"Xingbao, you've truly broadened my horizons today," Bo Yanchen remarked with a warm smile as they stepped outside.
Ji Chuxing gave a dismissive snort. "It was just a Spring and Autumn lock. Your world must be awfully small if that impressed you."
Bo Yanchen chuckled softly. "You're absolutely right. My world *is* small. In the future, I'll have to rely on our Xingbao to show me the ropes."
Having earned a million yuan earlier, Ji Chuxing was in high spirits. "I told you—I'm pretty amazing."
"Yes, our Xingbao is the most amazing," Bo Yanchen agreed without hesitation.
Her excitement was palpable, even the stubborn cowlick on her head bouncing up and down like an exclamation mark.
Bo Yanchen gently squeezed her palm. "But still… I don't want you to be *this* amazing."
Ji Chuxing paused, glancing down at his large hand enveloping hers. She stood tall while he sat in his wheelchair, wishing he could reach up to ruffle her hair but finding it awkward to do so.
A pang of sorrow tugged at him. A person only becomes too strong when they have no one to lean on. Someone who lacks liveliness often grew up without anyone to spoil or indulge them.
After all, the child who cries gets the candy. He wanted his little girl to live a happier, easier life—not burdened by the need to be invincible. Because strength came at a cost: bearing more weight, enduring trials that left scars too deep to revisit.
"Being stronger isn't necessarily bad," he murmured, "but I still hope our Xingbao doesn't have to work so hard."
For a fleeting moment, confusion flickered across Ji Chuxing's eyes. She had always been strong, ever since she became aware of herself. She was used to others fearing her, used to the weak depending on her.
"If only I could stand…" Bo Yanchen trailed off, revealing for the first time his feelings about his inability to walk. But almost immediately, he masked his vulnerability with his usual gentle demeanor. "Never mind. Earning more money is good too. I'll make sure to earn plenty for our Xingbao."
Ji Chuxing looked at him, her expression calm but her voice resolute. "Things will get better."
Bo Yanchen blinked, then realized what she meant. He smiled faintly. "Alright. If our Xingbao says things will get better, then they will."
His tone carried the soothing cadence of someone comforting a child.
Ji Chuxing's gaze hardened with determination. "Brother, you *will* get better."
Bo Yanchen froze, his heart fluttering with an unfamiliar emotion. Was it because of the tender way she called him "brother"? Or something else? Gazing into her unwavering eyes, his own softened. "Brother believes in Xingbao."
---
After dropping Ji Chuxing off at school, Bo Yanchen's phone rang as he started the car. On the other end, his grandfather's booming voice echoed through the line.
"Yanchen! Let Grandpa see my future granddaughter-in-law!"
Bo Yanchen sighed inwardly. "…Where did you hear about this?"
"Don't play dumb with me! Old Wei already spilled everything. Is this how you treat your family? Outsiders know more than I do!"
The embarrassment of hearing it from Old Wei himself stung. Bo Yanchen pinched the bridge of his nose. "Grandpa, the girl is underage. You're overthinking things."
"Oh ho! So that's how young people operate these days—playing the long game, huh? Don't think I don't use the internet..."
Before his grandfather could finish, Bo Yanchen hung up and promptly added the number to his blacklist. No sooner had he done so than another call came in.
He answered with a blank expression. A cheerful male voice greeted him. "Yanchen, I heard about your little sister-in-law..."
Without missing a beat, Bo Yanchen ended the call and blocked the number.
Meanwhile, a new WeChat group had popped up on his phone—*All for Xingbao*. The message count had already hit 99+.
"Yanchen, where are the photos of my daughter? Send them now!"
"Where's my granddaughter?! Show me the pictures!"
"Finally, we have a sister! Heard she's at Nancheng No. 1 High School. What kind of dump is that? Bring her back to the capital for the best education!"
"What does the sister like? Should we prepare gifts in advance?"
"I own a few castles in Europe. What color does the sister prefer?"
…
Bo Yanchen skimmed through the messages, typed a few commands, and made himself the group admin. Then, with a single tap, he muted everyone.
Setting his phone aside, he chuckled quietly. The little girl certainly had her admirers. But that wasn't such a bad thing—more people would care for her in the future.
---
Back at school, Ji Chuxing learned about the administration's decision regarding the forum incident. Mo Xue'er had been expelled, and several students who spread rumors were disciplined. Many from the Qihang Class received reprimands.
Liu Xiuping was furious and stormed into the principal's office, hoping to negotiate. But the principal, once lenient, now seemed unyielding.
"Teacher Liu, the Qihang Class students went too far. The school never condoned such behavior, yet they slandered their peers. Their conduct is deeply troubling."
"Principal, Ji Chuxing is nothing but a mediocre student!" Liu snapped.
"Teacher Liu!" The principal's tone turned stern. "As an educator, those words are beneath you. At Nanzhong, every student matters. Even if Ji's grades aren't ideal, her character is exemplary and deserves respect."
Realizing she'd pushed too far, Liu stormed out of the office, only to come face-to-face with Ji Chuxing.
She stopped, puffing out her chest. "Don't think you're special just because you got praised once. Mediocre students like you will never amount to anything."
Ji Chuxing didn't spare her a glance. Liu felt like she'd punched a cloud, her anger dissipating into thin air.
Ji Chuxing had come to discuss replacing the English teacher for Class 16. Overhearing this, Liu sneered. Replacing the teacher? Class 16 could rot without one!
The principal listened carefully and nodded. "I understand. I'll handle it."
As Ji Chuxing turned to leave, her sharp eyes caught sight of a math problem on the principal's desk. She paused. "That's incorrect."
The principal frowned. "What?"
Ji Chuxing pointed to a step in the proof. "This part is wrong, which invalidates the conclusion."
The principal's eyes widened. "Ji, do you know how to solve this?"
She tilted her head thoughtfully. "It's simple—a spatial matrix problem with some inequalities and integrals. Just follow these steps..." She rattled off the solution in concise terms, leaving the principal bewildered.
"Wait, I don't follow. Let me call Teacher Ouyang—you stay here."
Before the principal could dial, Ji Chuxing grabbed the paper and scribbled down the solution, skipping several intermediate steps. She glanced at a few fill-in-the-blank questions and filled them in effortlessly.
By the time the principal finished dialing, Ji Chuxing had already left, her expression as serene as ever.