Chapter 39

Chapter 39

The next day, Cheng Shaolin and Shu Zhilan took Yuan Ting to the hospital for an IQ test.

Shu Zhilan was skeptical about her son being a genius. She had never found him to be smarter than others, though he was quite adept at causing trouble, leading her to suspect he might have ADHD.

However, she wouldn't take Yuan Ting to get checked for ADHD on her own initiative; if it turned out to be true, the Cheng family might look down upon it.

"If Xiaoting truly has a high IQ, we mustn't waste his potential. Plus, he's seven now, it's time to enroll him in interest classes like art, music, or dance," Cheng Shaolin said.

"Thank you, dear," Shu Zhilan responded, visibly moved.

Yuan Ting: "..."

After Yuan Ting completed the IQ test, Cheng Shaolin looked at the doctor expectantly: "How is it, doctor? What's my son's IQ?"

The doctor glanced at Yuan Ting, who was sitting in the chair blinking his clear, large eyes, hesitating.

"What's the matter?" Cheng Shaolin asked eagerly, "Is my son's IQ so high that it startled you?"

The doctor: "..." You really dare to dream!

An IQ of 70 indeed surprised the doctor. Yuan Ting didn't seem dull at all, but the test results were clear.

"IQ can increase with age, so we shouldn't only focus on the present score," the doctor said.

Cheng Shaolin was equally shocked by the score of 70. How could it be? Yuan Ting was widely praised as a genius.

Observing Cheng Shaolin's bewildered expression, Yuan Ting sneered inwardly. Wanting him to study was out of the question. In that case, he'd rather be considered dim-witted.

"My son is indeed a genius," Cheng Shaolin adjusted his mindset, patting Yuan Ting's head. "The doctor confirmed it, son, you are a genius."

Look at these well-intentioned lies.

Yuan Ting nodded, "Yes, Dad, I know I am a genius."

After saying this, Yuan Ting noticed a change in his mother's gaze.

Yuan Ting scoffed. What, didn't expect to have a dim-witted child?

Actually, he had restrained himself. He initially thought of scoring just twenty or thirty, but feared such a low score might shock Cheng Shaolin.

Truthfully, Cheng Shaolin was still doubtful and considered taking him to another hospital for a retest. But what if the result was the same, leaving no hope at all?

Avoiding the truth out of fear, so that's what it feels like.

"Don't worry, Xiaoting seems quite spirited to me. We shouldn't take these tests too seriously," Cheng Shaolin tried to comfort Shu Zhilan.

Shu Zhilan then worriedly asked, "Dear, do you think our child would be intelligent?"

"Xiaoting is intelligent too. If our child turns out like Xiaoting, that would be great," Cheng Shaolin reassured.

Shu Zhilan: "..." Dim-witted?

Yuan Ting was thrilled. With an IQ of seventy, he now didn't have to study and shouldn't be burdened with expectations. Thank you!

"Since we're at the hospital, I might as well get a check-up," Shu Zhilan said.

"A check-up?" Cheng Shaolin asked with concern, supporting her. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"No," Shu Zhilan shyly whispered something in Cheng Shaolin's ear. He was momentarily stunned. "Really?"

"I'm not sure. We need to check to find out."

Shu Zhilan went for her examination, leaving Yuan Ting and Cheng Shaolin waiting on a bench outside.

Yuan Ting, not really a child, had guessed the reason but wasn't sure if it was the same as in his previous life or if things had changed this time. Regardless, Cheng Shaolin didn't seem happy.

"Dad, is Mom going to have a baby?" Yuan Ting asked.

"Hm?" Cheng Shaolin looked at Yuan Ting in surprise. This didn't seem like something a child with an IQ of seventy would say.

"Why aren't you happy?" Yuan Ting tilted his head to look at him. "Don't you want a baby?"

Cheng Shaolin patted Yuan Ting's head and then sighed. "Dad is already happy with you."

what？

Yuan Ting's eyes widened. Could Cheng Shaolin have a fear of having children?

"Why?" Yuan Ting pressed. "I'm not your biological child."

"All children are the same. It doesn’t have to be a biological connection."

Yuan Ting: "????"

Good heavens, this is shocking news for my whole family.

"You don't understand. Raising a child requires a lot of effort; it's not as easy as you think. Things are good as they are now."

Huh?

Without having children of his own, Yuan Ting couldn't grasp Cheng Shaolin's perspective. In his opinion, having one’s own children was preferable. Cheng Shaolin seemed to fear having children, yet he was very good to him. Wasn't that contradictory?

Yuan Ting didn't understand and didn't want to try. He just wanted to know what was going on with his mother. Was she really pregnant?

The results came quickly; Shu Zhilan was not pregnant but experiencing menstrual irregularities.

Shu Zhilan was very disappointed, but Yuan Ting noticed that Cheng Shaolin, unseen by her, breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps his stepfather indeed had a fear of parenting.

