by Dragon King
Downstairs, he found Xie Yujia in a clean outfit, the one she had left here from last time. Also, she was wearing two rubber gloves.
At this time, she was tipping her toes on a stool out on the balcony, trying to hang a quilt onto a bamboo stick.
Grandma was seated inside and was enjoying the bread that Xie Yujia had baked with a heartfelt smile on her face.
“Grandma, what is she doing?” Hao Ren asked Grandma as he pointed towards the balcony.
“What is she doing?” Grandma rolled her eyes at Hao Ren. “Yujia got up early in the morning and went for a walk with me along the beach. She then made breakfast for me and even helped me wash my bed sheet and cover. Now, she is trying to hang them up to dry. I was going to wake you up, but she said that I should let you sleep more since you’ve been studying very hard for your exams lately!”
“Oh…” Hao Ren answered dully. Once again, his gaze moved towards Xie Yujia who was busying herself on the balcony. This time, he felt guilty and ashamed.
He had never done any of these things for his grandma.
“Ay, Yujia is such a good girl. Whoever gets to marry her in the future will be blessed!” Watching Xie Yujia sprinkling waterdrops in the sunlight, Grandma praised with an emotional sigh.
Hao Ren nodded, agreeing with Grandma’s statement. Xie Yujia was smart, capable, virtuous, and a talented cook. Indeed, it was almost like she was a younger version of Zhao Hongyu.
“Ay, how wonderful would it be if Yujia is my granddaughter-in-law…” Grandma kept on expressing herself.
Grandma’s remark made Hao Ren feel uneasy. He hurriedly picked up another piece of bread and put it in Grandma’s hand. “Grandma, you keep eating. I’ll go check on her out there,” Hao Ren said.
He then ran over to the balcony, pulled open the door, and walked out.
Xie Yujia was still standing on the stool and was trying to stabilize the bed sheet with laundry clips. Seeing that Hao Ren had come out, she smiled at him.
“You’re up!”
Scratching his head, Hao Ren felt a little embarrassed. “Yeah. It was already very nice of you to visit Grandma. You don’t have to help with the chores.”
“It is no inconvenience. After all, since your parents are not home, no one is here to take care of Grandma.” Jumping off from the stool, Xie Yujia patted down the bed sheet that was still dripping a little before putting the stool back into a corner of the balcony.
She took off the rubber gloves and revealed her fingers. Drops of water were seen lingering on her fingertips, making her fingers look like slender white jade.
“From now on, you don’t need to do these chores. I will take care of them,” Hao Ren said again.
Xie Yujia smiled and glanced at Hao Ren as she said, “You? I highly doubt that you’d ever think of helping out with things like these!”
Hao Ren laughed awkwardly. Indeed, when he came home to see Grandma every weekend, he had never thought of helping her wash her bed sheet or bed cover. It was true that only girls could be so thoughtful.
“I left you some breakfast too. You should go eat it now. I still have some of Grandma’s shirts and pants here that need to be hung up,” Xie Yujia added.
“Okay.” Hao Ren turned around and went in.
A very neatly placed breakfast was on the dining table. It consisted of milk, a hamburger, and hard-boiled eggs; simple and healthy.
“Grandma, I’m going to head back now,” after she finished hanging up all the laundry, Xie Yujia walked in to inform Grandma.
“So soon?” Grandma didn’t want to part with her.
“Yes, it’s almost noon. We have more exams coming up next week, so I have to go back and study,” Xie Yujia explained.
“Aren’t you in the same class as Ren? Why don’t you stay here and study together with Ren?” Grandma thought of a good excuse.
“It’s okay. Hao Ren might get distracted if I stay here.” Xie Yujia smiled. “Grandma, you take good care of yourself. I will definitely come to see you when I have time.”
“Ay… Alright then.” Knowing that she could not convince Xie Yujia to stay, Grandma got up and walked her to the door.
“I’ll give you a ride!” Hao Ren quickly got up while trying to swallow a mouthful of milk.
“That’s okay. You should focus on studying. It doesn’t take long for me to walk to the bus stop anyway. It’ll be a good exercise.” Looking at Hao Ren with her glistening eyes, Xie Yujia smiled, turned around, and walked out of the door.
