SFBF CH72

Seeing Tang Ziyao staring blankly without saying a word, everyone understood—Shen Qing really knew how to do this question.
And Tang Ziyao really didn’t.

An inexplicable awkwardness spread through the entire private room. At this moment, a crisp childlike voice sounded.

Ao Zai: “I told you, my little dad is the most amazing!”
After speaking, he kicked his little legs again, looking joyful.

He didn’t know what had happened, but he felt that everyone’s gaze toward his little dad was filled with surprise, envy, or admiration. Ao Zai couldn’t describe it, but he shared in the pride and couldn’t help chuckling happily.

Gu Duo silently supported his brother’s small body, preventing Ao Zai from sliding off the chair due to over-excitement.
But with his head slightly lowered, a smile also appeared on the corners of his lips.

Currently, Duo Duo didn’t really know what middle school was, or what a university was.
Because no one had told him.
But even if he knew, he wouldn’t understand the difference between the two.
Because from beginning to end, he never felt that his little dad—who “didn’t even graduate middle school”—was any kind of academic failure.
…It was just as his little dad said himself, he just didn’t like to use his brain…

Beside them, Tang Ziyao’s mental state was breaking down a bit. He asked Shen Qing: “…Why do you know how to solve this question?!”

Shen Qing shrugged indifferently, completely ignoring his anger and unwillingness. He didn’t even intend to seriously answer his question.
He just said casually: “Why can’t I know how to?”

Tang Ziyao: “…”

Shen Qing spoke without intention, but the listeners took it to heart.
Especially when comparing Shen Qing and Tang Ziyao, the relatives couldn’t help but draw a conclusion: It’s obvious that a degree doesn’t mean everything!
So what if you scored over six hundred in the college entrance exam? So what if you’re the only college student in the family?
You still have questions you can’t solve.

“And brother Yao, you really are something. If you can’t do it, just say you can’t do it! It’s not embarrassing.”

Lu Qi, who had been playing on her phone while watching the show the whole time, suddenly said with a giggling smile: “You even made up so many excuses, saying it’s not a high school knowledge point, telling brother Shen Yi he doesn’t need to master it, and telling him to get his basic knowledge straight first… Hahaha, who exactly hasn’t got their basic knowledge straight! You’re killing me with laughter, you’re way too good at making up excuses to save face hahaha!”

Having also been attacked by Dad Tang earlier and used as a contrast to his son, Lu Qi didn’t care about anything else right now. She laughed so hard she was shaking, making her mockery crystal clear.
Her mother did criticize her briefly for being impolite, but it was said very quietly, so no one else heard it.
Mainly because when she laughed, her brother Lu Xin also laughed along with her, looking completely carefree.

The most embarrassed father and son at the table: “…”

Dad Tang was practically exploding with anger at his son, his eyes full of disappointment: “Tang Ziyao, what is wrong with you! You… trash! Truly fucking trash, I’ve supported you for nothing all these years!”

Over the years, this was his sole source of pride—so proud that he completely ignored others’ excellence in other areas, solely believing his son was the best.
He never expected that today, his son would be outshone in this “best” domain.
And by Shen Qing, who hadn’t even graduated middle school!

Dad Tang clutched his chest, almost spitting blood. He was so humiliated he wished he could drill a hole under the table.

On the other side, Tang Ziyao couldn’t even lift his head.
Everyone was laughing at him!
Those elders, even if they weren’t blatantly laughing at him like Lu Qi, were all laughing at him!
He saw his aunt’s smile stretching from ear to ear, and saw Lu Xin across from him laughing out loud!…
That idiot Lu Xin, who usually helps him out? It’s fine if he never thanked him, but now he’s actually laughing at him?!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Tang Ziyao simply stood up. He didn’t lash out at anyone else, only shouting at Lu Xin: “Lu Xin, are you a fucking idiot? Don’t you know whose side you’re on? How do I normally help you get money from Shen Qing? You turn against your own people, unable to tell good from bad! I don’t know how Shen Qing got smart, but you’re a genuine idiot! You’re the biggest fucking idiot in the whole family!”

