Guan Shen Ju? Jian Yi?
How could it be these two names?
How could it be these two names?!
The Wei family felt like fishbones were stuck in their throats, their faces shifting through shades of pallor and flush.
“What’s going on?!”
Wei Jing’s face darkened as she pinched Wei Tianxi’s arm. “Weren’t you supposed to have made huge progress? How did you not even snag a certificate?! And yet…”
And yet, that deadweight stepchild Xu Ru had raised ended up with this certificate.
Even worse, Qichen’s top spot in senior year went to Xu Ru’s crippled son!
How could this happen?!
“…It must be because of Pei Yan!”
Wei Tianxi gritted his teeth, latching onto an excuse. “Mom, didn’t I tell you? I tried to buy those notes before, but Guan Shen Ju went straight to the owner for personal tutoring…”
“Then why couldn’t you find a way to hire them?!”
Wei Tianxi’s face burned with embarrassment. He hadn’t explained it clearly to his mom before.
How could he? Was he supposed to admit he didn’t have the status or face to ask for tutoring? That was Pei Haochuan’s little uncle!
But how could Guan Shen Ju…
Most importantly, Guan Shen Ju had actually made that much progress!
“And that Jian Yi—you said before he was just doing okay at Yude School, right?!”
Wei Jing pinched Wei Tianxi’s arm even harder. “Do you know what rank Jian Yi got at Yude?”
Wei Tianxi’s lips trembled. “Fir… first…”
Another thing he hadn’t clarified with his mom.
He didn’t want to say it out loud.
“…”
Wei Jing was about to explode with rage!
First place!
First at Yude, with no cap on potential! Who could accurately gauge Jian Yi’s talent?!
Nearby, Jian Zhan Guo looked over, his breathing growing heavier.
First place.
First at Yude, and now first at Qichen too.
How brilliant was his son?!
But then he remembered Jian Yi’s disability.
Why did it have to be a disabled kid…
Each member of the Wei family seethed with their own jealousy, faces twisted, moods a tangle of regret and complexity. Meanwhile, over with Qin Soxi and Xu Ru, Shen Ju and Jian Yi had already stood up to head to the stage for their awards.
Guan Mulin, seated on the other side, clapped sincerely, genuinely happy for them.
He was especially impressed by Jian Yi.
He could take first at Qichen because he’d always had top-tier educational resources, but Jian Yi had just transferred in not long ago and still pulled off such a standout performance. That was incredible.
Of course, Shen Ju’s progress was huge too.
After all, you needed the room to improve and the ability to seize it.
But…
996 cackled gleefully, its tone dripping with smugness and teasing: [Host! I told you your potential for growth was massive!]
[Yeah, yeah.]
Shen Ju was thrilled too: [All thanks to bombing that last-place score before!]
Pfft.
Guan Mulin and Qin Soxi both stifled laughs.
Shen Ju waited for Jian Yi, then headed to the stage together.
He hadn’t expected to win that certificate himself.
But he was definitely happy about it.
He wanted to share it with Pei Yan right away!
All thanks to his Pei-ge.
Of course, I’m pretty great too.
Shen Ju felt a smug little glow as he walked toward the stage.
As for Jian Yi taking first? Totally normal—he’d always known Jian Yi was exceptional.
Jian Yi sidled up to Shen Ju and murmured, “Your tail’s practically wagging.”
Shen Ju subconsciously reached for his butt before catching himself. “No it’s not!”
As they walked, whispers rippled around them.
“Who’s Jian Yi? Which one?”
“Guan Shen Ju—isn’t that the one the Guan Family just took back…?”
“I never heard of Jian Yi before.”
“Me neither…”
“I asked around—he transferred from Yude not long ago, some connection to the Guan Family… Hiss, first place right after arriving at Qichen? Impressive kid.”
“No kidding.”
“Hey, hey, look at that kid’s arm…”
“Ah.”
Shen Ju’s steps faltered.
Jian Yi seemed to catch those words too, instinctively trying to tuck his left arm behind his back.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t accept his disability.
He’d come to terms with it years ago.
He’d heard countless discussions about his left-side handicap and had learned to tune them out.
But Jian Yi didn’t want his disability to become fodder for gossip.
Because Shen Ju would worry and dwell on it.
And it’d make him sad.
“Cherish this win while it lasts.”
“Hm?”
Shen Ju turned to Jian Yi. “What?”
Jian Yi: “Next time, you won’t have this much room to improve.”
“…”
Shen Ju chuckled.
He knew Jian Yi was just teasing him on purpose.
But once they reached the stage, the view cleared up.
And so did the gazes and expressions from the crowd below.
Admiring ones. Shocked ones.
Pitying ones.
Pitying.
Pitying…
In the end, Shen Ju fixed his gaze on Qin Soxi’s face.
She watched him, eyes brimming with joy and pride. She waved when she saw him looking, mouthing something like “baby.”
