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When Ji Yan saw that Tang Tang was listening more seriously than Ji Xiao Zhuo, he remembered that she didn’t know how to do those calculations due to her memory loss, so Ji Yan simply taught them at the same time. But every time he finished explaining, Tang Tang always had a clueless expression which, for some reason, made him want to laugh.
Her expression was too easy to read, and he could tell that she didn’t understand the explanation. So, every time, after he finished teaching, Ji Yan would go through it again with her in more detail. He would explain the parts she didn’t understand again, and if once wasn’t enough, he would explain it again until she understood.
Every time, Tang Tang’s face would redden in embarrassment. She felt guilty as she was really wasting Ji Yan’s time, “Sorry, I’m too dumb. Go and teach Bao Bao instead. Don’t waste your time teaching me. I will slowly learn it by myself.”
“It’s alright. You’ll be fine after going through it a few more times. I will teach the parts you don’t understand again.” Ji Yan was very patient. He never got impatient with Tang Tang’s slow learning speed.
Tang Tang thought Ji Yan was undoubtedly the best person in the world. He only had merits and no shortcomings at all. How could there be such a good person?!
When Ji Xiao Zhuo saw the moved expression on his mummy’s face, he felt gloomy. Silently, Xiao Zhuo turned his body around and started to do his practise questions. Humph, daddy is biased. To mummy, daddy said that it didn’t matter, but if it was him, daddy would definitely say, “Ji Xiao Zhuo, where did your brain just go?” Which made Xiao Zhuo don’t even dare to make a single mistake.
Bao Bao heart hurts.
Under Ji Yan’s guidance, Tang Tang finally learned how to multiply and divide. Even though she only knew how to calculate by writing, she already thought that it was amazing. The method was very convenient. The people here were really smart! Even she had become a little smarter.
Meanwhile, Ji Xiao Zhuo went up a level, multiplying and dividing mentally.
Originally, Tang Tang also wanted to try mental arithmetic, but after learning it for a day, she had to tearfully give up. It wasn’t because she was lazy, it was because her brain was inadequate. Tang Tang would think until she had a headache, but she still couldn’t come up with an answer. This was simply something she could not learn. According to a saying from this world, she would say that there was a limit with her IQ.
Her Bao Bao’s intelligence was probably more than twice greater than hers.
In the end, Ji Yan directly gave both of them a question to see who could answer it first. Tang Tang worked out on paper while Ji Xiao Zhuo used mental arithmetic.
In the beginning, Tang Tang could still manage to keep up and have a battle with Xiao Zhuo, but, in the end, before she could finish calculating, Ji Xiao Zhuo had already announced the correct answer.
Tang Tang felt ashamed and happy at the same time. Her happiness was because Ji Xiao Zhuo was so outstanding, Tang Tang was proud of him.
Tang Tang got used to praising Ji Xiao Zhuo daily. She kissed his chubby cheeks and said, “Bao Bao, you’re so smart!”
Previously, Ji Xiao Zhuo would always wave his hand, pretend that he didn’t care, and modestly say, “It’s so-so.” But he was different today, Ji Xiao Zhuo wasn’t modest. Instead, he asked for a reward, “Mummy, since I’m smart, can you satisfy a small request of mine?”
“What’s your small request, ah?”
“Can I have a transformer?”
Tang Tang thought that the little one would ask for delicious food. She didn’t expect he would ask for a transformer, which should be a toy, right?
This was the first time that Ji Xiao Zhuo asked for a toy. His previous toys were all gifted by other people when they came to visit, which was why Tang Tang agreed, “Alright, mummy will buy one for you!”
With bright eyes, Ji Xiao Zhuo turned to look at Ji Yan, “Can I, daddy?”
Since Tang Tang has already agreed, Ji Yan naturally wouldn’t say something different and also nodded in agreement.
“Yes!” Ji Xiao Zhuo cheered before asking, “Daddy, can I ask auntie Ji Yue to buy it for me?”
Ji Yan raised his eyebrows, “Why?”
“Because auntie Ji Yue can get it delivered by tomorrow, getting it from the internet is too slow!”