After saying that, he simply ran out, completely lacking grace.
But he really couldn’t take it anymore!

And Lu Xin, who had been inexplicably scolded: …?
Having suddenly lost face in front of the elders, he also stood up and chased out, going to argue with Tang Ziyao.

Two hot-blooded young men getting into a conflict—not knowing if they would end up fighting, Lu Xin’s mother got a bit anxious and chased after them.

Seeing this as a chance to effectively escape and avoid further embarrassment, Dad Tang also quickly chased out, cursing as he went: “Little bastards!”

At this time, Ms. Tang, having laughed enough and seeing her brother and sister leave one after another, immediately turned back to face Shen Qing.
Her eyes still carried a smile, but her tone was somewhat complaining: “Look at you, why get so serious with your younger cousin, now it’s a mess like this…”

Hearing this, Shen Qing immediately pulled down the corners of his mouth and said: “So what you’re saying is, I was wrong to discuss this question with Shen Yi? …Weren’t we just simply discussing a problem? What did I do wrong? Did I make Tang Ziyao belittle and suppress Shen Yi, or did I make Tang Ziyao stand up and curse at Lu Xin?”

Ms. Tang: “I…”

Shen Qing: “Whenever something happens, you blame it on me and Shen Yi. This habit needs to change. Also, weren’t you laughing very happily just now?”

Ms. Tang immediately glared: “What did you say…”

Shen Qing: “If you’re unhappy about your brother suppressing your son, you should just tell them directly, don’t play petty tricks behind their backs. Taking a step back, you also shouldn’t blame everything on me in the end. What, now that your mood is comfortable, you remember you’re the eldest sister and need to show grace by not arguing with your brother, so you want me to take the blame again, and everything is my fault?”

“I…”
Every time Shen Qing spoke, his emotions were incredibly stable, his word choice civilized—he even used respectful terms—and every sentence was reasonable.
That kind of firmness, the feeling of purely stating facts, and the unquestionable tone left Ms. Tang, who was adept at sophistry, speechless.

She indeed felt better, but then remembering she was the older sister, she couldn’t be too ungraceful and argue with her foolish brother and his kid. So she habitually started criticizing Shen Qing.
They’re my own kids anyway, what’s wrong with saying a few words…

But Shen Qing said: “Have you ever thought that the reason Shen Yi and I have ‘no prospects’ is because you’re always criticizing and scolding us in front of these people, just to maintain your image as reasonable, sensible, and a selfless eldest sister? But by doing this, how can you expect us to have any confidence?”

Ms. Tang’s expression changed immediately: “…I’m not, I’m your mother, I was just doing it for…”

Knowing the other was very good at sophistry, Shen Qing didn’t give her a chance to defend herself, cutting her off directly: “Don’t say you were doing it for our own good. You know in your heart whether you were really doing it for us, or to satisfy your sense of achievement as the head of the family.”

Even though he had just taken down the faces of the Tang father and son, Shen Qing hadn’t forgotten the original intention of this meal, nor the things he had wanted to say over the past few days.

—If the original owner had felt even a tiny bit of love during his upbringing, he wouldn’t have abused two innocent children after the arranged marriage, and Duo Duo and Ao Zai wouldn’t have suffered so miserably.
Shen Qing didn’t want to whitewash the original owner; the original owner was wrong, period.
But tracing it back to the source, the original owner’s family of origin had huge problems too.

Now that the original owner was gone, if Ms. Tang hadn’t come looking for him, he wouldn’t have pursued the matter.
But since the other party came looking, and even kept pestering him to get benefits, then Shen Qing had to speak up:

“I know you don’t like me saying these ‘rebellious’ things to you, but I’m not rebelling against you today, we’re just discussing the facts. We haven’t become successful, and you feel embarrassed. But you never took us seriously, never respected us, and yet you expected us to become successful? Have you forgotten how, just for your good reputation of being caring and lenient to the younger generation, you normally praised Tang Ziyao in front of us, and scolded the two of us as useless trash?”

