abnormal, full marks."
"Can someone really get full marks in City A's entrance exam?"
"His composition wasn't even deducted any points. There were doubts at the time, but when that composition was brought out, it received praise from a professor in the Chinese Department at University A. They even wanted him to be admitted to University A as an exception, but I heard it was rejected."
"Even though it was rejected, as long as he maintains this level of achievement, being recommended for admission should be a piece of cake."
"To be in the same school as such a genius, am I about to witness a miracle?"
"You guys only talk about grades, don't you think that guy is handsome?"
"At least one meter eighty."
"Clearly, he could rely on his looks, but he chooses to rely on his talent!"
"Alright, that's not something us mere mortals can imagine."
Although the education system didn't encourage grade stratification, the differentiation of grades in University A was only more severe than in other schools. Although there weren't divisions like Class A to Class F, there were still numerous advanced classes and rocket classes.
Of course, there wasn't just one advanced class; top-performing students couldn't all fit into one class. The Lin Su brothers' grades were also at the top, so they were divided into different classes. There were three advanced classes, with Lin Su in Class 1, Lin Ran in Class 2, and Liang Heng coincidentally also placed in Class 2.
Lin Ran's scores in the entrance exam were different from before, and their ability to end up in the same class again was probably due to fate.
Lin Su wouldn't go out of his way to help this person who might become his future brother-in-law, but he wouldn't obstruct him either.
"Hello everyone, my name is Lin Su." Lin Su smiled as he introduced himself, but before he could continue, the students in Class 1 were already making a fuss.
"Oh, it's Lin Su..."
"That's the perfect top scorer!"
"He's so handsome!!!"
"Having someone like him in the class really makes it hard to focus on studying."
"School grass!!!"
The teacher also felt very good when she saw Lin Su. She had seen his photo, and indeed, the two-inch picture was very handsome. But standing in front of her in person, the impact was truly extraordinary.
How did this child grow both in terms of intelligence and appearance?
Wasn't it said that God takes a bite of every apple when creating them? Did he forget with this one?
If System 06 knew what the teacher was thinking, he would surely tell her that God didn't forget, He just bit his face.
When the host discovered this rule, he truly became invincible.
"Quiet!" The teacher had to maintain order. "Although this student is very handsome, you should pay more attention to his achievements. I believe Lin Su is also very competitive, right?"
Lin Su echoed the teacher, "I do want to come first every time, but if someone else comes first, I'll also take them as my target and humbly learn from them."
"Ah!!!" This statement once again stirred up the entire classroom, especially the girls.
Being someone's target! Being targeted by the school grass! That means he'll be looking at them all the time!
"I'm going to come first!!!"
"Me too!"
"I won't lose to you!"
The teacher felt that not only did this child look good, but he also knew how to speak so well! Look at how he's inspiring the students to love studying.
Well, it's better to let love bloom than to suppress it. Even she found it pleasing to the eyes to have such a handsome boy in the classroom, let alone these restless children. It's a good thing for them to invest their passion for love into studying.
"Alright, thank you everyone." Lin Su stepped down after just introducing his name from start to finish, without mentioning anything about his height, weight, or hobbies.
He didn't intend to, after all, his object of affection wasn't in the class.
When the next student went up, the classmates realized they knew nothing about their school grass.
The first day of school was relatively easy, but starting from the second day, they would have two weeks of military training. Lin Su's tall figure looked extremely handsome in the camouflage military uniform, with long legs and red lips.
When the sunlight hit him, not only did he steal the spotlight from the instructors, but he also attracted frequent glances from people in other squads.
Liang Heng was also handsome, but without the aura of being the top scorer and perfect score, he was still a step behind.
As for Lin Ran, who hadn't shot up in height yet, wearing the military uniform gave him the appearance of a child playing dress-up in adult clothes, attracting not admiring gazes from the girls, but rather "so cute" gazes as if they were looking at a small animal.
