“You want me to tell everyone how you ditched your son right after he got disabled to run off with your mistress?”
Jian Yi added an “Ah”: “Oops, already did.”
“Want me to spill more?”
Jian Zhan Guo’s face twitched.
He was furious.
Wei Tianxi couldn’t take it anymore and yanked the reluctant, dazed Wei Jing away. Seeing that, Jian Zhan Guo could only grit his teeth and turn to leave.
Once they found a quiet spot, after Wei Tianxi explained the full story—revealing that the “deadweight” he’d thought was actually the Guan Family’s long-lost biological son—Jian Zhan Guo was even more at a loss for feelings or expressions! The Guan Family—that was way above even the Weis. How had that baggage gotten such luck?!
And the son the Guan Family had raised for over a decade was actually Xu Ru’s biological nephew.
Either way, that connected them. If he hadn’t divorced Xu Ru…
The more Jian Zhan Guo thought, the worse it got. The more he dwelled, the more it stung!
Wei Jing felt awful too.
She hadn’t realized Xu Ru had Guan Family ties!
Recalling the scene, her attempt to humiliate Xu Ru, calling the Guan Family’s own son “deadweight baggage”—it mortified her.
She vented on Jian Zhan Guo: “You didn’t even know about this?!”
Jian Zhan Guo thought, How could I? To avoid you thinking I still cared about my old family, I haven’t checked on Xu Ru in over a decade!
If not for you, how would I have missed all this?!
Now fixing things with my son is impossible.
But he didn’t dare say it.
He stewed, then casually remarked: “I never kept tabs. But Xiaoxi should’ve known, right?”
Wei Tianxi’s face soured: “Your crippled son just transferred in. How was I supposed to know ahead of time!”
Jian Zhan Guo said nothing, but his face twitched again.
“Enough of that.”
Wei Jing snapped impatiently. Desperate to salvage her pride elsewhere, she grabbed Wei Tianxi: “Your exam scores this time should be fine, right? I mean, if you climb a bit higher…”
“Mom, relax.”
Wei Tianxi brimmed with confidence: “Didn’t those teachers say I’ve improved a ton? I scored it myself—should be solid.”
“You know how at Qichen, the higher you rank—especially in the Elite and Experimental Classes—the harder it is to jump big. Scores are neck-and-neck. Even advancing five or six spots is huge. This time, I figure at least six or more. Just wait—I’ll be picking out that sports car.”
Wei Tianxi chimed in as if offhandedly, “Oh right, Uncle’s son seems to study pretty well too, but that’s at Yude School. Who knows how he’ll do now that he’s at Qichen.”
“He and Guan Shen Ju—Shen Ju, that is—haven’t even been at Qichen that long…”
Wei Jing immediately let out a cold laugh, as if speaking to Wei Tianxi or perhaps to herself. “What kind of scores can transfers from Yude even get at Qichen? And they landed in the Experimental Class, no less? Talk about not knowing shame!”
“No wonder. So they all got in through connections. Hooking up with the Guan Family makes all the difference, huh? But so what? Just watch—they’re gonna embarrass themselves soon enough!”
Qichen was a gathering of elites, after all. Kids from a public school like Yude? What dazzling results could they possibly pull off here?
Wei Jing didn’t think much of it.
After all, grooming Wei Tianxi had cost her who knew how much manpower, resources, money, and effort—just to keep his grades steady in the Elite Class. Shen Ju and Jian Yi had only transferred from Yude a short while ago, not even a full semester. Could they keep up with Qichen’s pace? It was obvious how grueling it would be. Dreaming of top scores? Ridiculous.
The more she thought about it, the more convinced Wei Jing became. She even patted Wei Tianxi’s shoulder. “You gotta make me proud later, son. Whether I get into the parents’ committee is all on you.”
Wei Tianxi smiled. “Don’t worry, Mom.”
Qin Soxi hadn’t even gotten much of a chance to push back. She couldn’t help but pinch Shen Ju’s cheek.
“Our baby isn’t some little tag-along.”
So crude, and they still dote on you like this, 996 sighed. Don’t fancy families care about status and decorum? Shouldn’t they think you’re embarrassing them by yelling like that in public? Shouldn’t they be disgusted deep down?! Aaaah! I don’t get it! I really don’t!
“…”
Shen Ju didn’t know what to say.
Once Wei Jing and Jian Zhan Guo’s group left, his “imposing aura” instinctively dialed back. Maintaining that act was tiring work, after all.
At that moment, with Qin Soxi pinching his cheek, he looked a bit dazed.
996’s complaints grew more frantic, startling him.
