Chapter 8 Course

Xu Qingying had just eaten the strawberry fed by Zhi Li when she noticed the slightly stiff expression on the butler’s face from the corner of her eye. She felt a bit embarrassed. “The pictures you took made the food look so appetizing that I couldn’t resist.”

The butler shook his head. “The chefs will probably be very pleased. At least during these few days when the young master isn’t here, they’ll all have a chance to shine.” Normally, when the old madam and the master ate, only one or two chefs would be needed.

Xu Qingying raised an eyebrow.

The Jiang family’s butler certainly knew how to speak well.

Zhi Li had only ordered three items and wasn’t yet aware of the grand scale of lunch. Hearing their conversation, she nodded her little head vigorously like a pestle pounding garlic, clapping her small hands enthusiastically. “The tofu soup and blueberry pancakes just now were super delicious!”

“It seems Xiao Ning’s cooking suits the young miss’s taste very well. She’s particularly skilled at making soups and desserts.” The butler put away the tablet and smiled at Zhi Li. “Xiao Ning’s son also lives in the villa—his name is Wei Liang. You can play together in the future.”

Zhi Li grinned, her crescent eyes sparkling as if filled with twinkling stars. “I saw Wei Liang last night! And I also met Lightning! We’ve already agreed to play together!”

The butler called someone to clear the table. “Lightning may look fierce, but he’s actually quite gentle. Unless the young master gives the order, he won’t bite anyone. However, he’s a bit of a neat freak—if anyone accidentally dirties him, he’ll chase them all around the yard.”

“Right!” Zhi Li hopped down from her chair. “Last night, I saw Lightning deliberately avoid a small puddle on the ground. He must have been afraid of getting his paws dirty.”

After saying this, Zhi Li felt something was off.

Did Lightning look fierce? Not at all—he had been smiling so happily last night.

After the meal, the butler led the way, taking Zhi Li and Xu Qingying to the tutoring room.

A gentle breeze drifted in through the slightly open window. Zhi Li noticed a small bamboo plant swaying in its pot, a single leaf fluttering down to land beneath a milky-green bookshelf. Further ahead stood a small refrigerator.

“There are two desks here.”

“This one is the young master’s usual desk.”

The tutoring room also had cameras.

Netizens watching the live stream immediately perked up.

[Here we go, place your bets—which family is the most competitive?]

[Definitely not Yu Xinrou’s family. Her mother-in-law spoils her grandson rotten.]

[Aside from Yu Xinrou’s family, the kids from the other two families are all taking extra classes.]

[Honestly, Yu Xinrou’s kid really seems a bit unruly. I always feel like he doesn’t respect her much.]

[Are Xu Qingying’s fans addicted to bashing Yu Xinrou? Even if he’s unruly, he’s still her biological son!]

[Yu Xinrou’s son’s misbehavior shows authenticity, unlike Zhi Li, who’s been taught by Xu Qingying to act obedient for the cameras.]

[Can you fans take your fights somewhere else? As a neutral viewer, I think Zhi Li seems lovely.]

[“Neutral viewer” my foot (dog emoji)]

[If not neutral, then what—a Xu Qingying fan? The people who hate Xu Qingying the most are her own fans, betrayed by her!]

The live stream chat was in chaos. Some viewers who had been charmed by Zhi Li’s looks had no choice but to block the barrage of comments for a moment of peace.

In contrast to the live stream, the tutoring room was a picture of serenity.

As Xu Qingying passed by, she noticed that both desks had a bottle of mineral water, likely placed there that morning. One of the desks even had a primary school Olympiad math book, but every instance of the word “problem” on the cover had been thoroughly scribbled over with pencil.

The plot did mention Jiang Yuexiao’s academic performance. As a third-grade elementary student, apart from English, he ranked near the bottom in all other subjects like Chinese and Math.

In one episode of the family reality show, Jiang Yuexiao was mocked by a rival child for his poor math scores, leading to a fistfight that left both bruised and swollen. Since then, his reputation as an academic underachiever grew louder among netizens.

Though young, Zhi Li had been able to read picture books independently for quite some time, with a vocabulary of three to four thousand characters. So when Xu Qingying glanced repeatedly at the cover of the elementary Math Olympiad book, Zhi Li also noticed the words on it. Instantly, she stiffened her posture, placing both little hands neatly on the table.

Oh no, oh no.

Will Grandma make me study this?

Zhi Li was deeply troubled. Wasn’t this the same test Uncle mentioned—the one where you had to answer everything correctly to even attend kindergarten? Would Grandma use this to test me too?

The Butler lowered the projection screen and displayed the content, explaining leisurely, “At home, we encourage children under six to explore various interests broadly. After some exposure, they can focus on two to four main interests by age seven or eight.” Of course, it was fine if they didn’t want to pursue any—there were plenty of other ways to cultivate refinement and fill their time. This was just the tip of the iceberg.

Xu Qingying stared blankly at the densely packed list on the screen.

So even children from top-tier wealthy families had to grind this hard from such a young age?

Glancing sideways, she noticed Zhi Li gripping the edge of the table tightly with both hands, clearly overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of this hyper-competitive environment!

Zhi Li felt both anticipation and dread.

She looked forward to learning many things before leaving here with her mother, but she feared she’d have to pass that Math Olympiad test first.

With these thoughts, Zhi Li drooped her head in distress.

[Zhi Li looks terrified of studying.]