The little one was in such a rush to get the toy, and it definitely wasn’t for him to play the toy himself. Remembering the past few days when Xiao Zhuo would always dismantle his toys, take them to the nursery, and then take the fixed toys back home. Ji Yan instantly came up with the real reason, “Do you want to take the dismantled transformer to the nursery?”
Ji Xiao Zhuo nodded.
Tang Tang couldn’t restrain her curiosity, so she took the little one into her embrace and asked, “Bao Bao, why do you keep dismantling your toys before taking them to the nursery? Can you tell mummy the reason?”
Ji Xiao Zhuo hesitated before deciding to tell the truth, “It’s for Wen Nuo to assemble them. Wen Nuo is my desk mate.”
“Your desk mate? The assembled toys you brought back were all assembled by her?”
“Yes, she pieced them all together.” Ji Xiao Zhuo started to praise vaguely, “Wen Nuo likes assembling things. She’s not foolish when she is building things. She can be compared to my intelligence.”
Tang Tang was surprised by the little girl’s ability. Ji Xiao Zhuo dismantled the toys into pieces, and it looked like scrap to her. She didn’t expect such a docile girl would be able to put all the parts together back to its original form! That was amazing.
Were all the children geniuses now?
Since Ji Xiao Zhuo started talking about his deskmate, he couldn’t stop talking immediately, “Wen Nuo is my friend now. Not only does she talk to me, but she also gave me the only sweet that she had saved and was reluctant to eat.” Even though the sweet didn’t taste good.
“Really? That’s great, it seems you’re getting along very well. Since she gave you something to eat, you should give something to her in return. Mummy will make some pastries for you to share with your desk mate.”
Ji Xiao Zhuo was completely in favour of his mummy’s suggestion. He blinked at her with hope, “Mummy, can you pack another milk carton from now on? I want to give one to Wen Nuo because she doesn’t have enough to eat. It’s pitiful.”
Tang Tang was astonished, “Bao Bao, how do you know that Wen Nuo doesn’t eat enough? Did she tell you?” Ji Xiao Zhuo was probably mistaken. After all, what family didn’t let their children eat their fill?
“She didn’t tell me. I found out.” There was certainty in Ji Xiao Zhuo’s eyes, “Every day before lunchtime, her stomach grumbles. She constantly keeps drinking water. She must be hungry.”
Tang Tang still had some doubts.
“It’s true. Once I gave her my milk carton, but she didn’t want it, so I told her that I was swapping it with her for a star. Then she accepted it. She drank it with gusto. She looked like she was really hungry.”
Could it be that the little girl had a high metabolism, so she was hungry soon after eating? Or maybe the little girl was a picky eater and didn’t eat much, so she was hungry later?
Tang Tang couldn’t determine the real reason, but it must be difficult for the little girl to bear the hunger. She would pack another carton of milk for Bao Bao to take with him.
On the next day, apart from packing another milk carton, Tang Tang packed two extra meat buns for Ji Xiao Zhuo. Tang Tang told the little one to share the buns with his deskmate to prevent the little girl’s stomach from grumbling again.
While Ji Xiao Zhuo was in the nursery, Tang Tang made some pastries. She shaped each pastry into an animal. Children would like eating these better. When it was time to pick Xiao Zhuo up from the nursery, Tang Tang took a box of freshly made pastries with her to let the little girl try some.
It was just that Tang Tang didn’t expect to see a familiar person at the nursery’s entrance. The person was crouching down and speaking to Ji Xiao Zhuo warmly.
It was Gu Yan Ran.
Immediately, Tang Tang’s footsteps stopped. The bad memories she had forced to the back of her mind were resurfacing again. She didn’t know why Gu Yan Ran came for this time.
Ji Xiao Zhuo discovered Tang Tang first. He waved and shouted, “Mummy!”
Gu Yan Ran looked at Tang Tang’s direction and gave a smile that was hard to describe. That smile made Tang Tang’s heart pound. She felt flustered for some reason.
Suppressing that feeling down, Tang Tang walked to them as calmly as possible. She held Xiao Zhuo’s hand and said, “Bao Bao, is your deskmate still here?” She didn’t greet Gu Yan Ran. Since their last discussion, there was no need to pretend to be civil to each other, and Tang Tang didn’t want to be cordial with her.