Lin Ran’s current demeanor reminded Lin Su of the first time they met. Little Lin Ran had truly been adorable from a young age, so adorable that Lin Su couldn't help but hold him down and knead him hard.
“If they weren’t just brothers... this scene would be incredibly beautiful.”
Occasionally, strange remarks like this would come from the crowd.
Military training wasn’t difficult for Lin Su, but because so many people were sneaking glances at him, the instructor, after repeatedly scolding them to no avail, pulled Lin Su out alone.
“Can you do push-ups?” the instructor asked loudly.
Standing at attention with perfect posture, Lin Su replied innocently, “Instructor, I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Exactly, why punish our campus heartthrob?”
“We’re looking at him because he’s handsome and smart!”
“It’s not fair!”
“Discipline!” the instructor shouted, and the crowd immediately quieted down.
“Disrupting discipline is a mistake!” the instructor yelled at Lin Su, then lowered his voice so the students couldn’t hear, “Just lose this one time, otherwise, the girls won’t be able to train while watching you.”
The instructor had a tough job too. Although they all looked sharp in their uniforms, none of them stood out like this kid. But despite his height, with those skinny arms and legs, he didn’t look like a powerhouse. This might shatter the students’ illusions a bit.
Lin Su understood and was willing to help the instructor out.
Wei Yuan stepped out of the car and looked over to see the neatly arranged rows of green.
It was already past September, but in accordance with the rule that hot weather goes hand-in-hand with military training, it was indeed scorching. Even the grass looked wilted, and only the energetic youths seemed to bring life to the field.
“Mr. Wei, the students should have started their training already. Should we wait in the car?” The assistant, sweating profusely after stepping out of the air-conditioned vehicle, looked enviously at his boss, who seemed naturally cool despite wearing a suit and showing no signs of perspiration.
“That looks like Lin Su.” Wei Yuan spotted Lin Su standing at the front of the group, not because he had been singled out, but because he stood out too much among the students in their green camouflage uniforms.
It wasn't just his height; even the way his eyebrows and eyes were slightly obscured by the brim of his hat was enough to draw many people's attention.
He seemed to notice Wei Yuan's presence, and their gazes met from a distance. Wei Yuan saw those dark, smiling eyes, and as he pondered, he noticed Lin Su suddenly wink his right eye. That wink had more impact than the scorching sun, carrying a unique youthful charm.
"That's young master Lin Su," the assistant also noticed. Every time he saw Lin Su, he couldn't help but marvel. Good looks and excellent grades—Lin Su was undoubtedly the model child everyone admired. The kids couldn't take their eyes off him. "Young master Lin Su seems very popular at school."
"Popular?" Wei Yuan asked, puzzled.
"The girls can't take their eyes off him," the assistant said with a forced smile. "With looks like his, he'll definitely pick the prettiest girlfriend in the future."
"Girlfriend..." Wei Yuan acknowledged that the boy was growing up. One day, he would become an adult, get married, and have children. As a guardian, such a future should make him happy.
But instead of feeling happy, Wei Yuan felt a tightness in his chest.
While Wei Yuan watched, the group began to stir because of Lin Su's wink. The instructor now had a reason: "Fifty push-ups."
"Instructor, how about a competition to see who can do more?" Lin Su grinned.
The group erupted with more noise: "Compete!"
"Instructor, compete!!!"
"If you win, we'll be convinced and stop being fans!"
The instructor, confident in Lin Su's seemingly frail appearance, got down into a push-up position and said, "Bring it on!"
Under the blazing sun, the enthusiasm grew even hotter. Lin Su also got into position, and the count began.
"1, 2, 3, ..."
"Go, go, Lin Su, go!"
"Defeat the instructor!"
Lin Su's pace was steady and unhurried. At first, his classmates were worried for him, but as the challenge went on and the instructor's movements started to slow down, Lin Su maintained his original speed.
"...101, 102..."
"Keep going, keep going!"