His clear voice rang out slowly. He spoke with assurance, devoid of emotion.
Hearing his broadcaster-like speaking speed and intonation, he sounded a bit like those experts on the education channel, lecturing parents to encourage their kids more and give them love!

The other elders listened in a daze, looking at Shen Qing with a completely new level of respect.
At the same time, recalling past events, they couldn’t help but think: It really is like that.
Shen Qing’s mother was usually competitive and ruled the roost at home, always using her children to assert her authority. No wonder her two sons were introverted; wasn’t this just them being managed into stupidity?

Shen Qing’s words deeply resonated with Shen Yi beside him, who couldn’t help but whisper: “Right, someone who didn’t know better would think brother Yao is your son.”

Ms. Tang heard it and immediately went to slam the table: “You little bastard, what did you say?!”
Shen Yi turned his head away, not daring to repeat what he just said.

And Shen Qing, worried that Ms. Tang losing emotional control would scare the two cubs, simply stood up.
Anyway, Duo Duo and Ao Zai had already finished eating.

He said grandly and decently: “The children are still young and don’t have much energy. I’ll take Duo Duo and them back to rest first.”

Ms. Tang: “…You’re not allowed to leave!”
Being looked at with strange eyes by the relatives, Ms. Tang couldn’t hold onto her face. She felt that if she didn’t get this straight and vent her anger, no one could leave.

She said: “Make yourself clear to me!”
After saying that, she also pulled up Shen Qing and Shen Yi’s father, saying loudly: “Look, these are the two good sons you raised!”

Dad Shen: “…”
The house was usually Ms. Tang’s one-woman show; Dad Shen basically had no say.
Now, having had a little to drink and feeling slightly dizzy from being pulled up, he immediately shouted at Shen Qing and Shen Yi: “You two, is this how you talk to your mother!”

But he was just posturing. Upon suddenly meeting the scrutinizing gaze Shen Qing cast over, Dad Shen instantly chickened out.

Even though he cowered in a second, Shen Qing still stated the facts: “Today’s matter can’t all be blamed on Ms. Tang alone. Mr. Shen, you clearly knew Ms. Tang’s suppressive education toward us was wrong, but you still chose to sit by and watch, even indulging her repeatedly. You didn’t think for a moment about your responsibility as a father, hiding away every day to drink your wine and live your quiet life…”

Curling his lips indifferently, Shen Qing said: “It’s fine if you want to hide and have peace, just… could you not step in and get involved at a time like this?”
As he smiled, the aegyo sal under his eyes appeared, his face calm and bright.

Even Lu Qi, who hadn’t given face to anyone across the table and had just been playing on her phone and watching the show, took several extra looks at him, wondering when her cousin had learned how to smile like that.
…

But Shen Qing’s smile right now was undoubtedly full of irony.

After speaking, he signaled for the cubs to get up.
Duo Duo and Ao Zai had been unable to sit still for a while. Children are active by nature, plus the grandpa and grandma across the table were being mean to little dad…

Gu Duo, who hadn’t forgotten the original intention of his coming here: Hopped off the chair and adjusted his clothes.
Then he cooperated very well with Shen Qing, saying: “Little dad, we’re tired, we want to go back and rest.”

Ms. Tang, who was about to explode beside them: “…”
She had no choice but to swallow her anger and say: “Since the children are tired, then you take them back to rest.”

“Okay.” Shen Qing took Gu Duo’s hand, while Duo Duo’s other hand had automatically grabbed Ao Zai’s.
The family of three lined up from tallest to shortest, largest to smallest.

But before leaving, Shen Qing still glanced at the dejected Shen Yi and said: “No matter what, I still hope you can go to college.”

