CH 62.1

Lucy.

Yue Gu Zai’s business trip to Italy turned into a family vacation. He didn’t want to leave a pregnant Zhen Zhen at home. He agreed to let Ling Jia to join him and Zhen Zhen to fly to Italy. Yue Cheng Tian insisted on going with Ling Jia so Yue Dui Yi tagged along to Italy too. Louis’ home was in Italy, but everyone knew Louis wanted to fly home because Ling Jia was flying to Italy. Even Zhen Wu wanted to visit Italy, and that was how Yue Gu Zai’s business trip turned into a family vacation.

‘Imperial mother, what is this bird?’ Yue Dui Yi asked.

‘Dui Yi this is a plane,’ Ling Jia said. ‘Dui Yi, don’t break anything on the plane.’

Ling Jia was scared of her two country bumpkins. Yue Cheng Tian wasn’t as bad as Yue Dui Yi. Yue Cheng Tian only broke a TV and a fridge. Yue Dui Yi broke cameras and Chu Gian’s sports car. Ling Jia had to bribe Chu Gian with vintage bracelet that was more valuable than Chu Gian’s sports car. Ling Jia’s frugal heart broke to see the herbal physician Bai Yu Tian put her precious vintage bracelet on Chu Gian’s wrist.

‘Imperial mother, it’s only a bracelet,’ Yue Dui Yi said. ‘When we get back, I’ll give imperial mother all the bracelets in the palace.’

‘Du Yi, at this rate you’ll waste all the treasure your imperial father saved up in the palace,’ Ling Jia said.

‘Imperial mother, I don’t care if all the treasure in the palace are gone,’ Yue Dui Yi said. ‘If that happens I don’t need to be emperor anymore, and I can see the world with imperial mother.’

Ling Jia decided when she got back to the palace, she was going to write a sign outside the palace treasure room, ‘Emperor Yue Dui Yi is forbidden to enter this room.’

‘Uncle Dui Yi, you can’t act like a country bumpkin after we get off the plane,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Zhen Wu, how can you say that to your uncle?’ Zhen Zhen asked.

‘Mum, grandma calls uncle Dui Yi a country bumpkin,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Zhen Wu, I’m Dui Yi’s imperial mother,’ Ling Jia said. ‘Only I can call Dui Yi a country bumpkin.’

‘Grandma, you’re supposed to set a good example for your grandson,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Who says?’ Ling Jia asked.

‘Grandpa taught me,’ Zhen Wu said.

Ling Jia didn’t want to fight with Yue Cheng Tian so she let the matter slide.

Cheng Yi read the entry rules of the international IT competition to Zhen Wu.

‘Imperial mother, what is a computer?’ Yue Dui Yi asked.

Ling Jia gave an ice-cream cone to Yue Dui Yi.

‘Dui Yi, eat the ice-cream,’ Ling Jia said. ‘You can’t eat a computer.’

‘Young master, you’re eligible to enter the competition,’ Cheng Yi said.

‘Mum, can I enter the competition?’ Zhen Wu asked.

‘Zhen Wu, if you want to enter the competition then you can,’ Zhen Zhen said. ‘It’ll be a good experience for you.’

Through Cheng Yi’s connections, Zhen Wu was admitted into the prestigious international IT competition.

On the first day of the competition, Zhen Wu wore a cute white T-shirt and jeans outfit to the competition venue. It made everyone want to squeeze and kiss his cheeks.

Zhen Wu’s family and Louis were at the venue to support Zhen Wu. Having strangers stare at Zhen Wu, his family and Louis made Zhen Wu nervous.

‘Mum,’ Zhen Wu called.

‘Zhen Wu, do your best,’ Zhen Zhen said. ‘Your dad and I and everyone else are here to support you no matter if you win or lose.’

Zhen Zhen understood Zhen Wu felt nervous entering a public competition for the first time.

Zhen Wu’s anxiety lessened after he received Zhen Zhen’s encouragement. He showed his entry ID to one of the competition’s judges.

The judge looked curiously at Zhen Wu who was the competition’s youngest contestant. The judge thought it wouldn’t matter if Zhen Wu was admitted through the back door, because Zhen Wu wouldn’t pass the first round. The judge led Zhen Wu on stage while Zhen Wu’s family and Louis sat on the front row.

The contestants on the stage chatted with each other. But Zhen Wu played on his computer to keep his anxiety low.

La Ba Te was an eleventh grade student. He was used to entering IT competitions. He felt threatened by Zhen Wu who was the youngest contestant. He walked to where Zhen Wu was focused on a computer, and he was relieved to see Zhen Wu playing games.

‘I bet the little boy can’t even read the instructions for the first round,’ John said to La Ba Te.

‘It’ll be a good chance for the little boy to get used to losing,’ La Ba Te said.

Zhen Wu acted like he couldn’t understand John and La Ba Te insulting him in English.

‘Are you here to participate in the competition?’ Lucy asked.

Zhen Wu looked up from his computer because the little girl spoke Mandarin. The little girl wore a blue dress and her ebony hair was tied in a ponytail. She looked like a five-year-old.

‘Yes,’ Zhen Wu said politely.

Zhen Wu didn’t like socialising with other children his age, but he didn’t want to be rude to the little girl.

Lucy struggled to climb onto the chair next to Zhen Wu that was too high for her. She opened the small back pack on her back, and she chose two of her luckiest candies.

‘These are for you,’ Lucy said. She offered the two candies to Zhen Wu. ‘They are lucky candies. I hope they’ll bring you luck and you’ll win the competition.’

Zhen Wu like Yue Gu Zai hated eating sweets. But Zhen Wu didn’t want to reject the little girl’s sincerity, he accepted the candies.

‘Why aren’t you eating the lucky candies?’ Lucy asked.

Zhen Wu opened the wrapper of one candy.

‘Are you participating in the competition too?’ Zhen Wu asked.

‘No because I’m not as smart enough,’ Lucy said. ‘I’m Lucy Brenda. My mum is Mandarin so I can speak Mandarin.’

‘Zhen Wu,’ Zhen Zhen cheered from the front row.

‘Look at my grandson,’ Ling Jia said. ‘Everywhere he goes, he attracts honey.’

Lucy saw a judge coming onto the stage. She kissed Zhen Wu’s cheek and smiled at him.

‘My dad said giving someone a good luck kiss can help them win,’ Lucy said. She jumped off the chair. ‘Do your best. I hope you’ll win.’

Zhen Wu watched Lucy run to an old man who looked like her grandpa. The old man wanted to hold Lucy’s back pack, but she shook her head.

‘Zhen Zhen, that little girl has good vision,’ Ling Jia said. ‘She’s young but she instinctively recognises a rich little boy when she sees one.’

‘Mum, the competition is starting,’ Zhen Zhen said.

***

End of Chapter Sixty-Two (Part 1)