"I am dealing with a person who is involved in many criminal activities in Guangzhou, including human trafficking, forced prostitution, land seizure, robbery, and more. The police cannot find evidence of his crimes, and no one dares to report him. Moreover, he has connections with influential people."
Jiang Zhiyi held a cup of tea, and when she spoke about these things, she felt a chill down her spine and her hands were shaking.
Chu Xia held her hand in early summer and said, "If you can't continue, forget it."
"No!" Jiang Zhiyi suddenly looked up at Chu Xia. "If I don't speak out, I'll go crazy keeping it inside me."
She took a sip of water, as if suppressing the psychological fear, and continued, "Last time, I was almost forcibly abducted at the train station, and it was his doing. Later, the police followed that lead, but only found some surface-level people. His true influence is lurking underwater."
"So, after learning about these things from my seniors, I took on the task of the newspaper, intending to capture evidence of his crimes."
Jiang Zhiyi started off low-key. Because she had suffered at the hands of this gang and caused them to lose many people, her face was not unfamiliar to these gangs.
She needed to disguise herself to infiltrate this organization.
Efforts paid off. She finally managed to deceive her way in, and before being sold, she captured a lot of evidence of the organization's crimes. She even witnessed them committing murder. At that time, she sat on the ground weak-legged like other abducted girls.
Now, recalling that bloody scene, Jiang Zhiyi felt a nauseating sensation. She knew it was the gang leader's way of asserting dominance.
On the eve of being sold, Jiang Zhiyi had already planned an escape route, intending to take all the abducted girls with her.
A look of pain appeared on Jiang Zhiyi's face. "But..."
She took a deep breath, suppressing anger and incomprehension. "There was a girl who betrayed us. When we were escaping, she told the people guarding us about our plan. In the end, our escape plan failed, and they wanted to catch and beat me!"
Jiang Zhiyi hastily took a sip of water, suppressing the emotions surging in her heart. "When I resisted, Brother Hei Da appeared and took me away."
Without Brother Hei Da, Jiang Zhiyi couldn't imagine her fate. She might have died, or life could have been worse than death.
As for those girls who were captured and taken back, they were not the masterminds, and since there were too many participants, the organization relied on them to make money. They probably wouldn't punish them too severely.
Jiang Zhiyi frowned, her eyes filled with even more pain, not daring to think about what those captured individuals would face. There was nothing they could do to rescue them.
Listening to this, Chu Xia, Cen Zhengnian, and Cen Huai'an were filled with anger, wishing they could personally bring the criminals to justice.
For Jiang Zhiyi, who had witnessed it firsthand, the emotions were even more intense.
She stood up, reaching out to embrace Jiang Zhiyi, saying nothing, just gently patting her back.
At this moment, any words would be inadequate.
Jiang Zhiyi knew that she couldn't show herself anymore, and the people from those organizations wouldn't spare her or Brother Hei Da from their pursuit.
She tightly closed her eyes. "Sister-in-law, I'm afraid I have to leave Guangzhou."
When she spoke these words, Jiang Zhiyi seemed particularly reluctant.
Guangzhou was the place where her dreams set sail. Now that her dream was just beginning, she had to leave because of external factors, and she felt extremely unwilling.
However, if she didn't leave, not only would she be in danger, but everyone around her, including Qian Ran and his cousin's factory, would be in danger.
Qian Ran held Jiang Zhiyi's shoulder, speaking without a trace of fear. "Your brother and I can establish ourselves in Guangzhou and have a way to protect ourselves."
Jiang Zhiyi looked at him. "But what if I hand the evidence over to the police?"
Qian Ran furrowed his brow. "That's a bit tricky, but you have to trust your brother and me."
Jiang Zhiyi shook her head. "As long as I submit the evidence, the manageable danger will become uncontrollable. I don't want you to live in constant fear for me."
She stood up with the camera and said, "I'll go develop the photos."
The more these things are left alone, the more likely problems will arise.