Shen Yi: “?”
Spurred by Shen Qing’s sudden voice, he also stood up.
After discovering that his brother could also solve that problem, Shen Yi still felt constrained in front of Shen Qing due to unfamiliarity.
But within that constraint, there was now a lot of admiration.
—His brother was the second person he knew who could solve that question!
How magical! Too cool, right!

So now that Shen Qing suddenly brought up going to college, Shen Yi couldn’t help but tremble, subconsciously placing great importance on his words.
But on second thought, he became dejected again: “…My grades, probably won’t cut it.”
Even if he tried hard, it would just be a third-tier university, and people would laugh at him whether he went or not…

Shen Qing, however, seemed to understand what he was thinking and said: “I can see that you really like studying and look forward to college life. So don’t casually give up just because you care about how others look at you. Isn’t there still half a year left? As long as you calm down and study, it’s not a problem.”

“…”
Shen Yi still had concerns, continuing timidly: “I don’t even know if I can get in, my foundation is really too poor, and my brain is stupid…”

“So you want to just give up directly?”
Shen Qing cut him off directly, saying:
“Have you genuinely tried to calm your mind and study hard, or have you just been constantly living in worry?”

Shen Yi: “…”
He looked at Shen Qing in shock.
This question…

Shen Qing didn’t need him to answer, saying directly: “So are you really stupid, or are you just too worried about not doing well, and actually never really put effort into studying?”

Shen Yi: “…”

Shen Qing: “Don’t spend all your energy on pointless internal friction, focus on studying knowledge. Besides, who said you’re stupid? The first step to getting rid of being ‘stupid’ is not to let others easily define you.”

This ‘others’ seemed to point to their mother.
Shen Yi couldn’t help but glance at Ms. Tang, whose face looked terrible, beside him.
Although he had a good relationship with his mother and was a mama’s boy, whose youth isn’t rebellious? Shen Yi wasn’t truly satisfied with being managed and suppressed by his mother either.
It was just that he grew up this way; an arm can’t twist a thigh, so he could only give up on himself and just listen to his mother entirely.

Over time, even he didn’t realize he had become a mama’s boy—his mother always said he was stupid, so he became a stupid child.
His mother said he wasn’t as outstanding as brother Yao, nor as daring and adventurous as Lu Xin, so he became a timid, useless piece of trash.

Everything seemed traceable.
It was just that he himself had forgotten.

And Shen Qing was right. Ever since he started high school and was managed even more strictly by his mom, he always felt wronged, yet also felt he shouldn’t be unfilial and talk back to his mom.
He thought that since he was an adult, he should bear these things silently.
But he never gave up struggling for a moment, and was still holding a grudge against his mom.
—Struggling every day with being beaten down to the point of not being able to lift his head, fearing comparison with others, and pondering whether he should rebel against his mom… he really rarely had moments where he purely focused his attention on knowledge…

Thinking of this, Shen Yi felt as if he had an epiphany. In a daze, he finally understood the reason why he studied earnestly, woke up early, stayed up late, and enrolled in cram schools during holidays, but still had bad grades!

He turned his head to look at his biological brother beside him again, suddenly curious about what Shen Qing had experienced recently to suddenly become so wise and insightful!
The old Shen Qing was always dull and didn’t know how to speak.
When he spoke, he would never speak so calmly and reasonably.
He would be even less likely to say such important and impactful things to him…

When he looked at Shen Qing, Shen Qing tilted his head and smiled at him, looking radiant: “Looks like you understood.”

Shen Yi: “…”
Inexplicably, his face turned red.
It felt like a child receiving a piece of candy from a favorite teacher…

Afterward, Shen Qing patted Shen Yi’s shoulder.
The original owner had never done this action. Because he always felt that Ms. Tang favored Shen Yi, he had held animosity toward Shen Yi since childhood, which was why the relationship between the two brothers wasn’t harmonious.