[Just like my underachieving son, lol!]

[Xu Qingying is so illiterate she even messes up her lines. Zhi Li probably inherited her IQ.]

[I have a feeling this family might take the crown in the competition…]

[Forget Zhi Li—even I’m scared looking at these courses.]

[Many rich kids start these classes at three. Seems like this is Zhi Li’s first time.]

[If Zhi Li can’t do anything, she’ll embarrass the family.]

[Tsk, no wonder they scheduled so many classes—they’re afraid Zhi Li won’t be presentable later.]

The Butler noticed Zhi Li’s reaction and understood.

Kids love to play. Even eight-year-old Young Master Jiang couldn’t sit still, let alone Zhi Li, who wasn’t even five yet.

After a moment’s thought, the Butler reassured, “The courses aren’t too difficult. They’re almost like playing. No need to worry.”

Zhi Li rubbed her little face and stole a glance at the Math Olympiad book on the nearby table. Her eyes reddened, and she nearly burst into tears.

In Auntie Butler’s eyes, this level isn’t even hard? Then my new brother must be a genius. Compared to him, a little fool like me will be exposed faster than Sun Wukong spotting a monster! QAQ

Xu Qingying leaned over and hugged Zhi Li, whispering gently, “Don’t be scared, sweetheart. To me, you’re the best child ever—whether you learn these things or not!”

[Here we go, the fake-nice parenting approach!]

[Wake up, Xu Qingying! They’re not making you take classes out of kindness—they’re ashamed of you and don’t want you to embarrass them!]

When the butler heard Xu Qingying’s words, a sense of foreboding arose. Her tone suggested she didn’t even want Zhi Li to experience the initial phase of broad exploration.

The family’s wealth could ensure Zhi Li never had to learn anything and still live comfortably, but given the mistress’s past unreliable behavior, what if they really divorced? How would Zhi Li support herself in the future without any skills?

“Zhi Li,” the butler called out, seeing the child almost bury her face in Xu Qingying’s embrace. “Why don’t you watch the teachers’ introductory videos first? Their courses are really interesting.”

Introductory videos?  

Weren’t they supposed to start with math tests for evaluation?  

Zhi Li lifted her fluffy little head from Xu Qingying’s arms, blinking her eyes nervously, her voice trembling slightly. “D-Don’t we have to take a test first?”  

“A test?” The butler chuckled. “This isn’t an entrance exam, of course there’s no test.”  

Hearing the words “no test,” Zhi Li’s reddened eyes cleared, her tiny hands unclenched from the table edge, and she sat up straight like an obedient student, gazing at the screen ahead. “I’d like to watch the videos, please! Thank you, Auntie Butler!”  

Xu Qingying sighed in relief. So, Zhi Li had been afraid of the overwhelming curriculum. Without tests, no matter how intensive the courses were, they wouldn’t pressure her.  

The butler also relaxed. Thankfully, he had stopped Xu Qingying in time—otherwise, Zhi Li might have ended up with nothing but carefree “happy education.”  

The first video played.  

Under dazzling stage lights, a middle-aged man in formal wear passionately played the piano, his fingers coaxing vibrant notes from the black-and-white keys, weaving a breathtaking melody that stirred the soul.  

The butler introduced, “Charlie Hoffman—a world-class pianist who has collaborated with orchestras like Vienna and Berlin Philharmonic. Ranked among the top ten in international pianist rankings.”  

Originally, the live chat had been dominated by haters and a few fans, but the moment Charlie Hoffman’s name appeared, countless piano students erupted in excitement.  

[AHHHHHHH MY IDOL!!!!]  

[No way! My lifelong dream is to attend his concert live.]  

[Charlie Hoffman teaching private lessons? He doesn’t even need the money!]  

[This intro video was clearly recorded at home—so jealous!!!]  

“He was the one who taught the young master’s piano basics,” the butler added, pausing before continuing sincerely, “The young master didn’t have much musical talent, but Mr. Hoffman is very patient—he never scolds his students.”  

Zhi Li’s eyes widened as she softly repeated Charlie Hoffman’s name a few times.  

Xu Qingying, catching her murmurs, turned to ask, “Sweetheart, do you want to learn piano?”  

“Yes!” Zhi Li nodded earnestly. This teacher was gentle and never yelled—he surely wouldn’t mind having a little dummy for a student!  

As they spoke, a serene and melodious guzheng tune suddenly filled the air, evoking images of flowing mountain streams and boundless tranquility.  

“Lin Youning—a master guzheng performer, winner of all three major guzheng competitions.”  

[My teacher’s teacher! She rarely takes students anymore.]  

[What does this family even do? How did they get all these world-class masters?]  

[So they think Zhi Li’s unrefined and just hired top-tier tutors?]  

[I’ve said it a million times—I’d kill to be ‘neglected’ and ‘looked down on’ like Zhi Li!!!]

【Perhaps, the so-called dislike and rejection were all in our heads?】  

Netizens stared at this comment in silence.  

But remembering the stepfather who refused to eat breakfast and the grandmother’s words about not treating everyone equally, they were convinced they hadn’t misunderstood—Zhi Li really wasn’t well-liked!  

At most—  

The kind of dislike Zhi Li faced wasn’t quite the kind they had imagined.  

Damn it!  

It was completely, utterly, and absolutely not the same! Can we get a package of this kind of “dislike” too?!