Chapter 19: This Mischievous Disciple (Part 2)

Uncle Qian was pleased to see the young lady finally attending her lesson. Relieved, he reminded them of a few things, then promptly left to avoid disturbing her “studies.”

Once Uncle Qian and Du Tian left, Dai Ning shot Zhao Yu a glare.

Her displeasure was obvious to anyone. She was notoriously vengeful; if she didn’t cool off, she’d likely carry this grudge to her grave.

Zhao Yu flipped open her textbook. “Come over for your lesson.”

As long as she was willing to learn, Zhao Yu was more than willing to teach. Dai Ning spent her days aimlessly, and neglecting her studies wasn’t good for her.

She didn’t budge. Looking around, she thought about finding that switch from yesterday to lash Zhao Yu with.

Zhao Yu immediately read her thoughts.

“Sit quietly,” he said, “Doesn’t your hand hurt? Already causing trouble again today? If you don’t want this lesson, I’ll go help Auntie Du.”

Dai Ning reluctantly sat in her chair.

In her mind, she decided that when Du Yuexiang returned, she’d make sure to give Zhao Yu a good beating.

Zhao Yu asked, “What chapter are you on?”

Holding an English book, Zhao Yu looked at her as Dai Ning sneered, “A country bumpkin like you, can you even read English? Do you need me to help you recognize the alphabet?”

Zhao Yu’s eyes glinted with amusement. “Believe me, I was prepared for everything, except you.”

Dai Ning looked confused, a large question mark practically floating above her head.

“What? Me, what?”

“Pay attention, Miss Ji.” He didn’t explain what he had said and began teaching her the lesson.

Expecting Dai Ning’s total lack of knowledge, Zhao Yu started patiently with the basics, like phonetics.

But the young lady didn’t appreciate his effort. She kept looking around, like a restless little bird.

Right under his watch, she even pulled out a watermelon-flavored bubblegum, chewing and blowing bubbles.

“Pay attention,” Zhao Yu said. “Once you master phonetics, I’ll let you hit me back.”

Her interest sparked immediately. “Really?”

“Mm.”

Dai Ning began to bargain. “Then I want twenty hits.”

“Twelve,” Zhao Yu replied coolly.

“Fifteen.”

“Fine. Twelve.”

Finally satisfied, she agreed. “Alright, alright, teach me.”

At first, Dai Ning actually listened intently to Zhao Yu’s lesson. Unfortunately, she wasn’t accustomed to sitting still for long, and soon became restless.

It was early autumn, the weather was cooling, and a breeze blew outside. Somewhere, a cheerful child’s voice rang out.

“Niu Wa, Xiao Ji, let’s go fly kites!”

Dai Ning’s eyes lit up, and she was about to rush outside.

Zhao Yu held her arm. “Ji Dai Ning, where do you think you’re going?”

“Didn’t you hear? Today’s perfect for kite flying! I used to have a jade plate kite shaped like a dragon—it was three meters long and flew super high!”

“You still haven’t mastered phonetics. Don’t you want to earn back the right to hit me?”

Dai Ning was all about instant gratification. She had no idea when she’d finally grasp phonetics, but kite flying was something she could do right now. Compared to studying, kite flying was way more appealing!

“No hitting today. I’m going to fly kites, so let me go.”

Zhao Yu was at his wit’s end and lowered his voice sternly. “You’re not going. Once you’ve learned, then you can go play.”

Unhappy, Dai Ning unwrapped a piece of bubble gum.

“What are you staring at? I’m not sharing it with you.”

Zhao Yu restrained his irritation. “Spit out the gum, and repeat after me.”

Sitting on the wooden bench in his house, Dai Ning started to feel sore. As Zhao Yu pressed her to study, she found ways to make things difficult for him too. “This is uncomfortable. I want a soft cushion. I won’t repeat after you; my throat hurts. I need cherry milk.”

Zhao Yu’s face darkened. “There’s none of that here.”

Trying to teach her was infuriating. “Do you even want to learn? If not, go back to the big city and find yourself another teacher.”

Seeing his anger, Dai Ning’s mood actually lifted.

Zhao Yu got up to leave, fed up. Anyone who wanted to teach Ji Dai Ning was welcome to try!

After quickly calculating that Du Yuexiang hadn’t returned yet, Dai Ning figured she’d already suffered enough in this shabby place; she couldn’t let the discipline she’d endured be for nothing.

Now it was her turn to wrap her arms around Zhao Yu’s waist. “I’ll study; I’ll be serious! Don’t be so petty, Zhao Yu.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at her audacity. Anyone else would be so frustrated with Ji Dai Ning that their patience would’ve withered long ago. The fact that he could still speak calmly to her was a testament to his self-control. And she thought he was the petty one?

“No cherry milk for me, no kite flying either. Today I’m staying put.”

Zhao Yu sat back down. “Good.”

Dai Ning wrapped her arms around his neck, settling herself on his lap. “Alright, go ahead and teach.”

Zhao Yu fell silent. “Get off me.”

“You didn’t get me a cushion,” she said, playing with his shirt buttons and blowing a pink bubble. “This is more comfortable.”

Grinding his teeth, Zhao Yu muttered, “Fine, I’ll go get you one!”

“No need,” she replied. “I’m staying right here.”

She buried her cheek against his chest, her legs swinging idly. Serves him right for not letting her go outside. Too late to regret it now!

“If I don’t learn today, I’m staying right here.”

Zhao Yu took a deep breath, turned her head to face the book, and commanded, “Look at the page. Read.”

Dai Ning squinted, vaguely remembering the sounds, and tried to pronounce them.

Zhao Yu corrected her, “The third one is wrong. Listen to me read it again.”

Dai Ning watched his Adam’s apple move as he spoke and, thinking it looked rather… interesting, reached out to touch it.

Zhao Yu, who was about to pronounce a sound: …

She poked his Adam’s apple curiously. “Why don’t you go on? What, are you teaching me sign language now?”

Grabbing her mischievous hand, Zhao Yu repeated the sound. Dai Ning mimicked him, and he grudgingly nodded, satisfied. Doing his best to ignore the cheongsam-clad girl on his lap, he kept his gaze forward, calmly explaining more basics.

In her sweet, soft voice, Dai Ning interrupted, “Zhao Yu, something on you is poking me, and it’s a bit uncomfortable.”

In an instant, Zhao Yu yanked her off his lap. Finally out of patience, he pointed outside. “Get out and go play!”

Cheerfully, Dai Ning ran off. “Are you serious?”

Zhao Yu’s face darkened. “Hurry up and go!”

She clung to the doorframe, stifling her laughter. “About what you promised me earlier—to let me hit you back—does that still count? If it doesn’t, I’ll finish my lesson.”

Zhao Yu gritted out his response, as though he could eat her alive.

“It counts! Ji Dai Ning, get out this instant!”

With a skip in her step, she ran off to find Uncle Qian to fetch her kite.

The green orb, who’d just been reactivated, was utterly confused. “Ji Dai Ning, what did you do? Everything suddenly went mosaic on my end.”

Even when Dai Ning took a bath, it would only temporarily disconnect from her. Nothing like that ever turned its view into a mosaic.

Earlier, the green orb had been shut in a little square space with a mosaic pattern and floating words like “Harmony, Democracy, Prosperity, Unity…”

Dai Ning looked at it with curiosity. “You have that function?”

The green orb, bewildered, replied, “I don’t know. That’s never happened before.”

“No problem. You’ll get used to it.”

The green orb: ???