Chapter 637: The Secret About the Past (255)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When the other residents of Wei Ni Estate heard about Long Tianze and Jin Qingyan’s interest in enrolling their children in the martial arts academy together with two other children, Wen Yuechan’s mother asked her carefully, “Did you know about this?”
Wen Yuechan nodded and said, “Mommy, I’ve heard about it. Yiheng’s family owns the academy. They won’t go to the same school as me anymore once they’re enrolled in the boot camp.”
“Would you like to go too? Didn’t you tell Mommy that you wanted to play with Yiheng? Do you want to go together with him?” Mrs. Wen asked softly.
“Yes.”
“Tell him at school today that you’d like to join him for the boot camp and ask him to inform his father about it.”
“Alright.”
Wen Yuechan did as instructed and told Jin Yiheng about the matter once she arrived in school.
After hearing her out, Jin Yiheng said, “I heard from Daddy that training there is tough. Since we’re still young and can’t allow training to hinder us from receiving an education, it’s going to take much longer.”
“I’m not afraid of hards.h.i.+p. I enjoy playing with Yiheng,” Wen Yuechan said with a grin.
Staring at her bright, sparkling eyes, Jin Yiheng nodded and said, “I’ll tell my father about it, then.”
“Alright. I really want to go with you,” she added.
Jin Yiheng brought the matter up to his father once he got home that day. Needless to say, Jin Qingyan would not turn down his son’s request.
However, it was impossible for Zhong Minhe to join the boot camp since he did not have any arms.
Thus, Long Tianze decided to select another boy who lived in the same estate.
The little boy, who seemed rather dull, was five years old this year, just like Long Wenlun.
“Xiaoxi, this little boy here is Ji Gui. He lives in the same estate as us. You’ll have a playmate when he tags along with you guys to the boot camp.”
Clad in a cap, Long Xiaoxi walked toward Ji Gui and reached her chubby hand out. “Why do you seem so dull? Shall I call you a dimwit from now on?”
“Xiaoxi…” said Long Tianze, glaring at her.
Ji Gui stared at her hand for a few seconds before shaking it. “Sure,” he agreed.
From then on, Long Xiaoxi never addressed him by his full name, all the way throughout their childhood. In fact, she had even forgotten what his real name was and he was the first boy amongst the older children whom she did not address as “Brother.”
“Xiaoxi, your Brother Yiheng and his cla.s.smate will be coming over later. The five of you shall play and interact with each other. Come tomorrow, Daddy and your Brother will go and settle the administrative withdrawal procedures,” Long Tianze said before leaving.
“You’re so fair-skinned,” Long Xiaoxi remarked, extending her arm and comparing it against his.
Ji Gui remained standing and stared at her quietly. He was introverted and reserved, almost antisocial.
“Xiaoxi!” a voice exclaimed from afar.
Long Xiaoxi stared into the distance to see that her brother, Jin Yiheng, and Wen Yuechan were walking side by side toward her.
Long Xiaoxi was displeased at the sight of Wen Yuechan together with Jin Yiheng.
“Xiaoxi, who is he?” Long Wenlun asked.
“He’s our neighbor from the same estate. Daddy said his name is Ji Gui, and he’s going to the boot camp together with us.” Pointing at Wen Yuechan, Long Xiaoxi asked, “Is she that cla.s.smate of Brother Yiheng’s whom Daddy was referring to?”
“Yes,” Long Wenlun answered with a nod.
Long Xiaoxi was instantly infuriated. “I don’t want her to come along,” she said frankly.
“Why? Xiaoxi, Yuechan wants to go with us very badly,” Jin Yiheng asked.
“But I don’t want her to come with us. Brother Yiheng, do you want me or her to go? Pick one!” Long Xiaoxi exclaimed furiously, throwing a fit.
Jin Yiheng feared such questions the most, for he would be at fault no matter whom he picked. Thus, he remained silent.
Afraid that she really wouldn’t be allowed to go upon realizing how much Long Xiaoxi abhorred her, Wen Yuechan pleaded, “Xiaoxi, I really want to go. Just let me come along with you guys, will you?”
“No,” Long Xiaoxi refused vehemently.
Noticing how aggrieved Wen Yuechan looked, Jin Yiheng interjected, “Xiaoxi, tell us, why are you so insistent on refusing to let Yuechan come along?”
“Because she called me fat in the past,” Long Xiaoxi said without hesitation. After all, she was only a four-year-old child who doesn’t think twice before she speaks.
“Was she wrong about that?” Jin Yiheng blurted, which was the to the shock of everyone, including himself. It seemed like it was too late to try to comfort her.
Dumbfounded, Long Xiaoxi stood rooted to the ground, staring at Jin Yiheng in disbelief while being at a loss for words.
Her sudden silence caused an awkward tension to fill the air.
Wen Yuechan was the only one who was as happy as a lark. Jin Yiheng was defending me just now, wasn’t he? she thought to herself.
“Xiaoxi, you’re forever Brother’s little princess. I don’t find you fat at all,” Long Wenlun said, breaking the silence.
Long Xiaoxi nodded as tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. “I’m going to go look for Mommy.”
She turned around and scurried away.
Due to the fact that she was running too quickly, the hat on her head flew away, exposing her bald head.
Although the hair salon had already turned her hair into a buzz cut, a chubby girl like her really did not look great with a bald head.
Apart from Long Wenlun and Zhong Minhe, it was everyone else’s first time seeing her bald.
Jin Yiheng had never seen it either.
However, he finally saw it now.
Long Xiaoxi bent forward to pick up her hat, which she put back onto her head. This time, she did not sprint away and instead walked back home slowly.
As soon as she stepped foot inside the living room, Mei Yangyang saw the tears on her face and asked in astonishment, “Baby, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Long Xiaoxi answered dejectedly.
She returned to her room, where she sprawled herself across the bed and began bawling loudly.
Mei Yangyang only understood the situation after asking her son.
Thus, she constantly tried to console Long Xiaoxi.
“Mommy will tell Daddy not to allow that girl to go.”
“No, if you don’t let her go, Brother Yiheng is going to think that I was the one behind it. Mommy, Brother Yiheng doesn’t like me anymore,” said Long Xiaoxi, choking with sobs.
“Why not? Our Xiaoxi is so cute and adorable.”
Long Xiaoxi shook her head in disagreement.
“Mommy, get out, please. I’d like to take a nap.”
“Alright, be good, don’t brood over it.”
Once Mei Yangyang left, Long Xiaoxi leaned against the window and stared at the backyard.
The children were having a joyous game of soccer in the backyard, seemingly having a whale of a time.
At this moment, she continued to stare quietly for a long time.
The four-year-old child experienced her first heartbreak.
——
In Sanqiao Estate, An Xiaoning sat cross-legged on the couch with the new proposal file in hand.
Lin Mingxi was seated beside her, opposite the film director, Jing Tian.
A deafening silence filled the living room as An Xiaoning kept her eyes fixed on the doc.u.ment she was holding.
After half an hour, An Xiaoning finally put the proposal away and looked at Jing Tian in awe. “I can’t help but say that you’ve always been a splendid director. You’ve always had the eye for selecting great films. I’m particularly interested in one of the few scripts you’ve mentioned in the proposal,” she said.