Grandma stood by the door and watched Xie Yujia gradually walk out of her sight. Suddenly, she turned to Hao Ren, who was still holding the hamburger in his hand, and said, “Ren, regardless of what you think, Grandma has to make something clear! If you don’t treat Little Carrot the way she deserves, Grandma won’t forgive you!”
160 The Strongest in the Mortal World
Ay… Hao Ren let out a long sigh. He understood what Grandma meant, but there was not much that he could do about it.
Although Grandma was senile, her mind was sharp. She could clearly tell that Hao Ren had been avoiding Xie Yujia in the past two days. Even when he talked to her, it was more just out of courtesy. There was a distance between them that was maintained on purpose.
Little Carrot’s family had reached out when Hao Ren’s family was going through the toughest times. Therefore, Hao Ren’s strange behavior towards Xie Yujia had angered Grandma greatly.
On top of that, Xie Yujia was kind and considerate, and there was nothing that Grandma didn’t like. Since Xie Yujia was loving, respectful, and thoughtful as if she was Grandma’s own granddaughter, Grandma could not stand Hao Ren’s aloof attitude towards Xie Yujia.
“Grandma…” Hao Ren wanted to explain himself, but Grandma wanted to hear none of it and went back to her room.
This weekend, Lu Linlin and Lu Lili didn’t come to visit, and Zhao Yanzi did not call either. Hao Ren and Grandma were all by themselves in the house, and it seemed desolate and dreary.
The contrast further demonstrated how admirable it was for Xie Yujia to come and take care of Grandma.
Lu Linlin and Lu Lili must be busy studying for their exams. After all, no matter how bright and intelligent they were, having to deal with exams right after they started going to school would be a serious challenge for them.
As for Zhao Yanzi, she was still young and could not fully comprehend the mind of a senior. Therefore, she did not think of giving Grandma a call from Nanjing.
As the slightly depressing weekend came to an end, Hao Ren had finished packing up for school by dusk on Sunday.
Thinking of the fact that Grandma would be all alone at home again, Hao Ren felt terrible.
“It’s alright; you can go. Grandma will be fine at home. Your Uncle Wang will be back tomorrow.” Grandma tried to make Hao Ren feel better as she saw the guilty look on his face.
For the past two days, Grandma had been cold to Hao Ren due to his attitude towards Xie Yujia. Now, seeing that her grandson was about to leave for school, Grandma gave in and became gentle and kind again.
“Ah, alright.” Hao Ren put on his backpack and began walking out.
After he was a dozen meters away, Hao Ren turned around and found that Grandma was still watching him by the door. He felt like his heart was struck, and he suddenly started walking back.
“What’s wrong? Did you forget something?” Grandma asked.
“No,” Hao Ren smiled and tried to sound lighthearted, “How about I take you to Zi’s house to stay for a couple of days? I will finish my exams in two days, and I can take you to Zhejiang then.”
“Well…” Grandma hesitated, “Why don’t you give Hongyu a call and see if it would be convenient for them?”
“Ok!” Standing at the door, Hao Ren took out his cell phone and called Zhao Hongyu directly.
The phone call was connected quickly, and Zhao Hongyu immediately agreed to Hao Ren’s proposal. Her unconcealed enthusiasm actually made Hao Ren feel a little emba
rrassed.
Even though Grandma did not want to trouble Zi’s family, she did indeed miss Zi and Zhao Hongyu.
Hao Ren looked around the house and found the keys for his dad’s white Ford. After Grandma finished packing up some clothes, he drove the car out of the garage and brought her to Zhao Yanzi’s house.
Since they knew that Grandma was going to stay with them for two days, Zhao Yanzi’s family had been eagerly awaiting her arrival. Hence, when Grandma arrived, both parties seemed a little excited.
While trying to help Grandma settle into the room that she stayed in last time, Zhao Hongyu also invited Hao Ren to stay for the night. However, Hao Ren was worried about tomorrow’s exams and was determined to go back to school.
Nonetheless, Hao Ren felt relieved to see Grandma’s mood lightened. Watching Zhao Yanzi who was yawning with a weary look on her face, Hao Ren knew that she must have just returned from Nanjing and had an exhausting weekend.