Because of what Jiang Zhiyi had experienced, the emotions of Chu Xia and the others were not high, as they worried about her and Qian Ran.
Qian Ran had a wide network and a wealth of knowledge. He knew what methods could expose these evils to the world without revealing that it was him and Jiang Zhiyi behind it.
However, with Jiang Zhiyi exposed, her work as a journalist required multiple disguises to delve into the facts from within.
And she couldn't stay in Guangzhou any longer.
Chu Xia and the others worried that she might not accept it immediately, thinking about how to console her.
However, Jiang Zhiyi quickly came to terms with it herself.
"Where can't a journalist work? If I can't be a journalist in Guangzhou, the newspaper wants to send me as a foreign correspondent. I also want to see the world outside. In that case, I'll contribute to the country abroad!"
Jiang Zhiyi said this with a relaxed smile. However, Qian Ran's smile froze on his face, his gaze on her expressing disbelief.
"Zhiyi, when did you decide to go abroad?"
Chu Xia looked at Jiang Zhiyi, then at Qian Ran, also surprised by Jiang Zhiyi's words.
With communication and transportation not being so advanced, if Jiang Zhiyi went abroad, she and Qian Ran might not see each other for six months or even longer.
Jiang Zhiyi clearly had considered this consequence long ago. The smile on her face disappeared, looking at Qian Ran with a hint of discomfort. "I know you might not be able to accept this result right away, but besides being a foreign correspondent, I don't have any other choice."
"Hai City, the capital, so many cities, where can't you be a journalist?" Qian Ran said angrily and anxiously.
Jiang Zhiyi going abroad and being able to foresee the direction of their relationship was something Qian Ran couldn't accept.
Jiang Zhiyi's expression became even sadder. "I want that too. But I'm too fond of taking risks. What I do in China would affect my family, but abroad, I'm on my own, and I don't have to worry about so much."
As she spoke, not only did Qian Ran disagree, but Chu Xia and Cen Zhengnian also disagreed with her going.
"Zhiyi, you can't approach journalism with this mindset."
Jiang Zhiyi's tone sounded as if she were ready to face death at any moment.
She smiled, "I want to."
Chu Xia, looking at her smile, suddenly realized that she couldn't understand Jiang Zhiyi anymore. In the years in Guangzhou, Jiang Zhiyi had seen too much, matured too quickly, and her thoughts had undergone a lot of changes.
"You don't need to persuade me anymore. I have already promised the newspaper. In a few days, I will follow the ambassador to a country with a very small land area."
Before Jiang Zhiyi was about to go, she hadn't even heard about the name of that country. She had been cramming knowledge about it in the past few days and had borrowed a lot of materials from the newspaper.
"What country are you going to?" Qian Ran asked her.
"A small country in Africa."
Chu Xia, after hearing the name from Jiang Zhiyi, looked puzzled. She wasn't well-versed in geography, and for many unknown countries, she didn't know them.
Cen Zhengnian, on the other hand, knew, "That country is very poor, and the social security is not stable enough."
Jiang Zhiyi said optimistically, "I will be going with the ambassador and staying at the embassy. We will be protected, and nothing will happen."
Now, no matter what anyone said, they couldn't dissuade Jiang Zhiyi. Despite arguing with Qian Ran, they couldn't stop her steps.
Qian Ran was very angry, and in the following days, Chu Xia, Cen Zhengnian, and Cen Huai'an didn't see him.
They did, however, accompany Jiang Zhiyi to buy many things to take abroad. If they didn't buy for now; they were preparing for whenever she returned, not knowing when that would be.
Moreover, the economy of the country she was heading to was too impoverished, and she would have to rely on herself for everything. In the past, she would definitely need to have everything prepared.
Jiang Zhiyi would make light of the situation. She playfully tried on a hat, expressing anticipation, "I have never been abroad before, and I don't know if I can adapt when I get there."
Chu Xia remarked, "No matter which country you go to, even if it's developed, you won't adapt very well. People always adapt best to their homeland where they grew up."