But from Shen Qing’s bystander perspective, Ms. Tang didn’t actually favor Shen Yi that much… Ahem, the two brothers were treated fairly equally in this regard, both simultaneously incomparable to outsiders…
It was just that Shen Yi had a softer personality and knew how to act spoiled with his mother, making him slightly more likable than the original owner.

Moreover, the original owner somewhat inherited his mother’s attribute of “because I’m the eldest, I must put on airs.” Of course, this was also related to the brainwashing his mother gave him.
In short, ever since having a younger brother, the original owner automatically treated himself as the older one, accepting by default that the mother’s doting should be left for the younger brother. Although he was dissatisfied inside, he always kept it tight and never showed it.
Over time, it resulted in Shen Yi having a better relationship with his mother.
While the original owner instead began to harbor animosity toward Shen Yi.
…

Shen Yi, whose shoulder was patted, looked up, his eyes almost turning red.
It was the first time he felt the sensation of actually having an older brother.

Shen Qing encouraged him one last time: “Since you’ve decided, study hard, do your best, and fight hard. Whether you eventually get into college isn’t the important part. You only live life once, you have to try going all out at least once. Not leaving yourself with any regrets is the true meaning of effort.”

After speaking, he apologized to the surrounding circle of relatives, and then, amidst the relatives’ non-stop praise, led the cubs away.

Behind him, Shen Yi broke through his limits again and said loudly: “Don’t worry, brother, I’ll try to focus on knowledge!”

Seeing this scene, the relatives all said: “Oh my god, the Shen family’s eldest son has become completely different now. His conversation, temperament, how he speaks and handles things—it’s truly logical and clear!”
Some also advised Ms. Tang: “What is there for you to be dissatisfied with, raising a son like this? If I were you, I’d wake up laughing from my dreams. He can do whatever he wants. Why do you still need to control him?”

“Yeah, Xiao Mei,” an older elder also said. “You should let go of power too. I think Xiao Qing is right, are you doing this for the kids, or for your own happiness? If you never let the kids develop on their own, how can they achieve anything? Look at how outstanding Xiao Qing is now! He doesn’t need your management at all! As an elder, sometimes you just need to act like an elder. As long as the children are healthy, do things you like yourself, don’t control them anymore!”

…
Well, Shen Qing, who heard a snippet of this before leaving, thought: Family gatherings still have their benefits.
At the very least, if he couldn’t handle Ms. Tang, there were elders who could handle her.
Of course, he believed that after today, Ms. Tang probably wouldn’t come looking for him much anymore.
He didn’t need to find a job for Shen Yi either.
It could be considered a happy ending for everyone.

Of course, his sudden transformation into a master of psychology to persuade Shen Yi to resume his studies wasn’t just because he found it troublesome to get him a job…

Pushing open the private room doors and walking out, the hotel corridor was quiet. Tang Ziyao and Lu Xin, who might have originally fought a big battle here, were nowhere to be seen. Who knows where they went to fight.

In the quiet environment, Duo Duo suddenly asked Shen Qing: “Why did you persuade that brother to study hard?”

Shen Qing: “?…Don’t call him brother, call him uncle, that’s your little uncle. Otherwise it’ll make me seem very old.”

Gu Duo: “…”
Duo Zai pursed his lips and accommodatingly changed his words, saying: “Why did you tell that uncle to study hard.”

Shen Qing: “Um… hmm? What’s wrong?”

Gu Duo maintained his posture of looking up at Shen Qing, saying earnestly: “You’ve never patted our shoulders and encouraged us to study hard.”

Shen Qing: “…?”
Injustice! What is this cub talking about?!

Suddenly recalling that the cubs had formed a grudge against the original owner because the original owner stopped them from studying, Shen Qing was a bit stunned for a moment, wondering what this was all about and why Duo Zai was suddenly bringing up old accounts?
After observing Gu Duo’s expression carefully, he noticed that although the child was frowning, he didn’t have that sinister, gloomy expression from before. Only then did Shen Qing suddenly realize… perhaps patting shoulders to encourage studying was the main point Duo Duo wanted to express?