Baby.
He was this old, but Qin Soxi still called him that.
Like she was making up for all those lost years in every shout.
There wasn’t a trace of distance or dislike in her eyes.
Mom…
Shen Ju’s lips moved as he watched Jian Yi accept the framed certificate with one hand, then use his wrist to grip the trophy. He couldn’t help dropping his gaze, fleeing the moment.
Something was off with Shen Ju—the Guan Family felt it.
Counting the days, it seemed to start from the parents’ meeting.
Even Qichen’s early winter break hadn’t lifted his spirits.
But shouldn’t that day have been a high point?
Whether it was his own massive progress award, Jian Yi’s first place, getting Xu Ru onto the parents’ committee with that, Jian Zhan Guo’s crumbling facade at the end, or Wei Jing and Wei Tianxi’s ugly faces—it should’ve been satisfying, exhilarating. So why did Shen Ju seem so unenthused, like his mood was trapped in quicksand, unable to break free no matter how he struggled?
Even Pei Yan had sensed it through the phone screen.
He’d finally endured December’s four exam weeks, and winter break arrived. Even someone as cold and relentless as Pei Yan gave Pei Haochuan and the others a break—no more evening tutoring sessions.
So Shen Ju didn’t have to go to Pei Yan’s that night.
But on the Guan Family’s balcony at Yujinfu, Shen Ju wore a thin jacket with the hood up, strings pulled tight like old times. He looked like a plump little mushroom basking in the moonlight.
Only the faint glow of his phone lit his face.
Guan Muya had come over to turn on the balcony light for him, but the next moment, the little mushroom twisted around, fixing him with a resentful stare.
“…”
A mushroom that hated the light.
With a click, Guan Muya quietly turned it off again.
Then the family of four—plus Guan Jianshan online—got to work: four peering through the balcony glass, one over the network, silently observing and fiercely debating Shen Ju’s state.
Shen Ju ducked his head back to message Pei Yan.
[…Yeah, I’ll head back to He Yuan on my birthday. Pei-ge’s coming, right?]
The thought of seeing Pei Yan perked him up a bit: [We’re holding the birthday banquet at He Yuan. I’ll deliver Pei-ge’s invitation personally.]
Pei Yan: [And then you’ll call me uncle again?]
Shen Ju paused, then smiled.
A bit embarrassed, he typed: [Pei-ge, you still remember that?]
Pei Yan: [It was the first time anyone over 10 called me uncle.]
Shen Ju: [Hehe.]
[Wait, no—what about Pei Haochuan?]
Pei Yan: [Oh, forgot about him.]
Shen Ju: …Forgot him that quick, huh.
[Feeling better now?]
Pei Yan messaged again.
Shen Ju hesitated, lips pressing thin: [How’d Pei-ge know I was down…?]
Pei Yan: [You’re barely using any tone words or exclamation points when chatting with me.]
[No emojis either.]
Ah…
Was I?
As if reading his doubt, seconds later Pei Yan sent a screenshot…
Little Kid: [Parents’ meeting’s starting! Heading in!]
[Principal’s speaking, I’m on my phone, sneaky jpg.]
A kitten with a face mask tied from the back of its head to its nose sneaks forward on tiptoe.
[Most Mischievous Award went to Han Chengfeng—saw his dad smack his head hard!]
[Winced for him, haha.]
[Our class monitor Tang Yuexin got Best Class Cadre!]
Chattery and eager, like he couldn’t wait to share every detail with Pei Yan.
But minutes later, Pei Yan noticed something off.
Shen Ju stopped messaging unless prompted.
Like he’d suddenly wilted.
Pei Yan scrolled through Shen Ju’s replies.
Telling him about the Progress Star award, Jian Yi’s first place.
About going up to collect them together…
No wonder.
Pei Yan could picture the crowd’s reaction when Jian Yi took the stage.
But the biggest reaction was Shen Ju’s.
Caring this much…
Pei Yan tapped the screen.
The next second, Shen Ju messaged: [Why “Little Kid”…?]
Pei Yan grabbed his water cup and headed to his own balcony, typing one-handed: [Forgot to hide it.]
Actually, on purpose.
[If not “Little Kid,” then what?]
Pei Yan stood on his balcony. He’d just asked Shen Ju’s location—even with Yujinfu’s top privacy, same balconies wouldn’t show neighbors, but this was closest.
The chat showed “typing…”
Pei Yan chuckled: [Straight names feel distant. What’s your label for me?]
Seeing Pei Yan’s new message, Shen Ju quietly deleted [Just the name].
Then he glanced at his own label for Pei Yan—[Pei Yan].
“…”
He changed it to Pei-ge, tugged his hood strings to dodge, cheeks puffing rounder: [See you at the birthday banquet, Pei-ge!]
Pei Yan smiled and pocketed his phone.
A birthday banquet, huh.
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