Cen Zhengnian nodded, having experienced studying abroad with the research institute before.
"Your sister-in-law is right."
Cen Huai'an silently helped Jiang Zhiyi carry things, not participating in the conversation of the adults.
He looked at Jiang Zhiyi, who was anticipating going abroad, and quietly planted a seed in his heart.
Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. Cen Huai'an looked ahead. When he learned enough knowledge, he also wanted to go out and see.
Just like during the IMO competition, why were the participants from Country M so arrogant?
What was the capital that made them proud? And what about Countries Y, H, R? Each country's participants had different personalities, carrying their own unique characteristics. Cen Huai'an wanted to know what cultural differences existed between the countries that nurtured them and China.
This wasn't something he could learn from books; he needed to go to the places and experience them firsthand. Just like people, each city had its own personality.
Jiang Zhiyi was about to depart. Her passport and all the documents for going abroad were arranged by the newspaper.
Despite Qian Ran's initial anger, he eventually softened and saw off Brother Hei Da on the plane.
"He can't stay in Guangzhou either, so he might as well go there with you and hide for a while!"
Qian Ran's words were stiff, as if this was the only reason, without any consideration for Jiang Zhiyi.
Jiang Zhiyi looked at him, tears welling up in her eyes. She threw her suitcase aside and rushed towards Qian Ran, tightly embracing him.
Qian Ran also hugged her back tightly, his face showing genuine emotions, his eyes full of reluctance.
"Zhiyi, do you really have to go?"
"Yes."
Jiang Zhiyi held onto him and didn't want to let go. However, the boarding announcement had been made. She had to release Qian Ran, but not before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.
Qian Ran cradled her face and kissed her deeply.
"Take care of yourself. Don't forget me. Remember to write to me. I'll be waiting for you to come back in Guangzhou."
"Yes."
Jiang Zhiyi held Qian Ran's hand and slowly, reluctantly, started to let go bit by bit. Then, she walked quickly towards her suitcase, turned around with teary eyes, and waved goodbye to Qian Ran, Chu Xia, and the others.
"Goodbye! Cousin, sister-in-law, An'an, goodbye! When you go home, remember to tell my grandfather. Tell him I'll visit when I come back!"
Her voice paused, then she added, "Tell my parents too. I'll still think of them."
After saying this, without looking back, she walked towards the boarding gate. Chu Xia and the others only saw her upright back, a graceful figure.
After completely losing sight of Jiang Zhiyi, Qian Ran's expression suddenly dimmed, and he appeared thoroughly disheartened.
Cen Zhengnian raised his hand and patted Qian Ran's shoulder, understanding his feelings because he had experienced the taste of farewells many times.
"I'm fine," Qian Ran said with a smile. "I just need some time to adjust."
After seeing off Jiang Zhiyi, it was time for Chu Xia, Cen Zhengnian, and Cen Huai'an to return to the capital.
Once again, Qian Ran was the one seeing them off. He smiled a bit sadly and said, "Yesterday, I saw off Zhiyi, and today, I'm seeing you off. In just a few days, my place has become instantly quiet. I might find it hard to adapt when I go back."
Chu Xia chuckled, saying, "Your family is also in the capital. You can come back with us."
Cen Zhengnian nodded in agreement. "Chu Xia is right."
Cen Huai'an also consoled him, saying, "Uncle Xiao Ran, Uncle in the capital also mentioned that he really misses you."
"In a few days. I still have unresolved matters in Guangzhou."
Qian Ran appreciated their kindness, but indeed, he couldn't go back to the capital at the moment.
The thrilling and shopping-filled trip in Guangzhou came to an end.
When Chu Xia returned to her own home, she felt the exhaustion of the journey and just wanted to lie in bed and have a good sleep.
Cen Huai'an wasn't tired; he seemed exceptionally energetic. Holding onto the knowledge he gained in the factory, he went to his room with his materials to study.
Chu Xia half-layed on the sofa, not wanting to move, her eyes following Cen Huai'an's figure.