Is Duo Zai… jealous of his little uncle?

Having realized this, Shen Qing crouched down and said very seriously to Gu Duo: “I encouraged him because… Uncle is a little lost right now, he can’t find his direction in life.”
Weighing his words slightly, not evaluating Shen Yi in front of the cubs, Shen Qing added: “But Duo Duo, you and your brother are different, there are hardly any people with clearer goals than you two, okay!”

Gu Duo: “…”
He continued to maintain a deep expression, but his furrowed little brows relaxed slightly.
He felt that little dad’s evaluation of him and Ao Zai was very high.

Seeing this, Shen Qing couldn’t help but smile, revealing a row of neat, white teeth, and continued: “But Duo Duo’s reminder is right. I can’t ignore you guys just because you’re cubs with direction.”

Saying that, he patted the shoulders of the two cubs respectively: “…Duo Duo and Ao Zai are also amazing, keep it up!”

Gu Duo: “…”
He kept a tight little face, standing rooted to the spot without moving.
But his gaze drifted elsewhere, no longer looking at Shen Qing.
He was trying hard to suppress the blush on his cheeks.

And Ao Zai, who was patted, hadn’t figured out the situation at all. Sporting a round, tender white face, Ao Zai blinked blankly, and then burst into giggles after clearly seeing Shen Qing’s smile—
No matter the reason, the little dad at this moment made the cub feel very joyous, so of course he had to laugh out loud without hiding it!

“Of course,” after the encouragement, Shen Qing still emphasized:
“You guys are already amazing, you don’t need to try any harder at studying… Our ancestors valued the doctrine of the mean, everything must have a limit. The direction you need to work hard in next should be… having fun, being two happy cubs, you know?”

At the end, he switched to a tone exclusively for Ao Zai, full of childish fun.

Hearing this, Gu Duo nodded deeply once again, indicating he understood.
—He would try hard to make time to play with little dad.

Of course, when Shen Qing later recalled those inspiring words he just said to Shen Yi, even he found it incredible—
Having been a salted fish for so long, he was actually able to instantly transform into a master of chicken soup, spouting off that whole set of rhetoric, telling others to strive hard…
It showed he had great potential to be a successology master.
Quite interesting.

And he clearly wasn’t the only one who found it interesting.
Ao Zai suddenly spoke with an adorable little milky voice: “Little dad, wow, actually told that brother to work hard!”

At this moment, his two little feet were pressed together, sticking his little belly out but standing exceptionally upright across from Shen Qing. Blinking his big eyes, he continued with a face full of innocence: “But little dad, Ao Zai has never seen you study either!”

—In fact, the reason Ao Zai was out of the loop just now was because he was pondering this matter.

Shen Qing: “…”
Maintaining his crouching posture, he pinched Ao Zai’s chubby big cheeks and smiled: “I told you to call that person uncle.”

“Wo!”
Ao Zai, whose cheeks were pinched, quickly rubbed them himself, looking at Shen Qing with an expression full of innocence and a desire to explore: “Little dad doesn’t study, why tell, uncle to study?”

Shen Qing: “…”
The Long Aotian cub was always tricky with his angles when it came to roasting people, and could strike right at the vital points.
He was already used to it.
Sigh!
Salted fish Shen Qing instinctively still chose to appropriately salvage his image in front of the little cubs: “Ahem, who said I don’t study? It’s just that you guys haven’t seen it.”
…Well, before transmigrating, he was also someone who studied properly, so it didn’t count as deceiving the little beans.

“Ya?”
But Shen Qing saying this made the honest Ao Zai even more surprised: “But little dad, plays games in big dad’s study every day.”

Shen Qing: “…You’ve got a pretty thorough understanding.”