Promptly, Ji Xiao Zhuo pointed at the classrooms, “Not yet, Wen Nuo’s family doesn’t have anyone to pick her up. The teacher takes her home every day.”
“It’s like that, ah. Mummy made some pastries. Why don’t you take them to Wen Nuo and let her try?” Tang Tang passed the box she was holding to Ji Xiao Zhuo.
Ji Xiao Zhuo’s eyes brightened. He held the box and then ran to the classroom.
Only Tang Tang and Gu Yan Ran remained.
Gu Yan Ran spoke first, “Why aren’t you asking me what I’m doing here?”
Tang Tang chose not to answer.
Not minding the silence, Gu Yan Ran carried on, “I came to deliver something to Ji Yan and came to see Xiao Zhuo while I’m here. Ji Yan said that Xiao Zhuo wanted a transformer, so I came to give it to him. Since it has been delivered, I’ll be going now.” Once Gu Yan Ran finished speaking, she confidently turned and left.
Tang Tang pursed her lips. Unwaveringly, she walked to Ji Xiao Zhuo’s classroom and saw that all the other children were already gone. There were only two children and Su Yue in the classroom eating the pastries.
When Su Yue saw Tang Tang, she smiled and lifted the hand holding the pastry, “Xiao Zhuo shared one with me. It’s really tasty. Look at the children, they are eating it with relish. “
Tang Tang looked at the two children as they huddled together while nibbling on the pastry. They were eating it happily. Especially, Wen Nuo, she looked like there was only that single pastry in her world. Anyone could tell from her actions that she really enjoyed it.
Unable to restrain herself, Tang Tang went to stroke the children’s head before telling Ji Xiao Zhuo, “There’s more at home, Xiao Zhuo. This box of pastries is for Wen Nuo to eat at home.”
Generously, Ji Xiao Zhuo nodded and pushed the remaining pastries towards Wen Nuo, “Take it home and enjoy, Wen Nuo.”
Wen Nuo slowly lifted her head to look at Ji Xiao Zhuo. There were crumbs around her mouth as she blanked. Then she looked towards Tang Tang and blinked her eyes with long lashes. She appeared helpless and puzzled.
The little girl looked a little foolish like this, which made Tang Tang couldn’t help but stroke her head again, “There’s no need to be courteous. Take it home to eat. Auntie will make it again for you next time.”
She carried on staring at Tang Tang blankly.
Ji Xiao Zhuo stood up and patted Wen Nuo’s head like an adult coaxing a child, “Okay, I’m going home now. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
After he finished speaking, Xiao Zhuo held Tang Tang’s hand and led her away under the little girl’s gaze.
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“Mummy, when I gave Wen Nuo breakfast this morning, she ate it with gusto. She almost choked. I think Wen Nuo is getting abused!” Ji Xiao Zhuo righteously told Tang Tang his discovery on their way home.
Tang Tang immediately halted him, “Bao Bao, you can’t speak irresponsibly. Which family would abuse their child? Also, you can see that there are no marks or bruises on Wen Nuo. She doesn’t look like she has been abused, right? Maybe she has a high metabolism, or maybe she’s a picky eater,which could be why she’s hungry.”
Ji Xiao Zhuo pouted and quietly muttered, “Anyway, I think there’s a problem.”
Tang Tang didn’t hear Xiao Zhuo’s words. Her current mind was not as calm as she appeared. Gu Yan Ran’s appearance affected her mood, but she thought that she shouldn’t let that bother her. So Tang Tang could only find things to do to keep herself busy, and that was the reason why dinner was more plentiful than usual tonight.
At this time, Ji Xiao Zhuo’s excited voice was heard from the outside, “Daddy!”
Ji Yan had returned. Tang Tang wiped her hands and exited the kitchen. She was about to greet him, but Tang Tang was speechless when she saw the person behind him.
Gu Yan Ran came with Ji Yan.
Ji Yan didn’t notice anything unusual with Tang Tang and said, “Yan Ran came to the unit for something. She will be staying for the night.”
“Oh,” Tang Tang pursed her lips and went back to the kitchen to continue cooking. Like usual, Tang Tang set out the cutlery. The only difference was that there was an extra set of cutlery tonight.