"Indeed, being young is a wonderful thing."
Cen Zhengnian chuckled softly at his words, shaking his head. "You are still young now."
Chu Xia: "Cannot be compared to a rising sun like An'an."
After resting for a while, she mustered some strength and got up to take a shower.
While soaking in the bath, she accidentally fell asleep in the bathtub due to exhaustion.
In the end, it was Cen Zhengnian who noticed that Chu Xia was taking too long in the bath, and he felt something was wrong. He entered the bathroom and discovered that she had fallen asleep in the bathtub.
Fortunately, it was summer, and Cen Zhengnian noticed it early enough, so the water in the bathtub hadn't cooled down yet.
Chu Xia woke up when Cen Zhengnian lifted her up. However, she was too sleepy. When she opened her eyes and saw him, she drowsily closed them again.
Cen Zhengnian bent down and kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep. I'll take care of the bathroom."
He cleaned Chu Xia, securely wrapped her in the bed, covered her belly with a thin blanket, turned on the fan, and then went to the bathroom.
When Chu Xia woke up from her nap, it was already completely dark outside.
The room was so dark that she couldn't see anything. After adapting for a while, she realized they were back home.
Chu Xia yawned softly, turned on the light, and saw that she was wearing a nightgown that only exposed a little bit of her neck.
She couldn't help but feel speechless. She had always felt a sense of restraint when sleeping, and it turned out to be because of this dress.
To prevent her from being exposed, Cen Zhengnian had really done his best. Even a dress as securely hidden as this one could be found.
She should be grateful he didn't make her wear a dress with sleeves; otherwise, she might have woken up feeling hot.
The bedroom door opened from the outside, and Cen Zhengnian, seeing Chu Xia already up, smiled, "Dinner is ready."
"Did An'an cook the meal?"
Chu Xia asked Cen Zhengnian as she walked out.
Cen Zhengnian fell silent for a moment before replying, "An'an cooked, and I assisted."
Chu Xia smiled, her face animated, "You indeed don't have An'an's culinary skills."
Cen Zhengnian chuckled and shook his head, not taking her blunt honesty to heart.
At the dinner table, Chu Xia spared no compliments for Cen Huai'an's cooking skills, praising him generously. She praised him so much that An'an ended up taking charge of cooking for the entire summer vacation.
While Cen Huai'an and Cen Zhengnian were washing dishes, Cen Huai'an was still happy about Chu Xia's compliments and didn't realize that he had fallen into a trap.
***
The next day, taking advantage of her and Cen Zhengnian's remaining vacation, Chu Xia drove with An'an to Grandpa Jiang's house. The car's trunk was filled with various specialties they brought back from Guangzhou.
Most of the items were clothes and accessories. The clothes in Guangzhou were fashionable and affordable. With a unique eye for fashion and good bargaining skills, one could buy many satisfying clothes, shoes, and accessories.
Once they arrived at Grandpa Jiang's house, the women were delighted by the various items Chu Xia brought.
Jiang Zhiguan, didn't hide her excitement. After confirming that Chu Xia's clothes could be freely chosen, she eagerly grabbed them, trying each one on.
Luo Peng also spotted a dress she liked. Despite her usual gentleness, she quickly took the dress and was reluctant to put it down.
Zhang Lu, not fond of dressing up, found the sportswear particularly appealing. Jiang Weixi, on the other hand, had a penchant for various sundresses and kept picking out beautiful ones.
Yang Mei and Zhou Huaying, the elders remained reserved and didn't join the excitement. Chu Xia had already anticipated this situation, so she had prepared clothes for the two of them in advance and now handed them over directly.
Holding the clothes, Yang Mei's eyes lit up with surprise, and she wore a big smile. "Chu Xia, how did you know I like these clothes?"
Chu Xia replied, "I picked them based on the style you usually wear, Aunt Yang Mei."
"You're so thoughtful!" Yang Mei felt even more fond of Chu Xia, grabbing her hand as if she were her own daughter.