Their competition attracted the attention of many other groups.
A whistle blew, followed by a shout of "Settle down!"
The commotion even drew a group of instructors over to watch.
"Don't lose, it'll be embarrassing to be beaten by a student!" one instructor, enjoying the spectacle, chimed in.
The instructors were mostly young, having joined the army one or two years ago, and they enjoyed joining in the fun.
"You can't lose!"
"...263..."
"Go, instructor!"
"...289..."
"You can do it, Lin Su!!!"
"Male god!!!"
At the 301st push-up, the instructor collapsed, his arms trembling as he was helped up, while Lin Su continued.
The surrounding students had stopped cheering and were holding their breath, eager to see how many push-ups he could complete.
"His stamina surpasses even the captains..."
"Impressive!"
"De Zi, it's not that you're weak, but these students today are exceptionally strong."
"He's supposedly a top student too, scoring full marks in exams. We can't compete with his intelligence or his physical stamina. How are we supposed to lead the students? It's embarrassing," a few instructors whispered among themselves.
"...398, 399, 400!"
As the last number was announced, Lin Su jumped up, sweat rolling down his cheeks but his breathing steady, showing no signs of fatigue.
The surrounding crowd erupted in cheers. A girl handed him a bottle of water, saying, "This water is unopened."
Lin Su glanced at it, then politely declined with a smile, "You shouldn't drink water immediately after exercise, but thanks."
"N-no problem..." The girl, blushing deeply, couldn't handle his direct gaze.
"Not bad, kid. I admit defeat," the instructor said, genuinely impressed despite his loss.
Lin Su smiled and looked towards Wei Yuan, who was standing on a platform. He then made his way through the crowd towards him. The spectators did not stop him, though they murmured about Wei Yuan's presence and the expensive-looking car.
To Wei Yuan, the young man who had captured everyone's attention seemed to be glowing in the sunlight. He had faced a challenge and won everyone's respect through his sheer strength.
Even with sweat glistening on his face, it didn't appear sticky but rather gave his naturally good skin a fresh, translucent quality.
"Uncle, what brings you here?" Lin Su stood before him, smiling and shading his eyes from the sun. "Why aren't you waiting in the car? It's so hot out here."
The boy's warmth and his bright smile seemed to gather all the sunlight. Standing so close, Wei Yuan felt a peculiar sense of being scorched but didn't want to move away. "Were you being punished?"
"Maybe because I look too good and it disrupted discipline," Lin Su joked, pointing towards the car. "We're on break now. Can I go enjoy some air conditioning?"
"Cooling off immediately after exercise isn't good either," Wei Yuan said, signaling to his assistant. The assistant fetched a box of ice cream from the car's fridge.
It was mung bean flavored, a brand known for its refreshing taste, far more satisfying than any unopened bottled water.
Lin Su smiled. “Thank you, Uncle. You’re so kind.”
He smiled again, a smile so radiant that even the assistant beside him felt overwhelmed. Lin Su took an ice cream bar from the box, unwrapped it, and instead of eating it himself, he held it out to Wei Yuan. “You eat first, Uncle.”
Wei Yuan raised an eyebrow, intending to take it with his hand, but Lin Su dodged and offered it again, closer this time. “Take a bite.”
The boy, now almost as tall as Wei Yuan, stood very close, his lowered eyes filled with anticipation and an inexplicable emotion.
Wei Yuan took a bite. The cool, sweet flavor instantly dispelled the lingering summer heat. It was sweet, just like the boy in front of him.
As Wei Yuan watched, Lin Su naturally brought the ice cream to his own mouth, took a bite, and said, “It’s tastier after you’ve had it, Uncle. Thanks. I’ll go now.”
With the ice cream bar in his mouth, Lin Su picked up the box and walked away briskly. Wei Yuan stood there, feeling a strange sense of awkwardness. He couldn't quite describe the sensation, an itchiness spreading from his feet upwards, leaving him momentarily unaware when Lin Ran approached him.
