Chapter 39

Editor: Henyee Translations

How can you be so thoughtless?

With her heart and lungs aching from anger, Zhong Manhua’s voice squeezed through her gritted teeth, “If you don’t want to go to school anymore, then drop out. If you leave the Elite Class, where else can you go?”

Ying Zijin didn’t even look up, too lazy to bother with a response.

She leisurely peeled a shrimp, her nonchalant brows and eyes practically glittering with the words “none of your business.”

Stimulated beyond tolerance, Zhong Manhua was about to lash out when Old Master Zhong erupted once more, “Zhong Manhua, can’t you speak properly? Have all these years of breeding gone to the dogs? If you can’t speak nicely, just get lost. Get out of here this instant!”

Acting like this in front of him, what would she do behind his back?

Zhong Manhua was furious, but she couldn’t say anything in front of Old Master Zhong.

All she could do was to take her shawl with bottled up frustration and leave with a cold face.

“Good that she’s gone. She’s always sulking as if she’s putting on a show for someone!” Old Master Zhong’s blood pressure rose in anger, triggering another bout of coughing.

Ying Zijin raised her hand to pat his back, handing him a cup of water, “Grandpa, drink some water.”

“Ah,” Old Master Zhong’s anger dissipated instantly, and he took the cup with a smile.

After drinking, Old Master Zhong felt his blood and qi flow more smoothly, and his spirits lifted considerably.

He didn’t think too deeply about it; he just felt that his granddaughter was truly wonderful.

“Let’s calm down, Master,” Lady Zhong hurried to smooth things over. “Manhua has to manage the company and take care of the children. You’re not aware, she has been competitive since she was young, it’s just that she’s a bit blunt when speaking.”

Old Master Zhong was not in the mood for sympathy: “Even so, it depends on who she’s talking to. I can’t bring myself to say a harsh word to Zijin, yet she unleashes a barrage. She’s not so talkative when it comes to other matters.”

“…”

Lady Zhong finally understood Zhong Manhua’s feelings.

Old Master Zhong was so good to a foster daughter, was he actually placing her above blood relations?

The meal ruined her appetite completely, so she also finished quickly and invented an excuse to go upstairs.

**

After dinner, Old Master Zhong called Ying Zijin into the study.

“Wanwan, I heard about what happened at school today. If you ever feel wronged in the future, just call me. Although I may have stepped down, I’m still in my prime,” he affirmed.

“I know, thank you, Grandpa,” Ying Zijin massaged his shoulders, “But it would be better if you don’t call me by that name anymore, just use my full name instead.”

Old Master Zhong was taken aback.

Before he could ask why, the girl calmly added, “I don’t really like names that others have used.”

Wanwan was the childhood nickname given to her by the Ying Family before she was born, but now it had been taken by someone else.

A mix of emotions swelled in Old Master Zhong’s heart.

After a long pause, he sighed, “It’s my fault for not taking better care of you.”

If he had known this would happen, he should have taken her to the Zhong Family from the beginning to personally look after her.

He had been busy traveling abroad for the past decade and had only returned to Shanghai City recently, learning about his true granddaughter’s disappearance.

The thought of his real granddaughter suffering so much outside made Old Master Zhong’s heart ache.

“Your mother is just like that, don’t mind her. Let her be angry on her own,” he thought for a moment, then took a card from the drawer, “I don’t know what you young people like nowadays. I’m scared of buying something you won’t like, so take this card and buy whatever you want.”

Ying Zijin had no intention of using it, but to not disappoint the elderly, she accepted it anyway, “Have you been having trouble sleeping recently?”

“It’s just an old person’s problem,” Old Master Zhong pressed his temples with a sigh, “In the end, one cannot deny aging.”

Ying Zijin nodded, her mind taking note.

She would be free for a while, so she would go back and concoct a few more medicines.

“`

But Old Master Zhong’s health was quite robust compared to his peers, with proper care, living to a hundred was easily within reach.

“Are you staying over tonight? It’s been a long time since you last came,” Old Master Zhong coughed a few times, pretending not to care much, “Tomorrow I can have the driver take you to school.”

Ying Zijin looked at Old Master Zhong, who seemed so excited he wanted to rub his hands together: “…”

She was slightly helpless: “Okay.”

Even if Old Master Zhong didn’t say so, she would have stayed anyway.

“Very good, very good, just tell me if you need anything,” Old Master Zhong nodded repeatedly, “Later, I’ll take you to the Fu Family to thank that boy.”

Although he wasn’t very fond of the boy.

He was too spoiled for his liking, and what if he was after his family’s “cabbage”?

Old Master Zhong was deeply worried as he sent the girl out, then sat in his study for a while before slowly dialing a number: “Hello, Old Man Fu, why would you care why I call you this late, I just wanted to let you know…”

**

Less than a day had passed, and what Ying Feifei did had spread throughout the entire second year of high school, but most people weren’t interested in paying attention.

Because of Old Master Zhong’s partiality, Zhong Zhiwan didn’t sleep well all night. During the morning reading session, she was distracted, constantly glancing at the empty seat in the corner.

A few classmates whispered among themselves.

“I heard she went straight to the principal’s office this morning, but I don’t know why.”

“Probably she’s going to be kicked out of the Elite Class, our class is finally losing a drag.”

Listening to this, Zhong Zhiwan’s mood finally lifted a bit.

She put down her book and left the classroom, ready to go to the teaching building to take a look.

Zhong Zhiwan didn’t know that, at this moment, apart from the principal, there were several teachers in the principal’s office.

“You all know about yesterday’s incident.” The principal pondered for a moment, then spoke, “I’ve discussed it with Classmate Ying’s parents and am planning to switch her to another class.”

Teacher Xu was taken aback: “Principal?”

The principal just vaguely mentioned: “The Elite Class isn’t quite suitable.”

He also felt the headache.

In Shanghai City, so many people were desperate to get into the Elite Class, yet she didn’t want to stay.

Teacher Xu understood: “Changing classes might be good, she could keep up with the study pace, and the pressure wouldn’t be too great.”

“That’s exactly my point,” the principal nodded, “so I was thinking of having Classmate Ying join the International Class.”

He certainly didn’t dare to put Elder Zhong’s granddaughter in a regular class—the Old Master would rampage uncontrollably.

Even though the International Class was entirely English-taught, the academic rigor was less than that of the Elite Class, focusing more on practical skills.

The students in the International Class were also from Shanghai City’s wealthy families, geniuses planning to study abroad.

He had heard from Teacher Deng that the child was very good at English, especially spoken English.

Upon hearing this, He Xun, who was sitting to the side, finally understood why the principal had summoned him.

With no particular expression, he lifted his head, and his eyes beneath the gold-rimmed glasses were steeped in an indifferent coolness, “If she transfers here, fine, I’ll resign.”

The principal was taken aback: “Teacher He, you mean…”

He Xun had graduated from the world’s number-one Norton University. At just twenty-five years old, he had obtained his professorship qualification.

He taught all the courses to the second-year International Class.

Verdant Middle School had gone to great lengths to recruit He Xun to lead the International Class, aiming to have students from Verdant qualify for Norton University.

A professor who graduated from Norton University, versus a student who was subpar in every aspect – the choice was obvious, wasn’t it?