Chapter 42: An’an, An’an!

“What? Cheating on exams? Skipping class too? And refusing discipline?”

Inside this private school named Mingde Hall, Jiang Wang was both shocked and furious.

Yesterday, when An’an told him her teacher wanted to meet him, her guardian, his heart had already been uneasy. It was too easy to connect it to Fang Zehou’s threat.

If the Fang family used some petty trick, such as pulling strings to have An’an expelled from her private school, Jiang Wang really would have no good solution.

He had even prepared himself to spend money hiring a private tutor for An’an.

But even after racking his brains, he had never imagined that Jiang An’an’s teacher wanted to meet him simply because Jiang An’an had behaved badly.

Jiang Wang felt a great absurdity.

Teachers giving lessons, smacking palms, making students stand, making them copy texts—these were all common things. There had never been a teacher who could do nothing with a student.

Had he, Jiang Wang, not already entered the inner academy, yet still been watched by Iron-Faced Xiao and forced to copy Daoist scriptures?

How terrible, how disobedient did a student have to be for the teacher to require a meeting with their guardian?

“Look at this.”

The old teacher of Mingde Hall tossed over a stack of notebooks.

“I punished her by making her copy the Thousand Character Classic. Look at what she copied!”

Jiang Wang received them with both hands and looked through them. He was just about to say there was no problem—the content was indeed the Thousand Character Classic.

But he quickly reacted.

The content was indeed correct, but there were actually seven or eight different handwritings.

In other words, even the copying Jiang An’an had been punished with had been completed through cheating.

Jiang Wang only wanted to cover his eyes.

He could not bear to look.

When Iron-Faced Xiao punished him to copy the Daoist scripture a hundred times, he had never thought of asking others to help. He had honestly copied it out himself, word by word, through who knew how many nights.

Why was Jiang An’an’s thinking so lively?

“She cheated on exams too?” Jiang Wang asked, trembling.

“During a small test, she helped someone else answer questions. I caught her red-handed,” the old teacher said, and his voice immediately rose. “She herself failed the test! On what basis was she helping others?!”

Jiang An’an stood beside them, her little head lowered, looking pitiful and ready to accept any scolding or beating.

But her big eyes secretly glanced at Jiang Wang’s expression.

Whenever Jiang Wang looked over, she immediately turned her gaze away.

There was another little girl in the room. At this moment, she was sprawled arrogantly on a chair, playing with her fingers.

She was probably the classmate who had asked Jiang An’an to help her cheat.

This attitude was far too brazen!

Her appearance was very lovely, with skin like congealed cream and delicate brows and eyes. Though she had not yet grown up, she was already clearly a future beauty.

Only that little nose of hers was raised far too high, making her seem overly proud.

Everything she wore was clearly expensive, making her look exactly like a little demoness who caused chaos wherever she went.

But then again… someone who expected Jiang An’an, who failed her own exam, to help her cheat—how could she possibly be a good child who loved studying?

Jiang Wang told himself to stay calm.

His younger sister was introverted, quiet, obedient, and adorable. There had to be some misunderstanding here…

Misunderstanding, my foot!

The evidence was already ironclad!

Jiang Wang grabbed Jiang An’an and turned to walk outside.

“Come home with me!”

As the elder brother was like a father, and if a child was not taught, the fault lay with the father.

He decided it was time to show the dignity of a guardian.

How had that timid little girl from back then become like this in just a few months?

He decided he needed to give her a proper beating. At the very least, ten strikes on the palm.

Getting beaten in school would be too humiliating, so he would take her home to beat her.

Mm… maybe three strikes.

Three strikes were already quite harsh. It would hurt for a long time.

At this moment, the little demoness even jumped up, waved, and called crisply, “Goodbye, An’an!”

Jiang An’an was being pulled outside by Jiang Wang with one hand. She had long since realized things were bad and had been meekly lowering her head for quite some time.

But when she heard her friend’s farewell, her other hand timidly lifted, ready to respond…

Jiang Wang tugged hard and interrupted this farewell between friends.

After leaving Mingde Hall, they had only walked a few steps south along Black Tortoise Street when they passed Cai’s Mutton Shop.