With no good news from the hospital visit, the atmosphere at home was somewhat subdued.

The butler, not daring to ask Cheng Shaolin, quietly inquired of Yuan Ting: "What was your IQ score?" He left so cheerfully but returned so dejected.

"Seventy," Yuan Ting boasted, "Impressive, right? The doctor said I'm exceptional."

The butler's expression cracked: "???" Seventy? How could that be?

Cheng Nanyi furrowed his brow but was calmer than the butler, as he was the first to suspect Yuan Ting's IQ might be problematic.

"Is seventy good?" Mo Yikai, not understanding these things, asked sincerely.

Before the butler could reply, Cheng Nanyi interjected: "It's not bad, not genius level, but still quite smart."

Yuan Ting glanced at Cheng Nanyi, wondering if he genuinely understood or was just pretending.

"Oh." Mo Yikai patted Yuan Ting's head. "You're worthy of being my little brother, just a bit behind me. My IQ is eighty."

"Your IQ is eighty?" Yuan Ting looked at Mo Yikai. "Did you get tested?"

Mo Yikai, wanting to appear smarter than Yuan Ting, nodded: "Of course."

Yuan Ting chuckled dryly, giving him a thumbs-up: "Then big brother, you are truly exceptional, a genius among geniuses."

Cheng Nanyi couldn't bear it anymore. He turned Yuan Ting's bald head towards him, looking down: "Intelligence isn't determined by what a doctor says."

"Then who determines it?"

"I do," Cheng Nanyi declared. "Starting today, I'll be tutoring you."

Yuan Ting: "..." Great, he dodged Cheng Shaolin but not Cheng Nanyi.

Cheng Nanyi meant what he said. Instead of a nap, he gave Yuan Ting two sets of papers to complete by the afternoon. Yuan Ting, exasperated, asked, "Do I really have to do this?"

"You don't have to. I'll teach you when I get back tonight."

Yuan Ting: "..." Now he wasn't sure whether to act like a genius or play dumb.

Darn it, both escape routes were blocked.

But at least he didn't have to follow the 'genius' path his stepfather had planned.

Yuan Ting, dejected, grabbed the papers and hopped upstairs. Might as well take a nap first, so tired.

Passing his parents' room, Yuan Ting instinctively pressed his ear to the door and then heard Cheng Shaolin's voice.

"A child, having one or not, is fine. The most important thing is your health."

"That's true in theory, but how can we not have a child? I want to have a child that's ours."

"But we should wait until your health improves. Don't rush, stress can also affect pregnancy."

Shu Zhilan sighed, "We've been together for quite some time now. I really thought I was pregnant this time."

"…Actually, Zhilan, having Xiaoting is enough for us. I consider him as my own son."

"How can that be enough? I must bear you a child of your own. You are the eldest son of the Cheng family; how can you not have your own children?"

"Alright, alright, stop worrying about this now. Rest a bit, I'll stay with you for a while."

Yuan Ting rubbed his neck and bounced back to his room.

Hard to comment on this; better to sleep.

……

A week later, Yuan Ting started going to school with crutches. After all, it was just a sprained ankle; he couldn’t really stay home for three months.

As soon as he arrived at school, Yuan Ting saw the bald heads from the rumors, shining conspicuously among the crowd of dark-haired students.

Duan Wenzhe rushed over as soon as he saw him, glaring angrily: "You lied."

"How did I lie?" Yuan Ting, supported by Mo Yikai and Cheng Nanyi on each arm, was carried to his seat, unafraid.

"You said I'd get a hundred percent if I shaved my head. I only scored fifty-eight in the last Chinese test," Duan Wenzhe leaned on the desk and yelled.

"I never said shaving your head would get you a hundred percent. Don't falsely accuse me." Yuan Ting turned to Gu Yuqi with her ear-length hair, "Did I say that?"

"No." Gu Yuqi shook her head honestly. "You only said it would make us smarter."

"But I didn't get any smarter, did I? I still only scored fifty-eight."

Yuan Ting sighed: "Then maybe you're just hopelessly dumb… umm…" He looked up at Cheng Nanyi, who was covering his mouth.

Cheng Nanyi looked down at him: "Trouble starts with words. Do you want more problems?"

Yuan Ting blinked and mumbled unclearly: "Don't want."

Feeling the dampness in his palm, Cheng Nanyi quickly withdrew his hand and tapped Yuan Ting's nose: "Behave yourself. I don't want to clean up your messes again."

Watching Cheng Nanyi's retreating figure, Yuan Ting blinked, wondering when had he cleaned up any mess for him?

"Considering the gifts your brother brought us, I won’t make a big deal out of this," Duan Wenzhe said, rubbing his bald head. "Otherwise, I'd have to beat you up."

"What gifts?" Yuan Ting was surprised.