“Receiving praise,” Ao Zai immediately puffed out his little chest, getting even more energetic: “And little dad, wakes up so late every day! Sometimes brother and Ao Zai, have already finished morning classes!”
Because he had an overachiever brother setting an example since childhood, in Ao Zai’s view, people who study should be like his brother—waking up early, staying up late, knowing no fatigue. So Shen Qing waking up late was a symbol of someone who doesn’t study.

Shen Qing: “…”

At this time, Lu Xin and Tang Ziyao, who had been brought back by Lu Xin’s mother, returned to the corridor.
Discovering Shen Qing’s family over there, none of them moved closer.
Tang Ziyao and Lu Xin had just had a conflict. The two were still mutually disgusted with each other, holding back from speaking.
Dad Tang didn’t know which crack in the ground he hid in, and hadn’t appeared at all.
Lu Xin’s mother stayed with the two youths, worried that these two hot-headed guys would fight again if they saw Shen Qing, so she didn’t let them go over.

The three people stayed on this side of the corridor, listening to the family of three chatting opposite them.

Hearing that Shen Qing basically didn’t study at all, playing games all day and waking up late, Lu Xin and Tang Ziyao exchanged another glance.

Lu Xin was envious and jealous of Shen Qing.
Tang Ziyao felt hatred—if he didn’t study all day, how exactly did he solve that problem?!
If it weren’t for the fact that he somewhat understood Shen Yi, knowing that Shen Yi might produce a difficult question to challenge him, but would absolutely not dare collude with Shen Qing to deceive him…
Tang Ziyao would have thought Shen Qing memorized the formula in advance!

The two glared angrily on this side.
Opposite them, Shen Qing shrugged and said: “Okay, it is indeed as you said. I haven’t studied much, I’m lazy and playful…”

Realizing that forcing a persona for the sake of face was meaningless, Shen Qing directly laid flat again, speaking with reckless abandon:
“But this is actually because little dad doesn’t need to study.”

“Da?” Ao Zai tilted his head: “Why don’t you need to study!”

Shen Qing answered: “Due to species issues. After all, I am a salted fish.”
Ao Zai: “?”
Duo Duo: “…”

“Well,” Shen Qing added: “Mainly it’s because I have your big dad! He supports me, I don’t have to worry about money for the rest of my life, so I don’t need to try hard!”

If it were any other cubs, Shen Qing wouldn’t say such things.
After all, children’s values shouldn’t be built this way.
But who told his cubs to be self-driven overachievers!
It’s all about teaching according to aptitude. Speaking of this, feeling it was a good opportunity to urge the cubs to relax, he couldn’t help but tell the cubs: “Of course, big dad will also support you guys the same way. You won’t have to worry about survival for the rest of your lives, so you don’t need to push too hard, just do what you like.”

…
In the distance, Lu Xin, who heard this, was utterly dumbfounded—Shen Qing had achieved financial freedom at such a young age… Having someone support you is truly different.
No wonder he could act so much like a salted fish!

Tang Ziyao, however, directly curled his lip.
Despite his average looks and surface disdain for Shen Qing’s good appearance, he was actually incredibly jealous inside.
Assuming Shen Qing definitely relied on this face to obtain his current life, while feeling contempt, he thought about his own reality—not even knowing if he could find a job after graduation…
He couldn’t help but feel even more jealous and hateful.

Tang Ziyao couldn’t resist muttering: “What’s he pretending for? If he really had such high status in the big shot’s heart, why did he bring the kids to the family dinner by himself? The big shot couldn’t even keep him company?”

Recalling the news about Shen Qing he browsed online, he added: “The big shot probably just doesn’t care about that bit of money to support him. Does he really think he has so much status in the family?”

When he said this, he neither deliberately raised his voice nor covered it up; it was just a normal volume.
Lu Xin and Lu Xin’s mom beside him heard it and couldn’t help but glance at him.
But they didn’t know if Shen Qing and the others in the distance heard it.

And Tang Ziyao had no time to pay attention to these things anymore.