Zhou Huaying wore a modified qipao from an old and famous store in Guangzhou. The style was adjusted to be more elegant, intellectual, and feminine, perfectly suiting Zhou Huaying's fashion preferences.
Unable to express the praise that Yang Mei showered upon her, Zhou Huaying shifted her gaze to Chu Xia and nodded, saying, "You picked good clothes."
Just as Chu Xia was about to explain, Yang Mei glanced at Zhou Huaying and said, "Since the clothes are good, say thank you to Chu Xia."
Zhou Huaying looked down at the dress without speaking. Yang Mei, looking angrier than Chu Xia
"You, my second sister-in-law, still act like this at your age, not knowing how to be gracious."
Chu Xia didn't mind and said, "It's okay. I didn't buy that dress; it was bought by Zhiyi."
She looked at Zhou Huaying and continued, "Second Aunt, Zhiyi and I were shopping together at the time. She thought this dress would suit you and asked me to bring it back. To avoid overshadowing her intentions, she let me prepare a scarf for you."
Worried that not buying clothes for Zhou Huaying would cause conflicts among the Jiang family members and affect Grandpa Jiang's health, Chu Xia didn't even want to give her the scarf.
Zhou Huaying's body stiffened for a moment. She wanted to throw the dress away but hesitated.
"Using such petty tricks to win people over. If she really wants me to forgive her, she should come back to the capital and apologize to me."
Chu Xia replied, "She can't come back now. She asked me to pass on a message to you and Second Uncle. She is following the ambassador abroad to work as a foreign correspondent."
Zhou Huaying looked startled, and then a mix of anger, anxiety, and worry appeared on her face.
"She's going to work as a foreign correspondent, and you and Zhengnian didn't stop her? It's so dangerous to work as a journalist abroad!"
Zhou Huaying's tone was furious, and she wanted to immediately bring Jiang Zhiyi back. However, she didn't even know her phone number and couldn't find a way to contact her.
"Chu Xia, do you know how to contact Zhiyi?"
Chu Xia: She doesn't know. Jiang Zhiyi hasn't sent any messages, and the only information she has is the country Zhiyi is going to and the location of the Chinese embassy in that country.
She conveyed this to Zhou Huaying.
Second Uncle Jiang also looked very anxious, frowning at Chu Xia. "We definitely can't go abroad now. Chu Xia, please give us Zhiyi's contact information."
He thought Chu Xia was helping Jiang Zhiyi hide something.
"I really don't have it," Chu Xia said earnestly. "And besides asking us to convey this message, Zhiyi also wanted me to tell you that she will think of you even when she's abroad."
Second Uncle Jiang and Aunt Zhou Huaying's expressions froze for a moment, and other emotions flickered in their eyes.
However, these emotions were quickly hidden.
"If she misses us, why hasn't she come back for so long?" Zhou Huaying's tone remained firm.
Chu Xia couldn't answer that question.
At this moment, Cen Zhengnian had just finished helping Grandpa Jiang pack the things they brought. Upon hearing Uncle Jiang and Aunt Zhou Huaying's words, he walked over and said, "Second Uncle, Second Aunt, there's no need for us to deceive you. Just as you said, you can't go abroad to bring Zhiyi back, and Zhiyi knows that. Why would we hide her contact information?"
Second Uncle Jiang and Aunt Zhou Huaying were not unaware of these facts, but with only Chu Xia, Zhengnian, and their family in the know, they couldn't press Chu Xia for more details.
Cen Zhengnian continued, "If Zhiyi wants to contact you, she will when things stabilize for her that year. There's no reason for us to keep her contact information a secret."
Second Uncle Jiang and Aunt Zhou Huaying stopped pressing Chu Xia further. They sat on the sofa, frowning deeply and not letting go.
Grandpa Jiang knew about Jiang Zhiyi becoming a foreign correspondent. His face showed no surprise, and there was a hint of concern in his eyes. However, he remained calm compared to Uncle Jiang and Aunt Zhou Huaying.