“Uncle, there were too many classmates around earlier, so I didn’t see you,” Lin Ran said, a bit embarrassed.
He had been too focused on watching his brother compete. When the crowd cheered, his small stature got him submerged, nowhere near his brother. If it hadn't been for Liang Heng's reminder, he might not have realized his uncle was there.
“It’s fine. Train hard,” Wei Yuan replied, maintaining an outward calm. “I’ll head off now.”
“Okay, goodbye, Uncle.” Lin Ran waved, suddenly understanding the feeling of being watched by a parent while doing homework.
He was terrible at sports!
“Your brother is amazing, it really puts me to shame,” Liang Heng said sincerely. He could do 200 push-ups with his build, but doing them as effortlessly as Lin Su was impossible.
"Anywhere I look, I lose. Do I even have a chance to win?"
"It's normal," Lin Ran admired, "I've never seen anyone who could beat my brother since we were little."
"You two are twins. Don't you feel envious, jealous, or resentful of him being so strong?" Liang Heng pressed his head, teasingly.
Lin Ran swatted his hand away and glared at him. "It's impossible not to feel a little envious. Honestly, I used to be a bit jealous, but what can I say? Having such a great brother is something others would envy too."
Lin Su was his only blood relative, the only person in the world who cared for him unconditionally. Lin Ran knew how many times his brother had protected him, both openly and secretly. He might feel inferior, but he would never resent him.
"Stop trying to sow discord," Lin Ran said angrily to Liang Heng. "Or I'll cut ties with you."
"I'm not sowing discord," Liang Heng protested, chasing after him. "I'm just curious, really. Usually, brothers fight sometimes, but I've never seen you two argue."
Lin Ran stopped abruptly, causing Liang Heng to almost stumble. He turned and looked up at him. "Are you doing this on purpose?"
"Doing what?" Liang Heng asked, puzzled.
Lin Ran, feeling exasperated, gestured at their height difference and then pinched his own arm. "Look at my build. Do you think I could win in a fight with my brother?"
"No," Liang Heng admitted honestly, though he was tempted to poke Lin Ran's red, annoyed cheeks. "I didn't mean to upset you. It's just unusual, and it made me curious."
Lin Ran glared at him again. "Do you want an ice cream or not?"
"Yes, yes, thank you, Ranran," Liang Heng said, catching up.
"Call me by my name, or my brother will beat you up," Lin Ran warned, giving him a sidelong glance. "My brother has always been in sports clubs and even learned karate in middle school."
"He only started karate in middle school? I began learning taekwondo in elementary school," Liang Heng said confidently. Though he might not be great at push-ups, he was good at using skillful techniques in fights.
Lin Ran responded coolly, "He trained at the best dojo in City A for a year and knocked out the black belt instructor. Do you want to give it a try?"
"No thanks," Liang Heng calmed down..
He realized that Lin Ran's brother wasn't just any brother; he was practically a human weapon.
The most deceptive part was his gentle appearance, his muscles are not visible at all, which is very deceptive.
…
"Uncle, I made rock sugar pear soup today. It's good for clearing internal heat," Lin Su said, peeking into the room with a face full of innocence.
The military training had ended a few days ago. Lin Su's class had won the award for the most organized formation, not because they were exceptionally good, but because the other classes were significantly worse. To the instructors, aside from a few standout students like Lin Su, the rest were like a herd of sheep.
The training had been near the school dormitory, so Lin Su hadn’t been home for several days.
He felt the need to make up for his playful behavior that day. Knowing your enemy and knowing yourself ensures victory every time.
"Come in," Wei Yuan said, his hand pausing mid-signature, causing his handwriting to falter. He tossed the pen aside, closed the document, and looked at the late-night snack laid out in front of him, feeling his mouth water.