He didn’t know which side to address first.
He flashed Qin Soxi a fawning smile, then messaged 996: Brother 996, let’s keep pushing forward.
Qin Soxi paused, thinking her kid was dead set on grinding those tasks?
So persistent…
No time to dwell—the setting wasn’t right either. She tabled it for now.
The parents’ meeting was about to start.
Qin Soxi invited Xu Ru to head in together, suggesting they sit side by side.
Xu Ru gave an awkward smile.
She knew her earlier call to Qin Soxi—begging for help—had been abrupt and out of line. She’d figured that would sever any ties with the Guan Family afterward. But… And what stung Xu Ru even more was that Shen Ju had stepped up to defend them first, even loudly calling her “Auntie”… It left her feeling awful, embarrassed, her emotions all tangled.
How could she have no feelings for this kid? They’d suffered together, struggled together, spent all those years pushing forward, laughing and messing around. No way she felt nothing.
When did it change?
Oh, right—from when Shen Ju returned to the Guan Family…
Learning he wasn’t her blood nephew had indeed been a huge hurdle she couldn’t get past. But as Jian Yi had hinted without spelling out…
They could share hardships, but once one pulled ahead on a different path, the growing gap inevitably bred other thoughts and feelings.
So seeing Shen Ju again, and with what just happened… that was why Xu Ru felt so ashamed.
Ashamed of herself.
So ugly.
Truly… so ugly.
In that moment, Xu Ru wanted nothing more than to clap her hands over her face.
Only then did she notice Jian Yi still held her hand.
Mother and son hadn’t shared such warmth in ages.
“Let’s go, Mom,” Jian Yi said softly.
He wasn’t about to tell Shen Ju to cut his mom some slack, but as Xu Ru’s son—the one who’d benefited—he couldn’t help sympathizing with and protecting her, no matter how frustrated he got at her stubbornness.
He just hoped this would help her see things clearly.
No more getting stuck in a rut.
The importance of this parents’ meeting was obvious from the parents’ outfits alone.
It was a key factor in the parents’ committee reshuffle, after all.
Winter break was right around the corner after the meeting.
Qichen always started break earlier than public schools.
Exams ran through the end of December—no letup in the tension. Time to loosen up.
Besides, vacation didn’t mean endless playtime at home. No need to sweat the final stretch before the new year; some relaxation was fine.
Anything else could wait till next term.
The meeting would announce school plans going forward, plus items needing parent input.
But the real highlight—the bit everyone anticipated most—was the grade reveal.
These exam results were the heaviest hitter.
They even tied into recommendation spots.
Yet Qichen knew how to build suspense. No full score and rank list right away. First, the trophies and certificates—for the parents to watch other kids claim them.
Best class cadre.
Outstanding subject rep.
Most helpful, most diligent, best at livening up the class, most mischievous… and so on.
Real crowd-pleasers.
Of course, the big ones were still to come…
“Alright, next up are two major awards. First: the Best Progress Star Award. This goes to the student with the biggest jump in exam scores and ranking this time. It’s…”
Wei Tianxi perked up at the award name—excited and nervous. He stared at the podium.
This is the one I’m gunning for!
As he’d said earlier, shifting one spot in Elite or Experimental Class was doable. But leaping ahead multiple places, overtaking tons of people? Tough.
These were top students; scores clustered tight up front, gaps razor-thin. Surging past a bunch? No easy feat. At Qichen, the Best Progress Star Award carried serious weight—not some throwaway gimmick.
So…
Who got it?
Wei Tianxi practically chanted his own name.
Was it Wei Tianxi?
“Guan Shen Ju—Shen Ju!”
“What?!”
Wei Tianxi blanked out.
He’d half-risen from his seat, and it wasn’t him?!
How could it be Shen Ju?!
He’d scraped dead last in Experimental Class back then! How could he skyrocket that fast?!
Impossible!!!
“One last award: first place certificate.”
“And for this December exam, the top scorer is…”
The Experimental Class homeroom teacher could barely hide her grin.
The two classes were equals on paper, but these events were usually run by the Elite Class teacher. First time for her.
Because both top awards hailed from her class.
Especially the first-place kid…
She took a deep breath and announced joyfully, “Let’s congratulate Jian Yi for taking first in this final big exam!”
What… the…?!!
Wei Tianxi froze in his seat.
He hadn’t processed the last bombshell before this one smashed into his skull.
He was dumbfounded.
Not just him—Wei Jing and Jian Zhan Guo wore looks of utter disbelief.
Jian Zhan Guo especially.
His heart twisted in knots!