"You don't know?" Gu Yuqi exclaimed excitedly. "Your brother gave gifts to all of us. Duan Wenzhe and the others got limited edition game consoles, and Tingting and I got Disney princess and mermaid dolls. They are so pretty and can’t be bought with money."

Yuan Ting: "..." Why didn’t he get one?

Alright then, his brother really did put in some effort. Yuan Ting had prepared himself for a storm today, even thinking up new strategies, but Cheng Nanyi had resolved everything with a few gifts.

Indeed, money talks!

"Who do you want to beat up?" Yuan Ting wrapped his arms around Duan Wenzhe's neck from behind, gritting his teeth. "What, you planning a rebellion?"

"I was wrong, I was wrong, boss, boss…" Duan Wenzhe begged for mercy, "Please, let me go…"

Only then did Yuan Ting pat his hands and release him, reminding himself to be careful with his words in the future. After all, this bunch of radish heads seemed as brainless as they come.

Heading home after school, Yuan Ting sincerely thanked Cheng Nanyi: "Thanks, brother. Otherwise, I would've been bullied by my classmates."

"Bullied?" Cheng Nanyi looked at him with interest. "You know about bullying?"

"…Of course," Yuan Ting huffed, "I am, after all, a genius with an IQ of seventy."

Cheng Nanyi chuckled, his eyes crinkling in rare amusement.

Yuan Ting rolled his eyes, yet secretly pleased.

Is it funny to watch an idiot perform?

Arriving home, they found Aunt Zhu there to pick up Mo Yikai.

Aunt Zhu had found a house across their community, a large flat with a loft. The owner had gone abroad, leaving the place vacant. She had rented it and moved the furniture over, now coming to collect Mo Yikai.

Mo Yikai leaving meant Big Silly had to go too. Yuan Ting hugged Big Silly, reluctant to part: "Dog Brother, I hate to let you go. We're sworn brothers; how can we be separated?" Under other circumstances, Yuan Ting would have asked Aunt Zhu for Big Silly, but knowing her deep bond with the dog from his past life, he didn't want to interfere.

Seeing Yuan Ting's crestfallen face, Cheng Nanyi sat next to him and asked, "If you had to choose between Big Silly and me, who would you pick?"

what？

Is that even a question someone would ask?

Yuan Ting was stunned. Indeed, only someone capable of being bizarre could come up with such an idea.

"Why would I have to choose between a dog and you?" Yuan Ting asked.

Cheng Nanyi nodded, "That's right, you can have both."

Yuan Ting: "..." Seriously sick, I don't want either.

Aunt Zhu invited everyone to dine out, and only Shu Zhilan was home. Shu Zhilan agreed to let them go.

Aunt Zhu invited Shu Zhilan too, but she declined, feeling lethargic from drinking herbal medicine and having no appetite.

Of course, even if she had an appetite, she wouldn't dine with Aunt Zhu. In her mind, Aunt Zhu wasn't worthy enough to share a table with her.

Aware of her place, Aunt Zhu didn't insist and left with the three children.

Just after driving out of the neighborhood, Aunt Zhu's phone rang. Since she was driving, she asked Mo Yikai to answer and put it on speaker.

The call was from an elderly lady, sounding very urgent: "Yanhong, your mom took me to confront a mistress…"

"Aunt Wang? Confront a mistress?" Aunt Zhu frowned deeply. "What mistress?"

Yuan Ting's eyes immediately rounded in excitement. There was drama.

Since being confined for four years, Yuan Ting felt a particularly keen urge to join in on the excitement.

"That mistress, the shameless woman who had twins... Oh my, what a mess…" The background noise was chaotic, sounding like five hundred ducks quacking.

"She's in that woman's neighborhood. Your mom finally tracked her down. She said you didn't want her to, but she had to take revenge for you… Come quickly, we're losing… Let go of my sister, I'll fight you… Ahhhh…"

Uh…

Mo Yikai panicked: "Mom, it's Grandma, hurry, we need to help her…"

Aunt Zhu, also anxious, immediately turned the car around and told Mo Yikai, "Quick, call your little aunt."

Yuan Ting rubbed his bald head.

Seriously, losing a fight against a mistress?

Yuan Ting rolled up his sleeves. Just wait, let me handle this.

Author's Note:

A big thank you to the little angels who supported me with their Overlord Votes and Nutrient Solutions from August 9, 2023, 18:06:48 to August 11, 2023, 18:08:10~

Special thanks to the little angels for their Nutrient Solutions: Chenlun Wuse Li (15 bottles); Huting Beilu (9 bottles); Gugu Gugu, Forbidden to Play Yellow (5 bottles each); 65610602 (4 bottles); Nanshan Geji, Xi Xingye, Knight's Soul, Badama, Ah Ah Ah I Want to Fall in Love, huttuu (1 bottle each);

I'm deeply grateful for everyone's support and will continue to work hard!