Lin Su's late-night snacks were always delicious, and their infrequent appearance made Wei Yuan crave them even more. But now, his thoughts weren't on the snack, but on the boy he hadn't seen for over ten days.
Despite the rigorous military training, Lin Su hadn't tanned; he remained as fair and well-behaved as ever. If Wei Yuan hadn't witnessed his strength that day, he might still have seen Lin Su as the little boy who needed to be picked up and carried around.
Children grow up and leave their families; time passes too quickly. Wei Yuan felt an intense reluctance, which he assumed was the typical parental reluctance to let go of a child they had raised. But something felt different, though he couldn't quite pinpoint it.
Especially the scene with the ice cream that day—it kept replaying in his mind.
"Uncle, it's been so many days. Did you miss me?" Lin Su dragged a chair over to sit beside him, pushing a small bowl towards him. The sweet aroma wafted up to Wei Yuan's nose, a scent perfectly to his liking.
Wei Yuan didn't answer directly. Instead, he scooped a piece of the dessert into his mouth and said, "High school courses are more demanding than before. In the future, leave this sort of thing to Aunt Jiang."
"Aunt Jiang is getting old. I should help her out," Lin Su replied, resting his chin in his hand and smiling at him. "Besides, seeing you enjoy what I make makes me really happy."
"You can cook for Lin Ran," Wei Yuan said, knowing he was pushing the boy away, but fearing what might happen if their bond deepened.
His desire for control was strong; when he wanted something, he would go to great lengths to get it, seldom showing mercy. He cared deeply for the two boys, always granting their wishes, but emotions were unpredictable.
If he became too attached, he would struggle with their eventual departure. Especially with Lin Su, he couldn't bear the thought of him growing up, marrying, and giving his tenderness and care to someone else.
"Uncle, do you dislike me?" Lin Su's face turned pale as he sat there, stunned.
"No, of course not," Wei Yuan denied instinctively. "I just think you've grown up. You should have your own life. Filial piety can wait until…"
Wait until when?
"One day you'll grow up," Wei Yuan said stiffly. "We will inevitably part ways. You need to get used to not relying on me so much. You can't always be a child."
If separation was inevitable, it was better to start while he still had some control.
"Uncle…" Lin Su called softly, but Wei Yuan didn't respond.
Lin Su stood up feeling aggrieved, lowered his head, and said, "I understand, Uncle. You should rest early and not overwork yourself. Good night."
He left, looking back three times with each step. Wei Yuan tightly gripped the spoon but did not call him back.
From that day on, Wei Yuan began to leave early and return late. Sometimes, he would be away on business trips for three to five days, with these absences becoming increasingly longer over time.
【Host, it seems like he's starting to avoid you,】System 06 even noticed.
Wei Yuan might not fully understand his own feelings, but his sense of vigilance was strong, and his instinct to detect danger was too sharp.
【Avoiding this will only make things more troublesome,】 Lin Su said with a smile.
Avoidance doesn't solve any problems, especially emotional ones. In the original timeline, when Wei Yuan discovered his feelings for Lin Ran, he must have avoided them at first, but the eventual outcome clearly showed that avoidance didn't help at all.
Lin Ran was in a state of confusion and never thought about it in that way. Later, it took Wei Yuan more than two years to sort out his feelings.
As for Lin Su, he knew from the start that he wanted that person.
【So, what should we do now?】 System 06 was still very concerned about the host's love life.
【Wait,】 Lin Su gave it a single word.
This time, there was no need for him to take action. The opportunity was coming soon. In the original timeline, what prompted Wei Yuan to realize his feelings could now act as a catalyst. Otherwise, Lin Su wouldn't have made a move during military training.
While Lin Su was waiting for the right moment, the first monthly exam arrived: nine subjects tested over three days, with the results posted after the holidays.
When Liang Heng saw his own name in the top position, he almost thought he was hallucinating, "Lin Ran, hit me quickly."