"With Zhiyi's aspirations and personality, it's something she would do. That small country, despite being poor, has no war or disturbances, so it's relatively safe."
Second Uncle Jiang and Aunt Zhou Huaying didn't have Grandpa Jiang's broad knowledge of many countries.
Yang Mei added, "I know the ambassador of that country. I'll ask about the situation over there."
Only now did Second Uncle Jiang and Aunt Zhou Huaying realize Yang Mei's occupation. They looked at her with a hopeful expression.
"Sister-in-law, please take care of Zhiyi over there"
"All are our own children. Don't worry; I also hope everything goes well for Zhiyi over there," Yang Mei nodded.
***
Several days later, Jiang Zhiyi finally contacted her family. She used the communication equipment at the embassy and in the country, and the signal was a bit unstable. Nevertheless, it didn't hinder her from reassuring her family.
Her tone was filled with excitement as she shared her experiences, describing the foreign scenery that differed from what she was accustomed to in China.
She emphasized only the positive aspects of being abroad, without mentioning any hardships.
Yang Mei advised her to seek help from her familiar colleagues at the foreign embassy if needed, assuring her that the family had her back.
"Don't be afraid to owe others favors, big auntie will take care of it for you."
On the other hand, Zhou Huaying, who had a deep-seated conflict with Jiang Zhiyi, asked bluntly, "Are you coming back now?"
When Jiang Zhiyi replied that she wasn't planning to return, Zhou Huaying fell silent.
Second Uncle Jiang tried to earnestly advise Jiang Zhiyi, expressing concerns about the challenges of the small and impoverished foreign country, including the risk of contracting local diseases and limited medical resources.
Jiang Zhiyi interrupted him, stating firmly, "Dad, I won't come back."
She added a brief "It's time" before cutting off the communication. Despite Second Uncle Jiang and Aunt Zhou Huaying's concerns, there was nothing they could do.
***
With Jiang Zhida having found a partner, Yang Mei resumed her questioning about when he would get married.
Given his age, people his age already had children in elementary school, yet he had not yet tied the knot.
"Mom!" Jiang Zhida, lounging in his own home with little formality, casually picked up an apple and began munching. "You used to urge me to find a partner when I didn't have one, and now that I have one, you're urging me to get married. When I do get married, are you going to push me to have kids?"
Yang Mei replied, "Having kids is your own business; I won't push you."
She only cared about matters related to her son.
"You should take a look at your peers."
"I thought, Mom, that dealing with foreigners every day would make your mindset more open," Jiang Zhida teased.
Yang Mei playfully smacked him on the back. "I am Chinese!"
Startled by the smack, Jiang Zhida jumped up, ran outside, and said, "Mom, we still want to focus on dating for a while. Let's wait a couple more years before getting married!"
A slipper flew out, thrown by Yang Mei. Jiang Zhida swiftly closed the door, and the slipper made a "pop" sound as it hit the door.
Once outside, Jiang Zhida, not as relaxed as he appeared at home, walked towards his car with a furrowed brow. He opened the door, sat inside, rolled down the window, and lit a cigarette.
Wafts of white smoke emanated from the car, carrying the scent of nicotine. The smell heightened Jiang Zhida's awareness.
After finishing the cigarette, he started the car and drove towards Yun Meng Ze. Midway, Jiang Zhida made a turn and headed to the residential area of the research institute.
While Chu Xia and Cen Zhengnian had started working, only Cen Huai'an was at home. He sat in the living room, disassembling a semiconductor radio.
Jiang Zhida, feeling right at home, casually found a seat on the sofa, watching Cen Huai'an's actions with curiosity. "Why are you dismantling a perfectly good radio?"
Cen Huai'an didn't look up. "I want to see the internal structure."
Jiang Zhida, not understanding this scientific thinking, nonchalantly nodded. "Sure, when you finish disassembling and reassembling it, if you can't put it back together, let me know. Yun Meng Ze's Uncle Wei also likes tinkering with these things."
