She asked calmly, “What secret?”
“Did you go to the martial arts tournament because you heard something?”
A resigned Nora nodded. “That’s right.”
“I knew it. You even changed and put on a mask, so I didn’t recognize you.” Quentin looked around after he spoke. Then he said, “Since you were at the tournament, then you must have heard of me, right? ”
Nora: “?”
Quentin said, “Didn’t I already tell you? I’m the best fighter in the family and am ranked third in New York. I will definitely shine in the tournament! Do you know who I am?”
“… No, I don’t.”
Quentin the dimwit immediately looked around. Then, he said, “I’ll tell you and you alone since you’re my cousin, Nora. You’re the only one I’m telling, get it? Even Joel doesn’t know the alias I’m using in the tournament!”
He straightened his back, raised his chin, and declared, “I am Smithin!”
“…”
However, when he didn’t see any reaction from Nora, Quentin glanced at her and frowned. “Haven’t you heard of that name? Then do you know the famous Team Third In The World?”
Be it Smithin or Team Third In The World, both had actually become very famous in the underground arena recently. Anyone who had been there would have heard of him.
But…
Nora decided to tease him and deliberately said, “I’m new there, so I only heard them talking about Victor.”
Quentin: “…”
No one in the family knew that he was participating in the martial arts tournament, so he couldn’t show off. Now that he had finally found a cousin who was interested in the tournament, how could she be kept unaware of his greatness?
Quentin was very puzzled, very much so. “Victor is nothing. He’s just a piece of trash who lost to me two years ago. Even if you have never heard of Smithin, surely you’ve heard of Team Third In The World, right?!”
He hadn’t competed in his own name, so it was normal that she hadn’t heard of him. But how come she hadn’t heard of the famous Team Third In The World, either?
Nora walked toward the house. “And then?”
“What do you mean by ‘and then’?!” Quentin became anxious. He gritted his teeth, steeled his resolve, and said, “Forget it, I’ll let you in on another big secret!”
Nora looked back at him.
Quentin said, “But you have to swear that you won’t tell anyone! I promised that I wouldn’t reveal her identity casually to outsiders. I’m only telling you because you’re my cousin.”
Nora had a vague idea what he was going to say next when she heard that. Sure enough, the next moment, he asked, “Do you know who that woman in the red dress in Team Third In The World is?”
Nora: “…”
“She’s Big Sister! The Big Sister of the Quinn School of Martial Arts!!!”
Quentin said triumphantly, “Do you see now? Even Big Sister has teamed up with me. She approached me because she thought that I was talented and fought pretty well… Surely you’ve at least heard of Big Sister, right?”
“… Yeah, I have.”
Quentin was satisfied at last. He said, “So, don’t you feel very honored that Big Sister has seen something in your elder brother? But don’t you get ahead of yourself. You absolutely mustn’t say anything about this to outsiders. Big Sister’s identity is confidential.”
“…”
“Is that look in your eyes envy? Actually, you don’t have to be envious that Big Sister has seen something in me. Uncle Ian picked me out of everyone in the family to practice martial arts when I was a child, so I’ve been practicing ever since. I heard that you used to be obese, and were even in poor health in the past, so you must not have practiced martial arts much before, right? By the way, which class are you in now?”
Nora: “…”
She knew how eager Quentin was to show off and bask in the limelight, so she knew that she didn’t need to say anything. Sure enough, Quentin said, “My team is already in Class D now. Once we win another five matches tomorrow, we’ll advance to Class E. We’ll be able to advance to Class F the day after tomorrow!”
“… Wow, how amazing.”
“Isn’t it? I think so, too.” Quentin folded his arms and said triumphantly, “But don’t you dare think it’s because I’m piggybacking off Big Sister. I can still compete by myself without any problems even without Big Sister. Why are you walking so fast? Forget it, I won’t say any more, lest you become jealous. But don’t worry, if someone bullies you in the arena, you can just use the name Smithin to scare them off!”
“…”
Nora suddenly felt like she’d better not let the young man with eighth-grader syndrome know her true identity after all. If she did, she reckoned that she’ll never have any peace anymore.
The corners of her lips spasmed and she went upstairs.
When she entered the bedroom, she realized that Pete had already returned from school and was obediently working on his Mathematical Olympiad problems.
Nora glanced at his workbook. The Mathematical Olympiad problems he was doing were almost at high school standard now. The five-year-old’s IQ was simply terrifying.
“Mommy.”
Pete greeted her obediently.
Nora made a sound of acknowledgment and stepped forward. She stroked his hair, and then bent over and gave him a kiss on the forehead. She said, “Let’s go downstairs for dinner after you’re done with that.”
Pete nodded and continued to bury his head into the workbook.
Nora picked up her cell phone and saw a voice message from Tanya: ‘Have you given your son a kiss?’
Nora replied: ‘… Yes, I have.’
Tanya: “Yeah, Pete’s sense of security still leaves a little to be desired. It can’t be compared with Cherry’s at all. After all, the role a mother plays is simply too crucial when one is growing up. You have to have more physical contact with Pete, get it?”
Nora: ‘Yeah, yeah. I know.’
Tanya sighed emotionally again and said: “Don’t think of me as being too long-winded. After all… I also wish I could give mine a kiss.”
When Nora heard the message, she immediately knew that Tanya had thought of her missing child again.
She didn’t know how she should comfort her. After all, she had also experienced the pain of losing her own child.
Nora kept quiet for a while before she replied: “You’ll definitely find him or her one day.”
Tanya: ‘Yeah.’
Since she had fallen silent, Nora didn’t send her any more messages. She turned to her son. Suddenly, she felt like something was amiss. “Where’s Mia?” She asked.
By right, Pete and Mia should be playing with each other at this time!
Without even lifting his head, Pete replied, “She’s having dance classes at God-mom’s!”
“…”
In the villa in the suburbs.
Mia’s forehead was covered in perspiration as she did leg stretches.
The small and thin five-year-old looked as if she was only four years old. Tanya went over and gave her a few pointers.
Mia glanced at Tanya.
Her teacher was very strict, but for some reason, she wasn’t scared of her at all. When Tanya lowered her head toward her, Mia even suddenly kissed her on the cheek.
Tanya was stunned. She looked at Mia in disbelief, upon which Mia said, “Didn’t you want a kiss, Ms. Turner? I’ll give you a kiss.”
An acerbic feeling suddenly welled up in Tanya, and she felt a mix of emotions come over her.