Lin Ran ignored him and instead stared at Lin Su's rank of ninety-ninth in the grade with wide eyes. Without responding to Liang Heng, he turned and ran towards the classroom.
The first class had already received their report cards, and amidst the commotion, some were scrutinizing Lin Su's expression.
While the girls hadn't said anything yet, some of the boys were being ambiguous, "So this is the top scorer...?"
"Who said otherwise? It was just luck."
"What are you saying! Even Napoleon had his Waterloo. How can't others... It's you who's good at running your mouth!" a girl interjected directly.
"Li Jingting, are you out of your mind? Just because you fancy someone good-looking, you don't even consider whether they'd fancy you," the boy sneered.
Li Jingting flushed with anger, bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes, "I didn't..."
The boy wanted to say more, but Lin Su, who had been sitting quietly nearby, flicked his fingers and said, "While my grades may not be great, I can handle a fight. Do you want to try?"
The memory of him doing 400 push-ups in a row seemed fresh in their minds, and the boy's expression became somewhat embarrassed. He dared not say anything more.
Li Jingting glanced at him, wanting to say something, but at that moment, Lin Ran rushed in, "Brother!"
Lin Ran sat down directly next to Lin Su and looked straight at him, wanting to say something but unable to get it out, "Brother..."
"What's wrong?" Lin Su asked.
"Your grades, did something happen?" Lin Ran asked cautiously.
His brother had always been at the top since childhood, leaving no room for anyone else in any competition. Seeing him drop several tens of places this time really scared him.
"Nothing happened. Just didn't feel like it was worth it," Lin Su sighed.
It was as if deliberately holding back in the exam wasn't his doing.
"Why, why isn't it worth it?" Lin Ran poked his arm and asked, "Did something happen?"
"Ranran, what if Uncle doesn't want us anymore? What should we do?" Lin Su asked softly, a question only the two of them could hear.
Lin Ran paused for a moment before saying, "It's okay, brother. I have money, and the prize money from our competitions and scholarships are enough for us to finish university. Even though Dad owed Uncle a favor back then, Uncle has taken care of us for so many years. Brother, don't be sad. You still have me."
Lin Ran murmured to himself, seeming to have a special plan for his life.
Although he may appear gentle, he has always had his own thoughts. He never thought of relying on the Wei family for survival, nor did he ever entertain thoughts of exploiting their gratitude.
Perhaps it's this pure mindset that initially attracted Wei Yuan to him.
That man may seem cold and strong on the outside, but he's actually fragile inside, while Lin Ran may appear easy to bully, but he's strong inside.
Lin Su couldn't bear to tell him that this was just a part of his plan in his pursuit: "I was just making an analogy. Don't worry. Consider this an opportunity for you to surpass me this time. There won't be a next time. Oh, did you manage to get first place this time?"
Lin Ran was stunned. It was Liang Heng who got first place this time!
He grabbed Lin Su's arm excitedly, "Brother, brother, give in one more time, just once more."
"No, the midterm exam will affect the class's honor. Absolutely not," Lin Su pinched his nose, "Go back and study well. Don't always think about taking the wrong path."
System 06 felt that the last sentence from the host was very unqualified.
"Okay." Lin Ran stood up when he realized Lin Su was fine, "Don't mind those people's sarcastic remarks."
"I won't. You forget, one of the guys who used to talk bad about me ended up in the hospital for a month after I beat him up. He was in excruciating pain, but in the end, it was just classified as minor injuries," Lin Su said louder, "Don't worry, go back."
The guy who had been talking badly earlier suddenly felt a chill down his spine, wishing he could shrink into a quail.
Lin Ran just smiled and left. From childhood to now, his brother had only ever fought off a few thugs who tried to extort him. Ever since he demonstrated his ability to break bricks barehanded during a middle school talent show, none of his classmates dared to offend him, except for those he intimidated.
Author's note:
System 06: The host's principle is, if you can't flirt them to death, then flirt them to the brink of death.
1 Comments
Thanks for the update
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