"Okay."
However, Cen Huai'an didn't need his help. In a short time, he reassembled the radio.
Jiang Zhida stood up and opened the radio. "Let me see if it works."
The radio could perfectly receive all broadcasts and continue playing music from tapes.
Jiang Zhida admiringly looked at Cen Huai'an. "How did your little brain grow? Your memory is so good, you can disassemble and reassemble it without a hitch!"
Jiang Zhida admitted he didn't have that ability. He could only take things apart.
Cen Huai'an casually replied, "Understanding the principles makes it easy."
Jiang Zhida, feeling somewhat indignant, ruffled Cen Huai'an's hair and sat back on the sofa.
"An'an, let me ask you a question."
Cen Huai'an, currently writing down what he learned from disassembling the radio, looked up at Jiang Zhida, waiting for him to speak.
"What if you lied to your parents about something significant, and now your mom is forcing you to continue with it and demanding evidence, what would you do?"
Cen Huai'an lowered his head and continued taking notes. "Is it about Uncle's fake girlfriend?"
"How is that possible?! Our relationship is so good!" Jiang Zhida retorted without hesitation.
Cen Huai'an looked up, his eyes staring directly at him. "Uncle, you're panicking. It seems my guess was right."
Jiang Zhida, feeling particularly annoyed with Cen Huai'an's clever mind, stopped pretending. He leaned back and said, "Now, tell me, if it were you, how would you solve this?"
Cen Huai'an replied seriously, "I wouldn't have lied to my parents in the first place."
Jiang Zhida: ...
"What if, I mean what if?. Can you think about how you would handle it?"
"Act for real, or find a genuine one again."
Cen Huai'an didn't think much and offered these solutions.
"Oh, there's another one: confess to my uncle and aunt."
Jiang Zhida knew about these methods, but the problem was that none of them were easy to implement.
Rubbing his head with a headache, he said, "Forget it, forget it. It's normal for a kid like you not to understand these things."
Cen Huai'an glanced at him, lowered his head, and continued taking notes. "Uncle, worrying is the most useless approach."
Jiang Zhida retorted, "...Stop talking, you just know how to annoy me!"
Cen Huai'an fell silent.
When Chu Xia and Cen Zhengnian returned and heard about Jiang Zhida's predicament, Chu Xia suddenly realized, no wonder Jiang Zhida found a girlfriend in just two days. It turned out to be a "temporary girlfriend" arrangement.
She suggested the same solutions to Jiang Zhida as Cen Huai'an.
"In the current situation, if you don't want your parents to know, these are the only options."
"Let me think. There are still two years."
Cen Zhengnian: "Two years, it's not a short time."
Chu Xia smiled and said, "Yeah, Dazi, during these two years, you can definitely find a genuinely suitable partner."
Jiang Zhida, not hopeful, said, "I'll try my best."
***
Cen Huai'an started his senior year.
As soon as he entered the school gate, he saw a banner with his name hanging at the entrance, stating that he had won the gold medal at the IMO International Mathematical Olympiad.
Cen Huai'an tried to ignore the banner and walked through the gate.
He was thinking, fortunately, people only paid attention to the name, not many knew him, and...
Before Cen Huai'an could finish his thoughts, he heard a loud shout from Zhang Lu: "An'an! Quickly look at the banner at the entrance; your name is written on it!"
All the students around immediately turned their gaze toward Cen Huai'an.
Cen Huai'an:...
"Sister." He looked at Zhang Lu with a helpless expression.
Zhang Lu excitedly pulled his arm, trying to make him look, "Come on, take a look. You've brought great honor to our school this time!"
Cen Huai'an pulled his hand away, saying, "I've seen it."
He walked into the classroom, and Zhang Lu quickly followed, chattering incessantly, asking about Cen Huai'an's feelings of winning the IMO gold medal and bringing glory to the country and the school.
"It's nothing special...,"
He paused and continued, "just a bit crowded with classmates watching."