Although Zhao Hongyu didn’t seem to mind at all, when Hao Ren got out of the house, he thanked her again and again for looking after his grandma.
“Zi has been traveling a lot with us lately and has been exhausted. Don’t take it to heart if she didn’t seem interactive or responsive,” She explained to Hao Ren.
“It’s fine; I know how she is.” Hao Ren smiled as he knew that Zhao Yanzi had always been proud. Even when she seemed cold or indifferent, it was not indicative of her real thoughts or feelings.
“Don’t worry about anything else and just focus on your exams. I’m planning to let Zi have a two-day break before her birthday party as well,” Zhao Hongyu told him.
“Great. Auntie, you could use some good rest as well.”
After taking out the car key, Hao Ren got into the white Ford.
Since the garage at Zhao Yanzi’s house only had room for two cars, Hao Ren could only drive this Ford to school.
As he drove to the southern dorm area and was looking to park his car in a corner that was inconspicuous but not too far away, he saw Xie Yujia. She was wearing a black jacket, a pair of blue jeans, and grey canvas shoes. With a small backpack on her back, she was about to walk out of the southern dorm area.
Hao Ren thought for a second before driving over and stopping right before her.
“Oh? It’s you!?” Xie Yujia saw Hao Ren and said in surprise. She almost thought that it was a good-for-nothing young man from a wealthy family who intentionally tried to block her way to get her attention. It had happened before when the news about her being Xie Wanjun’s younger sister didn’t get out, and her brother had to come over in person and subtly handle the situation.
“Class President, it is so late at night. Where are you going?” Hao Ren asked.
Constructions were going on around the school lately, so many unfamiliar faces were active in the nearby area. Hao Ren worried about Xie Yujia’s safety if she were to go out at night by herself.
“I am going to study at school. Since there is a curfew at the dorm, lights won’t be allowed. I plan to pull an all-nighter tonight. Oh, my bike broke, and I won’t be able to repair it until after the exams,” Xie Yujia answered as she pulled her jacket over her body tightly,
“How about… I go with you then?” Hao Ren suggested.
“That’s okay.” Xie Yujia shook her head in response.
“It’s fine; I plan to stay up all night to study anyway.” Hao Ren got out of the car and pulled open the rear door for her.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Xie Yujia got into the car.
It was warm and toasty inside the car with soothing music playing in the background; it was a sharp contrast to the cold piercing wind outside.
When Hao Ren got into the car, he drove out of the southern dorm area and headed to Academic Building D. Fortunately, the materials that he needed for his review were all in his backpack, so he did not need to return to the dorm room first.
“I didn’t know you could drive,” Xie Yujia said softly from the back of the car.
“Don’t make fun of me now; driving is way easier than cooking,” Hao Ren said as he drove steadily.
“People would think that you’re from a wealthy family if they see that you are driving in school,” Xie Yujia added.
“That won’t happen. I have planned to park the car in a far corner before walking to the Dorm Building. Are you worried that the snobbish girls in our school would cause me trouble if they think that my family is rich, Class President?” Hao Ren asked while slightly turning his head.
Xie Yujia pouted, “Don’t put words in my mouth. Alright now, focus on driving.”
“Actually, Class President, your family’s annual income is over 300,000 USD, isn’t it? You indeed keep a low profile.” Hao Ren suddenly said.
However, the annual income of 300,000 USD was likely only a modest statement from the casual conversation between the parents of the families. Xie Yujia’s father, Xie Ming, had been continuously expanding his business in the United States and was the owner of at least four or five factories; his income was definitely far higher than this number. Yet, he probably did not want to make his old friend who was a poorly-paid scientist feel bad, so he gave a number that had been moderated greatly.
“That is the money that my parents make with their hard work. I only ask for a monthly allowance of 500 Yuan. I still think it’s important to be self-reliant and to make money on your own,” Xie Yujia replied without second thoughts.
Hao Ren respected how hard Xie Yujia studied and knew that she was telling the truth. Even before he found out that Xie Yujia was indeed Little Carrot, he had secretly admired her for her calm but motivational attitude. When they reached Academic Building D, Hao Ren locked the car and walked in with Xie Yujia.
