The "Auntie Shen" Little Bug mentioned was Shen Xia, wife of next-door neighbor Liu Yun and mother of Xia Pengfei's close friend Liu Xudong. Shen Xia's older brother, Shen Zhetian, was the current principal of Tianxiang Middle School.
"Ah, our Little Bug is just too smart. Even this you figured out."Tan Ruomei picked up a quail egg and placed it in Little Bug's bowl."Eat more quail eggs—you'll get even smarter."
Little Bug pointed at Xia Pengfei and asked, "If Brother eats quail eggs, will he get into C University?"
"Him? I doubt it! Even if professors from B University came to teach him, his history score still wouldn't go up."Tan Ruomei never missed an opportunity to attack Xia Pengfei's confidence.
At the moment, Xia Pengfei had activated a powerful mental "mute mode." He ignored everything they said—neither refuting nor agreeing—just quietly bowing his head and eating.
"Mama, I want to take Baby with me to Phoenix District. Brother is always busy, Sister Lan has work to do, and I'm so lonely, so bored, so pitiful, so helpless…"Little Bug poured out his woes.
As the saying goes: youngest son, eldest grandson—the darling of a mother's heart.
Tan Ruomei always gave Little Bug whatever he wanted. Hearing he had no one to accompany him, she felt distressed at once."Alright, take Baby with you. I'll hire another housekeeper to cook and shop, and let Lanlan go with you. When your brother's too busy, Lanlan can pick you up."
"Brother already hired a housekeeper. You just need to put more money on his card."Little Bug exposed him mercilessly.
The moment Tan Ruomei heard "more money," irritation flared. She slammed her chopsticks down and glared at Xia Pengfei."You little brat, you're burning through money faster than a high-speed train! With the money I give you, you could buy a whole housekeeping company. How many housekeepers do you need!?"
Xia Pengfei stayed silent, calmly ladled himself a bowl of soup. After drinking it and wiping his mouth, he finally said, unhurried,"You're just too anxious. Did I ever say I asked you for money?"
He stood up and pointed at Little Bug."Let Uncle He take him and Baby back to Phoenix District. I'm meeting some friends this afternoon to relax."Then he strode out of the dining room—ignoring Tan Ruomei's icy expression and Little Bug's attempt to follow him—with steps full of "I recognize no one."
"Your history score is that terrible, and you still don't bother to study! Any free time you get, you run off to mess around!"Tan Ruomei rushed after him."Xia Pengfei, get back here!"
"President Tan, mind your image!"His voice drifted faintly from outside.
Of course, there was no way he'd obediently "come back." Nothing in the world could stop him from letting loose now.
When Tan Ruomei returned to the dining room, Little Bug was on the verge of tears from being left behind again, and began a "blood-and-tears denunciation" of Xia Pengfei's many "crimes."
"Brother is the worst! He always says I'm a burden. He never keeps me company, he has no patience with me, and he's always threatening to beat me!"
Instead of scolding Xia Pengfei, Tan Ruomei defended him."Your brother actually loves you. He just needs his own space. You'll understand when you're older.He says he dislikes you, but who picks you up from school every day?When you're too tired to walk, doesn't he carry you?You wanted a golden retriever—didn't he hire an extra housekeeper just to take care of it for you?Think about it… aren't those signs he loves you?"
"Really?"Little Bug's eyes brimmed with tears as he tilted his head thoughtfully, long lashes trembling, brows furrowed."So I misunderstood Brother…"
Seeing how adorable her little son looked, Tan Ruomei almost couldn't resist hugging and kissing him. But she was in the middle of "educating," so she forced herself to stay serious.
"Bug, boys aren't like girls. Boys express love more roughly. It's not delicate—sometimes it even seems harsh.He says he'll beat you, but has he ever actually hit you?With the strength of his hands, one slap and your little body couldn't take it!"
She took a tissue and wiped his tears, pinching his soft cheek gently with a smile.
It had to be said—no one knows a child better than their mother. Tan Ruomei's analysis of Xia Pengfei's personality was spot-on.
Little Bug brightened immediately upon hearing that his brother loved him. Tears still glistened in his eyes, yet two dimples appeared on his smiling cheeks.
"Huh? Weird. You always roast Brother to his face, but behind his back you keep praising him!"Little Bug finally caught on to one of Tan Ruomei's strategies.
Tan Ruomei lifted her chopsticks and placed a slice of cold beef into his bowl."That brother of yours—don't be fooled by his calm demeanor. Deep down he's confident to the point of exploding.If I don't keep him in check, he'll already be flying. If I praise him to his face, he'll blast straight out of the solar system!If I don't dull his sharp edges a bit, he'll suffer for it later."
"Mama, you're so smart and amazing!"Little Bug raised a thumbs-up at her, eyes full of admiration."And grown-ups' schemes are really deep!"
…
"Sizhu Plaza," located in the northern suburbs of Zixu City, was a new landmark but had quickly become the city's most bustling music-culture hub.All kinds of music halls, bars, and K-singing rooms sprang up like bamboo shoots after a rainstorm.Among them, "Pearl of the East" was the most popular K-sing venue—packed even on weekdays, and on weekends you'd better not go without a reservation.
Liu Xudong had booked the luxury private room "Beside the Water" three days earlier.
When Xia Pengfei pushed open the door of "Beside the Water," most of the invited guests had already arrived.
Liu Xudong was sitting on the sofa talking quietly with a tall, skinny boy. Seeing Xia Pengfei, he waved excitedly."Pengfei! Come drink something first!"
Xia Pengfei could see his hand signals, but the deafening music drowned out the words.
The room was huge. Three black leather long sofas were arranged in a half-moon shape, with a white faux-jade coffee table in the center.Large ultra-thin screens lined every wall so singers could see lyrics from any angle.
At the moment, thunderous music and gorgeous boys and girls shouting themselves hoarse made one's head nearly explode.The flashing multicolored lights above the dance floor created a dizzying storm of color.Xia Pengfei could almost smell the reckless waste of youth in the air.
He frowned, walked straight to the speakers, and turned the volume down before sitting on a sofa.
Liu Xudong considerately grabbed an unopened drink from the table and handed it to him. Then he leaned over and introduced the boy beside him:"Pengfei, this is Zhou Yang from Class One. You can just call him 'Bamboo Pole.'"
"Nice to meet you, Xia Pengfei.""Bamboo Pole" greeted him with a big smile.
Xia Pengfei only nodded slightly.
"The two singing—The boy is Wang Xiaobao, our class's PE rep, and Teacher Wang Dalong's son," Liu Xudong continued, then leaned in gossipingly."And that girl says she knows you…"
Xia Pengfei opened his drink, clinked cups with Liu Xudong, and said with a blank face,"Don't know her…"
Liu Xudong took a sip and continued,"She's also from Class One—Jiang Meidan.The girl in the pink dress on the dance floor is Senior He Tingting from Grade 12, Class 29. Her dance partner is our class monitor, Xiao Tianhao.The one in the light lavender dress is Sophomore Sui Jiayuan, from Grade 10, Class 5. Her partner is—"
"Grade 11's top science student, Jin Feifan, from Class Eleven."Xia Pengfei said, eyes fixed on the pale-skinned boy with gold-rimmed glasses dancing gracefully in the center.
"Well, well… seems only academic elites can catch your eye,"Liu Xudong sighed dramatically.