Fu Si Heng quickly arranged for someone to handle the transfer.
This time, the situation was different from before.
After convincing Tao Zhi to agree, he first shared his thoughts with Tao Zhi’s mother—the advantages of Tao Zhi staying in S City for school, where the education was undoubtedly better than in the county high school. As for the school registration and such, there was no need to worry; he would handle everything.
Tao Zhi’s mother agreed.
Something like this had actually happened when they were little. When Fu Si Heng first came to their home, he had said he wanted to take Tao Zhi away. Back then, she hadn’t agreed because the child was too young and couldn’t be counted on to stick to his word. But now, things were different.
Tao Zhi was about to start high school. Although he had gotten into a good school, the gap between the county and a big city was too vast. Better educational resources would greatly help his chances of getting into university.
For her son’s future, once she thought it through, she quickly replied to Fu Si Heng.
And so, the matter was settled.
On September 1st, Tao Zhi transferred into a private high school.
It wasn’t the same school as Fu Zheng’s, so he had to live at Fu Si Heng’s house.
Fu Zheng wasn’t told about this until school started.
When Fu Zheng heard, he exploded with anger.
But he was powerless against his older brother.
Tao Zhi, on the other hand, spent a long time comforting Fu Zheng.
“Why don’t you just not live with him,” Fu Zheng tried to turn Tao Zhi against him. “Do you know how busy he is? I often go a month or two without seeing him—it’s normal. He’s always traveling for work and working overtime. If you go there, even eating will be a problem. Do you want to starve to death?”
Tao Zhi: “…It won’t be that bad.”
“How won’t it be?” Fu Zheng’s expression was extremely serious. “Tao Zhi, you don’t understand—”
“I’m boarding at school,” Tao Zhi said, scratching his cheek as he told Fu Zheng.
“？！”
“He’s making you board?!” Fu Zheng got even angrier upon hearing this. “He brought you over, and now he wants you to board?!”
How could there be such an irresponsible person!
His voice was so loud.
Tao Zhi hurriedly covered his ears.
Fu Zheng jumped to his feet in a rage, looking like he was about to go confront Fu Si Heng. Tao Zhi quickly grabbed him. “No, Fu Zheng, don’t get worked up. I chose to board myself.”
Fu Si Heng had discussed this with Tao Zhi beforehand while handling the matter.
He wouldn’t be home every day, so there would be a dedicated driver and auntie to take care of him.
When Tao Zhi heard that, he immediately said he could board.
Boarding was actually more convenient.
Fu Si Heng hadn’t agreed at first, but Tao Zhi convinced him.
Just like he was convincing Fu Zheng now.
It took effort, but in the end, they both agreed.
On September 1st, school started. Fu Si Heng, as Tao Zhi’s guardian, accompanied him to handle the enrollment procedures, then went with him to the dorm.
The dorm conditions were decent.
It was a four-person room with beds over desks, including a private bathroom and balcony, and a laundry room on the first floor.
Fu Si Heng was barely satisfied. He helped Tao Zhi tidy his bed and closet, then worried that classmates might isolate him, so he personally took him to the classroom, cafeteria, supermarket to get his bearings, and finally back to the dorm building.
“I’ll pick you up Friday evening,” Fu Si Heng instructed reluctantly as he was about to leave, just like every time he had to leave during summer vacation, always leaving a bunch of reminders. “Study hard at school. Don’t hang out with bad kids. Be good about eating—if the food isn’t good, call me, and I’ll have the auntie send some over. If anyone bullies you, tell me, got it?”
“Mm-hmm, got it,” Tao Zhi nodded obediently.
It seemed like there was nothing left to say.
He had given all the instructions, but he still felt uneasy.
Tao Zhi was different from Fu Zheng. Fu Zheng had a strong personality and was always the one bullying others, while Tao Zhi was the exact opposite.
His temper was too mild, his personality too soft, and those rich kids were good at picking on the weak.
He wondered if Tao Zhi would face exclusion.
Although it was the start of high school and everyone was a freshman, this private school had a junior high department, so many had been classmates since then. If they were cliquey…
Fu Si Heng frowned.
He was very uneasy, but he couldn’t show it in front of Tao Zhi, who seemed very excited about the new school and classmates.
“Contact me if anything comes up,” Fu Si Heng reiterated.
Tao Zhi: “Okay.”
…
He was being a bit naggy.
But Fu Si Heng didn’t think he was nagging.
Raising someone else’s kid naturally required extra effort. Otherwise, if the parents got worried and took him away, what then? Such a small child entrusted to him—obedient, living alone at school—he would worry. Taking extra time to remind him was perfectly normal.
Reasonable.
…But in reality, Fu Si Heng had worried too much.
Tao Zhi had always been popular, and with Fu Si Heng backing him, who would dare bully him?
Not everyone at Fu Zheng’s school knew he was Fu Si Heng’s brother.
But for Tao Zhi, everyone knew.
No one dared bully him, and Tao Zhi adapted well to the new school, with top grades.
Every Friday evening, Fu Si Heng picked him up after school. If he was traveling, the driver did it.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was their second year of high school.
School let out a bit late that day, so Tao Zhi hurried to the school gate. When he saw the familiar car, his eyes lit up, and he jogged over, opened the passenger door, and climbed in. “Brother, you’re back… Uncle Zhao?”
Only after getting in did Tao Zhi realize the driver wasn’t Fu Si Heng, but his chauffeur.
Tao Zhi froze, his joyful expression stuck on his face.
“Uncle Zhao, why are you here?” Tao Zhi recovered and asked while buckling his seatbelt. “Didn’t my brother say he was picking me up?”
