Adopting/Raising The Male Lead and The Villain

39

Xu Yushan waited for Zhong Chi to leave before daring to speak. "Zhong Yuhuan was the one who sabotaged it!"

Xu Yunhui said calmly, "She wouldn't know how to do this in the past. Someone must be giving her pointers."

"Oh? Who could that be? Eh, didn't she get close to her maternal grandfather all of a sudden recently? Do you think it could be her grandfather? Or... or Lang Jinzhi?" Speaking of Lang Jinzhi, there was a subtle change to Xu Yushan's look. She said, "Now that Young Master Nan was a no go, what about Lang Jinzhi?"

Xu Yunhui was much calmer and analytical, she gave Xu Yushan a cold look and said, "That's the grandchild of the Ding's, Zhong Yuhuan's cousin, the only child of the Lang's. Never mind our conflicts with the Ding's. Lang Jinzhi is way out of your league."

Xu Yushan was a little hurt from that comment and couldn't help but say, "Then who'd be good enough for him? Zhong Yuhuan?"

Helpless, Xu Yunhui said, "Unfortunately, that is the truth. When she was born, her mother was a daughter of the Ding's, her father an up and rising businessman, then even her cousin became a prominent figure. Even after your father made it official with me, and I became the new Mrs. Zhong, you are still not the same as her. She might not have a mother, but she will still be the object of affection by many children of prominent families or government officials."

Xu Yushan lowered her head and remained silent.

Her mother could put up with all of it, and for a good ten, twenty years no less, but she wouldn't be able to do the same.

Her mother had finally become Mrs. Zhong, but what about her?

She didn't want to spend her entire living under the shadow of a little brat.

Seeing that Xu Yushan was quiet, Xu Yunhui thought her daughter was finally listening to her. She patted her on her shoulder and said, "Take it easy."

Having said that, Xu Yunhui was the first to walk away.

---

Zhong Yuhuan had no intention to understand Xu Yushan's bitterness and pain.

She said she'd get the two boys into classes, so she immediately put in the applications for them. She then asked the two of them what they'd like to learn.

Huo Chengming, "Free combat."

Li Jinyuan, "Fencing."

Zhong Yuhuan couldn't help but ask, "None of you have interest in piano? Or violin?"

Li Jinyuan asked softly, "Is that what you like?"

Zhong Yuhuan had obvious interested look on her face. She nodded and said, "Yes, I do!"

Li Jinyuan, "What else do you like?"

Zhong Yuhuan didn't feel that anything was wrong. She bent her fingers one by one and listed out, "Swimming, painting, horse-back riding, skiing. Cello is nice too. Let me see what else...."

Huo Chengming didn't say a word, but he committed it all to memory.

Li Jinyuan spoke, "I like all of those too, can I learn them all?"

Huo Chengming, "......" He turned and gave Li Jinyuan a stare. A vicious look appeared in his eyes.

Yet, Li Jinyuan acted as thought he hadn't noticed that at all. He even smiled at Zhong Yuhuan; his smile soft and tender.

"Yes, but you won't be able to learn all of them at the same time. You can do it slowly, why don't we make a schedule?" said Zhong Yuhuan as she pulled out a piece of paper.

Li Jinyuan smiled and said, "Okay."

Right when he was about to move to behind Zhong Yuhuan and watch her draft up the plan, Huo Chengming beat him to it and took the better spot behind her.

Huo Chengming bent down a little bit and took the pen from Zhong Yuhuan all so naturally and said, "Huanhuan, you just talk, I will do the writing."

"Okay, then you can write," said Zhong Yuhuan as she casually let go of the pen.

A hint of regret flashed passed Li Jinyuan's eyes.

Zhong Yuhuan was completely oblivious to all the exchanges between the two boys. Her head cocked, her cheek resting in her palm, slowly she started, "Then why don't you two start with fencing and free combat? I will take them with you.... When Chengming ge ge takes his free combat class, Jinyuan will go to his tutoring section. When Chengming ge ge goes to his tutoring section, Jinyuan can go to his fencing class."

Zhong Yuhuan thought about it for a while and thought to herself, I am such a genius.

That way I would be able to attend all classes with them!

Other then the tutoring sections, of course!

"Okay!" The two boys agreed with her plans.

Zhong Yuhuan didn't care about the cost; she got all her money from Zhong Chi anyway. Happily, she finished the applications for the two boys.