Zhang Lu: "Well, you've never liked being in the limelight."
Senior year started early, with students who repeated the year from the previous year also joining.
Cen Huai'an's senior high school classmates from the math Olympiad class last year, those who were eligible for direct admission were admitted, and those who needed to take the college entrance examination went on to their respective universities after the exams.
As a result, Cen Huai'an didn't encounter these classmates at school after that.
After a summer break, Teacher Jiang, who had been looking forward to seeing Cen Huai'an again, finally had the chance and called him directly to the office.
"You should participate in this year's city competition as well. Contribute to the glory of our school."
Starting from now, various mathematics competitions in the country were preparing to begin, and Cen Huai'an had already prepared to continue his one-year preparation for the upcoming competitions.
"Teacher, I'll only participate in the mathematics competitions."
Cen Huai'an looked at the small stack of physics test papers that Teacher Jiang brought out.
A tinge of regret appeared on Teacher Jiang's face, and he wanted to persuade him further, "Your science is also excellent. Your physics teacher scolded me for being unfair, saying that I occupied all your time for math, and you had no time to do her physics papers. Otherwise, you could have won first prize in the National Physics Competition too."
"Teacher, you're overestimating my abilities."
Following the routine of Olympiad mathematics, attending math classes, Cen Huai'an had no time left for himself. He didn't want to participate in physics competitions anymore.
Teacher Jiang calmly put away the physics test papers, "Since you're unwilling, you can go back."
Anyway, he was given a choice, and if the student didn't choose physics, it wasn't because he didn't try.
Returning to the classroom, Cen Huai'an was greeted with applause and congratulations from his classmates.
The halo of bringing glory to the country had made Cen Huai'an an admired figure for all students.
The importance and difficulty of the IMO international competition were well known to high school students.
"An'an, I watched the live broadcast of your competition at home!"
Cao Gaocong excitedly turned to Cen Huai'an and said.
Cen Huai'an: "Thanks for the support."
Cao Gaocong nonchalantly waved his hand, "It's a requirement from the school. Everyone in our school watched it."
"Everyone?" Cen Huai'an's pupils widened, looking at Cao Gaocong, "All the teachers and students in the school?"
"Yeah." Cao Gaocong was oblivious to anything else and continued, "My mom even told me, you're so amazing. She said I should study three-tenths as hard as you!"
Cen Huai'an was still processing the fact that the entire school had watched his competition.
Now that he knew, he was sure he would involuntarily think about it every time there was a live broadcast competition in the future.
Time for study always passes quickly. In the blink of an eye, Cen Huai'an and his classmates were given a three-day National Day holiday.
Before school ended, Cao Gaocong was already excitedly making plans to go out with Cen Huai'an and Chu Xia.
"How about going to the reservoir again?"
Zhang Lu looked at Cen Huai'an and he shook his head, "I already have other plans."
Zhang Lu really didn't know about Cen Huai'an's plans, as he had not mentioned them to her.
She also hadn't asked, trusting that Cen Huai'an would tell her when he wanted to.
"Then let's go watch a movie! I heard there's a particularly good one recently."
"What movie?" Cao Gaocong was immediately drawn to the conversation.
"God of Gamblers!" Zhang Lu exclaimed, "My friend told me it would be the biggest regret of the year if I didn't watch it!"
Cao Gaocong, opting out of the reservoir plan, enthusiastically discussed going to the movies with Zhang Lu.
"An'an, when are you free?"
Zhang Lu quietly asked him, "We'll choose a time that works for you and Gaocong."
Cen Huai'an looked up at Zhang Lu, who was smiling at him. Catching his gaze, she winked playfully at him.
Cen Huai'an: "You don't have to wait for me."
Without hesitation, Zhang Lu said, "No, we can't do it without you. If you're not available during the National Day holiday, then we'll do it after the holiday!"
A warm feeling surged in Cen Huai'an's heart. After a moment of thought, he said, "On the last afternoon of the holiday, I should be free."