When Jiang An’an smelled the fragrance of mutton, she deliberately coughed.

Usually, with just one look from her, or even a small sniff, Jiang Wang would stop and lead her inside.

But today, Jiang Wang pulled her along and walked straight past without glancing sideways.

Jiang An’an then understood.

Her brother was truly angry.

Going farther ahead and turning left onto Green Wood Avenue, then walking east all the way to the end, they would reach Flying Horse Alley.

In Flying Horse Alley was their home.

“Brother…” Jiang An’an called.

But Jiang Wang did not answer.

“Brother…” Jiang An’an gently shook Jiang Wang’s hand.

Jiang Wang gave a cold snort through his nose to show his ruthless attitude.

By then they had just reached the entrance of their home. Jiang An’an said pitifully, “Brother, I’ll open the door. I brought the key!”

Jiang Wang unlocked it himself, pushed open the courtyard gate, and let go of An’an’s hand. His voice was deliberately cold.

“Go inside.”

He could not let Jiang An’an think this matter could be easily muddled through.

A child of four or five was precisely at the age when character slowly began to form. He had to teach her a lesson.

Jiang An’an’s little hand brushed against Jiang Wang’s. Seeing that Jiang Wang truly had no intention of holding it again, it drooped dejectedly.

But then she seemed to suddenly remember something, perked up, and ran ahead.

Jiang Wang followed her into the bedroom and saw Jiang An’an heading straight for her little bed.

Jiang Wang was just about to scold her to stop.

Usually, whenever Jiang An’an encountered something she did not want to do, she would flop onto the bed and shout things like, “Oh no, I’m so sleepy, I’m asleep now,” and easily muddle through.

But Jiang An’an suddenly crouched down, and her tiny body slipped under the bed.

You think I can’t hit you if you hide under the bed?

Jiang Wang nearly laughed from anger. He casually picked up the broom by the door and blocked the front of Jiang An’an’s little bed.

But An’an soon crawled back out.

She was holding a small wooden box. After wriggling around under the bed for a while, her little face was covered in dust.

She lifted the old wooden box high with both hands and said cheerfully, “This is for you!”

Jiang Wang leaned the broom against the cabinet beside him and suspiciously took the small wooden box.

“What is it?”

He opened it.

And then he saw the stack of silver, red gold, pearls, and other treasures piled together inside, dazzling with jewel-bright light.

Jiang Wang’s heart seemed to be seized by something.

Holding the wooden box in one hand, his voice became harsher than ever before.

“Where did this come from?”

Jiang An’an had never seen her brother with such an expression before and instantly panicked.

Her mouth flattened as she sobbed, “I… I earned it!”

“Earned it?”

Jiang Wang’s hand trembled.

“Where did you earn it? How did you earn it?”

He flung the wooden box to the ground, producing a huge crash.

“Speak!”

Gold light, silver light, pearl light scattered across the floor.

Jiang An’an was frightened badly and burst into tears with a loud wail.

“Helping classmates with exams…”

“Helping classmates with exams can earn this much money?”

Jiang An’an sobbed.

“Qingzhi… Qingzhi is very rich. I helped her with exams, and she gave me money.”

Jiang Wang felt his heart, which had been hanging high, slowly settle back down.

He began to regret how fierce he had been just now.

He crouched down and held Jiang An’an’s little shoulders with both hands.

She was like an exquisitely delicate porcelain doll, as though she might shatter if he failed to protect her even slightly.

“When did our family ever need you to earn money?”

Jiang Wang looked at her and reached out to wipe away her tears.

“Brother has money. A lot of money. Do you understand?”

Jiang An’an sobbed, “Didn’t you borrow money from that little pretty boy to buy the house? Borrowed money has to be paid back…”

Jiang Wang suddenly remembered.

That day, when he went to ask Zhao Rucheng for silver and a courtyard, he had been carrying An’an with him.

Poor little An’an.

Her little box.

The heart she had so carefully offered up.

When it had been smashed to the ground, how sad must she have been?

Jiang Wang looked at her.

Tears flowed down her dusty little face, washing out a snow-white base beneath.

Jiang Wang’s nose stung.

His heart suddenly became incomparably soft.

And shattered into an utter mess.

(End of Chapter)