Because at some unknown point, the elevator on this floor had opened, and a tall, straight figure sitting in a wheelchair suddenly appeared in the corridor.
…
This person didn’t appear here alone.
Even though his wheelchair wasn’t an ordinary one and could easily be controlled by one person without close-following attendants.
But two bodyguards could still be seen following behind him.

…Even sitting in a wheelchair, this person’s posture was straight, his temperament aloof and unearthly, and… extremely domineering and chilling.
The manifestation was that after exiting the elevator, his gaze swept faintly toward Tang Ziyao’s direction, and Tang Ziyao’s entire body shuddered directly!

…Wait.
Sitting in a wheelchair…
It couldn’t be such a coincidence, could it!

Just as Tang Ziyao thought of something, a tender cub’s voice suddenly rang out—
“Big dad!”
Little Ao Zai had directly called out crisply upon seeing the man in the wheelchair.

Tang Ziyao: …
.

As soon as Ao Zai turned his head and saw Gu Huaiyu, he didn’t even have time to wonder why his big dad was here before he called out crisply.

And after his call, everyone looked toward the person in the wheelchair.
Including Shen Qing.

Actually, when Shen Qing had just mentioned Gu Huaiyu supporting him, he realized he had thought of that person again, again, and again today.
After all, the feeling of emptiness in his heart was too obvious.

He had suddenly lost interest—
With Gu Huaiyu not around, he just felt that this whole day out playing was nothing more than this, and he wanted to go home a bit.
But he also knew he wouldn’t see that person even if he went home…
So he still didn’t want to go home, preferring to stay outside with the cubs.

But right at this moment, for some reason, that person suddenly appeared in his field of vision.

The other party was wearing a well-tailored semi-casual suit and a trendy turtleneck sweater. His long legs were bent, his upper body was straight, and his temperament was noble and chilling.
His face was handsome and pale, his sharp-lined thin lips pressed lightly together, and his expression looked indifferent as always.
But when their gazes met, he suddenly curled the corner of his lips.

“Come here.” Gu Huaiyu’s deep voice sounded abruptly.

Shen Qing: “!”
He quickly grabbed the cubs and ran over.
The hotel was very large, the corridor somewhat long. The cubs being pulled along ran with their bangs flying, letting out giggling laughs.

Looking at the person so close at hand, Shen Qing only felt himself become incredibly light, his heart flying up along with it.

“Why are you here?”
Arriving close, he couldn’t hide the pleasant surprise on his face, but asked with a bit of concern.
He raised his hand to look at that expensive watch named “Eternal Guardian”; it wasn’t even 6 PM yet… Didn’t they agree he might stay in the hospital for observation tonight?

Gu Huaiyu pressed his chest slightly, his voice faint but magnetic and powerful: “I was worried about you, so I came over to check after I finished up.”

After speaking, he reached out his hand wearing the bright wedding ring, palm up, slowly extending it toward Shen Qing.
From his angle, his profile directly faced Tang Ziyao and the others not far away.
From the front, he possessed unparalleled handsomeness; from the side, his features remained sharp and striking.
It was just that when looking solely at his eyes from the side, it gave people a somewhat cold, stern, and sinister feeling.
Especially when he slowly turned his eyes and cast another sweeping glance toward Tang Ziyao’s direction.

“…” Tang Ziyao took a step back directly.
Completely unconsciously!

And at this moment, Shen Qing reached out very naturally to touch the big shot’s palm-up hand.
After all, having always hugged while sleeping recently, and occasionally holding hands, Shen Qing was long accustomed to this kind of action from the other party.

And before he could even place his hand into Gu Huaiyu’s palm, Gu Huaiyu had already raised his hand a step further.
…
His slender fingers curled, revealing pale knuckles, directly grasping the hand Shen Qing had extended.

The corners of Gu Huaiyu’s lips lifted slightly as he asked: “Did you enjoy the meal? No one bullied you, right?”