As there were only two days of exams remaining, the number of students studying in the building had decreased enormously, and it seemed a lot quieter. Hao Ren did not plan to stay up all night to study, but he was concerned about letting Xie Yujia stay up all night outside of the dorm by herself. Moreover, remembering his grandma’s words, he felt that he was now ‘responsible’ for Xie Yujia somehow.
Xie Yujia noticed that Hao Ren was following her closely and understood his concerns. Lately, there had been rumors about the disorderliness and dangers around the school. She did not know whether the rumors were real, but she had made up her mind to pull an all-nighter and secretly hid a few defensive weapons in her backpack.
However, the fact that Hao Ren took the initiative to be her company was a big relief to her. This feeling of dependence and safety was hard to come by in any other ways.
The clock was slowly ticking away.
The study rooms in Academic Building D were open to students throughout the night. While reviewing for exams, Hao Ren had been practicing the Spirit Concentration Scroll and did not feel sleepy at all. On the other hand, Xie Yujia was unable to resist the drowsiness and had laid her head down on the desk for a small nap.
Gazing at her soft and slender arms underneath her exquisite face, Hao Ren had never imagined that there would be a time when he and Xie Yujia would go out and pull an all-nighter together.
The few other students in the room were all lying down and resting, and their positions were all different. If Hao Ren were not there to guard her, Xie Yujia could not have fallen asleep so peacefully.
Even though her breathing was even and stable, her long and curly eyelashes were continually fluttering. Hao Ren knew that she must be dreaming in her sleep.
As the Spirit Concentration Scroll could help people become calm and collected, Hao Ren stealthily touched her fingertip with his finger and transferred to her a sliver of Nature Essence.
As expected, Xie Yujia was now in a better sleep; even her breathing had become long and deep.
Browsing the pile of heavy textbooks and notebooks on her desk, Hao Ren could tell that Xie Yujia was indeed studying very hard. However, according to her, her reason for all these efforts was to become good enough for her Little Older Bro
ther.
Although it turned out that her Little Older Brother was actually quite terrible at school, Xie Yujia’s beliefs and principles were already established. No matter what she was doing, she had always been inspiringly serious.
“Huh? What time is it?” After she woke up from the dream, Xie Yujia opened her misty eyes and asked Hao Ren who was seated next to her.
“It’s two o’clock in the morning,” Hao Ren answered as he checked the time on his phone. At the same time, his face was burning quietly as he realized that he had spent the last two hours staring at Xie Yujia and not his review materials.
“Ah, there are still two books that I haven’t gone through!” Xie Yujia sat up abruptly while rubbing her eyes. Then, she let out an elongated yawn with her arms stretched out.
Her actions were so natural and unpretentious that Hao Ren thought he had found the adorably cute side of her personality.
“Why are you staring at me? Don’t you need to review too?” Xie Yujia turned to look at Hao Ren, and she asked while blinking her eyes.
“Oh. Oh, I am.” Hao Ren quickly put his head down and opened the book before him.
The time was passing by them.
Since Hao Ren almost had a photographic memory, he was able to skim through all the materials for his upcoming exams quickly.
Although he did not fully understand the stuff he just read and did not acquire as much comprehension as Xie Yujia, there shouldn’t be a problem for him to pass the courses.
Two hours later, Xie Yujia couldn’t help but needed another short break. Again, Hao Ren was still awake, guarding her while she slept. As Xie Yujia commended Hao Ren’s endless energy, she also appreciated his attentive protection.
Yet, at the moment, her focus was entirely on the exams and had no time for any other thoughts.
Soon, dawn had arrived quietly. Hao Ren silently moved his fingers that were touching Xie Yujia’s fingertip a moment ago. He was transferring slivers of Nature Essence to Xie Yujia. More or less, it had helped to nourish her body and ensure a sufficient level of energy.
“This is weird. I feel like I’m not tired at all from this all-nighter.” When Xie Yujia woke up again, she did not have any feeling of soreness in her back or neck. Instead, all the ideas and concepts she had in her mind became exceptionally clear and sharp.
